It was a relief that the next group out of the floo were the Weasleys. It was only Arthur, Molly, Ron and Ginny – Bill had arrived escorting Alicia Doge earlier. Harry's tension eased a little and Neville relaxed a bit more himself.
"Oh don't you boys look handsome?!" Molly exclaimed, reaching to hug Harry rather than following etiquette.
Harry smiled at her. "Hello Molly."
"Mrs Weasley." Neville greeted her more formally, knowing his Gran wouldn't let him get away with anything less than the expected behaviour.
"Neville!" Molly smiled at him as he kissed her hand.
Ginny presented her hand with a smirk. Neville rolled his eyes at her but kissed her knuckles. She turned to Harry and went bright red. Neville was torn between amusement at her evident crush and a tug of envy.
Neville hadn't considered Ginny as a potential girlfriend until that Summer. He hadn't failed to notice at the end of his third year that his peers were beginning to date – at least Dean and Seamus; Ron and Harry seemed as equally as unenthusiastic as he was to actually attempt to ask a girl out. But after Sirius and Remus had given him and Harry the Talk (and Neville thought it had been cool they'd thought to work it so Harry's father provided much of it), Neville had given some thought to his own prospects and determined the only girl he knew well enough to ask out was Ginny.
He'd spent quite a bit of time with the youngest Weasley over the past year. They occupied the same position in their relative dorms; friendly with all but not part of a close friendship themselves (although Neville suspected Harry would be more inclusive when they went back to Hogwarts in September). Apparently Ginny had missed out in being part of a group in her first year by isolating herself with a diary when she was scared instead of pushing past the initial fear and confiding in the other girls in her dorm. Neville surmised that there was possibly more to it than Ginny was willing to say since he remembered she'd ended up in the Chamber of Secrets and being rescued by Harry at the end of her first year, but he wasn't about to press her into giving confidences she didn't want to share. Instead, he'd been happy enough to find someone who he could sit with in the Common Room and at meals if they were both without companions.
He liked Ginny; she was compassionate, smart and had a wicked sense of humour. She was also very pretty. Her only major flaw was that she was head over heels in love with the idea of being in love with the Boy Who Lived and turned into a speechless ninny around Harry. And, so regardless of Neville's firm belief that he and Ginny were friends, he doubted Ginny had ever thought about Neville as a prospective suitor.
His newfound confidence also meant that despite Neville's admiration of her, he was beginning to think that maybe he would be better off considering someone else. Hermione was out since it was fairly clear to Neville that she and Harry both liked each other; they'd sneak glances when the other wasn't looking and there was a real genuine affection between them. It was just a question of when they would both realise that they liked each other. Besides, Hermione – as nice as she was – was a little too intimidating for Neville; a little too much like his Gran if he was being completely honest.
But Susan and Hannah were both friendly and nice. They weren't bossy or intimidating. He liked them both although he thought Hannah was prettier with her blonde hair and calm blue eyes. Maybe he should give up on the idea of Ginny.
He watched wistfully as Harry gently prompted Ginny with a remarkable amount of patience for her hand; as Ginny offered her hand shyly and ducked her head when Harry's lips brushed over her skin.
Ron beamed at them and Neville realised belatedly that Ron obviously had decided that Harry was the perfect boyfriend for Ginny – someone who Ron trusted and wouldn't mind being a part of his family. Harry, on the other hand, let go of Ginny's hand quickly and didn't protest when Molly ushered her children away.
"Well, that was the last of the guests." His Gran declared.
Harry let out a heavy sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Thank Merlin."
"Now, we just have to mingle for the next couple of hours." Sirius said with mock cheerfulness, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders and squeezing them sympathetically as they began the walk through the manor.
"Fantastic." Harry said wearily.
Sirius took pity on him. "Why don't you take a break? I'll come get you when we need you."
Harry's smile could have lit up the Manor.
Neville poked him in the arm. "Come on, let's grab a butterbeer and find Hermione."
A brief glance around the room quickly identified that Hermione was happily ensconced in a corner by the refreshment table with Susan, Hannah, Daphne Greengrass, Michael Corner and Anthony Goldstein. Ron and Ginny were with their parents talking with the Diggorys and the Inglebees. The Malfoys had set up shop near to them and Draco was flanked by Zabini and Nott.
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