There were times that Neville still woke, covered in sweat, with the nightmares receding from his memory. It was days like these that he often wondered if he would ever escape the haunting memory of the war – of the inexplicable fear that times would not get better. As he rose from bed, he reminded himself that it was all in the past and that nothing like that was ever likely to happen again. He dressed and set about getting breakfast, glad when he realized that Christmas was only a few days away, and that Ginny and Harry were expecting him tonight. He packed a small suitcase and headed to get some Floo powder to make the trip to Diagon Alley.
He dusted himself off, and left the fireplace, looking around at the plants that surrounded him in the shop.
"G'day Neville," the shopkeeper said from behind the counter, "You looking for some new plants for the greenhouses?"
"I think so, Liam. I want something to surprise and enlighten the sixth years," Neville said, walking down the aisle toward the counter.
"Oh, we just got in some _ plants – let me show you." Liam headed to the back of the shop, and Neville looked out the windows as he passed them, noticing that snow was starting to fall softly outside.
A few hours later, after combing over the shop, Neville headed for the door, as Liam called that he'd be sure to have the plants delivered no later than the fourth of January. Neville waved over his shoulder, and pushed open the door – utterly surprised to find that at least three feet of snow had fallen, with more falling thickly in the fading afternoon light. "Luckily, I know where I'm going, otherwise I'd never make it," Neville thought to himself as he trudged through the snow towards the Leaky Cauldron. A couple hundred feet later, he wished he'd have asked Liam for Floo powder to make the trip to Ginny and Harry's house, but he realized that the snow was falling so fast that he could no longer see the shop, nor his footprints, so with reluctance he continued forward silently hoping that he was on the right track to the Leaky Cauldron.
Thankfully, after ten more minutes of trudging through the snow he saw the familiar wall, which opened up to the Leaky Cauldron. As soon as he was inside, he breathed a sigh of relief, allowing the heat to envelope him, as he shook off the copious amounts of snow that had gathered on both him and his suitcase. He made his way to bar, hoping Tom had something warm for him to drink, and some Floo powder to get him to Harry and Ginny's. When he rounded the corner, he was surprised and confused – there was someone else standing behind the counter, and Tom was nowhere in sight.
"Well, if it isn't Neville Longbottom! You look a tad chilly, what were you doing out there in that blizzard?" She asked, with a smile on her face that implied she was glad that Neville had taken the risk to walk through the snow.
"Hannah! I didn't know you worked here! I was hoping to stop by and have a chat with Tom before heading to Harry and Ginny's." Neville said, adding, "Not that I'm not glad to see you though!"
Hannah didn't look the least bit affronted or offended by it, simply stating, "I took over for Tom not that long ago – he decided to see a bit of the world, thought he'd spent enough time behind this bar." She turned around as she was talking, pouring something steaming into a mug, before turning back around and handing it to Neville. "I'd say you'd be welcome to use my Floo powder, but I ran out earlier today, what with the blizzard and everyone wanting to get somewhere without having to travel out in the cold. I've got a room, if you need it though."
"Thanks, a room would be great," Neville said, as he pulled out his wallet to pay for the hot chocolate and the room, finding himself pleased with the thought that she had run out of Floo powder, although unaware as to why.
"Oh, put that away would you, it's on the house. A bit of holiday cheer does everyone good, doesn't it?" She said with a smile. "I've only got two other guests at the moment, a couple, and you're welcome to join us or I can bring up a plate to your room." Neville couldn't help but notice that she looked up at him hopefully when she mentioned eating with him.
"I wouldn't mind the company," he said, finding that for once, it was true.
"Great, I'll show you the room and let you get settled then," she pulled a key off the rack and led the way up the stairs.
Neville placed his suitcase on the floor and made his way to the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, he realized that the snow had done his unruly hair any favours, and settle with the idea that he would have a quick shower before dinner – thinking to himself how nice it was to have met someone familiar.
To Neville, the night passed to quickly, and he found himself saddened by the thought that in the morning he would be able to make his way to Harry and Ginny's. After much talking and catching up between him and Hannah, he reluctantly made his way up the stairs to his room and slept soundly for the first time in years.
Perhaps it was the well needed sleep, or the ease of the conversation between the two of them that led Neville to what he did. He wrote a quick note to Ginny and Harry, borrowing the owl from the couple staying next door, and made his way, with his suitcase, down the stairs to talk to Hannah.
"Good morning, Neville! I hope you slept well, I know the wind was pretty loud last night. I think we must've got at least another 2 feet of snow. Luckily, it's stop falling and I was able to borrow some Floo Powder from the shop next door, until the snow clears a little and the rest of the shops are able to open." Despite her smile, she seemed sad to see Neville packed and ready to go.
"I managed to sleep pretty well, I have to say that's the first time in a while that it's happened! I've just wrote Harry to let him know I'm on my way, but I was wondering…" Neville paused, for the first time this morning he was unsure of what he was doing, but after a moment he carried on. "I know you're likely to be having Christmas with your family, but if you'd like, you're welcome to come and spend it with us at Harry's." He was afraid that he'd spoken to fast, and was relieved to find her smiling at him.
"I'd love to," she said.
Over the weeks, Neville and Hannah grew steadily closer, writing letters to one another, and Neville would visit the Leaky Cauldron each time he ventured out to Diagon Alley (something he found himself to be doing and extraordinary amount of times, in comparison to previous times). After prodding from both Ginny and Hermione, Neville decided to take a chance and asked Hannah out, ecstatic when she said yes.
Weeks turned to months, and Neville realized that he was falling deeper and deeper in love with Hannah. His grandmother, pleased that Neville had found someone whom he loved with his whole being, gave Neville his mother's wedding ring and Neville proposed, feeling jittery and nervous in the best possible way. They married two years to the day when Neville had stumbled into the Leaky Cauldron during the blizzard.
Because both of them had a career they were passionate about, they had to compromise on their living arrangement. During the school year, Neville would remain at Hogwarts in his cottage on the grounds, while Hannah remained in the flat above the Leaky Cauldron. Neville would see Hannah on weekends, and both looked forward to the weeks that Neville had off over the holidays.
Everything changed when they found out that Hannah was expecting. Neville, having never had the chance to grow up with his parents, wanted them both to be there to help raise the baby and decided to take a few years off from teaching. They were lucky in the fact that Hannah was due in the summer, as it allowed for Neville continue out the term with the students instead of handing the work off to another teacher who Neville worried would expect the students to know more or less then they did. Leaving his job caused undue stress upon Neville as he worried whether the students would be fully prepared for their OWLs, NEWTs, and for Neville's inevitable return to teaching – the added stress of worrying about Hannah caused Neville to ask her to lets Liana, her most trustworthy bar worker, to take over the Leaky Cauldron for the summer so that they were able to spend it together at Neville's cottage at Hogwarts. This provided Neville with the ability to plan out lesson plans for the substitute teacher, while also ensuring that Hannah was being well looked over by Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall.
As the due date grew ever close, Neville spent increasing amounts of time in the greenhouse, and even though he felt the stress of having to prepare seven years worth of teaching, the greenhouses once again became a place of comfort for him, much like they had been while he was a student. It was this reason that lead Neville to take leave of Hannah within a free short days prior to her due date, despite her protests. Neville had been growing more and more anxious as the day grew closer as the idea of having to care for another human was a little overwhelming for him. However, for once he would not be doing something alone – not only did he have Hannah, but Ginny had just given birth to her and Harry's son James 3 months prior and Neville found he was very grateful they were not the only new parents.
He was just glancing over he notes for the sixth years, wanting to make sure that there wasn't any repeating information from what they had already learned the previous year, when he heard the door of the greenhouse open with a slam, and he got to his feet to see who it was.
"I've been looking for you everywhere, there's been an incident – the baby's coming now, and Hannah's not well," McGonagall puffed, trying to catch her breath.
Neville paled as he absorbed her words, "What happened?"
"Madam Pomfrey will explain, go now! I'll follow," McGonagall breathed. Neville nodded swiftly and hurried out the door, almost sprinting as he raced to the castle, cursing himself for having chosen the greenhouse furthest away.
Neville felt as if the floor had given way the moment he opened the infirmary door and had to brace himself before going in. Hannah was propped up in the bed, scratches covering her face and arms and she was covered in blood. Neville rushed to her side, feeling his stomach plummet as he realized she was barely conscious.
"What happen?" He whispered.
"Cleaning… fell down… reached out… knocked over the mirror… my fault," Hannah mumbled so softly, Neville had to lean down to hear.
"One of the house elves found her and we brought her up here. But she's bleeding internally and I can't start anything before the baby is out for fear of causing more bleeding or causing complications. But she's stuck, she's in breech and there's only one way to get her out, but because I can't stop the other bleeding, Hannah is going to bleed out," despite trying to deliver the news in the softest way possible, nothing could take the reality away from what Madam Pomfrey said.
"What about the blood replenishing potion?" Neville said, unable to take the hope out of his voice.
Madam Pomfrey looked at him with a strained look on her face, "She's bleeding too quickly, it doesn't work fast enough to replenish the blood at the speed she needs. If I could find the internal cause… but I can't until the baby is out, as as a said…"
Hannah squeezed Neville's hand softly, and he leaned down close to her. "Save… her." Neville looked into her eyes and could feel the warmth of tears running down his face as he was suddenly faced with the one decision that would alter his life forever. As Hannah's eyelids fluttered, Neville nodded and kissed her forehead before turning back to Madam Pomfrey.
"Okay," he said, "okay."
Neville kept his eyes on Hannah during the procedure, glad that Madam Pomfrey was at least able to take away her pain. Holding her hand, he watched as her breathing slowed, her eyes close and the colouring drain from her bloodied face. He was so focused on Hannah that he didn't even notice the cry of his daughter in the background. He finally looked away when Professor McGongall placed her hand on his shoulder, seeing the small bundle that Madam Pomfrey was holding in her arms.
"Would you like to hold her?" Madam Pomfrey asked softly. Neville nodded, and let go of Hannah's hand, holding out his arms. Madam Pomfrey place the baby in his arms. Neville took a deep breath, and for the first time, looked at his daughter, sleeping calmly in his arms. He noticed she had a tuff of blonde hair, with tiny little curls, just like her mother – and for the first time that day, Neville felt a small smile creep onto his face. And even though Neville was in shock from the events that had happened that day, and was devastated over the loss of his wife, he was grateful to be able to hold the one piece of her that there was in the world.
Neville was reluctant to leave Hannah's side, but Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione were all on their way, and although they had seen worse, he knew that this is one thing they should not see.
"I think I'll wait for them in the cottage, will you let them know when they get here? I'll come back later, when I can." He held the baby close, before bending to kiss Hannah's cool forehead.
"Of course – Poppy and I will take are of Hannah, get her already for when you come back," McGonagall said softly. Neville nodded and made his way to the door, pausing to look back at his wife before leaving.
Neville hesitated at the door, reluctant to enter for fear that he would see the broken mirror, and a floor covered in blood. He took a deep breath before pushing it open with one hand. Timidly, he entered the house, making his way to the sitting room, where they had put a small crib, laying the baby down softly. She looked so serene lying there, and Neville could have spent hours staring into her face – but he forced himself to leave the room and walk up the stairs. The floor at the top of the stairs looked as though someone had broken in and trashed the hallway. Neville saw the stool tipped over on its side, and the oval mirror had smashed into countless pieces. Having never been that good with wand workand knowing his present state would make him more likely to fumble with the spell, Neville set about getting a bucket with hot water and a broom. He tried to hurry with the cleaning, know that he would not be alone for very long, as it took but a moment to travel by Floo. Sweeping up the glass was relatively simple, but when the time came for him to clean up the blood, Neville found himself standing back. He was suddenly hit with the thought that this was real, this had happened, and there wasn't anything he was able to do to change it.
He took a deep breath, and then reached for the bucket of water, working methodically, one plank at a time. He was just finishing pouring the water into the kitchen sink when he heard the first knock on the door. He quickly looked in on the baby, before going to the door. Suddenly, he was terrified by having to speak to people – even people he had know very well for many years. Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he slowly opened the door. Ginny didn't say anything at first, just pulled Neville into a tight hug. Neville felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes, now glad to no longer be alone. After what felt like years, Neville let go an stepped back, turning and leading the two of them into the sitting room, where the baby still lay sleeping.
Neville sat down heavily in a chair and put his head in his hands. He felt the light pressure of Harry's hand on his shoulder, and he wiped his eyes before looking up.
"We were thinking," Harry started, but a knock at the door interrupted him, and he left to open it.
Neville turned his head to Ginny inquisitively.
"We were thinking that maybe it would be best if you came and stayed with us for a while. We can help with the baby, no doubt the her and James will get along well. And we know Hannah didn't have any close family, and your Gran is getting on. Only if you'd like though." She said softly. Neville felt a wave of gratitude sweep through him and nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
Harry entered back into the room, followed by Hermione and Ron, both of whom gave Neville looks of sorrow. The five of them sat in the room quietly, not knowing quite how to comfort one another. Finally, Hermione leaned over to the crib sitting beside her.
"Can I hold her?" she asked Neville. He nodded, and she reached in and pulled the infant close. "She's beautiful Neville. Did you have a name pick out for her?"
"Alison Grace, Hannah wanted to call her Ali for short," he replied.