Chapter 86
Hermione POV
The last few weeks of the school term had been much better for Hermione than the one following the incident in the Astronomy Tower. She still wasn't completely back to her old self, and figured she wouldn't be for quite some time, but she was certainly feeling better than she had been. She attributed this mostly to Ginny, as she had been absolutely wonderful since their talk down by the lake.
Hermione wasn't sure why she'd been so hesitant at first to let Ginny in on how she had been feeling. She knew she was scared Ginny would react poorly to the fact that she had failed miserably at defending herself from an attack, but she wasn't exactly sure why she thought Ginny would react that way. She didn't react anywhere close to that when Hermione finally did tell her what had happened, and deep down, Hermione knew Ginny likely would never have been anything but supportive and kind to her, just as she was. All she knew was that she was desperately scared that she'd let Ginny down or disappoint her in her failed attempt to protect herself, and she knew she'd need to figure out why she was feeling that way sooner or later, as it made no sense at all. With all of her book smarts and logic, she couldn't protect herself when necessary, and now she couldn't figure out her nonsensical feelings – great.
Besides her internal struggle with trying to figure out why she'd been so hesitant to let Ginny know that she'd failed, her time at Hogwarts had been pretty great as of recent. Ginny was still training with Katie every morning, and Hermione had made a habit of waking up early and watching their training sessions. She found that the more often she walked the corridors of Hogwarts alone, the more confident and courageous she felt, so she figured it'd be beneficial for her to continue this new routine, in addition to the fact that she also loved any and all opportunities to watch Ginny fly.
Beyond watching her fly, Hermione loved that she was watching Ginny instruct and coach Katie in these sessions. Katie was an excellent Quidditch player in her own right, but Ginny, even though she was three years younger than Katie, was still a notch above. Hermione thoroughly enjoyed watching Ginny patiently teach Katie different moves and skills, and couldn't help but well up with pride at just how great her girlfriend was at something that she was clearly so passionate about. Hermione also found that she was very invested in Katie's journey into the world of professional Quidditch. Not only would she be happy for her friend to have her dreams come true if she were able to make a team, but she'd also feel much more optimistic about Ginny doing this as a career as well. It wasn't that Hermione had any doubt that Ginny could be a professional Quidditch player, more than anything, it excited her. Was it scary to think that Ginny would be doing something so inherently dangerous as her profession? Yes, of course. But at the same time, Hermione had to admit that she couldn't get enough of Ginny on her broom racking up the points for her team, and wouldn't mind supporting her and cheering her on for as long as she wanted to play. As much as it almost pained her to admit after years and years of adamantly refusing to give in to the hold that Quidditch has on the Wizarding community, Hermione couldn't deny that she found it an extremely attractive sport at the end of the day, and it was entirely due to how insanely attracted she was to Ginny while watching her play.
After every training session, Hermione would walk with Katie and Ginny to the Great Hall for breakfast. They'd typically be joined by Ritchie, Colin, Harry, and Ron, and every once in a while, Demelza would wake up early enough to make it down for breakfast. While Hermione had slowly managed to recover from the night in the Astronomy Tower, it appeared that Demelza had not. She looked exhausted most of the time, and according to Ginny and Katie, spent a lot of her time isolated from them too, either holed up in her dormitory or in the Hospital Wing. Hermione wondered if this was due to what had happened with McLaggen, if it had brought up old issues with him, or if it was due to something else. She'd remembered what Katie had said about Demelza going through a tough time and asking her and Ginny to look after her next year, but didn't want to pry, as she didn't really know the girl as well as Ginny did, and felt that Katie likely would have it handled at least through the end of the term. She'd hoped that Demelza was alright, as she was truly a sweet girl. Sometimes Hermione completely forgot that Demelza and Ginny had dated years ago, and that Hermione had pushed for that to happen. Odd, how so much could change in a few years.
"So, Katie, have you got a front-runner for what team you'd want to play for, if you got your choice?" Ron asked one breakfast as he loaded multiple helpings of eggs onto his plate.
"Well… The Chudley Cannons did offer me a spot on the team – no tryout necessary – but I turned them down… So, not them…" Katie said casually as she helped herself to some potatoes.
Hermione immediately fought back a laugh, as did the rest of the group around Ron, who was staring at her dumbstruck.
"You – You turned down an offer to play… Professionally… With the Cannons?" he managed to get out as he stared at her in shock.
"Yes… Their colors would clash too much with my skin tone…" Katie continued, giving Ron a look serious look. "Ask Ginny. There's no way she'd play for them for the same reason."
Ginny nodded sincerely at her brother as he looked wildly over at her, "The uniform would look dreadful with my hair…"
Ron was speechless, as those around him kept trying to hold back their laughter. It appeared that everyone, including Hermione, was fighting a losing battle.
"But this – This is professional Quidditch! You don't just turn down a team because their colors don't sit right with you!"
Ginny and Katie shot Ron matching incredulous looks.
"Yes, you do, Ron… You have to wear those uniforms every match… It's absolutely something to consider…" Katie explained earnestly as Ron's face became even more twisted in confusion and horror.
"No, it's not! Harry, if you were scouted by a Quidditch team, would you turn them down because the color of the uniforms didn't match, what, your eyes?" Ron asked, turning to Harry beside him.
"I mean… Now that I think of it, I'm not sure my beautiful green eyes would go well with the tasteful bright orange the Cannons wear…" Harry said, managing to keep a straight face.
Ron's face went blank with disbelief, before he then finally caught on and shook his head in annoyance, "Katie, you've been spending far too much time with Ginny lately…"
"Eh, I think it's been the perfect amount of time," Katie smiled as she ruffled Ginny's hair affectionately.
Ron rolled his eyes at them before pointing a fork with a bit of sausage on the end of it at Harry, "And you! Why do you always take the girls' side, huh?"
Harry shrugged, "You make it too easy sometimes. You know I still love you though, Won-Won," Harry teased as he attempted to kiss Ron's cheek.
"Oh, geroff me!" Ron said half-laughing as he shoved Harry away.
Hermione smiled as she took in the scene before her. She'd miss her friends dearly over the next month.
Ginny POV
The day had finally arrived. It was July 2nd, the day of the End of Year feast, and the last full day that Katie would be at Hogwarts. It was wild to Ginny that she'd made such a great friend over the past two years at Hogwarts, especially a friend that was three years older than her. She truly considered Katie to be the sister she never had, and while she was excited for the opportunity to train with her one last time on the Hogwarts pitch, she was also completely dreading it, as it meant they'd soon be saying goodbye. She woke up early, as she had been the past few weeks, and dressed as quietly and quickly as she could before heading down to meet Katie in the common room. Katie greeted her with a sad, forced smile, and Ginny knew right then that this would be a lot harder than she thought it would be.
They exited the common room and walked quietly side by side through the corridors leading to the Quidditch locker room. They continued through the locker room and out onto the pitch, where the grass was covered in a light dew and the early morning sun was just beginning to cast light on the very tops of the wooden stands surrounding the stadium. They grabbed their brooms from the broom shed and mounted them, flying a few laps around the stadium before returning to the center and hopping off to stand on the edge of the center circle of the pitch. Ginny finally chanced a look at Katie, and saw that she had tears in her eyes.
"I'm not going to be able to properly train until I get this out, so just let me, alright?" Katie said, her voice constricted as the tears began to trail slowly down her cheeks.
Ginny took a deep breath and nodded, urging Katie to continue.
"When Angelina paired me with you last year, I was glad to do it, because I wanted what was best for the team. But blimey, I had no idea what that little fiery fourth year reserve would become to me. Ginny, you are an incredible teammate, a fierce competitor, and an even fiercer friend. Even though you're my little sister, and yes, I decided that long ago without consulting you first… Even though you're my little sister, I look up to you. For how you lead, how you support and love your friends, how you treat Hermione. I'm so fortunate to have someone like you in my life, and I'm very much looking forward to growing old with you, because there's no way I'm letting this sisterhood with you go… I adore you, Ginny, and I'll always be there for you."
Ginny was crying now too as she stared at the older girl in appreciation. She knew that Katie had felt the same, but to hear it out loud was affirming and powerful. She never knew how much she could love another girl who wasn't her family or wasn't someone she was dating. At the same time, it was family. Katie was, and always would be, her family.
"I love you, Katie," Ginny managed as she tried to hold herself back from openly blubbering.
"I love you too, Ginny," Katie smiled through her tears as she pulled Ginny in for a hug. It was strong and heartfelt and Ginny didn't want it to end – she was really going to miss Katie.
Katie pulled away from the hug first, wiping her tears with the bottom of her racerback tank top, "Come on now, I can't afford to miss out on a training session… If I do and I don't make a team – "
"It'll be all coach's fault, I know…" Ginny laughed tearfully as she too tried to dry her face on the sleeve of her t-shirt.
Katie ruffled Ginny's hair and mounted her broom, kicking off hard up into the air. Ginny followed, and they began what turned out to be the best training session they'd ever had together.
Hermione turned up about halfway through their training session. Ginny figured Hermione knew this would be a tough one for both Katie and Ginny seeing as it was their last, and appreciated that she allowed them some alone time at the beginning of the session. At the conclusion of the session, they all walked together to breakfast, as they had the past few weeks, and found a surprise waiting for them there – Demelza was sitting with the boys, and she was laughing. Ginny turned to look at Katie, who was positively beaming at Demelza.
"Well, look who's up early this morning!" Katie said as she leaned down to give Demelza a quick kiss.
"You didn't think I'd miss out on our last breakfast together in the Great Hall, did you?" Demelza asked, smiling up at Katie.
Ginny looked between Katie and Demelza, feeling both grateful that she wasn't having to go through this with Hermione right now, and also dreading the day when she would have to go through this with Hermione. They were both smiling, yes, but there was no way this wasn't incredibly painful for them.
"That, and Hermione helped make sure I'd get up in time…" Demelza admitted, smiling appreciatively over at Hermione.
"Oh yeah? And how was that, getting this one up?" Katie asked Hermione as she sat down beside Demelza.
Hermione smiled pleasantly, "Easy as could be. She was more than happy to wake up to have breakfast with her girlfriend."
Katie smiled at Demelza and pulled her in for another kiss while Ginny leaned over to Hermione, "Really? That easy?"
"Erm, not quite. She's not exactly a morning person, is she?" Hermione muttered to Ginny.
Ginny laughed, "No, she's not."
Ginny and Hermione joined the group at the table, sitting next to Ron and Harry and across from Demelza, Katie, Colin, and Ritchie. They all spoke excitedly about their summer plans, and Katie finally revealed to Ron that her top two teams were Tutshill and Falmouth. He rolled his eyes when she mentioned Tutshill, as he considered just about anyone to be interested in them to be bandwagon fans as they were still at the top of the league table, but he changed up quick when she explained that it was due to the proximity to Demelza and her dad that she'd consider playing for them.
"Falmouth, huh?" Harry asked. "They're known to be pretty brutal in their playing style, aren't they?"
Ritchie nodded, "Don't they lead the league every year in fouls?"
"They are and they do, yes, but they were the first team to reach out to me. Plus, not that I particularly agree with their style of play, but I think I'd much rather be on the team that does the hard fouling than having to play against them. Really though, it's about the fact that they were the first team to show interest in me – that means a lot to me," Katie explained as she reached for and buttered another piece of toast.
"Wherever you go, I call first autograph!" Ginny shouted, raising her hand and shooting Ritchie a smug grin.
"What? Bloody hell, am I ever going to get the first autograph?" Ritchie griped loudly as Colin patted him on the back.
"Maybe you can have Ron's?" Ginny suggested in faux-sincerity.
"Shut up, Ginny," both Ron and Ritchie said together, causing the group to laugh.
"What about Harry's?" Colin suggested genuinely.
Harry shrugged, "I'm not sure yet on if that's something I'd want to do. I do enjoy playing Quidditch, but I'm not sure if I'd want to try and make a career out of it."
Ron nodded, "Yeah, me either."
"Oh, that's too bad Ron… I'm sure the Cannons would have room for someone like you on their squad…" Ginny teased before dodging a piece of toast Ron sent flying in her direction.
"Ron! Don't throw food," Hermione scolded, glaring at him.
"Sorry Prefect Granger…" he mumbled moodily, turning back to his plate and shoveling another forkful of eggs into his mouth. "Not going to scold the one who started it, I see…"
Ginny smiled at Ron angelically before Hermione nudged her, raising an eyebrow at her. She shrugged.
The rest of the breakfast went by far too quick for Ginny's liking, seeing as it was the last one of the term, and Katie's last breakfast ever. Once they were done, Harry and Ron left to go meet up with Lavender and Parvati, and Colin and Ritchie left to go meet up with some girls Ritchie had, according to him, "arranged" for the two of them. The girls had no idea what that meant, and frankly didn't want to know, so they left them to it. The four girls walked down to the Black Lake to enjoy one last day of the beautiful weather on the Hogwarts grounds.
It was hot out, without being too hot, and the blue sky above was mostly clear with the exception of a few white, billowy clouds off in the distance beyond the hills surrounding the lake. Somehow, they were lucky enough to find that the base of the large beech tree was still open by the time they made it down to the lake. Katie and Demelza wanted to go in the water, so they stripped down to their swim suits and waded in, while Hermione and Ginny hung back, Ginny leaning up against the tree, Hermione between Ginny's legs, leaning up against Ginny. There was an easy, warm breeze floating across the lake, and it was wafting the smell of Hermione's shampoo into Ginny's nose. She inhaled deeply, enjoying the familiar, intoxicating smell, before leaning forward and kissing Hermione's cheek. Hermione had her eyes fixed on Katie and Demelza, but she smiled at Ginny's touch and turned to meet her lips, kissing her deeply.
"Not to ruin the moment, but you know what I just realized?" Ginny asked once they broke apart and looked back out at the lake to watch Demelza and Katie.
"What?"
"That at one point, you were jealous of both of those girls," Ginny said. Hermione spun around in her arms to look up at her, mildly affronted, as Ginny grinned at her.
"I guess I can't deny that… At least with Demelza, there was an actual reason to be jealous. With Katie I was being an idiot…" Hermione admitted as she turned and leaned back against Ginny.
"First of all, you're not an idiot. And just so you know, there was never a reason for you to be jealous with either of them, really…" Ginny said into Hermione's ear, "I meant it when I said it had always been you. I think I just didn't realize it at first, but once I knew you fancied girls too, that was it."
Hermione pressed her cheek against Ginny's, relaxing against her, "Good to hear. I'm glad I eventually made it out on top."
"We haven't really found that out yet, have we…?"
"Found out what? We're dating, aren't we? Am I not the top of your dating priorities?" Hermione asked, mindlessly playing with the ends of a few pieces of Ginny's long, red hair that had mingled in with her own loose curls.
"No, I meant who's a top and who's a bottom."
Hermione whipped around and stared at Ginny in shock, "Where did you hear those terms?"
Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Where did you hear those terms?"
"I – I asked you first!"
Ginny nodded out to the lake, "Katie. And you?"
"I – Well… Juliette…"
Ginny felt her eyebrows fall back to where they normally sat while an odd feeling fell over her. She thought she'd be jealous, hearing that Juliette and Hermione had discussed something of that nature, but instead, she felt calm, she felt sure. It didn't bother her, because she was with Hermione. Hermione had chosen her.
"And what did she think you would be?"
Hermione's eyes widened at the question, "Ginny Weasley, I am not answering that question!"
Ginny chuckled, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything about it. We don't need to talk about it, okay?"
Hermione furrowed her brow at her slightly before turning around and sinking back against Ginny, relaxing into her again. They were quiet for a moment, before Hermione spoke up.
"Ginny, how do you feel about us being… Intimate…?"
Ginny looked down at the top of Hermione's head, processing the question. Even with the addition of the Room of Requirement to their list of hiding places, they'd never gone past what occurred while they were in the Prefects' bathroom together after the match against Slytherin. They'd snogged plenty and a few articles of clothing had come off, but they hadn't yet gone past that. It wasn't that she didn't want to go further, it just hadn't felt quite right yet. And after what happened with McLaggen, there was no way Ginny was considering making any sort of move or bringing it up to Hermione. She'd decided to let Hermione broach the topic, which she now had. Well, kind of. Ginny had technically brought it up with the dumb top/bottom joke, although Hermione did open the door for her to say it…
"Hermione, I want to do whatever you're comfortable doing… I would understand, after what happened with McLaggen, if you wanted to wait…"
Hermione shook her head, then turned in Ginny's arms to face her with a serious expression.
"I know you're not him. You would never take advantage of me the way he… The way he was surely going to…"
"There's no rush, Hermione, really. But if you're ready, then so am I," Ginny smiled softly down at Hermione, who nodded, "Plus, how else will we find out who's a top and who's a bottom?"
Hermione narrowed her eyes at Ginny in a glare, but Ginny could see the smile on the edges of her lips.
"It all seems incredibly outdated… I'm sure most people don't fall under one category or the other…"
"Katie sort of mentioned that. She said that there's not really one way for anyone to have sex, and that it's more of a person-to-person thing."
"Why did you ask Katie about this?"
Ginny shrugged, "I was curious about sex, and who better to ask than someone I see as my older sister? It was before you and I were together." Ginny's eyes moved from Hermione's momentarily to look out at the lake, watching Katie splash Demelza who was roaring with laughter. Ginny felt a surge of appreciation shoot through her at seeing Demelza so happy, and Katie being the cause of it.
"You're really going to miss her, aren't you?"
Ginny returned her gaze to Hermione, who was watching her with soft eyes. Ginny nodded.
"I am, yes. She was great when you and I weren't dating… She kept me hopeful and optimistic about you…"
Hermione nodded, "She's a good friend, Ginny. Be sure not to lose touch with her. I certainly won't."
Ginny smiled down at Hermione, "I'm glad you finally warmed up to her. She really values your friendship."
"It was a bit easier to do once I got over the fact that the two of you hadn't been dating for all of my fifth year, like I'd incorrectly assumed…" Hermione said, turning back once again and settling against Ginny.
Ginny chuckled, "Yeah, I bet."
Ginny kissed the top of Hermione's head and started running her fingers lazily down the older girl's bare arms as they watched Katie and Demelza enjoy the lake.
"I really am okay, you know."
"Okay with?"
"Progressing our relationship in terms of intimacy…"
Ginny looked down at Hermione, still tracing her fingers along the soft warm skin of her arms.
"Remember what we discussed at the Burrow? Open and honest communication. I think as long as we continue with that, we'll be fine. I trust you, Ginny, completely. And I…" Hermione hesitated.
Ginny leaned forward so she could somewhat see Hermione's face, "You what…?" she asked gently.
"I… I want to be more intimate with you… I know it hasn't felt quite like the right time these past few months, really ever since we got caught by Madam Pince, but now… I feel ready…"
Hermione was looking at her with a vulnerability Ginny had seen only a handful of times before. Her fingers had stopped moving against Hermione's arms, and now were wrapped around Hermione as Ginny leaned down to kiss her, deeper than she had in a long time. They kissed for a while, before both pulled away, a bit breathless.
"I feel ready too…" Ginny whispered as she pressed her forehead against Hermione's. Hermione stared into her eyes, her own deep brown eyes so emotionally charged they were nearly piercing Ginny's.
"Hey, love birds!"
They were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Katie and Demelza, who they hadn't noticed had gotten out of the lake and walked all the way up to stand before them. They were both wrapped in towels, and Katie had her arm around Demelza, who was shivering slightly.
"We're going to go back up to the castle and change, Demelza's a bit cold," Katie explained, "Are you two going to stay out here and continue snogging, or come back to the common room with us?"
"We'll come back to the common room with you," Hermione said, disentangling herself from Ginny and standing up.
Ginny laughed as she pushed herself up from the tree, "I'm not sure I was done snogging, but I guess if you are, I have to be, don't I?"
"Oh, honestly, Ginny…" Hermione scolded, shaking her head with an embarrassed smile as Demelza and Katie laughed. Ginny grinned and kissed her on the cheek, and the four girls made their way up to the castle, Hermione and Ginny holding hands as Katie kept an arm around Demelza, attempting to warm her as they walked.
Once they got to the empty common room, Katie and Demelza headed up to the girls' dormitory bathroom to shower and warm up a bit before changing, so Hermione and Ginny settled in on the sofa across from the unlit fireplace, Hermione sitting up while Ginny rested her head on the armrest of the sofa with her bare legs across Hermione's lap. Hermione began lightly tracing her fingers across the soft skin of Ginny's strong, muscular legs. They ran lazily across her shins, connecting the freckles that were starting to reappear due to the exposure to the summer sun, before ghosting over her knees and moving up her thighs to the edge of her slightly frayed jean shorts. Ginny hummed her approval and looked at Hermione, and caught a light blush on the older girl's cheeks. The sudden desire to escape to the Room of Requirement for the rest of the afternoon surged through Ginny, but before she could verbalize it to Hermione, Ritchie and Colin were climbing in through the portrait hole. Hermione withdrew her hands from Ginny immediately, and the blush on her face grew. Ginny cleared her throat and sat up a little before addressing the boys.
"So, how was the date? Well, is that really what it was, a date?" Ginny asked as Ritchie and Colin walked in, sitting down hard in the armchairs beside the sofa. Well, Ritchie sat down hard. Colin seemed unbothered.
Ritchie shrugged, and Ginny could tell he was well put off.
"Not sure what I was thinking, arranging a double date with Slytherin girls…"
Ginny shook her head in disbelief and laughed, "What? Ritchie, what in the world made you think that would be a good idea?"
"They were well fit, and they were sisters!" he defended, giving Ginny a knowing look.
"Are you talking about the Greengrass sisters?" Hermione asked.
Ginny barked out another laugh, "Blimey Ritchie! You two went on a double date with Daphne and Astoria Greengrass? What did you do on this date, prepare Colin here as a Muggleborn sacrifice to the pureblood overlords?"
"Ginny…" Hermione warned.
"They weren't that bad," Ritchie defended again, "Well, the younger one wasn't… The uh, one that was supposed to be mine wasn't too keen on sticking around when she found out I was a year below her."
"I liked Astoria, she had kind eyes," Colin added with a small smile.
"Well, don't get used to it, Colin. The Greengrass family isn't exactly too kind to those who aren't purebloods. How did you manage to get a date with them anyway?"
Ritchie shrugged again, "I was working out down in the dungeons. It's far cooler down there now that it's so bloody hot outside, so I found a spot down there that's a bit secluded and all, or so I thought. One day I literally ran into Daphne. I know she thought I was fit, I saw her face when she first saw me, and she's well fit, so I asked her out. Didn't say much else really, besides asking if she had anyone for a friend. Seemed simple enough."
"You're lucky she didn't bring Pansy Parkinson along…" Hermione said.
"Or Millicent Bulstrode," Ginny laughed.
"Oh Ginny, be nice…" Hermione scolded, giving her a disapproving look.
"Fine, fine. I'm just glad the two of you made it out of that alive, especially you Colin! There's still a group of Slytherins who certainly look down on Muggleborns, and I have no doubt the Greengrass sisters are a part of that. With Draco and his idiot friends and Pansy Parkinson…" Ginny listed, shaking her head in disgust.
"She was fit, that's all I cared about," Ritchie admitted, smiling a little as he clearly thought about Daphne Greengrass.
"Well, maybe the two of you could raise your standards beyond just being interested in girls who are fit…" Hermione suggested lightly.
"That's easy for you to say, you two have got each other, and you're both total catches!" Ritchie whined.
"Why thank you, Ritchie," Ginny said, obnoxiously flipping her long red hair over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes at him.
"Seriously though! How is it that some of the fittest girls in school are just into each other! That's not fair!"
"I think Astoria liked me too…" Colin said quietly, the small smile still on his face.
"Colin, seriously, I wouldn't…" Ginny warned.
"Yeah Colin, just forget about her. I'll find us some other girls, don't worry," Ritchie sighed as he leaned his head back against the back of the chair and closed his eyes.
Colin frowned slightly, but didn't argue. Just then, Demelza and Katie made their way down into the common room.
"Ritchie hooked them up with Slytherin girls!" Ginny announced, grinning mischievously as she did.
"Oh yeah? That's quite a choice… I hope it was someone fit at least, like the Greengrass sisters…" Katie said nonchalantly as she and Demelza sat beside Hermione.
"What?" Ginny shouted in shock and sat up as Ritchie yelled and gestured to Katie, "See?"
"I mean the younger one is a bit young, but Daphne… We both agree on that, don't we Demelza?"
"What?" Ginny shouted again in disbelief.
"Ginny, she's stunning, come on…" Katie said as Demelza nodded.
Ginny looked at both of them before turning to Hermione, "What do you think?"
"I think you're beautiful, Ginny, and that's all that matters," Hermione said, using that same pleasant smile she used earlier when she claimed it had been easy to wake Demelza up that morning.
"Hermione…"
"Okay, yes, Daphne Greengrass is very pretty…"
Ginny scoffed.
"Just because you don't like someone's values doesn't necessarily change their physical appearance…" Demelza reasoned.
"Whose values don't you like, Gin?" Ron asked as he, Harry, Parvati and Lavender all piled in through the portrait hole.
"Daphne Greengrass," she stated firmly.
"Ah yes, one of our favorite pureblood nutters..." Ron agreed, nodding.
"See?" Ginny exclaimed, gesturing to Ron.
"Well fit though, isn't she?" he said to Harry, causing Hermione, Katie, Demelza, Ritchie, and Colin to laugh and Ginny to groan.
"Ronald Weasley!" Lavender exclaimed, whacking him on the arm before storming up the stairs with Parvati unhappily in tow.
"See Ginny, people can't help but have eyes. You can admit that someone's fit even if you don't like them," Katie stated.
"Whatever…" Ginny maintained, crossing her arms firmly across her chest.
"Oh, you're fine…" Hermione appeased Ginny with a smile, leaning over to kiss her.
"I'll be glad to get a month off of seeing that…" Ron muttered under his breath to Harry.
"Excuse me, Won-Won?" Ginny said, giving him a pointed look.
"Yeah, okay, fine…" Ron mumbled with a small blush, "Hey Demelza, up for a game of Wizard's Chess?"
Demelza raised her eyebrows, "Really? It's been ages since we've played."
Ron shrugged, "Starting tomorrow I'm only going to have this one to play at home, and she's no good…" he nodded towards Ginny, "Figured it'd be nice to get a good game in before I leave. What do you say?"
Ginny gritted her teeth at Ron's insult, but softened at the feeling of Hermione's hand on her bare leg again.
"Go for it, Demelza! I'd love to watch you kick his arse," Katie grinned and ushered Demelza over to the table Ron and Harry were setting up with the chess board in the corner of the common room. Colin and Ritchie ventured over as well, leaving Hermione and Ginny alone on the sofa.
"Would you like to watch your brother hopefully get beat by Demelza?" Hermione offered, gently running her fingers up to the seam of Ginny's shorts again. Ginny felt heat rise to her cheeks as Hermione grinned at her knowingly.
"Uh, I think I left something somewhere… Up on the seventh floor…" Ginny said slowly as her eyes followed Hermione's fingers, "I should really go… Go find it…"
"I think there will be plenty time to find it next year… Why don't we spend what little time we have left with our friend before she leaves tomorrow for good…" Hermione said, moving her hand from Ginny's shorts to take her by the hand and pull her off the sofa.
"I know that you know exactly what you're doing…" Ginny whispered into Hermione's ear as they walked over to join the group in the corner.
"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about…" Hermione said innocently, unable to keep the light smirk from her lips.
After Demelza did in fact beat Ron, they all changed into their uniforms and headed down to the Great Hall for the End of Term feast. Lavender begrudgingly joined them as well after Ron apologized and declared that she was obviously the most beautiful girl in all of Hogwarts, while most everyone rolled their eyes around them.
"She's my best friend, and I love her, I swear I do, but the summer holiday honestly couldn't be coming at a better time…" Parvati sighed as she passed Ginny a plate of roast chicken.
"I don't even have to see her that often, and I'm looking forward to a summer off from her as well," Ginny agreed as she took a few pieces of chicken for herself before offering them to Hermione.
"Ginny… I believe it's very likely that you will see her this summer…" Hermione said as she took the plate.
Ginny groaned, "Oh no, the wedding…"
"What wedding? There's going to be a wedding?" Lavender asked, inserting herself into the conversation as she sat down next to Parvati, pulling Ron along with her.
Hermione and Ginny froze, glancing at Ron, who had turned scarlet.
"I, uh, forgot to ask you if you'd like to be my date to my brother's wedding this summer… So, fancy being my date?" Ron asked sheepishly.
"There's a wedding this summer and you're just now inviting me? How long have you known about this?" Lavender asked shrilly.
"Since Christmas," Ginny said, grinning at Ron.
" Since Christmas? Ronald Weasley, what is the matter with you? When's the wedding?"
"August 1st," Ginny added, still grinning. Ron shot her a nasty look.
Lavender gasped dramatically, "How on earth will I be able to find a dress suitable for a wedding in one month's time?"
"You know Lavender, you won't be getting married or walking down the aisle at this wedding… It's likely that no one will really care what you show up in…"
"What I believe Ginny meant to say is that surely you'll be able to find something that will be perfect for the wedding, and you won't need to stress about theming or anything like that. Just find something you feel good about," Hermione supplied kindly before shooting a glare at both Ron and Ginny.
"Yeah Lav, whatever you want to wear is fine with me," Ron added, smiling at her.
"Oh, is that right? So, if I were to show up in, say, one of Luna Lovegood's party get-ups, you'd be pleased with that?" Lavender asked scathingly. "It's already bad enough that your family, especially your mum, hates me, Ron. Now you've gone and made it worse by giving me next to no notice about this very important family event! Hermione, when did Ginny let you know about the wedding?" she asked, looking pointedly at Hermione.
Hermione winced before giving an apologetic look to Ron and saying, "When I stayed at the Burrow over Christmas holiday…"
"Of course! This is what I get, I suppose, for dating a man! No, not a man, a boy!"
And with that, Lavender got up from the table and furiously marched out of the Great Hall. Ron looked bewildered.
"Why's she so upset? It's not as if I invited her day of!"
"Was that your plan, exactly? Were you just going to send her an owl the morning of the wedding and hope she'd make it in time?" Ginny asked incredulously.
"Of course not! But how was I supposed to know she'd wanted to be invited as soon as I knew about it? She really can't find a dress? She's got a month!"
"Honestly, Ron… Do you know Lavender at all? She likes to plan for events like this. Of course she'll be able to put together an outfit for the wedding between now and then, but you robbed her of months of preparing and trying on different dresses and all of the things that she really enjoys doing…" Hermione explained as Parvati nodded along.
"I didn't think of that…" Ron muttered before biting into a chicken drumstick.
"And why haven't you gone after her to apologize yet?" Ginny asked.
He looked at all three girls who were mildly glaring at him as he chewed his mouthful of chicken, "I can't miss the feast, can I?"
Ginny swiftly pulled his plate from him, "You're unbelievable sometimes, you know that? Go talk to her!"
Ron got up irritably and headed after Lavender, muttering about chicken and girls being ridiculous as he went.
"I can't believe they've stayed together for as long as they have…" Ginny said to Parvati and Hermione.
"I can. She loves the drama of it all, unfortunately," Parvati said as she helped herself to some chicken.
"Great… Now I really can't wait for the wedding…" Ginny muttered miserably.
Just then, Professor Dumbledore stood up in front of the Great Hall and approached his podium to speak, waiting for the chatter to die down before he began.
"Another year, gone! I am proud to say that it has been a rather fruitful term, one in which you and your fellow classmates have filled your heads with knowledge and your hearts with friendship. While we will miss those students who will be departing soon for adventures that extend beyond Hogwarts, we would also like to remind them that they will always have a home with us here, and that we will always welcome them back with open arms. Now, to the House Cup… In fourth place, we have Slytherin, with 235 points. In third place, Hufflepuff, with 310 points. In second, Ravenclaw, with 345 points. And in first place, with 365 points, Gryffindor."
Upon announcing Gryffindor as the winners, the banners that had initially been decorated with the Hogwarts crest changed to represent Gryffindor alone. Ginny cheered along with her fellow housemates and smiled as Katie cheered the loudest. The House and Quidditch Cups were something that Katie took great pride in competing for every year, and Ginny knew she must be absolutely elated having won both in her final term at Hogwarts.
"As always, The Hogwarts Express will depart tomorrow morning from Hogsmeade Station. While it may be tempting to try and miss the train in hopes that you will be able to stay here during the summer holiday, I am sorry to say that Mr. Filch is unfortunately not interested in housing students prior to September 1st, so I would advise that you do your very best to board the train home in a timely fashion. Now, eat, converse, and be merry! Thank you for another splendid year of Hogwarts history."
And with that, Professor Dumbledore returned to his chair at the center of the high table and resumed his conversation with Professor McGonagall.
They ate for a while longer, chatting with Parvati about her summer plans to travel to Ireland with her sister and Dean to visit Seamus at the beginning of August. Ginny found that she really did enjoy Parvati's company – it was just too bad that so often she and Lavender were a package deal. She'd much rather have Ron date Parvati, as she was funny and smart and appeared to have some semblance of common sense. That was evidently not in the near future though, as Lavender and Ron had returned to the Great Hall with Lavender clinging to Ron's arm. They sat down, Lavender looking lovingly up at Ron while Ron returned his focus to his plate of chicken.
"I don't know how I could ever stay mad at my Won-Won," she exclaimed too affectionately. He turned and gave her a smile full of chicken. That was the end of Ginny's appetite.
"Fancy helping me pack, Hermione?" Ginny asked, followed by an immediate nod from Hermione.
They stopped by Katie and Demelza, letting them know where they were headed, before continuing towards Gryffindor Tower.
"Honestly, could they be more annoying?" Ginny grumbled as they walked.
"You know, I'm sure we were more than a bit taxing for people to be around when we were still figuring things out…" Hermione pointed out, "I know I was in a foul mood during most of that time."
"That's completely different! We were heartbroken and confused and too thick to get out of our own way! These two idiots are together, have been for more than two years, and they act like this all the time!"
"Come on… You know you love Ron…"
"I know I do. He can just be so irritatingly blind sometimes, and it's exhausting. And now she's going to be at the Burrow again this summer…" Ginny groaned as they walked hand in hand.
Hermione gave the password to the Fat Lady and Ginny motioned for her to go in through the portrait hole first. They climbed the stairs to the girls' dormitories and Ginny flopped down dramatically on her bed as they walked through the door to her dormitory. Hermione sat down beside her, smiling lightly at her theatrics.
"She's really not that bad, Ginny."
"I know, but when she is bad, she's bad. She can be so aggravating… I can't imagine her in a large family setting such as a wedding…"
"Well, have you considered you might not even be around her that much during the wedding? I'm sure it's more than likely that you'll be far too busy with your bridesmaid duties to even notice her if she is being a handful."
Ginny sat up quickly, "What bridesmaid duties?"
Hermione shrugged, "That's up to Fleur, but really whatever she may need assistance with on the day."
"What? No… Surely her sister will be there, and her mum… And my mum… That's three people to assist her before me, what could she possibly need me to do? I wouldn't have said yes if I'd known I'd be following her around like a house elf all day."
Hermione shot her a disapproving look at the house elf comment before tucking Ginny's hair behind her ear, "You know, she may have heard what an expert plaiter you are… Maybe you'll be tasked with doing her hair," Hermione said as she tried but failed to hide the small grin forming on her lips.
"I am an expert plaiter. Just ask Katie."
Hermione shook her head and sighed, "Is there anything you aren't an expert in, Miss Weasley?"
"No, there's not. You'll see," Ginny said matter-off-factly.
Hermione raised her eyebrows and smirked, "Oh yeah? And what could you possibly mean by that?"
Ginny took in Hermione's playfully challenging expression and in one swift motion, pulled Hermione onto her lap and kissed her. She felt Hermione smile into the kiss which spurred her on more, and she lightly bit Hermione's bottom lip as she ran her hand up the back of her uniform top. The noise Hermione made lit a fire in Ginny that she hadn't felt quite so strongly before, and she could tell by the darkening of Hermione's already dark brown eyes that she felt the same. A second later, Ginny had Hermione on her back, her head on Ginny's pillow, as Ginny lay down on top of her, kissing her hard. Hermione's fingers were laced in Ginny's hair and she lightly dug her fingernails into her scalp when Ginny bit down again on her bottom lip. Ginny sat up, pulling Hermione up with her, and quickly got rid of both of their light sweaters and began hastily unbuttoning Hermione's white uniform top as Hermione undid her tie, all the while desperately trying to keep their lips connected in a heated kiss. They were so absorbed in what they were doing that they didn't hear the door open, but they did hear the gasp from the person who had opened it.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I should've knocked!" Demelza managed as she quickly backed back into the hallway, pulling the door shut as she did.
Ginny tipped her head back, closed her eyes, and a took deep settling breath in and out through her nose to try and release her frustration.
"Oh, it's alright," Hermione said. Ginny could feel Hermione now retying her tie. She looked down to see how far she'd gotten on Hermione's shirt, and felt another pang of frustration as she saw she'd undone all but the bottom button, allowing for her to see a tantalizing amount of Hermione's soft skin. Ginny could see Hermione's bra, and wanted so badly to reach around her and unclasp it. She was debating on unbuttoning the last button and seeing if Hermione would be game to continue what they'd started, when an annoyingly jaunty knock at the door disrupted her thoughts.
"Come on, love birds! I know you won't be able to snog for a whole month, but this is my last night, and I'm not missing out on spending it with the two of you just because you can't keep your hands off each other!" Katie's voice rang through the wooden door.
Hermione began buttoning her shirt herself, "You heard her… Come on, I promise I'll allow you time to show me your expert moves later, Miss Weasley…"
Ginny groaned, but gathered their sweaters just the same. Once they were dressed back in their uniforms, Hermione pulled Ginny in for one last kiss before they exited Ginny's room to find Katie and Demelza waiting in the hall. Demelza looked mortified, while Katie looked pleased.
"We're all going down to the pitch for one last evening. No brooms, no flying, just blankets to look up at the stars with. You're coming, go change," Katie instructed before shooting a look specifically at Ginny as if she were challenging her to even think about arguing.
Katie and Hermione headed off down towards their respective dormitories to change, while Ginny followed Demelza back into their dormitory.
"Ginny, I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, coming in without knocking. I knew the two of you had come up here to pack, I should've realized what that could've meant and – "
"Demelza, it's really okay," Ginny said with a half-hearted smile as she changed out of her uniform, pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
"Were… Um… Were you two about to…" Demelza started before breaking off and blushing.
Ginny shrugged, "Honestly, I don't know. We were just caught up in the moment."
Demelza was quiet for a moment as she fumbled with untying her tie, " Have you and Hermione…? Before…?"
Ginny shook her head, "Have you and Katie?"
"No, we haven't."
Ginny looked up at her with raised eyebrows, "Really? I mean, I know we were still so young, but when you and I were together, it seemed like you were a lot more ready for that kind of stuff than I was."
Demelza was quiet again as she finally loosened her tie and changed out of her uniform top, swapping it for a loose Tornadoes jumper.
"Why haven't you?" Ginny asked.
Demelza was quiet still as she pulled on light jeans, before she responded, "I think my run in with McLaggen back in our fourth year really did more of a number on me than I'd originally anticipated… It's not that I don't love Katie and trust her, because I do, so, so much… I think I'm just a bit hesitant right now, and Katie and I have talked about it, and she's fine with waiting as long as I need… That and… I've just been going through some family stuff…"
It was now Ginny's turn to be quiet as she looked at Demelza clearly struggling to decide whether or not to tell Ginny what she already knew. She wanted to ease Demelza's struggle by letting her know she already knew, but couldn't expose Katie like that.
"Ginny… I've got to tell you something…" Demelza said as she sat down on her bed. Ginny moved to the other side of her own bed and sat too, just across from Demelza.
"Alright, what is it?"
Demelza began to tear up, and Ginny reached out to grab her hands in an attempt to soothe her.
"I – My – My dad is ill…"
Ginny was patient as she waited for Demelza to continue.
"Really ill… They don't – They can't figure out what's wrong with him… It's been so hard being away from him… It's all I can think about… Not – Not really the best catalyst for being intimate with someone…" Demelza cried softly.
Ginny got up and sat beside Demelza, putting an arm around her, "I'm so sorry Demelza…"
Demelza leaned into Ginny and cried into her shoulder. Ginny felt awful, and she wished Demelza had told her sooner so she could've tried to help in some way. She's not sure what exactly she could've done, but she would've tried anything to help prevent Demelza from this kind of sadness. Suddenly, she was flashing back to the day they broke up, how heartbroken and sad Demelza was. She hated seeing her so hurt back then, and she certainly still hated it now, even though the romantic feelings she had for the girl were long gone. Demelza was one of her best friends, and she couldn't bear to see her like this. Suddenly, the door burst open.
"What in the bloody hell is taking you two so long – Demelza?" Katie's annoyed expression quickly changed to one of concern, but Ginny waved her off.
"Demelza was just telling me about her dad…" she explained softly.
Katie nodded and sat on the other side of Demelza, who immediately turned to Katie, basically curling herself up into her frame. Katie pulled her close as she gave Ginny a soft, thankful smile.
"Demelza, are you alright?"
Ginny looked to the door and saw Hermione standing in the doorway, worry etched on her face. Ginny quickly glanced at Katie, not knowing what to say as she didn't want to expose what Demelza had just finally revealed to her.
"My – My dad is – Is really ill…" Demelza mumbled quietly against Katie's chest.
"Oh, Demelza…" Hermione swiftly crossed the room and put a hand on Demelza's back, "I'm so sorry…"
Ginny, Hermione, and Katie all exchanged looks as Demelza continued to cry, before Hermione and Ginny wrapped their arms around Katie and Demelza. They were quiet for a bit, consoling Demelza, letting her cry it out. By the end, there wasn't a dry eye in the room.
"I might not come back to Hogwarts next year… If he's still not doing well… I'd hate to be – Be away and have something happen…" Demelza explained softly as the four of them pulled apart, Hermione and Ginny moving to sit on Ginny's bed across from Demelza and Katie.
"That's perfectly understandable," Hermione said kindly, "You should do whatever you feel is best for you and your dad. Have you spoken to Professor McGonagall yet?"
Demelza nodded, "She's known all year. She's the one who suggested I delay my return to school next year, if he hasn't gotten better."
"No matter what you decide, know that we're here for you. If you do come back, Hermione and I will have your back completely, for whatever you need. So will Ritchie and Colin, they just don't know it yet," Ginny said, giving Demelza a warm smile.
Demelza laughed a little and nodded, "When they're not off trying to score dates, you mean…"
Ginny nodded too and laughed, "The whole Quidditch team will be there for you too. Harry's extremely supportive, and Ron has had his moments of being kind and thoughtful as well. And I can't put my finger on why exactly I feel this way, but I'm pretty sure we can trust Jimmy with our lives…"
Demelza laughed a little more and smiled, "He's quiet, but he'd do anything to keep the Bludgers away." Demelza wiped her tears and looked up at Katie before turning back to Hermione and Ginny, "Thank you, for being so supportive. I hope I'm in a place in September where I can come back to school."
Ginny nodded, "Me too. You can't possibly leave me all alone with a team full of boys, can you?"
Demelza laughed and it reached her light grey eyes, "No, I can't possibly do that, can I?"
Hermione sighed lightly, "Must everything always come back to Quidditch?"
"Uh, yeah Hermione. Maybe you haven't heard, but we're the best female Chaser duo Hogwarts has ever seen," Katie grinned as she gave Ginny a high five and kissed the top of Demelza's head. Hermione shook her head, but smiled.
Once Demelza felt ready, the four of them departed downstairs for the Quidditch stadium. They chatted casually on the journey, enjoying lighter subjects. Soon they were walking onto the pitch, where the rest of the Quidditch team plus Parvati, Lavender, and Colin were waiting for them.
Everyone got settled and comfortable, laying on their backs, looking up at the glittering night sky. There was a warm breeze blowing across the pitch, but that didn't prevent Ginny from cuddling up close to Hermione, despite Ron's objections. The group talked about the upcoming Quidditch season and they all agreed that no one would stand a chance against Gryffindor. Dean was quiet, as he was the reserve player this past season, but managed a smile when Harry called him out for what a great, supportive teammate he'd been all season. His smile grew when Katie said she had no doubt that he'd be the perfect replacement for her, and that her girls (her apparent nickname for Ginny and Demelza that they were certainly unaware of) would take him under their wing. Ginny was actually pretty comfortable with the thought of Dean replacing Katie. No one would ever compare to her, of course, but Dean appeared to be a decent enough guy who was athletic, strong, and good on a broom. It wouldn't be the same next year without Katie, but it would likely be just fine.
As it got later and later, pairs and trios of people began to disappear until only Hermione, Ginny, Katie, and Demelza remained. Ginny would've been content to continue talking until sunrise, because leaving the Quidditch stadium with Katie for the last time just wasn't something she could do. Once it passed midnight, however, Katie got up, declaring it was time to go inside.
"Well, that was it, my last full day at Hogwarts! And may I say, it just might have been the best," she smiled as she pulled Demelza to her feet. "You two coming?"
Ginny looked at Hermione, who gave her a content shrug of the shoulders, before turning back to Katie and shaking her head, "I think we're going to stay out here a bit longer. We'll see you tomorrow though on the train. Well, I will, but Prefect Granger over here may be a little busy…" Ginny teased lightly.
"I'll make sure to see you before you head home, Katie. If I don't see you on the train, wait for me at King's Cross, alright?" Hermione requested.
Katie nodded, "Plan on it. Goodnight, love birds," she said as she and Demelza walked off towards the locker room, hand in hand.
Once they were gone, Ginny rolled and nestled into Hermione's chest so close that she could hear her heartbeat. Hermione began lightly running her fingers through Ginny's long hair, occasionally pausing at the bottom to play with the ends. It was incredibly comfortable, resting in the middle of the Quidditch pitch with Hermione, and Ginny figured she'd probably be able to fall asleep like this if Hermione would let her, especially after such a long and eventful day. They certainly did make the most of Katie's last day at Hogwarts, and while Ginny could've done with a few extra minutes with Hermione up in her dormitory this evening, she was grateful that they did spend as much time with their friends as they did.
"Ginny…" Hermione said softly after a few minutes.
"Hmmmm?" Ginny hummed.
"I'm not sleeping out here…"
"Mmm… So comfy though…" Ginny mumbled. She moved a little, just enough to begin placing lazy kisses on Hermione's chest through her jumper, right over her heart.
"Ginny…"
Ginny recognized the tone. It was meant to be stern, but had an air of softness that indicated that Ginny could potentially get what she wanted. It was one of the things she loved the most about her relationship with Hermione. Hermione often came across to those who didn't know her, (and some who did), as severe, no-nonsense, and could even be considered to be quite rigid at times. But with Ginny, she was so soft and much more amiable. Ginny loved having Prefect Hermione Granger wrapped around her finger – it made her feel so incredibly special.
"Come on Hermione… I don't want to sleep without you tonight… It'll be ages before you'll be at the Burrow…" Ginny whined lightly as she began to move her trailing kisses up to Hermione's collarbone, pulling gently at the neck of her jumper so she could land the kisses on Hermione's skin. Hermione sighed softly as Ginny kept kissing her, moving up her neck. She turned her head to capture Ginny's lips in hers as she put her hand at the back of Ginny's head, pulling her in firmly. After a moment, Hermione broke the kiss and pulled back slightly.
"What if we get caught again?"
Ginny grinned, "What are they going to do, give us detention?"
"They could… I know it'll be well into next year before I get my Restricted Section privileges back…"
Ginny perched herself up on her elbow and looked at Hermione, who was clearly genuinely concerned about getting in trouble even though they'd be heading home on the Hogwarts Express in a few hours.
"Come on…" Ginny said reluctantly as she stood and offered a hand to Hermione.
Hermione took it, and Ginny pulled her up to her feet and immediately into a kiss with as much passion as she could muster. Once they broke apart, Hermione was breathing heavily and her cheeks were red.
"I guess you'll have to wait to experience my expertise in other areas until we're reunited at the Burrow then…" Ginny said, running a thumb along Hermione's bottom lip. Hermione's eyebrows raised oh so subtly and her blush grew deeper. Ginny grinned, enjoying that she'd had her intended effect on Hermione. "Come on, Hermione! We shouldn't be out so late, we could get caught!" she added earnestly, shooting Hermione her best crooked smile. Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled as they made their way towards the locker room and off to Gryffindor Tower.
The trip back to King's Cross Station felt like it went by far too fast. Hermione was off doing her final Prefect patrol for the year with Dean, and Ginny sat with Katie, Demelza, Colin, and Ritchie. About halfway through the trip, Harry asked for a private word with Katie, and when she returned, she had quite the mischievous smile on her face.
"What was that about?" Demelza asked.
"Oh, nothing. Harry just had a favor he wanted to ask of me."
"Oh yeah? Something related to Quidditch?" Ginny asked.
"Not really, no."
"Then what?" Ginny pushed.
"I believe I'm entitled to a secret or two, don't you think?" Katie asked, smirking at Ginny.
"Will you tell me?" Demelza asked.
"Oh, of course," Katie said, kissing Demelza on the temple.
Ginny rolled her eyes while Colin and Ritchie laughed, "Oh so you'll tell your girlfriend, but not your little sister? That's real nice."
"Shouldn't you be used to that, as the youngest sister of what, ten older brothers?" Ritchie asked.
"It's six, thank you very much…" Ginny muttered, eyeing Ritchie. "Why are you on her side? You know you'll have to deal with me for two more years? She'll be off somewhere playing professionally, she won't be able to save you from my Bat-Bogey Hex!"
"That's a good point, you should be sucking up to her," Katie agreed, nodding. Ritchie paled a bit, and the rest of the group laughed.
The trip continued on like that until they arrived at King's Cross, with all sorts of back-and-forth banter. Once they heaved their trunks off the train, Ritchie and Colin took off, Ritchie to find his dad, Colin to find his brother and then their parents, and Katie pulled Ginny off to the side.
"Let's keep this short and sweet. Give me a hug."
Katie pulled Ginny in tight. It was just the same as the day before, a strong, emotional hug that Ginny didn't want to let go of. She loved Katie so much, and she couldn't believe she wasn't quite sure when she'd see her next. She stepped back and took a deep settling breath that didn't settle her quite as much as she would've liked.
"Write to me, alright? I want to know everything that happens at these upcoming trials. And I do want your first autograph once you sign somewhere…" Ginny said, trying hard to keep her emotions from taking over.
"Sounds like a plan. I'm going to walk Demelza over to her dad, he's waiting outside to avoid the crowds. Do you know where – "
"Katie!"
Hermione was fighting her way through the crowd, trying to get to where the three girls stood.
"I'm sorry, we had a few missing pets that we had to find and wrangle for some first years before we were released of our duties for the summer. Good luck at your tryouts!"
Hermione hugged Katie tight, and Ginny smiled at the interaction between two of her favorite people.
"Good luck on your N.E.W.T.s, and with this one. Let me know if she gets out of line, alright?" Katie said, nodding over at Ginny.
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed.
"I will. And Demelza and I will be fast friends," Hermione said, smiling warmly at Demelza, "Everything will be just fine next year. We've got it."
Demelza and Ginny hugged and said their goodbyes, as did Demelza and Hermione, before Katie grabbed her trunk as well as Demelza's.
"Alright you two, have a good summer! Hopefully I see you sooner than later," Katie winked, and then she and Demelza began walking away. Ginny watched them until they were out of sight.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked.
Ginny took a deep breath, then turned to Hermione and nodded, "Yes, I am. I will be, at least. How could I not, when I've got you?"
"Always so sweet and charming, aren't you?" Hermione smiled, leaning in for a kiss.
"For you? Always." Ginny smiled back. "Alright, so you'll be in a few days before the wedding?"
Hermione nodded, "I think it would be best, so I can help set up or help your mum relax, or do whatever is needed."
"I don't care about any of that, I just want you at the Burrow so we can – "
" Ginevra Weasley… You are unbelievable, you know that?" Hermione interrupted, shaking her head with a half-appalled, half-entertained look on her face. Then she stepped close to Ginny, leaning in to speak in her ear, "I'll think of nothing else these next few weeks…"
Ginny felt a sudden surge of heat flood her body, and she looked at Hermione in amazement. Hermione lifted an eyebrow and smirked, before kissing her one last time.
"I'll write soon. I love you, Ginny. See you in a few weeks," Hermione said before grabbing her things and making her way off towards the exit, Crookshanks meowing irritably in his cat-carrier.
Ginny blushed and ran a hand through her long, red hair before lifting Arnold the Pygmy Puff up and placing him on her shoulder. She sighed, grabbed her things, and went off to find Ron. The last kiss from Hermione still lingered on her lips, and her words were engrained in her brain – "I'll think of nothing else these next few weeks…" Ginny knew that these next few weeks would be excruciatingly long, she had no doubt.