If Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were concerned about Ron and Hermione going to stay with Hermione's parents, they had the good graces not to say so. Hermione's parents had sent the owl back with a note that this weekend was fine for a visit and that they saw their last patient at two o'clock. Since Ron still didn't have his Apparition license, Mr. Weasley agreed to take Ron to the train station side-along and Hermione would Apparate on her own.

Thursday evening, Hermione was upstairs packing her bags when Ginny came in from an after-dinner walk with Harry. Hermione looked up when Ginny closed the door behind her.

"Hey," she said, noting the younger girl's flushed face.

Ginny nodded at her and flopped down on her bed.

Hermione continued packing as Ginny lay on her back looking up at the ceiling.

"Hermione," Ginny said after a long time. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Sure," Hermione sat down on the edge of the bed.

"When you and Ron decided to…" She sighed. "Never mind."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"It's too awkward. Forget it."

"Alright then." Hermione continued sorting through her socks and underwear, trying to decide which T-shirts to take with her when Ginny sat up.

"When you and Ron decided to shag, did you talk about it first, or did it just sort of happen?"

Hermione dropped the T-shirt she was holding. "Who said anything about shagging?"

"What?"

"Did Ron tell you we were having sex?"

Ginny made a face. "Course not, ewww."

"Did Harry say Ron said something?"

"Hermione!"

"Then what makes you say that?"

"Well, with all the shouting the other night and when I used the extendable ears-"

Hermione was scandalized. "You listened in on our private conversation?"

"Well, not you and Mum. She had the sense to Imperturb the door."

"So you listened in on Ron and your Dad?"

"They didn't Imperturb the door. Actually, I didn't even need the ears for the first part of it, Dad was shouting so."

Hermione sat on the edge of the bed and put her face in her hands.

"It's not as bad as all that," Ginny said sheepishly.

"Your Dad thinks we're shagging?" She shook her head. "What a nightmare."

"Well, he didn't actually say that, but when he said you were starkers, I just thought."

Hermione dropped her hands. "I was not! I had on my trousers. My shirt was open but not off!"

Ginny shrugged. "Sorry, I just assumed."

Hermione stood and began furiously packing her clothes again. "Well, you shouldn't make assumptions and you shouldn't listen in on other people's private conversations."

"Sorry," Ginny mumbled and lay back down with her fingers laced behind her head.

Hermione was fuming but when she looked down at her packing she realized she'd lost track. "Bollocks," she growled and dumped all the contents of her bag back on to the bed and started again. She worked for a few minutes and then abandoned the whole thing. She sat on the side of the bed facing Ginny. "Why do you ask?"

Ginny looked at her. "What?"

"Why did you ask about Ron and me, are you and Harry…Harry's not pushing you, is he?"

"No," Ginny said as she sat up. "If anything, it's the opposite. He keeps holding back."

"Well, you are awfully young."

"I'm just a year younger than you lot. And don't take this wrong, but in a lot of ways, Harry and I are older than you and Ron."

Hermione looked down at her fingers. She knew what Ginny said was true. Harry and Ginny had experienced horrors that she and Ron had only been on the periphery of.

"Still," Hermione said. "There's no need to rush."

"Isn't there?" Ginny asked. "I know what you three are planning. I know how dangerous it'll be, and I know there's no way I'll be allowed to go."

Hermione nodded.

"I just want to have him, really have him, before I lose him. Does that make sense?"

"Yes," Hermione said quietly.

"Then why does he keep holding back?"

Hermione shook her head. "Have you talked to him?"

"No." Ginny said. "It's kind of a difficult subject to discuss." She gestured between them. "As is obvious."

Hermione smiled and then pressed her fingertips against her eyelids. "I wish I knew what to tell you. Personally, I don't know how anyone manages to have sex in this house. There is absolutely no privacy."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it." Then she looked at Hermione, her eyes narrowing.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"That's why you're off to your parents' house."

"Don't be preposterous," Hermione said, but she could feel herself blushing.

"Well," Ginny said, lying back down. "That's that then."

Hermione didn't say anything. She just smiled and went back to packing.