"Lavender, you're a silly goose."
"Talking to yourself, Lavender?"
Lavender almost jumped out of her skin when she heard Neville asking her a question behind her. She had assumed that she was alone this chilly morning. Turning to him, she clutched her heart and gasped, "You about gave me a heart attack, Neville! What are you doing sneaking up on people?"
Neville frowned, "Sorry, Lavender. I thought you heard me coming up. Are you all right? – you seem a bit... distressed."
Lavender swallowed and wrapped her arms around herself, pulling her rose sweater closer. "I'm fine, just a bit upset."
Neville sighed. What was it about him that always attracted the weepy, brokenhearted girls? Last week it was Cho sobbing about Cedric, before that Ginny tearing up about Harry, and now surely Lavender about to burst into tears for Ron. Why couldn't they ever cry around other boys? It was all unfair; for once he'd like a happy, pretty girl to talk to him about him and not some other guy.
Neville rubbed the back of his neck. Dutifully, he sat down on a nearby bench and tried to look sympathetic as Lavender sat down. "Want to talk about it?"
Lavender hesitated as she thought. Where had this all began? She had liked Ron for awhile now, and he seemed fond of her, but things were just awkward between them. They never seemed to be able to connect.
"It's Ron." Neville hid a sigh. "Things aren't as great as they could be. It's not that I don't love Ron and he really likes me, but I don't know... there's problems. I can't figure it out and I feel like an idiot for not being able to." Lavender shuffled her feet. "I've tried talking to him," she continued, "but he just avoids the issue and I don't know what the problem is. I've done everything possible to make him like me and we do have some good times."
When she stopped, Neville supposed it was his turn to speak. "Why do you think there is a problem?"
"I just know there is. We don't... connect."
Neville nodded, "Maybe you just need more time, or maybe you're not right for each other."
Lavender's head shot up, "Oh, I know what the problem is. It's Hermione Granger. Ron's hung up on her. Everyone but the two of them know it." Neville choked. "Oh, don't act so surprised, Neville. You know how they are. I know how it is. I'm the other woman. But I'm not going to stay that way. I just need to find out how to connect with Ron, how to totally get his attention."
Neville bit his lip, commenting about two of his best friends would get him nothing but trouble. Calmly Lavender brushed the beginnings of tears from her eyes, "You just wait and see. I will get Ron. It's going to turn out all right in the end. We just have a certain issue to work out. Thanks, Neville, you always make me feel better."
With that Lavender got up and walked away, rosy dress waving in the slight breeze. Neville watched her leave amazed. He didn't have any idea how he did it, but he was good with women. Now if only the other guys could get their act together.