Chapter 2 – Secret Notes and Soap Suds

Hermione was sitting on Ginny's bed, twirling her wand over and under her fingers as she absent-mindedly flipped through the latest issue of Witch Weekly. Then, Ginny looked up at her and suddenly and squealed.

"What is it Gin?" Hermione asked, watching her redhead friend rush to the window.

"It's a letter from Harry!" Ginny exclaimed excitedly as she opened the window and watched Ron's little owl Pigwegdon fly in. Hermione rolled her eyes but walked over to stand by Ginny all the same.

The letter was obviously private; because Ginny had her back turned to Hermione and was blocking the scroll with her thin body. But Hermione had an advantage. She peeked over her younger friend's shoulder and saw Harry's untidy scrawl.

Ginny,
As you already know, I'll be at the Burrow tomorrow by the time you wake up. And I'm not even complaining about getting up early. I can't wait to see Ron and Hermione, but to tell the truth, I've missed you the most.
I'm really glad Dumbledore asked me to stay there all the time for 3 months.

See you tomorrow Gin,
Harry

Hermione smiled knowingly and plopped back down on the soft, quilted bed, patiently waiting for Ginny to turn around. Right as she picked up her magazine again, Ginny pocketed the letter and turned to face her.

"What did Harry say?" Hermione asked cheerfully, even though she knew already.

"Oh! He…um…he says hello to the lot of us and that he's missed us all loads. He said he can't wait to see you and Ron tomorrow and that he's glad Dumbledore asked him to stay here." Ginny explained before she turned a bright shade of red.

Ron blushes like that too, Hermione thought. Weasley trait.

"Of course," Hermione said in mock distraction. After all Ginny had been truthful with me…. "So should we go show Ron the letter?" she finished. …But not entirely.

Ginny grabbed the note from inside her jeans pocket and shouted, "No!". She quickly recovered and said, "Um, no. I think we should just tell him in person instead. You know?" the shade of red on her face darkened quite a bit.

"Okay then, Ginny." Hermione replied innocently as she smirked inwardly. And why not? Ginny deserves some payback; with all the cracks about Ron she's taken lately, Hermione thought.

Ginny still looked petrified at the very thought of her overprotective brother reading Harry's letter, so Hermione hurriedly changed the subject, "So are you ready to help your mum with dinner now?"

Ginny, grasping the chance to escape the embarrassing conversation quickly replied, "Yeah, let's go help her. After all she's going to have to make a load of stuff to feed this lot." She bounded down the stairs and Hermione quickly followed, still grinning.

"Hello Mrs. Weasley," Hermione greeted the short plump witch and gave her a tight hug around the middle. She looked over Mrs. Weasley's head and noticed a rather large stack of dishes that needed a good washing. "Would you like me to wash all those dishes for you while you work on dinner?"

Mrs. Weasley looked up at Hermione and smiled, "Thank you, that would be lovely, dear. That's an awful lot of dishes for one person to wash, though. I know, go get Ron and tell him he needs to help you wash them. Go on now and tell him I sent you."

Hermione obeyed and quickly climbed the familiar set of stairs to Ron's room, but halfway up she ran straight into Ron. "Oh! Sorry, I was just on my way to come and get you. Will you please help me wash the dishes?"

Ron smiled at Hermione's red face, "Of course I will 'Mione." he said gently. Mione, Hermione loved it when he called her that. It made her feel special and important, like she always felt when she was talking to Ron.

She smiled back and gave him a quick hug, "Thanks Ron. It'd take me forever to wash them all by myself."

She walked down the stairs and back into the kitchen, leaving Ron standing on the stairs, still thinking about the embrace and wishing it wasn't over. Coming to his senses, he bounded down the stairs, tripping on the last one and stumbling into the kitchen.

Ginny and Mrs. Weasley laughed out loud at Ron and even Hermione hid a smile behind her hand. Ron blushed and his ears turned red as he moved to stand next to Hermione at the sink, "It's not funny." he muttered as he picked up a plate and scrubbed it with such a great force that it almost broke down the middle.

"Take it easy, Ron." Hermione laughed as she gently tugged the dish out of Ron's grip. "That plate never did anything to you, did it?"

Ron shrugged and grabbed another plate to wash, "I guess not," he said casually, but inside he was furious with himself. How do I always manage to make a fool of myself whenever Hermione's around? He thought.

For a while they cleaned in silence, while Mrs. Weasley sang along to the radio sitting on the windowsill. Finally, Hermione broke the silence by saying very quietly to Ron, "I'm a little clumsy sometimes, too. It's nothing to beat yourself up over, Ron."

Ron turned and stared incredulously at his friend, Hermione a klutz? No way, she always presents herself with such dignity and grace! There is no possible way that she is as clumsy as me, he thought

"Okay 'Mione, thanks." he said as he stuck his hand under the water to grab another fork. While he was searching through the soapy water for another piece of silverware, Ron and Hermione's hands touched and they looked at each other and smiled nervously.

After what seemed like an eternity, Hermione whispered very faintly, " I think we've washed everything."