Wee Wizards and Witches

Pansy stomped into her tent and sat down in a huff with her elbows on her knees. Millicent peered into the tent cautiously. "Pansy, I'd switch partners with you but Warlock Piffelmeyer said we weren't allowed."

Pansy looked up at the awkward girl who had attached herself to Pansy on the first day of Wee Wizards and Witches camp. "I know Millie," she sighed. "Why ever did that stupid Hippogriff statue chose him as my partner?" Tears of frustration slipped down her cheeks as she thought back over this morning's activities.

After breakfast in the mess tent they had all met at the glade in the midst of the great stone monuments. The group of Wee Witches on one side smiling coyly at the group of Wee Wizards, who were trying to act very manly, on the other. They all knew why they were here today. Every year at the end of summer the two separate groups would meet up for a week long camp. While there, they would be paired up with someone from the opposite group. The large hippogriff statue that sat atop the stone slab in the middle of the circle of stones would speak out two names at a time. It was said that it knew whom you would work best with, and many families ended up betrothing the children.

Pansy had been so sure her name would precede that of Draco Malfoy, she knew their families were close and that a betrothal was in the works anyway. Then it happened, the most horribly awful moment of her life. The hippogriff opened his big fat mouth and blurted out what Pansy believed to be blasphemy. Pansy Parkinson and Neville Longbottom.

It was then that she left the circle amidst the laughter of her fellow witches. She had been hoping to hide out in her tent until it was time to go home, it would be worth going without food for five days if it kept her away from that boy.

Millicent's presence in the tent only proved it would be impossible to do so. She was going to have to be a partner to the biggest buffoon this side of the lake!

Well, if she was going to do it, then by Salazar she was going to win. Pushing Millicent aside she marched back up to the gathering and stomped up to the nervous looking brown haired boy. Grabbing his arm she pulled him away from the group of chuckling Wee Wizards.

Once she felt she was far enough away she let go of his arm and pointed her finger in his face. "I'm stuck with you Longbottom, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Meet me tomorrow morning, bright and early by that bloody hippogriff statue."

She pointed at his robes and the bulge that was moving around. "And leave that thing in your tent!" That said she turned on her heel and went back to her tent to formulate a plan.

Neville reached in and pulled out the large toad, stroking its head. "It's okay Trevor, I won't leave you behind." He put the animal back in his robes and glared at the blonde haired girl as she walked down the hill.

The next three days passed in a blur of screaming, and squealing. Pansy had been determined they were going to win this year's award at any cost. Neville had quickly grown tired of her berating him and her threats against Trevor.

The last morning of the competition Neville cornered Pansy outside of her tent. She stepped out and sneered at him, "What do you want Longbottom?"

Neville took a deep breath and closed his eyes. You can do this, she's just a girl. You can do this.

"Pansy, I don't want to be your partner anymore." He opened one eye and winced at the look on her face.

"You forget Longbottom, we don't have a choice in the matter. If we did I would have dumped you're poncey arse the first day. You and that bloody toad could always run home to Grandmummy. That would solve both our dilemmas."

Neville's face turned a horrid shade of red and his hands fisted at his side. A boy could only take so much, no matter how timid he may seem.

He stepped forward and leaned down into her face. "For your information, Parkinson, I never wanted to work with you either. You're nothing but a bossy bi..." he stopped himself before he said it, Gran and Uncle Algie's years of manners kicking in. "...sad little girl."

Before she could reply he continued, "And if we lose this week it will be all your fault. We are judged on our teamwork, not on if our macramé flitterbloom holder works right or our papier-mâché Erumpet is anatomically correct."

He stepped back and threw up his hands in frustration. "Do what you want, but I'm not participating anymore!" That said he stomped off to the boy's side of the campsite.

Pansy stood there in shock watching him walk away in anger. The effect of his exit was lessened when he stumbled over a tree root, but she couldn't even find it in her to taunt him for it. Even though she'd never say it aloud, deep down she knew he was right.

Turning on her heel she went back inside her tent to think.

Neville couldn't believe he had actually told off Pansy Parkinson. Fear and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach were quickly replacing the thrill and adrenaline he had felt as he left her standing there with her mouth agape. She was going to kill him he just knew it. He pulled Trevor out of his pocket and sat down under a tree near the lake. "Trevor if she kills me, hop away and save yourself," he said quietly while rubbing the toad's head with his thumb.

The last night of the Wee Wizards and Witches challenge was spent in a large circle around the campfire. Neville made sure to sit on the far side, away from Pansy. No need to put himself in harm's way.

He felt her gaze on him, while he was trying to affix his marshmallow to the stick for toasting. He seriously hoped she didn't know any curses, although knowing her family her first word was probably 'Crucio'. His hands began to shake as his mind wandered to his parents and what they had gone through.

With a resigned sigh he placed the stick on the ground beside him and popped the un-toasted marshmallow in his mouth. His eyes longingly watched as Ron Weasley bit into his gooey blackened one.

Pansy sat across the fire and watched Longbottom's feeble attempts to put a marshmallow on a stick. She felt a little tug inside as he gave up and watched that bloody idiot Weasley making a mess while eating his. Pansy pushed herself up from her spot and walked around the outside of the circle.

She ignored the raised eyebrows as she pushed Seamus Finnigan out of the way and sat beside her partner. "Sweet Salazar Longbottom, can't you even toast a marshmallow without mucking things up."

She picked up his stick and placed a marshmallow on the end before handing it over to him with a small smile only he could see.

He stared at her, barely holding the stick in his lax grip. Pansy smiled and poked his shoulder. "This is the part where you place the marshmallow into the fire, until it turns brown."

Neville closed his eyes and shook his head, to make sure he wasn't imagining things. When he opened his eyes and saw her still there, he returned her smile. "Um, thanks."

He turned and held the stick out watching the fire lick at the white puff of sugar.

Pansy also stared ahead into the fire. "Don't expect this changes anything, I still say you couldn't charm your way out of a wet paper bag."

Neville smiled and without glancing at her replied, "And I still think you're a bossy know-it-all."