AN: I do not own any of the characters used in this story. The characters are from the Harry Potter series owned by the talented J.K. Rowling.

"Please, Professor, tell me what's happening," Ginny requested, her voice tight with worry though she struggled to remain composed and steady.

Dumbledore gave her a tiny smile, his eyes kind, and yielded. "Very well." He paused to reach for a copy of the paper that lay on his desk. "I'm afraid Miss Granger is in a great deal of trouble," he announced regretfully as he extended his arm across the desk and offered her the paper.

Ginny felt her senses dull as Dumbledore's words shook her. She absently shuffled over towards him and gingerly took the paper from his hand and held it up in her own trembling ones.

"...We have to do something," she said urgently, her voice shaking, as she took a large step towards Dumbledore. He watched her quietly with sad eyes, but said nothing. "Come on...You're supposed to be the greatest wizard in all of Europe!" She cried. "And you can't do anything? You lied to us! You said that Hermione would be fine, that she would be safe!" She felt tears brimming in her eyes and she stared expectantly at the Headmaster who did nothing. "Well she's not!" Ginny yelled.

For the first time in a long time, Ginny began to cry.

Illusions – Chapter 1

A year and a half prior: November

Hermione POV

Hermione flipped a page of her book as she sat quietly in the common room, waiting to head out for breakfast. A giggle escaped her as a certain redhead snuck up behind her chair and leaned over it to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. Hermione smirked as Ginny came around to stand in front, offering her hand. Taking Ginny's outreached hand to stand, Hermione gave her a sidelong glance over the cheesy gesture, but succumbed to more laughter.

"Morning," Hermione smiled. "Did you sleep well?"

The redhead gave her a nod. "Very. How about you?"

Turning around, Hermione gathered up her things as she responded. "Quite well. I was just exhausted after rounds last night. Some of the third year Slytherins were causing problems," she explained, earning a look of concern from Ginny. "It worked out fine, though," Hermione assured.

She laced her fingers with Ginny's and turned to face Harry and Ron who had been chatting amongst themselves. "Ready to go?" She asked.

"Oh, are you quite done, then?" Ron asked sardonically as he stood. Even though it had been nearly three months since Hermione and Ginny had started dating, he never passed up a chance to tease them.

"Come on, Ronald," Ginny said lightly as she drew out his name, knowing very well how much it would irk him.

"Bloody Hell," he grumbled as Harry pushed him along towards the portrait hole.

As they entered the Great Hall a short while later, Hermione had to roll her eyes as a couple of girls shot icy stares her way.

"I don't know if these girls are ever going to get used to the idea of you being unavailable," Hermione said under her breath as she and Ginny proceeded to an empty spot at the Gryffindor table.

The younger girl chuckled lightly and said, "Well, I'd say they've toned things down since word got around that I hexed Daphne Greengrass for tripping you."

Hermione scowled at the memory of Daphne tripping her on their way out of Potions one day a month or so back. As Hermione was Head Girl this year, she took great joy in deducting a generous amount of points from Slytherin for Daphne's little trick. The brunette's expression softened as she remembered her initial confusion as Daphne blurted out a hurried, jittery apology the following day, Hermione only later discovering that Daphne had been on the receiving end of a nasty Bat-Bogey Hex from a certain redhead. If Daphne didn't already know that it wasn't well-advised to attack Head Girl, she certainly learned her lesson through other means.

Hermione's attention was brought back to the present as Luna came to sit with them. The group entered into idle conversation as they each helped themselves to the food that was so generously laid out across the table. The brunette was about to ask Luna how her Transfiguration classes were going when her attention was momentarily drawn away by a flurry of activity originating from the upper portion of the Great Hall, recognizing it as the morning post arriving.

A beat passed and Hermione recommitted to questioning Luna. The seventh year was mid-sentence when mild surprise urged her to stop as a letter dropped down next to her. She turned in question and frowned slightly at Ginny who was holding the just-arrived letter. Hermione's eyes were immediately drawn to the wax seal on the letter - it was the Ministry's official emblem.

"Maybe it's from Dad," Ginny guessed as she turned the letter over in her hands. "Maybe he sent it from work."

Hermione watched intently as, with a shrug, Ginny opened the envelope and pulled out a letter that the brunette instantly knew wasn't from Mr. Weasley. An uneasy feeling began to form in the pit of Hermione's stomach as she read the letter over Ginny's shoulder. Hermione didn't even realize her breathing begin to slow as the contents of the letter struck home.

What Ginny held in her hands was an official court summons from the Ministry. All it stated was that Lucius Malfoy had filed an assault charge against Ginny on behalf of Draco. The summons cited the date that they were all in Diagon Alley at the Cauldron and it called for Ginny's expulsion from Hogwarts if she was found guilty. According to the document, Ginny's court date was November 30 and until then she was on academic probation. In the post-script it indicated that copies had been mailed to Dumbledore and Ginny's parents.

Hermione frowned deeply as a series of questions erupted inside of her mind. All that came out of her mouth though was a vacant, "How? How did - I thought Moody-"

One form of distress was swiftly replaced with another as Ginny shot up from her seat and began to storm across the Hall toward the Slytherin table. Hermione found herself confused and immobile for a split second, shocked by the abrupt and nearly violent action, before she tore after the redhead - Harry, Ron, and Luna right next to her.

Ron and Harry caught up to Ginny before she could reach Draco, but they found themselves having to physically restrain her. Though Hermione was relieved that the boys had a hold of Ginny, it didn't stop the younger girl from struggling against them and yelling angrily across the way at Draco. Hermione vaguely noted that the entire Hall had grown still and all were now raptly watching the exchange. She swiftly stepped forward and laid a gentle, yet firm hand upon her lover's shoulder.

"Gin, I know you're really upset, but now is not the time," Hermione said in a hushed voice, but ensured to make pointed eye contact with the furious redhead.

Ginny's wrestling slowly ceased and the boys hesitantly released their hold on her. Hermione could easily tell that while Ginny had committed to not getting physical, she was still seething mad - rightfully so. The brunette's eyes snapped towards the Slytherin table and narrowed in disdain at the voice that garnered her attention.

"Professor! Professor! Weasley, here, threatened me!" Draco called out as he waved urgently at Professor Snape.

"So I see, Draco," Professor Snape drawled before shifting his eyes towards Ginny, locking them on her. "You would be wise to sit down, Miss Weasley," he warned in his slow, purposeful way.

Hermione could see that her girlfriend was about to blurt out a retort and the brunette gave Ginny's shoulder a light squeeze. Ginny relaxed underneath the brunette's touch and the group started to walk away when Professor Snape's voice caught their attention once more, surprising them.

"And Mr. Malfoy," he said, directing his gaze towards the boy in question, "I would be a little less loud next time about being so threatened by a girl, a younger girl, no less."

Harry and Ron burst out laughing as Draco grew red in the face and busied himself with finishing his breakfast - the usual din within the Great Hall restored. Upon spotting the glare of warning Professor Snape shot at them, the group rushed back to their seats and sat down. All that is, except for Ginny.

Hermione had her arm around the redhead and was about to sit them down when Ginny stalked right on and headed for the large, double-doors of the Great Hall. Shooting a worried look at her friends, Hermione quickly took off after her girlfriend, jogging briefly to catch up.

"Ginny," she called, not needing to raise her voice now that they were in an empty corridor.

The redhead continued to walk on purposefully, before slowing to a stop a moment later and reluctantly turning around, her hands propped up on her waist, her expression sombre.

"Ginny," Hermione repeated, softly this time, as she came to a stop in front of the younger girl and placed a hand upon her arm. "Please don't worry. Dumbledore won't let anything happen. I, won't let anything happen," she promised.

Hermione looked to Ginny for a response, but the redhead merely clenched her jaw, visibly incensed and casting her gaze elsewhere.

"Hey," Hermione comforted as she brought up her other hand up to cup Ginny's face, urging the girl to look at her. With some resistance, Ginny finally met Hermione's gaze and her expression softened considerably. "It's going to be okay, Gin," the brunette assured her before leaning forward and planting a kiss on Ginny's forehead. "Don't worry, we'll handle this."

Ginny exhaled heavily and tilted her head forward so that it rested against Hermione's, bringing her arms down to rest around the brunette's waist. "Thanks, 'Mione," she sighed.

The older girl smiled as she felt Ginny relax and begin to gently caress Hermione's back. From the look on the redhead's face, she was still far from relieved and was deep in thought, but she had at least calmed down somewhat.

"As soon as classes are over today, we'll speak with Dumbledore. Then we'll owl your parents and we can go from there," Hermione said, feeling Ginny nod slowly. "You have lots of support. No one's going to let this go through." Ginny nodded again and pulled Hermione further into a hug.

Hermione continued to attempt to comfort Ginny, but was interrupted by the bell, signalling the beginning of the day's classes. Insisting on walking the sixth year to her first class, Hermione reluctantly left Ginny's side and rushed back to the other side of the school, barely making it to her Arithmancy class on time. Though she was as outwardly-diligent as ever in class, her mind was elsewhere. She had to come up with a plan.

As promised, after classes were over, Hermione accompanied Ginny to Professor Dumbledore's office and spoke with him about the girl's predicament. He was patient and kind, as Hermione had anticipated. He was also able to provide them with a few more details on how the charge came about. Apparently, though Moody's memory charm was effective, it didn't prevent witnesses from eventually questioning Lucius on the incident. As soon as he was alerted to the altercation, he had someone at the Ministry undo Moody's memory charm - a specialist being needed as the memory charm was so thoroughly cast. Ginny and Hermione had shared a nervous glance with one another, both thinking about Luna's involvement in this scenario, but the professor, being his ever-omniscient self, had assured them that Luna was safe. Hermione smiled fondly as Ginny asserted that she'd never let Luna take the fall anyhow, even if she had been dragged into this mess.

Eventually, the Headmaster had sent them on their way, only after he promised to accompany Ginny to her trial and reiterated with a twinkle in his eye that everything would be fine.

"How are you feeling?" Hermione asked as they paused to talk a few corridors away from Dumbledore's quarters.

Ginny grunted an unreadable noise and shrugged her shoulders, but offered Hermione a smirk. "Not bad. I still think Moody should've shoved Malfoy in the deepest, darkest recesses of Azkaban, never to be seen again, but that's just me."

Hermione gave her girlfriend a playful nudge. "Gin, you know he couldn't do that."

"I know," Ginny replied exaggeratedly. "This is just so stupid," she sighed. "Okay, maybe, maybe,I shouldn't have punched his lights out, but honestly, he's the bad guy here. The Ministry doesn't know what he said to you...," she trailed off.

Hermione pulled Ginny into a hug and kissed the side of her head, though her mind wandered back to the slurs that Draco had shot her way. "Don't worry, we can tell them at the trial. The Malfoys won't get away with this, okay?" Hermione said as she pulled back and held Ginny at arm's length to catch her eye, requiring the girl's confirmation. Eventually, Ginny gave her a light chuckle and nodded her agreement.

"Good," Hermione said quietly, still holding Ginny's gaze. The brunette offered her a gentle smile before leaning in and kissing Ginny on the lips, letting the kiss linger as her hand came up to caress the back of the younger girl's neck.

Hermione let out a small, weary sigh as she pulled back. The frown she was giving the redhead clearly drew confusion from the girl as she looked on perplexed.

"This is my fault," Hermione confessed. "You would've never gotten into that scuffle with Draco if it wasn't for me."

Ginny frowned and eyed Hermione with conviction. "I don't regret what I did. Never mind this whole 'shouldn't have hit him' rubbish, he needed to be taught a lesson and I was more than happy to deliver."

Hermione sighed once more. "I know, but I'm at the center of this, you shouldn't be taking the blame."

The younger girl rolled her eyes while folding her arms across her chest. "No. I told you before, I'm the one who lost my temper. You didn't make me do anything. And besides," she smirked and her cheeks grew a pale shade of pink as she reached out and toyed with Hermione's hand, "I kind of credit the whole incident to us finally getting together. And for that, I could never, ever be sorry for my actions."

A smile crossed Hermione's features as she gave in a little and put her arms around the back of Ginny's neck - the action prompting Ginny to wrap her arms around Hermione's waist.

"I'm not asking you to regret your actions or be sorry for them," the brunette insisted gently, "it's just...not fair." She gave a short, empty laugh before saying, "And honestly, none of this mess would've happened if I wasn't so neurotic and quick to jump to conclusions about you and Demelza last year. I-"

"Stop," Ginny interjected with a deep frown. "It's over and done with and there's no point in placing blame. I know you feel terrible about it, but I wish you wouldn't. We're together now."

They'd had this discussion before, quite a bit actually when they first began dating. And while Hermione didn't think about it so much anymore, how could she not under these circumstances?

With reluctance, Hermione nodded her head. "You're right. Well, let's focus on getting through this. Are you going to send a letter to your parents?"

"Yeah, I should probably do that now," Ginny said as she checked her watch.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Hermione asked.

"Nah, I'm okay. And thank you for being so sweet about this whole thing."

"You're more than welcome," Hermione replied sincerely. "Well, if you're sure you don't want me to come with you, I'm going to make a detour and stop off at the library." After receiving a nod of confirmation from Ginny, the older girl carried on. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

"Absolutely," Ginny nodded.

With another kiss and a hug, the girls parted ways. Hermione watched Ginny leave until the girl rounded the corner and was out of sight. She was still worried about Ginny, but was actually thankful that Ginny didn't request that she come with her to the owlery. The brunette was eager to start on a project that she didn't necessarily need or want Ginny involved with - at least at this point. Turning on her heel, Hermione headed straight for the library, well prepared for the long night she had ahead of her.

Hermione walked purposefully down the corridor, doing her best to blink away her tiredness. She had spent almost the entire night with her nose stuck in the charmed book that Ginny had given her over summer. She had stayed in the library until Madame Pince literally forced her out, only then doing a hurried set of rounds, begrudgingly fulfilling her Head Girl duties. Afterward, she retreated to her room and continued her research, thankful for the privacy her Head Girl status had afforded her in terms of room arrangements.

Another perk to being Head Girl is that she was one of the few who knew the password to Dumbledore's quarters. She stood in front of the gargoyle statue, took a steadying breath and stated the password. She would normally never barge into his office this way, but this was regarding Ginny and that was important enough in Hermione's mind.

The statue moved aside and she entered to stand on the steps and waited as they revolved upwards, taking her to Dumbledore's quarters. She examined the stone walls in an effort to busy herself during the short wait and when the turning stopped she confidently stepped out into his office.

"Professor, I hate to distur-Oh," Hermione said in surprise as her sure steps came to an abrupt stop upon seeing Dumbledore deep in conversation with a man in formal garb. She stammered through an apology until Dumbledore raised his hand, requesting silence. Hermione expected to see a displeased look on his face, but instead found him looking at her with a hint of a smile.

"Please, come in Miss Granger," he beckoned, directing her to a seat next to his guest. "I'm sure you don't mind a bit of a break, do you?" Dumbledore asked, directing the question to the man, who Hermione absently noted was holding a dress hat.

"I'm really sorry," Hermione apologized, looking at both of them, positive that she looked much like a child who just spilled a glass of milk. She cursed herself for being so impatient and somehow coming to the conclusion that barging into Dumbledore's office was the right thing to do.

"Not to worry," Dumbledore smiled, "it's always a pleasure to see you, Miss Granger. Now, please, tell me what you have there," he continued as he gestured to the stack of parchment that Hermione held in her lap.

"Are you sure now is the best time?" She asked. "I could come back later..."

"Nonsense." Dumbledore dismissed the notion and gave her a smile of encouragement.

Hermione gave a cursory glance to the mystery man seated next to her, who sat patiently, not having said a single word.

"Well, I just wanted to speak to you about," she paused, looking again to the man, "Ginny's trial," she finished uncertainly, waiting for further confirmation from Dumbledore.

"Ah yes, please, go on," he insisted gently.

Hermione sent one last glance over towards the stranger, the look nearly defiant, as she didn't like this man just hanging about as she broached this topic. Nevertheless, she cleared her throat and sat up a bit straighter in her chair, feeling some of her prior confidence coming back. She went on to explain the loopholes and technicalities that would work in Ginny's favour come time for the trial, and presented the Headmaster with various defenses that they could use. A short ways into the explanation, Hermione nearly forgot about her earlier embarrassment and had carried on with her arguments as self-assured as she would have in any given class. Only after she had made her closing statement and relaxed a little into her seat did she remember the context of this conversation and she felt a blush rising onto her cheeks.

Dumbledore smiled at her and gave her a short nod. "Thank you very much for that stirring argument, Miss Granger," he said warmly, and Hermione felt her nerves tense as Dumbledore glanced at the man in the chair before returning his gaze to her. "Miss Weasley is in very good hands."

Unsure of what to say, Hermione simply nodded and thanked him for his time, and apologized once more for interrupting their conversation. The professor ignored her apology and thanked her again for stopping by. As the brunette neared the staircase, Dumbledore called out to her in mild curiosity.

"Miss Granger, will you be attending Miss Weasley's trial?"

She turned and confirmed, "Yes, sir."

"Wonderful," Dumbledore smiled. "Now, if I'm not mistaken, you have Transfiguration. Though Professor McGonagall thinks highly of you, both you and I know very well that she despises tardiness - you may want to hurry." Hermione nodded her assent. "Enjoy your day, Miss Granger."

As Hermione walked briskly towards her classroom, her mind struggled to comprehend just what had happened back there in the Headmaster's office. The exchange had been awkward and unusual, certainly. However, though Dumbledore's behaviour usually erred on the enigmatic side, this recent exchange could have been more accurately described as cryptic. By the time she settled herself into her seat and readied her wand, her mind had still not come to a conclusion about what happened, but she was sure that Dumbledore had something up his sleeve.

AN: Well, here is the first chapter! This story is set to cover more time than 'So Close Yet So Far' and, admittedly, it will be different. While I can't guarantee the same continuous torture as in the previous story, from the teaser opening, you may notice that things won't be all stars and rainbows for the girls (though I must outright confess that they will have a number of 'cute' moments together. Hey, they went through quite the struggle, they deserve a bit of fluff :p). Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the introduction. Thank you.