Falling for Weasleys (Germione/Herminny)

Chapter four: Acknowledgements

Hermione Granger is many things.

She's smart, ridiculously so. She's brave. Loyal. A good friend.

She's also a know-it-all, a terrible girlfriend, stubborn, and gets jealous in gigantic storms of rage that are terrifying to behold.

Sometimes Hermione's good and bad qualities cancelled each other out. Sometimes one side trumps the other.

Sometimes she ended up doing things she didn't really want to do because she knew she was obligated to do so. She would end up in some stupid, avoidable situation due to her loyalty, or she'd create a maze full of dead ends for herself through her stubbornness.

But, today, trudging down the lane towards Hogsmeade, Hermione had to admit that none of that came even close to her current circumstances.

Hermione would've liked nothing better than to stay in the Gryffindor common room, poring over some of the new books she'd ordered in from Flourish and Blotts, studying, and writing- anything to distract her from her freakish feelings of late.

But, one of Hermione's best friends in the world had planned to meet her and the others in Hogsmeade, and she could hardly just disregard that. She hadn't seen Harry in a long time. And, although she wasn't keen on seeing him get all cozy with Ginny, she was looking forward to dissecting his book in detail with him. She also wanted to hear his stories of Auror training firsthand.

So that was how Hermione ended up strolling down the lane accompanied by Ginny, who looked irresistibly pretty today, and Luna Lovegood, who had brought out her radish earrings again.

"Excited?" Hermione asked Ginny, attempting flatly to bring some enthusiasm into her words.

Ginny nodded emphatically, making the bun on the top of her head bob. "Definitely," she said, anxiously adjusting her shirt and brushing microscopic crumbs from her collar. "I just hope he looks the same," she said absentmindedly.

"He will. I bet he still hasn't gotten rid of those glasses," said Hermione with a half-smile.

Ginny answered with a dazzling grin. "He is getting a bit too old for circular frames, isn't he?"

"Well, square frames are bad luck," said Luna suddenly. Hermione started and looked around at her, she had forgotten Luna was there.

"Oh?" Ginny said innocently, her eyes gleaming mischievously. She prodded Hermione in the ribs with her elbow.

"Yes," Luna elaborated. "Seeing through squares is very unlucky. It's a sign of impurity. And it makes it easier for the Heliopaths to get you. That's why people don't have square eyeballs." Her gaze swept away from Ginny and Hermione's expressions, one of amusement and one of polite incredulity, and continued watching the bushes beside the lane with mild interest.

Ginny grew increasingly nervous the closer they became to the Three Broomsticks, in which Harry had promised to wait. Hermione watched Ginny pull at her clothing and examine her fingernails with an odd feeling congealing foully in her stomach.

"You look fine," she whispered, taking pity on Ginny and her anxious state, as Luna lead the way to the pub.

Ginny grinned apologetically and followed Luna into the Three Broomsticks.