The Untold Story Of Harry and Ginny
Part 8
***
"Hey mum!" Ginny called from upstairs. "I got some baking soda for you!"
"Baking soda?" Molly Weasley asked. "Where'd you get baking soda?"
"Harry gave me it for my birthday." George laughed. Hermione glanced at him through her bushy brown curtain of hair. He looked over at her and smiled faintly and hesitantly, then stalked up the stairs. Molly Weasley looked a little embarrassed for her own daughter.
"Oh, Harry how thoughtful-" Mrs. Weasley started, getting red on the ears (although no one could see, her red hair covered them up).
"No, mum. He hid something in the baking soda," Ginny explained, walking down the stairs with Harry following her, his hand in hers.
"Oh, Harry that's very clever of you dear," Mrs. Weasley said to Harry. He smiled in return.
"But I believe we can't use it," Mrs. Weasley concluded.
"Why? It's mine and yours, and everyone who eats something with baking soda in its gift from Harry," Ginny said.
"I don't want the object-he-gave-you-flavored baking soda," Molly told her only daughter.
"Mum it's not going to taste like that!" Ginny said and walked over to her mum and handed her the baking soda. Mrs. Weasley took it cautiously and opened the lid to the box. Then, she put it up to her nose and sniffed. She raised her eyebrows.
"Okay it's good," she said. Ginny rolled her eyes and laughed. Harry hugged her from behind, crossing his arms over her chest. She put her hands on his arms.
"Seventeen," Harry murmured in her ear. Ginny smiled and nodded. Then, he looked towards Hermione. She was looking solemn. The smile on his face quickly vanished. She looked down then up at the stairs. Harry let go of Ginny and with his hand in hers once again, they went outside. Hermione's eyes followed.
They're so happy together… she thought. Then, she looked back upstairs and stood up and headed for and up the stairs. Not making eye contact with Ron-not even looking in his direction. When she was finally on the third floor out of five, she walked in through the little hallway and opened George's bedroom door. He was sitting on the far his bed by the window, looking out of it. He did hear someone come in the door but he didn't turn around. He was too caught up in the beauty of the atmosphere and way the outdoors looked.
It's beautiful…just like- he thought.
"I've taken you up on your offer," said Hermione, interrupting his thoughts. When he heard the sound of her voice he finished his thoughts …her.
He turned around and saw Hermione standing in his doorway, breathing deeply. He nodded and spun around so that he was sitting on the other side of the bed. Hermione slowly walked over to his side and sat down next to him. They both locked eyes again and this time, after a few moments of exploring each other's eyes, George cleared his throat. They both looked away simultaneously. Then Hermione sighed. George looked back at her.
"Help me George," Hermione exhaled. George raised his eyebrows, relaxing a little bit.
"Can't do much of that unless you tell me what to help you with," said George. Hermione smiled slightly and turned to him again.
"Should I apologize?" she asked him. They both didn't seem to notice that they were inching closer to each other by the second.
"Bloody hell no," George said. "You didn't start it…did you?" Hermione shook her head.
"And if I know Ron…which I do-if you didn't know that," George continued, "I know he'll come around."
"But I shouldn't apologize first?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione what did I just say?" George said. Hermione nodded.
"Okay. Thanks George," Hermione thanked. Then, they realized how close they were together. Their bodies were almost touching.
"George…I got this crazy idea…" Hermione began.
"Hmmm?" George replied.
"Maybe we should share rooms…I mean, it seems as if I got no one…and you got no one…" George smiled faintly but it vanished quickly. He nodded down at her.
"I mean, I could try to be your Fred," Hermione said. George smiled faintly again.
"Yes, try," George repeated.
"And…maybe I don't want Ron to come around," Hermione remarked.
"And why would that be?" wondered George. He was starting to lean over Hermione slightly.
"Ron just doesn't feel right to me anymore. Ever since we came here, he didn't. I felt like there was someone better," Hermione explained.
"Like who?" George questioned.
"Oh, I think you already know the answer to that," Hermione finished and when their lips were closer than a centimeter apart, a voice from the hall called-
"Hermione?" They recognized it to be Ron's and quickly turned their heads in the opposite direction and sat up straight on the bed. Ron came into George's room.
"Can I talk to you?" he asked. Hermione cleared her throat and stood up, looking at George. He didn't look back at her, but he raised his eyebrows so that Hermione would catch the gesture, which basically said, "I told you so". Hermione nodded to Ron and walked out of the room, giving George once last quick glance. Ron looked at George with his eyes narrowed, but then he closed the door behind him. George then fell back on his bed and murmured, "missed it by that much."
***
While Hermione was talking to George, Harry and Ginny were out in the field wondering around and they finally reached the gardens.
"Beautiful day," Harry commented, "no wonder it's your birthday." Ginny smiled to him but it faded rapidly. Harry noticed her behavior.
"Gin what's wrong?" Harry asked and walked over to her. She was standing by the fence.
"Well…are you going to be an auror?" she asked and turned to him. He nodded.
"If I get the letter of permission," Harry said.
"Well, don't you have to go there for a really long time?" inquired Ginny.
"Ah, Gin," Harry said and pulled her in for a hug. She didn't water cry but she did let a few tiny tears out and hugged him back.
"I wish I could stay but I can't," Harry said. "But no matter what, I will always love you. Always love you."
Out on the other side of the Weasley house, Ron and Hermione were also conversing.
"Well…Hermione…" Ron started skittishly, "I'm sorry about what I said. You know, all the muggle-born stuff." Hermione sighed and nodded once.
"I forgive you Ronald," she mumbled. "And I'm sorry I called you a slob." Ron also nodded once.
"But if you call me that one more time it's over-" Hermione began.
"No, no, no, Hermione," Ron intervened, "I asked you to come out here cause I…thought we should break up." Hermione gasped a tiny gasp.
"It's not that you're not a great person or that I don't love you-" Ron started.
"Then what is it Ronald?" Hermione interrupted. Ron took a deep breath.
"It's because it just doesn't exactly feel right," Ron admitted. "I'm sorry, Hermione." He then walked away, back into the indoors. Then, Hermione ran into the house and stormed up all the way to the third floor.