Take my Hand Chapter 3- Say what you want to Say
The glimmering snow flakes fell one by one until they had made a small pile near the girls' dorm window. Hermione watched them drift steadily through the brisk wind. The sun had gone to sleep and now the stars greeted her. She couldn't fall to sleep with everything flooding her mind. She was late to class, that was a first. What trouble was Ginny causing for herself? What was Neville going to ask her this morning? There was no possible way that Hermione would be able to go to sleep. Not like this.
The morning was bright and filled with sunshine. Hermione approached the Great Hall quickly so she could munch on her breakfast and head to class early as if she was going to be late again. Today was the mail day. Hermione didn't have an owl but other student's owls would send her the occasional letter from her parents. They would tell her how splendid the muggle world was and how many customers they had at their dentistry office.
Hermione swiftly sat down at the Gryffindor table and patiently waited for her parcels to arrive. A petite owl came whizzing through the dinning commons, aimed right for Hermione. She new who it was at first glance. It was Pigwidgeon, Ron's owl. The Scops Owl flew straight at her and Hermione was praying that it wouldn't hit her head. When Pig landed, right in her porridge, she smiled at the clumsy bird and wiped of the porridge that splattered on her robes.
"You silly bird!" Hermione said picking up the sopping mail. "You have to learn how to land better!"
Pigwidgeon squawked loudly at her, as if he could answer. He shook himself violently to attempt to clean off any of the meal he spilt.
"What have you brought me today?" Hermione questioned as she flipped through the letters. "Parents, parents, parents, Dumbledore…" she muttered to herself, "Neville?" Hermione shouted out to loud. She blushed and went back to staring at the letter from Neville.
The red seal was matte and smooth underneath her fingers. She pried it open with her fingernail. It was fresh wax. She took out the paper carefully and placed the opened envelope on the long wood table. Hermione began to look over the letter. It read:
Dear Hermione Jean Granger,
I am very sorry for what punishment I caused you the other day. I really just wanted to address the dance with you. If you have no plans or restrictions tonight can we meet in the Great Hall at 20:00?
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Neville Longbottom
Hermione stared at the note he had gingerly wrote for her. A sweet love song from the muggle world filled her head. It was "Bewitched by Freddy Martin", her parents had played this song when she was a child. "Bewitched" was a swing song from the 1940's bands and since Hermione had heard it so often it started playing once again, only to be in her mind. The only lyrics she listened to were:
"Love's the same old situation
Lately I've not slept a wink
Since this crazy situation
Has me on the blink
Couldn't sleep, wouldn't sleep
Love came and told me, shouldn't sleep
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered, am I"
That's how Hermione felt with all of her emotions screaming at her. She swayed off the hard wooden bench and headed towards Snape's dull classroom. Hermione walked smartly down the corridor with her satchel by her hip, her potion book, and her letters. She wasn't going to be stopped today!
But her plans weren't going as expected. "Hermione Granger" a voice like Snape's filled her ears. "Why I see you're not around that dirty Potter or shall I say, Longbottom?"
Hermione skidded to a halt. She turned her eyes to the voice and the entourage of laughs behind them. As she suspected it was Draco Malfoy. "What do you want Malfoy?" she asked annoyed.
"Oh, nothing really. Just I think an intelligent girl like you should deserve someone better than a petty Longbottom." Draco brushed her cheek and smiled menacingly as he walked away.
"Oh bloody-hell Draco!" Hermione screamed down the hallway. "You are the most… Ugh!" she paused; there was no point in wasting her energy on that snake.
Hermione shoved through the crowd of students making their way to class. She was not in the mood to be messed with and her major plan for today failed; at least she wasn't late for class today.
Usually Hermione can stay attentive in class but today was on of the few days she couldn't. A microscopic play was forming in her head. There was a long table in a similar room to the Great Hall. Two teenagers were sitting at one section of the dinning surfaces and chatting the night away. They turned out to be a perfect copy of Neville and Hermione at their "big night".
"Oh, Neville just say what you want to say!" the fictional Hermione said reaching out to brush Neville's hand. She mumbled the rest of the song by Sara Bareilles from the muggle world, again. "Say what you want to say! Just let the words flow out. Cause honestly, I want to see you be brave!"
And then that was it. The program ended and the classroom became visible once again. Hermione couldn't wait till tonight.