In This World And The Next (Completed)

Chapter 14

Neville sat down to breakfast and was soon joined by Millie, "Morning Neville, where's Harry and Hermione?"

"Oh hi Millie, they have some business to take care of in the muggle world. Hermione's parents are going to become Harry's guardians, you need to be at least sixteen before you can marry there. This move will cover them legally and stop eyebrows being raised at them living together."

Millie was thrilled, this was the most Neville had said to her so far. She had quickly recognised his almost paralysing shyness for what it was and her determination to coax him out of that shell of his seemed to grow stronger with each passing day. She'd known what Harry and Hermione were doing today, but Millie was resolved to use any tool or technique available to her in her bid to get Neville talking and comfortable in her presence.

This was going to be a long term project but Millie was positive the results would be more than worth it. She may have been amongst the first to recognise the wizard that Neville could grow into but she sure wouldn't be the last. Millie's plan was a fairly simple one, become Neville's friend, hopefully girlfriend before the better looking girls came sniffing around and she lost any chance she had. Nice guys like Neville were extremely hard to find, Hermione didn't waste anytime in taking her boy off the market.

Neville was also thrilled, he'd just managed to hold a conversation with a girl without stuttering, stammering and generally behaving like the village idiot. He liked having Millie as a friend but the girlfriend rumours and the accompanying teasing made him blush, surely she couldn't be interested in him? It was also a revelation to be gently teased by his friends, a far cry from what he expected boarding the Hogwarts express.

Glancing around the hall he could quickly see the trend that began after their trip to the theme park was not only continuing but spreading, people were sitting with their friends irrespective of house.

The only table not to participate was of course Slytherin, it remained exclusively attended by students bearing green on their robes. There were five Slytherin first years spread over the other three tables but no one else had risked sitting at their house table yet. Malfoy's almost permanent scowl and Weasley's eating habits might have had something to do with that though.

Millie asked Neville a question about his Herbology homework and he agreed to meet her later in the library to help, maybe she was interested in him as a boyfriend? Until he met Harry and Hermione he'd never even had a friend before, his utter dread of rejection would probably mean Millie would need to ask him out!

Neville though was totally unaware that Millie, being a very smart girl, had already figured that out. She would just bide her time and wait for the right moment.

-oOoOo-

Harry was disappointed in the courtroom, too many years of spying from his cupboard as his Aunt Petunia watched her legal dramas left him expecting more. There was no jury and the judge didn't wear a wig, as he was follically challenged Harry thought this might have made Judge McGhee appear a bit more impressive. Although this was Harry's first dealings with the muggle legal system, he had been tried twice and instigated his godfather's trial in the magical world. Although the outcome of the last one was everything they could have hoped for, Harry was hoping for a bit less drama here today.

Appearances were apparently deceptive as the balding, middle-aged judge missed nothing. He interrupted the Grangers' lawyer in mid flow. "Mr Wilkes, I am perfectly sure that the paperwork will have every T crossed and I dotted but this is a child's welfare we are dealing with here. I have no intention of granting anything until I personally hear from the lad in question."