A/N: This is a cookie set somewhere around Neville's second or third year in my What If... universe. Seeing as I probably won't ever get around to actually finishing the story, I decided to go ahead and post this little cookie. Enjoy!
Neville sat in the window seat of the west-facing window of the Gryffindor Common Room with his knees pulled up to his chest. The rain was falling and spattering against the glass, lightning flashed and thunder sounded in the distance.
The candle in the wall candelabra flicked, dimming the alcove Neville was in. He heard the rustling of fabric and the shuffling of stocking feet against the carpet as Ginny drew closer. She nudged Neville over and sat next to him, drawing her knees up and wrapping her own arms around them. He sniffled and turned his head down into his knees.
"You can talk to me, Neville. I won't tell anyone. I promise." Her face was almost hidden in the shadows, but he could make out the curve of her nose and a few freckles on her cheek. She sighed and turned her face back to her own knees.
"It's my mum's birthday." He said quietly. "And today Malfoy said some rotten things about her and my dad and it's just horrid. 'S not my fault they're gone and it's not right to talk about them like that." He'd gone quite red in the face and his voice was trembling more from anger then sadness now.
"Malfoy's an arse." Ginny said, smiling at him. Neville laughed and wiped his face with the back of his hand.
"Thanks Ginny. I feel better now." He sniffled a little bit more and looked back out of the window, watching the wind blow the trees in the forbidden forest about.
"It's late. I think I'll go to bed now, Nev. You probably should too. You have Potions first thing, right?"
"Yeah. I'll go up in a bit. 'Night Ginny." Ginny slid off of the window seat, leaning over to give Neville a goodnight hug before she padded quietly across the common room and up the stairs to the girls' dorm.
Neville sat and watched the rain until the fire on the far side of the room had burned down, and the rain had begun to subside. It was almost midnight, according to the wall clock. Neville yawned and rubbed his eyes, sliding off of the window seat.
"Happy birthday, mum." He whispered, then blew out the candle on the wall and headed up to the boys' dorm to sleep.