A/N

Written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition Round 5

My Prompt:

(TEAM CHARACTER = DRACO MALFOY)

BEATER 1: Write about your team's chosen character in their 5th Year

OPTIONAL PROMPTS:

7. (word) endurance

9. (dialogue) "I don't do well with snakes."

12. (phrase) return the favour

italics = thoughts

bold italics = DA coin messages

Word count: 2092

Now and Forever

Draco glided through the corridor, scaring firsties back to their dormitories with the scowl permanently etched into his face. He huffed as his hair fell in his eyes.

"I'm going to kill Parkinson for taking away my styling products," he growled as he ran a hand through his hair, agitated.

He sent a mild stinging hex at a pair of fourth years making out behind the statue of the one-eyed witch. "PDA not authorized. Fifteen points each from your Houses." His voice was harsh, but not accompanied by his usual sneer.

I sat on the steps leading down to the Great Hall entrance and watched Draco pass by me over the top of my Herbology text. It was my turn to stand watch to make sure that no one would find the Room of Requirement while the DA was practicing.

As soon as Draco turned the corner, I slipped my hand in my cloak pocket and sent a message to Hermione through the DA coin so she could start trickling out the students for the meeting. Once I saw the first of the DA members start to head up, I quietly shut my book, dropped it in my bag and stood up to stretch.

I had watched Draco turn into the Potions corridor and knew that after making the circuit down there, that the Head of the Inquisitorial Squad would loop back up the other side of the main stairwell and start his track up through the castle. My job tonight was to make sure that Draco didn't make that route.

My ulterior motives are fortunately not noticed by my fellow lions...with the exception of Hermione. She's too observant for her own good.

Draco's blonde head appeared right on schedule. The previous DA member on watch had given me his timetable.

"Malfoy," I said, quietly, so as not to startle him too badly.

Dracol flinched back slightly, before realizing it was me. "Longbottom, get to your tower before I take House Points."

I shrugged. "The House Cup means nothing this year, and you know it. The Toad has made it abundantly clear that no one but the Slytherins will win."

Draco looked over his shoulder, uneasy with the abnormal banter. "Why are you out here, Longbottom?"

His voice was nearly a whisper. I wonder if his lackeys are nearby, I thought absentmindedly.

"I was going to ask if you feel superior, knowing that the only reason we won't win the Cup this year is because you've become a follower instead of the leader you think you are. It appears, however, that you've lost your nerve since your personal goon squad is nowhere to be found."

I walked towards the door to the courtyard, and smirked over my shoulder, "I don't do well with snakes...but if you're up for it, I'll go a round or two with you. My endurance is much better than it used to be," I winked at him.

I watched his expression shift from anger at my remark against his superiority, to fear realizing I was right about his ever present bodyguards being missing in action, to a dark red blush at the implication of him not being strong enough to beat me.

"I'm not bent, Longbottom," he hissed. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for that unfounded accusation."

Oh, looks like he took what I said in a completely different direction... I shrugged again, and slid my hands in my cloak pockets. I gripped my wand in my right pocket as I turned and leaned against the door, appraising Draco.

May as well milk it for all it's worth. "You know, I would believe you if your breathing hadn't sped up and your eyes dilated when I offered, Draco."

Draco took two quick steps forward, aiming his wand at me, "You don't get to use my name, blood traitor."

I rolled my eyes, and huffed out, "Of course not, Princess. Wouldn't dream of it." I was supremely happy that my non-verbal shield spell was able to withstand Draco's stinging hex.

"That wasn't very nice," I quipped as I touched the coin in my left pocket, to send a quick: Thank you for the nonverbal lessons, NL to Harry.

Draco sneered at me as I sent the message. "Suppose you think you're good enough to beat me now? I doubt it."

I pushed off the door, causing Draco to back up the two steps he'd come forward to threaten me. "Nope. I am going to get good enough to do so though." I turned my back on him, and walked out the door.

"Longbottom!" Draco hissed, as he followed me outside. "You can't be outside! Go back to your dorm!"

I stopped, crossed my right arm over my chest and rested my left hand on my temple, in an 'I'm thinking' pose. I dropped my arms and grinned. "I don't think I will, actually. I still have an hour before curfew." I started walking towards the quidditch pitch.

"Wait!" Draco grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

I looked at him through narrowed eyes, and frowned.

"Why, Malfoy? You made it perfectly clear when we got sorted, that I was nothing to you but a source of entertainment." I wrenched my arm from his grasp and glared at him. "How many cauldrons have been blown up with your assistance? How many broken bones have I suffered that were a direct correlation to something you did? How many times have I had to put up with your-your utter bollocks just because we were sorted into different Houses? Because I am friends with Ron, Hermione and Harry? I'm sick of it. We were friends before Hogwarts. Why-" My voice cracked. I twisted away and started stomping towards the pitch.

Draco hurried after me. I heard the gravel shifting as he tried to lengthen his stride to match mine.

"Longbottom!"

I kept walking.

"Longbottom!"

Still ignoring the blonde little-

"Neville, please..." Draco finally caught up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. I flinched at the touch and crossed my arms over my torso, drawing my cloak tighter around me.

"Don't," I whispered.

"You can't just pretend that the last four and a half years didn't happen. You abandoned me, Dray. I can't-" I sighed and pulled away from the comforting touch. "I can't deal with that pain again. I won't come back from it." I trudged through the snow, away from Draco and towards the Gryffindor quidditch stands.

"Nev!" Draco grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. "I know you tried to keep our friendship alive when we got to school."

I looked pointedly over his right shoulder. "It doesn't matter though, does it? You still attacked me, unprovoked, and at every chance that presented itself."

Draco put his hands on my cheeks and guided my face to look at his. "Only when it wouldn't cause fatal harm. The things I did...they were to keep you safe."

"Seriously? I still ended up in the infirmary, damn near as many times as Harry, because of you!" I tried to pull away from Draco, but before I could, I found myself wrapped in his arms.

"I did what I had to, Nev," Draco's voice reverberated in my ear as he kept me cocooned in the warmth of his embrace.

"Well, allow me to return the favour." I shoved him away and watched him sprawl out on the stands where I had been planning to sit. I leaned down in his face and growled out, "You either claim me in front of everyone, or you denounce me in front of everyone. I won't do this by halves. You make up your mind and let me know in the morning. I have fifteen minutes to get back to Gryffindor before curfew, and I'd like to avoid The Toad."

Draco's stormy eyes held mine in a steady gaze. "Breakfast tomorrow is my deadline, is it?"

I hissed, "If you don't do anything, I'll take it as a sign of you never wanting to speak to me civilly again, and I'll denounce you myself in front of the school."

I walked to the stairwell leading away from the Gryffindor stands. "Tomorrow is your last chance, Dray. I won't do this anymore. I'm done pretending." I bolted down the stairs and towards the castle, leaving Draco behind to think about what I said. As I ran, I sent another message to Hermione through the DA coin: M on the Pitch. The Toad will be hopping soon.

"...ville...Neville!" Hermione's voice broke through into my ponderings.

I shook my head and looked over at her sheepishly. "Sorry, Hermione. What's wrong?"

"Well..." Her eyes darted over my shoulder and back to my face. "You have a...visitor...of the green and silver variety."

"Oh, relax, Granger. I don't bite...hard," the drawling voice of Draco floated over my head.

I twisted in my seat to peer up at the Malfoy heir. "Made your choice, have you?" My voice came out bitter and I nearly winced at my own tone.

Draco arched an eyebrow and snorted, "Obviously." He shifted subtly, throwing a glance at his House table, then his Head of House.

I shifted all the way around, and leaned back against the table. "Let's hear it then. I haven't got all day."

I crossed my arms over my chest and turned my face away. I saw Hermione and Harry frown at me, while Ron glared at Draco.

Draco shook his head, and held his hand out to me. "If I'm going to have to do this, I'm going to do it right."

I cocked an eyebrow at him, but put my hand in his allowing him to pull me to my feet. He kept hold on my hand and dragged me up to the dais where the Professors were sitting. Professor Dumbledore smiled at us, his eyes twinkling. Professor Snape looked like he had smelled something particularly foul. Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, and stared at the blonde dragging one of her lions up before the school.

The entire hall went silent as I pulled out of Draco's grasp and faced him, with my arms crossed and a scowl on my face. "Get on with it then."

Draco sighed, then shook his head and clenched his fists. "I won't claim to have the patience of Hufflepuffs, but I do believe that loyalty is something to strive for. I may not have the wit to keep up with the Ravenclaws, but I do have the wisdom to know that I am doing the right thing. I'm not a foolhardy Gryffindor, but I am mustering up my bravery so that I can tell you..." Draco's voice broke, but he kept speaking, "I won't lose you again, Neville Longbottom. You are mine!"

With the last declaration, Draco grabbed my tie, and brought his mouth to mine in a passionate kiss. My knees nearly buckled as he brought his other arm around my waist and drew me closer to himself. My arms wound around his shoulders.

The Gryffindors started hooting and the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws quickly followed suit. The Slytherins stared in shock at their Ice Prince cavorting with the Bumbling Gryffindor. We only stopped kissing so that we could get some much needed oxygen. My face burned as I rested my forehead in the crook of Draco's neck, using him as a shield from the rest of the room.

Dumbledore laughed and raised his goblet. "Fifty Points each to Slytherin and Gryffindor for Inter-House Unity!"

Draco cheekily smirked at the Professors, gave them a mock bow and dragged me out of the Great Hall amidst the cat-calls and wolf-whistles. When the doors closed behind us, Draco released me and I stumbled from the sudden lack of force.

"I-I don't understand." I whispered, immediately going on the defensive at the loss of contact.

Draco sighed, then used his left hand to tilt my face up to give me another kiss, only this time, it was chaste- a promise.

"I have staked my claim on you. Now and forever, Nev. No more childish pranks. No more acting like you mean nothing to me but a source of entertainment. You are mine as I am yours." He brushed his right hand along my left cheek. "Do you understand now, Nev?" His voice was soft and gentle.

I nodded, and put my left hand over his right on my cheek. "Now and forever."

"Now and forever."

/end note: I like my notes from my beta, so I saved them =]

Special thanks to my lovely beta, Rae, whose comments and suggestions made my day! I love you, Rae! (BTW, My spellcheck did the same thing when I checked that 'lions' sentence as well. lol)

BETA NOTES: This was a really fun read, and I liked It a lot. Even though It looks like I corrected a lot, I made some positive reinforcement In the comments, as well. The ending was adorable, and for a second I thought when Draco released him It was all going to be a fake relationship! I almost cried! It had an unexpected suspense to It, because I couldn't stop reading and I wanted to know If Draco was going to denounce Neville, or not. This Is a very very hard pairing to do, and definitely there are few ways to do so, but I like how you had the whole DA/IS Thing going on throughout. You didn't have one tense Issue! It was all very consistent, so awesome!