Chapter 7-
Ginny was in her room, planning what to get everyone for Christmas. It was three weeks away, so it didn't hurt to start spending now. Especially since she wasn't sure what to get everyone.
She heard a knock come at her door and looked up to see Harry.
"Hey," she said, "Come in."
"Hey," Harry said, stepping in, and looking around at her room. He spotted a Quidditch poster on her walls. "Funny," he said, "I never knew you liked them. You never wrote about them."
Ginny looked at the poster. "Oh…um yeah. I thought you already knew…so I didn't say."
"Oh," Harry said, sitting down on the edge of Ginny's bed. "Well…yeah, I just came to say bye."
"Bye?" Ginny asked, sitting strait up, "You're leaving already?"
"I wrote that to you," Harry said.
"Wrote…"Ginny repeated, "Oh! Your letters!"
Harry smiled. "You're sometimes…"
"Harry," Ginny said, "Can't you stay a bit longer?"
"Sorry," Harry said, "I can't. But I promise I'll be back for Christmas."
Ginny frowned, and lifted a hand to brush back hair from her face.
"Hey," Harry said, catching her arm. "You're not wearing the bangles."
"Oh," Ginny said, "Well um, bangles aren't really my style…"
"But hey," Harry said, "I have to ask you something."
"Ask," Ginny said dryly.
- - - - - - - - - -
Knock. Knock.
Hermione looked up from her book to see Harry standing at the door.
"Hey," he said, walking inside and sitting beside her.
"Hi," she said, "What's up?"
Harry sighed. "Not much. I just came to say bye."
"Bye," Hermione repeated slowly, "Oh! Yeah…your week is up. But you'll be back before Christmas…right?"
Harry stared at her in shock. "See!" he exclaimed, "You remember, but Ginny doesn't!"
"Maybe she doesn't want to remember," Hermione pointed out.
Harry sighed and looked over at Hermione. "How do you do it 'Mione?"
"Do what?" Hermione asked.
"Understand me so well?" Harry asked, "Me and my heart."
"Maybe you just don't understand matters of the heart," Hermione said, grinning.
Harry sighed. "It's just that…Ginny's so different. At sometimes I feel like I understand everything about her, and then at others she's like a complete stranger to me!"
Hermione nodded knowingly.
"I…I asked her to m-marry me," Harry said quietly.
Hermione felt the truth hit her like a ton of rocks. She felt her heart drop into her stomach and she felt like barfing. She avoided eye contact with Harry; any minute she might start crying.
"W-When?" she asked her voice cracking.
Harry apparently didn't notice Hermione's change of mood. "Just now," he said.
"A-And she said?" Hermione asked, looking at her hands.
"She said that she'd tell me when I returned," Harry said chuckling, "So that I'd return for sure."
Hermione couldn't believe it. He was laughing. Couldn't he see it, even after all these days?
She wrote the letters.
She knew all his secrets.
She loved him.
But he was marrying someone else. Someone else.
"Hermione?" Harry asked, snapping his fingers in front of her face, "You alright?"
"W-What?" Hermione asked, snapping out of her thoughts, "Yeah. I'm just…"
"Surprised?" Harry asked.
"Surprised would definitely cover it," Hermione said in a low voice.
Harry smiled. "Well…I better get off to bed. The trains at six…you'll see me off, right?"
"Umm," Hermione said, "I don't know if I can-"
"Please 'Mione," Harry begged.
Hermione sighed. "Fine," she mumbled, "Now…off to bed!"
- - - - - - -
Knock. Knock.
"Harry," Hermione said, not looking up from her book, "It's too late. Go to bed."
Hearing no reply she looked up and saw Virginia standing in the doorway.
"Oh," Hermione said, "Hi. Sorry, I thought you were-"
"Harry," Virginia said, "Yes I know."
There was silence in the room.
"Oh," Hermione said quickly, "Come in."
Virginia walked in and sat on the edge of Hermione's bed.
"Hermione dear," Virginia said quietly, "I know your secret."
Hermione looked up at Virginia. "P-Pardon me?" she asked, "You know my secret?"
"Yes, I do," Virginia said.
"What secret?" Hermione asked, "I don't have a secret."
"Yes, you do dear," Virginia said softly, "And you know what it is."
Now Virginia's gaze locked with Hermione's and she gulped. All of a sudden, Hermione felt scared.
"N-No," Hermione said, backing away, "I d-don't know what you're talking about. And now you're just starting to-"
"I know you wrote the letters dear," Virginia said, cutting Hermione off.
"W-What?" Hermione said, "What letters?" She could keep playing this game…it was the last day. She couldn't lose on the last day.
"The letters that Harry thought Ginny wrote," Virginia said, "Harry may be smart, but he is blind."
Hermione gulped. "Y-You won't tell him…will you?"
Virginia smiled. "That's not my task, dear. But I'll let you know, you should tell Harry before it's too late."
"It is too late," Hermione mumbled, sinking down next to Virginia, "He's proposed to Ginny."
"I'll let you know," Virginia said, "Harry only loved the one that sent him the letters. Tell him…before Ginny falls too hard for him."
- - - - - - - - -
She couldn't believe she was seeing this. It was absolutely disgusting, and horrible, and vulgar. She would have rather taken Pollyjuice Potion a thousand times than have to stand five more minutes of this.
It was Harry and Ginny, saying their goodbyes. It was the closest goodbye Hermione had ever seen in her life.
Her eyes caught Virginia's and with her head, Virginia made a small motion to move towards Harry. Hermione shook her head vigorously.
"Not now," she mouthed.
"Then when?" Virginia mouthed back.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something back, but Harry broke away from Ginny and looked over at her.
"This time," he said, "You write too, all right?"
"Okay," Hermione said, "I will."
Harry smiled.
"Harry!" Virginia yelled from her spot on the train that was now moving, "C'mon!"
Harry gave Ginny a final goodbye peck and hopped on the train.
"Bye Harry!" Ginny yelled, hopping and waving.
Hermione turned around and began walking home without a last glance at Harry.
It's all over, she realized slowly. Everything's over.
This was the end of his week. She had won the game.
But still…she felt as if she couldn't have lost more.
