Chapter Fourteen

Ginny rose to her feet and walked over to open the front door.

She forced herself to smile at Herbert as he smiled at her. "May I come in?" he asked.

She waved him in.

Ginny wasn't sure why she wanted to like Herbert. She wasn't sure of much lately.

"Oh, Ginny, I'll take care of him," Hermione said.

Ginny opened her mouth to argue but the look in Hermione's eyes said that this wasn't a case she could argue. "Could you go pull the rolls out of the oven?" Hermione asked.

Ginny nodded and sent a smile at Herbert.

She went back into the back room only to see that the rolls weren't in the oven yet. She sighed and put them in, setting the timer.

She started back to the front desk when Hermione's voice came to her.

"What do you want with Ginny?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Herbert replied. "We're in love."

"No you're not. She might be, or she thinks she is. But you're not in love with her."

"How do you know?"

"Because you never would have let her leave."

Ginny crumpled against the wall. It wasn't like she loved him but to hear her fears confirmed was not something she felt ready to deal with.

"All right. So maybe I don't love her. What's it to you?"

"You're going to leave her alone."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because she's loved by someone else. And I will destroy anyone who gets in their way."

Ginny gasped. "Loved?" she repeated, softly. Who? Who loved her."

"Girl, you'd better be willing to back that up. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Ginny hesitated then stepped out into the main room. "Hey, Hermione, those rolls weren't in the oven. I put them in, okay?"

Herbert looked at her like it was Christmas and Ginny immediately felt her heart harden towards him.

"Ginny, would you like to come out to dinner tonight?"

Ginny gave him a smile, not at all upset about the amount of malice she was sure was in it. "Not at all. I have work, anyway."

Herbert faltered. Ginny turned with a flick of her hair and marched back into the kitchen. It wasn't until hours later that she wondered how much of that conversation she was meant to hear.

(A/N: ah, short chapter. Sorry about that. Still, I hope you guys all enjoy it! I really just wanted a chapter where Ginny grows back her backbone. :3

To OR: What? Update? That's crazy talk. :) Just kidding. I am trying to be better about updating.