"The Sickness"

The darkness of night was pressing even further upon the illuminated windows of the Weasley home. Mist began to formulate above the ground. It almost seemed unnatural. Unnatural for it being late June. There was a chill in the air; a bone aching chill. This sudden cold seemed to consume and breed upon the warmth and happiness that was once the essence of the summer, leaving it's enjoyers miserable and forlorn.

As she quickly trotted across the bedroom floor as to out run the cold, Hermione contemplated how to react to the situation at hand. It had disturbed her how Ron had so casually proposed romantic involvement. She couldn't think of a time he had shown any interest in her of that sort. Though there was that time in fourth year when it appeared he had been jealous of Viktor Krum, but then again he had always seemed the jealous type.

Deep in thought, she sat on the bed across from a smug looking Ginny. The freckled redhead watched Hermione, distracted by thoughts unknown to others but herself, curl up beneath the sheets against the frigid air. She had been so preoccupied that she did not even notice Ginny's hungry eyes.

"So…" she began the conversation.

"Yes?" said Hermione a little annoyed for being pried from her contemplations.

"Oh, just thinking what Ron had to say." Ginny commented nonchalantly.

All of Hermione's senses had heightened. She knows something. Hermione thought it best to play out the discussion seeing where it led.

Lazily she continued the converse, "Oh, you know. Little things. Nothing of any grave importance." She ended it with a slight shrug of her shoulder.

Ginny looked a little put out and rolled over so she was facing the ceiling.

Seeing as how much this bothered her, Hermione continued, "Why? It's not like you to be interested in matters of your brother."

"It's just that…it's just…I thought he was going to mention something he talked to me about."

"Like what?"

"Oh, something."

"Oh come on. Don't play that. Out with it."

"OK! He's fancied you for a while now. That's why I asked you who you liked. Seeing as you liked him too I decided to play matchmaker, OK? I knew my brother was a loser and never had the courage to pair up with any girl, so I helped him along. Happy now? "

"Very."

"Wha-?" Ginny seemed confused.

"He wanted to know if we could go together."

"REALLY!" she said with a squeal. It was apparent that she could hardly contain herself. "So, what are you going to tell him?"

"I'm not sure yet." Hermione said with some vacancy.

"What! You have to! I worked so hard!…" by this time she began to prattle on about wasted work, scheming, and Harry under her breath.

"What about Harry?" Hermione asked; attacking the first proposal of the exchange with Ron.

"Oh, well, about that. See, don't be angry, but the only reason he and I were all lovey dovey was to get Ron to ask you out. We're not really involved. We don't really snog in my room during the day. It was another way of forcing you two together."

"Well, thanks." Hermione dropped sarcastically.

"I think you should. After all, you both like each other, right? Try him out like a shoe and if he doesn't fit, try another."

Hermione staired at her ginger friend. This was the kind of comment she could expect from a girl who has had her share of boyfriends. It was hard to miss the fact that Ginny was quite popular with the boys, much to the other Weasley brothers' dismay to see their baby sister fraternize with developing young men whose agendas were not always easy to read.

"Well, it's just a thought."

And with that Ginny had ended the intercourse with turning out the light and turning her back on Hermione, left in the same state she was before the little engagement: Boyfriend or no boyfriend?