Innocent

c h a p t e r t w o

HERMIONE STOOD OUTSIDE watching the grass dance in the wind. She had stayed up again, reading through books. Nothing matched up. It was as frustrating as when she had once been searching for Nichola Flannel. A needle in a haystack the size of the planet. 

She dipped her High Top's into the lake water and felt the cold water seep to her toes. The shock of cold water felt good against her mind. Ginny sat next to her. 

"Hey, Hermione."

Ginny and Hermione had talked about her vision for hours last night but came to no conclusions. Hermione almost regretted telling her friend about it. She still felt on edge about it. 

"The water feels nice," Hermione said. 

Ginny peeled her socks off and discarded them behind her. 

"Anything on the vision?" Ginny asked.

Hermione shook her head. Even though Ginny was her best friend, she couldn't hide the scowl on her face. Ginny had recovered from the war easily. Ginny and Harry had been dating for 3 years now. Harry owled Ginny constantly. Her letters from Ron and Harry were sparse. 

"I wish it was always this nice outside." Ginny murmured.

"How are things going with Harry?"

Ginny shot her a knowing smile. 

"Long-distance is hard. I write to him every day." Ginny said.

She couldn't help the low groan that glazed the back of her throat. 

"What do you guys talk about?" Hermione asked.

"Everything! Ron being annoying, the things we will do when I get back... His life, and mine." 

Ginny's voice faded on as she talked about how Harry talked, the things Harry did. Harry. Harryharryharry. 

"Ginny- sorry to interrupt, but-"

"No, it's fine."

"How do you know if you love someone?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shrugged. 

"Well, at first you like them, and then your feelings grow. You think about them all the time."

"What's the difference between liking and loving?" Hermione asked. 

"When you fall in love, you just know." 

Hermione pursed her lips. She always thought she fell for Ron. Uncertain thoughts dusted her mind. She brushed the thought off. 

"How's Ron?" Hermione asked. She already knew. Jobless and busy hanging around the rebuilt burrow. In her latest letter, he had sent her pictures he had taken of the ocean waves cresting over the beach.

"Ron's Ron," Ginny said with a hesitant look, "He's having trouble figuring out what he wants for a job."

Hermione ripped the grass and watched it float for seconds in the water. It disappeared between the thin barrier. 

"Oh! I forgot to tell you! Ron's driving Mom nuts. He's been on and off with this girl that works in the Ministry."

Hermione felt her heart sink into her stomach. This was new to her.

"Are they still together?" Hermione asked. 

"I guess, one second they are on it big time, and the next she is calling it off. Mom thought they were going to get married, and for a while, it looked like that... Mom would kill me if she knew I'm spilling this out."