One-Shot: Valentine's Day at Hogsmeade
Neville Longbottom periodically kept his eyes on her bushy brown hair, bent over her breakfast plate with a concentration she only ever got when studying or working on perfecting a spell. Tomorrow was Valentine's Day, and with it, the annual trip to Hogsmeade to celebrate the holiday. Neville knew this might be his last chance to ask Hermione Granger - his secret crush - to go to the Wizarding village with him. And even then, he might be too late - she probably already had plans with Ron and Harry, who she always went with.
Harry and Ron waved to their best and friend and other Gryffindors, leaving for an early Quidditch practice before class. Hermione finished a little bit behind them, turning to her bag to gather her things. Neville took a deep breath and willed the Gryffindor courage into being. It was now or never. The opportunity was perfect, to ask her without her two best friends around. Impulsively, he reached out and touched Hermione's hand as she got up from the table.
"Hermione?"
"Yes, Neville?"
"I was wondering... if you didn't already have plans... would like to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow with me?"
Hermione stared at him, speechless. Neville, the boy who was always afraid, had just asked her out on a Hogsmeade date! And not just any date, either... the Valentine's Day visit was the most popular, out of all the monthly excursions into the village. Hermione had to appreciate Neville's bravery, and she found herself fancying the idea of a date with him more and more. Sure, she always went with Ron and Harry, but the Trio never went with a clear plan before-hand. Going with someone else - a guy who wasn't one of her two best friends - would make for a nice change.
Hermione finally smiled. "Yes, all right then. Thank you for asking me, Neville!"
Neville beamed, thrilled. "Brilliant! I'll meet you in the Great Hall tomorrow morning?"
"Of course," Hermione affirmed gently. Giving his hand a squeeze, she bustled out of the dining area.
Neville was among the first students in the Great Hall the following morning. Some of his classmates quickly paired off, but the Hall was still relatively quiet at this hour, despite the excitement. Neville blinked rather rapidly when he saw Hermione, coming down in a nice sweater and a little wool cap.
"You didn't have to get up early for me!" Neville admonished in a gentlemanly way. Hermione just shrugged.
"I wanted to. And I was up, anyhow. Harry and Ron are still asleep."
"Did you tell them? About our date?" Neville found himself asking.
"I told them enough," Hermione replied. In truth, she had told her friends that she wouldn't be joining them in the village today, but had stopped short of saying who she was going with, fearing how they might react. Ron and Harry had always treated her like a baby sister, ever since they were small children. Never mind that she was the oldest of the three, by however many months. The gesture vacillated between cute and annoying to Hermione, depending on her mood. Quickly realizing how Neville might misconstrue her vague response, she quickly tried to clarify. "I don't mean to say that I am ashamed of this, Neville. I really am touched that you asked me. It's just... Harry and Ron can be very... protective, you know? Especially when I'm around another guy."
Neville smiled, understanding. Just then, McGonagall ushered the first wave of sixth-years on, to the carriages. The threstrals made multiple trips between Hogsmeade Village and Hogwarts Castle, so Hermione was confident that when her friends did wake up, they would take a later carriage into the Village.
Neville and Hermione first stopped at Madame Puddifoot's, which had been decked out in Valentine's Day regalia. The winged cupids who acted as servers were irritating in their attempts to get Hermione and Neville into a romantic, compromising situation. The pair stayed long enough for tea, before moving on to Hermione's favorite bookstore - Tomes and Scrolls. When Hermione selected a volume on house elves, Neville insisted on paying for it himself.
After leaving the bookstore, Hermione and Neville strolled through the whitened streets. The snow was falling heavily now, but not dangerously so. In Neville's mind, it made Hermione all the more attractive, as he stole glances at her.
At last, they reached the outskirts of Hogsmeade, near the woods and just beyond the Shrieking Shack. It was here that Neville noticed Hermione was shivering... and he was startled to discover, for the first time, that she wore no gloves. "Aren't your hands cold?"
Hermione flushed pink, obviously disappointed in herself that Neville had noticed. "My old gloves are frayed. Mum and Dad are sending me new ones. I put a Heating Charm on my hands when I woke up this morning. I..." She seemed to be searching for her wand, and in a moment of bravery, Neville suddenly took her hands in his. Opening his coat, and the shirt beneath, he placed Hermione's hands on his chest, hoping his body heat would keep her warm.
Hermione stared at her hands, then up into Neville's face, startled at his gallantry. She could feel his heartbeat, thumping erratically. "I don't want to make you cold," she murmured.
Neville gazed at her. "I quite like it," he whispered sincerely. He felt his hands slide up Hermione's arms, gripping her just beneath the shoulders. Hermione's eyes widened, and she let out a tiny gasp, that turned into a whimper just before Neville pulled her close and kissed her full on the lips.
Neville's mouth tasted good, slanting sweetly over hers, and Hermione found herself closing her eyes, the snowflakes landing on her eyelashes. Unconsciously, she bunched up some of Neville's chest in her fists, as she leaned into Neville and dared to return the kiss. Encouraged that he was finally kissing Hermione Granger (and that Hermione Granger was kissing him back), Neville's one arm encircled her waist and pulled her closer still; the other hand cradled her head, playing with her hair and keeping her mouth pressed tightly against his. Although, as evidenced by Hermione standing on her tiptoes, swaying into Neville as she kissed him harder, the beautiful witch had no intention of moving anyway. Hermione tilted her head, permitting Neville to kiss her again and allowing him better access to her mouth, which she now parted wide to allow his tongue to slip down her throat. "Mmmm..." She moaned in pleasure and soon forgot about everything but kissing Neville Longbottom...
Harry and Ron had predictably woken up late, just managing to take one of the last threstral carriages into the Village. Wandering aimlessly from shopfront to shopfront - as was their usual Hogsmeade routine, even on this holiday - they kept their eyes out for Hermione. So far, they had encountered no sign of their friend.
"Do you think she went with somebody?" Ron grumbled, stomping in the snowdrifts already up to their thighs. Tomes and Scrolls had given them no luck, even when they just looked through the window.
Harry shrugged. "I doubt it. And anyway, even if she did, who would it be...?" Reaching the edge of town, just down the hill from the Shrieking Shack, he stopped dead and stared, so suddenly that Ron walked right into him from behind. "Bloody hell!"
Rarely did Harry Potter use language, and this catchphrase was more attributable to Ron. But the sight before him warranted no other reaction but this. Peering around Harry's shoulder, Ron's jaw dropped:
There was Hermione Granger, openly kissing Neville Longbottom so passionately, it was hard to tell whose lips were whose.
"Hermione?" Harry gawped.
"Neville?" Ron spluttered.
"Snogging?" they wondered at the same time.
Ron was the first to regain some semblance of composure. "I'm gonna kill the bloody tosser..." And he stalked forward. Harry intercepted him as quietly as he dared, though the snow concealed most any sounds of their movements.
"No! Do you want her to hex us?"
"Neville Bloody Longbottom is snogging our best mate! Can you imagine where his hands are right now?"
"I'm sure his hands aren't anywhere!" Harry stammered, flustered at where this conversation was going. "And from where I'm standing, Hermione doesn't seem to mind."
Ron stared, stupefied. Normally, Harry was right behind him ready to defend Hermione's honor. "He's snogging her!" he almost bellowed, worrying that he had not made himself clear.
"And she's snogging him right back!" Harry talked him down. "And bloody good on them, especially Neville! Why, I'm sure you'd agree we'd rather it was Neville going out with Hermione than Seamus or Dean!"
"Or that prat Cormac McLaggen," Ron muttered, conceding the point, if only the tiniest bit.
"Now, let's leave them be! They can shag in the snow for all I care!" Harry ranted (ignoring Ron's gasp of horror at the word 'shag'). "It is Valentine's Day, after all. And for Hermione's sake, I hope they date! She's growing up - there's nothing we can do about that. I think she needs this! Now, I don't know where you're going to be when Hermione gets married, but as for me, I plan to be in the bloody front row!"
Harry grabbed Ron's arm to tug him away from the kissing couple. "I was hoping I'd be at the altar," Ron mumbled sadly, hoping Harry wouldn't hear. However, confirming long-held suspicions, his best friend did.
Neville's warm, calloused hands were now cupping Hermione's face, as he pecked her lips again and again. At long last, he drew away, and Hermione's eyes fluttered open, her lips still puckered expectantly, waiting for the next snog.
Neville was smiling so sweetly down at her, Hermione just wanted to tug him into the Shrieking Shack and shag him there.
"Hermione?"
"Yes?"
"... I love you."
She should have expected it to come - they did just bloody snog, after all - but even so, Hermione gasped. "Oh, Neville..."
"Will you go out with me?"
Some of his Gryffindor courage seemed to have vanished, for Neville asked this last question looking down at his feet. Cupping his cheek in her palm, Hermione turned his face back to hers and kissed him rather indecently. Drawing away, she whispered, "Yes." After the moment they had just shared, she was more than willing to give Neville a try. He was sweet and genuine, and just now he had held her with respect. Stepping away, she held out her hand. After a moment, Neville took it, and they glided back into town.
Pecking his lips in a chaste kiss one last time, Hermione whispered. "Happy Valentine's Day, Neville."
"Happy Valentine's Day, Hermione."