Chapter Text
The morning light danced across her figure, as she lay awake staring at the tree canopy from below. Sprawled out beneath the high trees that surrounded the orchard found behind the Burrows garden Hermione enjoyed the moment of peace knowing that it would not last. It wouldn't be long before someone came to fetch her to join in whatever the next activity the boys or god forbid the twins had thought up. Three days had passed since she had arrived at the Weasley's home and so far there had not been a spare moment to even hardly catch her breath let alone sit and read. Which was what had lead her to slip outside early that morning before anyone was awake so she could have a few hours to herself.
Ginny had somehow convinced her mother to let the two of them go to Diagon Alley for the afternoon. Harry and Ron had decided to not join, as an afternoon of Quidditch sounded more appealing. Not that she minded it would be a nice break and she had grown closer with the youngest Weasley during the previous school year so she was looking forward to a girls day out, it wasn't often that she was able to act like a normal teenage girl what with having two boys for best friends.
"Hermione!"
'Speak of the devil' Hermione chuckled thinking to herself as she turned her head to see Ginny making her way towards the tree line.
"What are you doing out here?" Ginny asked flopping down beside her.
"Not a lot just a bit of reading" Hermione said gesturing to the forgotten book that lay beside her in the grass.
"Nicholas Sparks?" Ginny read having picked the book up to look at the front cover "Since when do you read romance novels" she asked having turned the book over to read the blurb.
"Just felt like a change" Hermione shrugged choosing to ignore the raised eyebrow that Ginny was throwing her along with the smirk that had stretched across her lips.
"If you say so" Ginny laughed opening the book up to a random page letting silence fall upon them for a short while as she read a page.
"Thoughts?" Hermione prompted as she rolled onto her stomach resting her elbows in the grass to rest her head in her palms.
"Why can't real life be this romantic?" Ginny sighed dramatically snapping the book shut placing it back on the ground "If only things like that happened for real"
"Oh come on Ginny you are the most hopeless romantic I know" Hermione laughed shaking her head "If anyone is going to end up with a fairytale romance it'll be you I'm sure"
"So far no luck on that front" Ginny sighed but despite the dejected words a small smile graced her lips.
"I wouldn't be so sure" Hermione said grinning thinking about the looks she had seen Harry direct towards the younger girl "I think you are just as oblivious as he is"
"Well he better hurry up and get his act together," Ginny rolled her eyes because honestly why did boys have to so frustrating.
"Give him time I'm sure he will ask you soon" Hermione assured making a mental note to speak to Harry soon if he didn't take the initiative himself.
"I don't know how you do it Hermione" Ginny said shaking her head "I could never be as patient as you"
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked slightly confused at Ginny's obvious suggestion
"At least Harry give me some attention" She explained "But how can you be so patient waiting for Ron to wake up to himself and realise he likes you"
Hermione sat up shocked at her friend's explanation said so finally as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She had just accused Ginny of being oblivious to Harry's affections surely she wasn't guilty of the very same thing.
"Ron? You think I like Ron?" Hermione asked genuinely shocked
"You don't?" Ginny asked surprised sitting up to look at Hermione's horrified face.
"Merlin no!" She exclaimed horrified by the very idea sure she liked him but no more then a friend. They were simply too different to even contemplate such an idea. They barely got along as friends a lot of the time she shuddered to think what an awful couple they would make.
"Really? Oh, well that's going to awkward" Ginny giggled as she stood up dusting her jeans off.
"How so?" Hermione asked letting Ginny help pull her up hoping that her suspicions were wrong. How on earth had she missed it? But then again with all the arguing the pair did she wasn't surprised that she had. Kind of hard to realise someone likes you when you are trying to calm yourself down enough not to want to hex them.
"Well he definitely likes you" She laughed picking up Hermione's book handing it to her "I'm sure it wont be long until he admits it to himself and then to you"
"Oh merlin I hope your wrong I don't want to hurt his feelings" Hermione mumbled as they started making their way back towards the Burrow.
"Don't worry about it Hermione he will get over it" Ginny assured her waving her hand as she changed the subject "Lets get ready to leave we might as well have lunch before we go"
"Do you have anywhere in particular you need to go first?" Hermione asked as they made their way into the kitchen
"I was planning on stopping off at Gringotts Bill wrote me last night and said he would be there for the afternoon to drop off an artifact that couldn't be sent by post" Ginny explained after they had both accepted plates of sandwiches from Mrs Weasley who was preparing more food for the rest of the family.
"Oh yes Dear you should" Mrs Weasley agreed as the girls sat down at the table "Do try and convince him to come round for dinner tonight before he leaves"
"I already told you mum he said he will only be here long enough to fill out some paperwork and then he will be back off to Egypt" Ginny sighed shaking her head obviously having already had this exact conversation at some point since receiving Bill's letter.
"Don't be silly I'm sure he will make time to stay a few hours longer" Mrs Weasley said to which Ginny just rolled her eyes turning back to Hermione as the older woman left the room to call the boys down.
"Not likely" Ginny said quietly "With how much mum's been nagging Bill lately I don't blame him for not wanting to visit"
"Nagging? About what" Hermione asked curiously as to what Mrs Weasley could possibly have to nag her eldest son about he along with his younger brother Charlie were the most successful so far out of all the Weasley siblings which would no doubt stay true even after the rest of his siblings graduated. From what she had heard he was an extremely talented man.
"His love life" Ginny explained "Well more his lack of one actually"
"I couldn't imagine him having much opportunity to date while exploring crypts and being surrounded by Goblins majority of his time" Hermione laughed knowing that Mrs Weasley would already know both these facts.
"He's turning twenty six this November mum is adamant that its about time he started giving her grandchildren" Ginny stood up taking their empty plate to the sink
"Maybe she'd be better off nagging Charlie about it then at least he has a better likelihood of meeting someone. From what you have told me Bill spends more of his time around the dead then he does pretty girls who he can bring home for Sunday dinner" Ginny nodded in agreement there was no way her mother would be getting any grandchildren out of her eldest anytime soon that was for sure.
"Lets quickly say goodbye to the boys before we leave" Hermione said standing up to follow Ginny from the room out into the hall to only have the three other Weasley siblings still living at home brush past them on their quest for food Harry following not far behind.
"You two off now are you?" He asked stopping at the bottom of the stairs.
"Yes we will be back this evening" Hermione nodded before stepping to the side slightly smiling at her two oblivious friends who were staring awkwardly at each other.
"I'll see you later then," He said but Hermione could tell it wasn't directed at her.
Watching the two she decided to give it until they boarded the train to Hogwarts. If Harry hadn't made a move by then she would have to talk some sense into him.