Hermione was probably the last person to wake up in the dorm room; the sun was already over the top of the window casting a long shadow across the floor. A tall clock in the corner rang quietly, Hermione lost count of the dings somewhere after 7.
She sleepily retreated to the common room which was about half full. Ron and Harry were quietly waving their wands over a wizard-chess board. Harry's eyes diverted from the board to Hermione and then back down as if he had only seen a bird in the window.
She looked around the room solemnly looking for some sign of friendship, acceptance. Ginny was curled up with a blanket by the fire reading a book. She smiled gently before returning her gaze to the book. Hermione sighed heavily before turning back to her room, feeling alone and unwanted Hermione turned to her books to try and forget the problems she was facing. Books, and there judgeless attitude were her only solace.
"I know you really hate Divination-," came a timid voice from the stairway after about a half hour of deafening silence.
"What do you want Lavender?" Hermione responded quickly cutting her off.
"I was… just hoping you'd help me figure something out with the astrology," she explained, "I guess that's close enough to astronomy for you to not be 'wasting' your time on it." Hermione looked at her angrily.
"I'm busy, sorry" she said trying to sound as genuinely apologetic as possible. Lavender turned with a grunt and retreated down the stairs.
Ginny was the next to retreat to the dorms only a few minutes after Lavender had disappeared back down to the common room. "Lavender is pissed," she said matter-of-factly.
Hermione shrugged, "should I be worried?" she responded quietly.
"It bugs you," Ginny replied.
There was a long pause between the two, "no it doesn't," Hermione openly lied, though it was clear she was bothered by Lavender's anger.
Ginny sat on Hermione's bed at her knee, "listen," she paused taking a deep breath, "maybe we need to go have some fun."
Hermione looked up from her books, "what'd you have in mind?"
"Well…" Ginny let her voice fade off as she walked into the dorm looking over her shoulder a school girl smile creeping onto her face. "If you love…" she snickered unable to bring the word Ron, or 'my brother,' to her lips.
Hermione nodded quickly, "uh-hu."
"And I love," she looked over her shoulder to make sure the room was empty.
"Yes?" Hermione cut her off knowing who she was talking about without her having to finish her sentence.
"And we know they obviously don't love us." Ginny explained.
Hermione sighed heavily, "Ginny for Merlin's sake, what are you thinking?"
"Let's make a love potion to help them along!" Ginny burst out barely audible.
"I'm sorry…" Hermione responded dumbfounded. "What?"
"We can give them a love potion!" Ginny repeated.
There was a long silence between the two as Hermione blinked dumbfounded a few more times. "Ginny, do you realize how difficult love potions are to make?" She finally asked after a minute.
Ginny nodded slowly, "I figured you'd appreciate the challenge." Hermione gritted her teeth at Ginny's comment.
"We don't have ANY of the ingredients." Hermione shot back.
Ginny smiled innocently shifting her weight. "You let me deal with that." Hermione looked at her looking for any excuse to avoid the idea.
"I-I don't have time to brew a potion that complicated," she stammered "I barely have time for classes as it is… and even then I.." she cut her self off.
"You can do most of the work I'll do the busy work." Ginny responded.
Hermione looked at her realizing there was little talking her out of it at this point.
"Please, stop acting like you're going to pass up this opportunity." Ginny cut in to Hermione's thought process.