Chapter 10: Snow

Winter did not wait long. Within the next three weeks, the last of the leaves had fallen and the lake had frozen over. The first snow started to fall on the castle, a welcome change from the dreary grayness. The gryphons had moved to a small hut for the winter. Hagrid made it as cave-like and natural he could, but found that the gryphons stuck evergreen branches and hung strings of feathers on the walls. The four 'students' got to see what a true eyrie looked like: an enormous nest cushioned on the inside with moss and molted feathers saved up from autumn, lined with gold, silver, and iron trinkets. A strip of leather was woven into the nest, from which a small amulet was suspended. Neville sensed magic emanating from it, as he was sure could the others. It made him feel safe. Draco in particular seemed drawn to it, and ended up almost stealing the thing. Gold growled at him before he had a chance to remove it.

Meanwhile, the shoots on the mysterious floating fruit grew into long vine-like feelers that, unlike the rest of the fruit, obeyed the laws of gravity. Neville, deciding to keep a log of what happened as he tried to grow this plant, guessed that this was how the fruit eventually settled down into a new location. Arthur, on the other hand, was convinced that they were solely to make the plant look creepy so nothing eats it.

"Stop tapping on the glass, it's not gonna move." Neville brought the plant with him to the Slytherin common room, only to have Goyle incessantly ask him questions about it while poking the glass.

"How do you know?"

"Because it's not known to move. It just floats."

"Well you don't know if it moves at this stage, do you Longbottom?" Draco casually sat down next to Vincent

"How d'you mean?"

"Do you know that much about it?"

"Well, no. No one does."

"So maybe it does move."

"Maybe."

His look of smug satisfaction did not bode well. Before Neville could take the jar away, Draco lifted it slightly off the table and stuck his finger through the neck, reaching the tip of the longest feeler. After poking it, the feeler suddenly sprung to life, winding itself around his finger. Draco let out a small yelp and slammed the jar back down.

"See? It definitely moves."

"Huh. So it does." Neville jotted down a note in the margin of his parchment.

"I should get a mention. When you get that thing published," Draco said, pointing at the parchment

"Oh of course. Your inability to keep your fingers away from potentially dangerous plants will be duly noted." Neville said as Vincent laughed. Draco sat back, still thoroughly pleased with himself.

The snow had been going for two days, thickening the layer of white until trees looked like they were covered in clouds. Rowdier students threw snowballs at each other, a few banded together to make a giant snowman, with a smile and a crooked nose. When the Weasley twins found it, they quickly disappeared into the Gryffindor dormitory, and came back a few hours later with what looked like a black mop that was of course placed on the snowman's head. Snow-Snape lasted a whole two hours before his inspiration came to destroy him. Neville was actually able to watch the destruction, albeit at a certain distance, wishing he had his camera to immortalize the moment.

He was at the gryphon's hut with the rest of the four when Xiao Li appeared, uncharacteristically disheveled and distressed.

"Come...come...with me" she panted, turned around and ran in the direction she came from. All four followed her to a small clearing near the hut, where Benny's angry yelling was bouncing off the trees.

"What's going on?" Neville, knowing Benny, immediately started talking to distract him

"Y'see them?" Benny had his wand drawn and pointed squarely at the de Lacroix twins, who looked unperturbed

"Put down your wand, and tell me what's going on." Arthur said

"They they! Told me I won't be an Auror! Bloody quacks!"

"Did you ask them about it?" Neville said slowly

"Yeah. They're supposed the be the fortune-tellers right? So I asked 'em. And they go and tell me that I won't get in. Me! I work my arse off in school and they go and tell me I won't get in." he was crying now

"You don't know Benny, maybe that means you'll get some other job. Something better."

"Oh shut up! Just shut up!" he swung his wand at Neville, "I wanted to be an Auror my whole life and you say 'somewhere better'! You're just like them!"

Benny swung the wand again, yelling out a spell through his tears. Arthur and Luna were safely out of the way, but Neville had no time. The spell was aimed right at him. Bright orange tore through his side and he fell backwards into the snow. Time stood still for a moment and the snow stopped in midair, floating like the gaudy fruit he was trying to grow. Then, just as quickly, he heard Arthur spring into action, yelling louder than he'd thought possible, at Benny who froze in horror at his own actions.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! Look at what you've done! What the bloody hell were you thinking!" Arthur continued yelling as he grabbed Benny by the arm and dragged him in the direction of the castle.

Luna bent down to check Neville's side and after a quick 'it's not that bad, I'll be right back' ran off to get Madame Pomfrey. Neville tried to move, but his side stung badly. There was movement behind him and soon Draco's face came into view. He had been partially hit by the spell too, having leaned in with a 'protego' whispered too late to be effective. He checked the wound, which looked like a deep curvy scratch, and patted it with a handful of snow.

"Here. This should be good until you get to the Hospital Wing."

He produced a small vial from his robes, opened it and treated the wound. The bleeding lessened and the pain dulled away to an ache.

"Thank you," Neville sat up and noticed the smell of the mixture, "You've been through my stores again, haven't you?"

"Yes I have. I've gotten much better at breaking in." he smirked

"Ugh, you idiot. If you need something, just ask!"

"Where's the fun in that?"

And just like that Neville broke the promise he'd made himself right before the snows.

That was short-lived... he thought briefly. Stuck way too close to each other, both froze. Neville found that the gray eyes he was studying were getting closer and closer. His breath hitched and...

Suddenly he was gone. Somehow, he was already far in the distance, standing out against the snow. Neville was left numb, trying to process what just happened. Only when Luna and Madame Pomfrey arrived, about five minutes late, did it finally hit him that the Malfoy heir's been afraid of being too close as well.

A/N: Depriving myself of puzzleshipping fanfiction until I get to spring on this thing. Waiting out the writer's block isn't working, so I've decided to use the pickaxe instead.

Thank you to all my readers! 3 3 3