A/N: I'm pleased to say that this story has been added to the c2 "Pansy Parkinson, Slytherin Princess" run by ClumsyTonks. You can find the c2 from her profile.

Chapter Four: The Best of Fools

Neville broke away from Pansy with a gasp. "But this next paragraph-"

"It's fine," Pansy assured him, pulling him towards her again.

He struggled against her, managing to inadvertently cop a feel in the process. "You haven't even read it!"

"I wrote it."

"You don't think we've overstated our – Pansy!" he cried. Her fingers were somehow sliding against bare skin at his waist.

She withdrew in a huff. "Fine, if you think the stupid homework is so much more interesting than I am even though you've read through it a hundred times, by all means, keep ignoring me."

"I'm not. Okay, I'll stop looking at it."

"We should really make this time count," she continued crossly, smoothing her hair. "I don't know about you, but my schedule's full to the brim. We'll have to catch time as it comes."

"What?"

"Are you trying to tell me you're not swamped with classes? I've barely got time to eat this semester. After I turn in this Herbology project I can finally start on Transfiguration, and Arithmancy is really starting to get ugly."

"Well, I mean, I've got classes too. I've got an Ancient Runes project to do, and I feel like I'm falling behind a bit in Charms…hey, maybe we could study for Charms together."

"Can't. I'm helping Daphne."

"Maybe you could help both of us."

"You don't understand. Daphne's, like, remedial. It's not even studying together, it's me tutoring her. You'd be bored stiff."

"I don't think I'd be bored if you're around," he said shyly, but this just made her roll her eyes in exasperation.

"But it wouldn't help you get Charms work done, would it? I'm sorry, I would study with you, but I already promised."

"But I do want to see you, Pansy," he persisted.

Her whole demeanour softened. "I want to see you too, Neville," she murmured, her eyes luminous, and he couldn't resist reaching up to cup her cheek. "It's just going to be so hard to find time – but I'll find it," she vowed, throwing her arms around him. "Whatever little time there is, I'm going to use it to find you, I promise."

Neville was touched. He hadn't understood at first when she'd started talking about her schedule, but now that he knew how little free time she really had, he was so happy that she was willing to spend it with him. "It'll be fine," he murmured, nuzzling her neck.

"…and then she kissed me," Neville sighed that Saturday afternoon. "I mean, I don't know what I was so worried about. I was obviously just overanalysing things." Luna nodded. "All this crazy stuff, thinking I had to fight Malfoy or something, thinking I needed Zabini's help…well, Zabini can smirk until the end of time, I don't care. I'm going to date whoever I want."

"Who are you going to date?" Luna asked, a bit absently.

"I…were you listening to me or just pretending to?"

Her large eyes opened wide. "I heard you. You were talking about Pansy and how you kissed her and had been worrying about Malfoy and Zabini, and then you said you'd date whoever you want. Then I asked who you were going to date."

"I'm…I'm dating Pansy. That's what I was…just saying, Luna."

"Oh, you're not dating Pansy," she said confidently, turning back to her back issue of The Quibbler that was sitting open on the table. "Why would you even want to? She's not very nice."

Neville reached over and flipped the magazine closed. "Luna, could you please listen for just a couple of minutes?" She turned to him, astonished. "I am dating Pansy. She is nice. We got together after the final battle."

Now Luna looked annoyed. "I have never seen the two of you together unless you're working on that project of yours. She never talks to you outside of class-"

"That's not true!"

"-she never even goes over to say hi to you, and she's certainly never given any indication that she even likes you-"

"She has!"

"-in public. I can't listen to this quietly anymore. You're just seeing what you want to see." Neville thought that was pretty rich, considering who it was coming from. "To make things worse, I think you're picking up some of her nasty traits. She's hurting you, Neville, and you don't even realise it."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I will be happy for you, when I see a reason to. All I can do is worry right now."

"Well, you don't have to worry," Neville asserted bitterly, standing. "I'm just fine."

Despite his earlier assertions that he was very busy with classwork, Neville wasn't in the mood for it and didn't see anything too pressing, so he stretched out on his bed, brooding and listening to WWN. "Two known werewolves were apprehended earlier today outside of Dorchester, superficially injuring three Aurors in the process. The werewolves, whose names have not been released, will be charged with destruction of public property and resisting authority in addition to unspecified noncompliance under the newly-revised Assimilation of Magical Brethren act. Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, will be hosting a press conference in half an hour to clarify the story. The Minister's new United Peace Initiative, which came into effect December 28th,"

Neville flicked the wireless off. The dorm room was eerily silent without it. Harry was in St. Mungo's. Ron was at home, recuperating from having his wand arm severed during the final battle. Seamus had owled Dean a couple of days ago to say that like many parents, his mum approved of him going back to school, but of course he couldn't return in the middle of the year and would have to finish school with this year's sixth-years. Neville supposed he should be grateful that he was even graduating on time. He certainly hadn't wanted to go back – he'd even had recurring nightmares that Snape had somehow become Headmaster and tortured students who turned in their homework late – but his gran had insisted that he was not going to throw away his education in solidarity with Harry Potter.

Sighing, Neville heaved himself off the bed. He still wasn't in the mood for homework, but Hermione almost certainly was. Maybe she could motivate him. He wanted to be ready for Pansy when she was free.