Snow Storm - D.M , H.G

11. Ginny knows

Since her visit to see Hermione the day before, Ginny couldn't stop considering whether Hermione had been telling her the truth about that Ravenclaw. Between the things Harry told her about Hermione's memory sample from the crime scene, and the things Hermione had said about her mystery lover, and last but not least, the sight of Malfoy without a shirt on, she had so many suspicions. What if there was no dirty Ravenclaw lover? What if it'd been Malfoy all along?

But it was something she'd overheard some students talking about that solidified Ginny's desire to go see Hermione. A lot of kids had opinions on what happened with Hermione and Draco at that pub that day, but an entire study group of Hufflepuffs were claiming to have heard some very dirty noises coming from their dorm while leaving the library the very next day. "In broad daylight" they'd claimed.

Maybe it was none of her business, but she was dying of curiosity, and it was this curiosity that had Ginny paying a visit to the Head Dorm shortly after she finished her late breakfast, and in turn finished purging it again. She knocked hard and waited patiently, knowing that Hermione wouldn't be expecting this surprise visit.

Hermione woke that Sunday morning every bit as sore as she expected. Everything hurt, even her head was pounding from the amount of whiskey she had consumed. She hadn't thought that one through, and had not a single hangover cure to speak of. She rolled out of bed, wondering if maybe Draco had one, as she went to her dresser to pull on some clothes.

She had just left her bedroom, on her way to ask him, when she heard a few hard knocks on the door. She sighed wearily and changed course, going to answer the door instead. "Ginny," she said, surprised. She didn't expect a visit so soon after seeing her friend just yesterday, and she wondered if Ron had spoken to her. "Is... everything okay?" Hermione asked. She hadn't looked, but she imagined her hair was probably a bit wild, she'd neglected to dry it before passing out the night before. She could have done a spell, but she'd been so drunk, she had worried she might jinx her hair off in the process.

Ginny offered a very sleepy looking Hermione a smile. "Hey, yeah, everything's fine. I was just hoping we could hang out, talk, without the boys." They didn't get as much girl time together as Harry and Ron thought they did. Most of their time together was spent in classes. "If you're free?" She wouldn't be offended if it was a bad time to talk.

She nodded, stepping aside to let Ginny enter. "Yeah, of course. You want something to drink? Some water?" She offered, because she desperately needed some. She cursed herself for not thinking to do a line or two, it might have helped at least perk her up a bit. She went to the kitchen and poured two glasses. She took a drink of her own, before returning to the living area to sit down. "I don't think Malfoy is up yet, if you want to talk here." She said, not sure if Ginny had something specific to talk about.

Ginny took the glass of water with a quick thanks. She could use it to get rid of the stomach acid taste in her mouth that even a mouth freshening spell didn't seem to defeat. "Yeah, okay," Ginny agreed. If Hermione was shagging Draco, who cared if he overheard? She sat down on the couch, bringing one foot up underneath her as she settled in. She took another drink of her water, and put a hand over her still upset stomach. "Morning sickness is a bitch," Ginny told Hermione with a slight laugh. "Merlin, it's nice to be able to say that out loud. No one else knows yet. It's been a nightmare keeping it from my roommates."

Hermione felt guilty immediately for having forgotten to ask Ginny how she was doing, but to be fair, she had just woken up, and she was in quite a state thanks to Malfoy. "It's as bad as they say?" She questioned with a slight frown. "That has got to be a pain, how often do you feel it?" She asked. She had always heard pregnant women (mostly on television) say that, even though it was called morning sickness, it could hit at all hours of the day. And it was also worse for some women, and for others it was barely a problem.