As promised the next chapter. A little shorter than I normally put out but it sets us up nicely for the next chapter, and that is an important one...believe me.
Not Beta'd, please just ignore the typos.
Disclaimer: All recognized characters and situations belong to J. K. Rowling. I don't own anything from the Harry Potter Universe and I make no money from writing this.
A few days after her flying lesson Hermione found herself in the monthly meeting with Professor McGonagall and the prefects.
There wasn't very much to discuss, the prefect rota was working out well and everyone seemed happy with his or her allotted areas.
Hermione however left the meeting feeling unhappy. Again Neville had sat at the complete opposite end of the room, not looking at her or contributing when she involved him in the conversation.
She decided that along with needing a plan to deal with Ron, she would also need one to med her friendship with Neville.
She knew she would need outside help and immediately ran to catch up with Ginny.
"Gin have you got a second?" she called, as Ginny was about to climb a staircase towards Gryffindor tower.
Ginny turned and nodded, "wanna check out my dorm?" Hermione suggested. Strictly speaking Ginny wasn't supposed to go to the head dorms, but after spending seven years with Harry and Ron she had given up trying to stick to the rules.
She led Ginny down to the fourth floor and whispered her password to the portrait.
"Wow, Percy never let on about all this when he was head boy, sneaky git" Ginny remarked as she looked around the common room.
"Well Neville and I were supposed to share it but that didn't work out very well" Hermione replied sadly.
"I noticed he was being a bit weird towards you. What happened?" Ginny asked as she flopped into the comfy armchair opposite Hermione who had stretched out on to a couch.
"To be honest Gin, it's the reason I asked you here, I don't know what to do" Hermione admitted.
"Okay…" Ginny promoted.
"Well it all started just before the Christmas holidays. Neville got really angry when I said that Draco would be coming home with me. When I confronted him and asked why he said he was in love with me" Hermione explained.
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on. Neville is in love with you? I thought he had the hots for Luna!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Me too. I think it's just a crush but Neville obviously thinks it's more. He asked Professor McGonagall to take head boy away from him so that he could leave the dorm" Hermione continued.
"Which she obviously refused" Ginny guessed.
"Yes, she just gave him new rooms. The problem is, I can't get him to talk to me, and if he won't talk to me I can't repair our friendship" Hermione finished.
"Hmm, well I think we need to bring Luna in on this for one, and number two I will get him in a room and you can be there to talk, if I have to put him in a full body bind I will, because this situation is ridiculous" Ginny stated.
"Well number two I can agree with, preferably without having to hex him, but I don't see how Luna can help" Hermione responded.
"Well Luna has been pining after Neville for years, a little nudge might be all she needs to actually try and snag him. If you're right and it's just a crush then a little female attention might snap him out of it" Ginny explained.
"Okay, but don't tell her about all this, let her think that I have nothing to do with it, she is much more savvy than she is given credit for and I don't want all this to get around the castle, because you know that will lead straight to the Daily Prophet, it's not fair to Neville" Hermione said as she began to get into planning mode.
"Yeah they do seem to like writing about you and Malfoy, it's taken so much heat off Harry, but Rita Skeeter is going too far, it would be obvious to an adolescent dragon that most of the these stories are a pile of dung" Ginny said, picking up that day's Prophet and pointing to the front page.
"Well I'm glad Harry is getting some benefit from it, and as for Rita Skeeter, I will deal with her once I'm out of Hogwarts. I'm sure a few well timed pictures is all I'll need" Hermione said with an evil glint in her and a smirk on her face,
"Oh Merlin, I can see hanging around a Slytherin so much is rubbing off on you" Ginny observed dramatically.
"Well who do you think is going to organise getting the pictures for me" Hermione laughed, after all what was the point of having a well-connected boyfriend if she couldn't take advantage occasionally.
They sat and created a plan for getting Neville into a room alone, for the rest of the evening.
Hermione really enjoyed it, and didn't want to admit how much she missed sitting around with Harry and Ron planning their next adventure.
They agreed to give Luna a few days to flirt with Neville before Hermione attempted to talk to him.
After finalising the plan Ginny sat back and put her hands behind her head, "So, how's Malfoy?" she asked with a smirk on her face.
"Draco is fine" Hermione answered, putting emphasis on his first name.
"Still loved up?" Ginny asked, stifling a laugh.
Hermione blushed and didn't answer.
"Oh come on 'Mione, don't make me beg, what's he like…you know?" Ginny raised her eyebrows a couple of times.
"Ginny, I've told you before and I'll say it again for the last time. I'm not going to talk about that" Hermione exclaimed.
"I swear I won't say anything about me and Harry" Ginny coaxed.
Hermione shook her head and breathed a sigh of relief as she heard the portrait open….. saving her from Ginny interrogating her any further about her sex life.
"Hello sweetheart" Draco said as he kissed Hermione and sat down with his arm around her shoulder.
"Weaslette" he nodded at Ginny.
"Ferret" Ginny replied.
"Oh for Merlin's sake" Hermione muttered.
"Right well I need to go, homework and all that" Ginny said as she got up from her seat.
Hermione walked her to the portrait, "So are you two gonna….?" Ginny asked, one more try at getting Hermione to talk.
"Goodnight Ginny" Hermione laughed as she opened the portrait.
…
Hermione watched Neville with great interest in the following days. She saw Luna sitting with him and talking during various meals and even heard a snippet of the conversation one lunchtime, he was explaining the properties of Devil's Snare leaves and Luna was listening with rapt attention.
Four days after their night of scheming in the head dorms, Ginny caught Hermione during dinner.
"I think it's working. Neville asked Luna if she wanted to spend this Saturday with him in Hogsmede, like on a date" Ginny explained.
"Fantastic! Oh thank Merlin. I was really worried" Hermione sighed in relief.
"Well I wouldn't get too excited, lets make sure this weekend goes okay before you try and talk to him" Ginny suggested.
"Yeah, you're right, I won't try to talk to him yet. What are your plans for Hogsmede Gin?" Hermione asked.
"Harry's coming, we're going to have lunch and hopefully keep clear of the press" Ginny replied, going all dreamy eyes after mentioning Harry.
"That's nice, I suppose you haven't seen him since the Valentine's Hogsmede weekend" Hermione speculated.
"Yep, I can't wait, although I know he really wants to see you 'Mione, why don't you join us" Ginny asked.
"I don't want to interrupt, you guys need time together." Hermione declined.
"Harry misses you 'Mione. He moved into Grimmauld Place so he can decorate, being without you and Ron he hasn't said it but I know, he feels weird, you guys used to be inseparable" Ginny argued.
"I miss him too, but in three and half months school will be over and we can see each other whenever we want" Hermione insisted.
"Oh come on Hermione, just lunch and then we'll split off…. You can even bring the ferret; I wont take no for and answer" Ginny demanded.
"Fine, I give in. We'll go out for lunch, but you might want to pick somewhere private, Me and Harry together… we won't get away from the press for a second" Hermione conceded.
"We can get a private room at the Three Broomsticks" Ginny answered her, "Harry will be so happy when I tell him"
They furnished their dinner and Hermione said goodnight. Now she had to tell Draco that he was spending that Saturday with Harry Potter.
Well I hope you liked it, nice bit of plotting from the girls. Be nice to see Harry in the next chapter. Reviews are very welcome.