Take Me Back To the Start

Chapter 4: Searching For a Niche

Disclaimer: I get sick of writing these disclaimers sometimes. You know maybe I'll just be like, heck yes I own everything. Then I'd probably get kicked off the site, seeing as how I certainly do not own anything. Ok, sorry. I'll just get it over with. I don't own anything.

P.S. Things in this chap that are in -hyphins-are just my little comments. Because I know you all love my little comments. Heart -cm

Reviews

Mysteriouscharm- haha, you're so right. Thanks for being a faithful reviewer; it means a lot to me.

Adrilily- oh, I'd never tell… sly grin

Juka- god, finally. I'm just glad you reviewed. Hope you like this one, love ya see you at school.

lili-potter8907- well, I'm the writer, and I'm set in my ways. You'll see, just promise me you'll read through till the end.

Hermione couldn't believe it. The entire detention, Draco had only said about six words, those being "could you pass the garden shears?" She could hardly believe that she had been with Draco for over and hour and still he had yet to insult her or mock her. It was so uncharacteristic of him. And eventually it got to her.

"Malf- I mean, Draco," she began. She meant to ask him about Pansy, but then she found that she didn't know how to put into words what she wanted to ask without hurting his feelings. "Well, I was just wondering… I mean, it must really be awful for you, but are you ok?"

Draco half-smiled. "You don't have to pity me, Hermione. I get enough of that already. It's just hard knowing what she did, and how I wish I could just forget it ever happened and we could go back to the way we were." Hermione was taken aback at how he had just put into words how she had been feeling for the last week and a half.

"Yeah, I guess I sort of know what you mean."

"Oh, yeah, I kind of forgot about you and Harry. Did he ever try to make it up to you?" Draco asked. Rather invasively in Hermione's mind, but deep down she really sort of wanted to talk about it.

She sighed. "Well, you know, he tried to convince me that he was hexed, and that he wasn't responsible. But he's got to be lying."

Draco shrugged. "At least he tries to explain himself. Pansy didn't even deny what she did. Ever considered taking him seriously?"

"What, you mean believing that crap?" Hermione scoffed. "I'm not a fool."

"Yeah, but he's giving you a chance to try again. Which is what you want, isn't it? I mean, yeah, he messed up, but I think I might believe him if I was in your position. I don't like him much, but I think Harry's got his morals in order. I don't think he would just randomly kiss some other girl." Draco reasoned.

When did Draco become so insightful? Hermione wondered. She felt odd being the ignorant one. She shrugged and changed the subject, while repotting something rather purple-y looking. -Sorry but I don't know of many magical plants, so please excuse my lack of greenhouse knowledge.-

"So why are you here in detention?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing," Draco admitted. "Guess why I'm here."

Hermione thought. "Did you curse Blaise or something?"

Draco laughed bitterly. "How did you know?"

"Because I did pretty much the same thing," she said, blushing. "What did you use on him?"

"I don't really know," Draco said thoughtfully. "I just remember being so angry that I just kind of pointed my wand and yelled something. Whatever I did, it worked. He was in the hospital wing for a few days." -Sorry for this Draco OOCness, now and in the future.-

"Wow," Hermione said softly. "Why do you think you reacted so strongly?"

His face was dead straight. He said in a strong voice, "She called him Blaisey-Poo."

Hermione looked up at Draco, who looked back. And Hermione just couldn't take it; she started to laugh and couldn't stop.

The sides of his mouth twitched. "I don't see what's so funny," Draco said, but in spite of himself, he was laughing moments later. He hadn't laughed in a long time.

What is going on? Hermione thought. Am I in some alternate universe where Draco is suddenly nice to me? I could get used to this.

By the end of the night, Hermione and Draco realized that they had just struck up an unusual friendship. Something they both really needed.

……………

Ron was attempting at his potions homework when Hermione came back. It seemed that even though he had managed to make a perfect potion that morning, he wasn't quite as gifted in the essay department.

"Hey, you're back!" He cried, glad to have a distraction. "How'd it go?"

Hermione was beaming. "Excellent! You know, I think that Draco's really changed or something, because-"

Ron stopped her. "Wait, hang on there. Did you just say Malfoy was there? And did you just call him Draco?"

"Well, you see, he said I could just call him by his first name now," Hermione said plainly. "I don't know exactly how, but we're friends now. He was in detention for cursing Blaise."

"Oh, ok then," Ron said thoughtfully, still not really understanding what was going on. "So how many times did you call you a mudblood?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I told you, we're friends. He hasn't called me anything in a few days. You know, he's kind of smart sometimes, when he's not busy being a git. I mean, he knows things."

"Yeah, right, Herm," Ron said. "Don't forget all the things he's done to us over the years. He's still Malfoy."

"Oh, Ron, don't be so simpleminded," Hermione said huffily. "Now let's see if we can finish this potions homework."

…………….

In the Slytherin Common Room, a similar scene was happening.

"Draco!" Crabbe exclaimed. "How was your detention? Would you like a cookie?" He asked shoving a plate of cookies in Draco's face.

"It was fine," Draco said minimally. "Hermione was there."

Goyle looked up from his large helping of cookies. "That Granger girl? I wonder why. She's such a suck up, it's a wonder she's in detention," he said with a hearty laugh. Crabbe soon joined in. Draco just watched them.

When Crabbe noticed that Draco wasn't smiling, he spoke up. "Malfoy, why aren't you laughing? Come on, you always used to call her a mudblood."

"Yeah, you're right," Draco said bitterly. "I did." Draco felt bad for the things he had said to her in the past. "I'm tired. Good night." And with that Draco walked up to his room, where he didn't sleep a wink.

…………….

The next afternoon, after charms, Harry was greeted with a pleasant surprise.

"Wow, perfect marks on a quiz!" Ginny said enthusiastically when Harry showed her his latest test score. "That's great!"

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "I think having less friends has actually helped me. Now I can study without interruptions." Ginny smiled. The two of them and Luna were in the library, their favorite hangout lately. They rarely ran into other people in the agriculture section of the library.

Luna was actually reading the Quibbler at that moment, as usual. -Yes, I know Luna is always reading the Quibbler, but I can't very well have her listening to her iPod, now can I?- She was studying something very closely, and when Harry peered over her shoulder, all he could see was a patterned blue piece of paper.

"Um, Luna, what're you looking at?" He inquired.

She looked up at him. "It's an optical illusion. You bring it very close to your face, and then slowly bring it away, and you can see an image in the patterns. My dad found it, it's a Muggle thing. He thinks it's brilliant."

"Here, let me try." Harry tried doing what Luna told him to do, but after three tries, he began to get frustrated. He angrily began pulling the paper towards his face then away, while moving his head back and forth.

"Erm, Harry," Ginny said. "You look like a chicken."

He frowned at her and shoved the paper back to Luna. He glanced at his schedule.

"Gotta go, guys, I've got Divination. See you at dinner!"

…………….

"… and let's just hope that this lesson ends not like the last," Professor Trelawney said bitterly after giving directions. Ron and Hermione smiled to each other. The fight that Hermione and Lavender had became somewhat of a legend in the Hogwarts corridors. Everyone assumed that Hermione had won, but technically, Dumbledore had broken up the fight before anyone could win. Hermione, however, was content, and decided not to set the record straight.

Ron was very happy. He wanted the very best for Hermione. It seemed that late events had given her a chance to stop thinking about Harry, and that's just what she needed. Ron was dreading the time when he himself would confront Harry, for he knew the time had to come. I wish we could be friends again, he thought. But what he did was wrong.

Hermione was in such an odd mood. When Professor Trelawney corrected her tea readings and said that there was something good coming in her future, Hermione actually got excited, as if she believed it. Ron was slightly freaked out, needless to say.

I can't help but hope that it's true, Hermione thought to herself. Hopefully it has something to do with Harry, she thought as she snuck a look at him.

As Hermione surveyed the room, she caught sight of Lavender, who was looking sadly at Harry and talking to her friends, who didn't really seem to be listening. Hermione felt a fire somewhere in her stomach. She didn't want Lavender to be pining after Harry. Well, he isn't really my property or anything, Hermione thought. But he's more mine than her's! She knew how immature she sounded, but the urge to kill Lavender Brown was getting harder and harder to resist.

On the other side of the room, Harry was busy with his work. Even though he was feeling better since he started hanging out with Ginny and Luna, he still really missed Ron and Hermione. Ron was his best friend, and all of the sudden, Ron wouldn't speak to him. Harry would try to smile at Ron in the halls, but Ron always would ignore Harry. And Hermione was basically the same story. I love her so much, I just wish I could prove myself to her, Harry thought.

Soon the class was over. Ron and Hermione were discussing the Divination homework when Neville came up behind them.

"Uh, Hermione?" Neville asked hesitantly. "Can I talk to you?" Hermione nodded. "Uhh… alone?" he said.

"Oh, sure. You don't mind, right Ron?" Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

Hermione and Neville walked to another corner of the room. "So, what it is you want to talk about, Neville?"

"Well, I was just wondering how you were doing," Neville said. Hermione was touched.

"I'm doing great, Neville, thanks for asking," she answered with a smile.

Neville blushed. "Well, that's good! Because I was kinda meaning to ask you… um, well, that is to say…" Hermione looked at him quizzically. "Well, I really like you, and I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime," Neville said letting out a deep breath.

Hermione was taken aback. "Um… wow, I really don't know," she said hesitantly. Wow, that came from out of nowhere…Hermione thought to herself. To be completely honest, Hermione did not want to go out with Neville. For a few reasons: 1, she really wasn't ready to be "going out" again. She had had enough of the social scrutiny. 2, Neville was her friend. And now, no matter what she said, things would always be weird from then on. (Besides the fact that she could do so much better than Neville.) But at the same time, Hermione found herself thinking that if she went out with Neville, then she could get over Harry more easily. Something she wanted very badly.

Neville looked as though he was waiting, so Hermione said, "Neville, would you mind giving a little bit of time to think about it? I'm sorry; I just need to think about it. This is just so… so sudden."

Neville blushed. "You're right, I'm sorry. I'll wait. Well, um, see you later, Hermione." He quickly dashed out of the Divination room.

Ron came up behind Hermione. "What was that all about?" he asked.

"Uh, let's go to the common room. It's a long story."

…………….

"Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me… Neville asked you out?" Ron asked incredulously.

"In short… yeah," Hermione answered. Both were shocked.

"Well," Ron said with a shrug. "I guess I'm most surprised that he even had the guts. He must really like you."

"I can't believe he liked me to begin with!" Hermione exclaimed. "Now I just have to figure out what to say to him. I don't want to hurt his feelings if I say no, but if I say yes, then I might not be happy."

Ron shook his head. "No, Hermione, you know well that you wouldn't just say 'yes' to humor him, you want to get over Harry." Hermione turned bright red. Damn his intuition…

"Well, so what? You'd want help, too, damnit!" She practically yelled.

"Shh, Hermione, I'm sorry. Quiet," Ron said looking around the common room. It seemed that only a few fifth-years were disturbed. "I'll give you some advice. Just listen to yourself. You know what's right, you know what you want. Deduct from each; see which you put more value in. There you'll find your answer." Then Ron got up and walked to the Boy's dormitories, leaving Hermione to wonder what she would say to Neville, and how Ron had learned to speak so eloquently.

A/N: There you have it. I realized that last chapter was really short, so I decided to work extra hard on this one. I was gonna make a cliffhanger and stop the chap right after Neville asked her out, but then I changed my mind. I know that last line wasn't very Ron-like, but it's basically what I think Hermione would need to hear in the situation, and there was no one else to say it. Please review, it keeps me going. Much Love -cm