Chapter 5: Fifth Year, part 2

Charlie and Bill had joined their parents in sending everyone back off to Hogwarts hugging each one of the tightly, but Charlie noticed that out of all of them Hermione hugged him a little longer.

It made his heart happy.

"Alright," Bill said grabbing Charlie's arm outside of the Burrow garden. "Spill."

There was no use denying it. At least not to Bill, he knew everything. "Hermione."

"I know that, I want to know how long it's been going on."

"There isn't anything going on. We've been writing each other for a few years sending books the other might enjoy but there hasn't been anything romantic. I wouldn't do that to Ron."

"Oh, Merlin." Throwing his hands in the air was Bill's way of saying you were daft as a piece of bread, which only caused the person he was talking with to get angry. "To hell with Ron. He doesn't appreciate her, you know that almost better than I do. And she gave up on him years ago you can see it in her demeanor. Anyway, she's almost legal age and even though I can't say that people will be completely accepting of the relationship should you try to start one with her as long as the two of you are happy it won't matter."

Each of the Weasley's was good to get advice on one subject even though each of them thought themselves genius' in everything. The twins were good at pranks and not getting caught, Ginny was good as gossip, Percy was good with politics, dad was good with tinkering, mum was the best with homemaking spells, Ron was good with chess and all things Harry Potter, but Bill was the expert on relationships.

So when Bill said that it wouldn't matter in the long run Charlie believed it.

"Did you know she went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Bloody Krum?" It was safe to say that his parents had probably already listened in on the conversation so it didn't matter much what he said now. "How am I supposed to compete with that!"

"You don't have to, just be yourself. She obviously sees something in you or she would have stopped writing you a long time ago."

With that Bill went back inside leaving Charlie to his thoughts. It was possible that Hermione could fancy him but there was no way to really make sure without outright asking her.

He would have to bring in the big guns.

He needed Ginny.

They had barely stowed their bags in a compartment when Ginny grabbed Hermione by the arm and dragged her away.

"I know something's up so you might as well tell me." There was no arguing with the youngest redhead and Hermione didn't want to try.

"Ginny, I feel like I can't even explain it. One minute I feel like everything is normal and then the next I realized something crazy!"

The girls were sitting in a small compartment by themselves not paying attention to everyone walking past looking for seats. "That's not really an explanation."

"I think I love one of your brothers." Hermione deadpanned. "How's that for a confession?"

"Which one?"

Hermione sighed and tied her curly hair up in a knot. "Somehow I think you already know that."

"Of course I do, I could see it coming from a mile away. Let's be honest here Mione, Charlie's not the easiest person to get along with sometimes but it seems like you have him wrapped around your little finger." Her blue eyes glinted in a way that had Hermione thinking she had been watching for years. "He loves to read just like you and no one else will talk to him about books, so that's probably what started it all. And your love for magical creatures of course."

"So what actually gave it away for you?"

They got up and started working their way back to the boys but that didn't stop Ginny from shouting out her answer. "The locket of course, he didn't anyone else something that nice did he?"

The silver necklace had been hidden beneath her jumpers and shirts since Christmas but it was possible that Ginny had seen her take it off at night or noticed the chain around her neck and got curious.

"Where'd you two get off to?" Harry asked as they returned finding Neville and Luna had joined the group.

"Just went for a chat is all."

The rest of the ride was filled with laughter and stories from the hols, as they neared Hogwarts everyone started to get hungry laughing at how their growling stomachs interupted more than one conversation.

Getting to Hogwarts meant that it was back to school work and studying for their O.W.L exams, which Hermione was frantic about the moment dinner was served.

"What do you think they'll test them on?" She blabbered on not realizing no one else was listening to her. Finally, she snapped out of it and looked around the room noticing all of the D.A members were nodding in her direction. "Harry, we need to set a 'study' time."

Luckily he was quick to understand what she was saying. "Right, how about Thursday at six? That should give us enough time right?"

"I'll make sure the library is free." It didn't make sense that they had to talk in code but with how many people didn't know about their "club" it was easier than trying to explain. And with Umbridge's new Inquisitorial Squad it was safer too.

That night in the common room Hermione set the date on the fake galleons each member had been given and smiled as it glowed slightly warmer in her hand. "Alright, everyone should know about it by now, we just need to figure out what to go over."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all sat in the corner excitedly discussing what they should teach everyone before growing more and more tired and finally heading off to bed.

That night Hermione wrote a short letter to Charlie before succumbing to sleep.

Thank you again so much for the locket. I love it. How is Romania? - Hermione

Running to the owlery before breakfast she sent the letter off with one of the better birds there and skipped down to the Great Hall earlier than the rest of her friends.

"Are we in love, Granger?"

The voice stopped her in her tracks, turning to face Malfoy and his goons sneering at her existence. "What does it matter to do?"

"So Weasel finally admitted his feeling to you. Didn't think he had it in him honestly."

Pansy Parkinson's laugh was akin to nails on a chalkboard, grating against Hermione's eardrums. "Good one Draco."

"No, Ron did not admit feelings for me. Mainly because he has none, again not that it's any of your business." Turning on her heel to walk away she heard the group snicker behind her back but she wouldn't let them ruin her good mood.

Surprisingly the twins were sitting at the Gryffindor table already and waved her over to sit with them as she walked in.

"So Granger, are you going to tell us what has you in such a good mood?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about Fred."

The twin next to her just smiled and bumped her with his elbow. "Come on Mione, we know that you fancy someone we just can't figure out who."

"Then I guess you'll just remain curious because I'm not telling you."

"Who else knows? At least tell us that."

"Why, so you can go bother them with all your questions trying to get the information? I think not."

So they pouted and changed the subject hoping to lull their friend into a false sense of security, eventually she would slip up and tell them.

Ginny, I need your help with something top secret. I need you to help me figure out whether Hermione fancies me or not. I don't want her to feel awkward if I tell her that I do (surpsie, by the way) and she doesn't feel the same. Please help. - Char

Smiling at the note she opened in her first class away from the prying eyes of her other brothers. Charlie had written "Open when alone" on the front so that meant it was something juicy for her eyes only. But this was even better than imagined. Hermione told her yesterday and today Charlie, it was the perfect matchmaking opportunity. Not that it needed much work.

She fancies you. Hasn't taken off that bloody locket since you gave it to her. - Gin

Charlie had never brought a girl home before to meet the family, mum would be ecstatic if he declared his undying love for someone they already thought to be family. Although the age gap was troublesome it was actually better because Hermione acted ten years older than everyone else just from intelligence alone.

Now all she needed to do was sit back and relax as they finally admitted it to each other.

"Charlie, you seem distracted. Something the matter?" Greg was his partner with the Ukranian Ironbelly this week and as they exited the enclosure he decided to check.

"Not really, it's not something that's terrible really. It's just that I really fancy this girl back home."

Greg was in his forties and married so he understood how it felt to be hopelessly in love with someone. Often, he told everyone how he and his wife had met when they were younger but the timing was never right with them as she was a few years younger than he was. It took years of them pining after the other until finally they made it work. Now, she was all he ever talked about.

"What are you going to do about it?" He asked as they walked to put the brooms back and write their report.

"Tell her I suppose. I just don't know how."

"Is this the young lady you've been exchanging books with for the past three years?" He nodded. "Give her a book about all those mushy feelings you have, maybe she'll realize what it means and write back to you about her unwavering love."

He couldn't help but smile, it wasn't a bad idea but it seemed impersonal doing it through a letter. It would have to wait for Christmas.

But that night an owl tapped at his window followe shortly by another. A letter back from Ginny and a letter from Hermione. Both made his heart race with anticipation, neither were particularly long notes but each meant something important to him.

Deciding to sent Hermione a note back that night Charlie raced around his flat looking for a spare bit of parchment.

I'm glad you like it. Think of me when you wear it, yeah?

It seemed cheesy to send something like that but in a way it was romantic without being over the top.

So he sent it and decided that he would just let it work itself out.

At breakfast one morning a black owl swooped down to Hermione landing expertly between the platter of eggs and the plate in front of her before holding out his leg and taking a bite of her toast.

"Who's it from Hermione?" Ron asked with breakfast shoveled into his mouth.

"Don't know." It wasn't a lie, the outside of the scroll didn't have anything written on it, but she hoped it was from the one person she wanted to hear from.

It took owls about a day to get from Scotland to Romania, and that was only if they didn't get caught in any bad weather along the way. It had been about two days since she wrote Charlie and with the meeting coming up the next night it meant more to hear from him as it would calm her down.

Instead the note just caused her to blush furiously raising more questions from her friends than she wanted. Fred and George tried to get a good look at the note but since it wasn't signed they didn't get a definite answer. If they had been given enough time they could have figured out whose handwriting it was, but the glimpse they received before Hermione folded the note and shoved it deep into her bag meant that it was gone forever.

But the look in her eyes remained there for days.

On Thursday night Harry greeted everyone hoping they had a good holiday and then explaining what a dementor was and how the patronus charm would send them away.

"So you all need to think of a happy memory, the happiest you've ever felt in your life, and hold onto it when you say the words."

Everyone spaced out and thought for a moment before speaking the incantation. When they did the room lit up with silver animals bouncing around before dissolving.

It didn't take long for Hermione to think of the top two happiest moment of her life. Halloween their first year when Harry and Ron had come to save her from the troll, and this past Christmas when Charlie gave her the locket.

Saying the words she sent out a silvery otter that took to the air like it was swimming. They spent an hour perfecting the charms and helping others who couldn't get it to work just yet. By the end of the night everyone was able to produce a full patronus.

"This is something that even full grown wizards have trouble with." Harry announced walking between people to get a better understanding of what help they needed. "There are some who have fully manifested their powers and can't do this, but you all can. Just keep holding onto that one happy memory and you'll get it."

Everyone sent out their patronus a few more times before calling it quits for the night.

"I have rounds, I'll see you all later." Hermione said setting out to meet with Terry Boot the Ravenclaw prefect she was set to check the corridors with.

But it wasn't long before she ran into Umbridge.

"Why, your wand is out Miss Granger." The toad tsked. "That's ten points from Gryffindor."

"I'm on prefect rounds professor, I need to have my wand ready in case I need light."

"I don't think so dear." The woman infuriated her to no end, normally Hermione was level headed with professors but it seemed like Umbridge wanted to undermine absolutely everyone she felt inferior to herself. Which just happened to be everyone, even Dumbledore.

When she found Terry at the Astronomy Tower she was in a fit and he chuckled at her. "Umbridge found you too?"

They had chosen to do their rounds together as it was easier to do what they needed without bickering. "I can't stand her."

"She tried taking point away for being out of bed even though it's not curfew. I tried to explain I needed to do rounds but she just told me I was wrong." Shaking his head Terry motioned for her to go down the stairs first. "What a joke."

"If it is a joke it's not a very funny one."

The Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting Hermione into Ravenclaw when she arrived as a first year, she had the intelligence sure but ultimately it decided that her courage outweighed her wit.

"How was your Christmas?"

They had reached the bottom of the tower and headed out along the floor watching as the portraits snickered or scowled at them.

"It was fantastic, how was yours?"

"My family and I went to Germany to visit my aunt and her kids. Not a very exciting trip I'm afraid, I'm the oldest so I practically babysat the entire time." Terry was wasy to talk to, he didn't think Hermione was superior because she was in Gryffindor and instead talked to her as he would another Ravenclaw.

"Well I suppose that depends on how much you like children."

"After this trip not very much."

They laughed together before falling into an amiable silence before saying goodnight when rounds were over.

Getting back to the common room Hermione found Harry and Ron still waiting up for her a mess of chocolate frog boxes between them.

"We saved you one." Harry said holding it out for her. "Well, I saved it from Ron for you."

Thanking them she sank into the overstuffed couch and sighed.

"Are you going to tell us?"

"Tell you what?"

The boys looked to each other before turning back to her. "Who it is you're all worked up over. We can tell."

"Eventually, but not now."

Saying good night Hermione made way up to her dorm and dressed in her pajamas before taking the locket off for the night.

Thinking back to the note Charlie sent she smiled, she would think of him more than just when she was wearing the locket.