WARNING! Short and filler chapter ahead!! So please, go easy on me for the length! I will update soon and it will be a better chapter, I promise!
Chapter 5
If Hermione was upset by Harry's little performance in the bathroom, she didn't show it. She even once shared a quick secretive smile with him when no one was looking. They sat next to each other at dinner, but they made sure not to touch each other or talk too much, since Ron was sitting across from them. Ron may have been subtle, but Harry still noticed him keeping a watchful eye on them.
Dinner was longer than usual, due to the many speeches given in honor of Bill and Fleur. It was a little after eleven when things started to quiet down and Hermione leaned into Harry, telling him she was going to bed.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked her quietly when he noticed her fatigue.
"I'm fine, just tired. This was the most active day I've had in awhile."
"Well, sleep good then," Harry said grabbing her arm to help her out of her seat.
"I will. Good night everyone."
Harry didn't last that much longer and said a quick good night, before trudging up the stairs, anxious for sleep. He was halfway up the stairs when he heard someone call his name. He was surprised to see Ginny trotting up the stairs towards him. "Ginny…"
"Harry, I need to talk to you," she said with a pleading look in her eyes.
"It's not going to change anything."
"I know that. Please. Just give me a few minutes."
"Alright," he said after a moment. "Go ahead."
"Here?" Can't we go to my room or…Oh, alright," Ginny said when Harry gave her a look. "I just want to say that I'm sorry for what I did. It was stupid and wrong." Harry stayed silent so she continued. "I also want you to know that I gave you a mild potion, not the strong kind, I would never…"
"That doesn't make it any less wrong, Ginny."
"I know," she assured him. "And I knew it was wrong, that's why I tried to stop giving it to you, hoping I just gave you a nudge and you loved me on your own." She sighed. "Every time it started to wear off a little, I noticed you tended to drift off to someone else and so I panicked and gave you more."
"Just how did you give me the potion?" Ginny opened her mouth to answer, but Harry held up a hand to stop her. "You know what? I don't think I want to know."
"Well. Anyway, I've been thinking about it a lot and I've wondered if you'd have ever noticed me if I didn't give you anything."
"Guess we'll never know now."
"No. I know. You wouldn't have. If I hadn't interfered, I would be surprised if you were with a certain girl you are very close with."
Harry didn't have to ask who. "Ginny, we're just friends." Or were they?
Ginny snorted a laugh. "Yeah, okay. If you say so. Harry, look…I know what I did was unforgivable, but I hope one day you can learn to do so."
Harry wanted to stay mad, she tricked him and that was something he'd never thought she was capable of doing. However, he couldn't help but admire the courage it must have took her to confront him and apologize. "Ginny, I probably won't forget what you did. I thought you were different then the other girls and that you liked me for me. But I know better now and a part of you will always see the famous Harry Potter." Ginny's shoulders slumped as her gaze shifted to the floor. "But, I appreciate the apology." She looked up hopefully. "It took a lot of guts to come to me and admit you were wrong. I know how stubborn you Weasley's are." He gave her a small smile. "So, I forgive you."
Ginny's eyes filled. "Oh, Harry."
"Don't," he said suddenly. "Don't cry. Girls, plus tears, equals a very awkward Harry."
"Sorry," she said sniffing back her tears. "Thank you, Harry. You are one of the most kindest people I know."
Embarrassed, Harry shrugged. "Well."
Ginny smiled and held out her hand. 'Friends?"
Harry hesitated, but then grabbed it. "Yeah. Friends."
Ginny smiled. "See you tomorrow then," she said before turning back and heading downstairs.
Feeling good about the talk, Harry made his way up the rest of the stairs, planning on going straight to bed. The light seeping through the bottom of Hermione's door stopped him. What was she doing up?
He slowly opened the door to see Hermione up in bed with the glow of her lantern surrounding her. A book lay open on her lap and was scribbling something in it, obviously focused on her task. Her tongue was peaking out of the corner of her lips, something he realized she did a lot when she was concentrating. He decided to keep quiet for a moment so he could enjoy the pretty picture she made. Once or twice she would pause to push a loose strand out of face, annoyed that it kept falling right back where it started. Her hair was almost as out of control as mine, he thought as he smiled softly. Was Ginny right? Could there be something there? He didn't know and he didn't want to think about it. At least not right now.
"Why aren't you sleeping?"
Hermione's head snapped up then her eyes widened when she saw him. "Harry!" she shrieked as she slammed her book closed. "I didn't hear you."
Harry raised a brow as she turned red. "What you writing there, Hermione?" he asked as he walked to the bed and sat down at her hip.
"Nothing," she said as she pressed the book against her chest. "Just jotting some stuff in my journal."
"I didn't know you kept a journal," he said eyeing the thick book.
"Honestly, every girl does at some point in there life." She then held up the book and on the cover was an imprint of the Hogwarts crest. "This is my Hogwarts journal."
"Hey, didn't I give you that for Christmas first year?" he asked curiously.
She blushed as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yes, I've been writing in it ever since."
"Really? Am I in there?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really, Harry, what kind of question is that? After all we've been through since then, I found time to mention you now and again."
He grinned. "Were you writing about me just now?"
"No," she said a little too quickly.
"Liar. What did you say?"
"What a complete prat you are," she huffed and shooed his seeking hands away. "Go away, Harry, you can't see it."
"Maybe I'll just sneak in later while you are asleep and take a peak."
She lifted her chin. "Wouldn't matter, I cast a password for it."
"Bet I could figure it out."
"Bet you could, but the book only knows my voice."
Harry snapped his fingers. "Drat."
"So," Hermione said placing the book aside. "Everyone still downstairs?"
"I think so. I, uh…talked to Ginny. Well. She came to me actually."
"Oh? What she say?"
Harry told her the gist of the conversation, leaving out the part where Ginny mentioned Hermione. "I'll never forget what she did, but now I guess we can be civil to each other."
"I'm glad you two talked. She probably still isn't too happy with me."
"I'm sure she'll apologize to you tomorrow." Sensing her guilt, he took her hand. "You did what you had to do, Hermione. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be in the dark."
"I know, I don't regret it," she assured him, then waved it off. "Let's not talk about it."
"Alright, I'll go so you can sleep. Or, are you going to finish writing about me in your journal."
"I'll probably finish to a stopping point then…" She trailed off when he grinned. "Tricky, Harry. Very tricky."
"I thought so," he said with triumph as he stood up to go, but then turned back when he remembered something. "Oh, Hermione?"
"Yeah?" she asked as she grabbed her journal.
"I'm thinking that tomorrow…after the wedding…I might go to my parents house."
"Really? So soon?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm kind of anxious to see it, but…I want you and Ron there." Especially you.
"Of course," she said reaching out for his hand and squeezed it. "We can leave and stay as long as you like."
"I don't know how long I can stay," he said sitting back down when she gave him a little tug. "I might want to leave right when we get there."
"Whatever you want, Harry, we'll do it. It's going to be hard, but we'll be there right with you."
"I know," he said giving her a small smile. "Thanks, Hermione." He then leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, pleased to see that it made her blush. "So…you going to write about that kiss in your journal?"
"Oh! You're impossible!" she exclaimed as he pushed him off the bed.
Harry grunted as she shoved her, grunted again when he fell on the floor, but now he was on his back, laughing himself silly while Hermione started to write furiously in her journal.