In Sickness and in Health

{18}

Ginny had reached out to Hermione a few days after she had entered into the newly strange relationship she had with Neville. By all means they were still friends, but ones with... benefits attached, you could say, of the most intimate kind. Hermione loved the time they spent together, and the softness about Neville, and she never complained about her new situation.

Ginny, however, was a curious witch and wanted to know everything about her dalliance with Neville. So, they had agreed for lunch that day, and with particularly good timing, it seemed.

Hermione saw Ginny enter the Hog's Head and nearly bowled her over in a hug. She hadn't properly digested having her friend back until then, and she was glad to finally let it sink in.

"You look happier than you've been, how's the situation been?"

"Good, really. I don't see Ron, and I've just been plain ignoring Harry. And, Severus and I only talk on occasion, but Neville..."

Ginny raised a brow and threw down her bag, sliding into a booth across from Hermione, a raised brow and suggestive glances her only response.

"It's been fine," Hermione told her with a laugh, "He's so sweet. We spend almost all of our free time together at this point... and he knows about Severus."

Ginny's happiness fell like a bird shot from the air.

"Why would you tell him that, Hermione? How are you supposed to have a good relationship with a wizard if he knows you fancy another one?"

"We talked about it, actually. I was drunk, so I wasn't entirely in control of my actions, but he was understanding, and when morning came, he figured maybe it would be good for both of us to relax in a relationship with each other."

"Oh, Hermione, what I would give to be in your position."

Now that warranted surprise from Hermione.

"You have a fancy for Neville?"

Ginny gave her a stern glare and proceeded to lighten her facial features after that. She shook her head.

"I don't he's just a fine piece of wizard, and I happen to also know he's a very good person. I'm honestly surprised he's alright with such a... carefree situation."

Hermione thought on it momentarily and felt the same way.

"Honestly, me as well now that I think on it."

A bartender came over and asked them what they wanted, Hermione ordering a butterbeer and Ginny getting the same. For a brief moment, besides all of the adult drama she felt she was going through, Hermione could have fooled herself that she was back in Hogwarts, ordering butterbeers and such with her friends, only having the stress of assignments on her back. In those days she wouldn't have thought twice romantically about Neville, and her mind would have fully been occupied by Ron. What a poor choice she was seeing that as now.

"Anyways," Ginny interjected her mind's rambling, "Ron has been saying nonsense to me now that you and I made up. He's a right prick, if you ask me, but he's also hinted to missing you believe it or not."

Hermione didn't, but she took Ginny's words as truth because they had spent years together, almost inseparable. Ron, Harry, and her had spent the last several years altogether... it was odd for them to be so separate like this.

"It's certainly in competition with someone telling me I'm a witch."

She was happy to watch Ginny laugh.

"I always wondered how muggleborns felt when they were told such ludicrous things like magic. Then, I wondered how they didn't know about it, but now it's something I don't think I would not want. Sure, we could have possibly avoided a lot more tragedies, but magic brought me people like you, Hermione... and all my other friends as well."