Chapter Text
In the start of his fifth year at Hogwarts, and Professor Sprout had decided to let Neville work as her Herbology assistant, and she gave him some space in the back of greenhouse three where she had plants growing that could be used for potions ingredients. Neville had quickly agreed, and was thrilled to be trusted with growing some of the more finnicky potions ingredients. He always found such comfort in the process of growing something. It was thrilling to be able to help something turn from a tiny seed into a thriving plant with magical properties.
It was late in the afternoon about a week into the semester, and Neville was pruning the aconite plants, hands covered in thick dragon hide gloves to avoid being poisoned. The plant had beautiful purple flowers, but Neville knew better than to lean in too close, lest he spend the rest of the day in the hospital wing. Neville felt so at home in these gardens, they were one of the few places were he felt like no one was judging him. He smiled as he worked, humming to himself, and the plants, as he continued pruning.
He had his back turned to the door as he trimmed the poisonous plants, so he didn't notice when Draco Malfoy walked in to the greenhouse.
Neville continued humming to himself as he gathered the trimmings into a bag. He got up to dispose of the poisonous leaves, and turned towards the door, freezing when he noticed the blond boy standing in the doorway. Malfoy looked like he would rather be anywhere else, and glared and the dirt that brushed against the bottom of his robes.
"Um, what are you doing here Malfoy?" Neville said nervously, setting the bag of trimmings down on a nearby table.
Malfoy looked up at Neville, and then held out a piece of parchment. "Professor Snape sent me to pick up these ingredients for his class tomorrow. Professor Sprout said that you could get them for me."
Neville nodded and looked at the list. It was a list of some faintly magical plants, and looked like they were for some sort of weak healing potion. He grabbed some garden shears and a basket to put the plants in. as he headed towards the plant beds, he noticed Malfoy was still standing awkwardly in the doorway. He was probably reading him wrong, but he could have sworn Malfoy looked nervous.
"Here, would you hold this while I harvest the plants?" He held out the basket to Malfoy, who sneered slightly, but nodded and took the basket.
As they walked through the rows of plants, Neville decided to try and start a conversation.
"So, why did Snape send you to pick up these ingredients?" Neville crouched down in front of a lavender bush and started to cut off some of the purple flowers.
"I asked him if I could" Malfoy said, blushing slightly, "I want to work towards a potions mastery after Hogwarts, but to do that I need to pass my OWLS first. I thought this might be a good way to get more acquainted with herbology, without having to get my hands dirty" Neville laughed a little at that, and was surprised to see a small smile on the other boy's face.
"Alright then, how about I tell you a little bit about the ingredients you've been sent to get today," Neville said, as he placed a bunch of lavender in the basket Malfoy was holding.
" I think I like that"
And so they talked for a while, Neville and Malfoy discussing various plants and potions as the sun started to set on the late afternoon sky.
Eventually, Malfoy left to walk back towards the dungeons, and Neville was surprised to find himself smiling at the thought of being able to talk with him again.