The Confectionary Chronicles || HP/SPN

Sweets and Studies- Ch13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

"You were amazing in there!" Harry said, his green eyes bright behind his round glasses. Hermione was touched by his enthusiastic admiration.

"I didn't really do much," she admitted.

Not yet, anyway.

"Malfoy's such an arse," Ron said hotly. "Did you see Neville's face back there?"

"I did," Hermione scowled, remembering how pale Neville had turned, "I'm going to make Malfoy regret ever messing with my friends."

Harry and Ron both exchanged looks at that, before Harry turned back and smiled at her. "Hey, we're going to Hagrid's this afternoon for tea. Want to come with us?" he offered.

"Oh? Have you decided I'm not evil?" she asked pointedly, and Ron scoffed.

"Anyone who defends Neville from that prat Malfoy can't be a bad person," he said, and apparently that was that.

"Alright," she agreed, not willing to hold a grudge, "but only if Neville's allowed out of the Hospital Wing by then."

"Neville and, uh, Millicent are invited too, if they want to come," Harry said quickly and Hermione smiled at him.

"Thanks," she said, much more warmly.

She led the way to the Hospital Wing, chatting with Harry and Ron as they walked about their first week of classes. They got a few funny looks, but apparently the students at Hogwarts were getting desensitised to seeing Hermione associating with people who weren't wearing green-and-silver ties.

Inside the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey gave them a very stern look and a warning about not upsetting her patient before showing them over to where Neville and Millie were. Neville was sitting with his legs over the side of the bed while Millie was seated on the chair at his bedside. They were talking quietly and both looked up and smiled when they spotted Hermione and her tagalongs, Neville's a little weaker then Millicent's but no less real.

"Ron's decided we're not the root of all evil, so we're friends now," Hermione announced brightly, which made Ron flush slightly but he smiled good-naturedly.

"Malfoy's still a prick, though," he said, and Hermione immediately scowled.

"No arguments there."

"You should have made him crawl," Millie said spitefully, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You should have made him beg."

"I feel like we're missing the context for this conversation," Harry observed.

"A small internal matter in the Slytherin common room last night," Hermione explained vaguely. "Malfoy and I had a disagreement. Some harsh words were exchanged. It was probably why he was in such a foul mood today, which I'm truly sorry for, Neville."

"Don't be," Neville said softly. "It's no one's fault but Malfoy's."

"And he's going to pay for it," Hermione promised and Neville gave her a small, grateful smile.

It didn't take much to convince Madam Pomfrey to let Neville out of the Hospital Wing. She did warn them not to do anything too strenuous, but it was Friday afternoon and they had no more classes until Monday. They split up for lunch, arranging to meet at the entrance hall at five to three, though Millie firmly tugged Neville over to sit with her and Hermione, rather than with Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table. Neville wisely didn't argue.

As the three of them approached the Slytherin, Hermione spotted Rosier and Lestrange sitting together and Rosier smiled at her and beckoned. "I'll be back in a moment," she told Millie, not wanting to subject Neville to the older Slytherins. About to split off from the two, she paused for a moment, a deliciously wicked idea hitting her. "Millie," she said, "sit Neville in Malfoy's usual spot." Millie's eyes widened.