Disclaimer: Just borrowing…
Ginny woke with a jolt, bolting upright in her bed quickly. Today was the day, the day when her Plan would finally be started. With the anticipation singing through her veins, even the sight of the predawn light from her window could not diminish the feeling of alertness buzzing in her slight frame. Slipping from her bed quietly, she made her way to the common bathroom with muted steps, careful not to wake any of her roommates. She wanted a few minutes to herself, a few minutes to bask in the hope that soon Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world would finally notice her. Shrugging from her nightclothes, she stepped into the shower, sighing contentedly when the warm water cascaded down her back. She wondered how Hermione was doing as she proceeded mechanically with her daily preparations. If she was in her shoes, she would be more than slightly nervous to begin a chase for the sneering Potions master. Yet in a strange sense, the two did compliment each other nicely. They both were frighteningly intelligent; Merlin only knew how Hermione came up with the details for the Plan so quickly.
When the redhead left the bathroom to quickly get dressed, she was pleased to see hints of the sun peeking through her curtains. She hadn't woken up as early as she thought then. She wondered if it was too early to go and check on Hermione. Even if she was awake, she probably would be annoyed with Ginny's insistence to check on the materials for the Plan for the seven hundredth time. A smile quirked Ginny's lips as she pulled a shirt over her head. While she had no doubts about Hermione's magical skill, she just couldn't help but check their preparations over and over again. She was so excited that she doubted the brunette could honestly berate her. Realizing that she only would drive her self crazy with waiting, she left her room and headed resolutely towards Hermione's room. Making her way down the hall, she hesitated only slightly before she knocked on the portrait to Hermione's room. However her concerns were banished when she heard the alert voice of her friend beckoning her in.
Hermione entered from the bathroom, combing her wet hair as she eyed her friend amusedly. "I figured you would be up before sunrise, so I decided I best be up too."
Ginny only shrugged sheepishly, as she made her way over to the pile of supplies for the Plan.
The wry voice of her friend interrupted her. "They are exactly how you left them, Gin, they haven't been touched or moved."
The redhead allowed herself the childish action of sticking her tongue out at Hermione, checking the supplies nonetheless. When she was satisfied that they were in fact just as she had found them the last hundred times she had check them, she curled up on Hermione's couch and studied her friend. Noticing for the first time, the slight circles that bruised her friend's eyes, a look of concern covered her face. "Hermione, are you okay?" Ginny's mind was busily preparing courses of actions for any number of scenarios. Maybe Hermione was having nightmares again, maybe her war wounds were bothering her, maybe…
"Maybe I was just being a silly girl and kept myself up all night worrying?"
Ginny blushed when she realized she had spoken out loud. "Why were you up all night?"
Hermione sighed, sitting down next to her friend, plaiting her hair with deft fingers. "It's just that… I had a meeting with Professor Snape last night…" She refused to allow herself to call him Severus. "And I acted like such a child. I don't understand why I am determined to act like such a dimwit in front of him."
Ginny grinned, sympathetic to her friend's plight. "Well, we will have to work on that won't we?"
Pursing her lips, Hermione face lit with amusement. "I suppose that's what this whole plan is about isn't it?"
Later that morning, the two girls found themselves sitting at a table in the Three Broomsticks. Ginny was anxiously checking the time every few seconds while Hermione was calmly flipping through a text on lycanthropy. Ginny shifted in her seat, tapping her fingers on the table in a staccato rhythm. She didn't know how Hermione could be so calm just sitting there. The anticipation was killing her.
The brunette eyed her friend over the top of her book, eye narrowing onto hands that keep tap, tapping the table. "Gin, love…" Hermione's voice was syrupy sweet. "If you don't stop that I am going to have to hex you into paralysis…" Ginny began to laugh, but noticed the real, if slightly amused, threat in her friend's eyes. Her hands instantly stilled and she caught them in between her knees.
"Aren't you excited? Today's the day…" The older girl watched, a look of catlike amusement in her eyes, as Ginny continued to babble on about her Plan. At least it stopped that infernal racket… Hermione froze in her thoughts, a little too uncomfortable with the fact her internal voice was starting to sound like someone she was very familiar with. However, Ginny was unaware of Hermione's inner musing and continued to blather on, unable to keep her excitement from escaping in some form.
Yet as it grew closer to the scheduled time for the meeting, Ginny grew calmer, body stilling and mind focusing on her task. If Hermione had been privy to the meetings before Quidditch meetings, she would have recognized Ginny's characteristic seriousness. The redhead was known for her bubbly excitement before the game that was then focused into a cool level headedness that made her such an excellent Chaser.
Lavender and Parvati were the first to arrive, both giggling to each other as the sat down at the table. Luna arrived a few moments later, a copy of the The Quibbler under her arm. Sitting down at the table with the other girls, her rather large eyes surveyed Hermione and Ginny unblinkingly. The arrival of Luna also had the much desired effect of quieting the still giggling Lavender and Parvati. Hermione turned to Ginny, shrugging her shoulders in a move that implied, it is your plan.
Squaring her shoulders, the redhead faced her peers and began to speak. "You all came here today because you were interested in joining the Plan. Before we begin however, I want to make it clear that you are free to share this idea with other girls. Although for Merlin's sake, be careful about who you blather to…" A rather stern look was sent in the direction of Lavender and Parvati, who were known to be quite the gossipers. "I shared the vague details with you the other night, but thanks to our Head Girl, we know have a way to carry out this Plan." Ginny beamed a smile at her friend, who took this as a cue to begin speaking.
Pulling her heavier than usual book bag into her lap, she took at a stack of diaries and passed them around. "These diaries will be the tools that keep track of our progress in the Plan. This book here," tapping the larger ledger still in her bag, "will be the book that collects all our information and ultimately will grade our progress." She paused noticing the questioning looks on everyone's face. "Before you ask any questions, I'd like to go through the process of activating the diaries? That is, if you all are sure you want to be part of the plan?" Three heads nodded in unison. "Okay then. First, you'll have to open the diary to the first page and write your full names." There was a moment of chaos and scurrying as five girls dug out quills and ink, then silence as they wrote. Hermione, finishing first, continued on. "When you're done, close your diary and get your wands out. We are going to say a quick charm to activate the diaries as well as make sure they will only respond to us. Meaning you are the only person who will be able to open or write in your diary." A few moments later the charm was performed and everyone was staring down at their diary, varying levels of excitement showing on each girl's face.
Ginny once again took the lead. "Now, all you have to do is focus your thoughts on the guy you wish for, and the diary is attuned enough to your magical signature that it will reveal your heart's desire…" Ginny finished dramatically, ignoring the roll of Hermione's eyes.
"So it's a bit like divination, isn't it?" Lavender's words had Hermione blanching, her reply thankfully interrupted by Ginny.
"A bit Lavender, although I'm afraid the diary can't tell the future or any thing, it only recognizes your thoughts."
"Except this actually works…" Hermione's voice was low enough that only Ginny heard her. As it was, the redhead had to fight to keep the smile from her face.
Lavender seemed content enough with Ginny's answer, eying her diary with a look of wariness. "Here we go then…" A collective breath was taken at the table.
"Yes… here we go…" Hermione closed her eyes and focused. There was no hesitation in her mind, no second guesses. When she opened her eyes and the diary, there on the page, in her own neat handwriting, was the name she expected. Severus Snape. Ignoring the other girls' reactions, she once again closed her eyes and focused on the simple act of breathing in and out. Although the name revealed was of no surprise, she almost felt a sense of panic at seeing it written there in stark black and white. It made it so final, made it certain that her feelings weren't some school girl crush.
Her closed eyes made her blind to the rush of excitement on Ginny's face, the calm contentment on Luna's and the pleased acceptance of Lavender's. She also missed the look of shock on Parvati's face. Yet the girl's hesitant question pulled her from her thoughts. "Hermione?"
"Yes?" Hermione opened her eyes and looked over at the other girl.
"What exactly did this diary do… I mean, what if you see a name you didn't quite… expect?" Parvati blushed under the scrutiny of the now interested girls.
"Who did you get?" Lavender was the first to ask. "Who did you expect?" That was Ginny.
The girl blushed deeper, gazed locked resolutely with Hermione.
Hermione herself was fairly interested by the unusual turn of events. Being so sure of what she would find herself, she found it strange that someone could fool themselves like Parvati obviously had. When she began to speak however, her voice was gentle. "The diary was charmed to reveal what you actually think, Parvati. It is not some random… name drawing device. The name that it shows is the name of the person you actually feel for."
"Oh…" Parvati looked down at her tightly closed diary. Of all the people, she thought to herself, unaware of the shared look between Ginny and Hermione. She knew the name she had expected when she opened the diary. Ever since that disaster of a ball she had, well she thought she had, harbored a secret crush for Harry Potter. That's why she was so reluctant at first to join the Plan, because she knew of Ginny's feeling towards the wizard. Then Lavender had pleaded for her to join, saying that they were best friends and also did everything together. What would Lavender say about the name revealed? Granted, it could be worse and she had always thought him cute. But she couldn't really ever remember a time when she had actually sat down and talked to him, and besides, he was a Slytherin! Parvati gulped, sending a weak smile to the other girls when she realized they were all watching her. "So, how did you guys do?"
Luna was the first to answer, a dreamy smile on her face. "It was …"
Hermione interrupted her quickly, now she was suffering from a look of shock. "You don't have to reveal who your dairy showed…" Parvati shot her a look of gratitude.
"Come on, we all know Luna got Neville…" Lavender giggled slightly to herself, only to be quieted by the angry look on Hermione's face.
"Just the same, Lavender… I'm sure not everyone wants their heart's desire," here she shot a wry glance in Ginny's direction, "public knowledge."
Ginny quickly added to her friend's statement. "That's right, you are under no obligation to tell anyone who your diary has named." She paused for a moment, studying the still shocked face of Parvati. "I'm sure everyone would like a day to get used to the idea that the Plan has began. I want you all, tonight, to write in your diaries anything and everything you feel. We will meet again tomorrow in the Gryffindor common room and go over the next steps."
Each girl nodded and left in the same order they had come in. Lavender and Parvati walked out together, Lavender whispering into her friend's ear. Luna followed a few minutes later, smiling to herself happily.
Ginny and Hermione were now left alone at the table. "So…" The redhead was the first to speak. "I wonder who was shown to Parvati?"
Hermione shrugged, confident enough in her work with the diaries that it was someone Parvati actually cared for, even if she didn't quite know it yet. Placing her diary carefully into her book bag, she stood out and motioned for Ginny to follow her. "It's like a race… someone has just fired the gun."
Ginny looked at her friend, blatant confusion written on her face. "Must be some muggle thing right?"
"I guess you did put it better, Gin… now the games really are afoot." The two Gryffindors left the Three Broomsticks, laughing together as they made their way back to Hogwarts.
AN: I am sorry it took so long to update, new job and finals week for school. I hope you liked this chapter and there is still time for other couples if you have any favorites (although I realize I didn't exactly share who is with who, feel free to make any pairings). And please review, it really encourages me to read what you guys think.