"You allright?" asked Ginny softly,
"Oh yes, perfect!" replied Hermione acidly. Ginny sighed, and sat down beside her.
"Oh, don't mind Harry. He can be such a stupid prat at times."
"I noticed," said Hermione. She stabbed at her parchment with her quill, leaving a large blot of ink.
"Damn!" she said loudly, causing Madame Pince to look their way with a sharp glance. Ginny smiled apoligeticly, and turned back to Hermione.
" Do you need any help?" she said, desperate to do something.
"Yes actually, could you look up the Ring of Veritus?"
"Sure." replied Ginny in relief. She grabbed "The Book of Magical Jewelry and Ornements" and started leafing through it, the sparkling replicas hanging off the book jangling quietly. As Hermione scrubbed at her parchement, attempting to remove the ink blot, Ginny said suddenly,
"Here it is! It-" But Hermione, who was staring at the Wall of Quidditch located behind Ginny, suddenly interupted.
"Bill, and Charlie are very handsome, aren't they?" Ginny, startled, glanced behind her at her brother's smiling faces, hanging from the Quidditch captain part of the wall.
"Um, yes, I suppose so....." said Ginny, glancing at Hermione," Anyway, this ring-" but Hermione burst in again.
"Ron looks alot like them, doesn't he" she said, sounding almost fuzzy, still staring at the pictures.
Now Ginny was disturbed, and she looked hard at Hermione, not answering. Suddenly, she notcied her necklace, glowing with an almost inhuman light.Ginny stared at it. It looked familier somehow, like she had seen it before....... Hermione was looking at her, with a puzzeled expression.
"What?" she said. Then it hit Ginny.
'Hermione!" she exclaimed," your necklace, its in this book!!!!" Ginny reached for the book, making the little charms jingle.
"See, its right here!" said Ginny excitedly, looking at Hermione," Look!" And it was. There in the book was an exact picture of the necklace upon Hermione's neck. But Hermione didnt' seem too interested. Glancing at the wall once more, she gathered up her books, and started stuffing them into her bag.
"Excuse me," she said in a funny voice," There is someone I need to talk to!"
"But wait!" said Ginny standing up," Dont you want to know about your necklace?"
" O, right," said Hermione, looking at the page. Quickly and decisivly, she ripped it right out of the book, and stuffed it into her bottle green cloak. Then, Hermione turned on her heel and walked quickly out of the library. A very confused Ginny watched her go.
Honestly, she is acting stranger and stranger lately! Thought Ginny to herself.
Well, I supppose I had better go talk to Harry. And with that, Ginny hurried out of the library, leaving the glittering book with the page ripped out sitting open on the table.
* * *
Hermoine burst into the common room, her eyes seaching a for certain familier face. She didn't notice Harry walk up behind her, and tap her on the shoulder. She spun around, only to twist her face angrily at the sight of him.
"Look Hermione, I just wanted to say that I'm-" Hermione cut him off.
"Im sorry Harry, but I am still to angry to talk to you, much less forgive you." Harry's face clouded over.
"Fine, if thats the way you want it," he snapped, and stalked off. Hermoine sighed. Well, maybe that was a little rough, but things are easier this way. Suddenly, she spotted Seamus sitting in one of the armchairs, chatting with Dean and Neville. She hurried up to him.
"Hi Seamus, do you by chance know where Ron is?" Seamus looked up and her.
"Um, yea, I think he headed up to the third level. Said something about practicing for Cha-" But before he could finish, Hermione was streaking off towards the Third Floor.
* * *
"INPENDIMENTA!" bellowed Ron, as a stream of yellow light shot from his wand. It hit the beetle on the floor, making it scuttle in slow motion. Suddenly the door creaked, and Ron turned to see Hermione sliding into the room. She smiled at him, and began walking towads him, the glow from her neclace illuminating her face in the dimly lit room.
"Uh, hey Hermione," said Ron, absently running his hand through his hair. Hermione didn't say anything, but kept looking at him with that same odd expression on her face.
"Look, about yesterday, I -" he trailed off as Hermione slipped her arms around the back of his neck, and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Dont you know silly?" Hermione whispered,'Im here to see you." And when their lips met the whole world melted away.
* * *
"So anyway, she was just acting very oddly," Ginny finished. She and Harry were sitting in the common room for the third night in a row, discussing what had happened earilier that day. Harry sighed.
"Thanks for the full scale report Gin," he said softly,"but right now I dont really care what Hermione does!!!" He smiled at Ginny. and takes her hand.
"You've been such a hug help to me these past couple days Ginny. I dont know what I would have done without you" Ginny smiled, and looked into Harry's bright green eyes. Neither one of them seemed very willing to break the gaze, when suddenly, the clock on the wall rang eleven o clock. Both of them looked up towards it, startled.
"Well, I suppose we'd better get to bed," said Harry, in a funny voice.
"Yes, I suppose we better," replied Ginny, slowly. The two rose from the couch and headed up the stairs, but their little fingers remained locked together. When the reached the landing, Harry looked around, and then back at Ginny, sliding his finger away, his hand falling to his side reluctantly.
"Well, goodnight then," said Harry, looking at Ginny.
"Good night," she answered softly. But as she turned to leave, Harry suddenly grabbed her and pulled her back.
" What am I doing?!" He thought desperatly as his arms encircled her waist. But it was too late, his lips met hers, and it blossomed into a soft, beautiful kiss. When Harry pulled back, they both just stared at each other, cheeks flushed.
"Well, goodnight then," said Ginny, a little breathlessly, and fled into her dorm. Harry just stood there. How could I be so stupid?! Hermione......... But even as he stared up at his ceiling later, unable to sleep, a small smile played at his lips. He was fast asleep when Ron wandered into the dorm, a few hours later.
* * *
