Gryffindor House: Challenge 2: Same Crush

Prompt response: Write about two characters one must be form 'your' house

A: Neville Longbottom

B: Pansy Parkinson

"I don't know" Neville told Harry as they sat on the oversized chairs by the fire, attempting to keep warm, watching the falling snow sprinkle on the ground making a fluffy white blanket.

"Yes you do Neville," Harry stated as he watched the fire dance. "If you didn't know how you felt about her then you wouldn't have brought it up"

"Harry, how many people do you know in Gryffindor that have a crush on a Slytherin?" Neville asked slightly agitated.

"Who really cares?" Harry retorted, leaning forward attempting to get his point across "It shouldn't matter what people say as long as you're happy"

Neville sat in silence absorbing Harry's words like a sponge would water.

"You're right" Neville said a few minutes later "But, I don't know how to get her alone so that I can ask her"

"I can help you with that" Harry smiled.

"Really" Neville asked excitedly "You'd really help me with that"

"Yeah"

"Pansy, why don't you just have someone ask him if he likes you?" Lillian Potter's voice rang from the closet.

"That's easy for you to say," Pansy replied as she lay on her friend's bed, looking through the photo album that was laying there "Your brother was really that small?"

"Yes" Lillian said as she poked her head out, making her curtain of black hair swing behind her "And don't changed the subject"

"Do you not understand what asking can do to me?" Pansy questioned, "Especially considering that he's a Gryffindor?"

"Yeah, and your point is?"Lillian asked back as she came out of the closet. She closed the photo album drawing her friends attention "It's not like he's Harry Potter, I could understand what that would cause, but this is Neville we're talking about, I highly doubt anyone would care"

"Are you sure?" Pansy asked, her curiosity mirroring that of a kitten now.

"Yeah" Lillian stated as she watched Pansy, who had started to act like a child before they threw a tantrum she idly thought "And if you need help asking him I can assist you"

"Are you sure?' Pansy asked perking up like Hermione would for a new book.

"Yeah" Lillian smiled "that's kind of what friends do Pans"

"Thanks"

"It's really no problem"

"Well, look who it is" Lillian stated as she watched her brother approached their normal meeting place by the library "I thought they were holding you captive" she teased with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you always have to be sarcastic?' Harry asked, as he looked Lillian in the eyes; the glow of the winter moon softly illuminating her features, allowing him to see her better.

"Yes, so what have you been up to these last two days?" Lillian questioned as they began to walk down the empty hallway, the only sound they heard was the echo their footsteps made as they bounced of the brick walls.

" I've been trying to help Neville ask out this girl he likes" Harry replied " but have had no success since I am horrible with girls"

"Sounds like what I have been doing with Pansy," Lillian sighed "but I need to know if the boy likes her as much as she likes him"

"Who's the boy?" Harry asked curiously.

"Neville Longbottom" Lillian confessed to Harry "Why do you ask?"

"Because Neville has feelings for Pansy" Harry told his sister "and I volunteered to help him out"

"Well I guess that makes things easier" Lillian smirked "Now we just need to get them in the same spot at the same time"

"How are we going to do that?" Harry asked.

"There is a Hogsmead weekend coming up" Lillian began "There is Madam Puddifoot's Tea shop up the end of road, its small and hardly noticeable, we can get them there"

"Sounds like a good idea" Harry smiled at the idea that had just crossed his path, which was a huge relief "That is a lot simpler than I would have thought"

"I bet it is" Lillian smiled as they continued to walk through the school. "We're going to need to plan this out a bit more thoroughly some point before next week end"

The siblings where quiet as they walked , making sure they made as little noise as they could, but that was almost impossible as their footsteps echoed all around them alerting anyone wandering nearby to their location.

A couple of nights later found Harry and Lillian in an empty classroom attempting to make a plan.

"We don't want them to know we planned this right?" Harry asked.

"Yep, they need to think its spare of the moment" Lillian replied idly as she doodled on the piece of parchment she had brought "Of course they will probably figure it out later, but that's fine."

"Then why are we planning this" Harry questioned.

" So one of us isn't waiting there for hours because the other didn't know what time to be there " Lillian explained as she continued to draw circles around the page. " In addition, it would make it a lot easier too. Especially since Pans can get kind of annoyed if we don't move on schedule"

"Fun" Harry chuckled lightly.

" Oh yes" Lillian replied sarcastically " So we'll meet at Madam Puddifoot's at noon, since that's the only time Pansy probably doesn't have filled out in that dreaded mental date book of hers"

On The Morning of the Hogsmead visit

Lillian and Harry showed no signs of the plan they had made nights earlier as they talked with their friends, walking through the ankle deep snow that layered the path to the village, before the group of students dispersed throughout Hogsmead.

Lillian and Pansy started on the first shop that Pansy had in mind as Harry and Neville started at Zonko's Joke Shop, buying enough items to fill both of their jacket pockets. Lillian and Harry kept track of the time as they followed their friends around the small snow covered village.

As noon rolled around Harry lead Neville toward Madam Puddifoot's tea shop with no problem. While Lillian had to practically drag Pansy out of the boutique they were in, so they could make it on time. Harry and Neville had already entered the shop and found a table in the back.

"Why are we going to the tea shop?' Pansy asked

"Because," Lillian started "We need something other than butter beer. And I thought you liked the tea shop."

"I do" Pansy replied honestly. "But you really don't seem enthused about it, so what makes you so keen about going now?"

"Do you have to ask so many questions?" Lillian asked, slightly annoyed "I wanted to try something new. Is there something wrong with that?"

"No" Pansy stated as she pulled open the door. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw the boy she had a crush on, sitting at the table in the corner, next to her best friends brother.

"Hey look" Lillian said sounding convincingly shocked at their presence "Why don't we say hello?"

"Are you insane?' Pansy whispered loudly grabbing the back of Lillian's black jacket, "You know I like Neville!"

"And so does everyone else with in ear shot of this conversation" Lillian stated as she continued to walk toward the table, dragging Pansy with her.

"Hey" Harry stated as they approached. Casting a sideways glance at Neville, he could see his friend freeze at the sight of his crush.

"Hello Harry" Lillian replied "It's nice to see you too Neville"

Neville just nodded unable to find his voice and afraid of what he would say to the girl he deeply liked.

"Why don't you pull up a chair and have a seat" Harry insisted more than offered.

"Sounds good don't you think Pans?" Lillian asked receiving a dirty look as she pulled up two chairs; one next to Harry and the other next to Neville.

"So how has your visit been so far?" Harry asked as Lillian sat in the chair next to him leaving Pansy to take a seat next to Neville; her stomach coming alive with butterflies just by the close proximity.

"It's been good" Lillian replied "Like all other visits. What about you Neville?"

"I. . . Its go. .good" Neville stuttered.

As the time wore on Lillian and Harry were the only ones to hold a descent conversation at the table. Once in a while Neville and Pansy would join in but then stopped as the subjects changed.

"Lillian?" Harry asked "can I talk to you?"

"Yeah" Lillian replied "We'll be right back guys"

Neville and Pansy couldn't help but shoot death glares at Harry and Lillian as they got up form their seats and walked out of the tea shop.

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Pansy spoke, "I knew I shouldn't have let Lillian help me" Pansy's voice was flat.

"I know how that feels" Neville responded to the statement "Harry offered to help me find out if the girl that I like likes me back"

"Really? I asked Lil the same thing, she kinda volunteered to help me out" Pansy explained.

"Yeah . . . " but Neville stopped there, he had no idea how he was going to tell her that he liked her, even after the pep talk Harry had given him a week ago.

"Who is it?" Pansy asked as her curiosity peaked "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

"You" Neville whispered so low that Pansy had to strain to hear it. Her heart jumped as she realized what he had just said. "I . . . I can understand if you think I'm pathetic"

"You're not pathetic" Pansy stated "And, I like you too"

Neville's head shot up as the words escaped Pansy's lips, his heart still pounding, but the worries that had been there no longer existed.

"But, I think we need to take things slow" Pansy continued "Get to know each other first"

"That's fine" Neville replied, his voice full of pride now that he found out the girl he liked returned his feelings.

And unknown to them, outside in the falling snow, were their friends looking in, happy that their plan worked. They were even happier that it brought Neville and Pansy together.

A/N:

This is my second challenge response as I posted on the top. If you guys are wondering who Lillian is she is an OC character I use in most of my stories who is almost always a Slytherin and Harry's sister.