The Final Year

Chapter 4

Ginny Returns to the Burrow

Later that evening, Hermione, Ron and Mrs. Weasley sat in the living room. Ron was perusing the latest copy of Quidditch Monthly, occasionally stopping to point out a picture of some spectacular move or another to Hermione. However, to her it just looked like a bunch of people flying back and forth. She could never understand what was so exciting about Quidditch.

Mrs. Weasley was knitting one of the many sweaters she was making for this year's Christmas presents, and Hermione was watching her avidly. She had pulled out her own knitting needles and watched as Mrs. Weasley effortlessly charmed hers to make neat and tidy stitches.

"It's so frustrating!" Hermione scowled as her needles clacked together a bit recklessly and dropped a stitch.

"What dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked taking her eyes from the knitting, certain her needles could carry on without her attention.

Hermione turned her attention to Mrs. Weasley and her knitting needles fell with a clink to the floor. "I just seem to be absolutely no good at knitting. And, I can't understand why! I've read at least a dozen books, both wizarding and muggle.."

"You've read a dozen books on knitting?!" Ron exclaimed looking up from his magazine.

"And, I've been practicing quite a bit," Hermione continued glaring indignantly at Ron, "I just don't seem to be improving at all!"

"There, there, dear," Mrs. Weasley said comfortingly, "it just takes some time."

"Oh, I don't know, Hermione," Ron cut in hoping to redeem himself, "I remember the first time I saw a bit of your knitting, I thought it was something Crookshanks had coughed up."

"What?!" Hermione shouted angrily.

"But now," Ron continued, "now, those pot holders you've been making for the house elves are quite nice."

"Pot holders?!" Hermione questioned incredulously. "Ron, those are hats not pot holders!"

"Oh," he answered simply, "perhaps you should try making pot holders instead. Maybe they'd turn up looking more like hats."

Hermione grabbed the throw pillow behind her and began to unceremoniously beat Ron about the head with it.

"Geroff!" Ron muttered between poundings, holding his hands up to fend off the attack while his mother looked on smiling.

CRACK!

The sudden noise from outside stopped Hermione's assault on Ron, as Mrs. Weasley jumped from her chair. "Ginny must be home!"

The three ran out the front door to see the triple-decker, purple Knight Bus on the drive outside. A tall, gangly, and pimply-faced Stan Shunpike was levitating Ginny's trunk out of the bus, and onto the side of the lane as a slightly green-faced Ginny slowly made her way off the bus.

"Thanks," Ginny managed to mutter to Stan as she stepped onto solid ground. She looked as if she opened her mouth any more she might throw up.

"Go help your sister with her trunk," Mrs. Weasley said as she pushed Ron towards the slightly swaying Ginny. Ron and Hermione walked forward as the Knight Bus gave another CRACK! and vanished, leaving a swirl of dust in its wake.

"Ginny!" Hermione said as she gave her friend a hug. Ron gave her a smile and began to levitate the trunk back towards the house.

Mrs. Weasley waylaid them for a moment, hugging her daughter tightly. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes, Mum," she answered as they returned to the Burrow. "Is Dad home?"

"No, not yet, dear," Mrs. Weasley said.

Hermione and Ron followed Ginny upstairs so she could unpack. Hermione sat on the roll away that was serving as her bed and Ron sat down, instinctively, right next to her. Ginny looked curiously at the two friends sitting so closely together.

"So," she started one eyebrow arched, "what have you two been up to these last couple of days without me?"

"Wh.. What?" Ron stuttered moving a few inches away from Hermione and then deciding it would be safer to move completely over to Ginny's bed. "Why do you ask that?"

Smooth, Ron. Hermione thought to herself, shaking her head. "Not much," she answered. "We got some flying in today and Ron showed me the pond yesterday. Oh, and he was almost lynched by a herd of garden gnomes!" Hermione laughed.

"Really?" Ginny said a smile at the thought of it creeping across her face. "Tell me!"

Hermione told Ginny the story, while Ron sulked, saying he didn't find it funny at all. "Little buggers!" Of course, Hermione left out the part after she had bandaged Ron's ankle, only catching Ron's eye for a second and seeing him turn a shade a red that rivaled his hair color.

"So," Ron asked trying to regain his composure, "how was Potions with Snape?"

"Oh, it was miserable!" Ginny said throwing the last of her clothes into her drawer haphazardly and then flopping down onto the cot next to Hermione. Then she looked at Hermione, eyes wide. "Ron told you, I guess?"

"Yeah, he did. I hope you don't mind," Hermione answered.

"No, not really," she sighed. "Bet you think I'm a right idiot, huh?"

"Oh no, Ginny, no!" Hermione said imploringly. "I don't think you're an idiot at all! Everybody needs extra help sometimes. Which is the only part I don't understand. Why didn't you come to me? I would have been happy to help you with Potions!"

"Well," Ginny said, "first, I didn't really want to admit that I was having so much trouble. You know I thought I'd pull out of it okay. And then I just didn't want to bother you really."

"Bother me?!"

"Yes, bother you. I mean, you were taking both sixth and seventh year potions last year! You had enough on your plate!" Ginny replied. "And, then there was everything else going on, you know?" she added quietly, quickly covering her mouth as if she regretted her last remark.

Hermione smiled at her friend, trying to assure her that she wasn't offended. "So the remedial class was miserable..." she prompted.

"Was it that slimy git, Snape?" Ron huffed.

"No, actually, Snape wasn't there much."

Ginny told them how on the first day of remedial potions she sat in the potions dungeon with four other students. Dennis Creevey was the only other Gryffindor, the other three were second and third year Hufflepuffs. Ginny had felt uncomfortable, clearly being the oldest student there, but knew if her hopes of becoming an auror were to one day come true, she had to do it.

Snape had entered the classroom in his usual flourish of black cloak. Menacingly sneering at the small gathering of students, his greasy black locks falling and shading the sides of his face as he looked down his over large nose at the students.

"You are here in Remedial Potions for one reason," he snarled, his baritone voice reverberating powerfully in the nearly empty chamber. "You have failed to perform to even the lowest of standards and cannot pass on to your next year's course." He paused, the silence deafening as the students held their collective breath. "That is unless, you make marked improvement, right here, right now.

"Unfortunately for you, I have more important things to do with my holiday than re-teach lessons that should have been learned the first time. For this reason, Mr. Malfoy will be instructing the class."

"Malfoy?!?!" Ron's voice interrupted Ginny's story. "Lucius Malfoy?! I can't believe Dumbledore would let him anywhere near Hogwarts, let alone teach a class! I thought he was on the run still?"

"Not Lucius, you prat!" Ginny scolded. "Draco."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at the news. "Draco Malfoy taught remedial potions?"

"Oh, yes. And that wasn't the worst part of it." Ginny continued her story. "Snape left right after that and since we were in different years, we had different assignments written on the board. Not much really for Malfoy to do, at first, while we got our ingredients out, so instead he started pacing the classroom. Well, one of the Hufflepuff girls, Abrianna, was sitting right across from me. She's clearly infatuated with the stupid git, because as she was supposed to be getting her potion supplies out, all she could do was watch Malfoy stomp back and forth across the room.

"Well, it didn't take long for Malfoy to notice. He walked right up to her and then bent very close. For a moment I thought he was going to kiss her!

"Instead, I could hear him whisper, 'Are you staring at me?' Well, Abrianna couldn't even speak, she was so nervous. I thought her head was going to explode and Malfoy wasn't backing off. He says, 'Are you having ideas about me?' All the poor girl could do was shake her head, no.

"All the sudden Malfoy stood up laughing hysterically. It was the most bizarre thing! Plus, during break, I heard Abrianna telling one of the other Hufflepuff girls that she took it that Malfoy liked her!"

"You're kidding?!" Hermione said.

"No, I wish I was. Plus, he kept intimidating poor Dennis."

"How?" Ron said, his anger rising at the thought of Malfoy tormenting a fellow Gryffindor.

"Well, he just kept asking him things like, 'Are you sure you want to use bitterroot? Maybe it's bittersweet.' Or, 'Is that how you slice sneezewort?' Even when he wasn't doing anything wrong! By the end of the week Dennis was second guessing everything he was doing."

"That bastard!"

"Hermione!" Ron and Ginny said together, shocked at the outburst by the usually prim and proper Hermione Granger.

"Well, he is!" was all she could say to defend herself.

"Anyway," Ginny continued smiling and shaking her head at her friend, "the whole week was like that. Finally, this morning Snape returned, looking like Hell, by the way, and conducted our practical and written exams."

"Pretty bad when Snape is the highlight of your week," Ron mused.

"That's what I thought," Ginny agreed.

"So," Hermione questioned cautiously, "how do you think you did?"

"Actually," Ginny said a smile breaking across her face, "I think I did quite well! I mean for the last week all I did was eat, drink and sleep potions - well, not literally, we only had to drink one of the potions for testing purposes. Anyway," she continued, "I actually should probably thank ferret face! With him being so annoying the rest of the week, Snape wasn't nearly as frightening, and I was actually able to concentrate on what I was doing."

"Well, I think you should tell Mum and Dad about Malfoy. That way if you don't get high enough marks to get into Snape's NEWT level potions class, you can blame it on him," Ron suggested.

"No!" Ginny said. "That'd be the worst thing in the world! Can you imagine Snape finding out I was questioning his teaching methods?"

"I agree," Hermione concurred. "Plus, Dumbledore probably knows about it. Maybe Snape had to do something for the Order. No, although Malfoy wouldn't be my first choice in assistants, I think it's best to let sleeping dragons lie."

"Fine," Ron pouted, "I'm going downstairs to see if Dad's home yet." Ron got up and leaned over towards Hermione, as if to give her a small kiss goodbye. However, he caught himself and instead moved quickly to kiss Ginny on the top of the head. "Umm... glad your home, Gin."

"What was that about?" Ginny asked suspiciously as Ron quickly left the room.

"Don't know. I've never been able to figure him out really," Hermione answered quickly.

Ginny laughed. "So, tell me about that boy from Eton."

Hermione told her about William and his girlfriend.

"No!" Ginny exclaimed. "Well, we'll have to get you another beaux. Maybe this year you and Harry can finally get together," she said winking at her friend.

"Harry?! You've got to be kidding!" Hermione said, all the while thinking, I actually have a beaux... I think.

"Well we'll find you someone." Ginny went on talking about her and Collin. He had apparently been writing her everyday and was even coming by with his brother, Dennis, the next day. Ginny's words began to blur as Hermione pondered what Ginny had said.

I wonder why she would immediately think of Harry, Hermione thought to herself. I guess Harry and I are close; and he is handsome. She had to admit, more than once she had found herself just staring at Harry's mouth when they were doing revision. For some reason, she just wanted to kiss those lips, at least just once to see what it was like. And, now she was with Ron.

Funny how things turn out, she continued her thoughts. Who would've thought that the pair of them, polar opposites that they were, would actually get together. I guess opposites attract. She knew why she was attracted to Ron. He was first a friend, although she had not been able to confide in him the way she had with Harry, that was okay, she knew she could trust him with her life. That was saying something.

Plus, he was funny. Oh, not as funny as Fred and George, but they were a bit over the top anyway, for her taste. Ron was also quite smart, when he wasn't acting so stupid. He was brilliant at chess, she had to give him that. Plus, perhaps he has extended his emotional range beyond a teaspoon; maybe he's worked up to a whole tablespoon! She thought, laughing silently.

Then there was the physical attraction she had felt when he had taken off his shirt. That definitely had to account for something. She remembered being with Viktor. There was no physical chemistry there at all. It had been torturous to pretend so when she had visited him the summer after their fourth year.

"Hermione! Are you listening to me?" Ginny's voice broke into her private thoughts.

"Wh.. What? I'm sorry, Gin, I was just thinking of something else," Hermione said truthfully.

"Well," Ginny continued a bit hurt, "I was just saying how lucky you are that you don't have to take Potions this year."

"Lucky?" Hermione laughed. "Are you kidding? Instead I've got private tutelage with Madame Pomfrey in Healing. You know how strict she is when someone's sick or injured, can you imagine her as a teacher?!"

"Maybe you should take a break from the academics and find yourself a good man," Ginny suggested wiggling her eyebrows at Hermione.

"Seriously!" Hermione responded as she smiled at her friend. "Is that all you ever think about?"

The remainder of the week went by quickly. Collin and Dennis Creevey did indeed spend the following day with them, and Hermione spent a good portion of the afternoon watching the four of them play Quidditch in the same clearing, where the day before she had spent alone with Ron. Mr. Weasley turned up late each night, while Mrs. Weasley fussed that he wasn't getting enough to eat and that even though he was Minister of Magic now, he didn't have to run the whole government by himself.

Each day was a blur of Quidditch, wizard's chess and listening to Ginny talk incessantly about Collin. Ron had mastered himself quite nicely and didn't slip again around his sister or his parents, when it came to showing any overt affection towards Hermione. In fact, if Hermione hadn't known better, she would've thought their first two days together had been a dream, a pleasant and slightly erotic dream, but a dream nonetheless. Each night, however, she had confirmation that it hadn't been a dream.

Hermione and Ron had developed a routine of sorts. Hermione would wait until Ginny fell asleep, her deep breathing confirming that she was out for the evening. She would listen carefully for Mr. Weasley's grunting snores a floor below, and when all the Weasley family members seemed to be asleep, she gathered up her toothbrush and toothpaste and made her way down the hall towards the bathroom, deciding this would be the perfect ruse should Ginny be awake when she returned. However, instead of making it to the bathroom, each night she stopped outside Ron's bedroom door, which was always left conveniently ajar.

The first night Hermione had snuck into the moonlit room and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed, not certain if she was welcome. Ron quickly waylaid any of those fears, however, as he grabbed her and pulled her roughly to him. For a fleeting moment, thoughts of broaching the subject of what their relationship exactly was crossed her mind, but were gone in a thrice as he nibbled on her earlobe and whispered how glad he was to see her.

The last night Hermione was to spend at the Weasley's was just like the previous nights, except Ginny had wanted to spend the entire night talking into the wee hours about Collin and possible suitors for Hermione. Hermione told her that she would consider the rather long list of potential boyfriends Ginny had created, if she would just let her get some sleep. A half hour later, Ginny's rhythmic breathing told her that she had finally fallen asleep.

Carefully, Hermione gathered up her toothbrush and toothpaste, knowing full well that she had just brushed her teeth a couple of hours ago, and made her way silently down the hall towards Ron's room. The door, as usual, was slightly ajar and she entered noiselessly, closing it partially behind her. As she crossed the room towards him, Ron sat up on one elbow, the sheet slipping to his waist and the moonlight reflecting off his broad shoulders.

"What took you so long?" he whispered as he admired the sleeveless nightgown Hermione was wearing.

"Your sister," Hermione replied. "She wanted to talk all night."

"I thought you weren't coming," Ron smiled. "You should've done a sleeping charm on her or something."

"I almost did," Hermione confessed as she sat down on the bed next to him setting her unused toothbrush and toothpaste on his nightstand. "If my wand wasn't packed in my trunk already..."

"I'm going to miss our little nightly rendezvous," Ron interrupted as he ran his fingers lightly up and down Hermione's bare arms sending waves of gooseflesh ahead of his fingertips.

"Me too," Hermione replied honestly. She took a deep breath and was just about to revisit the questions that had bothered her since the beginning, knowing she may not have another chance. Where was this leading? When were they going to tell Harry? Was this just a summer fling or something more? But, Ron's warm, soft mouth kissing his way up her arm distracted her of any worries.

Hermione let out a breath she had forgotten she was holding, as her body trembled under his kisses. Ron's mouth slowly made his up her arm and across the back of her shoulders, as he sat up behind her, stopping momentarily to languish on the back of her neck as his arms wrapped around the front of her protectively. Instinctively, Hermione turned in his embrace and met his mouth eagerly with hers.

CHING-A-CHING-CHING!! The sounds of chains rattling from somewhere above caused Hermione to jump up from Ron's bed suddenly.

"What was that?!" She hissed nervously, her heart pounding in her throat. She wished she had brought her wand along with her.

Ron grabbed her hand and eased her back onto the bed. "It was just the ghoul," he said softly.

"Oh," was all she could reply before his lips were searing into hers and her heart started racing for a completely different reason.

Hermione tilted her head back and let a soft moan escape her lips as Ron kissed his way down the nape of her neck and his hands began to delicately unbutton the front of her nightgown.

BANG!

Ron's bedroom door flew open and the garish hall light flooded his room causing the two to blink stupidly like deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.

"Ron! Did you hear the ghoul? I think he's feeling better!" Ginny shouted excitedly and then stopped, the smile faded from her face as the scene she was seeing began to register. "What, exactly are you two up to?" She asked one eyebrow raised suspiciously at them.

"W... We... We were..." Ron stuttered.

"I... I was..." Hermione continued unintelligibly as she haphazardly buttoned the buttons on her nightgown. "I was just going to brush my teeth," she spat out finally as she grabbed the toothbrush and toothpaste from the nightstand, waggling it wildly in front of her to prove her point. "I think I have a bit of that roast beef caught in a molar. You know how that can be?" She added hopefully.

"Well, I think I got it now," Hermione continued as she got up and made her way towards the door. "Umm, thanks, Ron, for... umm... taking a look at my tooth."

"Uh... yeah..." Ron muttered, "anytime."

Hermione tried to make her way past Ginny, who was planted firmly in the doorway, hands on her hips. "I don't think so," she said simply. "Now, tell me what's going on."

Hermione and Ron stuttered an almost incoherent explanation, neither wanting to say too much, and Hermione listened to see if Ron would say too little. After a few minutes of muttering, Ginny had gotten the picture.

"So, have you told Harry?" she asked.

"No," Hermione said, as she sat back down on the edge of the bed dejectedly, "not yet."

"Well, I think you need to!" Ginny said indignantly. "It's the least you two could do. He is your best friend, isn't he?"

Hermione and Ron both looked down muttering, "Yes," "You're right" and other bits of agreement.

"And you need to tell Mum and Dad too!" she continued sternly.

"Aw, come on, Ginny!" Ron whinged. "You know how Mum will get."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Ginny scolded. "You two will either tell Harry, Mum and Dad first thing tomorrow morning or I will!" With that she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

"Well," Ron started as he looked up pleadingly into Hermione's eyes, "what are we going to say to Harry?"

Hermione took his hand in hers and smiled reassuringly. "We'll think of something."