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Disclaimer: I only own Delilah Longbottom, everyone and thing else belongs to JK Rowling.

Chapter Four: Inner Tarts

Delilah Longbottom was up incredibly early the next morning, much to her chagrin. None of her roommates were awake. Not Hermione, not Lavender, not Ginny, not Parvati. Just Delilah. It was difficult to get changed as quietly as she wished, so Delilah decided getting changed was pointless and wlaked down to the Common Room in her pyjamas. It was – according to her watch – only just six.

"I guess I've got the Common Room to myself." She spoke to herself because no one was around to make fun of her, or so she thought.

"Not quite."

"Oh, Nev! You scared the living day lights out of me!"

"Sorry, Dee. What are you doing up so early? It's not like you." Delilah joined her pyjama-clad cousin on the two seater couch in front of the fire, resting her feet on his unsuspecting lap.

"I just woke up crazy early, I guess I'm supposed to do something." She shrugged, "What about you? You barely make it to class on time."

"I had rounds." Neville answered in a casual tone. Delilah thought nothing of it until she noticed a badge on his chest marked with a capital 'H'. Delilah scrambled to crawl to her cousin, taking the badge in her fingers and inspecting it closely.

"Why didn't you tell me? I only spent every day with you!" no time was given to answer; Delilah wrapped her arms around Neville's neck and hugged him, "I'm so proud of you! You deserve it! I still can't believe it, though! What did Gran think? Who else knows? No! More importantly, who's Head Girl? Why didn't McGonagall tell everyone at the Feast?"

"She did. You were too busy drooling over the Irish. I didn't tell you because it's not a big deal. Gran was sure they'd sent it to the wrong person but proud… And everyone who was paying attention at the Feast knows. Yesterday during my free I was with McGonagall.

"Alright, who's Head Girl? Is it Luna? Oh! That's so cute!"

"I wish! It's Hannah."

"Abbott? Hufflepuff? Tall, blonde?"

"The one and only." She smiled at him, proud as she had ever been. She willed herself not to cry and only succeeded because Neville caught her and proceeded to laugh.

"I'm sorry if I think this is bloody brilliant. Nev, you deserve this more than anyone else. Take a few points from Zacharias for being a mindless ponce and a few from Parkinson for being alive won't you?"

"This is why you never made prefect." He said pointedly.

"No, I never made prefect for two reasons. I was up against Hermione and I'm terrible with rules." Delilah spoke the truth but her cousin shot her a knowing look, "Fine and because I would abuse the power of being able to deduct points."

"You guys are too loud! I can hear you half way up the stairs." Dean entered the Common Room, he, too, was still in his pyjamas.

"Well sorry Mr Thomas. It's just that this git here just told me he was Head Boy."

"You didn't tell her? You came in after the Feast and almost broke your bed you were so excited." Delilah hit Neville's arm angry as Dean spoke, even more annoyed that he hadn't told her.

The three of them sat in front of the fire – Neville and Delilah sat on opposite ends of the couch, her feet resting on his lap again, and Dean sat on the floor in front of Delilah – and started talking. It was about the Evening Prophet and the information it contained about the arrests of more Death Eaters.

"I bet it was Harry," Delilah stated with a nod, "Ginny says he hasn't stopped." She rested a small hand on top of Dean's head and messed up his hair. "When we talk about her – Ginny – or she's around… Does it bother you?"

"She's with Harry now." Dean shook his head.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I'm over it, Dee, really. I've had enough time."

"Glad to hear it!" She ruffled his hair some more.

"So, Dean. I'm with Luna, Dee's in love… Who do you fancy?" Dean turned his head to look at Neville – thus making Dee's hand fall – and laughed.

"Nah, mate. I'm not interested in anyone at the moment. Just enjoying being alive." They agreed that it was a good idea before turning the conversation back to the Evening Prophet.

"Honestly, you're still in your pyjamas? It's nearly eight! Did you want breakfast or not?" It was Hermione who finall alerted them to the time. Many people had walked through the Common Room but nothing was said to the three by the fire.

"We've been talking for nearly two hours…" Delilah yawned and used her feet to push Dean forward so she could stand up, "Great chatting with you , boys."

"We should make sure Seamus is away," Neville was heard saying as he walked off.

"He won't be." Dean didn't even hesitate to say.

Delilah ran up the stair case, almost knocking over a few first years, and burst into her dormitory. Lavender looked like she hadn't slept a wink, Parvati looked less-than-thrilled about going to class and Ginny looked elated.

"It was Harry! He caught the Death Eaters yesterday! Him and Ronald!" Ginny smiled with absolute pride, "He's caught so many!"

"Harry or Ron?"

"Both of them! Kingsley is so pleased with them! Dad says there's word going 'round the Ministry that Harry is already in line to be Head of the Department!"

"Justifiably so! And that's a good thing! Your future will be nothing but stable." Delilah was making kissy faces at the redhead who was too busy dreaming of her future that she didn't notice."Everyone ready for classes? What do you all have?"

"Lav and I have Care of Magical Creatures."

"Brilliant! So do I!" Delilah smiled at her friends brightly.

"I have Herbology. The class is so popular that they have two classes! Ginny was in disbelief, "It has to have something to do with people seeing the damage the plants did at the Battle, no one wanted to drop it after that."

As the four girls walked down to breakfast, Parvati commented that the staircases were even quicker to change than they used to be and Ginny noticed extra trick steps – presumably caused by the curses that had struck them only months before.

Neville, Dean and Seamus were waiting for the girls outside the Great Hall just like they always did. Delilah sent Seamus a warm but smile but he turned to walk into the Hall without even acknowledging her presence.

"What?" Delilah asked, hurrying to keep up with him, "Are you still sour because I didn't help you out yesterday? This year is different Shay! You weren't about to have a wand drawn on you! You have a detention that isn't going to end with you covered in blood!"

"What are the-"

"Lovers' quarrel."

"Shut it, Neville." Seamus thumped his friend upside the head. "But it was Smith and Parkinson."

"I asked the cousin if he could maybe dock a few points from them this morning. Okay? I haven't suddenly decided to befriend either of them I just don't feel the need to interrupt a class to tell them how I feel. I'm happy with doing in it in the halls."

"You're in our Creatures, class?" Delilah asked when she noticed that Seamus hadn't turned off to a room in the Castle but was, instead, following them down to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He nodded but didn't say anything. When he was walking in front of her, she pretended to choke him. Parvati started giggling beside her.

"Are you eighteen or not?" Lavender asked as she watched her friends behave childishly. "Grow up, Dee."

"Wow, lighten up Lavender. Why don't you let me know when my best friend's back?"

"I'm still your best friend, Delilah." She said as she stopped in front of Delilah and put her hands on her shoulders, "I just think, that after everything, we should all grow up and act like adults."

"I did a whole lot of growing up last year."

"Standing up to the Carrows wasn't brave, it was bloody stupid. You may have been Gryffindor's freakin' queen for doing it, Delilah… But in hindsight and it was pathetic and a plea for attention."

"At least the attention I was getting wasn't because I'm an easy shag." Delilah spoke without thinking. It was a comment made by just about every other girl in the school, and some guys, but never had Delilah said such a thing.

"Right. Why don't you send me an owl when Dee comes back." Lavender turned around as soon as she had finished speaking, walking with haste down to their half-giant teacher.

"Fuck. I didn't mean to say that." Delilah swore, "She has to know I didn't mean that! She's my best friend!"

"That doesn't change the fact that, yes, she is a bit of a tart." Parvati commented, "She's been through a rough time, though. I wouldn't be surprised if she tarts it up a bit in an attempt to get her self esteem back."

"You're worse than I am!"

"I'm allowed to be. I'm the tart of our family." Parvati said with a shrug, "I'm only back here because Padma convinced our parents that it was compulsory. If it wasn't, I'd be pub-hopping all through Europe looking for guys with accents." The Indian girl was smirking as she spoke, "She'll come around. Just try apologising to her. You two fighting is going to blow this group to smithereens if we have to start picking sides.