Regular print is Ginny writing. Italics are Hermione's commentary.
After we finished our visit with you when your father showed us that...that thing, (I'm going to go look it up in a book!) that was very lovely, we decided to walk back to the Burrow. I had side-along Apparated with Hermione, but I decided I don't like side-along Apparition much, (Your boyfriend doesn't, either, so I'm not surprised.) so we were going to take the bus and tell my dad all about it. I think that would have pleased him. But when we arrived at the bus stop, there was a creepy guy with drugs and Ginny was highly confused, so we left. Walking it was.
It was a billywig, one of the one he's using for that hush-hush project!
As we passed that creek with the rushes, we heard something rustling. Hermione had her wand out at once, though my first thought was that it was a bird. But, seeing Hermione on guard, I pulled out my wand as well. You make me sound like I'm paranoid! Don't you know there's a war on? Hermione said, "Dissendium!" and the rushes separated, but there wasn't anything there but a couple of big rocks.
We kept walking for quite a while and I put my wand back in my pocket. "I'd like to be Quidditch Captain," I said suddenly. "Since Harry's not coming back, it'll be open. I mean, I'd rather...well, you know."
"Yes, I know."
Silence. I grabbed at something cheery to say.
"Have fun with that, because I won't be there to confund anyone for you this year," said Hermione.
I had to laugh. "If you confund anyone this year, don't go out with him after."
"Well, that depends on how stupid your brother is."
"You know how he is with private moments." I sniffed. "I don't suppose there'll be much more chance for him to be obnoxious, then, is there?"
Obnoxious to whom? "What is that supposed to mean?"
"You're all going away! And Harry won't be there. Even if he was, it--I--I should stay home, too."
"No, you ha--"
"What's the point of going back if Dumbledore isn't there and my brothers aren't there and you aren't there?"
"But Luna--"
"And class in the dungeons!"
"But Snape--"
"I don't know if I can ever look at that room again. That horrible man! I know he was so awful to Harry all the time, but I really hoped Dumbledore was right--"
"But Dumbledore--"
"--that Snape wasn't all bad. And then he--"
Hermione gripped her wand hard. "He killed Dumbledore."
I exploded. "I don't want to go back if you won't be there. But it doesn't matter, if you were, everything would be wrong, anyway. Bloody stupid You-Know-Who. I wish he'd died when Harry stabbed the diary!"
Hermione burst into tears. And then I burst into tears and we sank to the ground, mumbling and weeping about who-knows-what, everything, I think.
And then something small and gangly with a bulbous head flew out of nowhere and sank its teeth into my arm. I screamed. Hermione shouted, "Sectumsempra!" but it barely grazed the creature and it only backed off for an instant, a tiny bit of blood on its forehead.
I kicked away its second attack and Hermione tried, "Stupefy!"
I groped for my wand and shouted, "Reducto!" but it dodged and my spell reduced a small shrub to ashes.
Hermione gave her wand a little extra thrust: "STUPEFY!"
The spell hit the creature and it dropped like the rock its head resembled. It twitched a little, so Hermione added, "Petrificus totalus!"
We stood shaken, staring at it for a few seconds. Then Hermione turned to me. "Here," she said, and healed up the bite on my arm.
"What was that?" I asked.
"I don't know," she said, "but I think it was making us depressed, like a Dementor." I looked it up when we got back to the Burrow. It was a pogrebin.
"Why'd you use Sectumsempra?" I asked.
Hermione shrugged. "We'd just been talking about Snape, and I needed a spell."
"It's dark magic, isn't it?" I said, thinking about the time Harry had Snape's potions book.
"Um," Hermione said, shoving her wand into her pocket. "Maybe. I don't know."
We walked back to the Burrow in silence, compulsively checking over our shoulders. But nothing was there.
We're safe and sound inside the Burrow, now. Mum wasn't too happy about the whole thing. By the time I got back, I had a notice from the Ministry of Magic for underage magic, but Dad explained I was with an adult witch (i.e., older and wiser!) and I got off.
I hope you've been well since we left you.
Love,
Ginny
P. S. Ginny neglected to mention how we began our walk from your house discussing Bill and Fleur's wedding. Apparently Viktor Krum is coming. Ginny could not resist making some impertinent remarks. And I, of course, retorted that Viktor might like Ginny the best of the party--Quidditch as a common interest, you know?--and we must therefore do all we can to keep him away from Harry. Ginny then informed me that Fred and George bought Ron a book on "Charming Witches." We debated whether or not we should steal and jinx it. If so, we might end up wreaking havoc at the wedding. We haven't yet decided on a plan of action. Any suggestions? Do try to not get bitten by the billywigs. Love, Hermione.
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