Authors Note: If you're wanting a fluffy Neville/Hermione fic turn back now! I did originally intend for this fic to work out that way, but I'm just so keen on HHr that it sort of morphed into a sad fic in the least. Sorry. I will try to write some fluffy Neville/Hermione fics though, so don't give up on me fellow Neville/Hermione shippers!

(I'm aching for reviews btw, so any and all critics are welcome.)

Neville POV

Neville sat in the corner of the Gryffindor common room, watching quietly. Hermione was sitting with Ron and Harry again. He didn't mind of course, he was used to it by now. They'd been best friends since first year. And he liked them all, but something about Hermione. He looked away, feeling his heart sink. It didn't matter; her heart would never be his.

He stood and went to the stairs, unaware of how slow he was moving. "Neville?" He looked up. The firelight lit up only half of Hermione's beautiful features, but he could tell she was concerned. "Are you alright Neville?" she asked.

He wanted to answer, but only gave a small nod before climbing the stairs. "What's his problem?" he heard Ron ask.

"Dunno. He's seemed sort of down these last few weeks though hasn't he?" Harry answered.

He didn't hear any more of what was said and changed quickly into his night clothes, crawling into bed. He listened to his heartbeat echo in the silence for some time until eventually fading off to sleep. This heart of mine, it beats for you Hermione.

Neville stood outside the Potions classroom door, his heart beating heavily. Snape, oh how he wished he didn't have to deal with Snape today. "Alright there mate?" Ron had just slapped his back as he walked into class.

Harry walked by soon after, talking quietly with Hermione. Neville pretended not to notice and stared at the wall. He felt them pass him, but one of them stopped. "How are you Neville?" Hermione's voice rang in his ear.

He looked up sheepishly. "Oh err, alright I guess." He muttered.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm and tried to look him in the eye. "Are you sure? You seem sort of off recently."

He was about to stutter out an answer when a voice erupted from behind them, "Am I interrupting something?"

Neville recognized that voice. It belonged to Snape. He couldn't find the courage to face the Potions Master however and abruptly felt Hermione pull him inside the classroom. "No of course not. Sorry to block the doorway Professor." She said tensely.

"Just take your seats." He replied curtly.

"You've got to pull it together Neville." Hermione whispered before going to her seat. Neville went to his as well, walking ever so slowly. He was in almost a trance-like state. He knew what was wrong, but he wasn't sure how to fix it.

"Well then, now that we've all found our seats." Snape said, tossing a cold look Neville's way, "Perhaps class can begin?"

It was just like any other potions class, except this time Neville wasn't even trying. Snape talked, but his voice sounded somewhat distant. Neville was definitely in a trance, he was trying to build up courage. So when Snape called him out he didn't hear, when the professor approached the boy he didn't notice, not until he heard Hermione speak. Then all became clear.

Hermione POV

"Longbottom! Am I boring you?" Snape asked in his ever so cold voice. Hermione frowned. Something was definitely wrong with her friend. This wasn't like him at all. Snape approached and slammed a hand down on the desk. Neville didn't even flinch.

"Please sir, something has been wrong with him. I don't think he's well." Hermione spoke up bravely, and when Snape turned to her she knew what was coming.

"Well maybe you can take the time to single out and baby all your friends Miss Granger, but I have a class to teach and Mr. Longbottom is disrupting it!"

"Don't talk to her like that." Hermione looked over. Neville had turned and was facing Snape. His features were determined, dark even. She'd never seen her friend looking this way before.

Neville POV

He heard himself say it, but it sounded like it was coming from someone else's throat. The voice that erupted from his was rough, dark, and angry. Snape turned, and for once Neville didn't feel a spark of fear. "Excuse me Mr. Longbottom?"

"I said don't talk to her like that." He repeated coolly. He was surprising himself with his sudden courage. Even Snape looked taken aback.

"You have no right to instruct me Longbottom. I am the teacher, you are the student. Now if you'd paid attention at the start of class, I never would've had to say a word to Miss Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor for Mr. Longbottom's disruption."

Neville didn't reply and spent the rest of the lesson staring grimly at the professor, who promptly ignored him. When the lesson ended he left the classroom without a word and decided quite suddenly to skip his next class. Divination is for idiots anyway. He thought angrily.

He instead wandered up to the library. He removed some books on Herbology and settled into a dimly lit corner to read. Hours passed and he never moved, just took in all he could on the subject that so fascinated him. He barely noticed when someone approached him, and after a moment looked up. It was Hermione. "Can I sit down?" she asked him quietly.

"Oh, of course!" he responded quickly, and he hesitated. His goofy voice had returned to him. He could see that she'd noticed as well.

She sat across from him; that worried frown on her face. "Neville I think something's wrong with you. Do you know what it is at all?"

He smiled slightly and shrugged. "I dunno. I'm really not sure anything is wrong."

Her frown deepened and she shook her head. "No, I know you Neville. You're not yourself. Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey or something…."

He almost laughed out loud. "No, I'm not sick Hermione."

She seemed utterly confused. "So then what is it? It must be something!"

He stood and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "If you have to ask, then stop worrying. If you don't know now I don't think you'll ever know." And he walked away, leaving her sitting there. If his feelings for her weren't apparent by now, then he realized that they would probably never be.