-Chapter 30-

England crushed Portugal in the second round, 350-40. Ginny herself scored half the goals. The team returned for a week off. Ginny moved back into Grimmauld Place with the Potters and for the week she had off and Hermione did as well even though she had to work. After that she moved back into her flat because Ginny decided to go back to the dormitories for the next set of matches against Bulgaria.

Ginny kept busy the week she had off when Hermione wasn't there, Ron and Harry were helping Andromeda Tonks clean out Malfoy Manor to put up for sale. The Grimmauld Place drawing room was being used to store things. Andromeda promised Ron all of the books from the room he, Willow, and Bill had gone into when they went to find Ginny. Another entire room full of books was found and Andromeda also offered them to Ron but he declined and said Hermione could have them since he had enough for an entire library already. Ginny spent her days cleaning the dusty books and boxing them up. There were more than three dozen beds in the Manor which Andromeda donated to St. Mungo's because, "Dora always complained about the uncomfortable beds in the long-term care ward."

The next three weeks were tense. England played Bulgaria at England's stadium. England won the first match, barely. Shortly after the match ended everyone received owls that Angelina had given birth to her and George's first child, a boy named Fred. The second match England lost just narrowly. Hermione attended both but couldn't come to the third, she had come down with a cold which Lennox had also caught. Even with the Pepperup Potion she didn't want to go to Grimmauld Place for fear of getting the twins sick so Harry brought her a wireless set that was being stored in the drawing room. Hermione was nervous. If England won this match they would be headed to the finals in two weeks; one match, winner take all, against Ireland who was undefeated.

Hermione took a shot of the Pepperup Potion and gave a spoonful to Lennox. She snuggled up with him on the couch and turned on the Wireless. She tuned it until she found the right channel. Lennox's breathing slowed and Hermione could tell he was asleep. She listened to the commentary of the match, drifting lazily in and out of sleep.

When Hermione awoke the windows to her flat were dim, the Wireless had gone fuzzy.

"Oh no…" Hermione groaned. She checked her watch, it was almost seven. Before she could sit up there was a loud crack and a slender female figure appeared.

"Hermione, baby are you okay?" Ginny said as she knelt down by the couch. "Harry said he sent an owl two hours ago!"

"I'm fine, Gin. I…I fell asleep right when the match began. Ugh this cold…I'm so sorry."

"It's okay. I was just worried when Harry said he hadn't heard from you."

"How did you do?"

"We…we lost. Just barely. Willow broke her arm and three ribs trying to get the Snitch, Trance broke his nose. I damn near broke my leg and Aislin got a pretty good shiner."

"I'm sorry Gin, I know how much it meant to you."

"I'm okay with it. We did the best we could. I missed you."

"Missed you too," Hermione said with a yawn then a sneeze. "Ugh, you should leave before you catch this."

"How about not? You stay here and rest a little, I'll get Lennox settled into bed."

"I 'unno…"

"Go back to sleep, 'Mione," Ginny said as she patted the brunette's head. She took Lennox to his room and got him settled into bed. She walked back to sitting room and smiled at Hermione who was curled up in a ball, sleeping. She slipped an arm around Hermione's waist and lifted her up. Hermione grumbled and Ginny helped her to her room and got the brunette settled in bed.

"Ginny please...I don't want you to get -sneeze- sick."

"You gonna get up with Lennox when he's up for breakfast?"

"I can -sneeze- handle it." Hermione groaned and rubbed her eyes.

"Here's an idea, how about I handle it?"

"So damn stubborn..." Hermione grumbled.

"Look who's talking," Ginny said. She smiled and ran her fingers through Hermione's hair. "Get some sleep, don't worry about anything."

Hermione awoke to the sound of Lennox giggling and two quick sets of feet rumbling down the hallway.

"No, Lennox, sweetie! Mama has to sleep. Come on now, let's get back to the kitchen and have lunch."

Hermione rolled out of bed and stumbled into the hallway. She made her way to the kitchen where Lennox was sitting at the table and Ginny was cleaning the kitchen counter.

"Good morning, beautiful," Ginny said with a smile. "Sit down, I'll get you some soup." Ginny pulled a bowl out of one of the kitchen cabinets and ladled soup into it from the pan on the stove. Hermione sat down at the table.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Counting sleeping through the Quidditch match? About a day." Ginny set the bowl down in front of Hermione and smiled. She kissed Hermione's forehead. "Your fever is gone. Lennox's broke around three this morning. How did you manage to pick up colds in the middle of summer?"

"The park, I'm guessing." Hermione drank her soup.

"I've already told Harry to tell your boss that you won't be at work tomorrow. You should be okay for Tuesday though. Oh and this came for you this morning, I didn't recognize the owl." Ginny handed Hermione an envelope. Hermione tore it open and her eyes ran across the lines.

Miss Granger,

It pleases me to inform you that Three Phoenix Construction has finished your house. If you would like to set up a meeting to inspect please let us know.

"Anything important?"

"Uh…I…uh…kind of. Yeah."

"Care to share?"

"N-no."

"Still planning something, I see."

"N-no! I…um…no!"

Ginny laughed. "I won't pry, promise. When should I start moving my things in?"

"Your things?"

"Yeah, you asked me to move in with you when the season was over. Well, season is over."

"Oh…well…I...Since there's only a month until the wedding I thought maybe we could wait until then."

"Oh."

"Ginny, it's not for any reasons you might think. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Hermione. I just don't understand…"

"Just trust me on this, okay? I promise you won't be let down."

"Okay. I'm going to get Lennox down for his nap, finish your soup."

Ginny took Lennox into his bedroom. When she left she was met in the hallway by Hermione and a deep, passionate kiss. They stumbled into Hermione's bedroom and fell onto the bed.

"What brought this on?" Ginny asked, breathlessly. She rolled on to her side and faced Hermione. Hermione ran her fingers through Ginny's hair and then traced over Ginny's face with her fingers.

"I haven't seen you hardly at all in weeks and I guess that fact just kind of hit me. I've missed you so much…I got so used to seeing you every day and then I didn't and it just…it was hard. I worked as much as I could…I just missed you, Ginny."

Ginny wiped away a tear that escaped Hermione's eye. Hermione gently touched her lips to Ginny's and the redhead pulled her lover in close. Ginny tried to break the embrace but Hermione held on tight.

"Look at me, 'Mione. Please, I need you to look at me for this."

Hermione pulled away and looked into Ginny's eyes.

"I missed you too…I didn't realize how much until…until we lost. I…I wasn't devastated by it like I thought I would be. When Bulgaria got the Snitch…and I heard the announcer say it….My first thought wasn't to scream and swear…it…it was that I would get to come home to you. That was when I knew that I was ready…ready for you, for Lennox, for all of this. I tried to be upset about the loss…but my mind wouldn't let me. I just kept thinking of you…And I would get to hold you in my arms…and I would look at your beautiful brown eyes…just like this. And I would tell you that…I would tell you that I love you, Hermione. I love you and I mean it. I feel it. I feel it with everything I have, with every single solitary piece of everything I have. There is nothing in me that doesn't feel it. I love you."

Tears dripped out of Hermione's eyes. Ginny pressed her lips against Hermione's again. When she pulled away Hermione sobbed a little and smiled.

"I love you, Ginevra," she whispered before their lips touched again.

"Hermione…"

"Yeah baby?"

Ginny ran her hand down to the small of Hermione's back and pushed their hips together.

"I'm ready."

"Are you sure, Gin? It…it's only been a couple months…"

"I know how long it's been. I want this…I want you."

"This sounds familiar…"

"It does a little, doesn't it?"