...And the 7th Year Student

A few hours later Matt and Hermione were leaving the Great Hall heading for their next classes when they passed Ginny as she was coming down to grab a quick lunch before it stopped being served.

"Why on earth is Ginny only just now getting to lunch?" Hermione asked Matt as the pair of them turned to watch her. She looked a little disheveled.

"Hmm…I did hear some first years saying that their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson was late by half an hour and one of the scary Quidditch players was assisting Harry for a shorter lesson…" Matt replied and whistled loudly to get Ginny's attention before she walked into the Great Hall. "Her wrist…" he muttered to Hermione out of the side of his mouth.

Hermione's gaze traveled to Ginny's right wrist as Matt held up his hand and rubbed his own wrist with his other hand. Ginny flushed scarlet and pulled her wand out, tapping the fuzzy pink set of handcuffs that were dangling from her arm. Hermione's expression changed to one of understanding and surprise.

"What in Merlin's name…?"

"Looks like yours and my favorite Gryffindor Quidditch star only likes to give commands on the pitch and prefers to take them in the bedroom, or the professor's office." Matt wryly replied as they continued their walk to the next class.

Hermione turned red at his implication. Had Ginny been in there this whole time? Did Harry make his class late because they were snogging? She shook her head in disbelief. She knew Ginny had a free period after Defense Against the Dark Arts, but she had no idea that was how Ginny was spending it.

"They both could get into so much trouble! It's inappropriate!" Hermione chastised.

"It's a gray area, they're only a year apart and since Gin's an adult…sure it's not a great look for Harry if he's found out, but maybe he doesn't care. He says he's going back to London after Christmas anyway and that Headmistress McGonagall will have a replacement by then to take over." Matt's line of thought was paused as they passed Neville popping out of a broom closet, Hannah Abbott right behind him. The pair of them also looked as disheveled as Ginny Weasley, if not more so.

"Something must be going around…" Matt observed as they slipped by the pair.

"Oh?" Hermione asked, looking flushed.

"Yeah, the love bug!" Matt joked. Although his observation seemed to be fulfilling itself as Luna emerged from an empty classroom, Rolf Scamander followed her closely behind.

"What is it?! Did someone slip love potions into the castle and everyone's drinks?" Hermione asked, frustrated. Matt put his arm out to stop her and looked at her with a smile.

"I doubt it. It's not like someone's suddenly with someone they weren't before. I think people might just be relieving stress in a…"

"In a what, Matt?"

"In a way that makes them feel good about it afterwards." Matt said sticking the landing and avoiding nasty looks from Hermione.

"So, what, people are having sex as a pass time all of a sudden?" Hermione looked unconvinced.

"Maybe, or it could just be that all those couples just happen to have similar schedules. You think that happened just randomly?" Matt shook his head.

"Well…it couldn't possibly…"

"Precisely. But it seems like all of Hogwarts star couples are having some adult fun…" Matt did not finish what his thought was.

"Except us." Hermione finished for him.

"I wasn't gonna say it out loud…"

"Matt, I'm not ready yet…" she looked to the side, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I know. It's fine, Hermione. I told you, we go when you say so, not before." Matt said and he reached over to her chin and gently used a finger to bring her gaze forward. He was smiling at her, and he leaned down to gently kiss her lips. Hermione closed her eyes and responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. The couple pulled close together, Hermione allowed herself to be pushed into a nearby wall as she kissed Matt passionately. After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said quietly.

"For what? That felt good." Matt said and wrapped his arms around her, holding her. Hermione rested her cheek on Matt's chest and sighed.

"I feel like I'm holding out on you…" Hermione confessed.

"I don't think so." Matt said and gently nuzzled the top of her head with his nose. Hermione let out a small giggle at the sensation. "I think, you're going at your own pace and that when you're ready to take the next step in our relationship, you'll say so. I don't want you to feel like you have to do something just because everyone else is doing it."

Hermione let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried he would think she was just toying with him, making him wait or worse, just leading him on for the fun of it. Instead, he supported her and understood her need to take things slower and be more methodical, even in her personal relationships. She had been hurt in the past, it was true, mostly by Ron, when she thought about it. Ron's treatment of her throughout their time together leading up to and during the Second Wizarding War explained it.

"C'mon, we better get to class." Matt said after a long moment of simply holding each other. It felt good to have him on her side and being there to comfort her, even if she was not hurt physically.

"Alright." Hermione relented and clasped his hand in hers as they walked down the corridors. It was not often she did things like this, the pair of them would often walk side by side, true, but rarely did they hold hands or kiss in public spaces like corridors. Hermione was not one to routinely display her affections. She liked behaving in a classy manner and not being seen as one to give in to emotions and physical desires. Hermione was fond of her reputation as logical and highly intelligent. However, seeing her fellow students, her friends, giving in a little and enjoying themselves and each other did make her feel like she might be missing out a little.

Hermione knew Matt did not see her as cold or aloof, quite the opposite. He was fond of reminding her of how much he liked the way she cared so deeply about him and their friends. On this occasion in particular, she felt entirely justified holding her boyfriend's hand as they walked together. She could not help but notice how his smile never faded either. Clearly, he liked it as well. Hermione decided she was going to do this more often, not all the time, but on more occasions than previously.

The following week as the Gryffindors all sat around their usual spot in the Great Hall, mail arrived as usual. Matt and Hermione were reading the Daily Prophet and commenting to each other on the latest news. Meanwhile, Neville and Luna chatted quietly, she was spending more of her mealtimes with them than ever before. Ginny, however, was looking disgusted at her most recent bit of mail.

"Gin, you look like you just took a bite of a bad apple. What's up?" Matt asked, looking over the top of his paper.

"It's my mother!" Ginny complained. Hermione's attention was drawn out of her paper as well now. The mention of Mrs. Weasley intrigued her. She had been taken in somewhat by the Weasley family. Hermione had spent almost as much time with them as she did on her own in the previous seven years.

"Oh? What's your mom got to say?" Matt replied.

"Well, she's been telling me all about how things are back home. And she's being completely insensitive! Listen to this:

'Dear Ginny,

Oh, it's so lovely to have you writing home at last dear! How is Harry getting along teaching and doing his Auror job? He had better be eating right. You know how he tends to go without! Ron's been doing simply awful. He only goes to work and then comes straight home. Even George thinks it a bit odd that he doesn't bother to stop in to see his own brother while he's in London! No, he simply comes home and mopes in his room. That breakup with Hermione really has bothered him. I hope she's doing ok. You know, I'm not one to meddle but that American they're saying she's hanging around, well you know how they can be! She had simply better watch herself around him. And you best too! If he's even half as bad as Ron says he is, you can't trust him. I know you were both locked up together at the Ministry during that awful attack, but that doesn't mean it wasn't intentional. Ron thinks he had something to do with it, to win Harry, Hermione, and your trust! Anyway, I hope Hermione starts to feel better after that nasty fight. I know Ron was angry, but you and she must understand, he thought you were all in danger. He wouldn't have lashed out the way he did if he didn't have a good cause. Maybe you can talk to Hermione? Tell her she's better off without that American and that Ron really misses her a great deal.

Love Always,

Mum'"

Ginny finished reading and made a retching sound. Even Neville and Luna looked shocked at the letter reading.

"Honestly! Mum's gone and bought into the news tripe again! And she knows how bad of a temper my dear brother can have! It's not like he's never lashed out before. And this rubbish about telling you to leave Matt, Hermione! I can't believe her! If she only had gotten to know you, Matt, she wouldn't have said those things. You're no Death Eater, you didn't have anything to do with the incident at the Ministry and I've never seen Hermione this happy, ever!" Ginny exclaimed and made an exasperated noise before drawing her wand and setting the letter on fire. Hermione and Matt exchanged glances, he looked disappointed, and she appeared frustrated.

Matt had only recently stopped getting looks at the school. Ever since the incident at the Ministry of Magic, most everyone was convinced he was not one of Voldemort's supporters and would not have put himself in the line of literal fire from a three-headed abomination. Death Eaters were not the self-sacrificial types.

It would seem though that Ron's version of Matt was much easier for Molly Weasley to believe than even what her own eyes were telling her. Hermione placed a hand on his arm and gave him a reassuring squeeze.

Later that night in the common room, as Matt and Hermione were working through some of the mounds of homework assigned to them Hermione poked him with her quill.

"Yes?" Matt asked, pausing his own work to look over at her, slightly bleary eyed.

"About that letter, earlier, from Mrs. Weasley…" Hermione began. Matt felt his stomach clench. Could Hermione have listened to her and meant to take her seriously? He could not exactly blame his girlfriend, this was the matriarch of the family that had taken her in on numerous occasions, acted as a guide to her for the Wizarding World, of which she had only just recently entered a scant seven years prior. Her advice would be one to take with heed, not a grain of salt. Was this about to be it? Were their late-night sojourns to the Room of Requirement to sleep next to each other at an end?

"What about it?" Matt asked, non-plussed. He did not want to show emotion; anything would be a bad move until he heard her out.

"I'm sorry you had to hear all that. It wasn't very kind of Mrs. Weasley to pass judgement on you so easily, without having met you. I'm not listening to her. I love you, as I said at the Ministry." Hermione reached out to him and took his hand in hers.

"Thank you. I love you too." Matt said looking deeply into her brown eyes. He smiled at Hermione genuinely and his thumb caressed the back of her hand. He felt an immense wave of relief at her words. "Are you finished with your work? If you are, I was thinking that maybe, we could go to the Room of Requirement tonight?"

"I'd like that." Hermione said and quickly packed up her books and papers. "Give me five minutes?" she asked, and he nodded eagerly in reply. An abbreviated time later, Matt and Hermione were curled up against one another in the bed the room provided them with and contently were falling asleep.