Early the next morning a smile played on Hermione's lips as she watched the sporadic snowflakes float from the darkening sky and land on the already blanketed ground. The warmth of Neville's accompanying body heat kept the chill in the air at bay enough to let their walk be a rather comfortable occasion. She had held herself to the meditative promise to find some time to spend with the most reserved of her friends.
A choice she didn't regret even as the clearly foolish chatter about them had started the moment they had left the Great Hall together. Not when there was an unorthodox lightness to his demeanor and a smile the size of an erumpent plastered on his face. They had been walking side by side in silence for over ten minutes. After exchanging the normal pleasantries and a few well-aimed complaints about the workload over the last week they had found a nostalgic sense of relaxation in the act of walking with no destination in mind.
There were no difficult expectations between them, which led to no awkwardness. Only a connected enjoyment of the beautiful morning as they waited for the time to pass before their next Apparition lesson. They continued on the well-worn path in front of them. The new dusting of snow crunched under their boots, breaking up the quiet.
Neville stopped walking about three-quarters of the way through the lengthy stroll and looked out over the castle and lake. Instead of continuing to stare at the magnificent view he peeked at her out of the corner of his eye, making sure she had stayed by his side before asking the routine question she had hoped to avoid. "You okay, Hermione?"
"Hmmm? Oh yes." She responded inattentively. It was a wretched feeling to know her act at being absorbed in the scenery was failing, based on the look he gave her.
"You sure?"
"Why wouldn't I be Neville? It is a warm morning with snow and good company to boot. Most would say I am rather privileged, don't you think?" She teased him, bumping his shoulder playfully.
He huffed. A cloud of white trailed behind on the exhaled air causing it to look like he was smoking. The annoyed tone was very unlike him but he persisted anyway. "Without a doubt. But... Considering it is one of your best friends' birthdays and you are hiding out in the hills around school, I would wager and say you are lying to me."
Slowly she inhaled a stabbing breath, sharp from just how quick the blow was. She wasn't sure if she should have been grateful or angry. So she settled for numbness... "I have no need to lie to you. We all make our choices and have to live with them. I am choosing to make the best of this morning."
"How mature of you." He said neutrally as he turned back to the path and waited for her. Once more they walked in silence for a few moments before he seemed to muster up enough courage and started again. "Look... I know you both think you are acting like adults here but deep down you know that isn't true right?"
"I... Neville..." The words got stuck in her throat and she clung desperately to the fading numbness. Somehow she was able to get in another breath around the stabbing pain and managed to keep it together. "Yes..."
"I'm not saying this to be a prat. You have to know that! I am saying it because I am a friend of you both. So..." Hesitation marred his features even as he continued to push forward. "Figure it out! Figure out how to deal with Lavender, no matter how horrid she is. Suck it up! At least for the foreseeable future. I've already told him to figure out how to restrain her and... Whatever it is nagging him where you are concerned, so that is taken care of. Hopefully, he reflects on it because one of you needs to cut Harry some slack. He is going to go bonkers one of these days."
Her cheeks flamed hot at the chiding as he broke through the crumbling walls around her. No matter how well-deserved it was, the experience was still humiliating. She wrapped her arms around herself for something to do while she tried to come up with an excuse that did not sound bogus to her own ears. It took her a while to come around and most of the journey passed before she acknowledged his tough love. "I know. I... I will talk to him after Apparition."
"Great. That was much easier than expected." He said brightly, his whole demeanor shifting back to the warm and relaxed companion from earlier.
The drastic switch raised an eyebrow as she responded dryly. "I'm glad to hear it..."
Apparently, her surly manner was too much for him because he broke out in laughter. At first, she attempted to keep her face like stone but eventually his merriment won out, forcing her lips to break out into a smile and she giggled. He gave her a gentle push with his bent elbow. "Me too!"
She shook her head at him and rolled her eyes but any petty feelings had fallen away. "I'm sure. Anyways… Since my boy problems have been covered... What about you? Any girl-related issues in your life?"
"Uhhhh... You have met me before, right?"
"Neville! Stop that! Girls like you!"
"Right then... Who!? Because it would be news to me! I have been trying to get a girl to notice me since fourth year." He said looking at her like she was off her rocker.
"Hannah Abbott for one." She smirked at the bewildered look at her quick answer, even if it was only momentary.
"What good does that do me when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is out murdering people left and right?" He grumbled and kicked at a piece of snow that had fallen from the adjacent bank as he passed. The truth of the statement slammed into the both of them and he sighed, ducking his head. "Horrible really... What happened to her mum."
"It is. Maybe you could reach out and see how she is doing..." She suggested lamely.
He shook his head like she knew he was going to and stared off in front of them.
"Well... I might have heard Isobel MacDougal tell Mandy Brocklehurst that you have nice eyes the other day. You could always ask Luna and see if she might be worth pursuing."
"I... I don't know Hermione..." He hedged, clearly uncomfortable.
"Hey... No pressure! Sit on it for as long as you like." She assured him as they entered the shadows that signified they were almost to the castle and all of the prying eyes therein.
"Yeah. Thanks." A half-hearted smile formed on his lips but he didn't meet her eyes, choosing to stare down at the ground as they walked on.
Hermione found herself floundering to try and make things better before they separated. "Are you kidding me right now? I should be the one thanking you! You are the one who came out into the cold to keep me company when you did not have to. You gave me a much-needed wake-up call, that I am sure Harry will be appreciative of. You... You always know what the right thing to do is. And what's more? You actually follow through and do it!"
A blush colored his cheeks at her praise. He never was one to be able to accept compliments very well. When his foot caught on a ledge of black ice, that was completely covered by the recent fluffy blanket of snow, he pitched forward. Swinging his arms in an attempt to stop himself from ending up sprawled on the ground, he looked like a parody of some morning cartoon.
Since she couldn't grab an appendage without getting thrashed, she did the next best thing and snatched the back of his coat. Giving a quick but firm pull she was able to stop the forward momentum which allowed him to regain his footing. As soon as she was sure he was stable she let go and gave his shoulder a few reassuring pats. "Whatever girl ends up lucky enough to be with you, I hope she knows just how special you are... And how to do a wicked healing charm."
He laughed enthusiastically and nodded. "I will have to remember to ask any future prospects if they know a good one."
She smiled back at him, happy to have had him literally stumble into being his upbeat self again. Turning back to the path she made sure to step much more carefully and watch Neville out of the corner of her eye, just in case. Once they had braved the rest of the path and then the steps they made their way into the welcoming warmth of the indoors.
"See you in a few. I have a question for Seamus." He called over his shoulder as he walked back into the Great Hall, apparently having decided that was the best place to start his search for the other boy.
Intent on bringing her outerwear up to her dorm so she would not have to worry about it during lessons, she spun around and headed toward the staircase. There was more than enough time to accomplish the task and return, except her progress was halted when she heard the unmistakable chorus of sniggering that usually heralded an onslaught of vulgarity aimed in her direction. Well hidden behind the wall that separated the descending and ascending stone stairs, she stopped mid-stride to listen.
"...Damn straight! Daddy said he would buy five house elves if it meant I would keep my mouth shut." Pansy didn't even try to modulate her voice as she bragged to the others.
"Of course he did." Came the voice that she wanted to hear. He sounded bored with the conversation as if the current topic had already been discussed at length.
"Why would one person have the need for five house elves?" Blaise pondered with a sarcastic edge to his tone.
"Right!" Grumbled either Crabbe or Goyle, she couldn't be sure without the visual confirmation.
Pansy sighed before snapping. "House elves can be exchanged through dowries, idiot. Why accept the possibility of substandard service when I can have my very own merry little band of minions all trained up?"
"You know... There is some twisted logic to that plan." Theodore cajoled. Without a doubt trying to diffuse an argument before it could begin.
"Thank you, Theo. At least someone sees my brilliance." The fact that her "brilliance" included the enslavement of five innocent creatures made Hermione's stomach roll. She pushed it down as the other girl continued on, her voice getting louder as they neared the landing. "Besides, it's not like he can give me what I initially asked for."
Again Theodore was the one to step up and ask. "Which was?"
"Granger's head mounted on my wall... He told me that money cannot buy everything, so this was the compromise."
"Pricey compromise. Remind me to never piss you off." Blaise muttered loud enough everyone could hear.
"Whatever, Zabini." Pansy snarled. Venom dripped from the words and Hermione was momentarily worried for Blaise's safety. She wondered if she should intervene but the offended witch rushed ahead of the group and didn't look back as she stomped into the Great Hall with Nott following obediently behind her.
"Sweet baby hippogriffs! Theo is a brave man, taking one for the team like that." Blaise said as he came into view, quickly followed by the rest.
"He is stupid." Goyle grunted and then laughed at his pitiful attempt at a joke.
"He is ruled by his dick..." Draco said what they all, herself included, had been thinking.
"OH! Oh, Thank Merlin!"
Her blood turned to ice in her veins. There was only reason for those words, in that tone, to come from that voice and she refused to believe it. In the effort to fool herself she looked down to the landing where the four Slytherins stood, looking up with interest as the scene unfolded.
The sound of footsteps thundered against her eardrums while her mind registered the fact that she had been caught eavesdropping. A social blunder that would normally send a blush to color her face but didn't even cause her to blink as she made eye contact with each of the boys in turn. She saved the soothing and safe gray for the end, thankful that no matter how remotely, he was there as her world imploded. And as surely as she knew her own name she knew the reason it would implode.
Someone important had been hurt…
When Ginny proceeded to stop on the step above her it took a moment for her gaze to swing up and lock onto hers. Breathlessly the shattering words fell from the other girl's lips.
"It's... It's… R..Ron..."
She reached up and grabbed the other witch's arm. A proper support as her vision tunneled. It only lasted a second for which she was appreciative but she did not need to worry. Ginny stepped down before tucking her arm under Hermione's so she could lead her away. "Let's go... Harry is already waiting outside the Hospital Wing."
Her guilt flared. She should be consoling Ron's sister, not the other way around, but she couldn't figure out how to make her feet or mouth work. The tears flowed freely down her friend's face, signaling how truly dire the situation was, but an unpretentious strength radiated outward. So like her mother, somehow able to keep it together while everything else fell apart.
And fall apart it did…
A million questions followed by a million scenarios flashed in her head. Confusing her overloaded psyche all the more. As she was guided away it seemed to boil down to one dominating and completely selfish question-
How was she going to live with herself if she had missed her chance to make things right?