Harry cocked an eyebrow as he gave his friend a sidelong glance. Neville just smirked. "Look at how Dean is looking at her; I guess that just reminds me of something he said awhile back…" Harry started.
"What's that?" Neville asked with a mix of curiosity and concern.
Harry gave Neville an abridged version of the events that led to Harry's discussion with Dean about why Ron was upset with him at the beginning of term and Dean's subsequent comments. As he spun his tale, Harry couldn't help wondering at his reaction. Why should he feel the need to protect her? She was certainly capable of looking after herself. He criticized Ron for doing things like that, so it was a bit unreasonable for him to turn around and do the same. But then, he didn't really have a problem with the other guys hanging around Ginny, so he figured it was just because of the suggestive comment the boy had made. Ginny was his best friend, after all. So it was natural that he'd want to look after her.
After finishing the tale he amended, "I mean, I know she can take care of herself and all, I'm not worried about that. The way he said it just bugged me; in all honesty it makes me want to drag him away from her. I'm not turning into Ron or something, am I?"
"Nah, Ron would have punched Dean the second he said it," Neville told him. "I don't think it's anything you really need to worry about. Dean seems like he's mostly all talk. And as you said, Ginny is more than capable of taking care of herself."
Harry nodded. "I know."
The two chatted idly about the various goings on of the party around them for a few minutes when Neville brought up something that was obviously bugging him. "I still cannot believe Ron really didn't let you play today. I mean, I know he kicked you off the team and all, but I expected him to realize his mistake and apologize to you before now."
"I don't know what to tell you, Neville," Harry said holding his arms out wide. "Things haven't exactly been good between us all term. I've tried to keep the peace between us, but that obviously didn't work."
"You can't blame yourself for that, Harry," Neville told him honestly. "Ron was way out of line, and not just this time. He had no right to try to take advantage of your authority in your classes. He just assumed you'd give him free rein, like Snape does with Malfoy. With how Ron's been acting, he might be able to pass for a Malfoy, but I certainly can't see you as turning into Snape."
"Thanks, I think," Harry replied.
Neville laughed. "You know what I mean. My point is, there was nothing you could do to avoid this, short of letting Ron walk all over you. And frankly, I don't think I could've continued to respect you if you did that, and I don't think any of the other students would've either."
"Thanks, Neville. That means a lot to me. You really are a great friend," Harry told him earnestly.
"It's strange, I never thought I'd see the day where you were getting along better with me than with Ron or Hermione. I thought you guys were inseparable. I've always envied you three a bit. You did everything together and were always there for each other. Plus you were always at the center of all the action, saving the day," Neville mused aloud.
"Neville, you know we never meant to exclude you or anything. I've always liked you, there was just always so much going on that…."
"Don't worry about it, Harry," Neville interrupted. "I don't blame you for that. I was too shy and quiet. You guys did try to include me on occasion, and I appreciated that, but I just wasn't ready at the time."
"You really have matured a lot in the last year, you know that?" Harry asked.
"I think that's the pot calling the cauldron black," Neville returned with a smile.
"Why would a pot go and do something as silly as that?" asked a female voice.
"Well you know how pots can be," Neville quipped. "Always prejudiced against cauldrons, talking down to them."
"I didn't know Percy was a pot," Ginny remarked casually. "That explains so much."
Harry snorted. Neville looked back and forth between the two of them. "Am I missing something here?"
Harry just shrugged at him. Ginny replied with, "Oh nothing much. Just my stupid brother's obsession with cauldron bottoms, which led to his voluntary exile from the family?"
"How did an obsession with cauldron bottoms lead to that?" Neville asked incredulously.
Before Ginny could reply, Harry hastily inserted, "She means his job. When Percy first got a job in the ministry he was doing some report on cauldron bottoms. And it was his job at the ministry that led to him leaving his family."
"Oh," Neville replied thoughtfully. "Well, sorry?" he said to Ginny.
"Nothing to apologize for. He's the prat, not you," Ginny returned.
Neville nodded absently. "Well, I think I'll leave the two of you to catch up and grab some food. Thanks for setting all this up, Harry. It was really good of you, particularly after everything that happened."
Ginny cocked an eyebrow as Harry blushed lightly. "It was nothing. The house elves did most of the work with the food. I just brought some butterbeer."
"Which is a lot more than anyone else did. Besides, who arranged for the house elves to make food for us?" Neville fired back, chuckling lightly as he began to head over to the aforementioned food and drink.
Harry stopped him. "Before you wonder off Neville, let me ask Ginny about the seating arrangements at the ball." He turned back to Ginny when Neville nodded his head. "Ginny, Neville and I were talking about the ball earlier and we were thinking that you and I could sit with him and Hannah during the dinner, if that is ok with both of you?"
Ginny rolled her eyes at him. "That sounds like a great idea. Actually I was going to see if Luna and her date could sit with us as well, if that's all right?"
Harry glanced back at Neville. "Do you think that Hannah would mind sitting with Luna, her mystery date, Ginny and I?"
"I don't think so; she gets along really well with Luna during HA, but I'll check with her first thing in the morning and let you know." With that Neville once again started to head towards the food. He looked back over his shoulder, "Thanks again Harry."
Ginny watched Neville walk away before turning back to Harry. "So you're the one who set this all up?"
Harry groaned. "I brought the butterbeer. The house elves provided the food."
"Well thank you for that," Ginny said simply.
"You had quite the fan club over there," Harry said, effectively changing the conversation.
She blushed prettily at the unexpected comment. "Oh, well, I don't know that I'd call them a fan club or anything. I mean, really they just wanted to talk about the match. You know how that goes."
....
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