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Harry Potter

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Is This Love?

By Miracles79

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Chapter 1: An Underlying Truth

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Disclaimer: The characters used in this Fan Fic are owned by JK Rowling and Warner Brother Studios (I think?) and are merely used in appreciation of the original author's incredible work. I own nothing apart from the story contained within these words, if that.

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In the early hours of Saturday morning, with the autumn gloom settling in around the outskirts of the castle, a lone figure sat. The scenery which surrounded this young individual should have been enough to raise even the loneliest of spirits. And yet despite the beauty of snow covering the withered branches above, the youngest Weasley felt neither moved nor showed any signs of caring in the least. Instead the figure merely pondered on things which continued to torture and torment her conscience without remorse.

It had been another difficult day for Ginny Weasley. But not only that, but it had also been a day that she could neither feel proud or happy about no matter how badly she tried to make it so. How could any day be fulfilling when it lacked the very thing that Ginny craved and desired, in all senses of the words? The solution to her problem was simple, often even a few feet away, and yet Ginny knew that she must be avoided at all costs.

Of course when Ginny refers to a 'she' it could have only been one beautiful woman, Hermione Granger.

So how could any day be satisfying when Ginny ignored the one person who meant more to her than anyone else in the entire world? How could she feel elation when she purposely neglected, avoided, or otherwise rejected every action Hermione attempted to instigate?

… How did things come to this?

Over the years Hermione and Ginny had become good friends; best friends even, if Ginny was allowed to hope for such a close distinction. Inseparable in almost every way really, except in one thing. Unbeknownst to the renowned 'bookworm,' Ginny harboured feelings which were far more intimate than mere friendship and as such, in Ginny's mind, far more distasteful.

She was, and had always been, in love with Hermione Granger. It was as simple as that, Ginny Weasley had fallen for her best friend. Not only had Ginny fallen in love, but she also had many thoughts about the bushy haired brunette which were far from pure and would shatter the friendship they had built over the last few years, in the most finalist of terms.

That's why, hidden beneath the wilting cherry tree, Ginny took in a moment of solace, the silence settling the red heads nerves. For the past few hours Ginny had been so very ill at ease. Evading one Hermione Granger was no easy feat and yet it was a feat which had to be accomplished. Love had been the reason for this sudden separation. The reason why she ignored Hermione's very presence because to acknowledge her concerned gaze, her questioning tone or even her feather light touch – all these simple ever day occurrences – would cause Ginny both discomfort and pain.

Was she deceiving Hermione with her less than platonic feelings?

Honestly, she didn't know. But the nightmarish thought of losing Hermione because of such unrequited emotions was something Ginny could not face. So, despite her Gryffindor colours, which had always been an undeniable strength of hers, Ginny began to lose all hope and courage.

These feelings she encased inside her heart were not the only things which festered within her however. The memories and faces of the dead were also eating at her conscience. The loss of Fred, her own flesh and blood, older brother, had been a significant blow and one which she would never be able to recover from, at least fully. Friends, family: so many had been lost during the war against Lord Voldermort and his followers. An unfair and persistent reminder of how fragile human life really was, and how you should cherish every moment with the people you love as if it was their last.

But while the dead remained a permanent fixture within her traumatised mind, that did not mean there was no room for more. It seemed even her future would not let her rest because, in a startling realisation, Hermione had become the person Ginny wanted to share her future, her life with. The notion of choosing a woman over a man had never even entered Ginny's mind because it had never been about men or women. If Ginny was to be truly happy, then it had to be Hermione. No one could have granted her everlasting happiness, all except her most treasured friend; Hermione Jean Granger.

But while Hermione was her perfect future, or at least her desired future, she was also completely and utterly unattainable. Ginny had always known this. In the years that they had come together, as friends, Hermione had never made any mention of same sex relationships because, in Ginny's mind at least, Hermione had never seen it as a possibility. Of course Hermione was aware of the concept of same sex marriage and such, and probably even accepted the notion unlike other bigots within the wizarding world. But that didn't mean she would have welcomed such a proposition.

There was no way around it, Hermione was straight. Not only was she straight but she was also in love with Ginny's older brother, Ronald Weasley. It was so obvious… and as such, so painful. To be denied love by your own flesh and blood, whether unintentional or not, was hard to fathom. To know that Ron would be the 'lucky' one, to be the one to share moments that only lovers were capable of, was even more disconcerting. But to know that Ron could offer Hermione something which Ginny was physically incapable of: the ability to produce a baby… now that was painfully disheartening.

It may have been far too early in life to ponder such things, after all Ginny had not even left her teenage years. But after the trauma of a war which still remained fresh on everyone's minds, prioritizes changed and it suddenly brought things into a new found perspective. Ginny did not want to suffer or feel saddened anymore, she wanted happiness. No, she had more than earned happiness. Ginny wanted a fulfilling and wonderful life, to be a Quidditch ace and succeeded in any and all ventures. But most of all she wanted a family, and after seeing so much death Ginny finally wanted to view new life once again. A child she could call her own, and a partner who give her life meaning.

This dream of hers bitterly disappointed Ginny however, because of its horrific implications. You see, while Ron could offer Hermione new life, all Ginny could offer Hermione was stagnation; a barrier had been created between Hermione and Ginny which could never be crossed no matter how badly Ginny wanted to cross it. Ginny could produce a baby with any man she desired and yet the thought never even occurred to her, but it did when she thought of one Hermione Granger.

Why was this the case…?

Why did she dream of a life alongside Hermione Granger who was accompanied by a small child of their own…?

Bushy red hair, brown curious eyes and a young playful expression full of love and a keen thirst for knowledge; that was the child who greeted Ginny's field of vision.

But even as the child stood beside Hermione, her loving, practically glowing mother, Ginny knew that the child could never be. She was a creation of her imagination nothing more.

She was the impossible child…

Even within a world blessed with magic, same sex couples had to make do with adoptive agencies. Ginny often wondered why there was no magical incantation which could allow two women the means of having a baby. If magic promised endless possibilities then why didn't any witch or wizard look into the theory or likelihood of such a spell working? Maybe there just wasn't a market for it, same sex relationships were still highly frowned upon within the wizarding world, although admittedly less so that the muggle equivalent.

This was why Ginny held in such bitterness…

Such disappointment in things she could not control or at least alter to fit her whims…

Why was Ginny feeling this way at a time of victory…?

Surely in a time of victory Ginny should have been rejoicing just like everyone else, or at least mourning the losses which affected her on a nightly basis. The Dark Lord had been vanquished; the tormentors of the known world were no more. The remaining Death Eaters had been locked away, defeated and left to suffer for their crimes at the hands of dementors. So, why wasn't she celebrating? Why was she still stuck in a rut, unable to face Hermione who wanted nothing more than to talk with her closest friend?

It could have been due to her nagging resentment. Even after the events of the war, Ginny still held some measure of resentment towards the 'Golden trio' for leaving her behind when they set out on their quest to retrieve and destroy the last remaining horcruxes. To this day they remained her closest friends; her brother, her ex-boyfriend and her best friend turned romantic interest. Was it any surprise that she wanted to ensure their safety, by any means necessary? Never knowing where they were, how they were or whether they were even still alive… How was Ginny supposed to feel when she knew nothing but speculation and gossip?

But of course, the 'Golden trio' had rejected her intentions without a single acknowledgement of her argument. They would always come up with the same excuses over and over again. Ginny was always too young, too inexperienced, and, as Ron had admitted, far too headstrong.

How dare they suggest such a thing…?

Too young; she was only a year younger than them and had seen things which would have left older men squirming in discomfort, unable to function properly most likely. But she had survived all that, Tom Riddle's diary being her most significant point as Ginny believed she had some knowledge of Lord Voldermort's inner workings. This was of course refuted by Harry and dismissed completely afterwards by the remaining duo.

Then there was the belief that she was too inexperienced; Ginny could not believe this particular statement, she had been a prominent member of Dumbledore's army. Renowned for her excellent form and poise in practical demonstrations during Defence against the Dark Arts lessons, and was resourceful and adaptable to boot. How could she be considered as too inexperienced?

Then there was the kicker, too headstrong; well, that was rich coming from the three of them. Ginny knew that she could be rash, not taking all matters into account before acting was known to be her greatest drawback, but to have been this by the three most rash and irresponsible people she had ever known, now that was saying a lot. But of course when they acted of their own accord, 'the Golden trio' was considered heroes and lauded with praise and recognition. But when it concerned Ginny, no, it was far too rushed and ill thought out.

But despite her inner grumbles, Ginny knew she loved her friends dearly, in varying amounts and differing ways, but she loved them nonetheless. In the case of Ron, Ginny loved him like a big brother who, while admittedly slow, was far more trustworthy than anyone she had met. Harry, well he was a skilled fighter who possessed such a warm and compassionate heart; it was one of the reasons why Ginny had once, many years ago, felt so drawn to him.

And then… there was Hermione. Hermione Jean Granger, Ginny loved the brunette with every fibre of her being. What more could be said other than she was perfect, in every sense of the word. From her stunning looks to her intelligence and all the way to her gentle nature, how could anyone not become enamoured by her and practically faint at the slightest brush of her hand or the scent of her perfume?

But even though she harboured these feelings for Hermione, Ginny refused to act… refused to announce her feelings for fear of losing a woman who had not only been her personal role model growing up but had also become the most irreplaceable person in her life. Even when she was young Ginny always looked up to Hermione, a frank curiosity turned into friendship and when that bond had exceeded its limit… only then did her true feelings blossom.

There had also been a time when Harry had been her most irreplaceable person, but with distance came realisation. While she cared for Harry and prayed for his safe return, Ginny realised that what she felt was not love but rather worry… she had had an inkling in the past that her feelings for Harry were nothing more than friendly and that hunch had been more than confirmed by their distance apart.

It had been an awkward and tense day, the day when Ginny had rejected Harry's advances. Harry was no doubt surprised by her rejection, but, like the man that he was, he took it in his stride and allowed their relationship to part amicably. Ginny was more than thankful for Harry's generosity and unexpected understanding, it only made her love him more, however, only as a friend. Ginny's blissful life of being able to acquire the person she felt for was over; now that Hermione was within her grasp.

But, surprisingly, Ginny had not been the only one to shock the wizarding world by rejecting the advances of her supposed 'soul mate' because Hermione had also rejected Ron's advances, too. Although, their particular parting had not been as amicable as one might have hoped for or expected. There had been no violent contact or broken objects, just raised voices and Ron's adamant belief that she was in love with someone else, someone unworthy of her.

But that was Ron, when he felt personally offended or coerced into believing in a lie, he would always react without thinking and burn more bridges than he intended. This fight was inevitable; Ron had held feelings for Hermione since their first year together… he had perhaps expected them to fall for one another. However, when his expectations went unfulfilled, he was left feeling embarrassed. Of course he would react angrily, Ginny thought. She would have reacted in the same way if she had been rejected by the woman she loved above all else…

The truths is, Ginny wanted nothing more than for Hermione to willingly and hopelessly fall in love with her, but what she really needed was for Hermione to remain, to never leave her side. This left Ginny at an impasse, at the crossroads of where love and friendship would have to be prioritized. And in time, Ginny came to realise that no matter how badly she wanted Hermione it was never to be… friendship was far more attainable than unrequited love.

However, when Hermione rejected Ron, Ginny felt elated. She couldn't hide her smile when she heard that Hermione was still single and that her long, hopeful dream was still alive no matter how faint it appeared. But in time, Ginny realised her discourteous behaviour, feeling elation over another person's dismay, her brother's no less, was physically sickening and in time she had grown to despise herself for feeling such happiness in another person's darkest moment.

And at it was because of this, that Ginny made a choice. It was the hardest decision of her life, no doubt, but one Ginny knew she had to make. In an attempt to distance herself from both her unrequited feelings, and her dark and discourteous thoughts, Ginny decided to eliminate the root of the problem; and that problem was none other than Hermione Granger.

So, Ginny purposely ignored Hermione and prayed that in time her feelings for her friend would dissipate, never to return. She was doing this for Hermione as much as herself, though. She could never truly be Hermione's best friend unless she rid herself of these 'feelings' and became what Hermione wanted, and no less deserved, which was a close and reliable friend who would not trouble her with feelings which would never be welcomed… and would never be reciprocated.

That's why she ignored Hermione's hopeful smile and flushed cheeks, that's why she walked away when Hermione waved or made a movement towards her, and that's why her heart was breaking every moment she abandoned the woman she loved. But of course Ginny never looked back, terrified to see the anger and disappointment that she expected. But, if she had looked back, Ginny would have seen something far more crippling; Hermione's pained face, unshed tears, and trembling body as she watched her most precious person run away from her once again.

While Ginny was completely unaware of this, she still maintained the notion that everything was fine and that she was not burning bridges by avoiding Hermione's gaze. Surprisingly, Ginny felt content by this because she at least got to see her and gaze upon her from afar… at least Hermione could continue to go on oblivious to feelings she would never have imagined.

"This is for the best…"

A phrase Ginny used often when her doubts began to fester into worry, discomfort and inescapable paranoia. When those times occurred Ginny would desperately repeat this phrase like it was her own personal mantra because without it she would have been forced to face the damage she had inflicted upon her best friend; her one true love.

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But if Ginny had only known what was going through Hermione's mind, if only she had known that Hermione was living out her life in agony and in fear. Maybe then Ginny would have reacted, maybe then Hermione would have recovered and not been awakened, screaming, at memories which continued to torment and eat away at her psyche. Maybe then, she could have escaped her long since deceased tormentor… Bellatrix LeStrange.

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If there was one good thing about ignoring Hermione, dare she say it, it was that Ginny now had far more time to concentrate on life's most pressing matters. Upcoming NEWT's and of course the Quidditch final's. The latter remained heavily upon Ginny's mind, but in a rather surprising twist of fate so did the former. Ginny was preparing feverishly for her exams; looking through every study and theory based book, practicing complex spells with great efficiency, and repeatedly testing herself with practice exam papers receiving marks which even Hermione could have been proud of.

Yes, that was right. Of course Ginny would mention Hermione while preparing for her exams because the truth was that she was taking her exams so that Hermione would know she was okay, thus, Hermione could be proud of her. Even though Ginny needed to ignore Hermione's very presence, she at least wanted to reassure Hermione that she was alright. It might be reverse psychology, but it was something that Ginny believed in thoroughly.

She worked so hard for her exams, not because she wanted to, but because she saw this as penance for her poor treatment of Hermione, at least this way she could make Hermione happy from afar… she had obviously hurt Hermione, but at least this way she was trying to return all the love and tenderness which Hermione bestowed upon her at a very young age. This was all for her. She was doing this all for Hermione; she would receive great grades and let Hermione know, albeit through the grape vine, that she was grateful... Hermione didn't need to hear or see it directly.

Unfortunately for Ginny, not all things had gone according to plan, and the one variable who kept popping up again and again was the one person she couldn't afford to see; none other than Hermione Granger herself. Everywhere Ginny turned Hermione was but a few feet away watching her every action, watching everyone she corresponded with, watching Ginny like a hawk waiting for a moment when she was either alone or unprepared for her approach.

Hermione was becoming rather aggressive in her pursuit of Ginny. The usually well-mannered and caring Gryffindor bookworm was repeatedly interrupting conversations which Ginny shared with close friends from her year… unbeknownst to Ginny, Hermione always seemed to act when it concerned male students who approached, but Ginny had not yet connected the two things together.

Hermione was persistent, and slightly irritable, but whenever she managed to finally chase the hopeful suitor away… Ginny was already long gone. She was also starting to acquire quite an unfortunate reputation, Hermione was becoming snappier when it came to people's behaviour and this did not go unnoticed by the two remaining members of the Golden trio. Hermione was acting oddly, almost frenzied, but they did not have the means to help her; only Ginny could offer her such peace of mind. But, for some reason, Ginny continued to avoid her.

That was not all Hermione did though. Often when Ginny worked late hours in the library and came back to her dormitory to sleep, she would find Hermione asleep on top of her bed clearly having been waiting there for quite some time. She shouldn't have even been able to get in; Ginny had personally erected a barrier in which people could not enter her room other than her own roommates. But, when Ginny looked at the door's protection she noticed that the barrier had been completely, and violently, torn to shreds. Powerful magic had been performed, magic which would have been highly criticized by their new Headmistress; Headmistress McGonagall.

… Why was Hermione being so persistent and so unlike herself?

It didn't end there though; Hermione had apparently asked many fellow Gryffindor students, of Ginny's year, what was going on with Ginny. She even asked said students to deliver messages for her, but Ginny repeatedly rejected them explaining that she was too busy and had to concentrate on her work without interruption.

Of course something would eventually have to give, and it did, because through Ginny's evasive actions Hermione was left with no choice but to confront Ginny personally.

In increasing frequency, Hermione attempted to corner Ginny in the Gryffindor common room where she worked late at night. But before Hermione could even whisper a single word or approach the slowly retreating red head… Ginny would flee towards her dormitory room or away from Gryffindor indefinitely, never noticing the silent tears which slipped down Hermione's cheeks or the sheer anger which emanated from her eyes.

Ginny didn't know why Hermione persisted or why she wouldn't leave her alone, but like most things, Ginny managed to piece things together, and just like Ginny, piece them together incorrectly. Ginny came to the assumption that Hermione was doing this because of Ginny's ill treatment rather than the feelings which burnt within Hermione's being and threatened to consume her without a second's notice.

Ginny knew she was doing wrong by Hermione, and in time she came to realise what a huge mistake she had made. She had ignored Hermione at a time when she desperately needed her. Ginny realised this now, but she refused to be swayed by this unexpected realisation. Not because she held any belief in her previous actions, but because she was scared, her previous abundance of Gryffindor courage had now deserted her. She had betrayed Hermione's trust and left her to suffer alone.

What could Ginny possibly say to make this better? She couldn't confess her feelings; that would just make the previous five weeks completely worthless and negate there meaning. So, instead of apologizing to Hermione, instead of spilling her heart and soul to the person she loved… Ginny continued this farce in the hopes that she could one day be the woman that Hermione needed her to be. All of this was for Hermione; however, it was becoming clear now that she was also doing this because she was afraid.

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And eventually, after many failed attempts and sleepless nights, Hermione stopped coming. Not only did she stop approaching Ginny but she refused to leave her room, often missing important lessons which had both Gryffindor and the teachers incredibly worried. None questioned her or criticized her for her lack of punctuality, but offered support at a time when Ginny offered nothing but ignorance and painful separation.

That's not to say that Hermione was never seen by the remaining Gryffindor students, she could often be seen in the common room talking to her close friends, Ron and Harry, not to mention Luna who had somehow materialized in the Gryffindor common room and looked completely unfazed by the questioning glances sent her way.

But what Ginny saw was something that was very difficult to grasp and painful to watch. The usually cheerful and diligent 'bookworm' looked nothing like her previous self. She looked drained, lifeless and worst of all defeated. She maintained her image of course; she did not have mangled hair or dirty skin, no, this was not some soap opera, this was real life and while Hermione kept up the appearance of a well-balanced student, inside she was falling to pieces. Her sanity slipping little by little every time her eyes took in Ginny's anxious appearance.

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However, later into the month, Ginny was offered one last distraction from both her feelings and her studies in the presence of a letter. The letter had no identifiable features, it was not Hogwarts or even Ministry related, just a simple letter. The writer was some anonymous person, which was even written in the letter's introduction, and the handwriting was unfamiliar; rough and hastily drawn up.

The letter asked for Ginny to appear, alone, at a room which held no meaning to either herself or anyone she knew. If it had been the room of requirement then Ginny could have surmised that a member of Dumbledore's Army had written it. If it had been the Gryffindor common room she would have guessed a Gryffindor student… so why was it just a classroom with no memories or significance to Ginny…?

And why did she have to appear alone and at a specific time…?

Ginny might not have known who wrote this letter, but she had a fair inkling of where it had previously resided; in the Slytherin dorms no doubt. Perhaps this was nothing more than an ill thought out ploy from Pansy Parkinson or Draco Malfoy. Another pathetic attempt to coerce her into appearing unguarded, so that they could harass and bully her like they always tried, and failed, to do.

She was not stupid. Ginny might have been headstrong, but she would not walk into a trap and she would not start a fight when it could be easily avoided. So, Ginny chose to ignore the letter and even its previous existence, just like Hermione. To Ginny, if anyone had the bravery to ask, she would simply state that she knew nothing of a letter and if the sender were to confront her then they would get an earful from the fiery redhead.

That was what she was expecting…

She could never have imagined what was to become of her costly mistake…

That it would cost her more than just a simple friendship...

And It would all begin a day later…

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At 9:00 am the following morning… Hermione Granger had gone missing.

The castle was in uproar; teachers and students alike searched for her feverishly with little to no success. Hermione had, apparently, never returned to her dormitory. She was last seen, by various students, and the head librarian at that, leaving the library on her way to the Gryffindor dormitories, but instead what they found were her discarded books lying torn at the bottom of the moving staircase and further evidence of a struggle.

Ginny was practically tearing the castle apart trying to find her. She no longer cared about her plans or how she had treated Hermione; she only cared for her safety… nothing mattered other than Hermione's safety. Ginny was not alone, though. Harry, Ron, and Luna searched everywhere for their missing friend. Teachers, Headmistress McGonagall included, used every magical means to locate Hermione, but her footsteps and mere essence disappeared at the foot of the staircase. Almost as if someone had planned for this and masked his or her hasty escape.

But who? The most likely perpetrators were Draco and Pansy, not to mention Slytherin by and large, but they could not have performed such complex magic. Headmistress McGonagall was adamant that IF Hermione had been kidnapped, then it would have had to have been an outsider, someone with inside knowledge of the structure and workings of this great castle. While Harry threatened to turn Slytherin common room inside and out to find either Draco or any hints as to Hermione's location, he was eventually pleaded into inaction by Ginny who did not believe in Harry's assumption that this had all been a plan of Draco's.

Everyone looked. Every single member of Hogwarts, baring Slytherin of course, searched high and low, far and wide, for even the slightest clue. The picture frames which littered the corridors, and the staircase where Hermione's belongings had been torn, had no knowledge of Hermione's whereabouts. And in far more troubling news some of the people within their picture frames, most notably the ones surrounding the stairs, had been temporarily blinded… they couldn't have seen the scuffle or the perpetrator.

Hermione had been kidnapped, there was no denying it now, but what could Ginny do?

She was quickly running out of options…

Hermione was gone, taken by someone who must have had a reason to take her…

Was it because of her connection to Harry…?

Or maybe it was… no, she couldn't think like that. That was just Ginny's paranoia. But the thought never slipped from her mind, why would someone take a very beautiful and well respected woman who had an equally slim and toned body?

But in an unexpected turn of events, all of her questions were answered in the form of a letter. She only happened to stumble upon this letter by sheer chance, had Ginny not gone back to her room she may not have been able to find it, at least for a day or two, because she would have continued to search without sleep until Hermione was found.

It was frighteningly cold out, and while Ginny was prepared to brave the cold she decided to go back for her Gryffindor scarf. She had to hurry of course because Harry, Ron, and Luna were waiting for her downstairs rather impatiently, eager to return to their search as soon as possible. And that was when she found the letter resting atop her pillow looking as innocent and yet out of place as possible.

Ginny didn't wait, or make any movements towards her scarf, which rested beside the letter; she instead lunged towards the letter and tore it open without a second thought scanning every single word… once, twice, and thrice. The contents of the letter were somewhat overwhelming, but more so terrifying. Finally, comprehension dawned on Hermione's fate… she knew now that Hermione had not left the staircase of her own fruition, she had most certainly been kidnapped.

'If you want to see the 'mudblood' Hermione Granger ever again, then you will follow our every instruction…'

The words shone in perfect clarity, the writing still appeared hastily written, but there were clear signs that the writer had written these words again and again on top of each other, supposedly to emphasise how possessed they had become…

Ginny was terrified; a soundless whimper left her lips. Ginny knew now, she knew that she had placed Hermione in danger. She had ignored the writer's words and it had come back to haunt her. But, how dare they touch Hermione! How dare they get her involved in all this! Ginny wanted to hurt them, to maul them and never stop harming them until their hearts stopped beating. Hermione was everything to Ginny, more than her own life and she would not stop until Hermione's safety was assured.

Anger replaced fear as Ginny was about to sprint down the stairs and make her friends aware of this message, however, unexpectedly, the letter started to burn within her hands. A startled gasp left her lips as blood began to pool from her fingertips, fingers which remained connected to the letter holding her in a powerful grasp that she could not escape. It was almost as if the letter itself were alive. But at the same time, something struck Ginny as quite odd. There was very little pain and no ruptures in her skin; it was like the blood was not her own, but at the same time it was her own.

Slowly the droplets of blood began to converge in the centre, splintering into different sections and before her very eyes they began to form words. While the slight burning sensation still persisted, Ginny made no further move to distance her away from the letter and instead held it firmer, if that were even possible. The trail of blood that left her fingers stopping abruptly. The words presented became clearer and clearer until it could finally be properly comprehended, the words fluctuating as if they were ripples in a puddle.

'If you tell anyone about this letter, or that we have the 'mudblood'… then we will kill her without warning.'

Slumping against the door, Ginny cradled her head in her hands. This was all her fault. She was the cause of all Hermione's misfortune and now she was going to pay for it. But what surprised her the most is that she didn't care. All that mattered was Hermione's safety and Ginny would ensure she was safe even at the cost of her own life.

But still the same question persisted in her mind…

Who was this person…?

Why were they so eager to talk to her…?

But that no longer mattered any more. She would follow this anonymous person's instructions to the letter, literally. She would get Hermione back…

And it would all start at 11:00 pm…

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Author's Note: I hope you liked it; the next chapter should be up sometime in the near future. This story is a three shot by the way, romance only, and the later chapters will be maturely based so definitely expect Mature based content.

The next chapter will also be a little more dialogue heavy, as you may have noticed; there was only one line of dialogue but I did that on purpose. I really wanted to delve into Ginny's psyche and dissect how she had come to abandon Hermione so uncharacteristically. I know people will be annoyed with my own interpretation of Ginny but please believe me when I say there will be a huge pay off.

Reviews would be very much appreciated but I will leave it to your discretion, even the simplest 'Interesting' or 'I think this needs to be improved'; would be sufficient because I like to get opinions from readers. Whether that is praise, constructive criticism I do not mind as both have helped me improve as a writer greatly.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will begin working through the next chapter as soon as time allows but I will make time if this story really kicks off into a new gear.

All the best and thank you for reading.