Discalimer: J.K. Rowling owns everything
CHAPTER 2: Sneaking Out
As Ginny walked up to the door, she heard Harry say "He can't be worse than Umbridge, can he?"
"I know someone who's worse than Umbridge," said Ginny, thinking of Fleur.
Everybody's heads turned in her direction. Ginny's heart did a back-flip when for a split second, Ginny and Harry's eyes met.
"Hi Harry," said Ginny breathlessly.
When asked her what was wrong, she snapped out of Ginnyland and back down to earth.
"It's her," said Ginny as she sat down on Harry's bed next to Hermione.
"She's driving me mad."
A couple of minutes later her mum came in followed by Fleur and demanded that Ginny help her with the laundry. Ginny sighed and followed her down the stairs. She wished she could have spent more time with Harry. But, turns out, she got her wish. A few moments later Hermione came hurtling down the stairs, bushy-brown hair flying everywhere, followed by Harry and Ron, though they walked.
Ginny figured out right away why Hermione was so excited. The O.W.L. test scores were due to arrive soon according to Harry, and Hermione was going insane. She kept bouncing up and down and rocking back and forth like a toddler waiting to be fed. When the owls arrived, Hermione snatched the letter from the owl so fast it hooted angrily and ruffled its feathers at her. Hermione ignored it, she was too busy opening the letter with shaking fingers.
Ginny looked over the shoulders of Harry, Ron, and Hermione to have a look at their scores. Hermione had, of course, gotten top marks in everything. And Harry actually did better than Ron. Ginny swelled up with pride when she saw that Harry had gotten an "O" in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while Ron only got an "E".
"Well done!" said her mother, looking at Ron's scores, and ruffling Ron's hair so they Ginny had to stifle a laugh. "Seven O.W.L.s, that's more than Fred and George got together!"
"Hermione?" said Ginny, wondering why Hermione looked so shocked. "How did you do?"
"I—not bad," said Hermione in a small voice.
"Oh come off it," said Ron, and Ginny watched him walk over to Hermione and have a look at her scores. Ginny wondered why nobody else thought it was obvious that Ron had a crush on Hermione. She watched him blush when his hand brushed Hermione's and how he always had that dopey look on his face when she was around. Ginny knew that Hermione had somehow fallen for her brother's dopey charm.
Ginny thought that both of them could at least somebody better to have a crush on, but then she realized she couldn't find a better match for either of them. Hermione was a down-to-business sort of person, while Ron was as laid back and as easy-going as someone could be. But they were alike in a lot of ways as well. They both made great friends and had tremendous amount of loyalty and courage. Maybe that's why they have never gotten together before, thought Ginny. It's because they wouldn't do it just for the heck of it. If they were going to be more than friends, they wouldn't end it for a stupid reason. Ginny knew that if they ever did take a step up in their relationship, they would give each other up for a very long time, and only for a true reason.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent their last few weeks leading to the start of term playing Quidditch in the orchard near the Burrow. Ginny felt that she was getting quite good at Chaser. She was able to score 3 out of 5 goals on Ron. Ginny had to admit, Ron wasn't bad when no one was watching. Ginny couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts and try-out for Chaser on the Gryffindor House team.
With one week until term started, the Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione decided to go into Diagon Alley. Ginny was beginning to wonder if they were going to go at all. She overheard whispered conversations between her mother and father about how much more dangerous life outside the safe comforts of their home was. She heard that there would be much tighter security if they did go in to Diagon Alley and they didn't have Aurors to spare. They were all busy hunting down Voldemort's supporters.
This extra security was a problem for Ginny. She needed to sneak away from the group, and the extra Aurors would make it more difficult. A few days before, Ginny received a letter from Dean, asking her to meet him in Diagon Alley. Ginny missed him a lot over the holidays, so she wrote saying she would meet him at 1 o'clock in Ollivander's old shop, as it was empty ever since he had disappeared.
But she knew she would have to sneak out to be able to meet Dean. Her parents wouldn't let her because of tighter security and darker times. Her brother were always so touchy about guys she hung out with, she felt uncomfortable every time the subject was brought up, so she couldn't ask them either. Harry would of course, always help her, but she didn't want to have to explain to him why she needed to sneak out either. This left Hermione. Ginny knew she would be wasting her breath if she asked Hermione. Hermione would NEVER help her sneak out, even to meet Dean. No, Ginny was flying solo on this one.
At quarter to one the next day, they were all headed to see Fred and George's new shop, and Ginny still had no idea how she was gong to be able to meet Dean. Once inside, she said hello to the twins and started looking around for ideas. As she was looking at the pygmy-puff sitting in its cage, she came up with an idea.
"Mum, can I have a Pygmy Puff?" said Ginny at once.
"A what?" said her mother warily.
"Look, they're so sweet…."
Ginny saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione disappear on Harry's invisibility cloak, and open the door. They're probably going off on another one of their adventures again, thought Ginny. But for once, Ginny didn't wish he she was going along. This was her chance!
"Mum, can I go to the bathroom…I gotta stomach ache."
"Sure, dear," said Mrs.Weasley, though she didn't seem to be paying to much attention, she was looking at the Pygmy-Puff as though she couldn't quite figure out why someone would want something like it as a pet.
Ginny walked in the direction of the bathroom in case anyone was watching, then doubled back down a different aisle. She slipped out the back door into the brilliant sunshine. As she headed down the empty, she silently congratulated herself on sneaking out alone. She truly was Fred and George's sister.
When she reached Ollivander's shop, she patted down her curly hair and straightened her blouse. She opened the door, and a tinkling bell hanging over the door welcomed her. She walked inside and saw Dean sitting on the counter, legs swaying back and forth with a huge grin on his face like an excited toddler. "Hi Ginny," he said.
Oh he's so cute, thought Ginny as she he jumped off the counter and walked towards her. He took her in his arms and kissed her. In his arms, Ginny felt like that was the most perfect place for her, like that was where she was meant to be. For the one long moment when dean kissed her, Ginny forgot about everything except him. She stopped worrying about Voldemort and what he's doing, she forgot her anger at Percy for walking out on the family, or the frustration at her brothers for being so protective. She even forgot all about Harry. All she thought about was Dean, for the first time in her life.
When they broke apart, Dean still held her in arms. He smiled down at her. "I missed you," he said looking into her eyes. "I missed you to," said Ginny.
"How was your summer?" asked Dean. "Did your brothers ever leave you alone?"
"My summer was kinda boring, but my brothers are still total prats when ever they think about you and me."
"What did they say?" said Dean, amused, as they slid down to sit on the dusty floor.
"Well, they wanted to know all about you. Like do you play Quidditch, and do you have any brothers or sisters, and where you live so they can hunt you down and kill you. Oh, also who your parents are so they can kidnap them and torture them until they give them more information about you. But don't worry, nothing serious," finished Ginny, grinning.
Dean laughed and pushed a strand of curly reed hair out of her eyes. Ginny snuggled in to him, noticing how good he smelled. It had been a while since she had been held like this, and she loved every second. Dean leaned over and kissed her again. It started out softly, but then got more passionate. Ginny leaned into the kiss, not wanting it to end.
Half an hour later, Ginny headed back to Fred and George's shop, feeling as though she was walking on a cloud. When she slipped back into the store, she looked around for her mother, who was bound to be looking for her. She found her giggling over a bottle of love potion with Hermione.
Her mum turned around, saw Ginny and said "Ginny! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"Sorry mum," said Ginny. "Bad stomach ache.
"Well hurry up and purchase your things, we'll be leaving soon."
She bustled away muttering about Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"Hermione," said Ginny. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"
Ginny led the way to an empty aisle. She turned around to face Hermione, and told her where she had really been instead of in the bathroom. Hermione looked as though she was going to interrupt a few times, and gave her a very stern look when she said she had lied to her mum and snuck out, but Ginny didn't let her, she just kept going on with her story. When she was done, she looked at Hermione, giving her permission to talk.
"Well, I don't agree with sneaking out," said Hermione sternly. "But it seems as though you really like him." Her face softened and she smiled at Ginny.
"I really do, Hermione," said Ginny wistfully. Ginny looked back at the time she spent with Dean. It seemed like a dream.
"Well then I won't lecture you," said Hermione.
"Thanks," said Ginny. "But I had to tell somebody, and I can always tell you anything."
Hermione looked touched. "It's OK; I know how young love feels, too."
"What do you mean by that?" asked Ginny with an evil grin on her face.
"N-Nothing" Hermione stammered. "I was just—" And with that Hermione tore down the aisle as fast as she could, with Ginny staring after her with the evil grin still on her face.
Author's note: Please Review and I hope you liked it!