Want vs. Need | Part 6
Summary: Want and Need. They are two very different things. One is a desire and the other is a necessity. After you and Neville go out to Hogsmeade together, you suddenly realize there might not be a difference after all.
Word Count: 881
Pairing: Neville x Reader
Warnings: None
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 |
You sit there, holding a sobbing Hermione in your arms, for Merlin knows how long. She eventually stops crying and you both lay there, sprawled across the ground, her head resting on your lap and your fingers stroking her hair.
After a while of silence, Hermione turns to you. "Y/N? What happens now?"
"I don't know," you reply honestly.
"Will you try to forget this ever happend?"
"No."
"You should. I don't want to wear you down. I'll be fine. I promise. Don't you trust me?"
"Don't try to guilt me Hermione. I'll help you. We'll go through this together."
After spending another half hour under the Quidditch stands, you bring Hermione to the girls shower. You help her undress and discover she has even more scars. Ones on her thighs, hips, and shoulders.
You turn on the shower and let her get cleaned up. After helping her dress, bringing her to her dorm, and getting her some croissants from the Grande Hall, you leave her be.
You walk into the common room and sit on the couch, staring into the fireplace. You go over the weeks events, trying to process everything that happend. You and Neville are dating. Malfoy broke your skull. Neville beat Malfoy up. Malfoy kissed you. Hermione's in love with you and suicidal.
Hermione. What were you going to do? You couldn't reject her, it would probably drive her over the edge. But you also couldn't be with her. You didn't like her like that.
"Hey Y/N." Neville sits beside you, intertwining your fingers.
"Hey."
"Where have you been?"
"I've been with Hermione," you reply. You didn't want to lie to him, but was not giving details lying?
"Oh, okay. Well, where's this stupid rumor going around. It's saying that you're cheating on me with Draco"
"What?!" you say, standing.
"I know it's not true. You would never do anything like this. I was just checking. You probably didn't hear about it."
You rush out the common room and out into the hallways. Skipping two steps at a time, you run down the stairs and out into the Grande Hall.
Sure enough, when you enter, Malfoy is at the Slytherin table smirking at you. You stomp over to him.
"Have you heard Y/N? You're cheating on Loserbottom with me."
You grab him by the collar. "The heck were you thinking Malfoy? I rejected you at least a million times, but you always try and try and try to get under my skin! Can't you just leave me alone, you son of a-"
"Stop!" a familiar voice demands. "Put him down." You turn around. "He didn't do anything. I started the rumor." You stare as Hestia walks to you.
"You did it?"
"You can't possibly think that Hermione was the only one watching you." She reaches to hold your shoulder, but you pull it away. "I was jealous. You start going out with Neville Longbottom and everything changes. You barely talk to me anymore. You're always with your new friends, acting like no one else is wanting your attention."
You look at her in disgust. "What is wrong with you? You know it's not like that."
"Well it sure felt like it. Look, I'm sorry, just let me make it up to you. We can have a sleepover. You know, like the old times."
You storm past her and bump her shoulder with yours. "Let's keep the old times in the past."
You walk out the Grande Hall and the Golden Trio and Neville follow.
"What was that all-" Harry starts.
You hold up your hand as you speed up a moving staircase. "Shut it, Potter."
He does and you continue the rest of the way to the Gryffindor common room in silence. You all get seated in the common room and Ron repeats Harry's question.
"You couldn't tell? I mean Hestia literally announced in front of everyone."
Dean whispers something in his ear and he finally nods slowly in comprehension. "So, what are you going to do about it?"
"Was yelling at her in the middle of the Grande Hall not enough?"
"He means what are you going to do about Malfoy," Hermione explains. You meet her eyes and she smiles weakly at you.
"I don't know. But I'm going to get rid of him."
"I have a plan," Harry says.
"No murder."
"I don't have a plan."
You roll your eyes. "Well, it's been a long day. I'm gonna go to sleep." You get up and so does everyone else. You reach the door when Ron pulls you to the side.
"Hey Y/N, can I talk to you?"
"Yeah, sure, what's wrong?"
"Something seems really strange with Hermione. She's being a little closed off lately and I'm getting a bit worried. Could you, maybe, talk to her?"
"She's fine. She told me she just really stressed because she's starting to the think she's not smart enough."
"That totally insane!"
"I know. But it's a phase every girl goes through, so just help her through it. She's super fragile right now. Give her compliments every once in a while and show her how much you care. That should should end the phase sooner, okay?"
Ron nods.
You walk away, the taste of lies fresh on your tongue.