A.N. So I am overwhelmed by the response that I got after the last chapter. Thank you so much. As a treat here's an update. I hope you enjoy!
Neville sat at his desk, quill scratching as he graded the papers of his second years. He paused, his head turning towards the door of his office. After a few moments pause he resumed his work. No, wait, there it was again. A whispering sound, definitely students out of bed. He sighed. He just hoped it wasn't some couple snogging or worse. He grimaced, that was uncomfortable for all parties. Although it usually insured that the students either stay in bed or find better hiding spots. The man got up and opened the door, nothing. He strained his ears. Down the hall, he could hear footsteps. The professor shut the door behind him and started silently down the hall toward the sound. He just hoped it wasn't James Potter, because then he'd have to try to outsmart him and the invisibility cloak. He quickened his step, the sound was getting closer and then… quieter.
Neville turned, frowning then his eyes lit upon a hidden alcove. They must be there he reasoned. He sighed silently again. Most likely a couple. The man took a breath; he'd give them a chance.
"Who's there?" Neville asked crossing his fingers that they'd respond. He heard movement than a small girl crept out.
"Rose?" Neville asked surprise. Surely the Gryffindor second year was too young to be engaged in those activities. The red head looked at her parents' friend and professor biting her lip.
"Hey Uncle Neville," Rose said quietly. Neville's eyebrows rose. Uncle Neville huh? She must have been doing something wrong to pull the Uncle card at Hogwarts.
"Who else is there?" Neville said, not willing to let this go. If Rose was sneaking around with boys at her age Ron and Hermione needed to know.
"Professor." The boy Rose had been with said coming out of hiding. Neville's eyebrows rose even higher.
"Scorpius Malfoy?" Neville looked at the young Slytherin not sure how to respond to these turns of events. He paled at the thought of not only telling Ron that his twelve year old was sneaking around with boys already, but sneaking around with Malfoy's son. He remembered back to his first year standing up to Ron, Hermione and Harry when they were trying to sneak out, if only he could be there again.
"Are we in a lot of trouble" Rose asked meekly. Neville looked at her opening his mouth to respond then paused.
"What is that in your hands?" He asked roughly.
"Chocolate frog cards. Scor and I were trading them" Rose answered. Neville felt a wave of relief wave over him. Chocolate Frog cards.
"You snuck out of bed to trade chocolate frog cards." He asked, crossing his fingers behind his back. Merlin, he hoped that was the case. That was much more appropriate for kids their age. Yea and you won't have to tell Ron, chicken came the voice in his head.
"Well my dad wouldn't like it very much if he knew Scor's my best friend" Rose said honestly.
"So we try to meet up where others won't see us and so her dad won't find out" Scorpius chimed in.
"And yours I imagine" Neville said half distracted from the relief he felt.
"My dad already knows about Rose." Scorpius answered. Neville started and looked at the young Malfoy.
"Your dad, Draco Malfoy, knows…"
"That Rose is my best friend." Scorpius said not a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Neville stood there just looking at the boy.
"Why, how, since when, seriously?" Neville stammered. Draco Malfoy was okay with his son, his only child, being friends with the daughter of Ron and Hermione? Hell must have frozen over, Voldemort must have repented, and his dead grandmother must have turned into a Hufflepuff or hell even a cowardly Slytherin. Snape must have washed his hair and named Harry his new favorite student. Did dead people even have to worry about personal hygiene, Neville wondered.
"Yea, we had lunch together a few years ago." Rose responded.
"You had lunch with Scorpius' parents?" Neville asked bewildered.
"Yea, so?" Scorpius asked looking at their professor with concern. Neville shook his head.
"Never mind. Go back to your dorms and go to bed. Don't let me catch you out after curfew again." The professor told his students sternly.
"Night Uncle Neville!" Rose said delighted not to lose points or be given detention. The girl grabbed her friend by the hand and dragged him off, but not before Neville caught a glimpse of his face.
Back in his office Neville Longbottom burst into laugher. Tonight it might have been chocolate frog card trading, but in the future? He just hoped they would hide a little bit better than they had tonight. He had to wipe away tears as the look on Scorpius' face popped back into his head. He wondered what Ron would say if he knew that not only were Malfoy's son and Rose best friends, but that little Scorpius Malfoy fancied the girl. He wondered if Malfoy knew of his son's feelings for the young Weasley girl. Neville smirked to himself, lunch with the parents huh? He could only imagine Ron's reaction. Of course he wasn't going to tell him. He could almost hear the voice, sounding a bit like Harry;
Don't tell Ron.
A.N. Just so you know I will have a chapter where Ron finds out. However I can tell you right now it won't be the next chapter.
A.T. So I keep reading fanfics that say that Hermione hates quidditch. I don't think this is true. She certainly seems to enjoy going to see a game including the Quidditch World Cup and it's mentioned in the sixth book that she plays a game with Harry, Ron and Ginny. Of course I don't think she knows all the strategies and it's not extremely important to her, but I don't think she hates it. Of course I do realize its fan fiction and the writer can put it that Hermione hates quidditch if they want. Sorry, it's just a pet peeve of mine and I had to get that little rant out.