Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Chapter 13

Lunch passed peacefully, while others pointed and made comments, none were actually directed at us. I am just waiting for something to be said or for something to happen. It's going to happen, it's just a matter of time.

Sooner or later everything is just going to boil over and someone is probably going to get hurt.

When lunch is over students start to file out of the hall and head off to their next lesson.

Ours happens to be Charms, the class made up of seventh and eighth year students like Defense.

Draco, Blaise and I had left the Hall before a majority of the upper year Gryffindors, hoping to avoid any conflict.

We were about half way to the Charms classroom when someone pushed passed me, knocking me into Draco and nearly to the floor. I'm not hurt, but the jarring does startle me.

"Hey, get back here!" Well there goes Blaise being calmed down.

When I look up to see who had knocked into me I say Ginny walking down the corridor ahead of us, her long red hair easily recognizable.

She doesn't turn around or even stop at Blaise's shout, she just keeps going like she didn't even hear him.

Blaise is getting more angry with each step she takes. When she shows no sign of acknowledging him he starts off after her.

I'm able to grab his arm before he gets too far and he stops instantly. "Don't Blaise. She probably wants you to go after her. She wants you to start a fight, wants to get you in trouble."

He still looks like he wants to go after her. "She's just being petty and immature. She will do or say anything if it means getting what she wants. And right now what she wants is to hurt me. By getting you punished for defending me, it would hurt me."

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm down, but not really doing well. "I haven't done anything wrong. She doesn't get to make me feel like I did." I smile at him. "Now come on we don't want to be late."

He smiles back at me and grabs my hand, leading me to our lesson.

Draco, who was silent over this incident looks angry as well, he's just better at masking it. He wraps and arm around my waist, a bit tighter than would be normal.

When we enter the class, the room is only about half full. We find a table that we will all three fit and sit down. I pull out my materials and prepare for class to begin.

The boys are on either side of me do the same.

Soon the rest of the students are in their seats and Professor Flitwick begins the lesson.

Similar to Defense we are going to review all of the charms and spells we have been learning since first year.

After this last year it's probably a good idea to slowly bring in new material, let students get used to being back in a classroom setting.

Our lesson mainly consisted of Professor Flitwick going over our schedule of review and assigning us our homework. Twelve inches on different charms and spells we have learned at any point in the last seven years.

The Professor dismisses us and I begin to pack up my things, the boys doing the same.

"Let's go back to the common room, we have a free period before Transfiguration."

"Sure Blaise, lets go." Draco says as he grabs both my bag and his.

Draco grabs my hand and together the three of us head for our common room.

I don't say anything, but I am glad to have a reprieve from everything for an hour. While I try not to let it get to me, it sometimes gets to be too much.

When we enter the common room I'm not really surprised when we weren't the only ones with the idea to hide away for an hour.

Neville is sitting on one of the couches, reading what looks like the Daily Prophet.

He looks up when we enter and looks at us, looking like he is trying to figure out what to say.

He folds the paper up and sets it to the side and stands. He walks over to us slowly, we haven't gone much passed the entrance.

I tense slightly as he gets closer, I can feel Draco's arm around my waist, trying to offer me some measure of comfort.

Neville stops a few feet away from me and takes a deep breath. "Hermione."

"Yes Neville."

He looks me in the eye, "Are you happy?"

"Huh?"

"Are you happy with them?" He motions to Draco and Blaise. "Do they make you happy?'

I look at him, he looks nothing like that nervous first year boy he had once been. He now looks like the young man he became during the war.

I nod my head, "Yes Neville, they make me happy." I smile. "While we haven't been friends for long it feels like we have been friends for years. They have been better friends to me in the last few days than Harry and Ron in the last seven years."

He looks at me with a sad smile on his face. "Can you ever forgive me for what I have done? For what I didn't do?"

I look at him closely. "I think with time, I can forgive you."

He sighs, looking resigned. "I guess that is all I can hope for right now." He looks at me again. "I may not have been a food friend to you while I couldn't have asked for a better one than you, but I won't let that stop me. I will earn your friendship back, I will do everything possible."

He motions for us to go over to where he had been on the couch. We all take a seat, him on one and the three of us on an opposite one.

"You always stood up for me, defended me, helped me with schoolwork that I didn't understand. I guess I was just like Harry and Ron huh? Taking advantage of your good nature and friendship. I wasn't a good friend to you, I can see that now."