Disclaimer: Only the plot belongs to me.

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“You’re…what?” came two shocked voices. Harry and I exchanged looks. This was what we had feared…the two not accepting our new relationship.

Ron was glaring at Harry while Ginny glared at me. Our best friends were suddenly our worst enemies, and so we went to face them.

“How dare you!” Ginny exclaimed, once I had dragged her away from the party, stamping a foot. “How dare you just go in there and steel him away from me. You destroyed us!”

“Ginny!” I cried out in despair. “There was no ‘us’ between you two! He broke up with you, Gin!”

“He would have gotten back together with me after Voldemort was dead.” Ginny’s eyes were ablaze.

“You know bloody well that’s not true,” I hissed, surprised by my own daring to curse.

Ginny looked taken aback. Finally, she mustered, “That’s why you told me to get over him in my fourth year! So you could have him all to yourself.”

“Don’t be thick,” I said, looking disgusted. “Of course not.”

“Well, it certainly wasn’t to get me together with him, was it?” Ginny asked me, her voice getting louder each second.

“Don’t cause a scene!” I whispered. “Look, you’re right. I…I wanted you to leave him alone, all right? It was clear that you were only in love with the idea of him, Ginny. Of being with the most famous man in the wizarding world.”

Ginny looked absolutely furious. “That is not—”

“Look,” I interrupted, in what I was sure was an annoyingly patient air. “You didn’t love Harry, Ginny. You never loved him. You mistook admiration for love. I loved him, Ginny! I love him right now!”

“How dare you insist that you love him more than I did – more than I do!” Ginny explained in an insulted tone.

“What have you ever done for him, Ginny?” I asked suddenly.

“What are you talking about?” Ginny said, looking as if my question makes no sense.

“What have you done for Harry, Ginerva? In our first year, you goggled at him as the train left the station, according to Ron.”

“That’s not fair!” cried Ginny. “I didn’t go to Hogwarts then!”

I chose to ignore what she said, as my response would not have been diplomatic, and I wanted to remain in that stance, at least for now. I continued, as if I was telling a story and not accusing her of anything. “In second year, you were the reason why he went into the Chamber of Secrets – I was one of the reasons he survived. I was the one researching until the crack of dawn to find the creature. The muggleborn, who knew that while on her own she could well be the next victim.”

“I was possessed, Hermione,” Ginny spat at me, taking a step closer to me. “I couldn’t do anything about that. That was all Lucius Malfoy’s doing, and you know it.”

“You’re right,” I acknowledge her. “But what about all the other years? How have you ever been there for him?”

“I took his place as seeker in your sixth year when he couldn’t make the game, and won it for him!” Ginny told me haughtily.

I stared at her in disbelief. “That has nothing to do with this, Ginny!”

“What have you ever done that has made him grin ear to ear?” Ginny asked me haughtily.

“The DA,” I said firmly.

“DA?” Ginny laughed. “That wasn’t—”

“It was my idea to start it,” I replied. “Of course, Harry objected immediately, but once we actually went through with it… Just looking at him in the meetings, it was clear how happy he was.”

“It was?” Ginny asked, doubt clearly crossing her mind.

“You never noticed?” I asked in surprised. I thought everyone had noticed how pleased Harry was.

Ginny, at first, kept her head still, until, finally, she shook it no.

I paused for a bit, unsure where to go from here. Did she understand now? Did she see that her devotion to him had been nothing short of, not to sound so cruel, a stalker?

“Would you die for him, Ginny?” I asked her finally.

“What?” Ginny looked confused.

“I asked you if you would die for him.”

“I…well…I mean…” Ginny rambles on.

I closed my eyes.

“Like you would!” Ginny said finally.

My eyes snapped open. “I’ve been putting my life on the line for Harry since first year!” I retorted immediately.

“What are you talking—”

“Sorcerer’s Stone!” I told her angrily. “I was 12-years-old, Ginny, and I willingly went through chambers with obstacles unknown to me, just to make sure he’d stay safe! I already explained the Chamber of Secrets to you. The dementors almost killed Harry, Sirius, and me in third year. In fifth year, at the Department of Mysteries—”

“We were both—” Ginny began.

“But I was the one who stayed by him!” I told Ginny, controlling my voice, but all my patience disappearing. “I was the one who almost died that night, Ginny! Twice! And I would do it again in a heartbeat, as long as I knew he was safe!”

Ginny stared at me, unblinkingly. Suddenly, a tear slipped down her cheek.

“Oh, Ginny,” I said, all my anger slipping away. “Gin, I’m so sorry, I didn’t…”

“You were right,” Ginny said, as if in a trance. She gave a bitter laugh. “I never cared for him like you did. I thought I did…but I guess I was just deceiving myself.” Ginny wiped away the tear that had crept down to her chin. “I should have known, though,” she sighed. “I should have known what I had with Harry could never compare to what you had with him, even if you were simply friends.”

“Oh, Gin,” I began again.

“Hermione, it’s alright,” she told me, forcing a smile. “I’m sorry…I’m sorry for everything I said.”

“I apologize, as well,” I told her sincerely.

“We’re still friends…right?” Ginny asked me uncertainly.

“Oh, Ginny!” I laughed, wiping away my own tears. “Of course. Who else will I talk to about normal things that go on in my life? Or about what a prat Ron is? Or how stubborn Harry is? Certainly not those two boys.” Ginny laughed as well, and we embraced tightly, as friends should.

Thrilled that Ginny understood, we walked back to the reception, which grew more and more empty each second. Harry was there with Ron, as well. I looked at Harry in search of any sign of reassurance that Ron approved. However, I didn’t need any.

“I’m glad for you two,” Ron said immediately, as if nervous that I would hex him.

“Ron?” I asked in confusion. “I thought—”

Ron took a deep breath. “Yes, I had a thing for you Hermione,” Ron explained. “But after sixth year, I realized that thing had always been as a sister.”

“Truly?” I asked, brimming with happiness.

“Truly,” Ron replied earnestly. He hesitated, and then continued. “And, look, I’m so sorry for how I treated you… I was just really bad when it comes to dealing with girls I fancy…or rather thought I fancied.”

“I know,” I said with a grin. “It’s alright.”

And it truly was. Ron’s feelings for me were platonic, Ginny understood why Harry and I could be a couple, and I was in love.

Life wasn’t just all right. It was wonderful.

But five months later, life was proving difficult.

“Get out of here, Hermione,” a voice warned me fiercely. I looked to my right and found Lupin pressing me back by means of his hand. “Join the others outside.”

“Professor,” I interjected, but he cut me off.

“Hermione, you’ve helped by finding it,” he told me. “This last one…it’s not like the others.”

“I’m not going to stand here and let Harry do it himself,” I growled, taking another insistent step forward.

Lupin, for the first time in my life, gave me a steely glare, and I realized that, to be of any more help, it was of great importance that I let Harry handle this – alone. Crossing my arms in anger at the idea that, in actuality, all I would be doing consisted of standing there as Harry put his life on the line, I followed the orders given to me by Lupin.

“I hate this,” Ginny moaned, sitting on the ground and plucking at the blades of grass. “Why do they always treat us as if we’re of no help? We’ve done so much before!”

Ron sighed. “I guess they feel we’re just interfering at the moment.”

“Interfering?” Ginny exclaimed. “Oh, well then, it was just interfering when we went to the Department of Mysteries or when we fought off the Death Eaters in sixth year, was it?”

“I’m not saying I agree,” Ron snapped at her impatiently. “I’m just saying that’s probably what’s going through their minds.”

“You don’t have to be so rude to me,” Ginny hissed. “I mean—”

“Just stop it, the both of you!” I exclaimed, whipping my head around to interrupt this incessant arguing. “There’s nothing we can do to change the fact that we’re not needed right now, alright? I want to be there as much as any of you, but we don’t have a choice in the matter!” Angry, I walked away from the shocked Weasleys and found my own spot, a solace from the bickering.

After about ten minutes, Lupin came out, followed by Harry, who looked simply horrible. His eyes were drooping from exhaustion, his hair was all over the place – hundreds of times messier than usual – and he looked as if he was about to drop dead, then and there. I rushed over to him.

“How’d it go?” I asked, rather timidly.

“It’s done,” Harry said, closing his eyes. “The sixth horcrux is gone, which means there’s only one left.”

“Voldemort,” I whispered, to which Harry nodded without much conviction.

“So my next step is to go after him,” Harry told me, yawning.

“You mean our next step,” I said quickly and firmly. “Our .”

Harry gave me a pleading look. “Hermione…”

“No,” I said, planting myself in front of him. “No. I told you already Harry. I’m not going to sit back. You said you knew I couldn’t do that. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten who I am.”

Again, Harry closed his eyes, but this time he rubbed his temples with his fingers. “I know who you are, Hermione,” he said slowly. “I guess it was wishful thinking.”

“Everything will turn out fine,” I told him stubbornly, although I only half-believed it myself. “You’ll see. And we’ll all live happily ever after. Or, well, as close as one can get.”

“Meaning a miserable life?” Harry asked with a laugh.

I glared at him. “Very cute,” I said. “Very cute.”

Harry gave me a weak smile, and it hit me once more how tired he must be.

“Come on, Harry,” I said gently, taking his arm, “let’s get inside. You need some rest.” Harry, wordlessly, allowed me to lead him inside and upstairs. Ron and Ginny followed, and after arriving at Harry and Ron’s room, Ginny and I left Harry in Ron’s care.