The following day, Hermione was up early and went straight to the library. She wanted to make sure all of her end of term work was complete. This last week would be full of pre-NEWT exams. Ginny had a strict "no work on Sundays" policy, and refused to set foot in the library any and all Sundays. Many other students thought like her, and the library was nearly empty. So Hermione claimed her favorite table by her favorite window and spread out all her textbooks. She had everything for every class laid out in groups with notes and essays organized in piles. She had snacks and water that she would discreetly sneak from when Pince wasn't looking and planned to be there until dinner.
This was how she spent almost every weekend. And with the school year halfway completed, she felt her time dwindling. Before she begins studying, she does deep breathing exercises, memorizing the smell of the library and the sounds around her. She takes in the feel of the table, the chair, the stone beneath her feet, the parchment and quill beneath her hands. She feels gratitude for this experience she wasn't sure she would get to have again. She smiles as she looks around the library once more, holding this moment in her heart. She pulls her first group of books and notes toward her and begins.
About an hour into her studies, Theo arrives. He's dressed in his white school shirt and black pants, no tie and no robes. Just a charcoal cardigan with slytherin green stripes along the seams. He looks very fetching with his top buttons open and his hair rumpled just so. She blushes and looks down as she suddenly remembers spending a significant portion of the previous evening in his lap.
"Someone got here early." He lifts his messenger bag up onto the table next to hers and starts pulling out his own study materials. "What subject are you on?"
She tucks her hair behind her ear and proceeds to tell him her study plan for the day. They are taking all the same classes but only have a few of them scheduled together. He arranges his books and notes like hers and they dive back into study together.
This is the part of Theo that pulls her in. His academic brain. Lately he's been able to stabilize her mood quite often just by studying with her. Like the party last night. She completely lost sight of the crowd and focused on him and a textbook. Never having had this sort of relationship with anyone ever before, she was quite intrigued. He was so easy to converse with, and also to study silently next to.
"Wait I got something different on that arithmancy sum." He says, picking up his parchment and standing from his table, he walks over to Hermione. He places his left hand on the back of her chair and the parchment under his right hand next to hers on the table. He leans in and studies her calculations next to his own. She can smell a faint hint of cologne, as if it lingers on his sweater from past wear, and a clean scent from his hair. His face is very close to hers and she stares intently at his full lips. She doesn't remember what they felt like at that first party.
"Mmm, there." He points to a section of her work, and turns his head to look at her. She's still staring at his mouth when he does. She quickly looks at his eyes but it's too late, he's caught her. He starts to grin. She turns to the parchment and sees what he was talking about. She was wrong this time. She taps the section that was incorrect with her wand and it disappears. She redoes the work the right way this time and thanks him for catching it. He plops himself back down in his seat, across from her at the adjacent table. He smirks up at her as he leans back. She knows it's smugness, but not from finding a wrong answer of hers. She rolls her eyes and tries to shake it off as annoyance.
Just then a truly annoying giggling sounds from Lavender as she and Parvati approach Hermione. "Hi Theo." Parvati purrs. Lavender makes a show of walking behind his chair and running her fingers along the top of it. He shifts uncomfortably.
"Can we study with you? I need a new partner to do a full divination workup on. Tea leaves, crystal balls, palm reading." She says sensually. Hermione's eyes are about to get stuck in the back of her head, she rolls them so hard.
"We're working on arithmancy right now, if you'd like to join in." Hermione says sarcastically. She knows Lavender and Parvati aren't taking that class.
Lavender turns her attention to Hermione. "Actually I've been meaning to ask if you could help us. We don't seem to have anything that could pass as an ugly sweater for the party this weekend. Can I borrow something from your wardrobe?"
Hermione snorts, about to reply that what Lavender has on right now will do just fine, when Theo intervenes.
"I don't have any interest in divination, sorry, Brown." He moves from his seat and back to Hermione's side again, only this time it is much more intimate. He sweeps her hair behind the shoulder closest to him and pulls her arithmancy book toward them. He asks her in a low voice to explain the equation on the page to him like he's a NEWT examiner and she feels a tingle down her spine.
Lavender scoffs and she and Parvati stomp away.
Hermione needs to get some control back in this situation. He's looking far too smug. "Did you want to sit in my lap this time?" She teases. He hums a laugh and steps back over to his side.
"I would still like to hear you explain that equation." He rests his elbows on the table in front of him and his chin in one palm, smirking at her. "Your voice makes arithmancy sound so alluring." He winks.
She shakes her head at him and readjusts her materials. And like the swot she is, launches into a very academic description of arithmancy equations and sums. She does her best to sound extremely dull and matter of fact, but he's still grinning and staring.
"Alright, your turn." She gestures for him to go next and he does so without missing a beat, his eyes twinkling a little.
The week passes quickly. She sees Theo at meals and classes but they are too busy with exams and NEWT prep and getting ready for the holiday to do anything else before the party. She doesn't even speak to Malfoy for the entire week.
The final Saturday of the term arrives and everyone is busy packing for the break and getting ready for the next Inter house party. Hermione knit her own ugly sweater out of all her yarn scraps. It looks like an explosion of colors and knots. She pairs it with a denim mini skirt and festive green tights. Ginny transfigured the colors of one of her old sweaters into bright orange and purple and green. The colors clashed horribly and she was very pleased with it.
They arrived at the Hufflepuff common room right on time. There was a buffet table with snacks and drinks. The puffs had concocted some type of alcoholic Christmas punch. Ginny poured them both generous amounts of it and they went to hang out with Luna, who was wearing a large star around her whole head. Neville came up to her in his Christmas tree sweater and she hopped on his back to make the complete tree. They were pretty cute. Hermione had to admit.
Christmas music played and mistletoe floated around, keeping Hermione on her toes. The punch was surprisingly good. She dodged two kisses with Ernie. Did end up kissing both Ginny and Luna. Thanks to the overactive mistletoe and their third cup of punch. And Ginny was growing impatient with Blaise's tardiness.
Theo arrived with Pansy and they split up immediately after entering the room. Pansy made a beeline for Neville and Theo for the punch. Hermione made her way over to him. As did about five mistletoe, overexcited for a newcomer.
"Happy Christmas" she shouts in his ear. "Oops. Too loud" she whispers as he jumps and leans away from her.
"Um yes love, and how many of these have you already had?" He laughs at her as she hiccups and giggles.
"Only three. Or four? I can't recall." She fills another.
He fills his own cup and turns to face her, taking a sip. "Good gods that's…" he chokes "sweet." Then he spots the mistletoe floating around them. "Mmm I think we had better kiss and quickly before we're smothered to death by these things" she laughs and he grabs her waist with his free hand and pulls her close. Her hand rests on his chest and they kiss. The fuzziness in her brain makes her freeze in place and savor the tingles that run down her spine as she kisses Theo. It's entirely too long of a kiss because when they finally separate, she sees Malfoy and Blaise standing in the entrance staring directly at them.
She goes through a series of emotions. First being embarrassment and second being anger because she can kiss who she wants and that's too damn bad for him. And third being "shit I need to stop kissing guys. I'm going to see Ron in just a few days. Im such a bitch"
She downs another cup. Theo still has his arm around her waist and she doesn't mind, leans into him for added stability.
Ginny sees Blaise and runs to him, jumping in his arms. Which leaves Malfoy to contemplate either standing next to them awkwardly or approaching the refreshment table where Hermione and Theo currently were and standing there awkwardly.
Before he can make his decision she notices his sweater. It's got a gryffindor lion on it. She can't stop herself. She marches over to him.
"What are you wearing? Didn't you read the dress code?"
He blinks at her and can tell she's drunk already. "As a matter of fact I did, Granger, and I am wearing the ugliest sweater I could find." Smirk, a mean one this time.
She can't think of any words to that. She scoffs. Mistletoe flies over to them and she slaps it away. Turns back and says quietly "wouldn't want to make another mistake, now would we?" Gives him the most disgusted face she can make as he stares back, a flash of something crosses his face but she is way too inebriated to interpret it.
Justin Finch-Fletchley stands up on a table in the middle of the room and announces that they will begin the games and Pansy has volunteered to take over because she got interrupted last time.
Oh for fucks sake.
Hermione drops her cup on the nearest table and turns to leave.
"Whoa love, where are you headed? Can't go anywhere alone right now" Theo steadies her wobbly feet. She should've brought sober up potion. Why didn't the puffs provide it like the snakes did? How inconsiderate.
"Walk me back then. I am not playing this game." She grabs his shirt for stability.
"Theo darling please lead us this time!" Pansy shouts.
Hermione groans loudly and people stare at her. "What? I don't want to play these dumb games. I'm not spinning your bottle Pansy!" She crosses her arms and leans against the table.
"Well that's good dear because we aren't playing spin the bottle. We're playing seven minutes in heaven. Now here Theo" she shakes a bag at him to draw a name.
"Hermione Granger" he winks at her while reading the name off the paper.
"You did that on purpose!" She protests. "Don't worry he whispers, this gets you out of it quickly." He grabs her wrist and pulls her into the closet they are all standing around. The door shuts and Theo silences the room with his wand.
"What was that for?" she asks
"Because I don't want to get disqualified because everyone can hear you lecturing me about something instead of what we're supposed to be doing" he grins at her.
"I highly doubt anyone does anything in seven minutes other than talk about what they would do anyway." She huffs and then slides down to the floor because she's too dizzy to stand still for long.
"I'm sure people do plenty in here besides talking." He pulls her back up to her feet and wraps his arms around her. Pressing her against the wall. "Like this" he says before sucking on her neck. And her drunken mind goes completely blank as he works some sort of lip magic on her.
"Oh god" she moans. And her hands tangle up in his hair and she leans her head back further for more. His hands roam her sides slowly as his mouth moves over a very sensitive part of her neck.
Three loud knocks sound on the door and Theo steps back, holding her hand so she doesn't fall and grins at her, running a thumb over his mouth. She stares back, dazed.
They exit the closet and everyone oohs and laughs at a giant love bite that she can't see. He keeps one arm around her waist and she clutches him with both of her arms as they move to the back of the crowd. Other peoples names are called and the game commences. Malfoy is nowhere to be seen.
"Walk me back now? I'm sleepy." She mumbles into his ear as she leans on him.
"Alright, but let's go to slytherin first, I have plenty of sober up potion."
She nods and they stand. They do the weird drunken hobbling for her with her clinging to him and him steering them in the right direction and she waves at Ginny who isn't even looking at her. They are actually able to leave the party with no issues. She thought Pansy would do something obnoxious to get her and Malfoy in that closet together.
She's never going into a closet with him again.
During the walk to Slytherin, Hermione only stumbled from inebriation twice and didn't cling to Theo that much.
After Stepping into the slytherin common room Theo deposits hermione onto a black leather couch near the fireplace. He goes in search of a sober up potion.
"Damn. The common room stock is out. I have some in my room. I'll be right back." He starts toward the dorms and hermione hiccups.
"Wait! Can I go with you? I've never seen a slytherin dorm." She pulls herself up from the couch with a lot more effort than it should be taking and bumps into a coffee table on her way toward Theo.
"Oh ho, a ploy to see my bedroom? I see right through you, little miss. But seeing as you are a damsel in distress I will indeed oblige." He holds out his arm for her as she gets to the stairs. Gratefully she clasps his bicep tightly as she steadies herself.
"Jesus. Those fucking puffs and their punch. I will be dealing with that as soon as I am sober." She grumbles. They descend a spiral staircase with plush emerald carpet down what seems like two stories.
"Now now, we don't blame others for how much we willingly imbibe." He tuts. They step off the staircase and are met with a huge circular room lined with two dozen doors.
"What is this?" She blinks slowly. Hermione's head is already spinning and the staircase and now the hall are not helping at all.
"The eighth year dorms." Theo starts walking toward the right side of the stairs and taps it with his wand. It clicks and he opens it wide for her to enter.
She steps inside and is met with a vast but cozy suite. Tall ceiling. One large bed that looks way too plush to be a hogwarts bed. An ornate desk and oversized wingback chair. A fireplace, a couch, a tea cart. Everything in dark greens, blacks, silvers. Velvets, leathers, satins. Everything tidy, although she wonders how much of that is Theo and how much is a house elf. She wonders if the teachers have similar accommodations.
She's speechless as her inebriated brain tries to form thoughts and Theo goes to a door on his left. A private bath, of course. He comes back with a small vial and she tips it back immediately. Feeling the cooling sensation down her throat spread to her stomach and head. Her balance returns and her nausea leaves. Sober up really is extraordinary. She is going to make it a requirement that if the upperclassmen continue to have these parties they must be supplying this potion on site.
"So, how have you judged our dorms? Are they what you expected?" Theo asks her as he plops down on the couch and starts the fire with his wand. He pats the seat next to him. She walks in a slow circle toward him, taking it all in.
"How do you have a single dorm? Where does everyone else sleep?" She slides off her boots and pulls her legs underneath her as she sits on the couch next to him.
"Wait, do not tell me that you are still sharing a room with all your classmates!? You're an adult! What in the world is gryffindor doing up there? We have private rooms for all students that come of age. Only children share a dorm." He scoffs and rolls his eyes at her but it's playful.
"Has it always been like that in slytherin?" She asks, "or is it just this years extra snobby graduating class?" She extends her leg and pokes Theo with a sock covered foot in jest. He grabs it quickly before she can retreat and squeezes.
"Oh no love, slytherins have been more mature than gryffindors since the beginning of time. Upstairs are long rooms with narrow four-poster beds, one room for each class and gender. When you turn 17 you get one of these. And if there is a particularly large class there's another level of these rooms below this. The castle knows when to open it up." He squeezes her foot one more time before releasing it and heading toward the tea cart that's under a large black rectangle that looks like a window. He taps it with his wand and suddenly a starry sky with a snowy mountain beneath appears. It's beautiful and makes Hermione feel like she's on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. She hops off the couch and rushes over to observe it closer.
"Oh my, this is amazing! How do you ever leave your room? You can change it to anything you want?" She reaches toward the picture. She feels cold glass as she presses her palm against it.
"Sure, what would you like to see? Just think of the picture in your mind and tap the glass." He hands her his wand like it's normal everyday practice to hand over your lifeline and she has to shake off war mode and take it. She thinks of her summer holiday in France with her parents and taps the glass. Instantly a beautiful beach and blue and white umbrellas appear. No people. Just an empty expanse of sand and waves and it's so calming and inviting. Theo hums appreciatively as he prepares two cups of tea. She then thinks of the pictures of the Amazon rainforest she's seen in National Geographic magazines and she taps the glass again. The image is even more detailed than she could remember. Colorful animals peeking out from behind deep green leaves. It's the most vibrant thing she's never seen. She thinks back to the snowy mountain scene Theo picked originally and taps one last time before handing him back his wand. "That's incredible. I want one." She takes the tea he offers and finds it to be perfectly prepared. She returns to the couch.
"So, what does Hermione Granger do for Christmas break?" Theo sits back on the other end of the couch and turns toward her. Extending his arm along the back of the black leather chesterfield.
"Oh I'll be returning to my home and spending time with my parents. You know," she sips her tea and settles in. She's very comfortable here in Theo's dorm. "I used to be super jealous of Harry and Ron spending the holidays together and I regularly cut my visits home short to get back to them. But now, I just really want to spend every second that I can with my parents. I was a silly child before. Thinking I needed to keep my presence in the wizarding world big or else I'd lose it or something. Now I'd like nothing more than to find that perfect balance of magic and no magic life."
"It really is quite remarkable. That you have this in to both worlds. I'm pretty jealous of it to be honest." Theo finishes his tea and sends it back to the cart. She holds out her empty cup and he does the same. Then he summons a throw blanket from his bed and offers it to her. She extends her legs along the couch seat and rests her back on the arm, facing him. He does the same and tosses the blanket over both of their legs. With their legs touching she suddenly remembers his mouth on her neck an hour ago and she blushes, glad the lighting is dim in here.
"So what do you do for the holiday?" She asks because she's starting to feel awkward now that the alcohol is gone and she realizes she is alone in Theo's bedroom in the middle of the night in the dark sharing a blanket. Probably sporting his love bite right on her neck.
"Oh I have some estate business to handle now that dear old dad has finally gotten himself a life sentence and left me in peace. I've got a lot that I'm wanting to sell and pops did not make it easy. I'll just spend the break getting as much of that taken care of that I can. Christmas has never been sentimental. After my second year here I realized I could just stop going home for the holidays and I did. My father never complained. It was nicer here. Decorations, yummy treats, quieter halls." He cracks a smile that she recognizes as his way of getting people to stop the pity that comes from any mention of his childhood. And grabs her foot. "So, boyfriend time huh?" He changes the subject.
"What? Oh, um, yes I'll be seeing Ronald for the new year. He wanted Christmas but I can't leave my parents that day. Not this year."
"He doesn't want to spend time with your parents?" Theo asks. He's got his arms behind his head leaned back on the arm of the couch. The fire is the perfect temperature and she feels very cozy here. Why don't the gryffindors have this? How unfair.
"Oh, I…" she's realizes she's never asked him to. Maybe she should have. She didn't want to take him from his family as this was their first Christmas without Fred. But seriously dating people share holidays with each others families, don't they? She clears her throat and says "maybe next year". She doesn't know why talking about Ron is weird right now. Maybe because the man she's talking to recently had his mouth attached to her neck and her hands clutched in his hair. What even was that about? Maybe the punch had affected him too? But he didn't take sober up with her. She was starting to confuse herself and realize that she had been staring at him in thought. He was staring right back with a hint of something behind his eyes. She pulled her knees up, hugged them and checked her watch.
"Ugh. I should get back to hufflepuff and find Ginny. We've still got packing to do and sleep to get before tomorrow." Theo didn't move his legs that were blocking her exit from the couch so she went to swing her leg over his to stand up and proceeded to tangle her other leg in the blanket. He held out his hand for support as she fell, essentially straddling his lap. He let out an "oof" but didn't let go of her hand as she stood up. Righting her sweater and stuffing her boots back on, she cleared her throat and said defensively and awkwardly "you were blocking my exit you goon."
He chuckled and sat up straight, "and you gracefully maneuvered around me." He winked at her and tossed the blanket aside. He held out his hand and said "help me up? I just got crushed." She rolled her eyes and held out one hand. He feinted that it was too difficult and she held out the other, standing squarely in front of him. She had to lean back as he put his whole weight on her arms and stood up. Then they were much too close, toes touching, and she stumbled back but he was still holding onto her hands and pulled her toward him, letting go of her hands and catching her around the back. She clutched his shirt and shrieked, but it was not even that loud, she was just startled by the whole ordeal and looked up at him in exasperation. He grinned at her and let go.
She stepped back, flustered, and walked toward the exit. "You know," he started following her, "we might want to check on Blaise's room. Wouldn't want to go all the way to hufflepuff only to find the two lovebirds ditched the party for a more private setting as well." He smirked.
Hermione scoffed at first, folding her arms and she waited for him to open the door, but on second thought, checking Blaise's room first was a good idea. "Alright fine" she agreed. She shook her hand through her curls to fluff them back up as she walked through the door, Theo close behind. Back in the circular hall, she looked toward the staircase that someone in dark sweats had just stepped off. He froze staring at Hermione and Theo exiting Theo's bedroom at 2am. His eyes narrowing in an emotion Hermione couldn't quite pinpoint. She also couldn't pinpoint why she suddenly felt embarrassed and the need to explain that she and Theo hadn't done anything untoward. But stopped herself as she remembered a heated kiss against cold stone and a coward hiding in a hallway afterward, telling his best friend that it was a mistake and he didn't want to talk to her about it ever. Instead she looked him up and down, "couldn't stand wearing the lion sweater for longer than ten minutes, Malfoy?" He said nothing back, just stared at Theo's room.
Theo shut his door behind him and started walking three doors down. He knocked loudly and shouted through the door, "oi you lot! Get decent and let me in!" She looked at the door wondering if she'd see Ginny now and have to have that conversation. She looked back at Malfoy from the corner of her eye because she can't not look at him and wonder what he was thinking. The door to Blaise's room opened a moment later and Blaise stuck his head out. He was clearly shirtless but the door wasn't open enough to see more. "Really Theo? It's Christmas." Blaise pouts. And Theo points a thumb at Hermione. Blaise sees her and groans. Shutting the door. A second later it opens again and Ginny comes out. No visible dishevelment. But they do have magic. Ginny kisses Blaise on the cheek and he whispers something to her and she skips over to the stairs that Malfoy is still blocking in his frozen stance.
"Well! Let's go H. Bags aren't gonna pack themselves!" Ginny beckons Hermione forward and that brings Malfoy out of his trance and he moves aside. Hermione waves at both Theo and Blaise and heads up behind Ginny. Leaving the three slytherins standing in silence behind them.
Hermione and Ginny say nothing as they walk back to the gryffindor common room. They are passing ugly sweater-clad party-goers as everyone is making their way back to bed. They meet up with Parvati and Lavender clinging to Neville just outside the hall to the gryffindor common room.
"Where did you two sneak off to?" Lavender slurs and leans her head on Neville's shoulder as Ginny gives the fat lady the password.
"Lavender, you really need an emergency sober up stash on your person for these sorts of things." Ginny turns to the stumbling mess of bodies as Neville tries to help both girls through the portrait hole.
"Why would I drink gross alcohol just to sober up from it immediately?" Lavender giggles.
Parvati chimes in "Lav def doesn't want to remember snogging Justin F.F. to within an inch of his life in seven minutes in heaven." She makes a gagging face and then proceeds to actually start gagging. Alarmed, Neville extracts himself from both girls.
"Well good night all, see you in the morning!" And he races up to the boys dormitory.
Hermione and Ginny look at each other for a moment and then in annoyance Ginny grabs Parvati and hauls her up the stairs. Hermione pulls Lavender by the arm and gets her to start ascending as well.
"You're going to marry him aren't you?" Lavender asks, her voice suddenly sad.
Startled and confused Hermione thinks of Malfoy first. What the fuck, why would he come into her brain when Lavender said that? No, she shakes her head and Theo pops in next. What was tonight? How weird. She wasn't turned off like she usually is with like Seamus or Ernie or others who have hinted at liking her. With Theo it's just a really weird set of emotions. She's definitely not turned off. But wait, this is Lavender speaking to her and she's sad. No way is she talking about the slytherins. The only other person her and Lavender have in common is…
"Ron? Oh Lavender. I don't know. Let's get you to bed." When they get up to the dorm Ginny is holding Parvati's hair as she leans over the toilet. Hermione grimaces. She's definitely going to brew some sober up for everyone after this. She gets Lavender to her bed and flops her unceremoniously onto it. She takes off her shoes and helps her under the covers.
"I love him." Lavender whispers sadly. Eyes closed already. Settling in to sleep. Hermione tucks her in and pulls the curtains closed. Pondering the audacity of this whole evening. Draco insulting her with his sweater choice. Theo practically assaulting her during seven minutes in heaven. Draco not being there when they left the closet. Theo sharing his room and non school related conversation with her. And "moments." Draco being there when they left Theo's room looking like he'd been running again. and Ginny being inside a room with a shirtless Blaise. And now Hermione's boyfriend's ex-girlfriend crying to her ex-boyfriends girlfriend about still loving him. Honestly.
Ginny stuffed Parvati in her bed and closed the curtains. Turning to Hermione and sighing dramatically. "Ok I know what it looked like. But Blaise and I were just kissing. We haven't…" she suddenly looked sheepish "we haven't had sex. Yet. Or ever? I'm not sure. But that is the first time I'd ever seen his room. I mean honestly what the fuck slytherin. Getting their own rooms? That's just unfair." She finished quickly. Looking up at Hermione and waiting for the lecture.
Instead Hermione huffs and sits on her bed. Starting to get undressed. "I was in Theo's room for a while with him before we knocked on Blaise's door." Ginny quirks her head and brows, waiting for more. "He got me some sober up potion and I asked to see his room. We had tea on his couch by the fire and shared a blanket. No bodily fluids though." She adds with a nod to Ginny.
Hermione finishes putting on her pajamas and walks to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Ginny follows.
"Ok but what happened in that closet at hufflepuff? Because when you two walked out his hair was a mess and your neck is still." Hermione groans as she looks in the mirror. It was right at the curve of her jaw and ear. With a jolt she realizes that Malfoy had to have seen it when she came out of Theo's room. Who cares though, right? She switches quickly from embarrassment to smugness. She has nothing to hide from Malfoy because he means nothing to her. He made that quite clear.
Hermione grabs her wand and clears the love bite with one swipe. "He was just playing the game." She answers Ginny vaguely. "I looked for you before we left the party and you were pretty preoccupied yourself." She raised a brow at Ginny and they walk back to their beds. Ginny sighs again, sadly this time.
"I like him a lot." She whispers. Hermione nods. "I don't know how to face Harry". She whispers again. Hermione reaches out and takes Ginny's hand. She squeezes tightly.
"He gave up any right to have a say, remember?" Ginny sniffs and nods.
"Blaise asked me to spend new years with him. what do I do?" She pleads with Hermione.
"You've got a bit to figure it out. Just focus on your own feelings. Not theirs. Ok? You see Harry. You talk. If your heart still yearns for Blaise then you go to new years with him. If you forget all about Blaise and get wrapped up in Harry again and Harry reciprocates this time," Hermione stops and shrugs. "Well it's your decision. And you'll know when you know. And you'll know when you don't. You know?"
Ginny nods. Hermione feels suddenly unqualified to give any advice in this situation. "Ok well" Hermione releases her hand and lays back. "A few hours of sleep, pack a bag and apparate home".
Ginny takes a breath and lays back too. "Ah yes. Thank god we don't have to endure that super long train ride anymore. Being a seventh year is so nice."
After a few moments silence, Ginny turns on her side. "What have you told Ron about Theo?" She asks.
"Um..." now that she thinks about it, she can't recall mentioning Theo in any of her letters to Ron. "I mean there's not really much to tell. Nothing that Ron would accept or understand at least."
Ginny nods, yawns. Hermione lays awake long after Ginny's breathing evens out. Wondering if she should tell Ron about kissing Theo twice. Well, do they even really count? The first was a game and the second was just mistletoe pestering. She did also kiss Ginny and Luna. And there wasn't any harm in that. She just knows he'll get upset about it. And there's no point arguing. So no point in telling, as far as she's concerned. No there really were no kisses that she's inclined to mention at all to Ron. She tells herself. But feels the guilt even as she tries to convince herself she's faultless. She can't really reasonably say she has zero feelings for Theo. She has plenty of feelings for Malfoy and none of them positive. She can deal with all of this later. Taking a deep breath she lets it all go and falls asleep.
