Author's Note: A huge thank you to my beautiful team for keeping me going.

Written for…

Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. Team/Position: Holyhead Harpies, Seeker. Task: Write about Ron's relationship with another student at Hogwarts

Plus One

1,135 words

The Auror offices were nearly deserted as Ron left his cubicle on Christmas Eve. He had offered to stay behind to finish up the paperwork on a capture he and Harry had performed earlier in the day, but he hadn't anticipated it taking most of the afternoon.

Spotting another light on in the office, Ron wandered toward the cubicle curiously, poking his head through the doorway.

"Neville? Everything okay?"

His former roommate sat at his desk, still as a statue as his stared at a small pile of forms before him. He jolted at the sound of Ron's voice, nearly knocking the papers off his desk. He nodded, trying to catch his breath as he shuffled the papers.

"Sorry, mate, didn't mean to scare you."

"It's okay, I thought I was alone."

Ron checked his watch. It was almost dinnertime. If he didn't get home soon, his mother would send someone to fetch him.

"It's Christmas Eve. Shouldn't you be at home?" The redhead looked around the cubicle, taking in the bare walls. He and Harry had hung a garland and a few baubles weeks ago, and yet from the looks of Neville's cubicle you'd never know Christmas was upon them.

"I'm not really in a festive mood," Neville admitted. "You should get going though, don't let me hold you up."

Ron frowned, dropping into the chair across from Neville's desk. "What's going on? You like Christmas."

Neville sighed and leaned back, eying a photo on his desk. Ron wasn't daring enough to lean over and see who was in it, but he imagined it was Hannah Abbott. Neville hadn't stopped talking about her since the Halloween bash at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Hannah's spending the holidays in Thailand."

Ron wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Thailand? Do they even have snow?"

"No. That was sort of the point, if I remember correctly. Her parents wanted to go somewhere warm. She won't be back until the new year."

It occurred to Ron then that the holidays may not be a happy time for Neville anymore. His gran had passed over the summer and, without Hannah there to cheer him up, he was all alone.

"Well, come on then. You're coming home with me."

"I'm what?"

Ron rolled his eyes, rushing from his chair to pull Neville from behind his desk. "You're not spending Christmas alone, mate. I won't stand for it, and neither will my mum."

:-:

It was a struggle getting Neville to the Burrow, but once they set foot in Ron's childhood home, he knew his friend would be alright. As soon as Molly saw the guest, she immediately began to fuss at him, taking his cloak and making sure he was comfortable on the sofa with a glass of eggnog.

Ron left him briefly to find Hermione, but she was deep in a conversation with Charlie about the ethics of a current bill that was being passed and he thought better of interrupting her. He found himself one of his mother's famous cookies to hold him over and made his way back to Neville, now being entertained by Ginny.

"Harry's been telling me how busy it is in the DMLE. I'd have thought things would have died down now," she was saying. "There can't be many Death Eaters left."

Neville shrugged. "I don't really handle those cases. I just assist the others when they need it, but mostly file paperwork. I'm not a real Auror."

Ron shook his head. "That's not true. You're just as much an Auror as I am."

"You have the passion for it," Neville said earnestly. He sipped his drink. "I joined to help out, to clean up the mess. I never really wanted to be an Auror."

Ron thought about that for a long moment. He wasn't entirely sure it was what he wanted either, if he was being honest with himself. Joining the department had seemed like the best move after the war. Harry was already signing up for Auror Training, and the department was in desperate need of help. But he couldn't recall ever dreaming of a life of dueling and stakeouts and long nights away from home.

"If you're not happy, why don't you leave?" Ginny asked simply.

Neville smiled wistfully. "I've thought about it. There's a Herbology program in Shanghai that I've been considering. It would mean I'd be away from Hannah, but I could learn about all sorts of herbs that don't grow here."

"Sounds fascinating," Ron lied, trying to be supportive. He was hard pressed to think of something he would find more boring.

Molly called them for dinner before anymore could be said on the matter.

Hermione continued her discussion with Charlie by Ron's side at the table. Between mouthfuls of duck and potato, he and Ginny took turns in talking with Neville about what the Herbology course entailed and how long he would be gone.

"If I take the full course, I'll be gone a year."

Ron choked on his dinner. "A whole year to learn about plants?"

Neville chuckled. "It's more than that. The Chinese Herbologists are some of the greatest Healers. I would have more job opportunities when I return."

"It sounds perfect," Ginny said. She shot Ron a pointed glare.

"Yeah, I'd take it if I were you," Ron agreed hastily.

Neville nodded. "I need to talk to Hannah first, but I am considering it. But what about you? Do you see yourself staying in the DMLE forever?"

Ron glanced at Hermione, still oblivious to his conversation. "I'm not sure," he admitted quietly. "It's dangerous and I don't know if it's the kind of work I want to be doing when I have a family of my own. But I don't know what I would do otherwise either."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. You've got plenty of skills to get by on, and lots of time to work it out," Neville told him encouragingly.

:-:

The evening carried on for several long hours, and Ron found himself sticking to Neville's side throughout most of it. He found it odd that it would take one Christmas Eve after several years out of Hogwarts for him to really get to know Neville, but he was grateful for the time they spent together that night.

As the party came to a close and the Weasleys began to retire up to their rooms, Ron walked Neville to the Floo to say goodnight.

"You're welcome to come over tomorrow. Mum insisted I invite you."

Neville smiled. "Thank her for me. I think I'm going to spend tomorrow visiting Mum and Dad. I haven't been for a while."

"Of course. If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Thanks for tonight, Ron. I needed a distraction."

"Yeah, no problem. That's what friends are for."