Falling for Weasleys (Germione/Herminny)

Chapter one: Lonely

"Hermione, the cream from the pitcher is pouring into your lap again."

"What?"

Hermione leaped up from the table. Sure enough, cream had been dripping steadily onto her robes as she sat completely immersed in a N.E.W.T. practice pamphlet. Laughing, Ginny Weasley righted the pitcher and reached for a stack of napkins, which she tossed to Hermione. "I swear, the Great Hall could burn down around you when you're reading and you wouldn't notice."

Both girls stiffened. This was a little too close to the truth of what had happened at Hogwarts last year. Of course, it was all right now, but a lot of friends had died in the battle, including Ginny's brother, Fred.

"Anyway," said Ginny loudly as Hermione sat back down at the table, swatting at her robes with the napkins. "Can you take a night off from studying tomorrow? I want to show you something." She sounded excited. Her hazel eyes sparked as she reached for a platter of meat pies.

Hermione frowned. "N.E.W.T.s are in three months, Ginny."

"Yeah, three months." Ginny took a enormous bite of meat pie. She was always starving after Quidditch sessions. "Lighten up, Hermione. One night off won't kill you."

Hermione bit her lip, feeling conflicted. she definitely didn't want to skip a night of studying, but she'd do most anything to hang out with Ginny. Wait, what? She would?

"I'm going to take a shower," said Ginny, making a face. She snatched a tart from Hermione's plate, grinned at her, and pranced away. She was stopped by at least four other 7th years on her way out. After all, Ginny was the most popular girl in their year.

Hermione went back to her pamphlet, keeping a watch on the cream pitcher. After a minute or so, she stood up, folded her pamphlet, and headed on her solitary way to the common room.

As she started up the marble staircase that led to the upper levels, she passed a certain portrait and stopped, as usual, to gaze at it.

A group of people were sitting around a wooden table not unlike the Gryffindor table she'd just left, but it was stamped with the school's logo, not just one of the house's. The people all wore Hogwarts robes, and were chatting merrily away to each other. Hermione felt a tear slipping down her cheek as she looked at the plaque beneath it:
"In memory of those who fought and lost their lives in The Battle of Hogwarts."

Hermione spotted Fred Weasley on the left, talking to Colin Creevey and shuffling a pack of cards. Remus Lupin and Tonks were holding hands in the back, smiling at each other.

Hermione wiped the tear off her cheek, smiling at the faces of her departed friends. She especially liked how the portrait included graduates of Hogwarts as well.

Hermione let her fingers brush across the canvas of the portrait. "Hey, don't do that!" Laughed Fred. "You're making me drop my cards."

"Sorry," whispered Hermione. Other people, having finished dinner, were starting into
the Entrance Hall and up the staircase, forcing Hermione to keep moving. She continued on her way, making sure to jump the trick step.

"Password?" The fat lady's portrait who guarded the entrance to Gryffindor tower asked, smoothing out a crease on her sleeve.

"Incarbatus," Hermione said.

"Correct," The fat lady trilled, swinging forward to admit her. Hermione climbed through the portrait hole and into the common room, which was mostly empty, dinner having been finished only moments before, but Hermione could hear the clamor of approaching Gryffindors and hurried to sit in the next-best armchair by the fireside, the best one being taken by a sombre-looking Dennis Creevey, who was bent over a O.W.L. practice paper.

Hermione opened her bag and pulled out Slughorn's Potions Essay, a quill, and a bottle of ink. Well, there's no Ron or Harry to bother you now or beg you to do their work for them, Hermione thought, wondering why she didn't feel relieved at all about this.

She went to work, the common room getting progressively fuller and noisier around her. She paused only a few times to measure her parchment or re-fill her ink bottle. She spotted Ginny come in, her hair damp, and leave to sit with some friends with a little wave to Hermione. Hermione felt a brief stab of annoyance that Ginny wasn't sitting with her, which she quickly dismissed. Ginny has other friends.

At half past midnight, when Hermione had finished all of her homework long ago and was reviewing her notes, Ginny  came wandering over, wearing a dressing-gown over her clothes.

"How's the work coming?" She asked, plopping down in the chair Dennis Creevey had vacated.

Hermione put her quill down and stretched. She was stiff and exhausted. "All right," she yawned.

Ginny snorted. Her hair looked pretty when it had just dried, thick and wavy. "Yeah, right. You look exhausted. Hermione, how can you do this? All your homework and extra studying and your Head Girl duties and S.P.E.W.? I can barely manage Quidditch and homework."

"Well, you are the Quidditch captain." Hermione shoved her notes back into her bag. "Maybe you're right... maybe I should go to bed."

Ginny smiled. She had a really cute smile. "You know I'm always right."

"I don't know about that." Hermione snapped her bag shut and leaned back in her chair, rubbing her eyes. Ginny's voice floated to her from very far away, falling softly on her ears like snow. "Any news on your parents?"

Hermione had done her job too well. The memory charm she'd used on her parents to protect them from the Death Eaters last year made them impossible to trace, and the Ministry wasn't exactly sending out search parties at the moment. They had enough to do with all the recovery from the war on Voldemort. Harry, who was going through the Auror training program at the moment, told her everything he could in his frequent letters. Ron, who was also in the program but not doing anywhere near as well as Harry, didn't write. Why would he, after the big fight?

"Hey." A pair of arms wrapped around Hermione from behind, and a chin rested itself on her shoulder. "We'll find them."

Ginny was warm and comforting, and it took all Hermione's willpower not to melt into her. Her long red hair tickled Hermione's back, and a little shiver ran down her spine. Stop it, Hermione.

"And if they really can't be found?" Hermione said in a high, pinched voice.

Hermione could feel Ginny smiling into her shoulder. "I'll adopt you."

"Seriously, Ginny." But Hermione couldn't help cracking a smile.

"Mum will take you in. She'd be delighted to." Ginny let go of Hermione, leaving her with an odd sense of loss.

"Um, Ginny..." Hermione gave Ginny a look. "I don't think that will work."

"Why not- oh, right. Ron. That asshole." Ginny extended her hand to Hermione and pulled her up. "well, you can live with me and Harry then. Or get your own place." She threw Hermione's bag to her and started towards the girl's dormitories. "Lets go to bed."

"Right..."

But Hermione just stood there. Lost in thought. Thoughts of how it felt when a certain red-haired girl hugged her and grabbed her hand. And wishing she didn't have to let go.

Oh crap.