For Every Action

Chapter VI

I took my leave of him and sauntered back to the Common Room. By now, it was 8:30, and I knew that everyone would notice my absence. As quietly as possible, I slipped through the portrait hole and stole my way up to the Tower.

"Hermione. Where've you been?" a voice asked. It was Ginny.

"Oh, I, uh I-" I managed to stutter.

"You weren't at dinner," she stated blatantly. I couldn't quite decipher Ginny's mood. Her face was masked, and not a trace of emotion could I spot on her face.

"Yes, you see, I was, er, otherwise engaged." I smiled to myself at the use of the word. Ginny, however, frowned and flushed red with anger.

"Look, Hermione! Draco broke up with me, and now he's with you. I want to know the bloody reason why!" she spat fiercely.

"Ginny, I can't say," I sighed. "You won't want to know."

"You want to bet on that?" she snapped, folding her arms across her chest. "I know Draco and I weren't close; we'd only been together for a month, but I don't think anybody deserves to be treated like that. I mean, he didn't even explain anything! And how do you think Harry feels? You dropped him without second thoughts after going steady for two years!"

Suddenly, I felt like crap. Maybe it was the coffee; I never cared much for it. Somehow though, this wasn't food related. I just longed to be alone. I longed for a re-do of the last week. I was going to have to tell her.

"Okay Ginny, I'll tell you. But so help me, if you so much as breathe a word to anyone else, I'll have to do something to you," I said warily, sliding down the door and resting on the floor. Ginny followed suit, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You might not remember, but about a week ago, Harry and I had a huge row." She nodded. "That night, I left the Common Room, and ran off. I found Draco. Actually, I didn't find him. We sort of, collided. I was crying somewhere near the dungeons," I explained, toying with the ring on my left hand. Ginny saw it but said nothing. "Anyway, one thing led to another, and fairly soon I was in bed with him. That's why he broke up with you. You see, that night, I got pregnant."

Ginny sucked her breath in with a gasp. "Wow. So, so what're you going to do Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I took the test. We're going to keep it. Look, Gin, you have every right to ream me out, but please don't. You, Ron and Harry are the only ones who know."

"Aside from Draco?"

"Well, he had to know, seeing as he's the father."

"How'd Harry take it?" she asked quietly.

"Called it a 'bastard child' and called me a filthy little witch," I replied wryly, a sad smile forming on my face. Ginny looked shocked, and she stood up slowly.

She eyed my left hand. "What's that? The ring?"

"Oh, sorry. Draco and I are getting married. He just asked me tonight."

"Seriously? You're going to commit to each other? That's awesome! I'm so happy for you! Really, really happy!" she shrieked, leaning over from her position and hugging me.

She's not upset? Not in the least? What's going on here?

"Do you have any names picked out? Let me see the ring!" Reluctantly, I slid the cool band off my left hand and placed it in her palm. The glittering stone gave off its own heat as the centre of the ruby glowed crimson. The two emeralds on either side cast a cool breeze across the face of the wearer, and the serpent and lion engravings were standing out more as night began to fall.

"That...that is just..." she let her sentence trail, not being able to find a word fit enough to describe it. She gazed at it, completely mesmerized.

"Ginny, earth to Ginny," I laughed as I waved my hand in front of her face. She snapped out of her trance, and handed me back the ring.

"So, like I said before, have you thought of any names?"

"Honestly, it was the last thing to cross my mind. I've been a bit preoccupied with trying to keep the whole school from knowing."

"Oh...oh yeah. Well, are you up for discussion now?"

"Ginny, just a quick question, if you don't mind," I asked slowly, and she nodded. "Why don't you have a problem with Draco breaking up with you?"

Dropping her gaze, Ginny mumbled something unintelligible while gazing at her feet.

"What was that?"

Ginny's cheeks turned scarlet and her eyes bright as she turned to meet my gaze. "I said, I was preoccupied at the time. It wasn't really a problem."

"Preoccupied with what? Or shall I say, who?" I asked slyly.

"With, with, well, Justin."

"You were cheating on Draco with Justin?!"

"Mmhmm. Yeah, I know, giving up the motorcycle for the Rolls-Royce."

"Not exactly," I returned, laughing. "So, you really don't care that Draco and I were together?"

"No, not really. It saves me breaking up with him. Now Justin and I can come out publicly. And, it isn't as though anyone thinks we're together anymore. After what Ernie and Anthony saw you two doing tonight-" she stopped abruptly. "Oh, Hermione, I didn't mean that. I mean, I did, but don't blame me, because they just told me, and-"

"It's okay Ginny," I answered, cutting her off. "It was Draco's idea to give Hogwarts something else to talk about, and that's exactly what we did."

"Okay, cool. Just as long as you're not pissed at me. Anyway, names. Now, I personally like Declan for a boy, while Sonia is a perfect name for a girl..."