Chapter Twenty:

�How did you sleep?�

Hermione awoke, startled. She rubbed at her eyes and realized she had a piece of parchment stuck to her face. Pulling it off with disgust, she looked up at Ron, who was facing her with a fresh kettle and a plate of orange and cranberry muffins.

Any sort of reproach she may have had died on her lips when she realized the muffins were still hot. She�d been feeling queasy the last couple of mornings, but the sight of the freshly baked muffins actually made her hungry. After she had eagerly poured herself a cup of tea and buttered her muffin, she looked over at him and smiled.

�You know perfectly well how I slept, Ron. While you were out there baking, I was in here pouring over these notes. Although,� Hermione paused, enjoying the sensation of the freshly baked bread on her tongue. �I think you did a better job than I. These are delicious. And for once this week, I�m actually hungry.�

Ron smiled and then reached across to read some of the papers she had set aside. �That didn�t stop you from taking those blueberry scones for spite the other day. But I�m taking that to mean that you�ve had no luck with all this mess.�

This mess referred to the bulk of parchment they�d received from the last Obliviator they�d contacted. The only one who�d even had a scrap of paperwork to back up the Fagan case. Hermione had to admit his style of organization left something to be desired. She frowned.

�I found half of a testimonial from the first Muggle girl, Victoria Johnson of 112 N. Westbury Road, London. All it basically says is that she met Fagan in a bar, they had a few drinks, and she woke up pinned to the ceiling. No details or anything. I�m assuming there�s more, but who can tell? Quite frankly I�m beginning to think this is a lost cause...�

Ron frowned at her. �That�s not like you, Hermione.�

Reaching for another muffin but then deciding not to push it, Hermione shrugged. �You haven�t been privy to the memo�s I�ve been receiving either. The Wizengamot is all but convinced. I�m the only one who seems bothered by the fact that Fagan appears to be a miscreant who shouldn�t be allowed to practice magic on a Doxie, let alone the world at large. �

�Well, I can�t believe none of the other Obliviators don�t have their histories anymore. Aren�t they supposed to hang on to all of that?�

Hermione nodded. �Yes. And don�t you worry, I�ll be getting that Jameson written up for being unhelpful. Told me his goat ate the parchment. As if I believe that. I swear if I didn�t know any better, Donald Fagan has bought people off.�

�Maybe he has, Hermione. He seems awfully determined.�

Hermione shook her head. �There�s no proof, really. None of the former Obliviators are living in luxury, Ron. I can�t very well go into the hearing saying they�ve been paid off when one is living in a shack outside of Leeds and another is selling bat-dung out of their house to make extra money. If only there was some other type of reference we could use... someone else who had something to say about Fagan�s obvious lack of character.�

The two sat in silence for awhile and then Ron sighed, putting down the papers he�d been ruffling through.

�Well, there�s always Neville. �

Hermione stopped taking a drink and stared at him. �What?�

�Neville. Didn�t you tell me he had a run in with Fagan a few years ago? You never told me what about, you two kept it very hush-hush, but I got the feeling it had something to do with something Fagan had done to someone.�

After staring at Ron as though she�d never seen him before, Hermione�s face broke out into a wide grin. She jumped up and ran over to where Ron was sitting, throwing her arms around him.

�You! You are brilliant, you really are.�

Ron turned red and looked at her, astounded. �What did I-�

�You reminded me of something I�d forgotten, that�s what! Oh I could sing! Neville is the perfect reference for this... in fact there�s even...� Hermione paused and looked at Ron, apprehensive. She shook her head, no, there�d be no reason to bring that up now, would there? �No. Neville should be fine. He�s known Fagan since Hogwarts, I�m sure he can lend some insight into his lack of character. Oh, Ron, you�re brilliant!�

Hermione kissed him and then ran off to get ready. Ron shook his head. He wasn�t sure what he�d just done so brilliantly but he couldn�t help but enjoy the rewards. With that in mind, he got up to follow Hermione into the bedroom. Maybe he could be brilliant at something else as well this morning.

Later than she�d expected, but happily pleased with herself and Ron, Hermione made it out to the greenhouse before 11:oo Am. None of the children were about, which seemed odd to her and when she went inside, it was dark and cool. She was about to assume that no one had come in to work on it today when she heard noises in the back. Making her way past the Lilacs and the burgeoning Snapdragon�s, Hermione stumbled onto a very strange scene.

�Oh. Oh! Sorry. Neville I came to speak to you about something. Hi, Susan.�

Hermione had to blink to make sure she wasn�t imagining the fact that Susan Bones had just been holding Neville�s hand.

Neville offered a kind smile. �Hi Hermione. I reckoned I�d hear from one of you today.�

He looked at Susan and Hermione watched as some unspoken communication passed between them. Susan smiled at Neville and then nodded at Hermione. She got up from her chair and then walked past her.

�I�ll look at that new plot of Red Heather we just planted. Make sure it�s moist enough. Let me know if you need me.�

Hermione watched her go and then looked back at Neville, a question on her face.

But she forgot it when she got a good look at her friend. He seemed so... well, sad.

�Neville, is this a bad time? Is everything okay?�

Neville looked at her, surprised. �I thought you knew. I mean, I thought that was why you�d come out here. But you haven�t spoken to Ginny have you?�

Hermione shook her head. �No, I haven�t. I�ve been working on something the last few days, I haven�t seen Ginny since the party. Is everything alright?�

Hermione moved into the seat Susan had vacated and looked at Neville.

�Nothing a few hundred years won�t cure. Well, I may as well tell you, me and Ginny... we... uh.. broke up.�

Hermione pulled back and felt her heart ache a little bit. �Oh Neville. I�m so sorry. When? No wonder you look so sad.�

�Just yesterday afternoon. I... oh it doesn�t matter. The details of it,� Neville shook his head and then looked at her. �You don�t seem very surprised Hermione. I�m wondering if everyone knew we weren�t right for each other and just went about never bothering to say anything.�

Hermione bit her lip. �Well, no. Surprised isn�t the right word, really. And you were really good for Ginny at a time-�

�But she�s grown past me, I know.�

�Oh, Neville,� Hermione reached out and put her arms around her friend. How do you commiserate with someone when you know that he�s right?

Neville pulled away and offered her a little smile. �It�s okay, Hermione. Me and Ginny... we�re still friends. I reckon that�s all we ever were really. I�m just a little blue. I�ll get over it.�

�Neville, you�ve cared for Ginny for a long time. I can�t imagine you�ll just get over it-�

�It�s for the best, Hermione. I know she doesn�t love me-�

�Neville! That�s not true, you know Ginny cares for you-�

�But she�s never truly loved me, Hermione. Don�t worry about my feelings. I know I�m not the great love of her life or anything. You know, it�s amazing... just a few days ago I was fine, ignoring all the signs, sticking my head into the soil and now... now I realize that me and Ginny have been drifting apart for awhile now. We�re not interested in the same things or even have much in common, really.�

�Oh, Neville. You two had a very... well, you both cared for each other. That counts for more than hobbies. I think-�

�Hermione, it�s okay. No need to shelter me from the reality. I�ve been in love with the wrong girl for a long time. Let me just accept that and move on.�

Hermione frowned. �I don�t want you to think you�ve just been wasting your time, Neville. I think you and Ginny were very good for-�

Neville laughed and it had a choked sound to it. �Maybe. Once upon a time. I told her that, at any rate. But maybe I should have just let her be. I don�t know. I don�t know a lot of things, it seems.�

Neville ran his hand through his hair and looked down at the ground. Hermione wanted to comfort him but he didn�t seem to want to be comforted. Suddenly she knew she couldn�t ask him to do what she�d come to ask him.

�You know, I think of all the things I�ll miss, spending time at the Weasley�s will be the tops. They�re a great family. They always made me feel at home.�

�Well, I�m sure they will still expect to see you. If you and Ginny truly are still friends, I�m sure she�ll expect to see you as well. Ginny�s not likely to toss you away, Neville. She�s... she�s a very true friend. Like you are.�

Neville nodded. �Yeah. But she might have her hands full at the moment... what with... Harry being back.�

Hermione didn�t say anything. She couldn�t very well tell him he was right, could she? Neville didn�t need to hear about Harry�s desire to be with Ginny after all this time. She�d let Harry himself handle that one.

�Well, what did you come to see me about, anyway?� Neville asked after a moment, forcing a smile onto his face.

Hermione shook her head. �Nevermind, Neville. I don�t want to bother you with it. Just something about a former student. It�ll keep. Take care of yourself. Work with the plants, it�ll lift your spirits. Spend some time with... Susan.�

She wasn�t sure, but she could have sworn she saw Neville blush a bit. He looked away and then back at her.

�Tell Ginny I�m okay though, if you see her. I don�t want her to worry about... me. Let her get on with her life, for once and for all. Oh and you can give her something for me,� Neville said as he stood up and walked over to a small container that held a batch of what looked like weeds to Hermione. Neville nodded sheepishly as he handed over the small container. �She�ll know what they are. They should bloom later, if I did it right. They should be planted into the little garden box I made her before the next week though. So they don�t die.�

Hermione took the container and nodded.

�Are you sure you�re okay?�

Neville looked away but he met her eyes a moment later. �I�ll be fine. I�ve got... things to get ready for. Things to take my mind off of stuff. Why don�t I owl you and Ron next week and we can have dinner?�

Hermione smiled. �Of course, Neville. I don�t want you to think you�re losing us as friends either. We�ve all been through so much. And you�ll be okay, again. I promise.�

She gave her friend one more hug and then turned to leave. When she turned back to wave goodbye, she noticed Susan was already in her place, holding his hand again.

Hermione had a feeling that Neville would eventually be very okay indeed.

A little while later, Hermione was knocking at Ginny�s door, the container Neville had given her, held out in front.

Ginny answered the door, a huge smile on her face. �Now what did you forget to do? Kiss my earlobes goodbye?�

She sobered when she saw Hermione and then blushed a deep red color.

�Er... Hermione. Sorry. I... thought you were someone else. Come in. And what�s that in your hands, it looks rather weedy,� Ginny said, covering her surprise quickly. She opened her door so that Hermione could come in.

�I stopped off at the Ministry first, and Dex was rather put out to say that you were, �yet again, taking the day off�. I get the feeling he thinks you�ve been slacking off and-� Hermione�s voice trailed off, noticing the two sets of dishes still sitting on the table. Breakfast and dinner, isn�t that interesting?

�Who were you expecting me to be just now, Ginny?�

Ginny shrugged and took the container from her. �What are these and where did you get them? They look a sight-�

�I stopped in and saw Neville this morning.�

Ginny stopped and looked at her, a guilty look flashing across her face. �Neville? How is he? Did he seem okay? Did he-?�

Hermione nodded and took off her outer robes and sat down. �He told me. Now do you mind filling me in about what is going on with you? I�m assuming you thought I was Harry coming back. The question is, how long was Harry here, Ginny? And really... on the night that you break up with Neville? I don�t want to sound as though I�m judging you but-�

�It wasn�t like that,� Ginny said as she turned pink. �It was all perfectly... well, not innocent. But...nothing happened between Harry and me last night. Nothing I wouldn�t feel comfortable telling my Mum about, anyway.�

Ginny turned and put the container on the table and sat down across from Hermione.

�Well, pretend I�m your Mum, then. Tell me all the perfectly innocent details.�

Ginny scowled. �I said it wasn�t innocent.�

�Right, sorry. But please continue.�

Rolling her eyes, Ginny sat back and looked at her friend. After a moment she decided to speak.

�I came back from seeing Neville feeling worn out and drained. Harry was waiting for me, to see if I wanted some dinner. So for some reason, I invited him in and we cooked some stew. And... then we sort of had a fight.�

Hermione nodded. �Okay, sounds about right. Then what?�

�Well, we sort of had it all out. You know, him leaving and being the prat that he is... was,� Ginny�s ears had turned pink and Hermione bit her tongue to keep from smiling at her.

�And well, we then sort of... made up, really,� Ginny said continuing. Her face lit up at the memory of it. �But then we fought again and Harry was being...�

�More of a prat?�

�No, actually. He was being very... smart. Let me rant and rave and then he sat me down and we spoke about things some more and then we were tired and he didn�t want to leave, so we slept. And that�s it.�

Hermione raised her eyebrow. �That�s it? Ginny, those are the worst details ever.�

�Well, that�s all I�m going to say.�

Hermione folded her arms. �And you answered your door talking about him kissing your earlobes goodbye and that�s all you�re going to say?�

Ginny blushed and then finally, giggled. �Well, we did do a fair bit of snogging.�

Hermione laughed. �Ah-ha! The gory details. Come on, Ginny. I�ll tell you something about your brother if you tell me something about Harry.�

Ginny�s face widened in surprise. �Hermione! That�s... I don�t want to know anything about Ron. Eww.�

�Not like that,� Hermione said laughing. She shook her head. �Okay, fine. Don�t kiss and tell. Besides, I�ve already kissed Harry once or twice, myself.�

Ginny looked at her, flabbergasted. �What? Does my brother know this?�

Hermione laughed. �No, and don�t you tell him. Oh, it was ages ago. Luckily for Ron, I thought kissing Harry was like kissing a brother. If I had a brother, that is. Something tells me you find the situation to be completely the opposite.�

Ginny shook her head. �I thought you�d lecture me about Neville, for some reason.�

�Well, I do feel bad for him. But... I don�t know, I think Neville will be okay, really. And as long as you�re okay with it too... Harry�s return didn�t really have that much to do with it after all, did it?�

�No. I reckon Harry�s return played its part, but... no. In the end it was me having to finally own up to the fact that I�m not in love with Neville. Even though I worry about him,� Ginny frowned. �Are you sure he was okay when you left him? I don�t want him to be alone-�

�Oh, he wasn�t.�

When Ginny looked at her, questioning, Hermione smiled. �Susan was with him. She was... taking care of him.�

Ginny blinked and then shook her head. �Susan works fast.�

�Do you have a right to be self-righteous about that? Didn�t you just spend the night with someone?�

�Well, yeah, but they don�t know that... oh. Yeah, I see your point. Well, I�m glad then. Neville deserves someone who�s in love with him.�

�Very mature of you.�

Ginny rolled her eyes. �Alright, Hermione.�

Hermione held up her hands. �Sorry. Can�t resist being a bit of a big sister. Even if you are only a year younger than I am. Ron is going to be dumbstruck when I tell him this- oh! look!�

Hermione nodded towards the container she�d brought along from Neville. The weeds had turned into tiny blue flowers. Buds opened up here and there through the container and she suddenly could smell something sweet and light filling the flat.

�I don�t believe it. That looked like a bunch of weeds a while ago. Neville�s truly amazing at Herbology, isn�t he?� Hermione glanced at Ginny and saw that instead of the flowers making her happy, her friend was sad instead.

�Ginny- what�s-?�

�Do you know what sort of flowers those are, Hermione?�

Hermione peered closer and shook her head. They looked familiar, yet she couldn�t place the name.

�No, do they hold some sort of meaning?�

Ginny gave her a half smile. �I think Neville�s trying to tell me something.�

�What?�

�They�re called Forget Me Nots. They�re the first flowers he ever grew for me. They�ll bloom forever, if you plant them right. He made me learn all about them. There�s an old tale that says they were named for a knight that died while walking with his love. He fell into a raging river as he bent down to pick some wildflowers for her. As he was falling, he tossed them back to her and cried out, forget me not. Since then, they�ve always been called that. They�re a symbol for broken hearts everywhere.�

�Oh. Oh, Ginny. I�m sorry, I didn�t know... I reckon they�re Neville�s way of saying goodbye.�

Ginny stared at the flowers a moment longer and nodded. She wiped at a small tear in her eye.

�Reckon you�re right. Or maybe he just thought I�d like the color.�

Ginny stood up and took the flowers to the shelf by the window. It was here that Neville had built her a garden box and Hermione could see other flowers blooming as well. She got up and walked over to her friend.

�Why, these are lovely. You must have a bit of green thumb yourself, to keep them so nice-�

Ginny�s voice sounded gruff. �No. It�s all Neville. He�d come in some times when I was at work or out and he�d tend to them. Make sure they were always healthy and blooming. He always took care of them... and me.�

�Oh, Ginny. Maybe you should have sent Harry home last night, I�m not sure starting something up with him so soon is-�

�Nothing happened, Hermione. Just a few kisses. Actually, it was probably the happiest night of my life, if I�m truthful. I mean, after we got done fighting about things,� Ginny paused and shook her head. �Just being around Harry makes everything else seem far away. Why is that do you suppose?�

Ginny turned to face her and Hermione shook her head. �I don�t know. Ron does the same to me some times. I�ll be angry with him for something and he�ll just... give me that look he has and suddenly nothing else matters. It�s all very foolish, I�m afraid to say. Makes no logical sense whatsoever that another human being can do that to you, but... there it is and oh!-�

Hermione felt weak suddenly and reached out to hold Ginny for support.

�Hermione? Are you okay? You look... Hermione!�

The last thing Hermione saw before she blacked out were the small blue flowers of the Forget Me Nots as they faded into the darkness of her mind.

The man was growing tired of this one. He realized his attention span for them, once he had them fixed up right, was growing shorter. None of them lasted, it seemed. Eventually they�d mess up or do something out of character and he�d realize it was all a facade.

None of them were the one he wanted.

Still, he enjoyed his endeavors. He couldn�t lie about that. Seeing them so helpless, it did something to him. And this one had been a real redhead, a nice change. No glamour for this one, no sir. He�d used up all that she could give him.

He watched as she whimpered in the corner, trying desperately to cover herself. Suddenly he felt disgust for her. With a sharp slap of his hand against his leg, she stopped moving. Good, at least she�d learned that. Maybe this one was salvageable after all.

He walked over to the girl and pulled her head up. She blinked at the bright light and made sure not to look him in the face. Ah, yes, this one did show a great capacity for learning, didn�t she?

He kneeled down in front of her and used his wand to tie the ends of the dress he�d made for her, back together. With a tender hand he patted her head, loving the feel of her hair in his hands.

Maybe he wouldn�t get rid of this one, just yet. He�d keep her for a little while, maybe give her another go. He reached over to the table and reached into the drawer to pull out the rope again. The girl moaned softly as it slid over her and suddenly she was still. The nightshade always worked so quickly, didn�t it? They never felt a thing. More importantly, they never saw a thing.

The man removed the mask he wore and grinned down at her unseeing eyes.

This was only the beginning.