Part 19

Harry and Ginny walked as nonchalantly as possible into the great hall where everyone was eating. Hogwarts was awake and whispering among themselves about the oddity that was Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley arriving for breakfast very late, with wet hair. The pair sat down awkwardly, Ginny next to Hermione, Harry next to Ron, and immediately piled food onto their plates, staring at their laps trying to avoid the eye contact of the ghosts, students and unfortunately professors that were intrigued by the anomaly. 

Soon the silence drained from the great hall and laughter and chatter echoed off its walls again. Harry and Ginny stole glances at each other as they began eating when Ron finally asked, "So, where've you two been?" Ginny slowly licked the eggs off her fork as she stared sideways at Harry. He held her gaze for a moment before inhaling and turning to Ron. 

"I showered, dunno about Gin." The redhead caught on quickly and was eating assiduously when Ron glanced at her. "Same." She said, not looking at him. His brow furrowed. "Before tryouts?" They both shrugged. Ron took the story easily and the four continued their conversation casually. Harry and Ginny in truth were both thankful that their precious hours spent together that morning remained a happy memory only the two of them shared. 

After breakfast.

"Now will you tell me what you and Harry actually did?" Hermione moaned from outside the bathroom door. The girls had left Harry to deal with the difficult task of giving Ron a pep-talk and Hermione was now sitting on Ginny's bed as she changed into quidditch clothes. "I already said, 'Mione, it's none of your business." Ginny replied distractedly, leaving the bathroom and grabbing a hairbrush. "You're lucky that I even admitted we were together." Hermione huffed and laid back onto Ginny's messy duvet. "I bet it was romantic." She teased, dreamily. 

"It was nothing of the sort." Ginny answered, slightly too quickly. Hermione sat straight up. "What happened?" She demanded. "What?" Ginny said, innocently. "Something is wrong." 

"Nope. 

"Don't fib."

"Not fibbing." 

"Did you kiss?" 

"'Mione!"

"Oh come on, Ginny. If you don't tell me now you know I'll find out later." Ginny sighed, having finished brushing her hair, and shooed Hermione off her bed to straighten the sheets. "You know Estelle Rooker? That small blondie in my year?" 

"Yes. That girl you were staring daggers at while Harry was helping her with homework." 

"Oh, shush. Well, she's got a crush on Harry and reckons he likes her back. I told her to ask him out." Hermione's eyes widened. "Why would you do that?" Ginny slammed a pillow onto the now-made bed. "Because I've got a boyfriend and I don't like Harry." She replied simply. "Well obviously not if you're so worried about this Rooker girl." Hermione scoffed sarcastically. Ginny threw the brunette a look who put her hands up in surrender. 

"I'm going to head to the stands early and pray that Ronald doesn't throw up. Good luck, Gin." Ginny offered a smile. "Thanks, I'm sure I'll do okay." Hermione slipped out the door, but not before calling behind her: "I wasn't talking about quidditch!"

In the stands, with Hermione. 

Hermione observed the tryouts from afar. She noticed right away among the large crowd, a group of Ravenclaws, Hufflepuffs, and even a Slytherin giggling near the back of the pitch. Swiftly Harry sent them off and the trials began. There weren't many other setbacks besides a group of girls who only giggled hysterically when Harry blew his whistle. 

Among them, Hermione observed, was Estelle Rooker, the girl that Ginny was talking about. Hermione watched carefully as Harry walked over to them. Four or five of the girls scurried off immediately, leaving only the blonde.

Hermione shifted in her seat as Estelle motioned to a corner of the pitch. Harry shook his head but Hermione saw faintly that Estelle had stuck her lip out and was pouting. Harry sighed and lead her over there as Hermione rolled her eyes. His hand rested lightly on the small of her back. 

Estelle spoke for a moment and Hermione held her breath. Harry paused, then said something else, and nodded. Estelle smiled brightly and sauntered off. Hermione slumped in her seat, she thought for sure that Harry was interested in Ginny. Ginny. Hermione's eyes darted to the redheaded girl. 

She looked fine, as she usually did, but there were few people that would notice the glint that left her eyes and how she started to fidget when she was upset. She hid it well, Hermione thought. But without question, Ginny was disappointed. 

For the remainder of tryouts, Ginny did well to avoid Harry's gaze and focus on the game. She made the team, of course, and at the end, Hermione and Ginny regrouped in the Great Hall. 

The grand expanse was deserted, with the exception of a few Ravenclaws on the opposite end of the hall. Ginny was thoughtfully chewing a mince pie, a blank expression on her face. "Alright." Hermione said, clearly fed up. She pulled the plate away from her. "What?" Ginny whined, crumbs dropping from her mouth. 

"I've been sitting here for 15 minutes watching you eat mince pies, which you don't even like, waiting for you to tell me something that I already know!" 

"Which is?" Ginny said torpidly.  

"You like Harry!" Hermione cried, throwing her arms up. The exclamation bounced off the walls of the great hall but Ginny didn't seem fazed. "God, Hermione  say that louder, would you? I'm not sure France heard." She grumbled. "And I suppose I'd figured that one out for myself, thanks."

Hermione sighed quietly. "You have to break up with Dean. This isn't fair to him." 

"I already have, Hermione. Just before practice, I ended it." The brunette looked at her sympathetically. "So what now?" She asked quietly. "Now I get over him again, Hermione. He's with Estelle now, remember?" 

"Right." Ginny nodded, pulling the mince pies towards her again. "Before Saturday, though." She said, almost to herself. "He and I have detention on Saturday."