AN: I feel a bit... meh about this whole chapter... but it's been a while since I've updated and I felt guilty so tried to finish this chapter. Oh well, hope you enjoy and review please!
Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me, they all belong to J.K. Rowling.
Huge thanks to Littleoldmeee for betaing my work
Hermione really tried to honour her promise.
Every time her mind even hinted at drifting off into dangerous and distracting avenues (aka Neville), she would shake her head firmly and steer her mind determinedly away from it and onto safer subjects, for example: how she was going to act normal around Ron again?
Although she had forgiven him for what he had done to her, she still felt a little uncomfortable talking to him, which left poor Harry in the middle of them, half-heartedly trying to keep a conversation going.
At first, Hermione had been disappointed that Harry had chosen to take Ron's side, when he had made her cry as dreadfully as she had. But then she realised that Ron had probably not told Harry that she'd cried, probably because he hadn't seen her crying himself,. The only times he had seen her that night had been when she'd smilingly turned his and Padma's lips into slugs, and in the common room after she'd already cried her eyes out. Granted, any idiot could've seen that she'd been crying if they had been looking closely, but the only lighting in the common room had been the flickering fire, and he probably hadn't been looking to closely at her face anyway, scared of by what he would see there.
Her last class of the day had been Transfiguration, and she had never been so glad that Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, and that it required the strictest concentration, otherwise she would not have been able to keep her mind off Neville.
At least Neville was two years behind her on this class, as he had dropped out after OWL's, but had retaken the exams following the war, and finally joined Professor McGonagall's class with an Exceeds Expectations.
Being the only one the class being able to turn her desk into a pig by the end of the period, Hermione was awarded ten points, and was feeling so pleased with herself, and the world in general, that she even managed to talk to Ron semi-normally, even though she still felt slightly upset with him, causing a big smile to spread across Harry's face.
Talking and chatting cheerfully, the trio made their way to the Great Hall for dinner.
As she sat down, Hermione realised her stomach was growling, and ignoring the boys shocked expressions, ( as she usually did not eat a lot) she loaded her plate up with potatoes, chicken and salad.
The salad seemed to break through Harry and Ron's surprise, as they began protesting loudly, saying that if she was going to eat a lot, she might as well leave the rabbit food.
That, of course, got Hermione all up in a tizzy, and she began lecturing the boys on the importance of a balanced diet and making sure to eat enough from each food group, and, Ronald, you should really stop eating so much fried food, it'll make your face break out in pimples -
Ron retaliated angrily, by asking her, "do you see a pimple on me? Huh? Well, do you?" whilst waving around a fried chicken leg.
Smirking at him, glad that they were able to fall right back into their routine, Hermione answered, "yes, in fact, I can. Right there on your forehead," she pointed at his forehead, where, indeed, a massive red pimple was making itself known.
Raising his hand to feel at his forehead, he opened his mouth to deny it, but then his questing hand abruptly came into contact with the raised bump. He closed his mouth huffily, mumbling accusations under his breath that Hermione had placed a spell on him to make pimples magically appear, and all other sorts of ridiculous claims that had Harry shaking with laughter and Hermione smiling superiorly at them both.
She was so occupied with the antics of her friends that she didn't notice Neville sitting down across from her until he drew attention to himself by asking her if she could please pass the pumpkin juice, please.
Startled, Hermione only stared at him in bewilderment, until he repeated his question with a confused frown on his face, then asked her if she was alright.
Feeling a flush coming on for the nth time today, Hermione resolutely pushed it down, and replied as she handed over the ice-cold pitcher of pumpkin juice, "o-of course, I'm fine. Just- just didn't expect to see you there, is all."
Looking as if he didn't quite believe her, Neville nonetheless nodded, accepting her answer and pouring his pumpkin juice.
After that, no matter how hard Hermione tried to join into the Harry and Ron's conversation, she couldn't quite manage it, and it wasn't long before she was surreptitiously stealing glances at Neville.
It was then that she noticed that Neville, between eating his food and chatting, would glance over at Ron with a very strange expression, somewhere between dislike, disgust and confusion.
Catching one of these looks, Hermione fell to wondering what on earth could have put it there - what could Ron have done to merit that kind of expression from kind, mild tempered Neville of all people? It's not like they were in a fig-
Mentally slapping herself, she realised that of course Neville had a reason to dislike Ron, after he had seen her bawl her eyes out over him yesterday, he must've felt protective about her, and then Ron had said those awful things to her and then he had punched Ron and of course!
But, she had forgiven Ron, and therefore shouldn't Neville forgive Ron as well, if she had?
Making up her mind to talk to Neville, and tell him that he shouldn't hold it against Ron, she finished up her dinner. She would explain that she'd forgiven him, and that he was prone to saying things in the heat of the moment that he didn't really mean.
Hurrying along to catch up with the boys, with Neville tagging along behind (nope, that's not butterflies, it's not!) they made their way to the common room.
Once in the common room, and seeing Harry and Ron busy with their homework, she sat down next to Neville, and turned to him, intent on telling him her viewpoint on the whole Ron saga.
Turning to him, she saw him busy with the self-same Transfiguration homework she had helped him with earlier.
Telling herself sternly not to get side-tracked, as she could feel her traitorous mind going back to gazing at his handsome profile, she called softly, "Neville, I need to talk to you."
Turning around to give her his full attention, Neville motioned for her to continue.
"You've been kind of, off with Ron today, and I know it's probably about last night, but I just want you to know, I've forgiven him, and everything's okay now."
Frowning slightly, Neville answered, "I know you've forgiven him, I'm just not sure if I have."
So saying, Neville gathered up his work, shot one last disgruntled glance at Ron, and made his way over to the stairs and up to his dormitory, leaving a frowning Hermione behind him.
Shaking her head, Hermione decided that she'd had enough drama this past day to last her for at least a month, and she was not eager to go searching for more.
Putting Neville's strange behaviour and the weird feelings she'd been getting about him all day now out of her head, she concentrated on her Potions essay, determined to get it done before she went to bed tonight.