"We're fighting on different sides, you know," Neville said as he stood facing Draco in an empty corridor. "I can't help you."

Draco nodded solemnly, looking more scared than ever. Voldemort's threat was increasing from all sides, ever increasing each day.

In a moment of realizing their fear, the two hugged, not knowing whether they would both survive until the end of it all.

"Stay safe," Neville murmured as he stepped back. He immediately knew that was impossible. How could anybody stay safe at a time like this? "I mean…" He trailed off. There was nothing to say. Draco nodded once more before apparating.

Their friendship was an unlikely one from the day it started. Draco was a Slytherin who was spoiled rotten and taught by his father about the supposed superiority of pure-blood wizards. Neville was a Gryffindor who was accepting of any kind of background, not the brightest, and the laughing stock of Draco and the other Slytherins. Somehow, trouble always followed Neville. Why, then, had Draco started being nice to him?

It had started with simple gestures. The first thing that Neville noticed was that the teasing had stopped. At least, the teasing initiated by Draco. One day, when Crabbe and Goyle were starting, Draco suddenly said, "Ignore him" and they walked away.

The next thing that changed was that Draco started helping him with small things. One day in Potions class, a note folded into the shape of a stout bird landed on the table in front of him. He opened it and a round brown mass dropped out of it. The hand-written message said, "C and D think it's an exploding bezoar, but it's actually a chocolate-covered walnut. As silly as it sounds, it makes the potion better. –DM"

Neville was hesitant, but he was already doing terribly, so he thought he'd try it anyway. He glanced at the three Slytherin boys. Crabb and Goyle were snickering, but Malfoy was completely serious. With just one moment of hesitation, Neville dropped the nut into his cauldron. Surprisingly, it did make the potion better, and he got a better mark than he had expected.

A week later, Neville was sitting alone looking out a window after Herbology when a familiar voice caught his attention.

"Longbottom," Malfoy said. Neville looked away from the window to face him.

"What do you want?" he asked, tensing up.

"Nothing much," Draco replied. "Did the walnut work?"

"Yeah," Neville said. "It worked alright. Why are you being nice to me?"

"Maybe I realized the error of my ways. I shouldn't have made your life any harder."

"What?" Neville exclaimed. "I don't want pity from you, if that's what this is."

"No, it's not," Draco said, trying to stop Neville from leaving. "It's just…I know what it's like to have my family hurt, to be pushed around. I don't wish it on others anymore."

"What?" Neville said again.

"I mean," Draco paused for a moment. "When your arm burns when someone wants a piece of you, you don't want anything mildly comparable to it for someone else."

Neville fearfully glanced at Draco's forearm, realizing what the robes concealed. He slowly started to back away.

"I didn't want this," Draco said, his voice breaking. "I'm scared!"

Neville wanted to run away. He thought it was some awful trick until he looked at Draco's eyes. He couldn't doubt the sincerity of the fear they expressed. He took a hesitant step forward, then another. Draco had never shown a sign of weakness before, except maybe when he was hurt by Buckbeak, but this was different.

"You're not the only one who's scared these days," Neville said. "I…I'm scared, too. I'm scared of what happened to my parents…happening again…maybe to me…or to someone else…" Nevile then realized he was shaking as a painful memory was brought to the front of his mind.

"He does unspeakable things," Draco said. "They all do. It's happening again, Neville. I can't stop it. You lot, you've got to do something!"

"We've got an army," Neville said. "I don't know how, but we're going to fight."

"You've got to," Draco said. "Who knows what he'll do next."

The two of them had similar conversations as the months passed, and eventually they spoke about other things, too, such as school and exams. Before they knew it, a friendship had formed, though they never told anyone else about it. What would they think?

But even though Neville found himself opening up to Draco, he didn't completely let his guard down. He made sure not to reveal anything about strategies that were being devised against Voldemort since Draco was till under the Dark Lord's control.

And finally the day came where the battle erupted at Hogwarts, spells and curses being cast from all sides at every witch and wizard.

Neville watched as friends and classmates fell, but he had to keep fighting. If he didn't, it would all be for nothing.

And then came the moment that the sword presented itself to Neville and he was able to destroy Nagini. All the bravery he never realized he had came out during the battle. He was part of the defeat of Voldemort.

It was very quiet all through the castle once the battle was over. Many were mourning, their sobs the only sound. Neville lingered by the entrance to the Great Hall for a moment before he walked through a quiet corridor. He saw Draco, who had a few cuts on his face and tears in his clothes, sitting on the floor and staring into space with a blank expression.

"I thought I might find you here," Neville said.

Draco turned and stood up when he saw Neville.

"I'm leaving with my parents soon," he said. "I just wasn't ready yet. I needed to sit by myself for a bit."

"Will I see you again?" Neville asked.

"I don't know," Draco said. "I hope so…I'm glad you're all right. You've got a bad cut on your forehead. Come here."

Neville took a few steps closer to Draco, who cast a healing spell on Neville's worst cut, the dripped blood cleaning off of his skin.

"Thanks," Neville said. Draco paused for a moment before speaking again.

"You were much braver than me…Maybe Gryffindor is better than Slytherin."

"Hey," Neville said jokingly. "What happened to Draco Malfoy?"

Draco smiled for a moment before regaining his sad expression. He looked down and shook his head.

"I don't know."

"Well," Neville said. "What he did wasn't right, but he didn't have much choice."

Draco looked up. Neville gave him a small smile and a wave before returning to the Great Hall.