This update is a fairly quick one for me, so don't expect them this soon all the time :P
Also I forgot to mention in the last chapter but Ginny didn't start going out with Michael Corner at the end of the Goblet of Fire. They met and stuff but aren't going out.
Ok, on with the story.
Being underage, Hermione entered the library armed only with a duster. A thick layer of dust covered everything, from the books on grotesquely carved bookshelves to the floor. It was only absent from where it had been disturbed by a trail of footprints leading to where Molly and the twins were already chasing gangly-legged fungus with scouring charms. Looking round for the others Hermione started to follow a second set of prints through the towering shelves. Although the decor for the library followed the same rule as the rest of the sinisterly furnished house it was hard not to admire the wooden masterpieces that shelved the books. Though it was already obvious through the rest of the house the library proved the Black family was definitely not shy with their galleons.
If Hermione wasn't sure that the many books sitting on the shelves contained dark magic that you'd only expect to find in a house like the Black's, she could of spent hours in there. But remembering Harry's vivid description of the screaming book from the restricted section in their first year she quickly passed by the dusty shelves.
"Hermione, over here!" Ron called out from behind a bookshelf. Turning a corner past a particularly gruesome depiction of a dragon Hermione found Harry and Ron, but to her disappointment there was no sign of the younger redhead.
"Ginny's not here yet?" Hermione asked.
"What, she was right here." Harry said as he looked around confused. "Ron, did you see where Ginny went?"
"Na, she was right here with us talking about the Chudley Cannons." Ron looked up equally confused as Harry. Hermione just rolled her eyes, typical for them not to notice someone disappearing from the conversation.
"She can't have gone far. Why, are you looking for her?" Harry asked. The question caught Hermione off guard, why did she want to know where Ginny was.
"Um, no I was just wondering." Hermione said distractedly, another question already forming. Why was the first person she looked for Ginny? She quickly dismissed the thought, not liking where it was leading her.
She didn't look for Ginny first, she was just surprised not to find her with the others. Yeah, that was a sound excuse to satisfy her mind.
Dusting was extremely boring. Hermione tried to pay attention to the boys' discussion but eventually gave up on their talk of quidditch. Except for the repeated moan from Ron, 'They're just trying to keep us busy' or 'A flick of a wand would sort this whole place out instead of us attacking it with feathers' Hermione paid little attention to what was going on.
She was back in her daydreams again, the same place she was before Tonks interrupted her this morning. The same place she was after Ginny wiped the milk off her face, where she could think about whatever she liked without her rational mind demanding answers for it. It was where her thoughts could dwell on her closet female friend for far too long to be purely innocent without coming to unwanted conclusions about herself.
The gentle way Ginny's fingertips had drifted across her skin, it affected her far more than she was willing to accept in her full mind. Even just the memory of the touch made Hermione's skin tingle. It was ridiculous to think that such a small sign of friendship from Ginny could play on Hermione's mind for so long, that a flash of long silky red hair could make Hermione's heart flip.
It was the same flash of red she had just been thinking about that made Hermione realise she had been dusting the same book for fifteen minutes. Looking around expecting to find Ron and Harry nearby she realised they must've wandered off. She tried to peer through the bookcase searching for the source of colour but Ginny must've already gone.
Moving quickly to the end of the bookshelf Hermione found herself feeling disappointment at the absence of Ginny for a second time that day. She looked around for a sign of where Ginny might have gone and spotted a trail of disturbed dust.
'Looking for someone?" Ginny asked making Hermione jump. Smiling at the sound of Ginny's voice Hermione turned around to see her leaning on a bookshelf with a playful smirk on her face. The sight made warmth rise up inside Hermione. Another reaction Ginny caused that her mind immediately wanted a reason for, but this time Hermione just ignored the little voice at the back of her head.
"I got bored of the boy's conversation and I thought I'd look for company." Hermione said, slightly amazed that her voice didn't shake the same way her insides were. It wasn't strictly true, since the boys had left before she went looking for Ginny and something in Ginny's eyes told Hermione she knew that.
"Well your company is always welcome." Ginny said moving off the bookshelf towards Hermione. Something in Ginny's voice made Hermione pause. It almost sounded like she was flirting. The thought was laughable, but instead of making her laugh it only made Hermione's heart beat faster.
"I'm glad to hear that. I can see you've given up on dusting then." Hermione said changing the subject, though unsure whether she really wanted to or not.
"By the time we've cleaned one shelf Mum and the twins could have got rid of all the bundimuns and the dust with magic." Ginny shrugged as she unknowingly repeated her brother's opinion from earlier.
"Oh well, it's a nice excuse to be with you." Hermione said, shocking herself. Ginny looked away but Hermione could see her smiling. Suddenly feeling awkward at the absence of conversation Hermione pretended to examine a book on the shelf but out the corner of her eye she saw Ginny fidgeting.
"Hermione?" Ginny started, staring at the floor.
"Yeah Gin?" Hermione said, turning her attention back to her.
"I was just wondering, what you thought about gay people." Ginny said staring intently at her hands.
"Gay?" Hermione asked dumbstruck.
"Yeah, you know, gay, lesbian, bi. Guy kissing guy, girl kissing girl." Ginny said finally looking up at Hermione.
"I don't have a problem with them I mean you don't choose who you love, let them live how they want to right?" Hermione blurted out in a very fast sentence. Now it was Hermione's turn to fidget awkwardly. It was true, she had nothing against it and her parents had never brought her up to believe it was wrong. But for some reason it was always an awkward topic for Hermione and deep down she knew the reason why.
"Yeah I guess. Can I tell you something?" Ginny whispered as she stepped closer to Hermione so they were within arm's reach of each other.
"Of course, we're best friends aren't we?" Hermione instinctively brushed a few stray strands of red hair behind Ginny's ear. It could have purely been a friendly gesture but both of them knew it was more, even if Hermione wasn't ready to admit it to herself yet.
"I..." Ginny began but stopped as she saw Ron appear behind one of the shelves.
"Oh there you are, Mum says not to bother dusting, they can just sort it out with magic once their done. Like she only figured that out now." Ron said grumpily. "Anyway, she says check you've packed everything, we leave in a couple of days. As if you didn't know. Well are you just going to stand there?" He said after the two girls hadn't moved apart.
"Actually, I've left something in the kitchen I need to pack. I'll see you guys later." Ginny said as she left, talking to both of them but only looking at Hermione.