"What do you mean 'exactly'?" Hermione prayed Ginny would let it go. But of course, Ginny saw right through her.
"Oh, cut it out, you gave yourself out already."
The brunette felt the heat come to her cheeks and Ginny grinned triumphantly.
"Soo has anything happened between you two already?"
Hermione wished the ground would open and swallow her. But it didn't so she faced her friend with as much defiance as she could.
"That's absolutely none of your business."
"Mione, come on. What even has you so worried about admitting out loud that you like her?"
"She's twice my age for one thing. And nothing will ever come out of that attraction, so I'd rather not talk about it."
"Big deal, the age thing, wizarding folk live longer" Ginny waved a hand dismissively. "Why do you think nothing will come out of it though?"
"Because she told me that," Hermione sighed, "after she kissed me."
"Oh."
Ginny said nothing for a few moments and Hermione felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite the bitter feeling this conversation brought her. This was one of the few times her redheaded best friend had been rendered speechless.
"Well that's bollocks" the younger woman finally spoke.
"Yep" Hermione nodded and stood up from where she was sitting on Ginny's bed. "So I think I'll be going to bed now."
"What, no!" Ginny burst out. "No, we need to figure out a plan for you to change her mind."
"What?"
"Hermione, you're head over heels for her, I mean the only people you've ever sneaked out of the castle for are my stupid brother and my stupid boyfriend. Coincidentally, they are your stupid best friends."
"And?"
"And don't you even try telling me you haven't sneaked out to see her."
Hermione knew there was no point in arguing with Ginny. And besides, if she could get Bella to change her mind about that kiss…
It was no wonder Mrs. Weasley asked if she was alright, Hermione thought, even if the repeated enquiry was annoying. She knew she must look dreadful, and her only consolation was that Ginny looked just as miserable. They had stayed up most of the night to discuss how Hermione could convince Bella that the attraction was mutual and jeopardizing their friendship wasn't a possibility.
"She'll probably play the 'protect you from press scandals' card" Ginny had said and when she'd seen Hermione's nonplussed face she elaborated. "You know – 'I'm an evil Death Eater and you shouldn't be associated with me.' – that kind of thing."
Hermione really hadn't thought of that, so she trusted Ginny on it. In the early hours of the day, just before dawn, they had finally made up a plan. Said plan was the reason they were shoveling toast down and gulping hot tea as quickly as they could.
"I'm done" Ginny announced barely having swallowed her last bite.
"Ginevra! I don't remember organizing a competition when I laid out the table. What even has you girls rushing like that" Mrs. Weasley added when she saw Hermione drain her whole cup of tea in a few large gulps.
"S-sorry Mrs. Weasley, we're in a h-hur-hurry" Hermione coughed out.
"Oh, do call me Molly, dear. And where would you be going this early on a Saturday?"
"No time to explain, lots of work to do" Ginny replied quickly and grabbed her friend by the hand. "Bye, Mum. Bye, love" she added when they almost bumped into Harry and Ron at the kitchen door.
"Good morning and goodbye, I suppose" Ron said while Harry looked dumbstruck.
"Bye!" Hermione called over her shoulder and hurried after Ginny who was pulling her along by her hand. The two of them managed to create enough noise to wake up the quiet portrait of Walburga Black in the hall. Ginny grinned when the shouts of 'MUDBLOODS! SCUM!' echoed throughout the quiet house. Next moment they had grabbed their shoes and exited, blinking against the December sun.
"Right," Ginny began when she had put on her boots, "first stop, Madam Malkin's. Side-along me and don't ever tell Harry about it."
"Grab on then" Hermione tried not to snicker.
Apparating wasn't her favourite means of transport, but it was quick. In no time they were standing in the middle of the busy wizarding street.
"Spot on, as usual" Ginny commented dropping her hand quickly and moving towards the clothing shop.
"What are we even supposed to be doing here?" Hermione asked. Her friend hadn't specified what they were looking for, but she seemed to be in her element the moment they stepped inside the shop.
"Good morning, girls, how may I help you today?" Madam Malkin looked elegant as always as she moved forward to greet them. Hermione could only ever wish to look that good this early in the morning.
"Good morning, Madam Malkin. We're looking for your nicest set of dress robes" Ginny declared not paying an ounce of attention to Hermione's attempts at interrupting her.
"Dress robes, you say. Come with me then, we'll find you something to look great in in no time."
"Eye-catching and elegant" the redhead supplied, dragging Hermione along. "And it has to fit her, not me."
Madam Malkin turned around sharply and eyed Hermione contemplatively. The brunette was transported back to her encounter with Draco Malfoy and his mother a few years ago.
"Well, it would be my pleasure, Miss Granger. It's not every day I get to dress a national hero."
"Believe me, you'll be more amazed by my lack of fashion sense" Hermione brushed off the compliment she had never found particularly rewarding.
"Oh, we will find you something" Madam Malkin said decisively.
Barely an hour later Hermione praised her for her professionalism. She was already leaving with Ginny, a nice and not-so-expensive set of light blue dress robes reduced to fit a doll and tucked away in her pocket.
"See, we didn't spend that much time in there" Ginny smiled at her. "If we find the other thing that fast, we'll be back just in time for lunch."
"Yeah, except there's no way we'll find a nice present that easily. They're not just laying around" Hermione said bitterly.
"Ask yourself what she likes" Ginny shrugged. "That's how I thought of Harry's present."
"What did you get him?" Hermione asked.
"An unbreakable, water-resistant broom compass" her friend grinned.
"Easy" Hermione agreed, and they began their search. For the next couple of hours, they checked every jewelry shop, bookshop, souvenir stall, even the Magical Menagerie though Hermione was sure she wasn't buying an animal, to find a suitable present for Bella. Or as Ginny had said "A present that would touch her heart. Harry said that once."
So far, they hadn't had any luck, so they decided to take a break. Ginny proposed they grabbed something to eat in Muggle London, so they made their way towards the Leaky Cauldron. There they paused for a moment to transfigure their robes and cloaks into Muggle clothes.
"This is never going to work" Hermione groaned in frustration as they set out to look for a restaurant.
"Don't give up hope yet," Ginny squeezed her shoulder, "in the end we'll just get her something from Knockturn Alley."
Hermione chuckled at that, despite herself. Imperiused or not, Bella loved studying about the Dark Arts though in her right mind she seemed less prone to put her knowledge into practice.
"I will still have one last thing to do when we find the present" Hermione reminded her friend. "Or have you forgotten you made me promise to plan a date we don't even know she'll agree to?"
Ginny looked at her defiantly.
"She's going to say yes, and you know it. I doubt her schedule is packed on Christmas."
"Look, there's a lovely place right behind that corner" Hermione changed subject. Ginny let it slide and they went to sit down forgetting about Hermione's insecurities for a moment. The busy atmosphere of Muggle London made for many interesting topics of conversation. Ginny still struggled to understand a lot of Muggle everyday things and Hermione was happy to explain.
"And what are these things?" Ginny was pointing to a large billboard on the other side of the street.
"It's a billboard" Hermione explained turning to look at it. "This one shows a Muggle play…"
She cut herself off remembering a conversation she'd had with Bella some time ago.
"You know, Muggles are actually quite fascinating" Bella said earnestly. Hermione could see she was trying but this still bugged her.
"You keep talking about them like they're some creatures" she sighed.
"Damn it!" the older witch cursed. "Sorry, but I didn't even mean it like that. I have been taught to think of them as something less, but I think they cope really well for people who don't possess magic."
"It's alright. And yes, they've got so many things to make up for the absence of magic. Electricity, telephones, computers, so many machines to help do things around the household. And things to do for fun too – there are tons of game centers and theaters…"
She noticed Bella was looking at her with a small smile on her face. She always did that when Hermione got carried away in her explanations of Muggle technologies. The brunette would get nervous and blush every time and Bella would wave her worries away and tell her she was 'so passionate about the things she grew up with'.
"What?" Hermione asked though she suspected she already knew the answer.
"Apart from you rambling on again," the witch grinned, "I didn't understand a word of what you just said."
Hermione proceeded to explain in detail every new word she had used.
"People pretending to be other people?" the older witch raised an eyebrow. Damn purebloods and their perfectly sculptured faces, Hermione thought.
"Yeah, for entertainment."
"Well, I should definitely see one of these."
The younger woman was speechless for a moment before she smiled widely.
"Well well, if only the Wizengamot could hear you now."
Hermione turned back towards Ginny with a smile on her face.
"Took you long enough to come back to reality" the redhead murmured.
"Eat up and let's go, Gin" the brunette winked. "I know exactly what I'm going to give Bella for Christmas."