Plants in the Moonlight (open)

Shocked wasn't the word for what Neville was. Draco liked it....no he has to be lying....no one..no that's not true... As he argue internally with himself he watched Draco fall and it was as if in slow motion; and even though he tried he'd still made it too late and the proud blonde ended up on his rear. Time was frozen for him then as he just let his gaze flick over Draco's sprawled out form. With a mental shake he put a scowl on his face; deciding that Draco was playing with him so he could taunt him later.

Still not one to leave a student down when they fell he held his hand out and gruffed as much as he could. "C'mon up with you Malfoy."

Draco shook his head silently, and got up to his feet without taking Neville's hand. He didn't trust himself not do something even more stupid than what he had just done, such as pulling Neville down on top of him. His face was hot with embarrassment. He wanted to revert to his old standby of hurling some insult at Neville in return, to repair his damaged pride by tearing down someone else, but he couldn't think of a damn thing and that made it all the worse. He looked around the greenhouse, trying to remember where the door was. He was so shaken up, he probably would have forgotten how to work the knob.

Neville took a tentative step towards Draco. "C'mere. Professor Sprout has a few potions here to help clear the brain." He laughs wryly, "I've taken my fair share when I'm like you are now." He turned and motioned for Draco to follow him. "C'mon. I promise Malfoy I won't touch you, I won't kiss you and I won't tell anyone your answer. Your secret will be safe with me."

He honestly didn't know why he was being nice. Any minute and Draco would be snarling and calling him all sorts of names and then he's storm out and the entire school would know that that they'd kissed and that he'd started it and then he'd be labeled some sort of sexual predator. With a sigh he headed deeper into the greenhouse, pulling out the vial of the pepper up potion that Professor Sprout always gave to him and nicking the bottle of firewhiskey for a finger of the drink to help strengthen his resolve to remain aloof.

The drink burned on it's way down and he put it back after making a face and shaking his head a bit. "Damn...what do people see in that? It's utterly vile." He cleared his throat and called out, feeling the warmth settle into his arms and making him smile a bit. "Oi! Malfoy, if you want this come and get it; it'll make you feel better on your cold stalk back to the castle."

"I don't need your help." Draco found his voice again, but it lacked its usual bite. He instead reached for the bottle of fire whiskey and took a gulp of it, coughing and barely managing to choke the strong liquid back. He sat the bottle on the nearest table and sat on the edge of the nearest table, dropping his head into his hand with a moan of frustration. He couldn't believe what had just happened, and how would he ever recover from this? No one was supposed to know.

Neville moved over and leaned against the table, looking at his feet, mumbling a bit. "I enjoyed it you know. And I mean what I say, I won't say anything." He laughed a bit ruefully as he pushed himself away and started back towards the front of the greenhouse. "After all, no one wants to be saddled with the reputation that they got kissed by bumbling Neville Longbottom."

Bitterness was in his voice and he normally worked hard to keep it down but the greenhouse was his safe place; he could be himself, he could be down or happy or just quiet. They didn't judge him, they didn't expect him to be anything he wasn't. He picked up the fertalizer bag again and went back to doing what he had set out to do. He figured that Draco would see himself out.

Some hard labor will push this all from my mind and then I can go to bed and sleep easily. Also have to tell Professor Sprout that the tutoring is over. I'll make something up, after all I'm her favorite student, she'll believe me.

Draco stayed slouched over for awhile, listening to the quietness in the greenhouse, only the stirring of Neville's movements. He moved only to snag the bottle of whiskey again. He drank more of it down, until the warmth and odd numbness began to spread through his body and calm him. He held the bottle up and noted that more than half of it was gone, although he wasn't sure how much had been in there to start with. He took one more drink and then sat the bottle aside. He stood up feeling unsteady at first, but other than the wobbly feel to his legs, he felt much better. He even felt braver, and all of the things that weighed heavily on him seemed to lighten a bit. What did it really matter? It was just him and Neville in the greenhouse, and who would revel their secrets...the plants? Draco snorted quietly at that.

He moved over to Neville again, and slid in between the Gryffindor and his work.

"Dinnit seem bumbling to me." He said, smiling slightly at the sound of his voice loosened by the alcohol. "Maybe we've found something you're good at. There's only one way to tell..." Draco wrapped his arms around Neville's neck and molded his body against Neville's. He pressed his lips to the other teens, moving them eagerly and enjoying the combination of Neville's lips against his and the lingering strong taste of fire whiskey in his mouth.

Neville stopped; floored for a moment but the feel of Draco pressed against him and his lips caressing his brought him back to reality. His hands moved to rest on Draco's hips and he closed his eyes; the sweet taste of the fire whiskey on Draco's tongue makes him moan a bit and he swallows hard as he pulls away.

"Mal-Draco, you're drunk. You're going to regret this in the morning." Damn my Gryffindor hide, anyone else wouldn't care...it's Draco Malfoy...snogging me and wanting too.

He should have pushed him away or made more of a fuss than he did, but he just stood there, watching Draco for a moment before leaning in and kissing him again; a little nervous as he slipped his tongue past the barrier of Draco's teeth and tasted the other teen. His body felt flushed and he broke the kiss a second time as he felt his body responding in places lower and he pulled away, straightening his robes and turning back to his work; breathing a bit heavily.

"T-tonight's the last lesson Draco, you don't have to worry about coming back."

He busied himself, pushing the feel of Draco back to the back of his mind and knowing that he was going to have to take a cold, cold shower when he got back so he didn't embarrass himself in the dorm.

"I'm not drunk!" Draco insisted, though he did feel very wobbly. He was going to go on in defending his state of intoxication, when Neville said something else. "Last...lesson..." Draco echoed quietly, his face draining of color. Now he knew he had really made a fool of himself. Was Neville just toying with him? Tricking him? Playing with him somehow to get him back for all the years of torment he'd caused to the Gryffindor? Draco narrowed his eyes at Neville. He didn't know what to think now, and his head felt foggy and not quite up to muddling through it all right now.

Draco fixed his usual glare into place, angry and embarrassed at the situation he found himself in.

"Fuck you then, Longbottom!"

Draco turned and made an veering pathway to the door, fumbled it open, and once outside, slammed it as hard as he could. He made his way back to his dorm without getting lost, and flopped down onto one of the beds in the Slytherin boys room. If it wasn't his, then that was too bad. No one should dare to bother him, or he would hex them with the worst he could think of--if he could remember the incantation. Draco pressed his face into the pillow, a scream of frustration muffled into it. The fire whiskey lulled him into a deep sleep, but the morning would come with a price.

The slamming of the greenhouse door made Neville flinch and he swallowed hard.

Fuck you then, Longbottom!

The words echoed over and over again in Neville's mind and he sighed. If I didn't have to see the revulsion on your face in the morning when you'd realize what we'd done I would have gladly....NO! Stop thinking that way, he would have realized before then and then mocked me for agreeing...

His thoughts were circling, going from self pitying to anger and then to dark depressing thoughts involving a pocket full of stones and and the black lake. Mindlessly he worked until his list was done and without any thoughts at all he hurried back to the castle. The others in the dorm were sleeping already so he didn't have to explain his red face, or puffy eyes, or his arousal that didn't seem to want to go down or go away.

With a scowl he stripped down and slid beneath the covers, the cool cotton whispering against his skin and he ruefully had the thought that it could have been the silk like feel of Draco's skin against his heated skin. As an after thought he set a silencing charm on his bed so that no one could hear anything; he was sure he'd be talking in his sleep.

As his eyes closed he dimly remembered that he hadn't left the note for Professor Sprout and that he'd have to tell her during class the next day.

---

Breakfast came and gone and he had no will to eat anything other than some toast. Those around him didn't notice anything out of the ordinary or if they did they stayed quiet about it. The first few classes were nothing but busy work or things that didn't take much mind to do so he didn't have to worry about mucking things up too bad.

Then came Herbology. Taking a deep breath he pushed the door open and greeted Professor Sprout.

"Professor a word please?" He asked as he set his books down.

"Why of course Mr. Longbottom."

Neville waited for a group of students to go by before speaking, looking at the floor.

"Professor Sprout I think the turtoring that I'm doing with Draco Malfoy..."

"Is a great idea. I've set a couple of other good students with those that aren't so good with booming results." She beamed.

"That's uh..good, but Professor Sprout..."

"Keep up the good work......HEY GET AWAY FROM PLANT! IT'LL EAT YOU!! Excuse me Mr. Longbottom." She said as she hurried away, stopping only to call over her shoulder at him. "I'll leave it up to you to test Mr. Malfoy and see what he's learned in your care, I want it by the end of the week."

Neville moved woodenly over to his desk and let his head drop down hard, moaning a bit. Why? What have I done? Malfoy hates me because I turned him down, and now his grade rests on my shoulder. Great...and now I have to tell him that the lessons aren't over. I hate my life...

Draco woke the next morning feeling horrible, and he deemed it a good day to stay in bed. He pulled the covers up over his aching head and buried his face back into his pillow. He felt horrible, and the fact that his mind was now clearer did not make him feel any better. First he only remembered bits and pieces of the night before, but eventually as he lay curled up sick as a dog, the entire thing came back to him.

Neville had really turned him down, hadn't he? That had been the least of Draco's concern at first, as he assumed he was one of the best looking young men in school. He didn't know of many girls who would have turned down a chance to be with him, and after learning of Neville's leanings, to believe Neville wouldn't want him. It wasn't as if anyone male or female was knocking Neville down to snog him senseless.

No, just me. Draco thought, scowling beneath the covers and moaning at the horrible sick feel rolling round his stomach.

Neville was the only person Draco could relate to, as he didn't know of any other boys at Hogwarts who shared his leaning--though there certainly had to be a few more, didn't there? But right now there was just Neville, and as much as Draco had disliked him over the years, he now wished for things to go into some other direction. If nothing else, all he really wanted was someone who understood, someone who shared what to Draco was a burden. He was tired of being angry, lonely, and fake. Other than Pansy, Neville was the only other person he might be able to be himself around, if he could let go of his pride and stop saying stupid things. But it wasn't just him, it was Neville too. One moment the stupid Gryffindor was kissing him, the next he wanted Draco out the door. Maybe Neville was afraid too, because the more Draco thought about it, the more they seemed to behave to each other in similar ways. When things got too awkward, Draco resorted to the usual meanness to push Neville away, and Neville was pushing him away too. What was there to do?

It didn't really matter now that the tutoring was to be discontinued. The two wouldn't have any sort of time alone together anymore, unless one of them initiated it in some other way. Draco snorted. He couldn't imagine Neville would come looking him up anytime soon, and he hated the idea of sniveling around and begging Neville for a moment of his time. The whole mental image was completely absurd. Draco Malfoy, whining under his covers over Neville Longbottom. It only served to make him feel sicker, and angrier, and more sour than ever.

The only reason Draco dragged himself down to dinner was because Pansy bullied one of boys into letting her into the room and she forced Draco down to the Great Hall. He was furious but keeping silent, looking more pale than usual which was a feat in itself, and as if he'd slept in a gutter the night before. His usual neat hair was messy and his clothes looked slept in--because they were. The smell of food in the Great Hall made him want to turn to Pansy, and just throw up in her lap for dragging him down in the first place. He didn't, however. He simply sat there enduring dinner with a glare that made his headache worse, but he refused to drop it.

Neville waited until dinner was almost done before making an apperance. Most of the tables had cleared and he only ate a small amount before looking over at the Slytherin table to see if Draco was there. He was, and he was surrounded by most of his house. He took a deep breath and got up, looking around to see if anyone was there he could send.

Harry was sitting by himself, but with his and Draco's past it wasn't a good idea. Feeling as if he was headed for the dungeons for detention with Snape he headed over to the table; stuffing his hands in his pockets so no one could see them shaking. A few of the Slytherins gave him a dirty look and he shivered a bit before getting closer to Draco.

When he was finally close enough so he didn't have to yell--and he even considered yelling across the Great Hall to keep from going over--he cleared his throat and waited for Draco to look up.

"Malfoy, lessons are after dinner tonight. There's revision that needs done before the test to see if they are needed anymore."

He had stammered a couple of times and his ears burned red as those around Draco just stared at him like he had a second head. He didn't give Draco time to respond he just hurried away; almost tripping over his robe in his haste. It had rained a bit apparently as the grass was wet and it caused him to slip more than once in his mad dash and when he reached the green house he stripped off his soaked robe and busied himself in the greenhouse; watering the plants and talking to them lowly.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I fancy Blokes. Well that's the most obvious, but apparently now I have a crush on Draco. Talk about jumping in for the big fishes right away. Not that it matters, Draco has more girlfriends than anyone else in the school. He was just drunk...if he hadn't been nothing would have happened. Besides, I'm Neville Longbottom."

The last was said as if it explained everything away, and to Neville it did. He was what no one wanted to be like or compared too so the fact that Draco had tried to come on to him was laughable and a bit sad because he actually had felt desired for a moment; like he was worth something.

Draco was now more confused than ever. He didn't show it just then, instead he got up and walked out, leaving the rest of his house behind to giggle and make jokes about Neville. Normally he would have joined in and been the one laughing the loudest and making the worst sort of comments, but he decided his head still hurt to much--at least that's what he told himself as he walked across the damp lawn to the greenhouse.

Draco stopped outside the door, pinching at the bridge of his nose for a moment. The lessons are on, off, on, what the hell was going on? Maybe it was best just to ask and be done with it.

The blond moved inside and strode across the room to stand next to Neville. His pale hands gripped the edge of the table, and he looked down at one of the plants with an unreadable expression worked onto his face as he began what he hopped would answer some questions.

"Neville...tell me now. What's going on?"

Neville jumped a bit then looked over, noticing the paler than normal face. "Well, I tried to tell Professor Sprout that the lessons were ended but-but-she...she wants to know what you've learned from me so far. If your grades have improved then maybe...I well I think that the lessons will be over. If not then there will definitely be more lessons in the evening."

He moved over to the other table and laid out sprigs of different woods and pieces of plant life and then looked over at Draco again; hoping that his face was impassive instead of scared like he felt.

"Ready to begin the revision? Tomorrow I'll administer the actual test that way you have some more time to study and so you can get out here and spend more time doing what you want to do." He hoped that the offer came off as friendly instead of bitter like how it felt leaving his lips.

"That wasn't what I meant." Draco snapped. "I wasn't talking about plants, or grades, or tests. Just...never mind." Draco sighed, and looked at the things Neville had laid out. His head was still pounding. He just wanted to get this over with.

Draco got through the nights lesson as well as he could with a splitting headache and other things on his mind. He was glad for the lesson to finally be over, and headed to the door to leave. His hand rested upon the doorknob, but he just stood there for a moment, turning a thought over in his head. He licked his lips, and turned to look back at Neville.

"Long--" Draco stopped, and began again, taking the bite out of his voice once he spoke again. "Neville...the night is still young. If you have nothing pressing to attend to after you're done here...why not come with me for a walk?"

It felt so strange, asking Neville of all people such a thing, but he had done it. Now he only waited for the answer.

Neville looked up and blinked, looking at Draco with Owl like eyes. "You want... me...to walk...with you?"

His voice squeaked and he blushed as he looked down at the plant in his hand. It boggled his mind to think that Draco Malfoy, the prince of Slytherin was asking him to take a walk. The night was young, and as much as he'd rather go have and sit in one of the squishy armchairs he nodded. He put the plant on the table and dusted his hands off.

"Sure." His voice squeaked again and he blushed, thinking that it was just more food for Draco's mean spirited fodder when he felt better.

Draco said nothing as they began their walk with the shadows, feet sliding over damp blades of grass. A breeze brushed Draco's cheeks and gently lifted a few locks of his hair, and then moved on. Draco couldn't remember ever having felt so awkward around someone. He kept trying to think of something to say, a way to start the conversation, but nothing came. It occurred to him that he wasn't used to talking to Neville, unless he was insulting him, which was probably the root of the problem. He glanced over at Neville as they headed towards the Black Lake. No wonder Neville behaved so oddly around Draco. Neville was no doubt afraid of him, which under normal circumstances would have turned Draco's frown into a delighted smirk. The most logical thing he could think of would to be apologize to Neville, but that wasn't happening any time soon.

Draco stood still, looking out moodily over the still silvery-black surface of the lake. He ran a hand through his hair, and settled for something less than an apology. It was still a peace offering though, and although Draco found that he did mean it, it still sounded tremendously odd coming from his own mouth.

"I don't want to be your enemy anymore, Neville. We...I think we have something in common. Do you understand? Or do I have to spell it out for you?"

Neville opened his mouth to question Draco but then it sank in, or at least he thought so. "No." He looked over and smirked a little smirk. "I never thought that you were my enemy. I thought you picked on me because I was friends with Harry."

He looked over the black lake, pushing his hair back from where it blew into his face. The night wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm either. He turned and looked at Draco; watching the moon play across his face.

"Y'know Malfoy, you're not that bad." He hadn't meant to let the words slip out but they had escaped and he winced as he waited for the lash back.

"Maybe that's true, Neville." Draco chewed his lip in thought, and looked away from the black lake, and down at his hands which looked even paler under the moonlight. "But not many people know that. Get them before they get you--that's how I play it. You best of all should know Neville, if you don't guard yourself properly then people will chew you up and spit you out. No one dares touch me, they know I won't hesitate to make their life hell, or send my guys after them, or get my father to pull strings for me. No one can get close enough to know me unless I let them, and who could I trust enough for that? My father says there are very few people one can trust outside of family, and even then, it's never a sure thing." Here Draco went quiet, pressing his lips tightly together, his eyes hard as he looked up and out over the lake once more.

"If people knew who I really was, it would do nothing but bring shame to my family. I was born into a long line of noble, pure-blood, wizards and our society and my families traditional ways demand certain things. Things which can not be compromised. I must uphold the pure blood values of our family, even to extremes, and I must see to it that the Malfoy name continues on. I'm my father's only son. What I want and feel does not matter. I can not fail him." Draco closed his eyes, feeling the tears prickle behind them and willing them not to fall. "I can't."

He repeated, quietly. A passing though asked him why was he bearing his soul to Neville, but he brushed it aside. He couldn't take back what he had said, and it felt good to have said it, even if it did nothing to really help the situation.

Draco reached out and his fingers curled around a smooth stone in the dirt at the lakes edge.

"I...I've said too much."

Draco looked at the smooth stone in his hand, the water glinting from it in the light of the moon which had come out to cast a glow down onto the young night. He turned the stone over in his hand a couple times, and then Draco stood up, moved a few feet away from Neville, and skipped the stone over the lakes surface watching as it skimmed the dark water and then disappeared beneath.

Neville stood still, watching Draco move about and listening to him. He understood the values; he too was a pure blood--even if he didn't seem like it or even if other didn't acknowledge it. He shifted his eyes around, feeling a bit out of place as he stood by the lake. He'd always had leanings towards liking blokes; but he chalked it up to being an only child that lived with an over protective Grandma and wanting to spend time like other boys and do boy things.

He looked around on the ground for a rock and picked it up to mimick Draco but thought better of it and let it fall back down; all he needed would be to miss and end up hitting Draco, or falling into the black lake. He moved back a few paces and sat on the dewy ground, his knees pulled up to his chest.

He knew it took alot to get Draco to open up and he wanted to return in kind, to let him know that his secret was safe with him. But the years of bullying and harassment made it hard for him to do so and twice he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out and on the third try his voice was strained and very squeaky sounding.

"H-how long did you know?" He asked as he looked up at the standing teen, trying to keep his mind on the conversation and not how utterly bad he wanted to pull Draco down and snog him senseless.

"Growing up in the manor, I didn't really have much interaction with other children. I didn't really realize until I came to Hogwarts...how I was. But it didn't take long for me to understand. First year was when I knew. What about you?" Draco's silvery eyes glanced towards Neville in the shadows.

Neville flushed a bit. "Just recently...when I started tutoring you really. I mean I kinda thought; I always found myself more intrigued by the men on the soap operas that Grand watches but I never gave it much thought." He laughed hollowly before looking back up at Draco. "I mean come on, I'm no prize. But I wasn't completely sure until then."

Neville took a deep breath; the burden of his secret finally out and the weight from his shoulders lifted. At least for a little bit until he had to go back to the dorm room and listen to the others talk about all the girls they'd managed to snog in the empty hallways or in the broomclosets. At least all he had to do was turn red faced and and look down and they'd think that he was guilty, he'd add a bit of extra red when they started naming names of the girls and after a while they'd leave him alone.

Draco moved closer to Neville. The night was growing darker, the sun sinking behind the pines and finally away. Stars began to pop out in the young night sky. Draco's hand rested on Neville's hip, their bodies close to touching.

"After you began tutoring me, hmm? Interesting." He leaned in, kissing Neville lazily, letting the sensation take hold of him slowly. He pulled back just barely, enough to speak quiet words that brushed Neville's lips with warmth. "Perhaps more lessons are in order, but not in the greenhouse. I think the both of us still have...some things we could learn...possibly together, if you're interested."

The connotation of Draco's words weren't lost on him but for a moment Neville's brain couldn't process the information. Did....I really....did Malfoy really just.....no....it had to be a mistake.... He sat there and just stared at Draco for a moment, blinking before he could get his voice to even remotely respond, and even then it was nothing more than a low stuttering.

"D-D-Draco...are you p-p-propositioning me?" He knew that he sounded like a prude but the thought that any one, let alone, Draco Malfoy would be offering him a chance too...well he wasn't sure and he blushed as he looked down. "What other things?"

Nevil was aware of the how close they were, that Draco's hand was still on his hip, but he didn't pull away. He didn't think he could pull away; for all the ill that been done to him at Draco's hand he couldn't help but want to indulge in what Draco was hinting at...if he was hinting at what Neville's mind was conjuring up. Just the thought was making his cheeks redder than before and he chewed his lip as made himself look up and lock eyes with Draco as he waited for his answer.

"You know...things. Like...snogging and...whatever else we might want to. Maybe even just talking or something."

Getting bolder, Draco took one of Neville's hands, moved it and slid Neville's fingertips into the back pocket of Draco's slacks.

"Although you might not believe me given our history, I won't force anything onto you. You're the only other person I know who...who...is the same as me in that regard, and it's really good to be understood for once, don't you think? So I'm not intending to scare you off. If I snarl at you it's probably as simple as a bad day, or maybe just the habit of being a git and I've gotten quite used to it."

Draco took a step back from Neville, giving him room to breathe and think.

"Anyway, Longbototm, I've got an early morning ahead of me, so I better go. Take some time to think about it, hmm? You don't have to answer right away. See you at breakfast, slimy Gryffindor scoundrel." Draco smirked, and then turned on his heel, moving away from the Black Lake and back towards the castle, hoping Neville would agree to Draco's suggestion.

For the longest time he could do nothing but stand there, looking at the place where Draco had stood. In the span of one night Neville had gone from a loner with a secret to having a....confidant? A secret lover? He swallowed as a more intimate term crossed his mind. A boyfriend

Neville shook his head and headed back to his room, enclosing himself in his bed and laying quietly as he stared up at the ceiling of his bed. As his eyes drifted closed his fingertips burned and a smile washed across his face.

---

In the morning it was as if Neville had something on his face, everyone was looking at him funnily and after a bout of paranoia that found him in the boys washroom to make sure Draco hadn't hexed him or something he sighed and went down to breakfast. At the table he arched an eyebrow as everyone moved way and whispered about him behind their hands.

He bit into a slice of toast adn was about to demand to be told what was going on but Hermione slid into a seat next to him and as she filled her plate she whispered at him from the corner of her mouth.

"They're talking about you kissing Draco if you must know. They think you've been hexed or poisoned."

Neville looked at her with blinking, owlish eyes and after a moment Hermione pulled a picture out from her books. It was him and Draco, by the lake; his hand in Draco's back pocket and the two wizards in towards one another to kiss passionately.

"Where'd this come from?"

"Beats me, but entire school knows."

With a hard thump he let his head hit the table, murmuring to himself. "Now what could happen?"