Hogsmeade
12:03 pm

Hermione didn't remember falling asleep. But when she was woken up by Ginny, she realized that they had arrived in Hogsmeade.

'C'mon Hermione, we have to go. Everyone else left already,' Ginny said, shaking Hermione's arm.

'Let me stayyyyy,' whined Hermione. She didn't want to get up. She had a fantastic dream that she slapped Ron.. AND Malfoy, for being such jerks.

'Don't make me pour water on you.' Ginny said letting go of Hermione's arm, but placing her hands on her hips.

'You wouldn't.'

'Are you testing me, Hermione Granger?'

'.... No?' Hermione said. But as the words slipped from her lips, she felt unsure of her answer. 'She's going to pour water on me either way... Oh well. Might as well die young.' She thought.

'Then get up. Now.' Ginny said while moving her hands slowly towards a full water bottle. 'If you don't get up on three, you're a goner.'

Hermione lay still, for she didn't want to move. Yes, she was being stubborn, but she didn't want to go...

'One.'

Hermione lay still. Not wanting to move.

'Two.'

Hermione heard the bottle opening.
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to move right?

'Three!'

At last second, Hermione decided to move out of dangers way.
So naturally, she rolled off the bench seat that she was laying on and fell to the floor to avoid getting wet.

'Are you stupid or stupid?' Ginny asked, looking down. 'I wasn't going to actually pour water on you.'

'And you won't need to. I'm up, see? No need to threaten me with water.'

'You're not up, you're on the floor. But now that I think of it, you need this water. You look like a wreck, so out of the kindness of my heart, I'm going to pour the whole bottle on you.'

Hermione covered her face and tried to fidget away as she saw the water fall from the rims of the bottle. 'AAAARRRRRGGHHHH GEROF'FME!' She yelled. 'Fuck you, Ginny. I love you, but fuck you.' Hermione thought to herself as she felt the cool water in her face.

When Ginny finally stopped, Hermione quickly got up from the floor.

'Bitch.'

'Anytime,' Ginny replied with a smile.

Hermione smiled you know now that I feel so much better I think I should think you with a big... HUG'

'OH MY MERLIN YOU'RE TOUCHING ME' Ginny squealed, surprised by the sudden bearhug. The two girls laughed it off and grabbed their things as best as they could as to not ruin them.

'Ugh. How do I look?' Hermione said feeling the front of her body, hair and clothes for any dry areas.
Sadly, there were none. Hermione wanted to be bad, she really did, but after living with the Weasley's for the summer she realize that there was no way she could ever stay mad at Ginny.

'You look much better than before. Your cheeks were red and wet and your eyes were puffy. And your hair? Bigger than big. Even a lion would be intimidated... I was doing you a favor, you look much more refreshed.'

'Gee, thanks for making me feel like a million bucks.' Hermione said gloomily, as she was exiting through the train.

'Like I said, anytime. Now, want to tell me why you looked like shit 3 seconds ago?'

-

As Ginny and Hermione were just finding the last threstral to Hogwarts, Hermione was explaining to Ginny what happened on the train with Ron and Malfoy.

'Don't think too hard on it. Ronald Weasley was never one to think of others anyways. And Malfoy? Please, I don't think he's ever had a thought of others feeling but himself.' Ginny said with confidence.

'Yeah, but still...'

'And besides,' Ginny added, 'you don't actually like Ron that way... do you?'

'The thing is, is that I don't know myself. I never thought of Ron anything else but a friend. Nothing more.' Hermione said.

'Yes, so why do you care so much about his other relationships?' Ginny asked.

'I don't really know.' Hermione said, looking out of the carriage window. They were about 20 minutes away from entering Hogwarts' grounds.

Hermione never really did like Ron as to which he would be 'boyfriend material'.
But she still didn't understand why she reacted the way she reacted when catching him with Lavender...
Hermione decided to brush it off. 'Whatever, I don't really care about it anymore. I'll just put it behind... why do you look so stern?' Hermione asked Ginny.

'Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry, I was just... thinking about something...' Ginny said. She didn't realize that Hermione was still talking about Ron.

'Ginny Weasley can think? I didn't even know she had a brain!' Hermione joked.

'Hey! Don't make me hex you!' Ginny called back to her.

'Please do. Make it a strong hex so I could forget the stupid problems I have with men,' Hermione laughed. 'No wait... with boys.'

But Ginny Weasley had long forgotten the boy problems of her best friend but was worried for her own.

-
Flashback
Hogwarts Express
9:53 am

'Ugh, where is everybody?' Ginny said to herself, but loud enough for Harry to hear.

Ginny and Harry were the only two in the compartment and just finished another game of wizards chess. Ginny won for the second time in a row.

'Neville and Luna are in the bathroom, Ron went M.I.A. so Hermione went looking for him,' Harry replied with a shrug.

'Yes I know, but it shouldn't take this long.' Ginny leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms and legs. 'And by the way, you suck at chess,' she smiled.

'Ha.Ha. Very funny,' Harry said, but smiling back at her.

'Oh my Merlin, he's smiling at me! I hope my hair looks alright,' Ginny thought to herself.

'Her hair is alright... And face... And body...' Harry thought to himself. 'But Cho is much hotter.'

Harry was busy all summer owling Cho.
As rude as it is to Cedric (who passed away), Cho wrote to Harry that she was quite relived of Cedric's passing. Harry asked why because he thought that was a pretty obnoxious thing to say, considering that they were dating, but she wrote to him that he'll find out at school.

Harry hadn't seen her on the bus yet and he wanted to go find her, but he knew that he would feel guilty later on for leaving Ginny by herself.
He'll just have to wait till school.

'So Ginny, you excited for a new year?' Harry asked, leaning back in his seat so that his legs were stretched more. They brushed Ginny's legs.

'Oh um... what?' Ginny asked. She wasn't paying attention to what Harry asked. She was too focused on his leg touching hers.

'I asked if you're excited for a new year of school,' Harry smiled, nudging his leg into hers once more, but this time on purpose. A playful gesture.

'Doesn't he realize how much I want him?' Ginny thought after Harry's leg nudged her own.
'I'm pretty excited, I guess,' Ginny finally answered.

'This year is going to be exciting,' Harry promised. 'I think I'm gonna ask this girl out... and I hope she says yes.'

'I will say yes, Harry,' Ginny thought.
'How cute, so who's the unlucky girl?' Ginny asked playfully.
'Yes yes yes yes yes... this is finally happening. I can't believe it's actually happening.'

'I don't know if I should say just yet...' Harry said cautiously. 'Don't get too excited,' he joked. 'I just know that she is the one,' he said confidently.

'He is going to ask me out, right?' ginny thought to herself.

-
Present
Hogsmeade
12:07 pm

Hermione and Ginny were nearing the great castle of Hogwarts and Ginny couldn't stop thinking of the words her crush said on the train not too long ago.
''This year is going to be exciting,' Harry promised. 'I think I'm gonna ask this girl out... and I hope she says yes.'
This line kept on repeating in Ginny's mind. Maybe Harry wasn't talking about her at all?
He didn't seem that interested in her anyway and he was looking out the compartment door of the train, as if to see someone else. Not her.
Ginny decided to shake out her problems.
Literally, she shook her head like a dog with a flea.

'What's wrong?!' Hermione was startled at the sudden movement of Ginny's red hair.

Ginny realized what she had just done and thought quick of what to say.
'Your shoelaces,' Ginny replied in a grumpy way.

Hermione crouched down, 'But they're tied...' She said to her feet.

Ginny sighed and leaned her lead back, 'only joking. Don't worry about your shoelaces, you're probably the only witch who ties them.'

'Haha. How very funny,' Hermione said sarcastically, 'now tell me what's really wrong.'

'I-I don't know how to say it...' Ginny said quietly.

'Oh that's easy, just say IT.' Hermione said, emphasizing on the last word.

'I... I think I like someone...' Ginny said innocently.

'You think you like someone?' Hermione teased.

'Okay! Okay!' Ginny said holding her arms up in surrender, 'I like someone...'

'And who might this poor boy be?' Hermione said in a joking manner.

'What do you mean, poor boy?' Ginny asked defensively, 'I'm an angel!'

'Mmhmmm, okay, yeah. So who do you like?'

'Well... you see- I think I like, but I don't know for sure if I like him-'

'Stop stalling and tell me!' Hermione cried.

'Ugh okay fine! I like Harry! Shit, you are so feisty!' Ginny finally said, but throwing her arms up and flopping them back down.

There was silence. Hermione was glaring at Ginny with a grimace.

'What?' Ginny asked raising her shoulders.

'How long have you liked Harry?' Hermione said, completely ignoring Ginny's question with one of her own.

'About two months now... since the summer holidays,' Ginny affirmed.

'Oh. Okay.' Hermione said quietly.

The was silence yet again.

Out of the blue, Hermione yelled, 'YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT MY BEST FRIEND LIKED MY OTHER BEST FRIEND FOR TWO MONTHS, BUT SHE DIDN'T BOTHER TELLING ME?!'

'Whoa! What the actual fuck are you yelling about?!' Ginny jumped.

'I'm your best friend and you haven't told me this for two months!' Hermione cried. 'While I was living with you!'

'Hold up, who said you were my best friend?'

'Ugh, you're so disappointing.' Hermione said in a feisty tone.

'Like your shoelaces.'

'But their tied!' Hermione cried, 'wait, are they not?' She said looking down at her feet yet again.

'Well anyway, I was talking to Harry on the bus and he told me something...'

'He just said something?' Hermione questioned, 'like the word, "something" ?'

'No! Obviously not...' Ginny said looking at Hermione with a are-you-for-real look.

'Well then what else did he say?' Hermione asked, losing her patience.

'He-he said he wants to ask a girl out...' Ginny replied, looking at the floor.

'That's good, right? That might be you!' Hermione squealed.

'I don't really know...' Ginny replied sheepishly.

'Why-you-say-dat?' Hermione asked in a quick tone. She was full of alarm when she noticed that Ginny was now breathing heavily.

'B-because,' Ginny shuddered, 'if it would've been me, he would've just asked me out then. But he didn't. We were together for two months over the summer and he barely gave me a second glance when I said hi to him. Or looked really hot or sexy.' She sighed, 'he'd only notice me if I had dirt or something on my face.'

'Honey, don't say that,' Hermione said, patting Ginny's shoulder.

'But its true! I mean, someone as amazing as the Harry Potter would go for a girl who's as amazing as him. He wouldn't go for a poor Weasley girl like me.'

'Don't think like that... plus, there's still a good chance that Harry might like you.'

'Gee, thanks for the encouragement.' Ginny replied sourly.

Hermione didn't know what to say to her best friend. She was bad with advice. Ginny actually liked someone that may or may not like her back. She realized that her dilemma was stupid with Ron (mainly because that was no real dilemma) and wanted to help Ginny.
'I'll help.' Hermione told Ginny.

'What do you mean, you'll help?' Ginny asked.

'I, Hermione Granger, will help her beloved yet stupid friend, Ginny We-' Hermione started.

'Hey I'm not stupid!' Ginny intervened.

'Ginny Weasley,' Hermione continued, 'find the man she wishes to be most with.'

'Thank you.' Ginny told her, giving her a hug.

'Of course, I mean, that's what friends are for, right?'