THC, Round 5, Standing in for Gryffindor, Muggle Studies, Drabble.

Prompt: [Object] Potion vial

Word Count: 862

Beta(s): secretfanficlover, Copper's Mama, CupCakeyyy.

Hermione Granger was someone who always seemed to be prepared. She had always known the answers in school, had learnt all of the spells, and even packed an emergency bag for when she, Harry, and Ron went on their 'camping trip' as they tracked down Horcruxes.

Her general preparedness didn't go away when she was no longer in school or helping to save the world. She continued to be prepared for the unexpected.

That included when she went out on a group date with her fiancé, and Harry and Ginny.

"Hermione, do you have a napkin?" Ron asked her one evening.

With a small nod, Hermione reached into her handbag, pushed aside her purse, make-up, hairbrush, potion vials, and hat before finding a small pouch of tissues. She handed one to Ron.

"Thanks," he muttered as he cleaned the sauce off of his face.

"What don't you have in that bag?" Ginny asked curiously, leaning over and looking in her bag.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's just a few essentials, nothing interesting." She dug in to organise it and quickly hid the vials; the empty ones and the full ones.

"Oh," Ginny exclaimed, making Hermione think she'd seen the vials. "Can I borrow the hairbrush?"

Relief filled Hermione and she laughed softly before pulling out the hairbrush and handing it to Ginny. "Told you, just essentials."

After brushing her hair, Ginny returned her attention to the conversation about Quidditch, one that Hermione hadn't been paying much attention to in the first place. She had several outstanding projects to complete at work, including sending in a motion for the rights of pets at Hogwarts to be given a set area for themselves. They had an owlery, but nowhere for Crookshanks to sleep or socialise, or even where Ron's toad could have been safe from cats - not that she wanted Peter Pettigrew to be free. But animals deserved to have their own space.

Stifling a yawn, she wondered if she would be able to leave early, she had too much to do to waste her time talking about nothing with her friends. It was her birthday in a few weeks anyway, so they'd spend lots of time together then.

"I'm going to head off," she spoke, standing up and gathering her bag.

"So soon?" Harry asked, checking the time and giving her a puzzled look. "We've only been here forty-five minutes."

"C'mon 'Mione, stay a little longer," Ron begged.

Holding back a sigh and looking between her three friends, she sighed dejectedly. "Fine," she said, feeling quite annoyed with herself. "I'll stay longer. I'll just go and freshen up, okay?"

The boys seemed happy with her response and went back to talking, Ginny, however, didn't relax at Hermione's words.

Hermione ignored the other girl's questioning glance and went to the bathroom. She just needed to stay awake and alert. It was only seven in the evening, but she was ready to climb into bed for an early night. She was so exhausted that she was even willing to put off her work until the morning.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she could practically see the dark circles under her eyes from the lack of good sleep and over-working through her concealer, although she knew that she was just imagining it. The make-up hid every sign of fatigue perfectly. She'd made sure of that.

Reaching into the bag, she grabbed a vial, sighing as she pulled it out into the open. Empty. She then reached back in to grab another one; full. Perfect. This would help.

Downing the thick liquid, she instantly felt herself gaining energy; this would help her for the evening. Usually the effects started wearing off after five hours; she had until midnight to get things done. Guess she would be doing work tonight after all.

Pleased with herself, she couldn't help but smile contently as she turned, not noticing anything amiss and froze. Standing in front of her was Ginny, the expression on her face so confused and concerned that Hermione felt her stomach churn. "What was that?"

"Vitamins," she answered automatically.

"Let me see."

Hermione quickly pocketed the now-empty vial and gulped. She could feel nerves twist her insides as she forced herself to look calmly at her friend as if the potion she had been taking for months were indeed just that - vitamins. That answer had worked with Ron. "Why?"

"Hermione, what's going on?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "I'm just tired so I took a pepper-me-up potion. It's no big deal."

Ginny frowned, clearly trying to decide whether or not to believe her. But Hermione didn't have any reason to lie; except that she had been. It wasn't just a simple pepper-me-up potion, but she didn't have to tell her future sister-in-law that.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ginny asked, eyeing up the pocket where Hermione had stored the vial.

"Of course. Now let's get back to our dates before they order pudding without us there." Hermione picked up her handbag and walked past Ginny, knowing that this wouldn't be the end of the conversation. But one could avoid it for as long as possible.