Chapter 77

Hermione POV

A few weeks had passed since the first Quidditch match of the season, and Hermione was in the library, furiously scribbling on a long piece of parchment. The Transfiguration lesson earlier that day had been more difficult than Hermione had anticipated, and she was working hard in the library, trying to make sure she'd mastered the new spell by the time the next Transfiguration class rolled around. She'd been just fine when they'd learned Vanishing spells last year, but Conjuring spells were something else entirely, and Hermione hated that she'd felt ill-prepared.

"Hey there," Ginny said, plopping down in the chair across the table from Hermione.

Hermione looked up, giving the girl a quick smile before returning to her notes. Ginny pulled a copy of Seeker Weekly out and began reading to allow Hermione time to finish her work, a trait in Ginny that Hermione appreciated immensely. Once Hermione was done, she put her quill down, and stood up to lean across the table towards Ginny.

"Hi," she said, placing a kiss on Ginny's lips.

Ginny grinned, "So, what are we working on today? And should I even ask why you insist on being so intense when you write?"

"We started Conjuring spells in Transfiguration today, and I'm being appropriately intense because I did very poorly with them."

"Mmmm. Professor McGonagall mentioned Conjuring spells when we started Vanishing spells, which haven't exactly been a walk in the park…" Ginny said, nodding in agreement. "Also, by very poorly, do you just mean not perfect?"

Hermione shot her a look.

"Thought so," Ginny said, smiling. "Well, what have you got planned for the rest of the evening?"

Hermione gave her an apologetic look, "Slug Club supper at 7 pm."

Ginny sighed, "That's alright. I guess I'll just have to eat dinner all on my lonesome…" she said dramatically.

"Oh, I'm sure you and Demelza will find each other. I imagine the two of you are pretty helpless though when Katie and I go to these meetings?" Hermione smirked.

"Of course… You know us silly young fifth years can't possibly manage without our much older girlfriends…"

"Much older, huh?" Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows. Ginny grinned back at her. "Well then maybe I'll ask someone my own age to be my date to the Slug Club Christmas party…"

"Wait, what? You get to bring a date?" Ginny asked, dropping her teasing tone.

"We're not sure yet, but Katie thinks that we will. It'd be an awfully sad Christmas party if it was just us, the four boys, and Professor Slughorn and his guests…"

Ginny's eyes lit up when Hermione mentioned Slughorn's guests, "Do you think Gwenog Jones is really going to be there?"

Hermione shrugged, "I'm assuming we'll find all of that out tonight, as it's the last meeting before the party. Why would that matter to you though, since you're far too young for an old woman like me to be taking as my date?"

Ginny's face was serious, "Hermione, don't even joke about that… I'd do anything to have a chance at meeting Gwenog Jones… Anything…"

"Mmmm, is that right?" Hermione said, smirking as she leaned across the table towards Ginny, capturing her lips in another kiss.

"You heard me…" Ginny whispered into the kiss, lightly biting Hermione's bottom lip before she pulled away.

Hermione sat down and briefly looked around, thankfully finding that they hadn't drawn anyone's attention. They used to be reasonably good about not being too over the top with public displays of affection, but ever since their moment in the Prefects' bathroom a few weeks ago, it'd become significantly more difficult to keep her hands and lips off of Ginny. The moment hadn't escalated past the two of them holding one another, but it'd still seemed to awaken something deep within them both, as they'd found themselves spending more and more time hidden away in empty classrooms, protected by Hermione's Imperturbable Charm.

"When's the meeting tonight?" Ginny asked, her eyes on Hermione's lips.

"Soon, I'm meeting Katie outside of the library in just a few minutes."

Ginny scrunched up her face and let out a small groan, to Hermione's amusement.

"Oh, you'll be okay. Would you like to meet up after?"

"I can't. We've got an early morning Quidditch practice that I want to be sharp for. We don't have many left before the Christmas holiday, and Harry's got us working on a new tactic that we just haven't quite been able to grasp."

Hermione nodded, "Tomorrow, then?"

Ginny smiled and returned the nod, "Tomorrow sounds great."

The two got up, Ginny helping Hermione pack her books away, and exited the library, running into Katie in the process.

"Ready?" Katie asked, giving Hermione a warm smile.

Hermione nodded, "Would you mind taking this?" she asked Ginny, motioning to her bag.

"Of course, love you," Ginny said, taking the bag and kissing Hermione on the cheek.

"Awww, so well-mannered, aren't you, Ginny?" Katie teased, causing Ginny to blush and Hermione to laugh lightly.

"Yes, she's incredibly sweet," Hermione added as Ginny walked off, giving Hermione a smile before she turned the corner.

Katie and Hermione began walking to Professor Slughorn's office, "She does treat you well, doesn't she?" Katie asked.

Hermione smiled, "Very much so. I know her mum would kill her if she didn't, not that I'd stand for it to begin with."

Katie paused, "Did Juliette treat you well? From what I saw from her and heard about her during her time at Hogwarts, she seemed like maybe she wouldn't…"

Hermione paused as well, feeling a bit shocked as she hadn't thought of or heard Juliette's name in a while, "Yes, Juliette treated me well. She was vastly different than how she presented to the masses. She was sweet and thoughtful, and extremely intelligent."

"Huh. I always thought of her as one of those conceited, brazen Quidditch stars who thought no one could touch them. Why did she present herself that way if that's not really who she was?"

Hermione shrugged, "She's under a lot of pressure. I think it's just easier that way."

They were quiet for the rest of the walk to Slughorn's, and Hermione managed to shake Juliette from her thoughts by the time they arrived.

"Ah yes, our two lovely ladies. Here's a Gillywater for each of you," Professor Slughorn handed them each a glass as they entered and sat down at their usual spots at the table – Hermione between Slughorn and Neville, Katie between Neville and McLaggen. "Cormac here was just telling us about a trip he'll be going on with his Uncle Tiberius over the Christmas holiday."

The two girls exchanged glances as they took their seats, bracing themselves for what was always a long supper in Slughorn's office.

After a few hours, Professor Slughorn stood up, "As the night comes to a close, I would like to impart on you all the details of my upcoming Christmas party! I will be inviting many important guests, so I advise you to dress your best and bring a date that you believe would make a positive impression."

Draco muttered something into Zabini's ear, and the two smirked, looking from Hermione to Katie. Hermione looked over at Katie, who suddenly was looking down at her plate, pushing a few loose peas around.

"Professor Slughorn?" Hermione said.

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"Will Gwenog Jones be attending?"

"Miss Granger, I didn't know you had an interest in Quidditch! Yes, she will be in attendance. She let me know that she will be bringing her current partner with her as well, who I believe is also a member of the Holyhead Harpies," he said, smiling at both Hermione and Katie.

Katie looked up at this, clearly relieved at the kindness in Slughorn's voice as he said the word "partner". Malfoy and Zabini were less than amused, returning to their sour looks of boredom and apathy.

After Professor Slughorn dismissed them, Hermione, Neville, and Katie walked out together.

"Well, I'm not sure if she'll make the positive impression Slughorn's looking for, but I'm going to ask Luna," Neville said.

"Luna Lovegood, really?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, we've been seeing each other since the Halloween Feast…" he said a bit shyly.

"Good for you, Neville! You've fancied her since last year," Katie said, smiling as she patted the boy on the shoulder.

Neville grinned back, "Thanks Katie."

As they climbed through the portrait hole, they found Demelza and Ginny waiting up for them.

"Goodnight girls," Neville called, heading for the boys' dormitories.

"So?" Ginny asked, looking anxiously from Katie to Hermione.

"I thought you wanted to be sharp for your Quidditch practice in the morning?" Hermione asked.

"We couldn't sleep… Ginny wouldn't shut up about possibly meeting Gwenog Jones and wondering if she'd be at the party…" Demelza explained as she yawned and slumped into Katie's embrace.

Katie smiled down at the small blonde, planting a kiss on her forehead, "Come on, let's get you to bed."

The pair walked up the stairs to the girls' dormitory, disappearing up the winding staircase.

"Come on, Hermione…" Ginny whined.

"She's going to be there," Hermione said, laughing at the girl's huge smile. "Would you like to be my date?"

"Yes, yes please!" Ginny said emphatically, pulling Hermione to her for a kiss. "Wow, I'm going to meet Gwenog Jones!"

"And another Harpies player as well. Apparently, she's bringing her current partner as her date, and Professor Slughorn said that she's on the Harpies too?" Hermione mentioned.

"WHAT? I'm going to meet Valmai Morgan as well?" Ginny shouted before Hermione threw a hand over her mouth, quieting the girl. "Sorry Prefect Granger…" Ginny whispered, sheepishly smiling at her as she gently removed Hermione's hand from her lips.

"You need to rest for your practice tomorrow morning, we can talk more about this then, okay?" Hermione said, leading Ginny up the stairs.

"How do you expect me to sleep now? Wow! Gwenog Jones and Valmai Morgan? Wow…"

Hermione chuckled as she gave Ginny a quick kiss outside her dormitory door, "Goodnight Ginny."

"G'night Hermione… Wow…" she muttered as she shut her door behind her.

Hermione shook her head and smiled as she headed to her dormitory for the night.