Harry Potter 1. The Horror Of Hogwarts

Chapter 1

She stood on the platform surrounded by screaming and over excited children and pure loathing piled on top of her like a lead weight.

_I can't believe I have to be here for another stinking year. _She grumbled internally.

Claudia Weisemann was beyond peeved that she had to go back to that school.

Her family were originally from Austria and her great grandfather was even the brother to the last Kaiser but she still had to visit this bloody school for a whole year.

She hated it there. It's not that she hated the lessons or even the teachers, the most common reasons for people to hate school. No she just hated everyone else around her.

Claudia had always been an obstinate child even when she was younger. She had always hated playing with dolls or toy animals like most little girls did. She always wanted to play with her brothers toy dragon or to ride on a broom rather than the pony her mother had got her when she'd turned 10.

When she'd got her letter for hogwarts she wasn't excited she wasn't even remotely pleased. She had thrown a hissy fit, lost control of her magic and had blown the roof off the conservatory.

The last 5 years had been hell for Claudia.

OK that's an exageration she just didnt get excited about it like the other girls in her year. She liked her lessons but there was nothing else in that castle for her. It was just boring.

She could see them now all smiles and hugs with their parents while she stood, less than mellow next to her far too rigid parents.

Her mother put her hand on her shoulder and Claudia sighed heavily and looked up to her obediently.

"Are you going to have a better year this time love?" Her mother asked, all to patronisingly for Claudia's liking.

"Mother you've asked me that every year for the last 5 years and every year i've said the same thing. I won't repeat myself." Claudia replied exasperatedly.

"I just want you to have some fun thats all. Just because you're a slytherin doesnt mean fun doesnt exist you know." Her mother replied.

"I will try my best." She said, having to repeat herself after all.

The whistle blew and her parents nodded her off and she wandered towards the carriages. It was always like that. No hugs no real goodbyes. She prefered it that way she found.

Claudia quickly found herself a carriage and sat down heavily gently banging her head against the back of the seat behind her.

"You look about as happy as you did last year." Came a voice from the doorway. Claudia didnt even flinch in surprise, she'd been waiting for this.

"You know me, always the joyous clown Pans." Pansy Parkinson, the girl now sitting across from Claudia, was the one true saving grace of Hogwarts. Pansy and Claudia had been best friends since their first day on the train.

While everyone around them had been laughing and joking around Claudia had been sitting in an empty carriage with her arms crossed and a petulant look on her face.

That was how Pansy had found her not long before the train pulled in to Hogsmeade.

"As the bar man said to the horse, why the long face?" Was all Pansy had said but it had bought a begrudging smile to Claudia's face and they'd been close ever since.

Pansy was the polar oppisite of Claudia in looks and in personality but the complimented eachother well. Pansy often referred to them as ying and yang.

Pansy was taller than Claudia at 5 foot 7 inches. Everything else about her was petite. There was nothing to the girl at all but skin and bones but she wasn't unhealthy looking. She looked like a bustless Victoria Secret model Claudia thought but Pansy would most likely be highly offended if she told her that. She had long blonde hair which fell to her waiste and light hazel eyes which usually had a mysteriously wicked glint to them. Her skin was fair but perminently tinged pink on her cheeks which gave her an illdeserved innocent look.

Claudia on the other hand had a typically Austrian look about her (so her mother said). She was short at 5 foot 3 inches and was what Pansy called 'curvatious'. She was no more than a size 14 in muggle clothes but she had wide hips and large breasts giving her an hourglass figure. She has dark blue eyes and her skin is paler than Pansy's. Her hair is a deep chocolate brown and cut short around her face in what the hairdresser called a 'pixie cut'. Not that she cared about things like that. She had long ago given up on how she looked. Or at least just didn't bother as much as Pansy did.

Pansy was in front of the mirror of their joint dorm room for at least 45 minutes before she left for breakfast every morning. Claudia took about 20 minutes drying her hair and applying a small amount of make up before she left. What was the point looking nice if no one ever notices you anyway, she always thought.

The train ride was spent mainly in silence with Pansy occasionally striking up conversation about something that had happened over the summer or popping out of the carriage to talk to some of her other friends.

Pansy had always been far more sociable than Claudia. She always sat in the middle of the dinner table with a large group of people around her chatting and having fun. Claudia would always be there but would usually be off to the side just watching and not talking to anyone. That's the way she liked it. Pansy always came to Claudia when she'd finished socialing though and always sat with her by choice. They were best friends and as much as Pansy was popular she would always choose talking to Claudia over talking to anyone else.

"Come on Claud, the train is slowing down." Pansy said poking her head through the door.

The girls got off the train when it stopped and made their way to the carriages to start a new year at Hogwarts. Their sixth year. _Oh joy. One more year left after this then i'm out _Claudia thought as the horseless carriage trundled on.


	2. Balls!

Chapter 2

A few weeks in to the term and school was exactly how Claudia had expected it to be. Everyone was too loud, too boysterous and too happy.

She was currently sitting in potions, the last lesson of the day, and was making a forgetfullness potion without the help of her partner, Pansy.

"Are you going to do anything all lesson?" Claudia asked, knowing the answer already.

"I can't i'm far too distracted." Pansy sighed.

Claudia looked up to see what Pansy was distracted by and saw her staring off into the distance with a dreamy look on her face. She didn't even need to ask what she was staring at.

"Ah. Still crushing on the Weasley I see."

Pansy just sighed in reply.

Claudia should of known it would of been him her friend was distracted by. Pansy had, had a crush on the Gryffindor red head for almost the whole time she'd known her.

Around christmas in their first year Pansy had been on her way from the library and was carrying far too many books for someone so small and had enevitably dropped them all on the floor. Having always been a tad bit over dramatic and only 11 she'd burst into tears.

Ron Weasley just happened to be walking around the corner and saw everything. He then proceeded to comfort the now shocked Pansy and helped her carry all her books back to the Slytherin common room.

From that day forward Pansy Parkinson had been in love with Ron Weasley.

Claudia just rolled her eyes and packed up their things when professor Snape told them to leave.

"I don't understand why you can't just ask him out." Claudia was saying as they walked from potions back to their common room. She didn't notice the horrified look on her friends face.

"Ask him out?" Pansy all but shouted in response. "A girl can not ask out a boy it HAS to be the other way around. What would I tell my children when they ask how we got together 'oh sweetie well i was really desperate and so I asked him out' its not very romantic is it." Claudia just sighed and wished she'd never said anything as Pansy carried on and on all the way to the common room.

After dropping off their bags they headed back to the great hall for dinner. The hall was buzzing as usual as they arrived.

When he had obviously gathered that everyone was at their tables Dumbledore stood and greeted the students.

"Good evening children. I hope you have had a wonderful year so far and I hope my news which follows will make the year all that much better." He paused, Claudia imagined for dramatic effect then continued "I have asked all of your professors and we have all agreed that this year it would be a lovely idea if we started up an anual tradition of a winter ball." There was a lot of excited wispering coming from all tables and dumbledore looked incredibly pleased with himself. Claudia meanwhile had a sudden urge to bang her head against the table. "It will be a wonderful way for the first years to socialise and for the older years to find a few new friends among different houses. There will be a few extra hogsmeade visits arranged for students to find outfits and students from all houses and years will be allowed to go, though students from third year down will be going in escourted groups. I will let you know more details closer to the time." And with that he sat.

Claudia spent the rest of the meal in an angry silence and waited for Pansy to finish talking to the other girls at the table about what dress they would wear before storming out of the hall and back to the dorm.

"Claudia what's wrong with you. You look like you've been told someone stole your broom."

"I hate balls. They're so loud and so stupid and fake and everyone looks so stupid in those big dumb ball gowns." She ground her teeth as she spoke.

"But Claud it will be so fun! There'll be food and punch and we can dance!" As pansy said the word 'dance' she rushed towards Claudia and proceeded to swing her around their bedroom. This lightened Claudia's mood considerably and she laughed as Pansy pulled her in for a over dramatic waltz. She almost forgot everything to do with the ball as she laughed with her friend until Pansy reminded her of the worst thing about balls. "Hey you might even get asked out by prince charming." Was all she had to say for her face to fall and she pulled away from Pansy to slump down on her bed.

"I'm not like you Pans." She said sullenly. "You're beautiful and thin and lovely. You could get anyone to ask you. Even Ron bloody Weasley but i'm not like that Pans. No one would want to go with me."

Pansy frowned. She knew her friend wasnt like her. Hell she wasnt like anyone she'd ever met and she loved that about her. This girl had a lot to give and Pansy thought she knew that but she was obviously wrong. Claudia was a beautiful girl in a lot of ways and anyone would be happy to have her Pansy thought. Someone else had to see the truly beautiful qualities in the girl sitting slumped on her bed at this moment in time. Now wasn't the time to ponder who however it was time to cheer up her friend.

"Come on Claud cheer up. Imagine all the shocking outfits we'll get to laugh at." That drew a gentle snort from the other girl and Pansy smiled.

The rest of the night was spent thinking up ways in which they could spike the punch till they eventually fell asleep much, much later.


	3. Purple Liquid

Chapter 3

The months passed quickly for Claudia. She stuck her head down as usual and kept herself to herself. She could count the amount of people she spoke to, in the 3 months from when the ball was announced to now, early december, on one hand.

She'd spoken to Pansy, a girl from Hufflepuff who was asking where the potions class room was, Ernie McMillan when they'd been partnered in transfiguration and a fifth year Ravenclaw who she not so politely declined when he asked her to the ball (she was convinced he was dared to do it anyway).

That was it.

That didn't mean she was lonely at all. Infact she was far happier talking to few people and just observing the rest.

She'd long ago learnt that people don't tend to pay much attention to their surroundings and if you were quiet and discrete enough you could learn everything about a person just by watching. She probably knew more about the people in this school than they knew about themselves.

She, for example, she was the first to guess that the Patil twins were going to be in different houses. All she had to do was listen to them for 5 minutes on the train when she was searching for an empty carriage and she knew.

The thing about knowing how people think and reading them like books is once you know what to hide from you can remain hidden from people without even thinking about it. Pansy constantly asked her to 'come out of her shell' as she put it and to show her face more often but Claudia wasn't interested in all that. She liked having one person to confide in and have that be it. It was easier and safer than having more, unreliable friendships hanging around like flies.

So it was now early December and Claudia would of forgotten about the ball had it not been for the people she was observing on a daily basis, twittering on about it. Pansy was becoming more and more excited to and so every weekend available to them Claudia was being dragged around the Hogsmeade boutiques for dresses and shoes and makeup and this, that and the other.

Thats where she found herself on this particular December morning.

"What do you think of this one Claud." Pansy was saying while holding what must of been the hundredth dress to her chest. This one was a pastel pink and made from a silky material which was fitted around the bust, waste and down to mid thigh where a long slit ran all the way down to the floor. It had no sleeves and a high neckline and Claudia couldnt help thinking about how only someone Pansy's size could pull that dress off. She just nodded in reply though and refused to ruin Pansy's good mood with sour thoughts.

It had been the same every shop they went in. Pansy would pick up thousands of dresses and every single one, if worn by Claudia, would of made her look like a man in drag but Pansy looked like a beauty queen in every single one.

Pansy made her way to the changing rooms and a short while later a highpitched squeel was heard. Claudia was just about to rush over and see what the problem was (expecting Pansy to be being mugged or something) when the girl in question prounced out the changing rooms in the afformentioned dress beaming like an idiot.

"This is the one!" She squeeled, "This is the dress! I have to have it it's perfect." She twirled and beamed at the vision of her in the head to toe mirror in the shop.

Claudia hated her at that moment in time.

She looked perfect. Everything Claudia thought she would never be.

"Its lovely Pans you look amazing." She wasn't going to ruin her friends mood just because she'd never look that good in a dress. "Are we free to go now then?" She asked, praying the answer was yes so she could escape the suffocating sight of too small, too pretty dresses.

"What? Why would we leave?" Pansy asked, visibly confused.

"Well why would we stay? We've got your dress, we don't need anything else." Pansy just looked at her like she was an escapee from bedlam.

"Well what are you going to wear?"

"Well definitely nothing from here." She couldn't help it, the sarcastic comment just jumped from her tongue. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." She muttered to the really offended looking store clerk.

"What's wrong with the dresses in here?" Pansy asked, still completely stumped.

"There's nothing wrong with the dresses themselves it more the size range I have a problem with." Claudia admitted, her head hung low. Pansy considered it a moment before nodding and flouncing back in to the changing rooms to rid herself of the perfect dress.

When she emerged again they paid for the dress but when Claudia made to go to the Three Broomsticks to relax Pansy dragged her off in the other direction.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she was dragged away from the very welcoming sight of the warm pub.

"We still need to find you a dress." Was Pansy's only explanation before shoving Claudia into a little shop she hadn't noticed before that moment. "Take a look around on that side and i'll start over here." Pansy said, rather bluntly and they split up to take a look.

Claudia was lazily dismissing everything she saw. They were a lot more her taste than the other store and they all seemed as though 'normal' sized people would fit them but her heart just wasn't in it. She wanted to fit in to the dresses in the other store not these frumpy dresses.

She was thinking something along these lines when her eyes were caught by the item on the hanger under her hand.

She felt the delicate material between her fingers and marvelled at how soft and how like liquid it felt when she ran her hand over it. The colour was a deep aubergine purple that would look black in certain lights. She took the marvelous garment off the rack and held it up to admire it.

It was perfect for her. Without even consulting Pansy she went straight to the changing rooms at the back of the shop and tried it on.

Standing in the mirror looking at herself she was amazed at her own reflection. The dress wasn't a dress at all and was infact a jumpsuit but the legs were so flared and flowing you couldn' tell unless you were walking.

The neckline was a high scoop which only just lay below her collar bone and at the shoulders were small silver clasps in the shape of roses which were studded with tiny diamonds which glittered when she moved. The back scooped lower than the front falling just below her bra strap and showed off her delicately sloped shoulders. It was fitted around the waste and had a thick belt of the same purple material which accentuated her small waste and wide hips. All in all she felt the most beautiful she ever had and was knocked speachless by the feeling.

"Claud I couldnt see you in the shop and the clerk said you came in here. You alright? Have you found something?" Pansys voice floated through her haze and, still unable to talk properly she pulled back the curtain and stepped out of the dressing room.

Pansy's face was a picture. She looked like a mixture between amazed, smug, proud and jealous. Although what she was jealous of Claudia would never guess.

"You look... just wow..." Was all pansy could say. Claudia beamed at her and turned back to the full length mirror to stare at herself once more.

They left the shop 20 minutes later after Pansy decided how Claudia should wear her hair and buying some shoes and makeup that would match the beautiful jumpsuit.

For once Claudia didn't even care. She just let Pansy natter on about how she should wear a pale lipgloss and have smokey eyes and how only stillettos would benefit an outfit like that and how she would let her lend her most prized pair of Jimmy Choo's for the ball. Claudia didn't even hear it. She was just thinking how nice it would feel to be almost as pretty as everyone else for one night.


	4. Introducing

Chapter 4

It was the night of the ball and Claudia was the most nervous she had ever been. She didn't understand why either though. These were just people from her school, there was no one she wanted or needed to impress, it wasn't as if she had a date either.

Early on Pansy and Claudia had decided it would be better to go as friends than to go alone. Pansy had had plenty of offers from a lot of different people but she only had eyes on one person and that person was oblivious so that wasn't likely to happen any time soon and Claudia wasn't interested in having a date and wasn't asked by anyone who wasn't 'joking' (she thought they were joking anyway).

She was undeniably nervous though and she just couldn't pin point why. She almost felt like everything would be different from this night onwards. Why she didn't know.

Her and Pansy had decided to take the whole day pampering themselves before the ball tonight. Or rather Pansy had decided and Claudia had been dragged kicking and screaming into the plan. She had been bathed, shampood, conditioned, scrubbed, moisturised and expholiated in every single nook and cranny of her body. She'd had face masks and hair masks and been plucked and waxed and buffered all over and she was now sitting on the chair infront of the mirror wearing her beautiful jumpsuit and Pansy's Jimmy Choo's while Pansy did her make up.

"Ok you can open your eyes now," She did as she was told and her jaw dropped.

She looked like an entirely different person she thought.

Pansy had used a gentle natural looking foundation on her so her skin was lovely and even and looked smooth like porcelain. She had a faint pale pink blush to her cheeks and her lips were stained the gentlest of pale pinks. It was her eyes which captivated her though. She had always thought her eyes were boring and bland but whith Pansy's magic they seemed to sparkle and crackle and they looked alive. They were still dark but somehow that just made them all the more deep and mysterious.

Pansy had given her the smokey eyed look she had said she would. She'd used a small amount of mascara to make her lashes look bigger then she'd put a thin line of liquid eyeliner on her top lids and a small dusting of grey/silver eyeshadow over that.

She took in the sight of herself with her subtle and elegant make up, her deep brown hair which was as short as ever but gleamed and shimmered in the light and her beautiful elegant outfit. She finally looked as pretty as the other girls and thats all she wanted for tonight. She'd go back to not caring tomorrow but for tonight she just wanted to be a normal girl.

On the other side of the castle someone else was getting ready themselves. Unknowing and uncaring of the beauty that was transforming in the slytherin girls dorm.

Neville Longbottom was in the middle of doing up his tie while Claudia is looking in the mirror in her dorm.

"Hey Seamus what's the plan of attack for tonight?" Dean was shouting across the room to his friend while Neville minded his own business, as usual.

"Dunno D. Let just play the feild yeah? There's gunna be girls from 5th and 7th year tonight so we gotta play it by eye I reckon." Seamus shouted back while Neville cringed.

This is what he hated about living with boys, the talk about girls. Always it was about who fucked who and the best ways of 'pulling' as they put it. They werent all like it. Ron and Harry tended to steer clear of those conversations but Dean and Seamus were always at it and it made Neville uncomfortable.

It wasn't that he didn't like girls at all or that he didn't think of them in a sexual way, trust him he did, he was just bought up differently. He was bought up by his Grandma and she'd instilled a sense of respect that men should have for all women and he lived by that rule.

It didn't matter all that much in the dorm anyway. No one really paid attention to him so he was able to sneak out of these conversations fairly quickly.

Neville was a non entity to the people in his house it seemed to him. He had friends like Ron and Harry but even they only acknowledged him on occasion. He didn't think they meant to do it they just have other friends and are spread to thin when it comes to time they have to give out.

He couldnt say he minded all that much though. He liked being on his own to do his own thing not having to do what everyone else was doing. Some people mistook that as being shy which was untrue. Neville would talk to anyone if they came to him and talked to him but no one ever did so he didn't talk to them and so they left him alone.

After escaping the rather lude conversation in the boys dorms Neville made his way slowly down to the great hall where the ball was going to be held.

When he arrived he was still one of the first there and so he sat down at one of the back tables. Instead of the usual long house tables there were now a large number of smaller round tables for students to sit and eat before the ball truly began later in the evening.

As he sat he took in the sight of the hall. The walls had all been transfigured white and there were fake icicles hanging off of window ledges and from the fireplaces. The roof was now showing a snowey sky with snowdrops that fell to a point just above your head where they disappeared. The whole effect made the room look like one intense snow cavern.

Slowly more and more people appeared in the hall and soon enough it was nearly full. His table remained relatively quiet throughout the whole time however because people were moving to sit with their friends at other tables.

Neville was just about to tuck in to the bowl of warm soup which had appeared in front of him when something from the doorway which was slightly to his left caught his eye.

Pansy Parkinson had just entered the room wearing a lovely pink dress and was being accosted by a number of her slytherin friends, but that wasn't what had caught his eye.

It was the girl that stood diligently behind Pansy as she chatted with her friends animatedly. The girl was just standing there seemingly waiting for her friend to finish but she was the most interesting thing in the room to Neville at that moment in time.

She was breath taking to say the least. The purple outfit she wore had a grecian look to it and to him it made her seem like a goddess. Her figure was divine in his eyes, all curved waste and bulging bust her body was a work of art. Erotic art at that. Her hair was short and modern and framed her face perfectly making her slightly rounded features look pixieish. Her eyes. Even from this distance Neville could see the depth in those eyes, they were swirling pools of arctic sea and he was lost in an instant. She was magnificent and he didn't know anything about her.

Not very long after spotting her, she and Pansy disappeared into a crowd and he assumed she sat with them near the front of the room. When she went his heart sank lower instantly and he wondered if he hadn't imagined her.


	5. I Didn't Say Yes

Chapter 5

As soon as she had walked through the door Claudia knew no amount of makeup and pretty dresses would make her like the other girls here. Everyone all still ignored her. She stood behind Pansy and heard all the compliments she got and there was nothing that came her way.

_That's fine _she thought _I should of known I would be the only one who would see a difference in me._

She wasn't upset but she was a little disappointed. She'd expected at least one person to notice.

She had thought she'd seen a Gryffindor boy, she thought his name was Longbottom, staring at her from the other side of the hall but had concluded it must of been Pansy he was looking at. She did look ravishing.

Pansy was soon dragged off with the girls from slytherin and left Claudia on her own. That was fine by her. She always came prepared for these sorts of occasions.

She made her way over to the very back table on the left hand side of the doors. It was nearly empty other than a couple of first years who were chatting quietly among themselves so she sat down and proceeded to pull a book from her tiny clutch bag which she'd magically enhanced with an extension charm. All through the meal Claudia sat like that. All on her own at the back of the hall eating her food and pretending the rest of the world never existed.

"Students have you enjoyed you meals?" Professors Dumbledore's loud voice penetrated the near silence at Claudia's table and she looked up. The students around her cheered in response to his question. "I'm glad to hear that. Now i only have a few quick announcements to make this evening before you can get on with your fun. Number one is that all 1st and 2nd years are to be back at their dorms by 10:30," there was a chorus of whine's and groans at this but the headmaster quickly silenced them with a look which meant no arguing, "3rd, 4th and 5th years are to be in dorms by 12 and 6th and 7th years are to be in dorms by 1:30. There will be no excuses. Now without any further ado enjoy your dance." With a swish of his wand the halls walls vibrated with music and the students who were inclined to, moved to the designated dance floor.

Claudia stayed where she was.

She could see everyone standing on the dance floor, dancing and she wondered to herself how anyone could find that fun. Most of them just looked like they were having a seizure.

She could see Pansy jumping around and laughing with a few of the girls and she caught her eye. Pansy beckoned for her to join them but Claudia just held up her book and Pansy laughed. Claudia just smirked.

Neville, who was sitting on the other side of the hall, had seen Pansy reach the dance floor and was looking desperately to see the mysterious girl in purple. That was when he caught the exchange between Pansy and someone on the far side of the hall from her, on the opposite side of the hall from him. He looked over there desperately and sure enough there she was holding up a book, clearly telling her friend she wasn't going to dance. He also saw the smirk and he thought he'd never seen anything sexier. Those lips, pouted and glossy looking, pulled into such a sarcastic little smile was enough to pull a small smile from his lips also.

The night wore on and eventually Pansy near enough dragged Claudia out to the dance floor and away from her book. She danced a while with Pansy and even managed to loosen up enough to laugh at her own bad dancing. Soon enough though a slow dance began and Pansy was tapped on the shoulder.

"Umm hi. I um... was wondering if-" Ron Weasley never finished his sentence.

"Yes she'll dance with you." Claudia answered for her friend who had seemed to of turned into a tomato and had lost her tongue.

"Umm thanks?" Ron said laughing and Pansy just shot her a greatful look to which she shrugged and walked away towards the punch.

She didn't feel like returning to her seat so decided to loiter and observe her friend and the other dancers on the floor at the moment.

They were all swaying from side to side and they looked like a group of penguins stuck on the same sheet of ice.

"It's a funny thing to watch huh?" Came a voice from her side and she jumped with her hand to her chest to face the person who had spoken.

Neville Longbottom needed courage. He simply couldnt let this night go without speaking to that girl in purple. He needed it and that was a rare feeling for him. So when he saw her heading off of the dance floor towards the punch he saw this as his opportunity to buck it up and do for it. He knew the punch was spiked. Everyone did and he had a suspicion it may of been professor Snape's way of trying to get one of the students in trouble. Never the less he headed for the spiked punch for some dutch courage and then made his way over to where the girl was standing.

After watching her a short while and seeing she was eyeing the dancers with amused eyes he took his moment.

"It's a funny thing to watch huh?" She jumped as soon as he said it and her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of him.

As she turned to look at him he recognised him. _What is the Longbottom kid doing talking to me?_

She eyed him and took mental note of what she saw. He was tall, much taller than her, perhaps 6 foot 1 inches. He had medium length almost black hair which was scruffy but in a cute way rather than looking like he'd not washed. His jaw showed signs of light stubble that she didn't think would ever go no matter how much he shaved. His face was angular and masculine but also kind looking at the same time. He was pale and had a few light freckles dotted over his nose and his build was lean but toned. All in all she was impressed but no way was he going to know that so she looked away and pretended to be uninterested in him.

"I suppose they are." She said noncommitally.

He just chuckled and it was a deep rich sound which she decided she liked immensely.

"Don't you want to be up there dancing with them?" He asked.

"Was that you asking me to dance?" She answered cheekily, expecting him to be embarrassed and say no then go away. She still wasn't even looking at him. If she had been she might of seen the cheeky glint that crossed his eye.

"Depends whether you say yes or not." She nearly choked but managed to keep her cool.

"And if i say no?" She retorted. _Am i flirting? Is this flirting? I'll have to ask Pansy._

"Then i'll be wholey disappointed." Her cheeks heated a little. _Is he having me on? Why would HE want to dance with me?_ She decided he was joking and decided she wasnt to be made a fool of but before she could say anything he had grabbed her hand and was walking towards the dance floor.

She was too stunned to stay anything until they stopped and she found herself on the dance floor with Neville Longbottom's hands on her hips and her hands on his shoulders.

"I didn't even say yes!" She exclaimed as he began to lead her around the dancefloor and they joinded the other penguins around them.

"Now you don't have to." He answered with a cheeky grin and a wink and she thought she might buckle at the sight of it.

How had she not noticed this man before. He was so... different. All the other boys in their year were just that, boys not men. They were loud and disruptive quite often rude and nearly always idiots. This Longbottom kid wasn't though. He was smooth and gentle and seemed quick witted.

She needed answers.

"How come I don't see you around school?" She asked.

"I could ask the same of you." He replied all to quickly.

"I asked first." She stated simply. He nodded then spoke again.

"I keep myself to myself. I don't like crowds really so i tend to stay away from where the majority of people are. If there's a lot of people around I probably won't be involved." She marvelled at the similarities between them. "What about you. I don't think i've ever seen you around. I don't even know your name!"

"Claudia Weissemann, and you don't see me around school because you don't look." She stated. Blunt and to the point.

His brows furrowed for a second, as he wondered is she realised how sexy and mysterious that made her sound, then he nodded in what she assumed was admittance that he hadn't been looking. What she didn't know was he definitely would be from now on.

Not long later the music changed and the pair, not seeing the need to seperate, moved over to the table which still held Claudia's bag and book. They sat down and just watched as the others danced again. Neither of them said anything or felt the need to say anything. They just sat together.

Soon enough the dancers became boring to Neville and he didn't see the point in looking towards them when he had such a vision beside him. She, by now, had reverted back to reading her book.

Close up she was even more of the beauty he'd witnessed beforehand. Her skin was flawless, no blemishes to be seen at all and he was floored by how silky and soft her hair looked and found his hands itching touch it to see if it was that impossibly smooth. Those eyes were something else entirely though. They were the eyes of an intellegent woman, he thought, they were sceptical and truth seeking eyes and they were so very dark blue.

"You know its rude to stare." She said suddenly, not even looking up from her book. He didn't even have the decency to look away. He just kept looking.

"How long have you known i was staring?" He asked. She smirked.

"How long have you been staring?" He laughed and she smiled at the sound.

"I'm sorry I can't help it." He said simply, now finally looking away.

"Why have I got something on my face?" She asked, half joking half paranoid. His thick brown eyebrows furrowed.

"No. I was just looking at you that's all." He said honestly, probably more honest than he would of been had it not been for the dutch courage. She was looking at him now instead of down at her book and her eyebrows were furrowed and her eyes were confused.

"Why would you look at me?" She asked.

"Why would I look anywhere else?" He asked looking at her straight in the eye. Her eyebrows rose dramatically at the sincerity in his voice and the lack of deceit in his eyes.

She looked away hurriedly to disguse the blossoming blush and turned back to her book while he went back to watching the crowd. They sat in silence like this for the rest of the night.

At 1:30 on the dot Dumblrdore turned off the magic music and told everyone to head to bed. Before Neville could even turn his head to say goodnight Claudia had jumped out of her chair to go and find Pansy so she could unwrap the riddle that was Neville Longbottom. She didn't notice she left her book behind.


	6. Having Me On

Chapter 6

"PANSY!" Claudia was running full pelt towards Pansy as she said goodbye to Ron at the doors to the great hall. When she finally reached her Pansy was looking at her like she'd grown a second head.

"Claud you haven't run a day in your life what's up?" Claudia ignored her and just turned to Ron.

"She likes you, by the looks of the blush on your ears you like her to so when do you want to see her again?" Claudia asked while Pansy just gaped at her and Ron looked like her was going to internally combust. When he didn't answer she shook his shoulder and he woke up slightly.

"Oh umm well are you staying for the holidays Pansy?"

"Yes she is. She'll meet you by the lake at 1:30 on christmas eve for your date. Now if you'll excuse me I need my friend urgently." With that she dragged a gaping Pansy back to the common room then up to the girls dorms where she sat her down on the bed and waited for her to wake up.

"You just asked him out for me!" She shouted after a second. She didn't really seem angry just astonished.

"Yeah well he was taking too long. It was going to happen anyway so don't worry you've still got a romantic story to tell your children."

Pansy just stared at her some more, trying to get her head around her friend. She found she couldn't.

"What's wrong you look really tense and you haven't stopped pacing since we got here." Pansy said after a while.

"I am tense. Something very strange happened to me just now and I need you to help me." Claudia then went on to explain everything that had happened to her at the ball. From being made to jump by Neville then his admission that he was looking at her. Pansy's mouth had formed a gentle 'O' by the time she finished.

"So he just said it, all honest and open 'Why would I look anywhere else?'. My god who knew Longbottom had it in him to be romantic?" Pansy said in obvious awe

"Romantic? No he wasn't being romantic. He was having me on in some way I just know it." Claudia was now pacing and was biting her nails in nervous worry.

"Why would he have to be having you on? Maybe he just thinks you're pretty or-" Claudia cut her off.

"Nobody has thought I was pretty the entire time i've been here. No one even notices me why would he?" She said finally stopping pacing and was sitting hunched on her bed next to Pansy who was looking at her with sympathy in her eyes.

"It only takes one." Was all Pansy said before leaving Claudia on her bed and wandering off to get changed for bed, leaving the other girl dwelling over her words and trying not to get her hopes up too much about Neville Longbottom.

The next few days were Saturday and Sunday so Claudia managed to successfully avoid near enough everyone. She walked for hours on her own down by the lake just thinking and looking at the scenery. The weather was chrisp and wintery but there was no snow as yet so as long as she wrapped up warm she had no problem over coming the cold.

For a normally observant girl Claudia was loosing her grip on her surroundings. She was so lost in thought the majority of the time that she failed to notice that someone had been following her with his eyes.

Neville had started to look for her where ever he went. Even when he was just tottering around the castle he would look in every nook and cranny for her until on Saturday night he was up on the astronomy tower just looking at the moon when he noticed a small amount of movement down by the lake, of which he had a fantastic view of.

He noticed a girl with short brown hair and a curved body. It was only 8 so she was well within curfue but he was intrigued as to why she was out on such a cold day. Ofcourse it could be the same reason he was out, she was looking for someone, but he could tell by the slowness in her step and the way she seemed to not be paying attention to anything around her that she was just thinking.

Thinking about he didn't dare dream to know. The girl was an enigma and he would never really understand her he didn't think. She could be thinking of ways to torture and kill bunnies or she could be thinking about him. Not that he'd let himself beleive she might think about him. She was far too proud and pure to think about someone as lowly as him. Wasn't she?

The thought made his heart sink.

She didn't seem like the other Slytherins around her. She had danced with him and hadn't seemed to mind him touching her in any way. She didn't seem stuck up or selfricheous and holier than thou. She just seemed quiet and rather reclusive which was unusual for a Slytherin, who are normally the centre of attention at any party, usually it was the Hufflepuffs who were the recluses.

No she might not be thinking about him right now but she certainly had the capacity to think about him.

Neville had never been more intrigued and more attracted to someone in his whole life. The only time something had come close was when he had a crush on Luna Lovegood before she told the world she was gay. In comparison though that was just a passing fancy. This girl was such a mystery to him and he was so turned on by that fact he just needed to know more.

Little did he know that the girl by the lake was in fact thinking about him and was in fact wondering if he was thinking about her also.

Sunday was spent in much the same manner for the two of them. Claudia walked by the lake while Neville watched. He took in the smoothness of her gate and the upright yet fluid manner in which she moved. She was like the best muggle television for him and he couldnt pull his eyes away from the swinging hips and the perfect posture of Claudia Weisseman.


	7. Observation And Passing Thoughts

Chapter 7

Monday came around and Claudia was none the wiser to what Neville had been trying to acheive by talking to her. She was also none the wiser as to why she'd flirted with him. By now she'd assertained that it was indeed flirting she was taking part in. Nothing else sounded right.

As she woke up for that mornings lessons she had a certain feeling of satisfaction however. She had pondered it enough and come to the conclusion Pansy was right. He wasn't taking the mick out of her. He just didn't seem the type. The little she knew about him pointed to him being gentlemanly and definitely not cruel.

Now she just needed to try and find out why he had talked to her. She decided it was time she put her observation skills to good use to try and find out as much as she could about Neville Longbottom.

Neville had decided something very similar.

He was a shadow to most people. You know its there but pay no attention to it. He decided to use this to his advantage. His plan was to stay in the background as much as possible and watch.

As he made his way to his first lesson he saw her around 6 feet ahead, its fate he thought. She was alone, no Pansy to be seen, and everyone near her wasn't achnowledging her. Not even a look her way infact. It was as though she was entirely invisible to everyone but himself and that idea excited him no end. The idea of having her all to himself was intoxicating.

As he watched her walk in the smooth and deliberate way he noticed she seemed to be looking for someone. Pansy he assumed. She would turn back every so often or search the crowd infront of her. They were subtle movements but he saw them.

They reached their destination of the charms class room and he was utterly gobsmacked when she wandered through the door in front of them. She was in his class? He thought he'd never seen her before but she must of been part of his weekly routine for years and he hadn't even noticed. She really wasn't exagerating when she said he hadn't seen her because he wasn't looking. He was so glad he looked.

She sat on the back but one table in the class so Neville sat on the other side of the room one table behind her. It would be difficult to hide from her if he sat directly behind her. She could turn around any moment.

He watched her the entire class. He learnt a lot about her in the hour they were in the same class room. He saw that when she knew the answer to a question asked by a teacher (which was nearly always) her right arm flinched as though she wanted to put her hand up and say she knew but she never did. He noticed that when Pansy whispered something in her ear she never really smiled she just smirked and carried on writing. He noticed that when she finished whatever task they'd been set she just sat back and watched everyone else. She looked at everyone and no one once looked at her.

He had also noticed she had still searched for someone even when Pansy sat next to her not long after the lesson began. He desperately wanted to know who she was looking for. Who was so important to the girl who he had only ever seen talking to one person.

She was sure he was in this class with her. She was sure she'd seen the back of his head at one point or another during the year so where the hell was he? It was like he'd just disappeared like a puff of smoke.

_Perhaps he's ill? _She thought. She was unable to know he was sitting one row behind her and to her right.

They went in seperate directions after charms and he firgured she must not be in those lessons with him then. It seemed strange that he didn't really know.

Infact he only saw her again at lunch when she slunk into the great hall with Pansy at her side. He took the time to notice how she sat a few seats away from Pansy, allowing other Slytherins access to her popular friend. It angered him that she wasn't the one with all the attention. She was so unique and different to anyone else so why was it that Pansy got all the attention.

He was snapped out of his people watching when Ron slapped him on the back all too hard and plonked himself down gracelessly next to him.

"What's up Nev you've barely touched your food. We've only got 20 minutes of lunch left hurry up." Neville laughed at his over eagre friend and decided that eating lunch might be a good idea.

As he began to eat he watched Ron beside him. He was eating with less vigor than usual and seemed to be sending indiscreet looks somewhere on the other side of the room.

He followed his eye line and saw Pansy Parkinson sending the same none to subtle looks towards his read head friend. Neville smiled. It was good that Ron had a new love interest. He'd spent so long pining over Hermione who, it was painfully obvious to anyone but Ron, was not interested in him at all. Infact he had it on good authority that she was dating Luna (Luna herself had told him so).

A thought struck him. If he'd spent some time with Pansy, maybe he knew something about Claudia. The two were very rarely seperated.

"So when did this happen?" He asked Ron while the other boy was very obviously staring at Pansy.

"When did what happen mate?" Ron asked, still staring.

"Pansy Parkinson." That's all Neville had to say and he had Ron's full attention.

"How did you-?" Ron was cut off.

"You don't exactly hide it very well. You've been staring at her since you sat down." Neville said trying do hide a devillish smirk as his friend cringed and put his head in his hands.

"We danced at the ball and we just hit it off. She was so funny and not at all stuck up like some of girls in our year." Neville knew he was talking about his ex, Lavender Brown. "She was friendly and sweet and had this mischevious look in her eye." Ron's voice was taking on a whistful tone which Neville had never heard from the boy before. "We haven't even spoken since then but we've got a date on christmas eve. Actually thats a funny story. This girl i've never seen before pretty much set us up on that date. Good job she did I don't think I had the balls to do it myself." Nevilles ears pricked.

"A girl you've never seen before?" He asked.

"Yeah she was dancing with Pansy when I asked her to dance a slow song with me. I don't even know why I asked her to dance to be honest she was just so captivating. You know?" Neville nodded in understanding. Oh he knew all to well. He had to force him self to stay looking at Ron and not turn towards the Slytherin table. "Well anyway this girl was dancing with Pansy and you know what i'm like, I get my tongue tied around women and she just knew somehow I was going to ask Pansy to dance so she answered for her and wandered off. Then later, after the ball finished I was trying to build up the courage to ask Pansy out when she comes tearing over and pretty much does it for me before dragging Pansy off. Pretty funny one that one."

"You know much about the girl?" Neville asked. Trying desperatly not to sound too interested.

"Not a lot Pansy told me her name was Claudia. Apparently we've got charms and potions with her but i've never seen her before in my life." Ron said, clearly confused.

"You obviously weren't looking." Neville mumbled but Ron didn't hear. He was back to staring and the rest of lunched passed in silence.

She saw him at lunch. He was talking to Weasley.

She knew they had double potions after lunch for two hours and she knew he was in that class with her. There was no way she was going to let him out of her sights this time so she left the hall without waiting for Pansy and waited around the corner from the potions classroom for the end of lunch.

Him and Ron were one of the first to come down from the great hall and she entered after them, noislessly, when they went into the dingey classroom.

She saw how Ron near enough dragged Neville to near the middle of the class and smiled at her good fortune. Neville obviously wanted to sit near the back and that would make it difficult for her to observe him. As it was she sat at the back of the room in the far right hand corner. This place was perfect. It was hidden behind a large pillar but by moving only slightly to the left she had the perfect view of the whole class but if she didn't want to be seen she could easily move to her right out of anyone's view.

The class started not long after they sat down and Claudia watched her target with avid interest.

He talked with Ron the whole class it seemed and it was obvious neither of them had any talent in the subject of potions. It didn't seem as though either of them minded though. Neville especially seemed to have an avid dislike for the subject and it's teacher. He'd snear, ever so subtly, every time Snape made a comment or even when he just talked. It made her want to laugh that mild mannered Neville Longbottom so obviously disliked the professor.

As she had noticed similarities between them at the ball she noticed differences now. While she was unwilling to talk to most people other than Pansy, Neville seemed willing enough he just didn't get given the opportunity. He didn't shy away from people as she did. His body language was open and his facial expression was relaxed where she realised hers were probably very standoffish and unfriendly. He talked with anyone that talked to him it was just those that made the effort were few and far between.

She realised his gentle nature in those lessons when he was cutting the ingredients for the potions he was always very slow and deliberate and very delicate with them. The also noticed how long and slender his fingers were in those moments but blocked that image from her head as quick as it appeared for fear of entering dangerous territory.

All in all the noticed a lot of very nice things about the boy she'd only shared a passing thought for up until Friday.


	8. The Reading Room

Chapter 8

They carried on in the same way for the two weeks before the end of term. They knew eachother so well by now that it was as though they had been friends for years except neither knew the other felt the same.

On the weekends both of them would miss the feeling they got when they were near eachother. The dangerous feeling they might be caught looking one time too many and the game would be up. The intoxicating feeling of thinking about someone who didn't know what you were thinking of.

By now their little game had become obsessive. Claudia had taken to writing down all of her observations, in list form, in a small book which she carried with her everywhere and was nearly full. Neville wrote his feelings and observations in a diary he kept. They were enraptured with eachother and neither knew the other felt the exact same way.

Neville was becoming impatient though. He needed more than watching and taking notes he wanted to know this girl on a personal level and if he was honest he wanted to know her intimately if you catch my drift. Everything about her just drew him to her.

When she walked he found himself hypnotised by the gentle sway for he hips and when she laughed (which was rare) he found himself captivated by the bounce of her round breasts. Even when she wrote he found himself staring at her small hands wondering how they would feel on his skin.

Claudia was enraptured in much the same way with him.

She'd seen him one day, tending to the plants in greenhouse #7 and he'd had his sleeves pushed up past his elbow and the subtle strength in those muscles had nearly bowled her over. He was so lean but she could tell from careful observations that, that didn't mean anything when it came to how strong he was.

It was now the first day of the christmas holidays. Claudia's parents were in France staying at their chalet in the alps so she was staying at Hogwarts, much to her relief. She didn't like the school but she liked skiing even less. She and Pansy were going to do the same thing they did every year. They opened their presents, ate too much, played card and board games.

Neville was also staying behind for this christmas. His gran had decided it was time she met some people her own age and was going on a cruise around the caribbean. Neville suspected it was something akin to a swingers cruise and so didn't ask too many questions. Besides he knew from listenning in to a conversation between Claudia and Pansy that she was staying to. He decided that made this christmas the perfect time to step up the game.

"So what do you think Ron and I will do for our date?" Pansy asked Claudia as they relaxed in an old unused classroom which they'd transfigured into a sort of den for the christmas break. The Slytherin common room felt so cold and damp when no one else was around.

"You mean you haven't talked to him about it?" Claudia asked her friend with an eyebrow raised. Pansy blushed and looked away from her friend.

"I haven't talked to him at all." She half mumbled. Claudia caught it though.

"What? You mean I set up this bloody date for you and you haven't even spoken to the boy?" Claudia was astonished at her friend's idiocy.

"I was waiting for him to make the first move ok? Besides you can't talk. You haven't spoken to Lovelybottom since the ball either! You just keep staring at him." Pansy retorted. She'd started calling Neville 'Lovelybottom' after Claudia had accidently let slip she thought he had 'the most tight arse' she'd ever seen on a man. Pansy didn't think she'd ever tire of teasing her friend about that. Claudia blushed, a rare thing for her, and agreed it was slightly hypochritical of her to comment on Pansy when she herself was in a very similar situation. "When are you actually going to make a move Claud?" Pansy spoke again.

"I don't know. I know I like him and i've learnt so much about him but I guess..."

"You're scared?" Pansy finished for her and Claudia hung her head but didn't deny it. "Why?" She asked.

"I don't really know. I suppose i've just never been in this situation before. I mean you've got experience with guys. You've had boyfriends before, done the whole dating game. I'm knew at this. I mean what if he doesn't like me? Or what if, when i actually talk to him, I don't like him as much as I thought? What if there's no spark, what if-?"

"What if he's the sweetest most gentle and perfect guy and you fall madly in love?" Pansy said, putting it simply. "You can 'what if' all you want love but you like him so why not see where it goes." Claudia just nodded and the conversation changed.

A few days later Pansy was off with one of her other friends and Claudia was left to her own devices. It was snowing heavily outside so she couldn't walk by the lake so she decided to wander the castle in search of something to do.

She was passing along the 6th floor corridor when she noticed a door was open that she'd only ever seen locked or at least closed.

Intrigued she passed through the doorway and was lead down a small dark tunnel which finally opened out in to a long thin room with a high roof and large tapestries hung from the right wall and a row of 5 deep set windows positioned on the left wall. The roof must of been half the height of the great hall but because of the small width of the room (it must of only been 12 foot wide) it looked impressive.

The wall with the tapestries was lined with rich red coloured sofas each one opposite a window and the deep window ledges had cushions on them which were the size of double beds.

Claudia tiptoed down the length of the room till she reached the second window where she stopped. It wasn't only her feet that stopped it was her heart also because there sat among the pillows on a windowsill was Neville, reading a book and not paying any attention to his surroundings.

"Oh." She gasped out upon noticing who was with her in this spectacular room. Neville nearly dropped his book and turned towards the noise in a second. Before him stood a goddess of a woman he hadn't seen face to face for three long weeks. He was thankful he was sitting down because he doubted his ability to stand.

"You scared me." He said, his voice coming out more breathy than he had intended.

"I didn't know you were here. The windows are so deep I couldn't see you from the door." It was a stupid thing to say but she didn't know what else there was to say. They sat and stood in silence for a moment while they both racked there brains for a semi decent topic of conversation.

"I've never been in this room before." It was Claudia who spoke at last. He smiled at her and she found her traitorous lips reacting in kind.

"It's not very well used. You'd only know about it if you'd read Hogwarts A History. It's classed as a reading room. Only Hermione and myself know about it really and she doesn't like it here. Too quiet she says." He was rambling. What did she care if Hermione hated silence.

_Neville you're an idiot _he was thinking at almost exactly the same time as she was thinking _Neville you're adorable._

They were silent for another short moment.

"I'm sorry i'm interrupting you from your reading I should go." She said, she didn't really want to go but she was hoping he would object and let her stay.

"No!" He nearly shouted and she raised her eyebrows. _That was definitely an objection, a fairly strong one to. _"What i mean is um, no i don't mind if you stay. The window is big enough for the two of us." He patted the seat and she smiled and sent him a gentle nod.

She sat opposite him leaning against the wall. The seat was so big that when she crossed her legs she could easily avoid touching him. Not that she wanted to.

"So what brings you to the reading room?" He asked jokingly but she could hear the tenseness in his voice. She decided not to ponder it however.

"My friend is busy so I decided to wander the castle when I saw this door i've never seen open before. I was interested so I popped in and well here I am." She told him.

"Why did you decided to wander the castle? Isn't there someone else you could of talked to?" He asked. Did she really have no one other than Pansy?

"Well i'm talking to you aren't I?" She said. She didn't mean it to sound so acidic but it had come out that way. "Sorry. No I didn't have anything else to do." She said bowing her head slightly to hide a blush. Neville just nodded and continued to study her. "How about you? How come you're alone?" She asked when he blush disappeared somewhat.

"I told you before. I keep myself to myself." He said with a light smile. It was her turn to nod.

She didn't really have anything else to say so she turned her head to the window where she saw a spectacular view of a snow coverd hogsmeade and the mountains and valleys beyond it.

"I hate the snow." She said absentmindedly. Only half realising she'd said it out loud.

"Why?" Neville asked. Everyone loved the snow didn't they?

"Always have ever since I was a child. I think it's because I used to watch the other children play in it at christmas time and I would always get jealous."

"Didn't they ever ask you to play?"

"They asked for a while but I never went so they stopped asking." She answered. Still staring at the middle distance.

"But if you were jealous why did you say no?" He was confused no end but didn't want her to stop talking. The sound of her voice was like a symphony to his ears.

"I wanted to play but I didn't want to play with them. I never liked any of them. I was jealous because I wanted to play with someone I actually liked like they did." She was looking directly at him now. She was confused by her own words, she didn't understand why she was telling him this. She'd never told anyone this.

"Have you found someone you can play in the snow with since?" He asked, his voice was breathy and barely there again. The double meaning behind his words was evident to both of them but he didn't try and take it back. He was asking if she'd found anyone she liked since then and he was hoping she'd say she had.

"We'll see." Was all she said in an equally breathy voice.

They sat in silence from then on. Him reading his book and her looking out the window. The silence was comfortable and easy between them there was no tenseness in the air. At one point she saw him pull out a peice of parchment and a quill out of his bag and write a note which he tucked into his book but that was the only thing that happened in the hours that passed. Neville looked at his watch some time later and started packing up his things without a word while she watched on, disappointed he was leaving so soon. When he was done he turned to her.

"I have to go meet Ron for dinner i'll see you soon." That was all he said before he walked away from her and for a moment he was transfixed by his 'Lovelybottom'. She quickly noticed he'd left his book behind however and went to shout after him but she realised he had already left.

She looked back down at the book and her eyes widened ever so slightly. It wasn't his book at all it was her book. The one she had been looking for since the night of the ball and was convinced was lost. It was a book on ancient greek mythology she'd been given as a present from one of her aunts. She then remembered the note Neville had written and placed in the book and turned it up side down. The note fell on to her lap and she eagerly picked it up.

Her name was on the front written in small but neat writing. She opened it up and begun to read.

_Claudia  
I am sorry I am unable to pluck up the courage to ask you this face to face but a small note will have to surfice I am afraid. I was wondering if you would like to join me here tomorrow at around 12? I understand if you don't wish to and if you don't please leave this note on the seat and I will understand when I see it tomorrow.  
Thankyou for lending me your book.  
Neville  
P.S. Aphrodite does not hold a candle to you._

She didn't breath the entire time she read.

He wanted to see her again? They hadn't talked almost the whole time she was here. Surely thats a bad sign. Admittedly she hadn't felt at all uncomfortable but people are supposed to talk on dates. Aren't they? Was this even a date? Perhaps he just wanted some company? Then why the reference to Aphrodite at the end? She blushed as she read the end sentence again. Aphrodite was the goddess of love, beauty and desire. Surely she couldn't even be remotely compared to a goddess.

As she left the room she realised she still had the note in hand. It appeared the choice had been made for her, she would be meeting him tomorrow.


	9. Deer In The Headlights

Chapter 9

Claudia didn't sleep the whole night.

She didn't sleep half the night because she had Pansy pestering her the whole time about what she should wear tomorrow and what she should talk about and asking her over and over again to retell the story. Not that she minded she needed to retell it just so she could go over it in her head and make sure she wasn't reading too much into nothing.

She didn't think she was though. She was pretty sure that what Neville had written in that note had been an invitation to a date. She was almost certain of it infact. Through all her watching she knew Neville to be wonderfully straight forward. He was a guy who didn't mince his words and he meant what he said. He didn't lie and he didn't mislead people he was honest and so she knew this was no ruse.

He genuinely wanted to meet her again and her body tensed and tingled in anticipation of it. That was why she couldn't sleep for the other half of the night. The sheer excitement within her was overwhelming.

Neville was having difficulty sleeping himself. Not because people were pestering him more because he was just far too nervous. He wouldn't know untill he entered that room whether she was going to be joining him or not. She may just of left the note for him to find.

Neville had been planning what he would do with her if she ever agreed a on a date with him for weeks. There was not problem with his plan it was just wether she would be even remotely interested in him. He decided there was no need in over thinking it just yet and so he slept.

When Claudia awoke that next morning she felt tired until she remembered her date with Neville and she grinned from ear to ear. She got showered and dressed quickly into the outfit Pansy had picked out for her.

She'd decided apon a pair of light blue denim, form fitting skinny jeans and a oversized drape top which was a burgundy brown colour and flowed gently when she moved. Pansy had also decided on the shoes, a pair of black loafers. It looked relaxed and not too formal but it looked like she'd made an effort and Claudia had to admit that her bum look fantastic in the jeans and the way the top draped down showed the shape and size of her breasts but left everything else to the imagination.

She talked with Pansy who was also getting ready for her own date, as it was christmas eve, until the clock showed ten to twelve and she made her way to the sixth floor.

She saw the reading room door open and made her way quietly inside. When she passed through the dark tunnel and her eyes adjusted to the light she made her way to the second window. Neville was sat there leaning against the wall as he had been yesterday and her breath caught in her throat.

He was wearing a simple pair of straight leg jeans which clung nicely to the tops of his legs. On his torso he wore a soft yellow shirt which fitted his broad chest and shoulders magnificently. In front of him on the window cushion was a large blanket with a wicker basket and candles on top of it.

"I thought we could have an indoor picnic," He told her when he finally noticed her "Is that ok?" He asked obviously insecure about his idea.

"I love it." She said simply, and gave him a beautiful smile that pulled at his heart strings. He smiled back and opened the hamper as she took her seat opposite him.

He took out the food and her eyes widened as he pulled out all of her favourite foods. He noticed her expression and smiled again.

"I noticed what you ate the most of at the great hall." He said by way of explanation. She looked up sharply at him when he said that. Had he been watching her in much the same way as she had him? He must of done something similar to notice the types of food she liked. "Shall we eat?" He asked when she just continued to stare at him. She snapped out of it and put some food on her plate.

Their conversation was stilted at first. They asked eachother simple questions such as what their favourite books were and where they were born. It wasn't long however till the conversation flowed and they talked about everything under the sun. From what their christmas traditions at home were to what they missed most about their family when they were at school.

They talked none stop the entire time they sat on the window ledge and the never ran out of things to say. He made her laugh constantly with his funny anicdotes and his silly jokes and she made him burst into rauckous laughter with her sarcastic comments and cutting remarks.

Far too soon for either of their liking it began to get dark and in a rare lull in the conversation Claudia looked towards the window.

"Goodness it's so dark. What time is it?" She asked. Pansy would be worried if she came in too late and she didn't want to get caught out after curfue.

"It's 10. We should be getting a move on if we don't want to be caught by Filch." She nodded, incredibly disappointed their night had to end.

They stood and started to pack up the hamper in silence. When they were done they simply stood and looked at eachother. She looked up in to his kind, handsome face and he looked down to her beautiful eyes and he realised he never wanted to not see those eyes.

"I had a very nice time with you today." She said, her voice coming out breathy and soft. The sound of it sent a shiver down his spine and he subconciously stepped towards her.

Her eyes widened at the movement but she didn't object to it. Her body welcomed him to it with all of its power. His hand came up to her waste and he laid it there feeling the curve of her hips. He looked in to her eyes and leant forward all the more closer too her before answering when he was mere inches away from her face.

"I did as well." Was all he said.

His sweet breath drifted over her face and she closed her eyes unvoluterily.

He watched in fascitantion as her eyelids drooped and then closed all together and then he couldn't contain himself any more he took that one small step forward and his lips were apon hers.

The romantic and sexual tension that had been building between the two of them exploded then and there and they knew there was to be no other sensation to match the one they were feeling in this instance. Finally touching the one they had been longing for, for weeks was the most powerful feeling either had felt.

Their lips moved together in a gentle dance that they both knew the steps to so well. They matched eachothers movements in a sycronicity which can only be experienced by truly compatible lovers.

As the kiss continued their movements became faster and more impassioned. Claudia's hands came up to his hair and as she move her body was pulled closer to his by his strong, unweilding arms.

Still the passion grew further untill Neville had to have more and deepened the kiss. Claudia moaned at the contact and moved her tongue with his lewdly and in a way that had Neville's blood run faster.

Their need for eachother was mounting and again Neville needed more. He took a few steps back until her back was flush with the wall behind her and he was flush with the front of her.

He had never felt this burning desire for anyone before. He'd felt lust before but this was so much more intense. He felt as though he would give anything to have her with him in the most intimate way a woman can be with a man. The more primative, primal side of him was starting to show and the gentleness of his usual persona was a real struggle to keep up. He was dying to just plunge himself within her.

Claudia was on cloud nine. All the things he was doing to her body were the stuff of myth and legend. She felt as though she would burst with the pure joy of it and as though she could melt from the pure passion and romance of it as well.

This kiss was stuff of legends.

That was until he all too abruptly pulled away. She wimpered at the lack of contact then opened her eyes to see him standing a couple of feet away staring at her. He was a sight to behold. His previously tucked in shirt was now untucked and crumpled where she had obviously subconciously grabbed at it. His hair was sticking up all over the place and his lips we swollen and puffy.

She would of laughed at the sight if it hadn't been for his eyes. He looked like a dear caught in the headlights. So scared and shocked. Had she done something wrong? Was she that bad a kisser? He had seemed to enjoy it at the time.

She was about to ask him what was wrong when as quickly as lightning he grabbed the hamper and blanket and turned his back on her, all but running towards the door. Leaving her standing with her back against the wall, her clothes crumpled, her hair knotted and tears in her eyes.


	10. The Life Of A Recluse

Chapter 10

That night Claudia crawled in to bed at around 1 in the morning. She had gone back to the common room not long after Neville had left and she had finished crying but she had not wanted to face Pansy in the state she was in so she had sat staring at the fire for as long as possible. When she finally felt too tired to stay up much longer she ventured to bed.

When she entered the dorm room she heard the gentle and steady breathing of Pansy Parkinson so she knew she was safe for now. She changed quickly and clambered into bed and sleep came to her quickly as the exaustion took over.

When she woke up the next morning Pansy was waiting for her. She had demanded to know everything about what had happened. She looked so excited and happy and Claudia couldn't help but cry again. She'd explained everything to Pansy and the girl was furious for her but she didn't have it in her to be angry at Neville. She knew it must of been something she'd done she just couldn't think what and was desperately confused.

For the next week she went to the reading room every day. Sometimes taking a book sometimes she just sat and looked out the window. She was waiting for him. She needed to understand. She needed to know why he'd run away from her like that. Was he disgusted by her? Was she so unapeeling that kissing her revolted him? She needed to know so she waited.

Pansy offered to keep her company but she refused because when he did come she needed to do this alone. She needed to take the humiliation alone.

Every single day from 11 till 9 she sat on the windowledge of window number 2 and every single day he never came.

Except for on the last day.

The day before the rest of the students were due to come back for the holidays Claudia was sitting staring out the window at 12 o'clock in the afternoon when she heard something shuffling it's way along the dark tunnel towards her.

She stopped breathing when she saw him appear there in the door way.

She was sitting on the edge of the window ledge with one leg hanging off and the other tucked under her. He could see her from where he stood and she looked magnificent with a halo of light around her from the window. She just stared owlishly at him from her seat and waited for him to say something.

He moved towards her stiffly until he was only a foot away. He was affraid to get any closer. She still just stared.

"Ron told me to come here." He said. Her eyes widened. She felt for sure it would of been Pansy that would of forced his hand in this one. He saw her shocked expression and answered it. "Apparently Pansy came to him on christmas saying what a terrible person I am for hurting her friend and how they should team up and pin me down to castrate me. Or something of that nature." He said. Claudia felt a swell of affection for her friend and decided she would be getting another christmas present soon. "Then Ron came and found me after calming Pansy down and demanded and explanation. When I told him he bugged me all week till i agreed to come and meet you." Another swell of affection was felt for her friends boyfriend. Perhaps she would make an effort to be nice to him.

He still hadn't explained what she had done wrong though so she just sat and waited until she realised he wasn't going to say anything without prompting.

"What did I do wrong?" She asked after several minutes.

His head shot up from its drooped position so fast he was sure he had whiplash.

"What do you mean?" He asked utterly confused.

"Well I had to do something wrong for you to just shoot out the room like that. I just want to know what it was that I did so wrong. Am I that bad a kisser? Or am I just too ugly for you to kiss?" She asked, her voice blank and emotionless.

His jaw hit the floor with her words. _She thought she wasn't good enough? I made her feel that way!_ He felt all the more ashamed at himself now. Even more than he did anyway. He took a seat opposite her on the window ledge.

"It was nothing you did Claudia trust me." He stated with a sigh.

"But-" He cut off her protests.

"Beleive me ok it wasn't you." He said looking her in the eye and she saw the sincerity there. He continued "Claudia you are a beautiful woman. A goddess if you ask me and when we kissed it was the most excruciatingly fantastic moment of my life. I am incredibly sorry I messed up." He finished finally breaking the intense eye contact and letting his head drop in shame.

"Then why-" She was cut off again.

"Because I got scared. The things that I was feeling were so intense and so purely animalistic I knew I couldn't stop myself if we went on any longer." He was pacing now. "Everything you were doing to my body was so wonderful and I didn't want to stop but I also didn't want to hurt you. I needed you like a drowning man needs air and I was terrified of hurting you or that you didn't want what I did so I pulled away and I needed to get away from you as soon as possible for your own good and-" This time she cut him off.

Not with words however with her lips. She pressed herself to him as he wrapped his arms around her, getting over his shock quickly and restarting the kiss he ended a week earlier. Everything he had said, his explanation, made her heart warm for the man she was now pressed up against. She pulled away from him gently to whisper in his ear.

"You will not hurt me. Do what you want with me I am yours."

Neville groaned deeply and franticly rejoined their lips. Their passion for one another grew and grew once again before neither one could take it and clothes began being removed rapidly.

Claudia was the first to act. She tugged at his shirt eventually becoming impatient and tearing it open with all her strength and yanking it off his shoulders. He was next to move and pulled the top she was wearing off over her head and throwing it into a corner out of sight.

He looked down when she was revealed to him and groaned once more at the sight. Her round breasts were rising and falling with her laboured breathing and he was captivated. He began kissing down her neck and down her collarbone till he kissed the top of each breast and she arched up to him in order to give him better acces to her.

At that Neville decided standing was just getting in the way so he picked her up with her legs wrapped around his waste and lay her down, not too softly onto the pillows on the window ledge. As he kneeled over her he looked into her arctic orbs and saw the lust, the passion and the need that was within them and just knew it was entirely recipricated within his own brown eyes.

He once again began kissing down her neck and finally reached the valley between her breasts before paying full attention to her right breast and its pert nipple which was now peaking out from the plunge bra she was wearing. He licked and bit and squeezed it and revelled in the tiny mews of pleasure coming from the woman beneath him.

Claudia herself was enraptured by how simple a touch from this man could have her body reacting of its own accord. She was stroking his arms and along his shoulders where his muscles were pronounced and she loved the feeling of the firm flesh under her fingertips.

Soon he needed more again and tugged at the button then the zip of the jeans she was wearing till they had been entirely removed. He took a moment to take in the full beauty of his girl and she blushed beneath him at his stare.

"You are my aphrodite." He said and she withered at his words.

His movements became more gentle and far more similar to the man she'd spent nearly a month observing from a far. Every time he touched her it was delicate and delibirate and as much as the loved the heat of before she enjoyed this more. This was more... him.

He kissed her lips lovingly before he made his way down her body, undoing and removing her bra as he went, and finally towards her most intimate area. He looked back up at her in what seemed to be a question. She nodded gently at him in reply.

He removed the delicate set of underwear from her all too slowly. He knew she wanted this but he wanted to give her time to change her mind. Also he enjoyed the idea of teasing her ever so slightly.

She smelt to sweet to him and he couldn't wait to lavish her with his tongue but he looked up one more time to check she was still ok, only to see her laid back with her eyes shut. Waiting for him. He moved forward and licked the full length of her wet fold and she wimpered. He did it again and her eyes flung open. Finally he latched himself to her clit and sucked and licked at it untill her moans and the gentle curse words she had been speaking became incoherent as she rode out her first orgasm of the night.

He lifted up from his position between her legs and crawled up her body till he was able to kiss her lips again.

Still feeling the after affects of her orgasm Claudia did not think she could feel this turned on again so soon but as soon as she saw him hovering over her and the moment he kissed her lips she was just as turned on as she had been the moments before her orgasm.

Her hands moved all over his body and she found all the sensitive spots she could. All the areas where he would arch towards her or moan into her mouth when she stroked them with the tips of her fingers.

She decided she wanted more so she mover hands down his toned stomach towards the top of his jeans. She eased the button apart and tugged on the zipper then pulled them as far down his hips as they would go before she could reach no further.

Feeling her frustration he pulled away from her and stood infront of her window ledge in order to remove the garment she was so desperate to see beneath. He slowly pulled the offending article of clothing down along with his boxers untill he was stood in front of her completely naked.

The area between her legs wetted even more than before at the mere sight of him. He was perfect. So wonderfully sculpted and firm and his cock which stood rigid between his hips was a work of art she thought. He was long but not so long she was scared it would injure her and he was thick. So thick she had no problem realising he would fill her perfectly. She was anxious to get started.

He started moving towards her again and she sat up desperate to touch him again. He placed his hands on her face and kissed her firmly but so sweetly she melted into his hands. He leaned her back till he was laying on top of her. She thought she would feel suffocated but she just felt complete as though that was exactly where he was meant to be, above her and with his mouth on hers.

He eventually moved away from the kiss an looked at her his face inches from hers.

"Are you sure you want this?" He asked one last time. One last chance to back away from what they had started.

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life." She said firmly in reply.

They smiled gently at eachother and he positioned himself between her legs, still looking at eachother in the eye.

"This will hurt for a moment but I promise I will make it worth it." He said and she nodded. She didn't care if it hurt her need was too great to give in to a little pain.

He then positioned himself at her entrance and with one smooth push he broke her barrier and was inside of her.

She gasped at the slight pain in her groin but when he stayed as still as possible, letting her get used to the new feeling, she found she still needed more of him. She thrust her hips up to meet his and gasped at the new beautiful sensation, the pain having gone.

He started to move slowly forward till he was fully inveloped in her. She was breathing heavily beneath him and it was taking all he had to not thrust madly back and forth. This feeling, the feeling of being inside of someone was entirely new to him as a virgin but he was sure this would never feel this good with another woman.

"Move. Please love I need it." Came the desperate whisper into his ear and he nearly came at the mere sound of it.

He started to thrust in and out of the goddess beneath him and she began panting and moaning as the feeling became more and more pleasurable.

Soon the feeling grew so intense that Neville had no choice but to pump in and out of her faster and faster and she never complained once. She loved every second of it. She scratched at his back and bit his shoulder and yelled his name when he hit that particularly sensitive spot inside her.

Everything about the experience was so good. The feel of him filling her, the feel of his skin, the small grunts that he made as he got closer to climax. The best thing though, was the fact he was watching her face through out it all. They stared into eachothers eyes as they made passionate love to one another and it was perfect.

After what seemed like hours but was more like 30 minutes they came to a crashing climax one after another. She came first screaming his name and he came not a minute later with a groan which sounded distinctly like 'Claud'.

As they lay in their post orgasmic haze they weren't to know everything that would come to them in the rest of their life times. They weren't to know how both of them would stop lerking in the shadows so much and would become far less reclusive people. They weren't to know that they would fall in love and become engaged at the end of their final year. Or that they would be married not a year later and have a kid a year after that. They weren't to know that they would be with one another till the day they died, with their families and friends all around them.

That doesn't seem like the life of a recluse now does it.

* * *

That's all for this one guys. Thank you for reading if you did. If you didn't then well you can't be reading this.

I hope to get some reviews from you guys at some point. Have a nice day.

DISCLAIMER: I wrote this story and the character Claudia is mine but everyone else in the story belongs to JK Rowling.


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