Anyone But Me

Chapter Eighty-Five

She couldn't help it...

Hermione burst into hysterical laughter. Tears started to run down her face at the hilarity of Karma's timing for her downfall. After everything she had gone through... Unable to think of anything else to do, she wiped at the evidence of her guilt as it slid down her cheeks and gave the girl a startled look of horror. "Oh... You... You're serious?!?"

"I wouldn't have had the balls to say it if I wasn't," Ginny said, wearing a pale imitation of the indifferent mask that she had grown used to seeing on an entirely different set of restrained features. "I am spirited, not stupid."

"Are you absolutely positive about that? Because, for the first time since I have met you, I am questioning your genius..." She shook her head as if offended by the proposed identity of her paramour and took a step back. "Honestly, can your guesses get any more ridiculous or insulting?"

"Would you like me to give it a try? Or are we going to spare your pride and skip to the part where you admit who he is if I am wrong?"

Called on her bluff, she scrambled for a way out of the dilemma, "I've told you a million times by now, I cannot tell you who he is..."

"I don't need to know all of his dirty little secrets. All that I want is his name." Undeterred from her goal, the redhead walked over to the closest table and leaned against the ledge to wait for the keenly anticipated divulgence.

"Why does it matter?"

Ginny glared at the empty stone wall in front of her, "Whoever he is... I want to have a private conversation with him."

"Threats like that are not going to encourage me to betray his trust!"

"He needs to be made aware."

"Of what?!?"

"He isn't good for you." A breathing personification of Tisiphone, the sinister look of loathing that distorted her friend's face was alarming. "And if he ever leaves you in the state I found you in again... I will hunt him down. Crucio his ass until he is begging for death. Thankfully, I am merciful. Once I am satisfied, I will hex off his alleged mythical dick and shove it down his throat."

Beyond disturbed by the violent daydream and pure hatred that radiated off of the other witch, Hermione took yet another step back. Afraid of redirecting the rabid fury toward the nearest deserving target, herself, she chose placation as her next tactic. "Ginny..."

"Don't Ginny me!"

"Your anger is justified. That was a hellish traumatizing night, for the both of us, but... Premeditated homicide by castrated penis is a tad too far, don't you think?"

"One night? Like it hasn't been weeks of silent worry, spent watching you struggle to give reason to every one of your breaths. I can't fathom how he managed it but Malfoy slithered in and almost succeeded in poisoning your very essence." Ginny's voice was laced with her own lethal venom as she surveyed Hermione out of the corner of her eye. "Yet... here we are. He is lucky the only thing I want to do is warn him of the retribution that comes with his plans for your demise."

"If he wanted me dead I would be."

They both froze at the realization that her foolishly impulsive defense of the innocent wizard had confirmed the unthinkable. No matter the amount of certainty the youngest Weasley had held in her guess, irrefutable validation of the treachery Hermione was a willing participant in, upended the framework of her entire existence. As punishment for her hubris, she was forced to stand to the side quietly as her friend processed through the stages of grief at an inhumane pace.