Heroes at Hogwarts

fifty | mud puddles and group hugs

ginny

Harry flinched when Ginny set a hand on his shoulder, but he still turned with a smile. "Hey." His arms snaked around her waist. "What's up?" 

She frowned at him. "You sure you're okay?" 

Harry was obviously lying, but she didn't want to call him on it. "Oh, yeah, all good." He kissed her, a distraction. He pulled away. "I've got a lot of work to make up."

He glared at the stack of papers on the table next to him. Ginny laughed. "I doubt McGonagall is going to make you do that." 

"No but Hermione will," Harry mused. "She's already talking about tutoring. I've got to get into that auror program, Gin." 

Ginny sighed. Annabeth had mentioned that Harry wouldn't be able to stay here, not after all of this was over. He'd have to go with them. Ginny wondered if Harry knew that. She wondered if he cared. 

"You won't be here much longer, though." She was cautious with her wording. "Annabeth said you'd have to go back to their camp with them." 

Harry looked down. "I was hoping to just visit for a while and come back home. I don't want to leave you guys." 

Ginny had voiced these worries to Annabeth. She was sure that they could all go with Harry, if they were willing to leave, but she wasn't positive. She also wasn't sure Harry could get away. Annabeth said if it was her decision, she would make sure they could all stay together. Ginny didn't tell him this, not now. He'd only just gotten home. He needed a moment to believe everything would end up all right. 

Harry sat back down. "Besides, keeps my mind off things."

Ginny sat with him. She didn't bother to ask what he needed distracting from. Annabeth had explained Tartarus when the boys had disappeared. She was worried, but the blonde girl hadn't exactly been itching to go get them. In fact, no one was. It seemed once you dropped below the Underworld, you were on your own. 

"You sure you're okay?" She asked, laying her head on his shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her with a hum. "I will be," he said. 

***

Hermione laughed, pulling herself up from the ground. Ginny pushed her back down again with a giggle. Hermione landed back in the puddle. 

The girls had decided to take a walk around the forest with Reyna and Hazel, who were on patrol that night. With the amount of noise they were making, Ginny doubted anything would come toward the castle. 

Rachel and Annabeth, perched on a fallen log, were laughing at the two wizards. Reyna and Piper stood firm, arms crossed over their chests with large smiles on their faces. Silena and Hazel jumped around, giggling with Annabeth and Rachel. Ginny and Hermione had fallen into a large puddle while not paying attention, and now they were covered in mud. 

Hermione tried to stand again only to eat the puddle headfirst. The others busted out laughing again, and as Ginny tried to run from Hermione's muddy splash zone, she slipped and slid right back into the puddle. The other girls lost it at that. Even Reyna was bent over laughing. 

"Guys, come on." Piper laughed, walking slowly over to them. She put her hand out to pull the two out. "We need to check the areas." Her giggles weren't contained. 

Ginny and Hermione shared one look of scheming. The poor girl had been hanging out with the Weasleys to much, because she understood immediately. When Piper looked at them expectantly, they each took a hand, and pulled. 

Piper all but flew into the mud. As she spun around, she screeched. The others laughed harder, but what happened next wasn't what Ginny expected.