Truly Madly Deeply

Chapter Twenty-Three - Neville Gets Some

~ Great Hall ~

"Or do you intend to continue this...perhaps in a more private setting?" Snape continued cynically.

"We have a choice?" Harry asked delightedly.

"No, you do not have a choice," Snape snapped impatiently. "Dungeon, five minutes."

With that Snape strode angrily away from the pair.

"We'd better go. We don't want to give him an excuse to fail us...another one, I mean," Harry said dolefully as he picked up his bag.

"Cheer up, lover boy, it's our last exam," Draco said picking up his bag and draping his arm around Harry's shoulders.

~ Gryffindor Common Room ~

Harry, Ron and Hermione finally managed to get close to the notice board on which the exam results were posted a few hours after they had been pinned up. Hermione squealed with excitement when she saw she had earned 12 NEWTs. Ron and Harry were both pleased to receive 10 NEWTs each (undoubtedly due to Hermione's study sessions which forced them to do what they would rather put off). Harry scanned down the list of seventh year Gryffindors to compare their results. He was startled to see that Neville had passed Potions with flying colours.

"Hey Nev," he called to the boy sitting by the fire, "How did you manage to pass Potions this year?"

Neville blushed bright red and Ron started gagging.

"You're kidding, right? Come on, Nev, tell me you're kidding!" Ron said, desperately trying to rid himself of the mental picture of Neville and Snape together.

"But he's horrible," Hermione said, concerned.

"No, he's not. He's just misunderstood!" Neville replied defensively.

"Snape? Misunderstood?" Harry asked sceptically.

"Of all people, I thought you would understand, Harry," Neville said sadly. "You're the one who changed Draco-"

"I didn't change Draco. He's always been like that...it just took us a while to get past the hatred and the anger, to see that we were perfect for each other. Look, Neville, if you really do believe that Snape is 'misunderstood' then I'll support you," Harry replied cautiously. "We just don't want you to get hurt."

The portrait hole opened and Draco waltzed into the common room.

"What's going on?" he asked, seeing all the Gryffindors he knew standing around one end of the room.

"Neville and Snape are getting it on," Ron replied with a grin. Draco started laughing, almost hysterically.

"Snape...hahaha...and Longbottom...hahaha...Oh god, that's good. That's priceless," he said as he fell into a chair, still laughing.

Harry glared at him. "Don't be cruel, Draco."

"Me? Cruel? Never!" Draco said, still laughing.

~ The Great Hall ~

This year, the Leaving Feast was especially poignant for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Co. It was the last one they would ever attend (as students, at least) and they were all feeling a little sad to be leaving. Of course the students invited to Harry and Draco's wedding wouldn't actually be leaving until next week.

Many past students were also coming back in the next few days for the wedding such as Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnet, Katie Bell, and Cho Chang. Obviously the entire Weasley family would be there, as well as Sirius and Remus. Naturally, the Dursleys had not been invited.

Gryffindor had once again won the House and Quidditch cups. Draco had been really pissed to lose the Quidditch cup again, Harry thought with a smile at the memory of their last game. The game had lasted for five hours, one of their longest ever, but in the end Harry had caught the snitch after both seekers had a series of near-catches. Draco, knowing it was his last chance to finally beat Harry, was desperate to win.

Afterwards he had been in such a bad mood that all the other students avoided him for three whole days. Harry had tried to talk to him, but as soon as he approached Draco, the blonde man turned and walked away in the opposite direction. Harry thought he knew the castle layout pretty well, thanks to the invisibility cloak, but Draco obviously knew it better as he was able to shake Harry pretty easily when he was trying to get away from him.

Eventually Harry was able to corner him, literally, late on the third day...

"Did you want me to throw the game for you?" Harry asked sadly. He couldn't believe something like this was coming between them. He honestly hadn't thought that Draco would want to win that way.

"No," Draco said in a small voice. "It's just....well, my father was right, wasn't he? I'm just not good enough. I'll never be good enough." Draco slid down the wall he had been leaning against and rested his head on his knees. "I'm not upset with you, if that's what you think. I'm angry with myself. For letting him get to me. I knew I wouldn't be able to beat you. There are very few who would be able to beat you at Quidditch. After the game, it all came flooding back to me....his insults, his taunting and his threats if I didn't do better."

Harry sat down beside Draco and pulled the Slytherin Seeker into his arms.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you, Harry. I just couldn't face you when I felt so bad about myself. I didn't want to see what I was feeling reflected in your eyes," Draco said before burying his face in Harry's neck.

"Oh, Drac, I would never think badly of you....even if you went out and became a Death Eater. There is nothing you could do that would change the way I feel about you," Harry said tenderly as he rubbed Draco's back.

Harry was startled back to the present by the thunderous applause of the students seated around him. It appeared that he had daydreamed his way through Dumbledore's speech. He started clapping enthusiastically, ignoring Hermione's look of stern disapproval.

Chapter Twenty-Three - Neville Gets Some