DISCLAIMER:

It's still not mine … and it probably never will be.

I hope you enjoy the next chapter.

Let me know if you like it!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It was the Hogsmeade weekend. Harry and Hermione were drinking butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. They had spent the entire afternoon shopping together. Ron and Simone were sitting at the other side of the pub. They had had a date, something that Harry didn't like at all. Harry started to complain to Hermione about how Ron was spending all his free time with Simone nowadays.

"You are just jealous," Hermione told him.

"No I'm not," Harry defended himself.

The two friends talked about school for a while, about the classes, homework and, of course, about the Christmas Ball.

"Neville told me that you two were going together," Harry said.

"We both didn't have a date, so we decided to go together," Hermione explained.

"So you're still not talking to Damien?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione said softly.

"Well, speak of the devil," Harry muttered.

Damien was standing in front of their table. He greeted Harry and Hermione.

"Can I have a word with you?" he asked her quietly.

Hermione nodded and followed the Head Boy outside.

"I want to apologize to you," Damien said, "I shouldn't have said those mean things to you."

"It's alright," Hermione answered, wanting to go back inside again.

"So, do you still want to go to the Christmas Ball with me?" He asked carefully.

Hermione explained that she had already promised Neville that she would be his date. To be honest, she thought to herself, she would rather go with Neville then with Damien.

"I'm sorry, Damien," she said. There was an uncomfortable silence between them. "Well, I'd better go back to Harry," she said quickly.

Once she was back inside, she found that Harry was still staring at Ron and Simone. Hermione sighed, and ordered another butterbeer. When she finally had Harry's attention again, they continued talking about school, and drinking butterbeer.

"We should go back," Hermione said after their third butterbeer.

They had promised Ginny that they would visit her after going to Hogsmeade. By 'we', Hermione had meant Harry and herself, but Harry had started to walk towards Ron. Hermione sighed and collected her bags. She saw her two best friends arguing. Simone interrupted the argument by suggesting loudly that they all return to Hogwarts. In silence, the four students walked back to the castle.

The weekend flew by, and on Monday night it was time for another detention. Professor Dumbledore had informed her that she was to serve her remaining detentions with Professor Price. He didn't make her clean cauldrons, but she was required to write an essay about the ministry guidelines for the use of Veritaserum.

She sat in a corner of the classroom by herself; her teacher was marking essays in his office. The essay had to be at least 1,000 words. Hermione bit her lip as she dipped her quill in the bottle of ink. She still had to write 200 words, and having trouble, which was a bit odd considering that she usually never had problems writing essays.

The door opened and Professor Harper stormed into the classroom.

"William, are you here?" she asked, glancing around the room. "Miss Granger," the D.A.D.A. teacher said, startled when she saw the Head Girl sitting in the corner. "Do you know where Professor Price is?"

"He's in his office," Hermione answered.

Her teacher entered the office. Hermione heard her professors' voices talking, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. Just a few words were understandable. At one point, she thought that they had said her name. Two minutes later Professor Price walked out of the office.

"Miss Granger, have you finished your essay?" he asked her friendlily. Hermione confessed that she still had 200 words to write. "It's quite alright Miss Granger," Professor Price told her, "You're allowed to go back to your dormitory for tonight."

Somehow Hermione got the feeling that her professor wanted her to leave the dungeons as soon as possible. She thanked her professor and left.

I wonder what they were talking about. Hermione thought as she walked back to her dormitory. It must have been important.

Finally she arrived in her room; Crookshanks was sleeping on her bed.

Hermione got into her bed, with a book. Two pages later she was sleeping too, the book still in her hand.

The next day the Gryffindors had another Potions class. They were all excited to make Veritaserum. The week before their class, Hermione had helped Neville with his potion. Since it took a month to make the potion, the Gryffindors were required to take care of their potion in their free time.

"The following ingredient will be the bumblebee wings. You only have to add four," Professor Price told the class.

A knock on the door interrupted the wizard. A first year student walked in.

"Professor Price, may I have a moment of your time?" the girl asked nervously.

"Of course," he told her. He advised the class that the wings could be added after two minutes, before he followed his student out of the classroom.

Hermione was busy telling Ron that his snake cubes were too big for the potion, when she heard a soft "oops" behind her. She quickly turned around and saw that Neville had already added his bumblebee wings. Not only had he added them too early, he had also added too many.

The potion was changing colors fast. Instead of green, it was red and was turning darker and darker. Neville leaned forward to look in his cauldron.

"I don't think that it's supposed to be red," he said softly.

The cauldron exploded. Smoke filled the Potions room. The students started to panic and ran outside into the hall, yelling loudly. Professor Harper stormed out of her classroom.

"What is all this noise?" she asked sharply.

"Neville's cauldron exploded," Seamus told her quickly.

Harry looked around. "Where is Neville?" he asked the rest of the students.

None of them had seen their fellow student after the explosion.

"He's still inside!" Hermione exclaimed.

She ran into the classroom again. Professor Harper followed her, removing the smoke with a flick of her wand. Neville was lying unconscious on the stone floor, not breathing. Hermione kneeled before him, trying every reviving spell she knew. It didn't work. In the meantime, Professor Harper checked his pulse.

"Let me try," Professor Harper said softly.

She waved her wand, but nothing happened. Five minutes later, Neville still wasn't breathing. Tears started to well up in Hermione's eyes. Professor Harper checked his pulse once again.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger," was all the D.A.D.A. teacher could say.

Neville was dead.

A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews.

Lana Manckir:

I know, this chapter is a bit shorter too then the first chapters.

But longer chapters are coming soon!

Ashes Kittyhawk:

Thanks … I hope this was soon enough for you.

Anarane Anwamane:

LOL

Armor:

I'm not evil! hides devils horns and pointy tale

Don't worry, he'll return.

Kate:

Thanks for your review.

I'm glad you liked it!

A Perfect Lie:

Thank you, it's funny how most people say that they love Dumbledore's reaction.

Larthawyn:

I know it took me a while before updating.

Well … I hope you liked this chapter.

Natsuyori:

Thanks for your review.

And Snape will be back, don't worry …

Pathatlon:

Thank you!

Sweetytweety013:

LOL, it seems you're not the only one who wants him back in the story.

He will return soon, that's all I can say for now.

DRUNKEN LANDLORD:

I'm not sure if Dumbledore acted ooc, it's never happened in the books … so we don't know for sure.

Pantspie:

Thank you, I'm glad you like my fic.

It's so nice to hear you like my original characters.

And like I told the other reviewers … the beautiful Snape will return ;-)

IYWwriterGirl:

Thank you … I hope you like this chapter as well.