Take Me Back To the Start

Chapter 5: Such Great Heights

Disclaimer: Take a wild guess… I own nothing.

P.S. I only had thee reviews for chapter four! This does not make a writer happy. I am seeing about 1037 hits for my story, but only three reviews? sobs PLEASE REVIEW, it makes me happy. (and you do want to keep me happy.) Also something happens in this chapter that some of you don't want to happen. But please promise me you'll keep reading, I'll work it out in the ending. I've got a great ending planned for my readers. Peace - cm

Reviews

Sinister Deception – Well if it isn't the ever-evasive Mythra! Missed ya. Lol… maybe the reason you don't like Hermione is because everyone always describes her as an exotic beauty, which she isn't. I mean, everyone is constantly talking about her like she's Audrey Hepburn. Which she isn't. I don't know about you, but that kinda annoys me.

Mysteriouscharm – haha I know… but I needed something.

Gryffindorprincess11 – Thanks, keep reading!

Hermione had made up her mind. She couldn't let Neville just hang there any longer. It had been a few days since he had first asked her out, and if she'd given him a dollar for every time he stole a sideways glance at her in classes, he'd be a millionaire.

She approached him after History of Magic.

"Uh, hey Neville," she said nervously. She had never turned anyone down before. In fact, it was quite a miracle when she started going out with Harry, he was far more experienced than she was, and took care of things like asking out. All she had to do was love him.

He looked equally nervous. "Hey."

"Well, you've probably been awaiting my answer," Hermione said rather stupidly. Of course he had. "And… well… I have to be honest; I don't really want to be in a relationship right now. I mean, you're the greatest friend I could ask for, but I just don't really think…" she stopped at the look on his face.

"You really love him, don't you?" Neville said in a sad way.

Hermione contemplated saying, "Who?" But she knew it would do no good. They both knew who "him" was.

"I really can't say right now, Neville," she said, giving in. "I'm kind of in a state of confusion."

He looked at her with pity. "Well, you'll never love me like I love you, but I'm always here for you if you need me."

"Thanks, Neville. Really," Hermione said quietly. She kissed him quickly on the cheek, on an impulse, and quickly walked off to the Dungeons for potions.

…………….

In Potions, they were learning about a particularly interesting potion concerning the elimination of body odor. Harry was cheerfully mixing his ingredients when he saw Hermione out of the corner of his eye. She didn't look too upset, so he tried to give her a smile. To his great surprise, she didn't glare at him or frown, but instead half-smiled for a half-second. Harry jumped inwardly. Maybe there's still a chance, he tempted himself.

Harry surveyed the room in a moment of clarity and saw Neville, who looked extremely morose. Harry cocked his head as if to wonder why he looked so sad, when Snape saw him.

"Potter, if you could concentrate on your potion, please," Snape said icily. "I imagine this particular mixture might come in handy for you." He held his nose, and the whole class shook with laughter. Particularly near the Slytherin group. Harry turned bright red and went back to mixing.

…………….

Hermione was about to finish up her potion when she saw Katie and Pavarti whispering excitedly in front of her. Hermione thought nothing of it until Pavarti turned around in her chair.

"Hey, Hermione!" she said, in a falsely cheerful voice.

"Hi," Hermione said cautiously.

Pavarti cleared her throat. "So, how are you doing? I mean it must be really hard. That was so mean of him!" she said in pity.

Hermione looked around nervously. "Well, yeah, but I'm ok now, that was a month ago."

"Oh, no, not that," Pavarti said maliciously. "I mean what happened the other day." Looking at Hermione's face, Pavarti continued. "Oh my, you haven't heard?"

Hermione was really starting to get annoyed.

"Well, this might come as a surprise to you, but the other day, Lavender and Harry were making out right outside the Forbidden Forest," Pavarti said quickly. Hermione looked horrified. "But that's not all! Lavender asked him about Hermione after a while, and do you know what he said?" Pavarti said gravely.

In spite of herself, Hermione leaned forward in her chair, wide-eyed.

Pavarti seemed to enjoy the attention. "Well, he said, 'Hermione who?'"

Hermione gasped. Pavarti nodded solemnly and turned back around in her chair when she saw Snape eyeing her coldly.

Hermione took a deep breath and glanced over at Ron, who was furiously stirring his potion. "Ron, I don't think I can do this anymore," she said in a panic.

"Yeah, uh-huh, well the class is almost over, Herm," Ron said distractedly, though Hermione didn't notice. "Just hang on."

Hermione kept her eyes front, away from Harry, and said, "You're right. I'll be fine." She took another deep breath and waited for the class to end.

How could he have done that? Hermione thought. Unbelievable! What an awful bastard. Oh how I hate him...

…………….

As the class let out, Hermione tried her best to be the first out of the classroom, but was thwarted by Harry, who rudely dodged in front of her.

"Watch where you're walking," Hermione said loudly. Some people "oohed."

Harry turned slowly. "What's eating you?"

Hermione was fuming. "Nothing. I'm just nothing to you," she said furiously. She stalked off, Ron following close behind.

"What was that?" He asked out of breath.

"It's about what Pavarti told me in Potions," Hermione said huffily.

"Hm… sounds like gossip. What'd she say?"

Hermione started to walk more slowly. "Well, she said… she said that Harry had been making out with Lavender by the Forbidden Forest, and he said 'Hermione who?' when she asked about me."

Ron stopped short. "Are you kidding me?" Hermione shook her head. Ron sighed and they walked back to the common room, his arm around Hermione's shaking shoulders.

…………….

Harry had just finished his last class and was heading up to the Boys' Dormitories when Ron stopped him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Ron began in an accusatory tone.

Harry looked at Ron, shook his head, and began walking again. Ron grabbed the back of his shirt. "I was talking to you."

"I don't even know what you're talking about," Harry said coldly.

"Oh, bullshit," Ron said with a scoff. "I can't believe you even have the gall to make out with Lavender, let alone treat Hermione like dirt."

Harry looked at Ron disbelievingly. "Come on, I never made out with Lavender. Gross. And I've been trying not to think about Hermione too much, thanks."

Ron related the story to Harry, who just kept shaking his head. "I don't know what you're talking about," He said repeatedly.

Ron stared at Harry icily. "How can you lie like that? Honestly, as if it's not bad enough for her."

Harry was frustrated. "You don't even know what you're talking about! If it's bad for anyone, it's bad for me."

"Yeah, right."

"Well, no one believes me for one thing-"

"No, shit, Harry, that's such a dumb story," Ron said sarcastically. "Oh, no, I'm Harry Potter, I'm famous worldwide, someone hexed me to cheat on my girlfriend, and now everyone hates me. Boohoo."

Harry started to get really angry. "Look, if all you came here to do was mock me, then you might as well just stop now. But I would never do any of those things you said." Harry turned to his bed in order to control his incessant urge to curse Ron senseless.

"I don't believe you," Ron said simply. "You're disgusting. I don't want to talk to you anymore." Ron walked bitterly back to the Common Room.

Harry sighed and flopped onto his bed. Why me? He thought to himself.

…………….

For the first time in her life, Hermione was really looking forward to her detention. She couldn't wait to tell Draco what had been happening. It sounded weird, even to herself, that she would confide so much in someone considered an enemy for her entire life.

As she approached the greenhouse, she saw Draco with Crabbe and Goyle near the front door to the school. She could tell he wasn't' really enjoying himself. Ick, he's a smart guy, why does he hang out with those losers? Hermione thought. As Draco turned away and the two other boys walked back up to the school, Hermione quickly averted her gaze so he wouldn't think she was gawking at him.

"Hey 'Mione," He said with a hint of a smile as they walked into the greenhouse. She nodded in reply. Since when does he call me "Mione?" Hermione thought curiously. Only Ron and Harry call me that. OH CRAP… Harry. Here we go. The next few of Hermione's minutes were spent ceremoniously feeling sorry for herself.

As they were repotting plants, Hermione asked, "So how's you're week been going, Draco?"

He made a face. "It's been alright. Well not totally," He said with a look of resignation. "For one thing, Crabbe and Goyle are really starting to get to me. I think that because I've been sad about Pansy, I've been seeing things a lot clearer lately. Well… the fact of the matter is… they're rather dim. And it's annoying me."

Hermione expertly turned a hearty laugh into a coughing fit. "What else?" She said.

"I've been thinking a lot about what I've done in the past," he said kind of quietly. "And to be completely honest, I was awful to you and Harry and Ron before. And you've just been so… so accepting of me, even though I've done bad things to you in the past. And I'm sorry."

Hermione just looked at him for a minute. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Thank you," she said softly, afraid that her eyes would fill with tears from the overflowing warmth and appreciation she felt. She enveloped Draco in the biggest, fuzziest bear-hug ever. He smiled widely, even though Hermione had gotten dirt all over his red tee shirt.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry," she said hurriedly as she tried to brush some of it off. But he just smiled. She smiled too, apologetically. "Maybe we should've just shook hands," she said giggling. The two of them continued to repot the plants, the smiles never leaving their faces.

At the end of the hour, after they had washed their hands (and their faces, since they had had a fierce dirt war) Draco and Hermione were walking back to the castle. "I'll walk with you to the Gryffindor Common Room," Draco said. Hermione was glad. She had found that she had sincerely enjoyed the last hour.

They were walking up the stairs. "I had a really good time in detention, surprisingly," Hermione said.

"Me too," said Draco as they arrived in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. "Thanks, Hermione," he said sincerely.

He seemed to be debating with himself, and then to Hermione's great surprise, he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She was still trying to grasp what had happened when he was quickly walking back down the stairs.

Hermione turned to face the portrait in a daze. "Ooh, hot stuff!" The Fat Lady hooted.

Hermione gave her a reproving look. "Acapulco," Hermione said, embarrassed. The portrait swung forward and Hermione walked into the Common, which seemed to be awaiting her return.

I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned
And I have to speculate that God himself
Did make us into corresponding shapes like
Puzzle pieces from the clay
And true, it may seem like a stretch, but
Its thoughts like this that catch my troubled
Head when you're away when I am missing you to death
When you are out there on the road for
Several weeks of shows and when you scan
The radio, I hope this song will guide you home

They will see us waving from such great
Heights, 'come down now,' they'll say
But everything looks perfect from far away,
'come down now,' but we'll stay...

A/N – Yay. I'm so happy, I love this chap. (Above is "Such Great Heights," by The Postal Service if you're wondering.) Sorry if you're not into Draco/Hermione. But I think it's kinda cute. Don't worry; I'll have more twists and turns for you yet. Sorry this one took me so long, I've been really busy lately. It was my birthday yesterday. 3 I love birthdays. Anyhow, please read and review. Much love - cm