Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, I do not own the places. I don't own anything J.K Rowling thought up, all I own is the plot.
Chapter nine: Come, Christmastime
Harry got up that morning feeling very nervous. He had spent most of the night thinking about what he was going to say to Hermione. But everything he had thought up was either pathetic or useless. He looked at Ron, who was still asleep in his bed, muttering to himself.
Harry got up and went into the bathroom. He looked into the mirror. His face was pale and tired. He wished he could look a bit more rested before facing Hermione, but there was nothing he could do about it now.
The clock struck half past seven and he quickly dressed so he could go downstairs. He sat down on a chair and decided to wait for Hermione to come down. She got up before most people but it couldn't be much earlier than this, could it?
In his head he went over the things he could say. But it all sounded like rubbish to him.
He looked up when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs of the girls' dormitory. It was Parvati. She looked at him and then quickly headed out the portrait hole.
Harry thanked her silently. He couldn't imagine the horror if Hermione saw them together again. He looked outside, slowly growing more anxious.
People continued to head down for breakfast, but none of them was Hermione.
"Harry?"
He snapped up at his name. It was Ron.
"What are you doing, sitting there?"
"I'm waiting for Hermione…"
"Harry, she's already up. Her bed is empty." Said Lavender, who came down the stairs and greeted Ron. "She's not there anymore."
Harry cursed under his breath. How was he supposed to corner her if he wasn't even able to find her?
"Are you coming with us?" Ron asked.
Harry shook his head. "I'll be with you in a moment. You two just go on down."
He stood up and walked towards the mirror slowly. He really looked tired. And for nothing too. Hermione had gotten up so early that she probably hadn't even gone to bed.
He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. There was not much left for him to do here, he could go down to the Great hall. He decided to walk slowly. Hermione was probably gone anyway and he didn't really look forward to sitting next to Ron and Lavender playing the happy couple.
He let out a loud sigh. Life used to be good and easy. Well, easier, at any rate. Love was something that was able to complicate everything and it seemed to enjoy doing so.
He leaned against a door and watched the painting on the opposite wall. A few old wizards were playing cards. The one in the purple hat was definitely cheating. He looked at Harry and winked. Harry winked back.
He chuckled, wondering what life as a painting would be like.
'Probably easy but dull. How exciting could-'
He was interrupted in mid-thought. He thought he'd heard something behind the door he was leaning against. He listened more closely. He could hear two voices.
"Listen, I'm tired of having to listen to your complaints! I've had it up till here!"
"But I'm the one who has to report back. I don't think our master would approve of your methods."
"Then our master would best not be told. It's working, isn't it? What I do is effective, so stop complaining when you have no reason to."
"He is getting impatient. You'd better hurry up."
"Don't worry, Malfoy. Everything is under control. Come Christmastime you will have your precious captive."
Harry pressed his ear against the door, wanting to hear more. Malfoy was in there, this was definitely not good. Someone was planning to-
"POTTER! What are you doing here?"
Harry jumped up. Filch was towering over him.
"Trying to sneak into the Trophy-room, are you?"
Harry gave himself a good mental kick. Filch was very protective of his trophy-room, always thinking students were out to steal something.
"N-No sir, I- I was just…er…tying my shoelaces. Ask the painting!"
He crossed his fingers, hoping the painting would help him out.
The man in the purple hat turned away from the now empty card table and looked at Filch with a friendly glance. He nodded politely to Harry.
"Yes, this fine young lad did do nothing wrong. Just tying his shoelaces as he said."
Filch grunted and stalked away. Harry sighed with relief and looked at the painting.
"Why did you help me?"
"Well…I thought I owed it to you. After all, you said nothing to my fellow card players about the card I had up my sleeve. You just run along now."
"Thank you!" he shouted over his shoulder as he started to run. He had head the school clock strike eight times. He needed to hurry up for breakfast. Besides, he wanted to talk to Ron about what he had heard.
-
"Just two days before I go away…and he still hasn't talked to me…" Hermione sighed sadly.
Ginny laid a hand on her shoulder. "Ron promised to talk to him and he said he had. So Harry will come and talk to you."
"You think he will?"
She hoped he would. She could get through the day without crying, but she still missed him. She looked up as Neville sat down beside her on the ground.
"You're late…" she said.
"Yeah, sorry. I ran into Ron. He asked me how you were doing, so I ended up talking to him."
"It's okay. Now, where were we? Summoning charms, right? Try and summon….Ginny's book bag."
"Hey!" Ginny shouted indignantly. "I need that! Class starts in five minutes!"
"Relax, it's not as if he'll set fire to it." Hermione assured Ginny.
But Ginny stood up. "Use your own book bag if you want to practise before class, but I suggest you go back to late night sessions."
Neville and Hermione watched her march away with her book bag clutched under her arm.
"Oh well…I guess she's right about the bag. But I'm not going back to teaching you at night. I still need my sleep."
Neville nodded. He took out his wand and pointed it at her book bag. But just as he wanted to shout the charm, the school bell rang. He and Hermione stood up and waited for the rest of the class to show up for their Transfiguration lesson.
Ron and Lavender showed up together, looking their happy selves. Ron walked over to Neville and Hermione. He took Neville by his arm and pulled him away from the group.
"Good morning Neville."
"Good morning…"
"I wondered if you could do me a favour."
Neville nodded.
"Sit next to Parvati all day."
"Why?"
"Because Lavender and I will sit together and this way we're forcing Hermione and Harry to sit together. If they don't go and talk to each other, then we'll have to help them along a bit."
Neville nodded slowly. "…Sure…"
Both boys walked back to the group. Ron stuck up his thumb to Lavender, who nodded. They looked up when Harry came running at them.
"Hey! Where were you at breakfast?" Ron inquired.
Harry grabbed his sleeve. "I've got to talk to you Ron. You have to know what I just heard. I heard Malf-"
"Shh! Here comes McGonagall." Ron hissed.
McGonagall gave them a stern look before she opened the classroom door. Ron quickly took Lavender's hand and dragged her inside. Hermione dutifully followed them inside and sat down at a table, expecting Neville to take the seat next to her.
But Neville sat down a few seats behind her, next to Parvati. She looked at him with a questioning stare, but he just shrugged. She looked up when she heard a modest cough. She stared straight up at Harry.
"It seems all the other places have been taken. Can I sit here?"
She nodded silently and started to unpack her books. Harry did the same. He could feel they eyes of their classmates burning in his back. He turned to Hermione.
"Hermione…I-"
"Don't Harry. You'll apologise and I'll forgive you. But then what? You'll let Parvati kiss you again?" she whispered silently.
"No! I'd never do that. I love you, remember?"
She put her quill down and looked at him. "No, I don't remember, Harry. How can I when I'm always afraid you'll do something behind my back? I don't know if I can trust you again."
Harry sighed. She was right, it was all his fault. He took her hand.
"I love you, Hermione. Only you. You've got to believe me."
"I do…and I love you too. But I lost my trust in you. I just don't have that faith in you I had before."
He looked up and saw that everyone was trying to listen in on their conversation. He turned back to Hermione and lowered his voice.
"But…if you still love me too, then can't we try? Can't we at least try and rebuild that trust?"
She hesitated.
"Please Hermione, I beg you. I'd do anything for another chance."
She nodded her head. "…Okay…I- I want to try."
She looked at him. He could feel how awkward this situation was for her, as it was just as awkward for him. This was the big moment in the movies, where the couple was reunited and kissed again. But kissing Hermione now felt so wrong. So he stretched out his arms and hugged her.
He could feel her sobbing into his shoulder.
"It's okay…it's okay." He whispered.
The class didn't applaud or whoop, so Harry expected Ron had told them to back off. When Hermione pulled back from the hug and wiped her eyes with her sleeve, Harry smiled at her. She smiled back and turned to the blackboard.
Harry looked back and looked at Ron. He had a small smile on his face that seemed to say 'good'. Harry smiled thankfully at him. Hermione was finally back on speaking terms with him, they were friends again. And maybe…after she came back from her holiday…they could start to rebuild what they'd had before.
-
"So…you're leaving tomorrow morning?" he asked carefully.
She nodded. "Yes. I packed almost everything."
"Oh, good."
An uncomfortable silence surrounded them.
"Listen, Harry. I just wanted to say, that I'm very happy that you and me are…you know."
Harry nodded. "I know, me too."
He hugged her. "What time does the train leave?"
"Really early. But please…don't come. It would make things more difficult. And we need to start all over again. So, when I get back, you and I will start over with a clean slate."
Harry nodded. "Okay, I guess… I guess I'll see you…after the holidays then…"
"…Yeah…"
Harry leaned in and quickly pecked her cheek. She blushed.
"Are you going to bed?" he asked.
"No. I have some last minute packing to do. And I promised Neville I'd have a talk with him here in the common room. So I'll just wait for him."
"Oh…well, goodnight then…see you in a few weeks…"
She nodded and kissed his cheek. "I'll see you around Harry."
She watched him walk up the stairs. When she was alone again, she sighed with relief. It would be alright. She just needed some time alone and then, with a little bit of effort, they could be alright again.
She sat down in a chair near the fireplace and took a book from her bag. She didn't really read, she just looked at the words with a foggy expression on her face.
She was startled when she heard a noise coming from the fireplace. The light had turned green and a head was in it. Neville's.
"Neville!" she said confused.
"H-Hermione…please…help me…"
She jumped up. "Neville? What's wrong? Where are you?"
"I- They got me…please…help!"
She fell down on her knees in front of the fire. She reached out to touch his face, but suddenly it was gone. Instead she was looking at the face of Lucius Malfoy.
"I'm afraid Longbottom is unavailable at the moment. Can I be of service?"
His smirk made her shiver.
"You're the foulest being I know Malfoy…" she spat.
Malfoy just kept smirking. "Are you prepared to listen to me? Because I have a deal you'll be very keen to hear. And I don't bargain."
Oo, cliffy! I'm really curious to see what you all think about this :P
Magic and Sparkle: you noticed the Neville/Hermione-ship? Well, one sided ship that is…and the main problem of this fic is the relationship between Harry and Hermione, so that'll be the focus. But I'm rather sure no one has a clue of what I've got in store for you all :) I hope you liked the chapter. Oh, before I forget, I've got a question. What does 'ttfn' mean? Anywawy, thanks for reviewing!
Emma Barrows: I like these new developments in Ominix. I really like the idea of Sirius liking Hillary after everything that happened to them. Though I must admit that I thought you were going to pair him up with Lily at first. Anyway, I like the story :) and I'm really glad you like mine!
Lucerito-del-alma: Ack! Duck, Hermione, duck! Not the hogedrukpan! I hope this chapter made up for her behaviour a little…the next one probably will. I hope… And what you said about her being naïve and paranoid and overreacting…it's all true, but I kinda thought she was entitled to all that. I mean, I'd be pretty paranoid if I saw my bf snogging some other girl and then comfort her a day later. It'd make me think all kinds of things that perhaps don't make sense. I tried to write that 7th chapter from how I thought a combination of me and her would react. Sounds silly, eh… Anyway, I hope this chapter made up for her (and mine) behaviour. I'm sorry ma'am , it won't happen again :P….well…perhaps it will, that's for you to decide :D:P I can't judge my own writing like that . Anyway, glad you liked it and I hope you like what's to come as well. I think that you'll be quite surprised…and you won't be needing those seven hells. One will suffice
Dark Angel's Blue Fire: Me? Taking advantage of how much you like the story? I wouldn't dare :P haha, what I mean to say is that I'm glad you like this story so much. I'll have sympathy, just because of your nice review Though I must say I hope that I didn't make the cliff-hanger of this story too…well, cliffy. Because I wouldn't want to lose a nice reviewer like you! (About Neville….everything does seem to go wrong when he's there, doesn't it? And now he's in trouble…poor him…or not?)
Ah, another chapter posted. I'm so happy and I don't know why. It's finally becoming more like spring, that's probably it. But my exams are drawing nearer andtoday I've got my karate exam for the brown belt. It's been postponed and postponed and postponed, but now the day has finally come…and I'm NERVOUS.
I found out today that I only have about two or three days of real schooldays left and I'm also nervous because of my auditions which are also drawing nearer…Pfft…sometimes I think I've got too many things to do and I like them all (except for my exams of course :P)
I hope to see you all at the next chapter. Baibai!
-Raven55