"It's good to be going back to Hogwarts, isn't it?" asked Hermione cheerfully as she packed her trunk onto the Knight Bus.
"To you, maybe," said Ron, an agonized tone in his voice. "Summer's over, and I won't see Giselle again until Christmas! I can't stand it."
"Get over it," said Ginny shortly.
"What's wrong with you?" demanded Ron. He stared at Ginny as though he'd only just seen her.
"Nothing," she snapped and stomped off.
"What's up with her?" asked Harry.
"She's probably annoyed by Ron talking about his girlfriend so much. It is rather... bothersome," sighed Hermione.
"Yeah... she is my girlfriend..." said Ron, mostly to himself. Harry and Hermione both looked at him and laughed.
"What?"
As the three friends boarded the Hogwarts Express, they looked around for Ginny, whom they hadn't seen since the incident on the bus.
"Mum's going to kill me if I've lost her," Ron groaned.
"Lost me? I'm fifteen, I can take care of myself," growled Ginny from behind him. Ron gave a shocked little hop and then pretended as though he was composed.
"Just the same, " he said, "I'd like it if you'd sit with Harry on the train while Hermione and I are in the Prefect's compartment. We'll come back as soon as we can, mate," Ron added to Harry.
"Right. See you, then," Harry smiled, stowing his trunk onto the baggage rack, and the reaching for Ginny's. "Need some help with that?" he asked.
"Erm... yeah. I could probably do it myself, though."
"No need to strain yourself if you don't have to," replied Harry. He grasped the handle of the trunk, lightly brushing Ginny's hand as he did so. She blushed pink, and pretended to flick her hair as an excuse to turn her head. "That was much easier with two people. You can help me get the down as well," said Harry with a grin.
"Erm... eh... right. I will then."
"You ok?"
"Yeah. I'm fine," said Ginny. After a few moments pause she asked, "So... you fancy Hermione, do you?"
"What?" asked Harry. He wondered if she could hear the shock in his voice. "Ermm... no. Well, yes. As a friend... "
"You do like her, then? I could tell. You look at her entirely too much," said Ginny, her sweet, sad smile creeping back onto her face.
"Do I?" Harry asked. "I mean, no! I don't fancy her."
"You don't? You certainly seem to," laughed Ginny, "You look at her all the time, like you're in love with her."
"Well, I'm not."
"Then why do you look at her like this?" asked Ginny. She sat down right across from Harry, putting her face close to his, and stared happily into his eyes.
"Oh..." said Harry, and he said it very quietly indeed, because Ginny was drawing closer to him by the second. "Ermm-"
Harry hadn't the time to get out what he'd be trying to say, because at that moment, Ginny pressed her mouth against his. Harry was completely taken aback by her kiss, and could think of nothing to do about it. Harry was vaguely aware the Ginny was still kissing him, but couldn't quiet fathom anything until he heard the familiar swish of an opening compartment door.
"Oh!"
"Hermione! I, I can-"
"Don't talk to me, Harry Potter!" shouted Hermione, and stormed out.