Disclosure Hp belongs to JKR. The storyline, new character development, new events, and new characters are my intellectual property. Glorioux

A/n The rating will change in a couple of chapters-


The Buzzing Gift

Neville is bent, checking his plants, so he doesn't see her coming. Hermione looks at him against the sun, and her heart beats faster. Hermione knows what he doesn't; they are made for each other. Her grandmother, a well-known matchmaker, told her so. She can see 'threads' connecting people and even sees them in photographs. She said Narcissa was the match for his sons. And she also said Lucius loved someone else, but she wouldn't say who that witch was. When Hermione asked, she answered that it was not for her to tell.

She keeps looking at Neville, thinking he is breathtaking. She feels warm, everywhere. Luna told her to try to make peace with him. Hermione laughed, thinking she had a present that could change everything. When Luna saw the present she was happy; she had read about them but had never seen them. Luna looked pitiful, she wished they were for her, but gardening is not her thing. Hagrid, who helps Neville, sees Hermione and walks away, winking before he leaves. He loves Hermione and wants to help.

"Hi, what are you growing?" Hermione crouches to check. She is next to Neville; her heart is galloping a mile a minute. She is remembering his kisses and touches, and being with him. She wishes she could kiss him.

"Herbs and flowers," is his answer. Hagrid is only a few feet away, watching him like a hawk, so Neville makes an effort to be polite.

"Ah, perfect, I have a small gift for you," she starts opening the box before he can refuse her gift. She is ready with her wand and whispers a charm her grandmother taught her. Her grandmother is a gardener besides being a matchmaker.

A small swarm of magical bees, flying out of the box, land in Neville's garden. Hagrid sees the magical trace they leave behind and recognizes them. He will ask Hermione to get him some; they are rare and nearly impossible to find. He remembers, her grandmother has some, but she doesn't give them to anyone.

Neville growls angrily, "Are you trying to harm me? I am allergic to some bees. I saw your spell, like fathers like daughter." A bee lands on his nose, looking straight at him. Neville raises his hand to slap it when a zap makes him stop. The bee bites his nose, buzzing angrily around him, and other bees join her.

"Fool, don't ya kill the wee' bit." Hagrid holds his wand. He is the one who zapped Neville. "She's yours and was greeting you; she's more than a bee."

The bees surround Neville, he can hear their angry loud buzzing. Neville touches his nose and finds out it doesn't hurt.

Hermione shakes her head, "Hagrid is right; my grandmother raises them. They will be yours, and your garden will be the best. I have the instructions for a special beehive." Hermione is sad after hearing his accusations.

Neville is ashamed, looking at Hagrid calling the bees. But angry or not, they stay with Neville, sounding like they are mad at him. He could swear he can hear his name and their recriminations. Yes, he can, "Bad Neville; shame on you, and so on."

"The charm was to 'introduce' you. How could you think I wanted to hurt you?" Hermione hates the insults, feeling her eyes fill with tears. She sits on the ground, looking lost.

Neville is ashamed once the anger is dissipated. He sits next to Hermione and reaches for her hand. The bees all land next to him, watching. The bite did something extra, it made him recognize his true feelings. He remembered falling in love with her at the Yuletide ball, wishing he was with her, and has never stopped. She is still Hermione, how could he have thought otherwise?

Hagrid is sad, thinking neither Hermione nor her mother are lucky in love. He remembers how Bella nearly killed Edwina, Hermione's mother, because she dared to disrupt her plans. He found Bella, and had to stop her; it was one of the worse things he had ever seen. Bella wanted the Lestrange brothers, who loved Narcissa. So, she found the solution, a contract for Narcissa with someone else. Hagrid couldn't believe a young witch could be so evil.

Unfortunately, Edwina came in the middle, so she needed to go. He wonders if Dumbledore knew who Hermione was, he probably did. He recently met Hermione's mother, and Edwina, who now goes by Eddie, asked him not to say anything. She has her reasons; she remembers he had to go to Arthur and Molly to ask for help. He thinks if Lucius finds out, he will find a time turner, and will kill Bella himself. Hagrid wanted to kill Bella, maybe he should have done it. Poor witches, they suffered so much sadness and pain.

Neville holds her hand tighter, "I am sorry, so sorry. Please forgive me; you are still Hermione. It was wrong to spill out those nasty indictments. I talked to Minerva today, and she said Bella cursed your fathers. She must have because they despised Bella before. I didn't believe her, I have been angry. I miss you and was worried about you know what." Neville blurbs out. The words slipped out his mouth.

Hermione quits crying and has to giggle seeing the bees. Her grandmother said the bees are little garden fairies, though she only saw them once or twice as fairies; she said they are beautiful; she also said think they don't exist. The fairies don't want to be confused with the nasty common garden fairies, so they look like bees. They are males and females, working disguised. Her grandmother said they stung Bella whenever they saw her. They love nectar, gardening, and some other things. Her grandmother says they make liquor with the nectar. They are loyal and have a mind of their own. It must be true, she saw the plans for the beehive, it is a doll house, more or less.

Around thirty bees are quietly sitting on Neville's hat, eavesdropping. Hagrid grins, seeing them, decides it is time to leave and let the young ones talk about their love. Meanwhile, he is trying to figure out how to convince a few fairies to help in his garden.

Hermione looks at Neville. He dries her tears with his dirty fingers, leaving dirt tracks on her face. "Do you miss me?" She asks, hoping. Then, she answers his question, "I forgive you, but never say it again."

"Never, I am ashamed for treating you so bad," he leans and kisses her cheek, "I miss you daily, hour after hour. I always dreamed you would be my wife. Even when I was angry, I would had married you, if you know." He doesn't finish; you never know who is listening.

Hermione wraps her arm around his neck, and they kiss briefly; it is a moment, a beginning, they will never forget. She stays and helps him in the garden. The bees are happy doing their thing, pollinating the plants that will soon go to the greenhouses. Hagrid keeps an eye, wondering how to attract a few bees. He knows what to do; maybe they will like the place he will build for them. He knows, he will build something special inside.

After cleaning a bit, they walk holding hands, making plans for the evening. They cannot wait to be alone. On their way back to Gryffindor, they see Draco. He looks a little crazy when he steps in front of them, "You are a slag like your mother, opening her legs for my father since she saw him. My father sent an Owl, letting me know Mother left yesterday. She is going to wait for the Lestrange to be released. He says the divorce is final, and he will be marrying your mother. He said Aunt Bella did something awful to make your mother go away and lied. It is as someone told me. Too bad Aunt Bella was stopped, with her and with you. At least she did something right, I know." Spit flies out between his clenched teeth.

Hermione is frozen, thinking she heard wrong. Maybe not; everything makes sense, but a Malfoy? Though, she remembers Draco's words on the train, oh dear. Her stomach hurts, no, not Lucius. Something Draco said sounds wrong, but what?

Neville holds his wand, "Apologize for calling her names, for wishing her ill, and drop the wand right this second. I see it, so don't try. If you ever call Hermione names, be prepared to answer to me." He stands tall with his robe flapping around him.

Hermione has her wand out; her hair is flying about her, "Don't you ever say anything bad about my mother. If what you say is true, I will tell your father what you said. I cannot say that I like it, but it is their life. Grow up!"

She hasn't seen the crowd around them. Others applaud, "Yes, grow up, no more fighting," some say.

Draco starts slapping at the air, screaming, "Ouch, I've been stung." But nobody sees anything. What they see are Draco's red nose and a few bumps. Many are laughing, "Probably a ghost, well deserved," someone says.

Hermione and Neville are about to guffaw but control themselves. Neville carries the bees' temporary home until Hagrid builds one. They walk fast, laughing, holding hands, knowing the bees bit him, somehow.

Neville is grateful but needs to know, so he whispers, "Thanks for forgiving me, this is not the right moment, but will you marry me when we are done here?"

Hermione grins, "I will answer tonight when we are alone," she winks. "Ah, no need to worry; my mother insisted I had a Muggle implant before I went with the boys." She looks a little sad when she mentions them, but it doesn't last, she is with Neville, the wizard she truly loves.

He laughs, "Naughty witch, I like that; I cannot wait. Now I need to tell you, I was hoping, you know." She does, so they keep walking toward their bright future, but stop when there is no one around and kiss.

At Gryffindor she is informed she has a visitor. She is glad to go, too many questions about Ron and Harry. The house-elf tells Hermione to go by the Headmaster's office. She wonders who is it, hoping it is not a new revelation that will rock her world; she has had too many. She wants to know why her mother didn't warn her about her time in Hogwarts. Neville wants to walk with her; but she wants to go alone. She feels like she is walking on egg shells.

Minerva greets her, avoiding her eyes, and takes her to a small receiving room. She sees three people, an older couple and a wizard, hard to tell how old he is; he looks young. They walked towards her, the three hold her and kiss her, one by one. The older witch is crying,. "We finally meet you; you are so pretty." She has an accent, Hermione cannot place it.

"Who are you?" Hermione almost guesses looking at the wizards' wild hair. "Your grandparents and uncle, our last name is L'clej. Your mother dissapeared, after, well. It is our fault." Her grandfather says. Hermione guesses they must be wealthy, judging by their clothes and their jewelry. They are dressed up, but not quite like Lucius. Hermione is not ready to hear what they have to say.

A/N once again cannot answer the reviews, I get a message, 'review not found.'