She plucked the note out of the air, glanced at Lavender, and proceeded to read it.
If music be he food of love
Then give me apple pies.
Harry's glasses are the only thing
As sparkly as your eyes.
Ginny Weasley, I love you,
You are so very funny.
So please will you go out with me,
I love you more than Herbology.
Neville
xXx
Lavender, who had been reading over Ginny's shoulder, stared transfixed at the note, a grin etched on her face.
'Oh. My. God,' she began to giggle, 'That is THE worst thing I've read in my life!'
Neville's face fell. Why wasn't Ginny saying anything? He couldn't see her, and he wanted to know. He banged his head on the statue he was hiding behind.
'What was that noise?' Ginny spoke up, startled.
A muffled 'Oops…' was heard from the statue beside them.
'NEVILLE!' Ginny screeched, 'Stop following me!'
With that, Ginny turned on her heel and muttered to Lavender. 'Oh Gods, keep that freak away from me,'
Then she sped away down the corridor very quickly, leaving a very amused Lavender behind.
'Well done, Nev,' she giggled, oblivious to the fact that Neville had suddenly appeared next to her.
Neville watched Ginny's departure with disbelief.
'Did… did you not like it?' he called.
'Nev, that was bad. Baaad. Poetry really isn't your thing…' Lavender answered on Ginny's behalf, 'Anyway, must dash. Meeting Justin in the Astronomy tower.'
'Hey, Lavender… how did Justin… erm… woo you?'
'Gotta go. Speak to you later,' she shouted back to him as she skipped off towards the towers.
'Oh… thanks. Erm… great.'
Neville wandered slowly back to the Gryffindor tower, lost in thought. There was no way he was going to remember the password today…
'Lavender's blue, dilly dilly,
Lavender's green
When I am King, dilly dilly,
You will be Queen
Who told you so, dilly dilly,
Who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly,
That told me so'
Lavender smiled at the sound of Justin singing her song. He had a beautiful voice; soft and soothing, a voice that would make any girl swoon. But he reserved it only for her, a token of his love and adoration.
She climbed slowly up the stairs, revelling in the beauty of the melody that encircled her. He always knew when she was coming, and she would always be greeted by her lullaby.
He encapsulated her spirit, brought it to him, blessed her with his devotedness, and made her fall deeper in love every time she saw him.
Lavender thought back to Neville's poem and giggled slightly.
'If music be the food of love, then give me apple pies,' she thought, 'No. If music be the food of love, then I am in way deep.'
Justin was waiting at the head of the stairs for her.
'You came,' he smiled, 'You followed me.'
'Why did you think I wouldn't?' Lavender returned, slightly intimidated.
He bowed his head, as if ashamed. 'I never believe that you will.'
'You think I'd bail on you? I love you.'
'Love?' he whispered, the sound echoing down the stairs into the empty corridor below.
'Love?' Draco responded, 'And do you actually know anything about love?'
Harry's face fell. 'Well… Yes. Of course I do. I know what I feel, and I love you.'
Draco snorted into his coffee. 'You know, that's the best gag I've heard for ages. Harry frickin' Potter, the Boy With No Parents, knows what LOVE is. Where d'ya learn that one; from Mudblood over there?'
Harry's face paled. Why was Draco acting like this? He'd seemed so loving and caring when they'd spent the evening together.
'But… yesterday-'
'Yesterday nothing. It was the moment. It was the atmosphere, the song. It was a mistake, and you just took it for granted. Now fuck off, and leave me to my coffee.'
Draco turned back to his mug, and commenced to ignore the broken boy standing next to him.
Harry stared at Draco, dumbstruck by what he had said. As he turned to walk away, the lyrics of the song that they had made love to came welling back to him, tears skittering to his eyes.
'And when your fears subside
And shadows still remain
I know that you can love me
When there's no one left to blame
So never mind the darkness
We still can find a way
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
Even cold November rain
Don't ya think that you need somebody?
Don't ya think that you need someone?
You're not the only one
You're not the only one'
'Fuck him,' thought Harry, 'Fuck him and his taunts. I love him, and I'm gonna make him love me too, someday.'
'Harry?' The Voice of All Reason travelled from the other end of the corridor.
Harry slowed his pace down, giving time for Hermione to catch up with him.
'Harry? Are you ok? Where have you been? We were worried about you…'
'Nowhere. I just… went for a walk,' Harry replied.
'One damn long walk. You were gone all night,' Hermione pried.
'Yup. All night,' he agreed.
Hermione let the subject drop.
'Harry…'
'Yes, Hermione?' Harry sighed.
'Don't worry about Malfoy. He'll come round,' And with that, Hermione rounded the corner to the Common Room.
'Hermione? Wha-'
Neville emerged from behind the pillar once Harry and Hermione had passed him, peering around to make sure there were no other students wandering around near him before he carried on humming his tune, heading towards the window overlooking the Quidditch pitch.
The tune reminded him of Ginny, and his failed attempt to get her to notice him. It was a pretty little ditty, and it gave him such good advice…
Well, so good to me, they spit right in my faceI didn't even feel it
It was such a disgrace.
I punched my fist right through the glass
I didn't even feel it
It happened so fast.
Such fun.
'Such fun…' Neville lilted as he launched himself through the shimmering panes, far from the ground below.
Such fun.