Chapter Twenty-Three

Hermione pushed open the door to Myrtle's bathroom tentatively, waiting to see if any water would spill out. When there wasn't any, she breathed a sigh of relief and stepped inside, pulling the door closed behind her. "Ginny?" she said uncertainly. "Are you in here? Louise said…"

A moment later the door of the cubicle nearest her was flung open and she was hauled inside in a flurry of Hogwarts robes and red hair. "Quiet," Ginny said, "I don't want Filch to know I'm in here." Hermione nodded, still trying to catch her breath, as Ginny continued. "What did you need me for?"

"Well," Hermione said, "I wanted to tell you…what on earth are you doing?"

Ginny brushed several unruly locks of hair out of her eyes. "Well," she said, "I thought I was going to o out of my mind with all the work…especially all that stuff on Vanishing for McGonagall, and I couldn't even relax for one minute, not even with Dean, 'cause all I could think about was that blasted essay, so Louise said I should do something to relax, something a bit…you know, reckless."

"Okay," Hermione said, "I understand, but…what are you doing – and why do you need a screwdriver?"

"Oh." Ginny said, "Right. Well, I thought that I'd send the twins a Hogwarts toilet seat. They promised me one for years and I never got one, so…."

"You're a bit of a weird one sometimes, do you know that?" Hermione said. "And the screwdriver?"

"Oh," Ginny said, "They never think of protecting against Muggle methods. If nothing else, Dad's obsession came in useful for that." Bending over to continue her work, she added. "What did you want to tell me about?"

"Oh," Hermione said, looking forward to Ginny's reaction. "Nothing much. I just asked Ron out. And he said yes." She shrugged nonchalantly.

Ginny straightened up and turned slowly to look at Hermione. "I'm sorry, could you say that again?"

Hermione couldn't help herself, she smirked as she said, "I asked Ron to Slughorn's Christmas party."

A moment later Ginny squealed piercingly and engulfed Hermione in a massive hug. "Oh my god, Hermione! I can't believe it! I mean…of course I can believe it, I knew it was going to happen one of these days but…we could be sisters!"

Hermione stepped away from her sharply. "I'm sorry," she said, "What?"

Ginny flushed and continued. "What? I don't think that…I mean, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ginny," Hermione said warningly.

Ginny hung her head, looking shamefaced. "I'm sorry," she said, "You know what I get like when I'm excited. Things just sort of…slip out – even when they really shouldn't."

"I've noticed," Hermione said solemnly.

"Anyway," Ginny said, "Never mind that. Tell me everything."

"Okay!" Hermione said, giggling slightly. She couldn't keep herself from grinning, and she sat down and crossed her legs, ready to regale Ginny with her tale.

"Well," she said, "We were in Herbology, talking about Slughorn's thing, well, not so much talking as…"

"Arguing," Ginny said knowingly.

"Yeah," Hermione said. "Not that that's anything unusual. Anyway, while we were…talking, I mentioned that I'd been thinking of asking him, and…he said yes."

"Hermione!" Ginny said, beaming at her. "You realise what this means?"

"No," Hermione said, still smiling.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ginny said. "Ron's going out with you now. You won, and Lavender Brown lost. So you don't have to listen to all her stupid cracks any more."

Hermione pondered this for a moment, chewing on her lower lip. "You're right," she said, "I did win, didn't I?"

Ginny nodded approvingly, and in a perfect imitation of her mother said, "And that'll teach that brazen hussy to mind her own business."

Hermione laughed loudly. "Brazen hussy, Ginny? Really."

"I'll have you know, Hermione, that I have a very high opinion of brazen hussies," Ginny said. "And Lavender is."

"I know," Hermione said, uncomfortably, "I just didn't expect crazy Stone Age-ness from you."

"Oh," Ginny said, "Right. That's not what I meant. I don't care about it like that, Hermione, it's just…brazen hussy is so fun to say." In a more serious tone, she added, "Besides Ron has been doing a good enough impression of a cave man to put me off it forever. I swear Hermione, you should see the looks he keeps giving Dean and me if we, you know, hold hands. It's ridiculous."

Hermione looked at her thoughtfully. "But it's just Ron being, well…Ron. Why even pay him any attention?"

Ginny sighed. "I thought you of all people would understand, Hermione. It's not about him being him, it's about Ron thinking that I can't take care of myself, that I need my big brother to protect me, to come in and make all my decisions for me, because clearly I'm not capable of making them myself."

"Oh." Hermione said slowly. She knew that Ron's attitudes towards, well, sex, could be old-fashioned to the point of being ludicrous, but…she'd always just assumed he'd grow out of it. Not that it didn't bother her, because of course it did, but…she'd learned not to let it upset her. Choosing her words carefully, she said, "I never really saw it that way."

Ginny laughed, and it was not a pretty laugh. "Well…I suppose you wouldn't. Not like… It doesn't matter – I just can't stand that he thinks he's got some god-given right to meddle in my business…like his love-life has been anything wonderful."

"Wow. Thanks Ginny." Hermione said, honestly stung.

"Oh don't… I didn't mean it like that," Ginny said, her face contrite.

"Well maybe you should think a little more about what you do mean, Ginny. Like it or not, Ron's one of my best friends, not to mention…so, I don't want to listen to you bitching about him all the time, okay."

"I'm not…"

"Just forget it," Hermione said, staring at the floor moodily. Truthfully, she knew it wasn't just Ginny she was annoyed with – as glad as she was that she'd asked Ron out, and that they were finally going to get somewhere, it rankled that she'd had to do all the chasing.

"I really am glad you two are going out," Ginny said, "It's just…lately, it's like Ron and I don't get on at all. He's all…doing things or picking at me or…making faces when I stop to talk to you and Harry at dinner and…sometimes I think he doesn't even like me any more."

For a moment Ginny sounded near tears, and Hermione stared at her aghast. "What are you talking about? That's nonsense."

"No it's not," Ginny said. "I mean, yeah he puts up with me, but he always has this face on him, like I'm still the annoying little tag along, like…it doesn't matter. I just…I have my own friends anyway, so…"

"Oh, Ginny don't think that way."

"What way? It's fairly clear, Hermione. Anyway," Ginny said, still looking miserable, "That's why I'm not with Dean tonight. Between homework and…things…I'm not feeling the best. Some days you just feel a bit…down, and Smith didn't help."

"Zacharias Smith?" Hermione said.

"Yeah," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "He was harassing Luna in the library today – wanting to hear about the Ministry – and you what Luna's like…but just 'cause…he thinks he can get away with insulting her any time he wants, and…"

"What did you do?" Hermione said.

"Nothing much," Ginny said. "I just used that little charm we did the other day…you know the one that gives things legs…I used it on his book and Madam Pince do the rest."

"That's a bit rough, don't you think Ginny? She probably gave him detention for a month."

"Well," Ginny said, "Maybe he'll have learned something. Maybe that'll teach him not to go round attacking Luna any time he likes."

"Attacking?" Hermione said, incredulous at Ginny's use of such a term.

"He's a nasty piece of work, all right Hermione? I don't let people make other people feel…small, or…upset, if I can help it." Ginny lifted her chin defiantly as she spoke, and Hermione decided to let the subject drop for the moment.

"So," she said lightly, "You weren't in the mood for Dean."

"More like…Dean wasn't in the mood for me. All I wanted to do was hex something or…break something and…that's not Dean's style. He did bring a flower though, so…I feel like the worst girlfriend ever."

"Oh, I don't know," Hermione said sagely, "I don't think you can qualify as the worst girlfriend ever until you've bitten his head off after mating."

Ginny started and Hermione added, "Some species of spiders…do that."

"Oh. Right," Ginny said. "I thought you were talking about Blaise Zabini's mother."

"What is it with you and Blaise Zabini lately?" Hermione said.

"Nothing," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. "He and Dean don't exactly see eye to eye, so…I hear about him a lot."

"Okay then," Hermione said, still feeling as though she'd missed part of the story.

Ginny stood up and grasped the toilet seat in one hand. "I'm going up to the Owlery to post this, if you want to come…"

Hermione felt rather worn out by this discussion, and so she said, "I should go work on my Runes, but…I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Ginny said, "And well done again!"

A moment later she was gone, and Hermione walked back to the common room, thinking things over as she went.