For Her Safety

A/N- Thanks for the kind reviews. They've brought up some good points that I have indeed been thinking on. It looks like the next chapter may very well be the smutty one. Even I'm getting anxious for it.

much love,
zairaphel

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


After her brief chat with Sirius, Hermione joined everyone in the dinning room again. Everyone was curious to know just what went on in the other room whilst they were away, but Hermione kept quiet about just what had gone on. She would, however talk to Ginny, as it was custom to share exciting bits of news between each other.

Tactfully, Hermione bid everyone a good night saying she needed to be well rested for tomorrows events. Mentioning what was to go on in the morning was a pretty good way to get everyone to give her a little more space as they were all still relatively nervous as to how she was taking everything.

Ginny and Hermione gathered up her gifts and retreated to their room. As soon as they were in and the door was shut, Ginny turned and stared at Hermione. "Well?! What happened? You are going to tell me, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Don't be silly," Hermione reassured her as she set her owl cage down on top of her bureau. She locked her necklace and earrings from Sirius away in her trunk for safe keeping. Once everything was put away in it's proper place she pulled Ginny onto her bed. She couldn't contain her excitement as she held out her left hand to her friend, showing the large diamond glinting in the dim light.

Ginny's eyes grew wide at the sight. "Oh my Gods, Hermione! That must have cost an absolute fortune! You are sooooo lucky. Handsome, rich, boy you sure got a good one!" she laughed lightly.

"Ginny!" Hermione didn't think she would ever get used to Ginny's candid way of speaking.

"So, do you have a dress for tomorrow?" Ginny asked her, her eyes shining with merriment.

"Oh my Gods, Ginny. I don't have a dress! I never really thought about it. Now what am I supposed to do?" Hermione asked her friend, the disappointment evident.

Ginny gave her the look that said 'how thick can you get'. "You are a witch, Hermione. Just transfigure one of the dresses that you've already got."

Hermione laughed lightly. "Why didn't I think of that?" she said as she got up and started rummaging in her trunk. She emerged with a long yellow sundress and laid it on the bed. With a few swishes and flicks of her wand she managed to create a shining white dress. It was strapless and had a full long skirt. Ginny picked it up and held it up to Hermione. She had a large grin on her face.

"Oh Mione, it's gorgeous. You're not going to be able to pull Sirius off you." Hermione blushed heatedly at her words. She was still having a hard time thinking of herself as even remotely attractive. "Speaking of Mr. Black," Ginny giggled before continuing. "Do you know if he's got appropriate attire for tomorrow?"

Hermoine stopped and thought for a moment. "I don't know, but I really don't suppose he has anything. At least nothing that would go with the dress..."

Ginny grinned and hopped off the bed. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere," she said before quickly leaving the room. Hermione frowned. She couldn't help but wonder just what her friend was up to. She mentally shrugged before going to her trunk to put away her dress for tomorrow.

Hermione went back to her bed and sat down. No sooner she had sat down than Ginny snuck back into their room with some clothes in her arms.

"Just what do you have there?" Hermione frowned looking at the armfull of clothes.

"I nicked a few things from Sirius' room. He wasn't there, otherwise it might have taken me longer... anyhow, seeing the job you did with your dress I'm sure you can make this pair of pants and these shirts into something suitable." Ginny was grinning from ear to ear.

"Dear lord... You've really taken after Fred and George haven't you?" she asked as she surveyed the clothes, laying them out neatly on her bed.

"Oh yes, I do think they'd be proud of me," Ginny laughed as she watched Hermione slowly work her magic on the clothes in front of her.

It took her a good few tries before she transfigured a neat, muggle style tuxedo. Hermione smiled in triumph. This was probably some of her best work.

"Ooooh, muggle? I like it!" Ginny said when she saw the final product. Ginny grabbed a small scrap of parchment and wrote "for tomorrow" on it before pinning it to the lapel of the coat.

"I'll get these back into his room before he gets back," Ginny told Hermione as she picked the clothes up and slipped out of the room. It was only a few more moments before Ginny slipped back in the room. "Still wasn't there. It looks like we got away with it." She grinned again. Fred and George have had too much time with that girl...

"Okay," Ginny said, using her best 'motherly' voice. "It's time to get you into bed. You need to be well rested for tomorrow. You don't want dark circles and puffy eyes, now do you?"

Hermione sighed. Really there was no point in arguing with her once she used that voice. If she got anything from her mother it was her mannerisms and that mother hen mentality.

"Yes, mum," Hermione said with a laugh. Ginny just smiled as she went about getting ready for bed. She had a few tricks up her sleeve. As much as Hermione probably wouldn't admit it, she was going to enjoy tomorrow.

They both got into bed for the evening, their minds running over tomorrow's events. Needless to say, Ginny's thoughts were perfect, romantic, and fairy tale, while Hermione's couldn't have been more opposite.

This is going to be anything other than the fairy tale wedding I had pictured when I was ten. No shining knight... well, I suppose Sirius could be my knight, only because he is saving my arse. Not the way my "perfect day" was supposed to turn out...

"Night, Ginny... Sleep sweet," she said softly, lost in her thoughts. With my luck, tomorrow's going to be a nightmare.

"Night, Moine. Sweet dreams," Ginny told her, smiling softly in the dark. Tomorrow's gonna be great!