Chapter 13
The common room was loud and noisy when Neville returned. He noticed Hermione waving at him and trudged over to where she was sitting. Slumping into the chair across from her, he sighed.
"Well," she asked expectantly. "How did it go?"
"She loved the Everbloom," said Neville dejectedly.
"Is that bad?" asked Hermione tentatively.
"No…"
"Then what exactly is wrong?"
"I didn't get to finish talking with her because Professor Snape came in." He scowled angrily.
"Oh," muttered Hermione, averting her eyes. She, Harry, and Ron had decided that it would be best not to tell anyone what they had seen. "Maybe you should try a different approach," she suggested cautiously.
"Like what?" asked Neville, perking up a bit.
"Like…poems, or flowers, or something. You could send them anonymously through the school post."
"Like—like a secret admirer or something," said Neville excitedly.
"Exactly," said Hermione with a smile.
"Thanks Hermione, you're a genius!" he said, jumping to his feet. He hurried off toward the boys dorm, passing Ron and Harry along the way.
"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" asked Harry, plopping down next to Hermione. She shrugged noncommittally and rifled through the papers in front of her.
"Say, Hermione, have you, er, started your Defense Against the Dark Arts homework?" He peered at the scroll of parchment lying in front of her.
"Yes," said Hermione, rolling up her paper. "I've finished it."
"Finished it! We only got it yesterday! How do you do that?" exclaimed Ron.
"I'm organized," quipped Hermione.
"Will you at least check over mine?"
"Maybe…"
Harry grinned to himself as he watched Ron struggling to convince Hermione to help him get started. He laughed and shook his head amusedly as he set to work.
