The summer had been a short one. The war had ended and there were loses on both sides. It was hard to believe that the students of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry were back for another term.
"Do you have all your things?" Mrs. Weasley shouted up the stairs to the children getting ready above, but she did not wait around for an audible answer.
Ginny and Hermione had finished packing all there things and were sitting absent-mindedly waiting for the boys to finish. Hermione loved Ginny's room, and was sad that they were leaving for Hogwarts so soon.
"I can't believe that this is your last year…" Ginny said staring at the brunette beside her. "What am I going to do next year?"
"It wont be that bad.." Hermione cringed, knowing full well what Ginny's year would be like next term. Not even Luna Lovegood would be there to keep her company. Luna had died tragically when death eaters tried to take on her father one night at there home. Her father fought back courageously, but unfortunately Luna was struck in the crossfire.
"Are you kidding, Hogwarts will not be the same with out you there next year, I am really going to miss you.."
"I will miss you to Ginny, but think about it, It will only be a year, and I will see you over the summer."
"Yeah.. but you'll probably be married to Ron by then…" Ginny said with a smirk.
"What? Ron? No, not Ron. I do not want to be with Ron, I am not going to say I never did. Its just, I always knew he'd be there. Ron's safe, predictable, and honestly, He's a great guy, I just don't find him particularly attractive." She ended in a laugh.
This threw the girls into a fit of giggles, which turned into a roar of laughter. As they sat on Ginny's bed Hermione became silent. Ginny was her best friend, one person in her life she could rely on and tell anything too.
"So what about you and Harry?" She asked a little more blunt than she intended.
" I don't know actually, I really like Harry, love actually, and I am sure he loves me back.. Its just.. just.." Ginny looked down trying to find the correct words.
Looking at Hermione she said, " The fact is there was no connection. I love Harry, but kissing him was like kissing my brother… and a drowning fish at that…"
This threw the girls into another fit of laughter.
"GINNY, HERMIONE! GET DOWN HERE AT ONCE!" Shouted Mrs. Weasely.
Hermione got reluctantly up off the bed, and turned back round to Ginny who was still having trouble regaining her composure.
She held out her hand to Ginny who looked at it questioningly. " Should we get going?" Ginny looked into Hermione's twinkling deep brown eyes, at her wonderful smile. Suddenly she felt a lump in the back of her throat as she took Hermione's hand.
"Yeah, lets get down stairs before mum gets really upset…" Ginny laughed casually, secretly-hoping, wishing that Hermione had not noticed the sudden change in her demeanor.
"What was that?" Ginny thought to herself. She new for sometime that her feelings for Hermione had grown, but she thought that it was on a completely plutonic level.
"That better not happen again…"
As Hermione led Ginny down the stairs, Harry and Ron could be heard bounding down the stairs above, talking about quidditch or some other thing that she was sure to find rather boring. Thank God she had Ginny there to keep her company.
It had worried her when she talked to Ginny about what was to come next year. "You'll probably be married to Ron by then." Those words echoed in her head. Is that what Ginny thought of her? She had hoped for so long that at least one person could think of her as something unexpected. Everyone in Hermione's life had thought of her the same, The Bookworm, the know-it-all. Even with Ron, she was expected to eventually be with him, get married and continue with the production of more little Weasley's.
Hermione did not know what was to come in the future, all she new is that she did not want to be remembered as that girl who married the only boy she liked in school. Hermione had every intention of living her life to the fullest. She hoped that she would be able to fulfill that desire.
