Chapter 7 - A Welcome Change
Severus Snape could not understand. He hadn't worked this hard at being vile in a long time - it usually only took a sneer or a couple of well placed insults for most people. His mere presence was all that was ordinarily required to turn Longbottom into a quivering wreck.
"He must be taking arrogance lessons from Potter."
Minerva McGonagall had also noticed a distinct change in Neville's attitude. He actually beamed at her when she asked for a demonstration. His broken wand caught fire, but he was closer than he usually was at performing well. She, however, had a very different view of this from Professor Snape.
"Well it's about time!"
Sibyll Patricia Trelawney's view was somewhere in between the extreme annoyance of Professor Snape and happiness of Professor McGongall, though of course, she was unaware of that. She was pleased that the boy had stopped shaking whenever she approached him. She was not so delighted that he grinned all through her predictions of his future.
"He really should start taking his fate more seriously!"
Pomona Sprout noticed no difference.
"Well done, Longbottom. That's exactly the right way to do it."
Herbology had always been Neville's favourite class and now he loved it more than ever. He actually put his hand up to answer questions - something he very rarely did even though he knew all the answers to Professor Sprout's questions. He didn't want to seem like a know-it-all.
Today, however, he couldn't stop himself from humming under his breath. The bit he was most looking forward to was about to come.
Harry and Ron were playing chess in the Common Room when Hermione hurtled herself through the portrait hole and straight towards them.
"You'll never guess what I just found it" She said breathlessly, the corners of her mouth twitching violently.
"Nope, I guess we won't, so we should even bother trying" said Ron in a controlled voice, attempting a return to their game. Evidently he was still sore about Hermione's comments during Transfiguration.
"Oh shut up" she said, and launched into full gossip mode.
"Well you must of noticed how different Neville is acting today? (They shook their heads.) Ugh, you two are unbelievable! You're trying to tell me you didn't notice how happy he was today - even during Potions? (Oh, yeah..) There you go! Well, I noticed it most during Herbology because normally I'm partnered with him but today he already had a partner and I had to pair with Justin Finch-Fletchly. I remember thinking that was weird but then Professor Sprout started telling us about what we would be doing next year and I forgot all about. (Ron clicked his tongue, but Hermione ignored him). Anyway, I was just in the Library ("Again?") and I was talking to Ernie McMillan about our Arthimancy homework when he told me that his friend Hannah Abbot has got a boyfriend."
Here she paused to look at them meaningfully. Ron wondered if she was ever going to tell them the point of this story. Harry wondered who Hannah was.
"Hufflepuff, blonde pigtails? She came to the all DA meetings!" Hermione told them, visibly exasperated. Seeing the looks of dawning comprehension, she continued.
"Well, isn't it obvious?"
Clearly it wasn't. Harry and Ron looked at each other, even more confused than when she had started this story.
"NEVILLE'S GOING OUT WITH HANNAH, YOU PAIR OF…!"
"Miss Granger?" enquired the Headmaster's voice "I don't think Mr Longbottom or Miss Abbot would like the whole of Hogwarts to hear their personal business, do you?"
At which point both Harry and Ron were overcome by coughing fits.
