-Chapter 29: All I Want is to be With You-

The next day Ginny convinced Hermione to go flying with her. The redhead flew them to the top of the Burrow like she had nearly two years before.

"So are we are still on for going out to dinner for our anniversary, love?" Hermione asked.

"Of course. Mum has to tailor my outfit a little but I think it is almost done. I'm excited, those Muggle restaurants we went to while I was with you last month were so much fun."

"Good. Do I get to know about your outfit before we go or are you going to surprise me? "

"I want to surprise you. It's not much but I think it will be suitable."

"Alright," Hermione said. She checked her watch. "Oh dear, love, we need to get back down to the house. I have to meet my parents at the Leaky Cauldron in half an hour."

Ginny flew them back down to the ground and helped Hermione finish packing her things. Hermione stepped into the chimney and she and Ginny shared a quick kiss before Hermione Flooed back to the Leaky Cauldron.

...............

The dinner date finally came. Ginny Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron a few minutes early so she could go to the bathroom and make sure she looked presentable. She waited by a window and saw a cab pull up, Hermione stepped out. Ginny hurried out of the tavern and met Hermione on the sidewalk. Hermione was in a dangerously short black dress with a v-shaped neckline plunging down and revealing quite a bit of cleavage. The silver charm bracelet glimmered on her wrist. She had on heels so high that Ginny couldn't understand how her feet weren't screaming in pain.

"You look stunning, love," Ginny said as she took Hermione's hand and twirled her around.

"And look at you! You look fantastic!"

"It's the same dress I wore to the Halloween Feast a couple of years ago except that I turned it black and had it shortened. And um…Mum had to let out the bust a little." Ginny blushed a bit. Hermione couldn't help but glance down at Ginny's chest, she couldn't figure out how she had missed it but Ginny was indeed filling out the dress a bit more than she had the last time she wore it. The dress had been cut to just above Ginny's knee and Hermione sighed with relief when she saw that Ginny wasn't wearing trainers but simple black flats. "And I of course wanted to wear this for you," Ginny said as she pulled the necklace with the green pendant attached out from under the top of her dress.

"Well it all looks just as good on you now as it did then. Shall we go? Our reservation is in thirty minutes."

They climbed into the cab and rode into London. They stopped outside of a restaurant where there was a line of people waiting at the door.

"I am so glad I made reservations. We would never get in without them," Hermione said as she paid the cab driver.

They were seated almost immediately. Ginny had never seen a place so fancy in her entire life. Everyone in there was dressed as though there was to be a ball or a wedding. Even the waiters had on dress robes.

"Hermione," Ginny said while she glanced over the menu, "everything looks so expensive. Are you sure this is alright?"

"Don't worry about a thing, love, order anything you want."

"Hermione we're engaged, I think I deserve to know how you can afford to do this for me."

"Okay," Hermione let out a frustrated sigh and put down her menu, "if you must know, my grandparents started a trust fund for me when I was born so I wouldn't have to worry about my education or anything else that might come up. Obviously with my turning out to be a witch I won't have to worry about using any of it on university. I've had control over it since the day I turned eighteen and I do dip into it for occasions like this and I have some idea as to what I want to do with the rest of it when the time comes."

"Oh, okay," Ginny said, "thank you for telling me, 'Mione. I haven't upset you, have I?"

"No, Ginny. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to think I was a spoiled brat. My family…we do have money and I did grow up with a few more perks than most. My parents lost friends when my grandparents' estate went into their name. I guess other people just assumed that the money would change them and we'd think everyone was inferior."

"I see, so you think because I grew up without money I would see you as being better than me?"

"No, Ginny, that isn't what I meant."

"But that's what you said. Do you know for a fact that is why your parents lost their friends? Did they tell you that?"

"Well, no…I just thought…"

"The thought that you were superior to those without money had to have crossed your mind at some point for you to come up with that ridiculous theory."

"Okay, I will admit that when we got the inheritance I felt a sense of superiority but I was only nine. I had been picked on and ridiculed for being strange and then I had something that all of those other kids didn't have. I don't think that way now though. I've always treated everyone around me the same, haven't I? Have I ever shown that I thought I was better than you?"

"You've never shown it but have you thought it? What did you think when you saw the Burrow for the first time?"

"Ginny, I have never ever thought I was better than you, for anything," Hermione hissed, "I see you as my equal, my partner. Nothing less. And I happen to think that the Burrow is very charming. It is cozy and warm and many of my favorite memories were made there. Now, can we please stop this nonsense and have a pleasant evening?"

"I'm sorry Hermione. I just…I'm not going to be able to do things like this for you and it is frustrating. I won't be able to take you out to restaurants like this, at least not unless I get a spot on a professional Quidditch team."

"Love, listen to me. We could eat out of a street cart in Diagon Alley for all I care. It isn't about how much money is spent just that we are together. If you want, we can leave and find somewhere else to go, I don't really care. I just thought it would be nice for us to get dressed up and spend an evening together. All I want is to be with you tonight." Hermione looked into Ginny's eyes and spoke with such sincerity and conviction that Ginny was sure her tone of voice could've made Lucius Malfoy betray Voldemort in a split second.

"How is it that you always know what to say to make me speechless, Hermione?"

"Knowing you since you were eleven has helped quite a bit."

"Well, I am not properly dressed to go gallivanting around Diagon Alley so I say we should just stay here. Also, I spotted a pasta dish in here that I would love to try."

They ate their dinner and talked of returning to Hogwarts soon. Ginny told her that she was nervous because there were always professional Quidditch scouts in the audience looking at seventh-years during matches. Hermione was of course worried about her N.E.W.T.s. After dinner they hailed a cab and went back to the Leaky Cauldron. Hermione walked inside with Ginny.

"When will I see you again?" Ginny asked as they held hands in front of one of the fireplaces.

"Well I'll of course be in Diagon Alley getting my things the day before school starts, we could meet here and get our things together."

"I'd like that. Promise you'll write until then?"

"Of course, love, and you'll write to me?" Hermione asked.

"Definitely. I should go, I'll see you in a couple weeks." They kissed and embraced. Ginny tossed some Floo powder into the fireplace and stepped in.

"The Burrow!"