Between Us - Dramione/Blinny

Ch. 31

Throughout the following week, Hermione noticed that Ginny was growing more nervous. She couldn't quite figure out exactly what the problem was until mail had come on Friday and Ginny sighed putting her head down on the table in frustration.

"What's going on, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Harry hasn't given me an answer yet," Ginny said from underneath her arms. "And Blaise refuses to do anything until it's been called off."

"I keep telling you to break it off," Hermione sighed. "Why don't you?"

"I feel worse being the one breaking it off. It's like 'oh hey, by the way, I kissed this other guy and now I'm leaving you for him'. It's just easier on my conscience for him to break it off."

Hermione tilted her head back and forth as she thought that over. "I can see that, but at the same time you'll save yourself a lot of stress in the long run if you just break it off."

Ginny didn't say anything as she poked at her food. Hermione simply shook her head and went back to her own plate with a sigh.

Throughout the rest of the day, Ginny tried to talk herself into breaking it off with Harry. But anytime she pep-talked herself enough into pulling out the parchment and quill, her chest would immediately tighten and she just couldn't bring herself to do it. It was like a wall would suddenly go up and she was unable to will her hand to move at all. By the end of the day she was so frustrated that she just wanted to cry.

"Hermione, I don't know what's happening," Ginny said quietly.

They were sitting in the corner of the Gryffindor common room away from everyone else, Hermione reading and Ginny still trying to write out the breakup letter.

Hermione looked up and frowned slightly. "What's going on?"

"It's like...my mind just immediately goes crazy and I just freeze," Ginny said slowly.

Setting her book down, Hermione asked quietly, "I know it's a difficult thing to do, and I know you still care about Harry which is probably making it worse."

Ginny nodded and put her head in her hands. "It should be an easy thing though. It's just writing out the words, and I want to so badly but I don't know what's stopping me."

"Is it because you don't want to hurt him?"

"I already did so I doubt it," Ginny mumbled.

"Well, I mean moreso than you already have," Hermione said. "Why are you in a rush to do it anyway?"

"Because I don't think Blaise is going to be patient for much longer," Ginny admitted finally, bringing her head out of her hands. "He wants to wait to do anything until it's officially broken off, and I can tell it's starting to wear on him."

Hermione nodded, understanding. "And that's just adding more stress on you."

"Yeah..."

The girls looked up at the sound of something shattering and they relaxed when they both realized it was only a game of wizard's chess that had started. Ginny sighed and leaned back into the chair, looking up at the ceiling.

"I want to break it off," She said. "I need to. I want to be with Blaise, but I don't know what's stopping me."

"Is it maybe because you're worried about a chain reaction that the breakup might cause?"

Ginny gave Hermione a confused look and Hermione shifted in her chair, turning to face her friend. "I think your mind is trying to protect you from any possible future pain by prolonging this. Do you think something bad is going to happen once you break things off?"