How would Neville know? Malfoy was definitely hiding something. But what? And did Neville know? Was he the cause of Malfoy's strange behaviour? There was only one way to find out. "Em… Neville?" she asked. He looked at her, smiling.
"Yes?"
"Are you positive you have no idea why Malfoy was acting like that? Any reason he might be, you know, acting all polite? I mean, it's not like he apologises to people everyday is it?" Neville shrugs.
"Not sure. How would I know? Perhaps he is just trying to be nice," Neville replies, genuinely looking like he didn't know. Maybe Neville didn't know.
"Yeah, you're probably right." They continued their journey to the common room, Hermione still a small bit suspicious. When they arrived Ron and Harry were sitting on a couch, chatting away. They looked up when they heard them coming in.
"How was detention? What was your punishment? Must have been fun. Was it exciting as a History of Magic? Wait, what am I saying, nothing beats that," Ron joked.
"Not too bad, actually." Neville told them. Harry raised his eyebrows.
"How? Did Snape bring you to a fun park or something?" Hermione rolled her eyes.
"No. I guess we just… made the most of it I guess. It was fun, we just kind of…talked." Hermione caught Neville's eyes. They locked. Hermione shook her head quickly and turned back to Ron and Harry. "Look, I'm really tired. Been a long day. I'm going to nip up to my dorm now. See you later!"
She ran up the stairs, embarrassed about what just happened. Does she like Neville? No. What a stupid thought. Get it out of your head! She told herself. She collapsed on her bed and fell into a deep sleep (still with her day clothes on), which was filled with wonderful and weird dreams about that day.
The next morning, Hermione woke up early to get to breakfast and then transfiguration. She was going to keep breakfast quick and short. She really needed to show Hogwarts that she was still Hermione, the girl who got top grades and behaved well. As much as she didn't want to look at herself as a goody girl, it was far better than being the rebel of the school that every teacher hated. And her parents! They would be disgraced with her behaviour. She would have to tell them soon, better that than having a note sent home from Snape or even Dumbledore! She made a mental reminder to write a letter to them this evening.
She walked quickly to the great hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table, with Harry, Ron and Neville. Everything was quiet. She looked around and realised everyone was staring at her. She blushed, and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. Suddenly, in the general direction of the Hufflepuff table, she heard someone clap. Soon, two or three people joined in. Then five, ten, twenty, fifty. In no time, almost everybody in the hall was clapping for her. Everybody except the Slytherin table. They just glared at her. Well, did she care? No.
She couldn't believe it. People clapping and cheering for her? How could this be? She smiled awkwardly. Soon, people started to clear out of the great hall, as classes were starting in a while. She realised she better be going too.
During Transfiguration class and Charms class, people were treating her with a lot of respect. Wow. She was a hero throughout Hogwarts! Well, at least to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. To the Slytherins she was basically considered as a piece of dirt.
On the way out of transfiguration, she tripped over something. She was about to fall, and she shut her eyes as she waited for the pain. But she didn't feel any. She slowly opened one eye, then the other and looked up to see that she was in the arms of… Neville! He stared down at her. She felt secure. Their eyes locked once more, as they did earlier in the common room. She wanted to reach up and hug him and kiss him. Nothing else in the world mattered at that moment. It was just her and Neville. His hazel eyes glistened, his sandy hair flopping on his forehead. She had never seen him this way…like this…
"Uh… guys? Come on, we have to get to lunch," Harry interrupted, quickly snapping them back to reality. Hermione blushed a bright red. She looked at the floor so no one would see her crimson cheeks. For the whole of lunch, she didn't look at Neville once. What was she thinking? Why would she like Neville? She had never thought about him that way before, so why was everything suddenly different? The more she thought about it, the more it confirmed that she wasn't thinking straight. She was probably just shocked from almost falling. Very dazed. Yes, that's it. Probably the best explanation.
Later, in the common room, she was alone with Ron. He started questioning her.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"Why do you like Neville all of a sudden?"
"Me? Like Neville? Don't be childish Ron; of course I don't, he's our friend. And thank you for just presuming that."
"Then why are you two so…cosy with each other nowadays? And don't even get me started on you falling into his arms earlier on before lunch."
"Ron. I don't like him. I was just dazed after almost basically falling to my death. I don't like him, honestly." She didn't know who she was trying to pursuade more, herself or Ron. Ron didn't look convinced.
"I don't! It would ruin our friendship!"
"Ok, whatever you say."
And with that he marched up to his dormitory. Hermione put her head in her hands. What was she going to do?
