Title: Hermione's Helping Hand

Neville's Revenge

Hermione burst into the living area, almost causing Severus to knock over his cup of coffee. He looked up to see that his wife was white faced. This worried him because she was almost never like this.

" What's going on?"

She showed him the note that she had gotten and he read it over, going just as pale as she was. Finally he shoved the note away from him.

" W-When did you g-get this?" he asked, his heart racing madly.

" During my evaluation with that Ministry official," Hermione answered, setting down because she felt like she was about to pass out. " He told me that it had arrived for me, and I ran out after I had read it."

" Who do you think sent it?"

Hermione gave him a look that told him all he needed to know.

" Malfoy!" Severus hissed. " Oh that man makes me so mad, I feel like killing him."

Hermione placed her hand over his, and gave him a comforting look.

" You can't do that!" she told him. " You have several days before the Ministry lets you off, you can't afford to get into trouble now."

Severus eyes soften at those words. She always knew what to say and went to say it. And that was what he was finding himself falling in love with. He thought when he had been forced to marry her due to some stupid wedding spell, that she would be the one thing he hated more then anything, but now, nearly six months into their marriage, he was finding that he couldn't live without her, and that he loved her. He looked up at her.

" Hermione, um-"

" Yes."

He looked away, because he couldn't find the words. He hated feeling like this, and with Hermione looking at him; it was even harder, so he got up and left, leaving her very confused.

" Did I do something wrong?" Hermione asked Minerva, after dinner.

Minerva looked up from her cookie, not knowing what to say.

" I mean, I arrive to tell him that someone has threatened my life, then he kind of losing all his words that he was going to tell me."

" Was there something wrong with his throat?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders in answer. Minerva put her cookie down and thought over what Hermione had told her. It was not like Severus not to be able to speak. He was always ready with some kind of response or swift comment. Suddenly something in her mind clicked, and she suddenly found herself laughing.

This confused Hermione even more. First her husband and now Minerva. When in the world would this world make any sense anymore?

" What?"

Minerva stifled her laughter with her fist, and then after she had somewhat calmed down, she finally spoke.

" I think Severus loves you," she told her.

Then went back laughing. Hermione was confused even more then before.

When Hermione finally left laughing Minerva, she had a lot of things going on inside her head. She never thought that she would hear that kind of explanation from her Transfiguration teacher, nor did she think it was possible for that man to love anyone. She knew that he had loved his mother, because he took her death very hard. But he had been a Death Eater, people that didn't like people like her. Was it possible that she had broken through that shell and caused him to fall in love with her?

She was so busy thinking about everything that had happened that the scream that came through the corridor almost sent her nerves into shock. Hermione went as fast as she could and found that the source of the scream was the Malfoy family.

" What's going on here?" Hermione asked.

" Longbottom!" Malfoy whispered, pointing to the door. " He's back!"

Hermione gave them an odd look, but went over to the door. When she opened it, she saw Neville, semi-transparent and floating several inches off the ground.

" Neville!" Hermione whispered.

He turned and faced her.

" Hi Hermione!" Neville said, smiling at her.

The Malfoy's and Hermione all fainted.

" Hermione," said the voice of Harry. " Wake up!"

Hermione eyes slowly opened and she found herself in the hospital wing. She slowly rose up and looked around. She had no idea how she had gotten here. One moment she had been thinking about what Minerva had told her, and the next, she saw Neville.

" Are you all right?" Ron asked. " You gave us all a scare!"

" W-What!"

Both Harry and Ron looked at each other.

" Hermione, you fainted when you saw the ghost of Neville Longbottom," Harry explained. " He came in and reported to Minerva what had happened. I was surprised that you fainted. Your use to seeing ghosts."

" I know I am!" Hermione said. " But not when they're your former friends."

" I agree!" said Ron. " I was shocked when I saw Neville, and I'm use to seeing him all the time."

Hermione looked at them.

" Did he tell you who killed him?" Hermione asked.

Both boys shook their heads in response. Hermione figured that Neville really didn't know, or didn't want to say.

The next morning Hermione was allowed to leave, which she was glad about. She might consider Madam Pomfrey her friend, but she wasn't a fan of where she worked at. She passed by Malfoy's classroom and had just turned the corner when she heard him screaming and Neville laughing at him. She walked over to his door and pressed her ear to the door.

" Leave me alone," he begged.

" Never!" Neville said. " I'm going to haunt you and your family until the end of time."

Hermione laughed, knowing that Neville meant it.