Death by Granger

Chapter 21

Three weeks have passed and as the Christmas Ball grows nearer, Hermione's fears grew as well.

"Hermione, sit down!"

"I can't, Harry. I feel like something bad is going to happen tonight."

They were down under the tree again, her, Harry, Ron and Ginny.

"Relax, 'Mione. Nothing bad's gonna happen. Besides you and Malfoy, of course."

"Just drop it already, Ronald. I know you don't like my friends, but couldn't you be a little more supportive of me?"

"You say it like you've been dying for a date with the ferret."

"Well, what if I was? Would you behave the same or worse?"

"Hermione! You wouldn't!"

"How would you know? There's a lot of things I've done that you'd never understand."

"Like what? Falling in love with the ferret?"

"Well, the Amortentia gave no indication that I'm in love with you, so stop bothering me. Don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Well, what did you smell then? The ferret's bed?"

"Ronald! It was fire, okay? I smelt fire, which had absolutely nothing to do with you!"

"Fire? Fire! Of course, beacuse the bloody ferret saved your arse with that episode in the courtyard."

"This has nothing to do with Malfoy!"

"This has everything to do with him!"

"Should I tell your little Ravenclaw, wat was her name? Sierra? Shall I tell her that you're jealous of a relationship that doesn't even exist? What would she do to you?"

"Hermione, stop it! You're behaving like ... like one of them!"

"Well, what if I am one of them?"

Ginny grabbed Hermoine's arm and pulled her back. She turned her head so that Ron and Harry couldn't see her and began talking barely above a whisper to Hermione while Harry tries to calm Ron down. "If you carry on with my brother your Dark Mark is going to burst into flames."

"I feel like letting him know so he'll back off."

Ginny rubbed Hermione's arm. "Don't. You'll only make it worse for yourself. Pansy's already targeting you for being a muggleborn, she'll get the whole school to back her up if they knew."

Hermione grinned slightly. "She's not targeting me because of that, but you're right anyway. I need to calm down. It's just that I've got this feeling and Ron isn't helping."

Ginny smiled. "Let's go get ready. You told Blaise we'd meet him later, right?"

Hermione nodded. Ginny went over to Harry. She told him something, kissed his cheek and left with Hermione.

"What do you think is wrong with Hermione?"

"For goodness' sake, Ron. Leave it alone. She's got a bad feeling about tonight and you're just making her feel worse. Let's go, there's food in the Great Hall."

Ron reluctantly followed Harry to the Great Hall.

Back in the Gryffindor dorms, Hermione and Ginny packed their dresses and shoes in Hermione's bag. Ginny shoved a nacklace set Sirius had given Harry that previously belonged to Lily.

The two met Blaise up at tye astronomy tower. "Read to go, girls?"

Hermione understood, but Ginny was still confused. "What are we doing up here? I thought we were going to Hogsmeade," she hissed.