Neville counted again to make sure he had all his belongings before boarding the train. He whispered a word or two of comfort to Trevor, who hated his carrying cage and was clearly plotting to escape it as soon as possible, and found himself a place at the back of a knot of students waiting to get on. They were chattering merrily and did not notice him, and he looked down awkwardly, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible. But he couldn't help overhearing, especially when he heard his own name.
"Anyway, it's a good thing Slytherin didn't win this time, even if it's just because Dumbledore's as biased in Gryffindor's favor as Snape is in Slytherin's...can you believe that ten points he slipped that Longbottom just to make the Gryffs win this time?"
"Oh, come on, Ernie, Neville deserved those points. Dumbledore's right, it does take guts to stand up to people you actually want to like you." The voice was Hannah's, and his heart warmed to her. Even if Ernie's right...
"You're too nice, Hannah. I mean, Longbottom's OK and all, he's not like Malfoy or Parkinson, but he's not exactly the hero of Hogwarts."
"He might surprise you someday."
"Got a crush, Hannah?" the redheaded girl standing next to her- Susan Bones, isn't it? - asked, teasingly.
No, no, no, don't say things like that, or she'll feel awkward and stop wanting to be friends with me...Neville bit his lip and looked down at his feet. It wasn't as if they were particularly close - they'd chatted a few times over the year, when they got a chance - but he felt comfortable around Hannah in a way he didn't feel around most people, he could talk to her about things she understood and no one else did, and he really did not want to lose that.
But Hannah's tone was relaxed, if exasperated. "Oh, for Pete's sake, Susan, stop trying to pair everyone off! He's just a friend, that's all. But he's a really good person and he's been through a lot, so lay off him, OK?"
"All right, all right, I never said he wasn't a good person. If he's your friend, he must be." Ernie patted Hannah on the back comfortingly - and a bit condescendingly, Neville thought.
At that moment, the train doors opened, and they all clambered on, one after another. Neville was careful to stay hidden in the back of the crowd, and found himself a quiet corner of one car to sit in well away from the Hufflepuff group, not wanting them to know he'd overheard. But there was a little bright happy spark in his heart that hadn't been there before, and he treasured it all the way home. Someone actually likes me. And not because she has to, like family or the other Gryffindors - just because she wants to.