I hated the thought of him beingsad.So I said the only thing I my 11 year old brain could think of. I wouldsacrifice myself."I'll do it, I'll be the g...irl!"After we told mum and dad, they all looked relieved and happy."Thank you Andrew, it will be much easier now you have agreed to be agirl. You will stay with nan for the next week. I have to get you somenew clothes and dad has to decorate John's room," mum said."Why is my room being decorated!" John shouted."Well you will be moving in with. ‘Fuck!’ Hermione whispered quietly as Ron’s eyes popped opened and he reached out to grab her outstretched hand.‘Don’t mind if we do!’ Ron whispered back without the least bit of tiredness in his voice. He had been awake ever since Hermione had opened the door, and was just waiting for his best opportunity to get a hold of her before she could take what she was obviously after.‘Ron… Not now… I need that book; its evil!’ Hermione whispered back before being pulled on top of Ron’s waist. She. “Thirty minutes. Any longer and it’ll be cold.”I kissed her on the cheek then set off. I didn’t push the pace, going at a nice, steady lope. I avoided the park, sticking to the local streets. I found myself running past Maria D’Angelou’s place. I didn’t see anyone there but it made me wonder what Maria was thinking right now. Was she looking forward to her prom date with Dimitri or was she regretting it?After fifteen minutes I turned round and headed back towards home. Rather than pass Maria’s. I was often in or around the still out in the deep forest delivering food or ingredients on orders from either my Ma or Pa and I would squat down in the grass and watch Uncle Simple haul the sacks of mash over and adjust the heat in the coils to just the right level for a perfect brew of hooch. I was never tempted to taste the stuff because I had seen one of my older sisters in the clutches of withdrawing from the poison after using it far too much for her own good. She was a teetotaler now and.