"It seems that Snape has really been on our side," Neville remarked. Three Slytherins, You-Know-Who's followers, attacked Snape, trying to kill him. They were being expelled, and sent to Azkaban.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. "He's been rather reasonable about being your guardian, too."

"He's been ignoring me since the funeral," Neville pointed out.

"That's decent Snape to you," Harry grinned, and Neville grinned back. The two of them had been inseparable there days. Harry wondered what would happen if it had been Neville, not Ron, who he had shared his first Hogwarts' Express ride with. What would have happened differently and what would have played the same? Neville's voice brought him out of his musings.

"So, I should send him flowers?" Neville joked. It was two months since his Grandma death, and he had finally started recovering from the loss.

"If they are chop-able as potions ingredients..."

"You are going with me, though," Neville conditioned. Upon seeing Harry's face, he threatened, "or I'll tell him it was your idea."

"Hey! That's sneaky!" Harry complained, but followed his friend to the Professor Sprout's realm, greenhouses.

She was 'touched by their thoughtfulness' – her words – and let them harvest a few roses. Then they headed to the Infirmary. It was early afternoon and Harry fervently hoped that Snape was napping after lunch. They would leave the flowers and sneak out without waking him.

His plan worked, kind of. They were showed into the private part of the hospital wing by Pomfrey. From the doorway they could see Snape laying motionlessly, his eyes closed. Harry thanked all gods he knew for this piece of luck. They tiptoed towards Snape, left the roses, and tiptoed out again.

Only, from close-up Harry had clearly seen that the man was only pretending to be asleep.