Marked

Hermione slammed a book onto the table, drawing looks from students at several tables as the sound echoed through that part of the library. "Is it me or do they pile up homework on the weekends?" she asked as she sat down.

Harry nodded as he went back to the essay he'd been writing for Potions. "You know our professors love nothing more than keeping us busy."

Ron and Neville grunted their agreement, both poring over the same spell book as they researched a Charms essay.

"It's sadistic," Hermione remarked in a softer voice. She picked up her Arithmancy homework and scanned the four foot length of parchment. "Someone should complain."

Harry put down his quill and stared at her. "I think all of our professors would go into some type of shock if you, of all people, complained about the amount of homework we're getting." He motioned to her essay. "You usually do more than what's required."

"I'm not saying I can't handle it," Hermione said, putting the parchment back onto the table. "I'd just rather be doing something else with my weekend. You know, if we hadn't gotten so much homework, I could be making Ron cry right now instead of adding another six inches to this essay. I'd much rather be at defense practice."

Harry laughed before he could stop himself, spurred on by the murderous look Ron gave Hermione across the table.

"For the last time," he began, "I was not crying."

"Neville, what do you call it when someone's eyes water and they start muttering something about their mother?" Hermione smiled as she said this, ducking when Ron picked up his bottle of quill ink and hurled it at her head. She grinned as the bottle landed on the floor and then Summoned it from where it had landed, placing it next to her book. "You're lucky that wasn't open or didn't break."

"No, you're lucky--"

"Stop it, both of you, or Madam Pince is going to kick us out," Harry said. "Do Neville and I have to separate you?"

Hermione shook her head. She went back to her homework, just missing the rude hand gesture Ron sent her way. Harry gave him a stern look before going back to his own essay. Several minutes passed before they were interrupted again by someone clearing their throat near the table. Everyone stopped writing and looked up, each experiencing varying levels of surprise. Several pairs of eyes shot over to Neville, waiting for his reaction.

He said nothing as he stared at Lavender. He was too shocked she'd come to see him. After giving him the silent treatment for four days--during which time she'd taken meals sitting between Fred and George Weasley, laughing loudly at their every joke and stayed out of his sight when they weren't in classes together--Neville wasn't sure there was much to say to her. There was a good chance she wouldn't understand or wouldn't be able to accept the situation he found himself in; he didn't have the time or patience to deal with whatever tantrums she could have if she ever knew the full truth.

He didn't even feel like addressing the immature behavior she'd been displaying all week, especially once he'd heard she was clinging to the opinion that it was Hermione and Harry's fault they weren't speaking. If she was going to be this childish about being left out of the information loop, why should he trust her to know the biggest secret of his life? How could he know Lavender would not only be mature enough to handle it, as Hermione obviously was, but that she'd do everything she could to support him? She couldn't even trust him to make his own decisions about who he could be friends with. When it came down to the heart of this life or death situation, the last thing he needed was someone who'd make him second-guess everything he was doing.

"Neville," Lavender began, "I was wondering if we could talk."

"Do we have something to talk about?" Neville ignored the immediate elbow to his stomach from Ron. It was easy for Ron to think he was out of line, he'd never been manipulated by the girl before them.

"I think we do," she said quietly. "A few things."

"I thought you made the terms clear during our last conversation," Neville said. "I don't see what good continuing to talk about it will do."

"You know, we could leave you two alone," Hermione suggested. She closed the book she'd been reading from and motioned for Harry and Ron to gather their things. She stood and started to pack up her homework.

"That won't be necessary," Neville said. "Stay where you are. I can deal with this outside." Neville stood and walked around the table slowly, stopping in front of Lavender. He looked at Parvati. "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with her alone. For once."

Parvati watched as Neville walked out of the library, not looking back as Lavender scurried behind him into the hall.

The second they were clear of Madam Pince, he turned to Lavender. Neville crossed his arms and studied his girlfriend, from the thin, tight shirt that was one of her favorites to wear for him to the skin-hugging jeans that could've been sewed on. If she thought that was all it took for him to forget how she'd been acting, Lavender was in for a great surprise. And a broken heart.

"I think we'd better start with why you came to me in the library," Neville said. "What do you have to say to me?"

"Do we have to do this out here?" she asked, gesturing around the hallway. "I was hoping--"

"You were hoping to pull me into an empty classroom to talk? Only to talk?" Neville asked. He made a show of looking over her outfit. "You sure that's the story you want to tell me?"

"Neville, please don't be like this," Lavender said. "I just want to talk to you without anyone overhearing. You can leave the door open if you want."

After a few seconds, he nodded and followed her into the closest classroom. Considering that he was fighting the urge to do some heavy-duty yelling, he closed the door and put a charm on it before turning to her, waiting to hear what had made her break the silence first.

Lavender stared at the floor just before her feet, wringing her hands as she gathered her thoughts. After a long moment of silence, she said, "I'm sorry. I was being a little crazy and Parvati said--"

"Parvati?" Neville interrupted. "I know you have thoughts of your own. I'd appreciate having just you as my girlfriend, knowing only what you think or feel about something. There's a reason I asked her to stay in the library."

Her eyes moved up to his. "This isn't just about Harry, is it?"

"Was it ever just about Harry?" Neville asked. "You know better. You can only play these kinds of games for so long before..." He stopped at her expectant expression. Neville closed his eyes. He should've controlled his temper better, but he'd been dying to yell at her all week and the temptation to say something he couldn't take back was strong once he'd gotten started. He'd have to control it. He opened his eyes again and kept his eyes on the wall behind her. "Say what you came to say so I can go back to my homework."

"What's the point if you're going to have that kind of attitude about it?" When Neville didn't respond, she continued. "As I was saying, Parvati confirmed what I'd been thinking anyway, that I overreacted to what's been going on and I should've listened to you instead of thinking I knew better. Especially if I didn't have the whole story. I'm sorry I wrote to your grandmother, but after you told me you might be getting into danger, I didn't know what else to do. I didn't know who else you'd listen if you weren't going to listen to me."

"I was listening to you," Neville said. "I just don't agree that Harry is a threat."

"I know that now." Lavender paused, waiting until Neville looked at her again. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "Can you forgive me?"

"Is that it?" She nodded. "Done." Neville turned and started walking towards the door. Lavender caught up with him before he reached it.

"Is that it for you?" Lavender asked. "After everything, all these months..."

Neville took a long look into her eyes. They'd had fun, but the time for being with someone who was only about that was over. Not that he'd say as much to her face, but she had to know he couldn't deal with the stress he was under and her little manipulations on a daily basis. He needed his focus. He wondered briefly if just telling her he might die would be enough to get her to back off. No, that wouldn't work. It would just leave her with more questions he wasn't willing to answer. It was better they leave things alone until he was more able to deal with her. If he was around to do that later.

"I think we've said all we need to, don't you?" Neville asked. He raised his wand to lift the charm from the door.

Her hand clamped onto his arm. "I thought we meant more to each other than to let everything end with something like this. Is what I did really that bad?"

He wanted to shout yes, but couldn't once he looked into her eyes. There was no reason to hurt her deliberately with the lie. "You showed me that you don't trust my judgment," he said instead. "You went to my grandmother instead of dealing with me yourself. You're not exactly helping the rumors about Harry stop."

"I-I'm sorry about that," Lavender said. "I can try."

"Trying isn't enough." He continued to stare at her, holding himself aloof until her eyes filled with tears. "Lavender..."

"It was driving me crazy, all right?" She sniffled. "Harry almost died the other week and you're getting mixed up in something that could end the same way. Aren't I entitled to act a little desperate if you aren't telling me anything?"

"That doesn't completely justify how you've been acting," Neville said. "Hermione--"
"You're comparing me to her?" Lavender shrieked. Neville was suddenly glad the charm was still in place. Any higher and she'd have broken a window.

"I'm not, not really. When she found out what was going on with Harry she had a really hard time dealing with it. Harry told me she spent a lot of time either angry or crying. You saw what she was like at the beginning of term."

"This term?" Lavender asked. Her eyes went wide. "I thought...this was something that's been going on with Harry for a while."

"Not really. Well, sort of. It's complicated," Neville said. He frowned. He was sounding as obscure as Harry again. "I know how difficult all of this is for her and she's been dealing with it for weeks."

"So you thought you'd spare me the worry and tell me nothing because being clueless is so much better?" She crossed her arms and leaned back against a desk. "Then you got upset with me because I was worried? You had to know what that would do to me. You told me you were taking defense lessons from someone who almost got killed, but refused to tell me your part in whatever's happening now. It didn't take much to imagine the worst and the less you said, the more I thought you weren't telling me because you knew I'd worry more." Lavender eyed him, a sudden knowing expression on her face. "How can you blame me for going crazy? I'm one of the people who cares about you the most and you did everything in your power to hint you were in some nameless danger with no real explanation."

When she said it like that, the idea didn't sound so good, but Neville knew the logic was sound. Or would've been if she hadn't gotten so paranoid. Though, she had a point about why she'd become paranoid. He'd just known Ron could handle the entire story better and if he had to tell one person, it would be a friend who wouldn't dissolve into a crying fit or write Harry off as a nutcase without further explanation.

"I'm sorry," Neville said after a long silence. "You're right. That wasn't fair to you. But, it's hard enough for all of us to deal with and I didn't want to put it on you too." He frowned and admitted something he'd been reluctant to say days before. "I just couldn't stand it if you knew and left me because of what's going on."

She rose then, walking to where Neville stood. She could feel the tension in his body as she touched a hand to his arm. "Tell me now," Lavender said. "I'm going to worry about you either way."

"And if you can't handle it?"

"I can't handle not speaking to you or breaking up with you when we can deal with whatever this is together," she said. "I don't care how scary it is. Tell me."

Bracing himself for the possible negative result, he motioned for her to sit and complied with her request, continuing even when she expressed disbelief or wiped at a few surprising tears. When the tale was done a long time later, Neville looked to his girlfriend for some sign that she wouldn't run and leave him to deal with his fate. He was not disappointed.

When Parvati drummed her fingers on the desktop for the third time, Hermione put her quill down and looked across the table to the other girl, frowning. "That's really annoying, you know."

Parvati's eyes narrowed. "I could think of other things that are annoying," she responded. "Unlike some people, I'm too polite to say it."

"Polite? Is that what you're calling it?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron exchanged a look over the table, both of them putting their homework aside as Hermione's irritation grew. "I don't suppose you realize we can hear you talk about us when you think everyone's asleep. With the way you two go on about everyone in school, it's pretty laughable that you'd venture to call what you do polite."

"I'm amazed you can call anyone else annoying with the way you simper over Harry or how you carry on in class," Parvati said. Her lips pulled into a smug smile when she realized she'd hit a nerve. "We've done well to tolerate you all this time. The past few days of not speaking have been positively peaceful in comparison."

Before Hermione could say something else, Harry put a hand on her arm, silently cautioning her against starting an argument. After a few seconds under his gaze, she relented. "I don't know why I bothered talking to you anyway," Hermione whispered, frowning as Parvati began drumming her nails on the table again.

"Because Lavender isn't here for you to pick on."

"I did not pick on her," Hermione responded, her voice rising again. "Someone had to tell her what she was doing to him and it was obvious you weren't going to bother since you indulge in the same kind of silly behavior."

"I resent you calling us silly!" Parvati stood abruptly from her chair, nearly knocking it over. "You were also wrong for implying that Lavender is....shallow."

"Not shallow," Hermione said. "Just unconcerned with anything of importance."

"Who are you to say what's important?"

"Who are you and Lavender to say Neville is obligated to do or say anything?" Hermione asked. "He's under enough stress without her throwing tantrums when he should be focused."

She sat again, crossing her arms over her chest. "She has a right to be worried about him. I suppose you think you know what's better for him than his own girlfriend, just like you know everything else."

"No, I do not think I know everything," Hermione replied. "I just know Neville is under a lot of stress and he doesn't need that kind of interference distracting him."

"He also doesn't need anyone interfering in his personal life," Parvati said.

"Which is exactly why he ordered you to stay here," Hermione said, smiling. Seeing that Parvati was finally at a loss for words, she picked up her quill to get back to her homework.

"Hermione, you should apologize."

Harry and Hermione both looked up in surprise at Ron's words, surpassed only by the shocked expression he got from Parvati as she turned to him. Hermione studied his expression for a long moment before she said, "No." She looked down at her Arithmancy book and tried to remember where she'd spotted a passage she needed to reference.

"Honestly, you're the only girl I know who's more aggravating than my sister," Ron said. "You've got no right talking to Parvati like that."

"And she's got a right to talk to me like that, is that it?" Hermione put her quill down again, slowly, as she attempted to suppress her rising anger. "Parvati gives as good as she gets and doesn't need you to defend her." She paused as a thought came to her. "Unless you're not jumping in because you think she really needs you to defend her." Hermione smiled. "Sweet Ronald, but you should really try flowers. The whole rescuing hero thing doesn't suit you."

Rather than respond as he had to her ribbing earlier, he slammed his book closed and stalked out of the library, leaving his and Neville's homework scattered all over the table.

"Well, I'm just having a fantastic week, aren't I?" Hermione frowned and turned to Harry.

"I should go after him," Parvati said.

Seeing Harry's expression--a mixture of disappointment and expectancy--Hermione stood before Parvati could leave the table. "No, I need to talk to him. We've been--apparently, I've been arguing with just about everyone this week." Before either Harry or Parvati could say anything, she turned and walked briskly from the library, almost bumping into Ron as he paced in the middle of the hall.

He mumbled something foul under his breath when he spotted her. "What are you doing out here?"

"I think we need to talk," Hermione said.

"You talk?" He stopped moving and stared at her. "I thought you only knew how to communicate with insults and hexes these days."

"I'm sorry, but you just--" She stopped when Ron turned away from her. She went over to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I thought you knew I was kidding. I thought you could handle it. You joke with Harry and Neville like that all the time."

Ron turned then and Hermione was startled by the hurt in his eyes. "It's different with blokes, Hermione. If they want to give me grief about not asking her out...or anything else, it's just different. You can't talk to a guy that way and not expect him to take it as an insult."

"Fine, I know that now." She didn't know what else to say, but since joking the way the boys did was off the table, Hermione figured asking Ron about his feelings at the moment was probably off-limits too. If he was anything like Harry, getting him to say how he felt would require half a bottle of Veritaserum. "Will you come back into the library?" She looked around the hall. "Neville and Lavender probably went off somewhere to make up and we've got a lot of homework to finish before we meet with Professor Lupin."

"I can't," Ron said. "I don't want to go back in there."

"Why?" Panicked thoughts ran through Hermione's mind of how she'd possibly killed her friendship with Ron permanently, which could result in his being less friendly towards Harry. Hermione knew one of the things he'd been longing to have was the closeness of the two people he'd been friends with before and she'd never forgive herself if Ron kept his distance because of her. "It's not what I said, is it? I thought we'd cleared that."

"No, it's not you." He smiled and she noticed for the first time that he was blushing. "You were right about me and Parvati. Sort of. I really have no idea what to do around her and after what you said just now, I don't think I can go in there and act normal."

Hermione giggled. At Ron expression, she said, "Sorry, it's just so cute how embarrassed you both are about it. I thought you had a date to go flying together or something."

"Play Quidditch, but I've never actually set a day or anything and she hasn't said anything to me about it since." Ron looked at the floor and raised a hand to scratch at the back of his head. "If she hasn't lost interest in me by now, she should after we spend some time together. I don't know why I'm bothering. She and her sister are the prettiest girls in the school and I don't even--" He stopped at Hermione's next giggle. "Not that you're not--I mean--"

"You don't have to compliment me," Hermione said. "I'm just shocked you're saying all this out loud. To me."

"I can't exactly talk to them about it, now can I?" Ron asked. He paused and Hermione watched the play of emotions across his face as he gathered his thoughts. "What do I do?"

"First, you can stop worrying that she's going to lose interest in you." She smiled, remembering the giggly conversation Parvati and Lavender had the night before. "She's actually afraid you're not interested in her. Or that you'll find her pretty and not much else."

"That's ridiculous," Ron replied. "Of course there's more to her than being pretty. Why would she think I--?" He stopped again and blushed deeper at Hermione's knowing grin. He nodded for her to continue.

"I'm pretty sure the two of you will never get together if left to your own devices," Hermione said. "I think I'm going to have to guide you through this, step-by-step."

"You make it sound like I'm slow," Ron remarked in a soft voice.

"No, just...a boy." Hermione sighed. "You all need help with it."

"Which is why after you kissed Harry the first time, you ran off like your robes were on fire?"

Hermione covered her face in her hands. "Why will no one let me forget that? Harry still teases me about it."

"He knows about that, then?" Ron asked. "The whole time thing must be strange for you. For both of you."

"It is," she admitted. "We're making it work, though. Speaking of things we've got to get to work, I have to help you with Parvati. As entertaining as it is watching you go back and forth, hearing her blab about it with Lavender easily makes me lose two hours of sleep a night. They never shut up about you and Neville."

Ron laughed. "I guess I could be flattered."

"You really should be." Her expression turning serious, Hermione stepped closer to him and put a hand to his cheek, forcing him to look into her eyes. "You need to realize something. No matter how silly she acts, she really likes you. And don't try to make me apologize for saying the truth," Hermione said. "They are both silly. Parvati likes that you're awkward around her and don't always say the right thing and tell somewhat obscene jokes because you're being you and most other boys are...they have some strange idea of how they should act around her just because she's pretty," Hermione said. "The only way you could mess this is up is if you stop being yourself. That and if you never get up the courage to ask her to spend time alone with you."

Smiling, Hermione lowered her hand. "I do know what I'm talking about with this. If I hadn't gotten up the nerve to make the first move, Harry and I would still be just friends. I wouldn't trade what we have for the world. All the second-guessing and what-ifs that came first are worth it. You're lucky," she remarked. "You already know she likes you. It should be easy."

"Thanks," Ron said. "Maybe you're not the crazy control freak with no feelings she said you were."

"What?"

"Kidding," Ron said, poking his tongue out at her. "We do that, remember?"

"You are not funny."

"Really? Parvati thinks so."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What does she know?"

"Are you all right?" They both turned as Harry came out of the library and approached them. "I thought I'd have to come out here and search for Madam Pomfrey to help me pick up the pieces."

"We're fine," Hermione said. "You know I can deal with him if he gets out of hand." She winked at Ron and laughed at his resulting frown. "Need something?"

Harry shook his head. "Just making sure you're both whole. I'm bored with the library. I've started packing up our things, I just wanted to know if you two want to wait for Neville to come back or if he can just meet us later."

"We're not due to meet Professor Lupin until after dinner," Ron said. He glanced at the faint daylight streaming through one of the windows. "What's the rush to get out of the library?"

Harry put his arm around Hermione's waist and pulled her close to his side. "I've thought of something better to do with the afternoon than spend it surrounded by dusty books."

"Honestly, you should be more ready for a nap than another go," Ron said. "I'd think you'd be tired of constantly--" He stopped, swallowing hard as he watched Hermione's expression go from relaxed to furious.

"You told them?" she asked, pushing away from Harry.

"Told them what?" Harry asked. He blinked rapidly and put his hands up in a defensive gesture. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's barely been more than a week and your friends already know we...Harry!" Hermione smacked his shoulder.

"I wouldn't say he waited a week," Ron supplied. When Hermione turned on him, he added, "In his defense, he didn't tell us in so many words. We sort of figured it out."

"And had a good chat about what it was like, I'd wager," Hermione said. She turned to Harry again. "If I hear you've shown them so much as one memory in your Pensieve--"

"You'll hex my bits off," Harry said.

"No, I like those," Hermione quickly responded, earning a goofy grin from both boys. It took a minute for her to register what she'd said and she blushed accordingly. "I'll find a way to punish you. One you won't like," she added at Harry's widening smile. Before Harry could say anything else, Hermione turned and walked back into the library, soon followed by the two laughing friends.

Bellatrix looked over the scrawled text one last time before cursing, the quill shaking as she thought of a response to her nephew's message.

You don't get to dictate what happens now, Bellatrix wrote.

Don't I? Draco responded.

Bellatrix slammed the book closed and gazed across the room to the bed where her master slept. There was something wrong. If it wasn't in the potion Draco had given her, it was one of the spells that accompanied it. It had been three days and he hadn't the strength to stay awake for more than an hour or two. Bella couldn't do anything about it but worry--that, and debate how to kill her nephew if he'd deliberately withheld information. She had the sneaking suspicion Narcissa's son was setting himself up for what he felt was a better position. What he did not know, but would soon learn, is that the only thing he was setting himself up for was a spot high on the list of expendable targets. Family or no, if he couldn't be trusted, he was disposable.