A/N I do not own Harry Potter, however much I wish that I do.

Never doubt

Neville was say on the steps to the castle, looking out at the debris. Faces were flashing through his mind as he remembered the past 12 hours, people who had died, people who had been badly injured. Some bits of his memory had already been reduced to flashing lights, yelling and bodies flying past.

He was so lost in thought, that he didn't notice any other people around him, until someone next to him spoke,

"Thanks," he jumped, and looked around. On the step next to him, looking tired, but thankfully alive, sat Harry Potter.

"For what?" a legitimate question he thought, as he had only done what others had done. He had fought, but he had survived where others had not.

"For your speech. You didn't need to, but it helped everyone else. It showed them that the war wouldn't end when I did" Harry smiled slightly, "you told them something, I had only recently realised myself."

"I did what anyone else would have done."

"No, you did what others should have done. But the fact that you did it, is what made you able to pull the sword out of the hat. You proved yourself as a Gryffindor today Neville." Neville allowed a small smile to play across his face as he contemplated Harry's words. He spoke a few moments later.

"I heard you were able to get the sword in second year, does that put me up there with you yet?" Harry grinned.

"I reckon you might be, hey, what d'you think your grandmother's gonna say?" Neville's smile grew slightly as, for the first time, he didn't fear his Grandmother's opinion,

"I think, she may not let Uncle Algie dangle me out of any more windows!" both boys laughed, and the sound filled the silent courtyard, a temporary relief before they went to work.