December 31, 1991

It was the 8th day of Yule, and over half the families had returned to their own homes. Granted some had joined the 25th, and now some more were joining again.

Theo had been invited to the main ritual circle with his family several days ago, and ever since he’d been floating on high. Now, though, while we all sat in the welcoming chamber playing a game of exploding snap, he was looking at the Floo and scowling.

We all followed his gaze to the orange fireplace and I felt my jaw clench. Standing just before the flames was a chubby blonde boy anxiously looking around while the elderly man he was with scowled at him. Neville was distinctly not as chubby as at the start of September.

Longbottom had, of course, been invited. But that had been before Tibble and the owlery. And the harassment campaign between the snakes and the boy who lived to aggravate me.

I ground my teeth at the thought of Tibble. Was my dislike wholly rational? While I liked to believe so, I also knew it was in no small part due to the series of events that led me to reading the books in elsewhere. Being forced to consume every book in a library whether you wanted to or not wasn't exactly an enjoyable activity when you didn’t have the ability to forget. Not to mention my personal distaste for those who meddle. Plus, over the eleven years here, I simply wanted to avoid the fate of the Malfoys in elsewhere. Pushing that out of my head, I focused on the matter at hand.

Neville Longbottom had joined us for Yule.

I rose from where I’d been lounging halfway on top of Blaise and crossed the room. I measured my steps and my expression as I approached, and if I looked more like a bird of prey than a friend then that really wasn’t my problem.

“Longbottom,” I greeted, eyeing him and the elderly man who was gripping his shoulder, “And?”

“Algernon Longbottom,” the man said, a tight lipped smile on his face that settled into his wrinkles more like a grimace, “You must be young Miss Malfoy.”

“Apologies, where are my manners?” I gave a light smile and snapped my fingers.

With a crack and a pop, a house elf appeared —noticeably not Dobby.

“Please assign them the Coral Plum suites, Killy,” I directed and immediately she hummed and picked up the single piece of luggage at the man’s feet.

“No need for more than one,” the elder Longbottom said, “I’m simply dropping Neville off. He wouldn’t shut up about coming.”

And then he waved dismissively and disappeared back through the Floo. Meanwhile, Neville was looking longingly back at the fire.

“Longbottom,” my smile dropped and I crossed my arms.

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Neville turned back to me and fidgeted with his overly loose sweater, with its Yule wreaths embroidered with blooming red flowers. Underneath he wore a button up and trousers. He was refusing to meet my eyes. I continued to stare at him with a flat expression.

“I—“ he frowned, “Well, um, you see, I—I came to…”

As he trailed off he finally looked at my face. I watched him swallow, nod, and turn around.

“Right, right, nevermind then.” He quickly said and went to reach for the Floo powder.

“Oh? After Killy took your things? After your uncle left you here? After you’ve come all this way? Just going to give up?” I couldn’t stop myself, and Neville froze, “Say what you came to say, Longbottom.”

Red-faced he turned around, “We-Well—“

I twitched, I wasn’t so scary to invoke a stutter. Really. It wasn’t as if I was going to crucio him for saying the wrong thing. I frowned. Well, not at eleven.

It was then the snakes snuck forward, surrounding me. Theo to my left, Draco on my right. To either side of them were Vincent and Greg —then Millie and Daphne, and Blaise and Pansy. We must have looked quite the fright because the color began draining from Longbottom’s face.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Longbottom?” Theo’s smile was a cruel thing, and his voice was dead.

The snakes didn’t know exactly what happened between me and the lions —they didn’t need to. They knew I was angry with Tibble and his minions —and for some reason that included Longbottom. Only I hadn’t actually let them hex him. So really, they were probably just thrown that after running with the bloke we’d turned on each other.

Not that any of them even liked him to begin with. Save for maybe Daphne, but she liked to make him squirm. It was rather unsightly.

“Think you can come here, tail between your legs?” Pansy sneered.

“This is Malfoy Manor, you lump, and you haven’t spoken to a Malfoy in months,” this time it was Draco, and he was peering down at Longbottom’s caved in stature as if he was a dragon with its prey.

Longbottom closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded. When he opened his eyes, he was focused on me alone.

“I’m sorry!”

I recoiled at his shout, “Longbottom—“

“What Harry said was wrong,” he interrupted, “If he was right, if you were pretending, you would have been nicer or made more effort or at least —I would have known.”

I couldn’t stop the incredulous look that took over my face, “Can you—“

“No,” Longbottom was nodding vigorously now, “I’m sorry.”

The snakes were looking at me. All of them. I flattened my expression. Then Theo had a malicious grin. I had my wand out before Theo could even open his mouth.

“So you’ve come to apologize and celebrate Yule then?” I hissed.

I was not feeling warm —I wasn’t.

Longbottom looked at the tip of my wand, pointed not at him but off to the side. Towards a frozen Theo.

“And I have your presents?”

At that Daphne leaned forward, her eyes narrowed, “For all of us?”

Longbottom hesitated, but nodded none the less.

“Forgiven,” Daphne and Pansy agreed.

“He wasn't apologizing to you,” Blaise pointed out dryly before looking back to the shaking Gryff, “But for what it’s worth Longbottom, I expect you to run with us again in the new year.”

Theo looked hurt that my wand was still pointed in his direction, Crabbe and Goyle looked disappointed there wasn’t to be a fight, Draco was fighting a laugh, and Millie looked bored out of her mind. I loved Millie.

I released a long aggrieved sigh.

“Yes, yes, Longbottom, come on. We’ve been playing exploding snap and they’re all arse at it. We need new blood.”