Chapter Three

"I suppose the Slytherin's have been having a field day?" Ginny said, scowling at the other house's table.

Hermione picked at her food – everything seemed strangely unappetising today. "Yeah," she said, "Pansy Parkinson's been taking every opportunity. I can't even go into a bathroom without…"

Ginny waved a hand, as if brushing something out of Hermione's face. "Just ignore the lot of them Hermione. They're only jealous."

"Of what? Getting publicly humiliated?"

Ginny laughed, shaking her long hair out down her back. Hermione couldn't help but smile as she said, "Oh, you know, being the school Champion's girlfriend, especially when the school Champion is Harry Potter, and good-looking…"

She sealed her lips suddenly, and looked at Hermione as though to see if she'd noticed. She looked uncharacteristically shy, and Hermione felt a surge of irritation. She could not deal with this now.

"Ginny," she said, "If this is about you fancying Harry, I've known about that for ages."

Ginny looked her dead in the eye. "Of course you did," she said, "Everybody does. But it would only be polite to pretend you didn't."

Hermione flushed. "Sorry."

"That's all right."

"It's just, Ron and Harry still aren't speaking, and hearing all those girls say that Harry's couldn't possibly be me, because she's 'stunningly pretty'..."

Ginny looked at her severely. "Hermione – don't be stupid."

"What?"

"You are pretty."

"Ginny, it's nice of you to say, but I know I'm not." Hermione said, thinking miserably of her bushy hair and massive teeth.

"Yes, you are. I mean it Hermione… Eat your dessert, okay."

Ginny pushed a slice of chocolate cake onto her plate and said, "Bill told me something this summer."

Her voice trailed off and Hermione said impatiently, "What?"

"He told me that most girls don't know it, but nearly all girls are pretty. And anyway, when it comes down to it, despite what boys might say, no one falls in love with a face. Unless they're crazy. And you wouldn't want a crazy boyfriend."

Hermione scoffed, not wanting to believe it was true. "He was just saying that."

"No he wasn't! I mean, yeah, it was good to hear, after Fred and George spent like six hours talking about bloody Veela, but…Bill wouldn't lie to me."

Hermione sighed. "Yeah. I hope so. It's the only good thing I've heard this week." Something in Ginny's words had awoken an incredibly strong yearning within her to have someone look at her like she was female, and pretty, and desirable. She was fifteen years old; she wore earrings now, and could make her mass of hair look nice, if she really tried, and still…she had never had a boy look at her like she was anything special. Instead Ron treated her like she was a Quaffle; not that it mattered, Ron was just a friend, and a stupidly stubborn friend at that, but Hermione had in her deepest, darkest self, after seeing his reaction to Fleur Delacour, that his complete indifference to her did sting.

"Are they really that bad?"

Hermione rubbed her head at the question – the mere thought of either Harry and Ron seemed induce a headache these days. "Oh," she said, "They're not that bad. They're appalling. Harry mopes around the place all the time, and really I'm trying to help him, but nothing seems to cheer him up, not when I tried to help him with his Summoning Charms, and as for Ron…"

Her voice trailed off. Somehow, Hermione felt it would be bad form to bad mouth Ron to his sister, but Ginny thankfully was sympathetic, and said, "Is he still being stupid about the Goblet?"

Hermione nodded. "I don't know what his problem is, Ginny. I mean I've told him, and told him, but he just won't listen to sense. I mean, it's perfectly obvious that Harry never put his name in, but does that matter to Ron? No."

Ginny sighed, and said, "It's just what he's like…Percy and Charlie are exactly the same. Completely stubborn, if they get a bee in their bonnet, there's just no talking to them."

Hermione laughed. "Oh this is something Ron and Percy and Charlie do, is it?"

Ginny looked indignant. "Hey," she said, "I might do it too, but I'm not nearly as bad. At least I realise when I'm being a brat."

"I wish Ron did," Hermione said glumly, "It'd make things a lot easier."

"He'll sort it out Hermione, he just needs a bit of time. You know, we Weasley's have very hard heads, so common sense just takes a little longer to penetrate."

Harry slumped into view as Ginny finished speaking, and sank down beside him. "Where have you been?" Hermione asked, she hoped sympathetically, though she wasn't sure she had succeeded.

"I had dinner with Neville. I didn't much feel like talking." The self-pity in his tone was so palpable that Hermione wanted to shake him.

Ginny glanced at her before saying, "There's treacle tart if you want it Harry."

Hermione blinked – even she hadn't memorised Harry's favourites, and she ate with him almost every day. But, he only flicked a smile at Ginny briefly and said, "Thanks," not really looking at her.

After a moment, Ginny seemed to deflate, and she stared down at her own desert. Fortunately she didn't notice Harry grinning, actually grinning at Cho Chang across the hall; it was the first real smile Hermione had seen on him in weeks, which was the only thing that restrained her irritation. He could stand to be a bit nicer.

Ginny sighed and said, "I better go. I've got to an essay on Boggarts."

"Oh, you've been doing them? What does yours turn into?"

Ginny's face looked suddenly strained, and Hermione could have bitten her tongue. She didn't know what Ginny's Boggart would be exactly, but she was fairly sure it would be more terrifying than Professor McGonagall. Ginny's voice was sad as she said, "It's…could I talk to you about it later Hermione? I said I'd meet Louise in the library." Hermione nodded eagerly.

Ginny stood up, rolling the sleeves of her robes up to her elbows, and said, "And, by the way, I had a word with Colin. He won't be talking about you, either of you, to Rita Skeeter any more. He really didn't mean any harm, he's just…thoughtless."

Hermione felt limp with relief – at least the rumours would be given no additional fuel – and Harry roused himself enough to say, "Thanks Ginny," and she gave them both a smile before she left. Hermione was sorry for it, as Harry's mood was no more harmonious than it had been before.