Brendon thinks Neville is the cutest thing since puppies were invented. "Neville just—"

"Should have been a loser Hufflepuff," Ryan says without looking up from his scroll. "And he's slightly buck-toothed. Also, he kind of stutters."

"Neville's precious," Brendon says, crossing his arms over his chest and sinking lower in his library chair. "And hey, I'm a Hufflepuff."

"I make you cooler by association."

Brendon snorts, because Ryan totally doesn't make him cool. Ryan wears his gloves and scarf indoors. Ryan once made out with Gabe. Spencer maybe makes him cool, though, because Spencer is blindingly hot. And Spencer loves him.

"Spencer loves me."

"Not after he learns about your inappropriate and bizarre crush on Longbottom."

"Who has a what now?" Pete asks, draping himself all over Ryan's shoulders, and Brendon seriously likes Pete, but he's taking this make-Patrick-jealous stuff a little too far. Pete kisses Ryan's temple and says, "Hi, sweet pea."

Patrick, standing behind Pete, looks like he maybe wants to punch Ryan in the head. He's got his cloak on, though, and a black and yellow knit cap, and Brendon says, "Oh, hey, are you guys going outside?"

"It's snowing!" Pete crows, and Brendon is on his feet in an instant, because Hogwarts snow fights are legendary.

"Brendon has a crush on Longbottom," Ryan says.

Pete laughs. "Oh, hey, I have a crush on Longbottom."

Patrick shakes his head. "You just like saying Longbottom, Pete."

"Longbottom," Pete stresses.

"Um."

"Neville," Brendon exclaims, hands out, because there's Neville, bowl-cut neatly trimmed at a Gran-approved length, just like Brendon'd conjured him with the power of his amazing mind. "Want to play in the snow with us?"

"Spencer's going to kill you," Ryan mutters. Brendon shoots him a pout, and Ryan smirks.

Neville bites his lower lip, tangles his fingers in the front of his robes. "Oh, I don't, I mean." His eyes get huge.

"You should totally come with us, Longbottom," Pete says, kind of evilly without being actually evil, just Pete.

Brendon bounces up close and curls an arm around Neville's shoulders. "Pete'll maybe only tackle you once. Five times max," Brendon amends, 'cause Pete's a champion tackler, but he usually expends most of his energy on Patrick and Ryan.

"Well, if you're sure." Neville smiles. Sideways and nervy, like he expects Brendon to say he isn't sure.

"Totally, dude, it'll be awesome."

 

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