She was the youngest Chaser on the Gryffindor team in ten years, fought death eaters, but her heart has never raced as fast as this.
Her teeth chattered and her knuckles were sore, and her mum was none the wiser, waving her wand around to clear up the kitchen after Christmas Eve dinner.
"Honestly, sometimes I think this is just as messy as the day itself!"
She puts a smile on her face, and Ron matches it, more from awkwardness than actual nerves, like his sister.
"Maybe, but the food is so good!" He exclaimed, in an attempt to cover Ginny's lack of response. It wasn't enough, and Molly turned with her hands already rising to her hips, concern dipping her brow.
"Dear, is everything alright?"
Her tone almost made Ginny break, but she swallowed the lump in her throat and smiled.
"Yeah, just in a food coma."
Molly sighed gently and waved her wand, sending plates into the sink.
"You kids, I don't know where you put it all!"
Ron is replying, and Ginny is looking at the table as she scratches at the wood.
"When is Hermione coming, either of you know?"
She gives Ron a knowing look, unaware she was teasing the wrong child. He snorted and shrugged.
"Not sure, Gin, when will she be here?"
Molly is rolling her eyes as Ginny replies.
"Three PM, if her dad is brave enough to get through the floo, five if not."
Hermione's parents would be coming this year, Molly had rightly assumed this was the 'meet the parents' moment she'd been anticipating since Ron came home talking about his friends, she just got the wrong kid.
"You best go wash up then, don't want to make a bad example, Ronald!"
She's teasing, with some seriousness in her voice, and Ron is affronted.
"Mum!"
"I'm serious, Ron! If you want to look presentable to Mr and Mrs Granger, you should put on that-"
Ginny can't help herself, truly.
"He's not dating Hermione."
Molly laughed and waved her hand, the dishes floating to cupboards at her command.
"Well not yet, but there's always time for them to-"
Ron is red faced, shock coating his voice as he garbles words.
"No, he won't date her."
Molly stopped, an unusual apprehension in her eyes as she stopped her control of the plates.
"Why's that, dear?"
Ron touches her knee below the table, and she lets out a shaky sigh.
"Because Hermione doesn't like boys, and… well he can't date her, 'cuz…"
A voice in her head is comforting, telling her to just do it. It sounds like Hermione, and her heart does an unusual bounce.
She is more than worth it.
"... 'cuz I am."
Molly doesn't move, and Ginny's hands start to shake. Ron won't take his eyes off his mother, ready to defend his sister if need be, when the matriarch finally moves.
"Oh, well…"
Three hearts beat rapidly.
"... You best change, that's not a good look to meet your girlfriend's parents, Ginevra!"
She chokes as her brother laughs, pulling at her shirt with a disdainful sigh.
"Honestly Gin, this is terrible. What were you thinking, burgundy? On a Friday?"
He tuts as his mum joins in.
"I agree with Ronald, my dear. I need a good example for these muggles! Can't have them thinking my kids are messy!"
Ginny groans and leans back in her chair.
"Hermione likes this jumper!"
"But will her parents? Besides, it's got a stain."
She gasps and looks down, spotting the mentioned stain.
"Oh Merlin, I'll be right back!"
She ran for the stairs, slapping up them as she ran. Molly sighed contently and met her son's eyes, raising her eyebrow as she flicked her wrist again.
"You were right, she came clean right away!"
He smirked and sipped his tea.
"Told you, she's a jealous one."
His mum laughed and turned around.
"We all are, don't think I didn't notice when Harry talked about that Cho girl all the time, you have to get a better grip my boy!"
He choked on his tea, and a towel quickly wiped it away.