Hermione wasn't looking forward to the first Slug Club dinner. She was nervous, and she didn't really want to go. She knew that Slughorn was picking people with connections or power, and she knew that she technically had that. But she wasn't sure that she should go.
And Neville and Harry were going. It wasn't as if she was going to be friendless. Harry was the biggest star in the wizarding world since who knew when. And Neville was very talented with plants and such. He'd gained a lot of confidence in the past year.
"Can we go now?" Harry asked impatiently.
"I didn't know you liked Slughorn that much Harry," Neville joked. He imagined that Harry enjoyed the class much more than he did when Snape was teaching.
Harry shrugged. "I've heard the food is good," he attempted to keep a carefree air.
"And I don't see why you guys want me to go," Hermione said. "I'd be more than fine reading in my room."
"Writing to Viktor's more like it," Harry said.
"So what if I talk to him?" Hermione said.
"Absolutely nothing," Neville assured her. "You guys are engaged."
"You should talk to each other regularly," Harry added.
"Sometimes I can't wait to be done with school," Hermione admitted. "Just so that we didn't have to deal with the distance."
"We'll all be glad when you two get married," Harry said. "It will mean that things are somewhat normal."
Hermione smiled and shook her head. "Harry, when have things ever been normal for us?"
Harry thought about it for a moment. He remembered fighting Quirrell for the philosopher's stone in his first year. And things just sort of seemed to escalate from there.
"The answer you're looking for is never," Neville said.
Hermione grabbed a book and her cardigan before they headed down towards the dungeons. She wasn't expecting to have time to read, but she had a habit of carrying a book with her everywhere she went.
"Why do the potions teachers always have their offices in the dungeons?" Harry moaned as they walked.
Hermione and Neville stopped and looked at him like he was crazy. They shared a glance at each other and then focused their attentions back on Harry.
"You are taking N.E.W.T. potions Harry?" Neville asked.
"What of it?"
"What Neville means is that even he knows how much even a simple breeze can disrupt a potion. You need a well-ventilated space, but one that isn't going to mess with the conditions necessary to brew a potion," Hermione explained.
"We all know I can't make a decent potion," Neville added, "but I at least know where I go wrong."
"And apparently I have no idea where I'm going right," Harry mumbled.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the two of them. Sometimes it seemed like the boys couldn't be more different. And then there were times where they were remarkably similar. This was one of the first.
"If you two don't stop comparing yourselves I'm going to go talk to Viktor and avoid the dinner," she threatened.
It wasn't exactly an empty threat. There was nowhere else that Hermione would rather be. If she had her way either she'd be in Bulgaria, or Viktor would be in England. But she had to deal with the fact that she didn't control the universe.
"Oh no you don't," Harry said.
He grabbed one arm. Neville took hold of her other one.
"If I have to go you have to suffer through this thing with me," he said.
Hermione shook her head and braced herself for an evening of being uncomfortable. They were on time, and had no reason to be uncomfortable. No reason than none of them felt they had done anything worthwhile. Even if they had.
Conversation went well until Hermione was asked what her parents did. She stopped eating, unsure of how to answer the question.
"My parents are qualified as dentists," she said, not quite sure if she should trust Slughorn.
"And is that dangerous?" Slughorn asked.
"Not until someone bites you," Hermione said. "Even then it's usually not bad. My dad's only needed stitches once."
"And those are?" one of the Hufflepuffs asked. Hermione didn't know his name.
"Well, since muggles don't have magic to heal their wounds they have to let their bodies do it," Harry spoke up. "Stitches are where your skin is sewn in place until it heals."
"Muggles are hardcore," someone from the other side of the table whispered. No one saw who it was.
The conversation was interrupted by Ginny coming in. Her face was flushed and her eyes were slightly swollen. Wherever she had come from, it hadn't been happy.
When dinner was over, Harry stayed back to talk to Slughorn. Hermione and Neville caught up with Ginny.
"You alright?" Hermione asked.
"Not exactly," Ginny said. "Dean and I had another row."
"I'm sorry," Hermione said before wrapping the younger girl in a hug.
Ginny cried into her shoulder for a few moments. Eventually the sobs subsided. "Do you and Viktor ever fight?"
"Of course we do," Hermione said. "The distance helps us keep things in perspective. And we always want to work things out, but we are different people. And so sometimes we fight."
"Is it bad if that makes me feel better?" Ginny sniffed.
Hermione smiled. "I think it just makes you human."
Ginny smiled weakly and walked off without the other two of them. They stared at her blankly for a moment before continuing the walk up to Gryffindor tower.
"I can't recall you and Viktor ever fighting," Neville said.
"Are you saying it doesn't happen?"
Neville looked at her pointedly. "I know better than to disagree with you outright. I just can't remember it."
"Well, some things are more important than my pride," Hermione admitted. "Unfortunately I can't say the same about my relationship with Ron."
Neville barely managed to repress a shudder. "I'm just grateful that you two aren't ever going to date. You fight way more than would be healthy."
Hermione shrugged. "Maybe. But he's a teenage boy. I try to cut him some slack for that."
Neville gave her a look that said "what am I? Chopped liver?" He knew that Ron had a temper that often got the best of him. And Neville was more aware of the fact that being a teenager was hard than just about everyone. But neither he nor Harry were as temperamental as Ron was.
"Okay, so maybe Ron can be a little frustrating," Hermione conceded. "But he's still my friend."
"Fair enough."
A/N: So I don't know how I feel about this chapter. But after staring at it for way too long, I'm posting it. Also, Neville might not be in potions but he's really good at herbology. Of course Slughorn's going to know Professor Sprout's favourite student.