Previous chapter:

I need somewhere to hide.

I need somewhere they can't find us, somewhere unplottable, unreachable.

Nothing was happening. The wall was still a wall.

"I… I don't understand, it should be working…" his breath was misting. He turned, face tense with fear. "Hermione…"

Her eyes suddenly lit up.

"Harry… we can't get in because someone's already there!"

She dove her hands into his pocket, snatching the map from him. He watched her fast eyes absorbing the map.

"It's Neville, Harry… I can't see Neville."

Gasping as he realised what Hermione was saying, he turned back around, facing the wall. He focused on a different thought instead.

I need to find the hiding place of Dumbledore's Army.


Immediately after Harry finished the thought, a pair of door handles materialised. Hermione gasped, grabbing his arm, her eyes wide. Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloak off them. If only D.A. members could enter, then they were undoubtedly his allies. And plus, bursting in while invisible was not the best idea; he would only get them hexed by a dozen people. Revealed, Harry glanced over his shoulder, checking that the hallway was still deserted. The temperature was dropping rapidly.

Not waiting for a second longer, Harry grasped the handles to the Room of Requirement, giving Hermione a wary look, and pulled them open, hurriedly stepping inside.

He had expected to find the full D.A., or at least those in Gryffindor. In his mind, he was seeing the odd poorly aimed stunning charm flying overhead, Ginny destroying yet another mannequin, someone flying back into the cushions from an impediment charm. He was expecting a cacophony of noise.

What he didn't expect to find was a single person sitting on the ground, alone, back against the wall, eyes shut. The moment he and Hermione entered, the sole occupant's eyes flew open. They stared at each other, then the lone figure leapt to his feet, wand outstretched in a dueling stance that Harry himself had taught him.

The Neville Longbottom before him was very different from his friend whom he had said farewell to last summer. His face was pale, withdrawn, eyes wide, almost bulging, with anxiety. His hand was tensing on his wand, bewildered and scared. But then his tension drained as he saw precisely who had stepped into the Room and his mouth dropped open in complete astonishment.

"Harry?" His voice was hoarse. He swallowed and stepped forward, his eyes somehow getting wider. " Hermione ?"

"Yeah, it's us," Harry confirmed, cautiously approaching, wary that Neville was aiming his wand right at him. He lowered his own wand. He employed some rapid thinking to land on something that would confirm who he was. "Er… in third year, you made a boggart Snape wear your gran's clothes. There was a stuffed vulture on his head."

Neville's pale face split into a broad grin and he immediately lowered his wand. He gave a small laugh, then another, louder on. Then the next thing both Harry and Hermione knew, Neville was rushing towards them, his arms outstretched. He yanked them both into a hug, bodies crashing together in an awkward embrace.

"I… I don't believe it…" Neville managed to say between laughs. "They locked the school down because of you ?"

Harry managed to extract himself from Neville, but he had noticed that the other boy was shaking rather violently. He used the reprieve to stuff the Invisibility Cloak under his jumper.

"Yeah, about that… Judging that you're hiding in here yourself, I take it that we're safe?" He pulled the map out from his pocket, thrusting his wand into his belt. He noticed then that there already was a wand there. Malfoy's wand.

Hermione, however, grabbed Neville's shoulders and looking him up and down, scrutinising him with a narrowed-eyed stare.

"You're hurt," she accused. Nevill gave a small shrug.

"I'm fine," he said dismissively, "I was in detention when Snape locked down the school. I thought the others had done something to cut it short. I never imagined it would be you."

"Detention?" Hermione repeated. Harry finished checking his newly acquired second wand and paid attention to what Neville had said, putting it together. The violent shakes, the pale face… the fact that he himself had been subjected to the curse only a few moments ago down in the Chamber…

Furious, Harry stepped up to Neville putting a hand on his shoulder.

"They're using the Cruciatus Curse as punishment ?" He asked, outraged. Rage rippled through Harry, recalling what Dobby had said the night before about Dark magic being used on the students.

"The Carrows make us practice it on those in detention, some enjoy it - Crabbe and Goyle especially…" Neville's face darkened.

"Right… we had a run-in with them and Malfoy earlier," Harry said. "We had hoped to slip in and out unnoticed, but like most of my plans, it didn't… go to plan."

"Well, I owe you then. Only had to stick out a couple of rounds," the matter-of-fact way Neville talked about being tortured, him, whose parents had been driven insane by the same curse, was too much for Harry to handle.

Hermione rubbed Neville's arm, her eyes wide with concern. She glanced over to Harry, biting her lip. He understood her dilemma. How could they do nothing now that they knew how bad things were?

"If you told me this morning that I would bump into you of all people, I would have called you crackers," Neville said, but then he frowned, looking over to Hermione, searching around the room. "Wait… where's Ron?"

Harry felt as if he had been punched in the stomach with the casual name drop. Hermione visibly flinched at the mention.

"He's… not well," Hermione said carefully, "he has splattergroit."

Neville snorted. "Don't worry, Ginny told us that he's actually travelling with you."

Harry winced at the thought that Ginny had given away Ron's cover story so freely. He hoped that 'us' didn't include people with loose tongues.

"He was travelling with us but…" Harry tapped his hand with the map, struggling to think of what to say. "We had a pretty big falling out and he's gone to stay with family. I don't know if he plans to stay in hiding or fake a miraculous recovery."

Neville looked shocked. "Shit… Ginny's going to have a fit when she finds out."

"Er… right, well… she'll find out sooner or later I expect," Harry said, then he pulled himself back to the matter at hand. He looked down at the map. "How come you came here and not back to the Common Room?"

"We've been using it as a hideout. Like I said, I thought the lockdown was a response to a stunt by the others. We've been causing a bit of chaos. Painting slogans on the walls, dropping nifflers in the Carrows' office." Neville grinned again. "We had a party at Hagrid's when we heard about you showing up at Godric's Hollow on Halloween,"

Harry listened with mounting horror. "Neville… I know I'm not one to judge but isn't all that a bit reckless? These people don't care who they hurt."

"They're under orders to not maim anyone whose family are in the Sacred Twenty Eight," Neville said grimly. Harry responded with a blank look. "The Ministry brought back the old pureblood nonsense with the ancient families. Well… I say the Ministry, but we all know who's really in charge."

Harry recalled the family tree tapestry in Number Twelve with the interweaving lines that linked the pureblood families together. It sickened him.

"As a pureblood, even if I'm a blood traitor, I'm more valuable to them alive even if I cause them trouble," Neville's expression was thunderous, "but those who aren't pureblood get the full treatment. Caning, cruciatus… chains…"

Harry recalled the shackles in Filch's office with horror.

"That's barbaric," Hermione said, horrified. Neville nodded.

"The other teachers are meant to refer us to the Carrows for punishment, but they avoid it." Neville watched Harry as he went to study the map again. "But enough about that, you… why are you both here?" He shook his head. "No, how are you here? The passageways out of the school are blocked off and guarded."

Harry's head shot up. "What? Even the one on the second floor?"

"The one behind the one-eyed witch?" Neville asked him, eyes squinting down at the map, moving in close. "Merlin, is that the map? Ginny mentioned that you have a map of the school…"

Again, another secret that had been shared without his consent.

"Yeah, my dad and his friends made this when they were at school…" Harry explained briefly. He turned so Neville could see it properly and not upside down. Hermione moved to his other side. "And we got here using a house elf. A friend of mine - Dobby."

Neville nodded, knowing who Dobby was from his visits to the boy's dormitory every once in a while, as well as when Dobby warned them about Umbridge learning about the D.A.

"Dobby can't get us out the same way, so he's gone to the kitchens to hide there," Harry continued, "we… uh… were in the Chamber of Secrets." He decided to trust Neville at least what they were doing, even if he didn't share why they had come. "But when we arrived, we bumped into Moaning Myrtle. I thought I could trust her but apparently, she has different allegiances now and she told Malfoy where we were."

Neville's eyes widened. "Malfoy? But… if he knew you were here, why didn't he…?" He poked his left arm with his wand.

"He wanted to capture me himself," Harry said, glancing over to Hermione, "he, Crabbe and Goyle tried to ambush me but they didn't gamble on Hermione being as good as she is with her wand."

"Morons," Neville said, giving a snort. "Serves them right. I take it they're still down there then?"

"Yeah, stunned and trussed up like Christmas turkeys."

"Do you think Myrtle will grass to anyone else?" Neville asked him. "Like Snape, for example?"

Harry hadn't thought about that. In fact, he hadn't thought of anything. His brain felt like it had come to a complete standstill.

"Er… I don't think so, but then I thought she wouldn't go to Malfoy so no idea."

"I think it's likely she'll raise the alarm about Malfoy being missing. Look, she's in the bathroom," Hermione pointed out, bringing their attention to the girl's bathroom where, sure enough, there was a label for ' Myrtle Warren '.

"Damnit, Myrtle, why did you have to fall for Malfoy of all people?" Harry groaned. He handed Hermione the map and paced away, pressing the heels of his hands to his forehead, kneading it in an attempt to get his cogs spinning.

"So… the school is full of dementors so we're stuck in here until they finish searching," he thought aloud. He turned, looking back over to Neville. "Has this happened before? This lockdown procedure thing?"

"Yeah, a few times," Neville replied. "The dementors will finish their sweep and then the heads of the Houses will take a headcount… but the school will still be under strict guard. All the exits and entrances are patrolled."

There's no way out. We're trapped.

Stop it!

We can't hide in here forever. We have a mission to take care of.

"There has to be a way out of the school," Harry blurted out, aghast. "I'll jump out of a window if I have to."

We can slip out at night… somehow.

How?

I don't know.

As he paced away from Neville and Hermione, his mind was in conflict with itself. His panic levels were on a catastrophic rise, his heart jumping in his chest. He felt a hand on his shoulder, ceasing his pacing. He looked up, seeing Hermione, her expression grim but her eyes were gentle and understanding.

"Calm down. We'll think of something," she said softly, "We always think of something."

Neville approached them, digging into his pockets. He pulled out something bright gold and round. A galleon. Harry was a little baffled that Neville would think of money at such a time.

"Ginny and Luna will have their galleons on hand. We all do," he said, extending his palm out, showing them the coin. It struck Harry then what the coin was. It was Neville's charmed galleon, the one that was linked to his own.

He wished he hadn't left his in his trunk.

"It's been driving the Carrows mad trying to find out how we've been communicating," Neville said with a grin, "once the lockdown lifts, I'll get word to the others and tell them to come here. Between all of us, we can create a diversion big enough to give you the opening for an escape."

That wasn't the option that Harry wanted to hear. He doubted that their pureblood backgrounds would protect them from the repercussions of aiding and abetting him of all people. It would hardly escape the death eaters' notice, especially when Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were discovered and would spill the beans about Harry and Hermione's presence in the school. He studied the galleon, trying to think of an alternative, but his mind was only full of panic.

The Carrows will torture them for information, just like how everyone at the wedding was tortured because of me.

Only if it's discovered…

It'll be obvious!

They might just think that we escaped on our own.

If we escape… there's no way out…

"It's the only way, Harry," Hermione's voice grounded him back. "This is their fight too."

He raised his head, looking at her. "If anything happens… because of this… because of me…"

Neville put his hand on his shoulder, making him look up to him instead. He wore an expression that Harry had never seen before. Absolute determination. His jaw was set, his eyes now clear, focused, their warm brown depths now taking on a fierceness that he usually associated with Ginny. He looked every part the son of two brave Aurors as he moved to encourage Harry and give him his support.

"We believe in you, Harry," he said to him firmly, "and now it's time for you to believe in us. Let us help."

He looked down at the galleon again. His stomach was in knots. He felt sick, the back of his neck prickling where he had sweated from their desperate run through the school. This was the Department of Mysteries all over again, getting his friends into trouble. But then… they had told him that it was their chance to do something that mattered. Their choice.

Who was he to make their decisions for them? If it was him in their shoes, being told to back off, he would be furious. Rightly so. If they wanted to help, it was their choice, not his. And he would have to live with that. Hermione was right. It was their fight too.

He reached up and put his hand on Neville's, meeting his gaze with his own, filling himself with the same grit, the same determination. His own Gryffindor spirit spluttered back into life as he took hope from his friend, from his trust and his belief.

"When he finds out that I was here, which he will, he won't hold back," Harry said quietly, "he chased me across two counties, put a Taboo on his own name, even issued a bounty on my head and made me the most wanted wizard alive. He… won't take any lives, but… he won't show any restraint either."

Rather than trigger any fear from Neville, his words only hardened his resolve.

"If it makes the coward show his face and not hide behind his puppets, then it'll be worth it," he said. He curled his fist over the galleon. "I think I'd like to see the look on his face when he finds out that you slipped from him again."

A small smirk tugged at Harry's lips at that. "Don't make me jealous. I'd like to see that too." He took his hand from Neville's and looked around the room. "So I take it we just have to wait for the dementors to finish? How long does it normally take?"

Neville gave a shrug. "A few hours."

"A few hours? " Harry choked out. "We have to wait that long?"

"The school's a pretty big place," Neville said, "and then the Heads have the registers to take… hmm… McGonagall is going to notice I'm missing."

"Is that going to be a problem?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"No, she'll cover for me… but she'll be worried," Neville said with a sad smile. Harry felt a wave of affection towards the woman. "If I can get a message to the others, they'll let her know that I'm alright."

Harry nodded. "Good, well…" He looked around the room. "We might as well get comfortable then while the dementors and death eaters search for us." His gaze settled on the cushions that they had once used as practice. He figured they might need something a bit more comfortable than sitting on the floor.

"The Room can provide us with pretty much anything," Neville said, "we've had to kip in here before when we were caught out after curfew and couldn't reach the Common Room without getting caught. The only thing it can't give us is food… which is a problem if we end up stuck here overnight. Hunger's the least of our worries, of course…"

"That's because the Room's magic is transfiguration-based," Hermione said, gesturing around the space, "these objects likely turn back to what they were changed from when the occupants leave. Food is one of the exceptions of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration so-."

"So what Hermione is saying is that the Room can't make food from nothing," Harry stepped in, shooting Hermione a wink. "But we have a solution."

Hermione had scowled at him for interrupting him, but then her brow crinkled in puzzlement.

"We do?"

"We have food. And somewhere to wait comfortably…"

He pictured the cozy living room of their tent. The soothing fluttering sound of the blue bell flames, the addictive sound of Hermione's laugh, the taste of hot chocolate, the touch of lips on his skin…

He looked around the room, then moved up to Hermione. "Pitch up?" He asked. Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced over at Neville. She handed him the map mutely and opened her bag. Neville edged to Harry's side, curious, as Hermione crouched down.

"Pitch up?" Neville repeated. "What, as in a…"

Hermione drew out the shrunken tent, placing it on the ground. Harry pulled Neville's arm to get him to give Hermione plenty of space so she could set up their portable home. Neville's mouth dropped open the same way it had done when they first walked into the Room and found him.

"Engorgio… erecto… "

With a pop, the tent grew, to its normal size, then it started to assemble itself, as if inflating. The poles stuck up, the ropes pulled out, making the canvas taut. Hermione fixed the pegs into the stone floor the same way she had done in the hut.

Soon enough, they were greeted with the bizarre picture of an old-fashioned tent, seemingly only large enough to sleep two, sat in the centre of the Room of Requirement, looking incredibly out of place.

"Erm…" Neville was baffled. Harry grinned, stuffing the map into his pocket. Hermione took the lead, pushing through the canvas flap. Harry followed, waving Neville over. He stepped inside, entering the familiar, safe space. Some of his anxiety ebbed as he entered their sanctuary. He heard Neville enter behind him and give a soft gasp. He turned, outstretching his arms.

"Welcome to Harry Potter's and Hermione Granger's humble abode," Harry said to Neville, enjoying the shock on his face. "Cup of tea?"

"Yes please," Hermione answered instead, heading over to the sitting room chairs. Harry gestured at the chairs.

"Take a seat, Nev," Harry urged him, using the nickname that only he and the boys of their dormitory used. At hearing it, some tension left Neville's shoulders. He went to join Hermione, looking around in surprise at the tent.

"You've been camping this whole time?"

"We stay on the move," Hermione informed him as she cast her blue bell flames into the bowl on the coffee table. It wasn't necessary, as it was always warm in Hogwarts, but it was part of their home now. It didn't feel right without it. "Our charms and enchantments keep us from discovery, but we keep our locations remote."

While Hermione and Neville conversed, Harry slid into the kitchen, busying himself with the kettle. He could hear Hermione and Neville talking behind him, but he paid attention instead to check the map while he absently charmed water into the kettle and set it to boil. Scanning the map, he narrowed his eyes at the girl's bathroom. Myrtle was still there and Malfoy hadn't yet made an appearance.

After a few minutes, he returned to the sitting room, levitating three mugs of tea onto the coffee table.

"Yours is the yellow mug," Harry told Neville when they settled on the table. Hermione immediately took her mug. Harry noted that Neville was sitting in the usually vacant seat. He caught Hermione's eye as he went to sit down himself.

He leaned back, rubbing the back of his head, surprising himself when he found the shorter hair brushing his hand rather than his usual long, messy locks. Neville watched him with an amused smile.

"I do have to ask. What did Hermione do to you to finally convince you to cut your hair? Tie you down and threaten you with scissors?"

Harry had been about to drink his tea when Neville mentioned being tied down. He nearly choked, exhaling harshly in the hot liquid, causing drops of tea to spray his gasses. Mortified, Harry put his mug down and went to clean them with his sleeve. He saw Hermione hiding behind her mug.

"Er… not quite," Harry said hoarsely. Neville appeared very amused by his reaction. Hermione, however, gave him a demure look over her mug, her eyes gleaming. He knew exactly what she was thinking about. He was thinking the same thing - when she actually did tie him down. Hermione cleared her throat and lowered her mug.

"Actually all it took was a well-placed compliment and… a bit of gentle persuasion," she said carefully. Harry's face burned and he concealed his embarrassment by studying the map intently.

"Right, well… it suits you," Neville said, then scrubbed at his own hair. "Maybe I should join in with the rugged, fugitive look."

"What can I say? I can't go anywhere without setting a trend," Harry said, eyes darting up, lit with amusement.

Hermione shook her head. "I can't believe you are talking about this while Death Eaters are currently searching the castle for us."

Neville put his mug down, taking the hint. He placed the charmed galleon on the table. "I'll send a message now, let them know that I'm here and to come when the lockdown lifts. It'll be just for Ginny and Luna."

He drew out his wand and began to tap on the coin, changing the letters to the message. He chewed on his lip with concentration. Harry took a moment to appreciate Neville's change in character. He appeared so much more confident in himself. All it took was a death eater take over for him to step into his own.

Harry caught Hermione staring at Neville with a similar appraisal. He wondered if she was having the same thoughts.

"There, they'll know I'm safe, at least," Neville said, sitting back. "So… uh… while we wait, mind telling me what possessed you to risk coming back here and make a trip down to the Chamber of Secrets?"


It didn't take long for Harry to get restless. He was soon up and in the kitchen, making dinner for the three of them. He listened in to the conversation that was happening in the sitting room, his sharp hearing picking up every word that was said. Neville shared the grim truth of how things at Hogwarts had been over the past two months. It didn't sound real: classes in Dark Arts, Muggle Studies that was actually propaganda nonsense about how sub-human muggles were and rumours that Voldemort himself had been in the castle, adding his own security measures while the students slept. Neville then shared about their attempt to steal the Sword of Gryffindor.

When they told Neville about their mission to procure basilisk venom, he had excitedly told them that they worked out that the sword had the properties of the venom, which was why they tried to steal it. However, their efforts were foiled and they were sent to the Forest as their punishment. Harry and Hermione didn't reveal that they were aware of this, having overheard Ted Tonks, Dean Thomas, Dirk Cresswell and the goblins.

And the topic of Halloween came up.

"The Daily Prophet has been printing such nonsense, trying to discredit Harry and now also you. They said that Harry had been trying to marshal an uprising in Godric's Hollow on Halloween… declaring a blood feud against the Ministry…" Neville was saying scathingly as Harry ceased his careful study of his steaks. He glanced over his shoulder just as Hermione sent a look his way.

"Actually, Neville… Harry was at Godric's Hollow on Halloween… we both were…"

Harry returned to his cooking before he overdid the steaks. While he knew no one was going to cuff him around the back of the head if he messed them up, he still didn't want a chewy steak, nor did he want to provide Hermione and Neville with a crappy dinner. He had some pride in his culinary skills.

"I'm nearly done," Harry called. "Can you set the table?"

He smirked as glasses and cutlery floated themselves out from the cupboard and drawers, summoned by Hermione who responded to his request with magic. He went to serve up the meal - steak and chips. He picked up the plates and, unlike Hermione, he carried them by hand. He caught Neville staring open-mouthed at him.

"When you said you were going to cook, I didn't think… actual cooking."

Hermione met Harry's look as she laid the table, smiling knowingly. Neville approached them and took the vacant seat.

"Well, it's not going to cook itself," Harry said, plopping himself in his chair. Hermione filled up his glass. "Thanks."

He noticed Neville looking awkward as he ate, stealing Harry the odd glance. Harry put the map next to him so he could check when the students started to leave their Common Rooms. He was hoping that they wouldn't have to sleep the night in the tent. It would mean resizing Ron's bed for Neville to use.

He did say that they slept in the Room… maybe he could sleep out there.

Bit harsh to eject him… when he's risking so much to help us.

He'll find out about us.

Harry's mind was whirring away as he ate. He glanced over at the map, seeing the school was still deserted.

"How did you get this food if you can't transfigure it?" Neville asked eventually after swallowing some steak.

"We went shopping," Harry replied, smiling at Neville's reaction. "Disguised, of course, as muggles. We're both muggle-raised so we can blend in without any trouble in the muggle world. It's a pretty handy survival skill when you're the wizarding world's most wanted."

"I bet," Neville said thoughtfully, "wow, well… I expect a lot of muggle-borns are doing the same right now."

"If they're wise enough, they would have left the country by now," Hermione said lightly, her eyes flashing up to meet Harry's. "I sent my parents abroad for their protection… but I stayed so I can fight with Harry."

Neville nodded, looking a little sheepish. "You have as much right to stay and fight as anyone."

"I expect my relatives are abroad by now," Harry said, moving his chips around the plate. He wasn't really that hungry, his stomach full of nerves. "Hopefully far out of the picture. I can't stand them but… well… I don't exactly want them to get hurt because of me."

"Are… your relatives why you know how to cook the muggle way?" Neville asked. Harry lowered his fork, surprised by the question. He realised that Neville knew very little about his life outside of Hogwarts. Not many people knew what wasn't printed in books or in the paper. He wasn't one to overshare, after all.

"Yeah. My aunt… uh… taught me," he said as vaguely as he could. "It's been a while since I've had to, but it's surprising how quickly it comes back."

"Well, I'm not judging at all. If I was in your position, roughing it while on the run, I'd probably starve to death in the first month," Neville said with a self-deprecating chuckle. He finished his meal and neatly put his cutlery together on the plate. Not for the first time, Harry noticed that Neville had impeccable manners, similar to his own. He only just realised why that was. Both of them had strict childhoods. His was muggle, Neville's magical.

"Are you done?" Hermione asked Harry, gesturing to his plate. He gave up eating and nodded. She took their plates, leaving Harry alone with Neville.

Harry took a moment to check the map again. Still locked down. He searched the castle for the Death Eaters, finding Snape and the Carrows now in the Headmaster's office. He couldn't decide if that was a good sign or a bad sign. He rubbed at his scar. At least he had a clear way of knowing if he was on the way.

He glanced up, Neville's brown-eyed stare catching his attention. The boy had been studying him, fiddling with his fingers awkwardly.

"Hermione said that… you went to Godric's Hollow," Neville's voice was low, but his eyes were bright with that fire he had seen earlier, that fierce determination. "Did you visit them? Your… mum and dad?"

Harry rolled his jaw, looking away as pain slithered through him at the memory of their graves, the lifeless white marble of their headstone. He could see the statue in the square, their frozen faces, his babyish glee immortalised, a snapshot from a life he couldn't remember. He then raised his gaze to meet Neville's.

"Yeah, we did," he replied. Neville dipped his chin in response.

"I… expect it was hard. I know what it's like when I visit mine," he said quietly. Harry leaned forward, looking across at Neville, the one who came so very close to being the target of Lord Voldemort instead of him.

"It was hard," he said softly. He rubbed at his cheeks, his skin feeling cold. "But I'm glad I went. I needed to see them… and the house. I needed to… remember what I'm fighting for." Neville nodded again.

"For them," he said. Harry then nodded back.

"For them," he agreed.

Neville suddenly gave a gasp, patting at his robe pocket. He pulled out the galleon which was glowing as the letters set in the coin started to change and shift.

"Hermione! We have a response!" Harry called for his girlfriend. He heard the plates clatter as she lost her grip as his voice cracked through the subdued mood. Harry snatched up the map as Neville studied the coin. He could see Snape's name in the Great Hall, standing with the Carrows and other names he recognised. Teachers. He couldn't see McGonagall's name or the other Heads. He searched the Gryffindor Common Room.

"It's from Luna," Neville said. He put the coin next to the map as Hermione joined them. "She says that they're being allowed to go to the Great Hall for a late dinner."

Harry then saw Minerva McGonagall amid the many names of all the remaining Gryffindors. His gaze fell on a very familiar name. Ginerva Weasley.

"Does that mean she'll be coming here?" Hermione asked Neville. Just as she asked the question, the coin lit up again. Harry tore his attention from the map and watched as the letters swam and shifted into a new message.

Get ready for a sleepover. Will go to fifth floor after eating. Less suspicious. G.

Harry lifted his head and met Hermione's gaze at once. He knew precisely what she was thinking.

Neville meanwhile was grinning ear-to-ear. He brought his wand up to reply. Harry's hand snapped out, acting before thinking, and held Neville's wrist, stopping him. Neville frowned up at him.

Harry looked over at Hermione again, trying to communicate his intentions with his gaze alone. Her brow furrowed and then she straightened.

"Neville, there's… something you should probably know before we have Ginny and Luna here," he stepped from his place at the table, moving over to Hermione. Neville's confused gaze followed him. He reached out to Hermione, her brow smoothing as she took his hand in hers. He looked over to Neville, watching as the dawning realisation lifted his brows.

"Oh… oh!" He stepped back from the table. "You… you finally figured it out then?"

Hermione shot a frown over to Neville. "Figured out what?"

Neville suddenly burst out laughing. The laughs ripped out of him, forceful like sneezes, so forceful he was gripping the back of the chair to steady himself. Harry shared an incredulous look with Hermione while Neville laughed, his eyes sparkling with joy. He heaved in a breath to control his laughs.

"You're both practically made for each other. Did you not wonder why people always assumed you were a couple?" Neville asked them to their general bafflement. "There were rumours that the Heads had a bet on about you two figuring it out before graduating."

"What?" Harry gasped out. "I've not heard that before."

At the same time, Hermione was spluttering. "What do you mean, people assumed we were a couple?"

Neville laughed again, his previous withdrawn, haunted look gone behind his feverish delight.

"The top students of the year… completely oblivious," he said breathlessly, looking between them. "So it took being hunted by every auror and every death eater for you to click?"

Harry felt the blood rush to his face even more at how obvious it all was. He looked over at Hermione and, rather than see his embarrassment reflected back at him, he saw something else. Something that made his heart jump with excitement. Her gaze moved over to Neville, a soft smile on her lips.

"I suppose it did," she confirmed, "we found each other."

Harry very much wanted to kiss her for saying that, but he didn't want to subject Neville to the treatment that he had to endure the year previously when Ron and Lavender were practically glued at their mouths. At the thought of Ron, he let go of Hermione's hand and walked over to Neville, eyeing the galleon for a moment, then looked up at Neville.

"After the argument, it was just me and Hermione, and we played to our strengths I suppose. We went a bit native, embraced our muggle roots, and got shit done." He searched Neville's face, gauging his reaction. His friend merely nodded.

"You don't need to explain it to me, Harry. I'm… well… pretty thrilled to be honest," he said, his smile confirming his words, "in these times, we need hope and… this gives me hope. Seeing you happy gives me hope. Both of you."

Harry grabbed him and pulled him into a sudden hug that had Neville giving a surprised wheeze.

"You really are a good friend," Harry said into his shoulder then freed him from his sudden hug. "Which is why… I needed to tell you before Ginny sees us. When Ron found out he punched me in the face so… I'm expecting something similar and likely a lot more violent."

The slack look on Neville's face told Harry enough. He then gave Harry a pitying look and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm not sure what's worse, Ginny or the Carrows," Neville said, his mouth jerking upwards in the corner, but then he sobered and looked over at Hermione. "Is that why he left? Because of you two?"

"No, he…" Harry sighed out his nose. "Things got really hard. We really didn't plan for how hard it would be, on the run… we struggled to get food and Ron got splinched too so he was injured, hungry, cold… and scared." He turned from Neville, sticking his hands into his pockets. "Everything got too much and he snapped. We argued and said some… pretty terrible things to each other. I suggested he leave and… he did."

He felt warm arms come around him. He straightened, seeing Hermione at his side. She turned to Neville.

"He asked if I was leaving too and I chose to stay with Harry," she continued from Harry's tale. Neville's brows furrowed at that. "I couldn't… couldn't leave Harry with his burden, alone. And it's not as if I have a life to return to. I'm a mudblood. It's either be on the run or go to Azkaban."

Harry's fists clenched at the mention of the word 'mudblood'. He lifted his chin to look at Hermione and he felt the warmth surge through him. He then brought his arm around her, confirming that he was there for her as much as she was there for him.

"Things just… worked with us together and we chose to… make something of it," Hermione said, turning to look at him. It took every effort to hold back his urge to kiss her. Neville gave a chuckle, dragging Harry's attention back to him. Neville was pointedly looking at the flap that led into their bedroom. Harry felt the smile pulling at his lips and he slipped from Hermione, going to his friend.

"Excuse me, I am a gentleman," he told him, earning a laugh from Neville. As he approached and their eyes locked, they both had the same thought. Ginny. Harry sighed. "And for that reason, I'm going to tell her. Ginny, I mean. I'll likely get hexed but… it is what it is. Hermione and I…" He looked back at her, his heart fluttering as he did. "We're partners. Romantically and practically. We're both only children, we both have our family out of the picture, both of us can adapt as muggles and magicals…"

"Harry, you don't need to explain it to me," Neville said, "I understand."

When Harry regarded Neville again, he saw that he did. Hermione joined them and nudged Harry playfully as she did. It made Neville smile.

"From the message, it sounds like we're staying here for the night," she said, "Harry and I can sleep in here but there's not a lot of room for three more."

Harry had to control his face from smiling at her hidden point. We want privacy.

"That won't be a problem," Neville said, "the Room can make beds and make it comfortable enough to sleep."

Harry glanced over to the map that was still on the table. He was worried now. How could relationship problems be bothering him so much when he was facing an actual threat on his life? He wryly thought that he was pretty numb to life threats at this point.

Neville followed his gaze, but his went to the galleon. He moved over to it, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'll reply on the coin… out in the room and prepare for guests," Neville said, then he smiled, "I can tell you want a bit of time together." He then gave them a very un-Neville-like wink. "Alone."