I Have a Question

"Um, Professor Longbottom?" Scorpius Malfoy asked. "Could I ask you a question?"

"Sure, Scorpius, what is it?" Neville asked. If someone had told him that Scorpius Malfoy would become one of his best students in a matter of weeks of being at Hogwarts, he would have been puzzled, but wouldn't have thought about it too much. If someone had told him that he would have been one of his favorites, he would have asked them when they hit their head. Yet, here he was, talking to one of his favorite students (not that he played favorites) and he didn't even think that it was odd that he was a Malfoy.

"Well, um, I have this problem and I can't really talk about it with my parents and so I thought I'd come to you," Scorpius shuffled his feet and Neville was instantly nervous. What was this problem that he couldn't ask his parents about? Neville's mind filled with about a thousand scenarios that might be possible and he almost forgot to listen. "I really like this girl, but I'm sure that my parents wouldn't approve of her and I'm also not sure what to say to her," he sighed then mumbled, "It's my best friend, Rose."

Neville let out a sigh of relief. This wasn't even remotely close to what he was thinking of. "Well, I'm not sure what you're asking me." After thinking about it for a moment, he realized that, he knew why Scorpius couldn't take it up with his parents. They'd probably try to kill him for even being friends with a Weasley let alone date own. What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them (Scorpius spent more time talking to the Weasleys and the Potters at the Gryffindor table than at the Slytherin table.

"Well, Al claims that she likes me back, but….." his voice trailed off.

"Scorpius, do you know who you remind me of?" he asked quietly. The seventh year just stared at him waiting for an answer. "Ron Weasley," Neville said.

"I'm not sure where this is going," Scorpius said slightly suspicious.

"Do you know how almost everyone says that Rose is almost exactly like Hermione? Well, if she's a lot like Hermione and you're a lot like Ron, I really don't think that you have that much to worry about. I'm more than sure that Albus is right. As for your parents, I'm pretty sure that once they get used to the idea, they'll be fine with it." This part wasn't true actually, but Neville couldn't very well start bad-mouthing a student's parents in front of him.

"Thanks, Professor!" Scorpius said. "Oh, and one more thing. Is it true that you're dating the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?"

"Where did you hear that?" Neville asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Well, everyone is saying it," Scorpius shrugged.

"Well, your information is faulty. I'm not dating Professor Lovegood," he showed him his left hand. "I'm married to her. Luna just didn't change her last name when we got married."