Hermione, Draco, and Theodore met outside the Great Hall before the Sorting Feast and looked nervously from one to the other. "It won't be that bad," Hermione muttered as she wiped her palms along her robes. "We survived a war. School is nothing."
"It will be awful," Theodore corrected her. "But what else is there?"
She pushed open the door and they looked at the long tables, one for each House, and Theodore said, "Well, I guess this is it. It's been nice knowing you. I'll see you in class, assuming you're willing to - "
Hermione hit him.
"Bitch," he said.
"She's decided to sit with us," Draco said.
"Fucking Gryffindors," Theodore said, his words almost masking his relief. "Have to do the idiotic brave thing every time."
"Well," Hermione said with a shrug, "I'm not sure who's coming back from my year in Gryffindor but I know Ron and Harry aren't and, really, they were the only friends I had. Lavender died." She stopped and swallowed hard. "So she won't be back. And Parvati never really liked me." She patted Theo on the arm. "I'm really just being selfish and sitting with people who'll talk to me."
"Right," Theodore said. "When I think of Hermione Gran… Hermione I think of selfishness every time." He held his arm out toward the Slytherin table. "After you, you hideously selfish human being."
She made a gesture like you was going to hit him again and he laughed and dodged out of the way. When McGonagall came in and saw the three of them seated together she made a tight smile and inclined her head toward Hermione.
When the students began pushing their way through the doors and finding spots at their tables while they waited for the first years to get rowed over more than one person noticed where Hermione was sitting. More than one person frowned at the sight. Pansy Parkinson was the first to say anything. "Get lost on your way to the Gryffindor table, Granger?" she asked.
"Problem, Parkinson?" Theodore drawled.
Pansy looked at Draco and Theodore and the way they flanked Hermione, shrugged, and sat down across from the three of them. "No," she said. "Who knew the Prophet could get things even partially right? This'll be good."
Neville Longbottom fumbled his way across the room and said, "Hey, Hermione," before standing there, shifting from one foot to another, clearly unsure what to do next.
She stood up, struggling to turn around on the tight bench, and hugged him. "I missed you," she said. "You been okay?"
He shrugged. "Healers say I'm fine," he said. She nodded. "I didn't believe Ron, you know," he said. "I don't care if you…" he trailed off and looked at Draco. "I don't care," he said again, thrusting the words out like weapons in front of him.
"Never got a chance to thank you for that bit with the snake," Draco said to Neville. "Good work."
Neville blinked a few times. "Yeah," he said. "Never liked snakes." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he seemed to realize what he'd said and flushed.
Theodore laughed. "We've been shites to you," he said. "Maybe this year?"
Neville's shoulders tensed. "Yeah," he said. "I just wanted to say hi, Hermione, and that I knew that article… I'll see you in the common room, right?"
"Yeah," she said. "After the Feast."
"Right," Neville said, and walked away. When he sat down at the Gryffindor table he put his head close to Ginny Weasley's and the girl turned to look over at Hermione. She waved, but didn't get up to come over, and Hermione waved back.
"Self-righteous much?" Pansy said, helping herself to a roll and taking a bite. Hermione gave the other woman a dirty look at which Pansy shrugged and smirked. "I'm just telling you what I see, Granger."
"And you people wonder why no one likes you," Hermione muttered as more and more students came in and found their seats.
"No one likes me because I suggested we turn over the savior of the wizarding world to the devil incarnate," Pansy said, looking at her roll as thought it had somehow displeased her. "I'd forgotten how bland and doughy these things are. Pathetic, really." She set it down on her plate. "After that I doubt opting not to fawn all over Neville Longbottom's substantial arse is going to make people think any worse of me."
"He's - "
"Brave and noble and a hero, just like you," Pansy said. "And I'm not. I actually get it, Granger. Now shut up because the first years are coming in."
. . . . . . . . . .
A/N - Another day, another chapter.
Yes, they will always be this short. Yes, I'm planning on going all the way through 8th Year. Tumblr remains the best way to ask questions 'cause FF on mobile is even worse than tumblr on mobile.
And, of course, you know I love your reviews; they are the iced coffee on a glorious early fall morning of my life.