'If Harry gets chucked out then I'll have to be best friends with Neville.'

'Don't be an arse, Ron. You can hang around with us.'

'Definitely.'

Ron groaned and leaned back against the wall, still turning the whole thing over in his head half an hour later. 'It'll be my fault if he gets chucked out. I should've told him not to be an idiot.'

'Nah,' Seamus told him. 'Not at all.' He paused for a moment, desperate to point something else out but also aware that it could be seen as insensitive. He couldn't hold it in for very long, though. 'He was bloody good, though, wasn't he?'

'Yeah,' Dean agreed immediately, face splitting into a grin. 'Just the bit where he pulled it up at the end, like-'

'I thought he was going to smash his face in.'

'Me too,' Ron said guiltily. 'Bloody Malfoy. I'll smash his face in,' he said, trying to convince everybody that he was capable of it. Unfortunately, he was largely unsuccessful. It wasn't that Ron didn't have the drive to go and avenge Harry's unfair dismissal, if it happened – touch wood it didn't. It was simply that Malfoy had his goons, and Ron had… well. Long lanky limbs without much muscle on them. It'd be no contest. 'Do you reckon they'll let him off?'

'Mate,' Seamus said firmly. 'He's feckin' Harry Potter. They're not going to expel him for surviving where most people'd just die.'

Dean snorted, punching him in the arm even if he clearly saw the humour in it. 'Shut up, Seamus. They won't, though, Ron. He's right about that, at least.'

They fell quiet again for a few moments. They were friendly with one another, but not close enough that conversation could carry on freely without gaps like this. As it turned out, the gap served quite a good purpose. They'd all cooled off again by the time Ron spoke up again. 'Reckon Neville's alright?'

'They reckon that Madam Pomfrey can cure anything,' Seamus said wisely.

'Maybe not anything,' Dean added, fiddling with the knot of his tie, 'but he only landed a bit funny on his wrist. He'll be back tonight, probably.'

'Daft git,' Ron grumbled, as though Neville had fallen purposely to irritate him. 'I don't know how he managed it.'

'I think we should probably go and see him.'

'Why?'

Dean finished adjusting his clothes, looking up with a small smile to explain himself. 'Just seems nice. We're not busy.'

'Said it before and I'll say it again,' Seamus said, grinning at him and reaching to ruffle his hair again. 'You're too nice to other people for your own good, you soft sod.'