alisanne

Title: The Accidental Saviour
Author:

alisanne
Rating: PG
Pairing: Neville Longbottom/Draco Malfoy
Word Count: 496
Genre: mild angst, h/c
Warnings: None
A/N: Written for

torino10154 as part of my 8th LJ-Versary celebration. She requested Draco/Neville, prompt: 'accidents will happen'.
Beta:

sevfan and

emynn.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

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The Accidental Saviour

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“Come back here, Longbottom!”

Carrow was using her ‘professorial voice’. Ignoring her (it would be a long time before Neville considered Alecto Carrow a legitimate professor of anything, to be honest), Neville ran. It had been sheer bad luck that had made him run into her on his way to the kitchens in the first place.

The elves had been leaving food for them after hours for weeks, ever since Neville and a few others had disappeared into the Room of Requirement, a place where the elves had been forbidden to go by the headmaster. It was Neville’s turn to collect it, but Carrow had been there, poking around, and, desperate, Neville had Summoned the bag and run.

“I'll get you, you blood-traitor maggot!” she screeched behind him.

Speeding up, Neville rounded a corner and ran smack into someone. His bag of food teetered and an apple and two oranges spilled out the top.

“What the--Longbottom?” Draco Malfoy looked terrible, pronounced rings under his eyes. His eyes narrowed as he heard Alecto lumbering down the hallway.

Neville went cold. Draco could easily ruin everything...

Face set, Draco stepped back. “In there,” he snapped, nodding towards an alcove.

Neville’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

Draco growled. “Do you really have time to argue?” he asked, drawing his wand and stepping around Neville. “And don’t forget your food.”

Snatching up the oranges, Neville ducked into the alcove just in time.

“Caught you, you little--Malfoy?” Alecto came to a stop, gaping gormlessly at Draco. “Did you see him?”

“Longbottom?” Draco sneered. “Of course.”

“Where is he, then?”

Draco slowly put his wand away. “He came around the corner and almost hit me, then he ran that way.” He pointed down another corridor. Bending down, he picked up an apple. “He lost some of his food, though.”

“You let him escape?”

Draco shrugged. “Accidents happen.”

A sly expression crossed Alecto’s face. “If you help me hunt him, I’ll let you hex him a few times.”

Draco yawned. “As tempting as that is, I’m rather tired.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself.” Spinning on her heel, she walked off.

Once her footsteps had faded, Neville began to emerge, but Draco, moving quickly, pushed him backwards, entering the alcove with him. “She’s not gone yet,” he hissed.

Neville froze. As they waited, however, he could feel Draco shivering. Tentatively he loosened his hold on his bag and slipped an arm around him. Draco sighed, leaning in.

A minute passed, then another. Finally Neville heard a muttered curse and footsteps moving away. He exhaled as he realised the close shave he’d had. “Thanks,” he whispered.

Draco, who was pressed against him, moved away. “This never happened, Longbottom.”

Neville blinked. “All right. But I am grateful nevertheless.”

“Whatever. I’d advise you to take the back stairs to return to the Room.” Draco moved away, pausing once he was in the hallway. “Good luck, Longbottom.”

Neville watched him go. “You, too, Draco,” he whispered. “You, too.”

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