Chapter 4: Muffins

"Really Neville, we are sorry about missing the study session." Hermione said for the third time that morning.

Harry nodded.

"Its fine, really, we got along with it. Dean, Seamus, Pavarti, Lavander, Ron and I, paired up and helped each other out."

"I was with Ron." Lavender drawled, batting her eyelashes at Hermione, who pointedly ignored her.

"What subjects did you cover?" Hermione asked.

"Well we just kind of figured out what each of our worst and best subjects are, and went from there. I guess we can fill in the middle ground if we get the chance."

Harry stared at Neville admiringly. Secure with his friends, Neville had developed a surprising strength since he had been involved in the drama with the prophecy the year before.

He was not smarter, stronger, faster, funnier, more handsome, or more charming than he had always been. Only more confident, and really, to Harry, that seemed to be enough.

That was the only thing Harry ever had problems with himself, moments of doubt. And when he shared his doubts with Hermione and Ron, they did not dissuade him. They usually shared his doubts, and went on with him anyway, all doubting together, and yet still pulling through, there when he needed them the most.

Neville didn't see himself as particularly confident. And truly he still had moments of extreme mortification, but he inspired confidence in Harry. And he was confident that their cause was right. And all of that meant, to Harry, that he couldn't discount Neville. Longbottoms were, after all extremely faithful and loyal.

And Neville was getting pretty good at duelling too, after all the D.A practice the previous year.

Harry glanced down the table; Ginny was smiling sweetly in his direction. He blushed, then realising Dean was sitting next to him, talking with Seamus, looked away.

Hermione, catching this, exchanged significant looks with Harry.

Luna wasn't watching the Slytherins today. Instead she was watching the lovely 7th year Cho Chang.

She was quiet, sitting with her friend Marietta. The two of them leaned towards each other, shutting out everyone else, both outcasts, Marietta the sneak and Cho, who despite her relationship with Harry the year before, still carried an aura of sadness and serenity about her like a cloak.

People shied away from her because every movement she made spoke of Cedric, a constant and unrelenting reminder that the Dark Lord had indeed returned.

Luna began to hum softly under her breath, exclaiming in surprise when another muffin hit her, this time in the chin and bounced on the floor. Luna immediately dove under the table to retrieve the errant muffin, still humming her odd little song.

"What on earth..?"

"Hey!"

"What is Loony doing?"

Ravenclaw students were half-rising from their seats, or peering under the table in consternation, as Luna crawled over their feet. Spotting the muffin she curled a hand around it and looked up, her light eyes meeting Cho's dark ones.

There was a pause.

"Muffin?" Luna offered.

Cho smiled and reached out her hand.

"They call her loony for a reason." Ron said around a mouthful of food, gesturing with his chin at the ruckus at the Ravenclaw table.

"She's a nice sort of crazy though." Lavender mused, Ron's arm about her shoulder.

Harry made a sound.

They all looked as Cho helped Luna, who was clutching a muffin, from under the table.

Luna smiled serenely and fit herself in the narrow space between Cho and Terry Boot. Marietta, head down, did not look at Luna, or at Boot, both of whom had been in the D.A.

Luna leaned past Cho and said something to Marietta, eliciting a small smile, and shake off her head.

Luna seemingly satisfied at this sat up straight, muffin still clutched to her chest, eyes glazing over dreamily.

Draco chewed thoughtfully, watching the Golden Trio, her were not huddled together as closely as usual. Potter was sitting across from Granger who was next to Finnegan on one side and Longbottom on the other. Dean Thomas was next to Harry and across from Seamus, Lavender next, then the weasel across from his sister, the Weaselette, who was next to Pavarti Patil.

It was odd. He had barely ever seen Potty and the Weasel so far away from each other. He had often thought they might even share the same bed in their dorm. But the way Brown was hanging all over the Weasel threw that theory out the window. He grunted in amusement when he noticed Granger shooting daggers at Lavender, and wished he was close enough to really appreciate it. Obviously Granger was a prude and didn't appreciate the affectionate display Lavender was bestowing on a grinning Ronald Weasley.

She was a lot like Pansy actually, when he thought about it. Lavender Brown wasn't a bad catch at all; maybe a little vapid and not the smartest of the bunch, but not stupid either. The two were equally as involved in the Gossip department, both shopped excessively, albeit Pansy with greater funds at her disposal. Fun girls though, the both of them.

If he was Weasley's friend he would be congratulating him, not alienating him the way Potter and Granger both seemed to be doing.

Draco stopped, shocked at his last thought; Friends with a Weasley? He snorted.

"Off my rocker."

"What was that Draco?" Pansy asked her friend, bewildered.

"Nothing Pans." He replied, irked at himself for speaking out loud.

"No, Luna you can't actually eat that it's been on the floor!" Terry Boot exclaimed grinning as he grabbed for the wayward muffin.

She eyed him curiously.

He snagged it from her hand and neatly switched it with his own, fresh, untainted muffin.

Her eyes turned to regard the new muffin in her hand with delight.

Turning back to a thoroughly amused Boot, Luna cocked her head.

"Were you up there yesterday morning?" she pointed to the rafters.

"Sit with me today?" Draco asked Blaise, as those Slytherins who took it, walked as a group to their transfiguration lesson.

"Sure, Malfoy." Blaise responded, too shocked to say anything more.

Pansy whispered something in Draco's ear.

"I know I promised. I'll do it when I get the chance Pans." Draco said, rolling his eyes at her whispered reminder.

She smiled gratefully and pushed past him to walk with Daphne in front of the two Slytherin boys.

"What does she want?" Blaise asked curious, but not really expecting an answer.

"Oh she likes someone and wants me to put a note on his desk in my next lesson." Draco waved his hand airily, "I'll do it of course, although I think she's being a bloody idiot about it all."

Blaise did a comical little double-take. "Meaning she doesn't like you?"

"Oh she likes me alright. Same as I like her." Draco turned to Blaise. "You truly thought we were still together? We tried all that in fourth year and part of fifth and really, it was the oddest thing, suddenly we didn't get along anymore. Things are much better now that we are friends."

Blaise snorted.

"We are!" Draco insisted.

"Everyone thinks the two of you are going at it like rabbits."

"Well…we are." Draco allowed, a trademark smirk finding its way to his face.

"That explains that then." Blaise nodded.

"Explains what?"

"Daphne…" Blaise started.

"Yeah." Draco nodded.

"You two were together for a few months at the end of fifth year right?"

"I never shagged Daphne Greengrass." Draco answered the unspoken question.

"Good to know, Malfoy." A giggly voice piped in.

Lavender Brown and Ron Weasley arm in arm had come up behind the two Slytherins. Pavarti Patil playing third wheel, at Lavender's side.

"There goes another scintillating addition to Lav's List of who has shagged who at Hogwarts." Ron rolled his eyes.

"Scintillating? Four syllables? Impressive Weasel!" Blaise drawled in a creditably Malfoy way.

"You would make a fortune rivalling my own if you published something like that." Draco said, winking at Lavender, "Everyone wants to know about my love life after all."

Ron snorted.

Grey eyes turned to regard him.

"And are you on that list Weasley?"

Lavender's giggles were enough for Draco. She sped off arm in arm with Pavarti whispering loudly and leaving her boyfriend standing with his most hated adversary.

"Sod off, Malfoy." Ron responded, unable to stop a grin from covering his freckled face.

"Good job mate she's a right catch." Draco said admiration creeping into his voice.

"I'd give her one." Blaise agreed, mildly.

Ron bristled at that but was interrupted before he could do anything stupid.

"One of what? And to whom?" Hermione asked curiously when she, Harry and Neville reached the three boys.

"A quill, to you, Granger, if you ever need a good one that is." Draco said smirking at Ron, who surprisingly, smirked back.

Neville's eyes widened as the unnatural expression crossed Ron's face.

"That's alright Malfoy, if Hermione ever needs a good Quill, I'll give it to her." Harry said, puzzled.

"I'm sure you will." Draco responded, politely. "Blaise, we better not be late to class, come on."

The two Slytherins, holding their sides in suppressed laughter, swept off to their lesson, leaving a strangely smirking Ron, a curious Hermione and puzzled Harry and Neville to follow in their wake.