A Fluke of Sorts

Coming To A Full Circle

Ginny Weasley curiously shifted her gaze from Hermione to Cedric and back. "Hermione, what's up with you and Cedric?"

"Nothing." Hermione answered absent-mindedly as she slapped at Ron's outreaching hand aiming for her untouched apple pie. "I am planning to eat that later Ron."

"Don't need such a hard slap for that." Ron shot her a dirty look. Hermione scowled in return.

"Why is there nothing going on between you and Cedric?"

Hermione turned her attention to the youngest Weasley. "Because there really is nothing going on. We are really good friends, that's all."

"For now." Harry added from beside her.

"But why –"

"Ginny, as much as I appreciate your concern, I think my love life doesn't play much of an influence in yours. And you and I know you sure don't, seeing as you are already in a relationship and I am not."

"That's the thing. You could be in a relationship."

"But I'm not."

"And why not?"

"Ginny," Hermione sighed wearily, "is there some reason you are up to the whys and whats today? Please don't tell me you are about to start on the hows as well."

"I'm tempted to." Ginny grinned wryly.

"Look, we've got other things to be concerned of, like Umbridge's rapid witch hunt. And then there was Professor Trelawney's dismissal. I can't imagine what's going to happen next."

"Think she's going to get to us?" Ron asked in a low voice.

"We've just got to be extra careful." Harry replied as he took a quick look at their Defense Against Dark Arts professor.

"Umbridge's simply trying to find a reason to dismiss Dumbledore." Hermione pointed out with a frown.

"Well, she's bloody hell mental."

"We all know that, Ron." Harry muttered.

"She's out for blood." Ron grumbled.

"She's already had mine."

"Harry." Hermione looked at the messy, raven-haired boy with a distraught look. Harry shot her a tight apologetic smile.

"Will you boys stop distracting her from the subject?" Ginny bristled. Harry and Ron looked at Ginny in surprise. Hermione's eyebrows raised a notch as a look of amusement appeared on her features.

"I'm off to the library. I'll see all of you later." Hermione said and stood up, making sure to grab her apple pie along – much to disappointment of Ron. Over at the next table, Cedric Diggory stood up and excused himself. Harry, Ron and Ginny watched as the Gryffindor witch met the Hufflepuff prefect mid way and they walked out of the Great Hall together.

"It's denial." Ginny declared.

"Leave them be Ginny. They will come around to it when they are ready." Harry said as he took a drink of his pumpkin juice. "Hermione's just isn't the type to rush into something."

"Except for homework." Harry and Ginny laughed at Ron's words.

When their DA meeting proceeded that night, Cedric and Hermione had walked in together with their heads close to one another, in a quiet conversation. Ginny shook her head exasperatedly as Lavender and Parvati giggled appreciatively. Fred and George had nudged one another but said nothing. There was no denying that the DA members were fully aware of Cedric and Hermione's increasingly close friendship. When the pair looked up, everyone quickly averted their gazes. Between Cedric and Hermione, their hexes weren't anything to mess with – unless one had a death wish to fulfill. Their DA practice went on for almost an hour, Hermione paired with Cedric as they tried to conjure their Patronus once more.