A lone figure, wandering along the edge of the dark trees. A solitary soul, caught up in his own thoughts. Neville smiled, sadly, and approached.
"Hey."
Harry looked up. "Hey Neville," he murmured and continued walking.
Neville was not to be dissuaded. "It's a beautiful day."
Harry raised his gaze up to the sky. "Is it? I hadn't noticed."
"Why are you so sad these days?"
"Love."
"Ah! Your in love!"
"Out of love."
"She doesn't love you?"
"She likes me… but she is in love with someone else."
"Can I ask who?"
"Cho Chang."
"Cho? But she kissed you."
"She did… but she still loves Cedric."
"But he's-"
"Don't say it." Harry looked up and saw-
"Your face is covered in blood and bruises! What happened?"
"Ah-"
"Don't bother. I know the story."
"Well, it can't be so hard to keep the peace here," laughed Snape. Pansy Parkinson laughed too.
"Not for someone like you. Now, what do you say to my… proposition."
"What I said before. Draco is young and like a son to me. His father and mother left him in my care and I intend to fulfil my side of the bargain."
"I understand. But how long do you think I should wait."
"Wait a couple more years Pansy. Then I will arrange the match. However, I am holding a party tonight, an old tradition celebrating Salazar's founding of our house. And I invite you to come. Draco will be there and… well, you know what to do. Talk and dance but no further mind you!"
"Ok, thanks Severus. You know my parents are anxious to make the match."
"All in good time. All in good time."
"Harry! Neville!" yelled a voice. A figure came running down the hill, red hair flying.
"Ron!" Harry cried, his face lighting up.
The two friends embraced. "Look," said Ron, breaking free and waving a piece of paper.
"We can't look if you are waving it above your head!" laughed Neville.
"Let me guess… you actually passed a test?" teased Harry.
"Ha. No, you know Ernie?"
"Ernie McMillan? In Hufflepuff?"
"Yeah. Well, he has been invited to the Slytherin party tonight. And he is allowed to bring some friends and guess who he has invited? Us!"
"But… we can't go to the Slytherin party. We'll be cursed into the next century!"
"Next millennia you mean," corrected Neville, "and missing certain parted of our anatomy."
"But that's just it. Normally I would be giving Ernie brain surgery now for even suggesting such a thing. I nearly did but he mentioned that it was a masked affair."
"So…"
"So, how cool would it be if we actually managed to get in? The first Gryffindor to get in since… well, ever."
"No," Harry protested, "we can't-"
"Cho will be there."
Silence.
"Good, so it's settled! History, here we come!"
Hoped you liked! By the way, I have made Ron a bit gay. He has a crush on Harry which is actually the inclination that Shakespeare presented in the original play.