The Other Malfoy (Sequel To Clash)

Meeting Neville

Harry POV

Meeting Neville

I knew I had done the right thing. I walked arm in arm with Hermione all the way down to History Of Magic. She was smiling and talking about a book she had read, Hogwarts:A History. It sounded like a very interesting read. I made a mental note to ask Madam Pince about it. We entered History of Magic. I saw Draco mouth at me, 'Why are you walking with a Ravenclaw?!'

'Later,' I mouthed back. He nodded and turned away.

Hermione and I took a desk next to each other. Hermione seemed pretty keen, taking notes twenty four seven. The scratching of the quill annoyed me, but I said nothing.

Finally, the bell rang for the end of Potions. Hermione and I cleared off sharpish in case Draco caught up.

Potions was very boring. Snape never picks on Slytherins so I'm okay, and he doesn't particularly bother about Ravenclaws. It's Gryffindors he hates. All this teachers favouring houses stuff is ridiculous. I dont see anything wrong with Gryffindors. I don't get why Snape has it in for them.

'Page 145, the Sleeping Draught. Well, dont just sit there! Get brewing!'Snape barked irritably. He swept around, breathing down our necks. The simmering perfume of brewing potion filled the air. I quickly started measuring out powdered moonstone when I saw Snape approaching. Fortunately, he swept right past me, over to Neville, a Hufflepuff boy also known as the Boy Who lived. He peered into Neville's cauldron. 'What is this filth, Longbottom?'

The poor kid was trembling as he stuttered, 'A S-s-sleeping Draught, sir.'

Snape snorted in disgust. 'That is not the potion on page 145, is it, Mr Longbottom?'

Neville glanced down at the page number and groaned. I edged closer on my stool to look. Page 245. Poor Neville. Poor, poor Neville. 'No, sir,' trembled Neville, and Snape smirked. 'Detention for a month, Longbottom, and twenty points from Hufflepuff,' he said, and strode away, leaving Neville in tears. I turned to Hermione. 'How unfair was that?' I asked. Hermione shrugged. 'Who cares? He's only Hufflepuff. They're all a lot of duffers, everyone knows that,' she said indifferently. I gawped. Duffer or no duffer, Neville couldn't help his house. 'If he's only Hufflepuff you're only Ravenclaw. A very nasty Ravenclaw. And I'm only-'

'Only in a month's detention, Malfoy,' Snapes silky voice announced.

The bell rang and with a heavy heart, I followed Neville out of the dungeon. 'Neville? Neville, wait!' I called. He stopped, turned, and looked at me in confusion. 'Wow, uh... He was pretty hard on you back there ,' I told him. He nodded. 'Snapes always like that,' he informed me. 'He hates me.'

I grinned. 'Same with me and McGonagall. She's a right old hag. She said to me that my mum shouldn't have got with a Malfoy anyways. As if it's any of her business anyway!'