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Yeah.

[ Pause. ]

Er, good morning.

It's been ages, Ginny! Are you alright?

John told me I've been asleep for weeks.

[ So, no, she isn't quite sure if that would count as feeling alright. It's unsettling to not know the cause or the reason. ]

And that the castle had been attacked. That some of our people were left behind in Caer Scima? And... I don't know how I could've slept through all of that, it's just a bit—disturbing. If I worried you, Hermione...

I thought you'd gone back home, I had no idea -

[ She shakes her head, breathing out. Standing, moving Crookshanks off her lap, Hermione gathers her things. ]

You did, but it's alright. I'm used to it, aren't I? Are you in your room?

On my way. I ended up in the infirmary somehow.

[ Softer, ]

You haven't got to say that. It's not like I try to make a habit of it, you know. I'm not even sure I understand what happened or why, the last time something like this... [ It rings of the diary, a little, but she's not about to bring it up. ] Anyway, I'm a bit starved, if you want to have tea with me, [ Teasingly, ] yell a bit if you like.

I meant Harry and Ron, you know, not just you. I'm more than used to being a bit of a mother hen when I have to be.

[ A soft laugh and Hermione throws her beaded bag over her shoulder. ]

Tea would be perfect, and I promise I won't yell too much.

I'm perfectly innocent most of the time. [ Lies. ] Harry and Ron are gits.

[ Ah, the old adage. ]

I'll just go nick some things from the kitchen, then, shall I? [ OLD HABITS. ] Meet in my room in a bit? You can let yourself in.

They are, but don't tell them I said it. I'll never live it down.

[ Like they don't know. ]

I'll see you there. Do you want me to bring Crookshanks?

I'd love for you to bring Crookshanks.

[ And by the time they meet up in her room, Merlin's beard, she feels tired. Which is bizarre because she's been asleep for three weeks but everything is rather overwhelming and she's not about to admit that it feels that way. So when she arrives, she's got pastries and there should be things for making tea in her room (suite?) and she wants to take a bath. ]

[ Hermione has already started on the tea, Crookshanks rubbing around her legs and purring loudly. When Ginny walks in, she stops what she's doing and rushes to wrap her arms around her friend. ]

Thank goodness you're alright.

[ She smiles, returning the hug gently with one arm, the other holding the food aloft. ]

I'm always all right. [ She leans back to look down at her favourite cat. ] And how are you?

[ She squeezes Ginny carefully before she leans back and takes some of the food from her arms to help her balance before she sets it down on the little table. Crookshanks is rubbing between their legs and leans up to nudge at Ginny before hopping off to go and explore. ]

I'm alright. I've been learning a lot, though, and it's been... Not too terrible, I suppose.

Right.

[ John told her about healing magic, but she isn't in the mood to touch on that right now. Instead, she leans down to sweep a hand over Crookshanks, scratching gently at the base of his tail, then lets him run off before going to sit. ]

So you got through this... siege without any problems? John didn't tell me very much. [ With a quiet twist of her lips, a small smile; ] Apparently I worried him.

He was worried when we last talked.

[ Hermione starts setting up the tea and food, thankful to have her mind focussed on something other than the daunting pressure of fighting, or worse. ]

He's not used to people our age fighting, I don't think, or being part of a war effort.

[ She turns, then, and looks over at Ginny, shifting a little. ]

I protected the city during the worm attack as best I could, but otherwise I haven't really been a part of the fighting. I'm not sure how useful I could be.

You're plenty useful, Hermione, don't say that.

[ Ginny frowns over at her, toeing off her shoes and bringing her feet up onto the chair. ]

Think about it. We've done loads more than most witches our age ever did. Like you said, people aren't used to us being part of a war but in a lot of ways, it's been a good part of our lives, hasn't it? Still is, for me. [ She smiles a little. ] You've just got this one to worry about, now. And I've thrown myself into it, worms and all, because I reckon that's the only way to get home—

But I don't know. After this magical coma business, I'm not so sure I trust... [ She presses her lips together, looking around her room like they might not be entirely alone. So she shrugs instead. ] I'll have to give a few things some thought.

You know what I mean - I'm not a soldier, or an Auror. I'd much rather do the research.

[ Not that she hasn't learned how to fight - she'd had to. She knows how to defend, protect, stun, paralyse, knock out - she knows how to kill and torture. She just doesn't want to put that information to use, not unless it's life or death (as if it hasn't been that way for the last seven years?) ]

We've done a lot because we've had to - we never got the choice. I wouldn't give it up for anything, not really, because it was Harry, and our world, but that doesn't mean it was right. I just wish things could have been easier for all of us, you know?

[ But it's the past and she's grown up to be a strong, capable young woman because of it. She can't complain about that. ]

I'm not sure we can trust them either, really, but they've done nothing to steer us wrong just yet.

[ She does know what she means, of course she does. And even with what Ginny's done with the DA, she'll never consider herself a soldier—just someone put in an impossible situation making do as best she can. And someday, she'll be well ahead like Hermione and be able to look back on it all with such surety but as of right now, the war is very much her present and so are the scars from the first semester alone.

Ginny presses her lips together at the last bit, though, looking away. ]

Well, it's just been a few months. And High Queen Solais is... well, I don't know what to make of her. Kind enough. But I want to know why I was left like that for practically a month. And maybe we'll never get any straight answers—I hate that.

[ Hermione pauses for a moment, glancing over at Ginny, almost awkwardly. Sometimes she forgets that Ginny is a little behind her, timeline wise, and this - all of this - might be a little much. She reaches out, touching her shoulder and passing her a cup of tea. ]

I wish I was used to not getting straight answers, but... [ She grins, shrugging a shoulder absently. ] I'm sure we'll figure it out.

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