You'll be the Death of Me

Chapter 11

Neville sat in the Great Hall surrounded by his fellow Gryffindors who were all chattering happily over their breakfast and enjoying their weekend. He should have felt comforted. He was sitting with his housemates, the sun was shining through the windows and everyone around him was content. It was just a normal Saturday. Yet it wasn't. He felt as though there were a dementor around him constantly and it was slowly sucking all happiness out of him. He couldn't even bring himself to pretend that he was okay and that everything was normal; it wasn't. Graces ran away from him. She had literally ran away from him. Neville would be the first to admit that he wasn't great with girls, but he at least knew that if a girl ran away from you it wasn't a good sign. How the hell am I ever going to make any headway with her if she runs away?! Neville groaned aloud and dropped his spoon with a heavy thud in his porridge as he cupped his face in his hands.

He felt a gentle hand touch his arm and looked up to see Hermione's brown eyes peering over a book at him. "Neville, what's wrong?" she asked, her voice laced with concern as she set her copy of Hogwarts: A History down.

Neville hesitated. He could just imagine how the conversation would go if he answered her truthfully. Well, you see, Hermione, I think I am falling for Graces. You know, Graces Malfoy. The girl whose father tried to kill us all in at the Ministry last year. You remember her father, right? Tall bloke, with long blonde hair, very aristocratic features, and has the Dark Mark on his arm. Yes, that man. Anyways, I guess you could say I've been sleeping with her. To get to the point though, yesterday I shagged her in an abandoned classroom and afterward she ran away. Well, no, I think a better word is sprinted. So now I am incredibly depressed because I think I am falling in love with her and she can't sit still for one moment so that I can find out!

"Nothing." Neville shrugged, picking up his spoon, eating some porridge and trying to act natural.

"Neville," Hermione deadpanned, giving him a knowing look. The look that said that she was not going to let him drop this.

"It's personal," Neville sighed, deciding that any reaction Hermione gave would not be the most encouraging one.

Hermione looked around for a moment, before leaning in close to him. "Is it... well, is it about Hannah?" she asked, biting her lip nervously. Neville saw all his housemates, minus Ron who was stuffing his face with eggs, look over at him for a moment at hearing Hannah's name, but they quickly went back to their breakfast when they saw Neville meet their eyes.

"No, it's not Hannah," Neville answered, making sure that the boys around him heard as well.

Hermione continued worrying her lip, "Are you sure, because she was telling me that you haven't asked her out again and she's worried—"

"I haven't asked her out again because I just don't see her that way," Neville interrupted, not at all liking where this conversation was going.

"I thought you two kissed?" Hermione pointed out confused. Neville cast Hermione a confused look. He certainly didn't tell anyone other than Pomfrey about his kiss with Hannah. Hermione pinked under Neville's stare and awkwardly began playing with a piece of her hair. "Hannah told me," she admitted quietly, "she really likes you, Neville."

The sandy haired boy started shifting awkwardly in his seat, unsure of what to do, but definitely not enjoying the situation unfolding. Neville had been trying to avoid the whole Hannah situation. He was hoping that if he didn't ask her out and only acted friendly towards her, she would see that he didn't see her that way without actually having to have an awkward talk that could potentially ruin their friendship. It was only one date. You don't have to have a 'I'm not into you talk' after only one date, do you? Harry and Cho had one date, and they didn't have some awkward talk about their relationship.