Risking True Feelings

It was Harry, Ron and Hermione's final year at Hogwarts. Ginny was in her sixth year and was turning out just like Fred and George. Earlier that day, Ginny hunted down all of the Gryffindors, asking them to join a new club.

Midnight Madness was a club that took place every Thursday night, at midnight in the Gryffindor common room. They would stay up late playing games.

"Not childish games, either," Ginny explained to Hermione. "We can play games like Truth or Dare and Spin the Bottle and anything like that."

"That sounds great!" Hermione told Ginny.

It was now eleven, as Hermione found herself heading down the stairs to the common room.

When she opened the doors to the common room, she found Ginny, Harry, and Ron setting up for the evening's activities.

"Why wasn't I invited?" Hermione teased.

"We thought you'd be busy with homework, or some rubbish like that," Ron mocked her.

"So, you're going to fail Potions, just to have a bit of fun?" Hermione asked Ron.

Ron thought about it a bit and said, "Yep."

Ginny giggled and nearly tripped over a box of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

"What are you going to do if a teacher hears us?" Hermione asked Ginny.

Ginny stopped laughing and said, "Well, that's where you come in, actually."

Hermione grinned and nodded. She had been waiting to try out this charm all summer. She went over to the Fat Lady's Portrait and placed an Imperturbable Charm on it.

"We also have the Marauder's Map, incase a teacher or a house elf shows up," Harry reminded them.

"What would it matter if a house elf came in?" Ron asked.

"Because Dobby is a bit stupid and might accidentally tell on us," Harry told him.

"House elves are not stupid, Harry, they're just controlled by humans," Hermione corrected Harry. "It's-"

"Slave Labor," Harry, Ron and Ginny chorused.

"Exactly, and they don't realize that they could have a better life than this," Hermione continued.

"Hermione! They're happy, even if you think they're brainwashed. You need to get it through your head, that they like serving people," Ron argued.

While Ron and Hermione continued arguing, Harry asked Ginny, "What are we playing, tonight?"

"I reckon we'll vote on that when people arrive."

"We should, probably, pull up some of the chairs into a circle. We don't want to have to scream across the room, even with the Imperturbable charm."

"Good idea," Ginny agreed, walking over to the nearby sofa and grabbing one end. "Are you going to help me?"

"Do I have any choice?" Harry asked.

Ginny scowled at him as he grabbed the opposite end of the sofa and moved it toward the other chairs.

"Harry, do you, are you," Ginny started.

"Am I?"

"Never mind," Ginny said and ran off to get something from her dormitory.

"Where did Ginny go?" Hermione asked, realizing she was gone.

"Ran up to the dormitory," Harry said, still confused about what just happened.

Hermione ran up the stairs to the dormitory and entered. Ginny had locked herself in the bathroom. "Alohomora"

Ginny was washing her face, drenching it with water, rather.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing, I just need to wash my face."

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, don't you dare lie to me. I know you're crying, but I want to know why," Hermione told her.

Ginny wiped off her face and walked into the, now empty, dormitory. She sat down on her bed.

"Hermione, you know I fancy Harry, right?"

Hermione looked a bit shocked, but Ginny continued, "I just made a fool out of myself in front of him."

"What did you do?" Hermione asked curiously.

"I was going to ask him if he fancied anyone, but I got all tongue tied, and I didn't know what to say."

"Ginny, Harry won't think you're bonkers until you've done something really odd. That was nothing. You'll be fine," Hermione comforted her. "Now, let's go downstairs, everyone is waiting for us."