Nadine Longbottom was in a serious pickle, and it was a bigger pickle than she usually found herself in. This was bigger than losing her pet toad or forgetting what her remembrall was supposed to remind her of. No, this was a potentially world ending problem, at least for her reputation. Well what little reputation she had she mused to herself. No, her problem came in the form of a boy. Not any boy to be fair but a boy of immense importance to most of wizarding England and maybe even the wizarding world.
Her problem was that she wanted to be his partner to the Yuletide ball. She also dared to hope for more but she didn't exactly know how to even get to that bridge let alone cross it. She hit the side of her head in frustration. Why did life have to be so difficult? And why in Merlin's beard did that stupid hat put her in Gryffindor? She didn't feel brave and her grandmother was always reminding her of that. She shuddered to think about what her grandmother would have to say about the particular situation she found herself in now.
To compound the situation she was always comparing herself to the other girls who seemed to be maturing and filling out. Her self esteem wasn't helped when she found herself standing next to beauties like Daphne Greengrass and Lavender Brown. Even Hermione and Ginny were shaping into classical beauties. Nadine however, felt that her looks were stagnating in comparison. She was short, only around five, six and had very dark hair that always seemed to want to curl instead of straighten. These curls framed a face that was still round with baby fat while her body seemed advance just as slowly. In other words she felt completely outclassed in the looks department when it came to all the other girls who were vying for Harry's attention.
Personality wise she felt that the only things that distinguished her from the others was her crippling shyness. She had always been shy and it had been hard for her to make friends. Maybe that's why she was always attracted to Harry. Everyone always wanted something from him. Even Ron, she noticed with a slight sneer. But she just wanted his friendship if nothing else. She wanted to give much more than she would take. Unfortunately for her , her first exposure to Harry had been as a klutzy first year who couldn't even keep an eye on her pet frog. Hermione had instantly befriended her and helped her look for her lost pet which is what led her to being in Harry's compartment.
Something about the bespeckled first year spoke to her instantly, and even at that young age she couldn't help but blush. Even now she hit herself at the memory. He probably thought she was another stupid fangirl who couldn't even look at him without blushing. The problem was she didn't even know he was Harry Potter, the Harry Potter, until Hermione told her. Over the course of that first year she had a few interactions with him, mostly in class. One time, when Malfoy was bullying her at Quidditch practice, Harry actually stood up for her and got back her remembrall when it was taken from her. All she could do was mutter a thank you and blush.
She would next try to win Harry's friendship by passing out in herbology, failing at every potion she tried and getting hit by a slug hex in Defense Against the Dark Arts. All in all first year was not a good year for her. She didn't make any friends, even in her own house, and felt very alone. She had nobody to talk to but her owl Geoffrey, and he never said much except to coo and peck at her shoulder.
Something happened at the end of first year that made her hate herself even more. She got in Harry's way. They were going to after the Philosopher's Stone and she tried to stop them. Her concern for the house cup and rules was only a cover for how she didn't want Harry to get hurt. Well she didn't want any of them to get hurt but Harry especially.
She put up her fists, ready to fight them and within seconds she was frozen on the floor, a well placed spell by Hermione ending her dreams of being the hero. She stayed like that for a few hours and was prevented from wetting herself by professor Mcgonagall finding her and undoing the hex. The next day however, professor Quirrell was gone and Slytherin had won the house cup and Nadine put the fault for that firmly on her shoulder. After all if she had stopped them they wouldn't have lost so many points. Then again, she never would've been able to stop them. Can't expect a pebble to end an avalanche.
It was a dark day, seeing all the Slytherin banners lining the halls and just the darkness of the overcast day didn't help her. But then all of the sudden their fortunes seemed to change. Dumbledore was awarding points to the golden trio for ambiguous reasons. Who really earns points for a good game of chess? Ronald Weasley apparently. But even with all those points Gryffindor was still right behind Slytherin so it seemed that their hopes were raised only to be dashed again. But then Dumbledore, with that same twinkle in his eye, awarded her, Nadine Longbottom, ten points, putting Gryffindor right over the edge of victory. The banners were swiftly turned to Gryffindor red and suddenly she was a hero. Even Harry came and clapped her on the back.
That was possibly her fondest memory of first year. Harry congratulating her. But then came a long period of stagnation at home. Summers were awful with her grandmother constantly breathing down her neck to be the best at everything simply so she could find a good match and bring money and prestige to the Longbottom name. It seemed to be her grandmother's only concern. Herbology, her favorite subject, was something her grandmother absolutely loathed. It was unbecoming for a woman to focus on things that a house elf would easily do. Instead her grandmother wanted her to do nothing but study etiquette and make a good match.
So her summers were essentially spent in avoidance of her grandmother. Sometimes, well rather all the time she wished her parents were around to raise her. She was sure they would have been much more nurturing than her grandmother and wanted more for her than to be a prize breeding mare. Not that she was shaping up to that either. Already the girls were teasing her, calling her chubby and all sorts of other things. Hermione was the only one she could talk to about all of this and her friend was sympathetic but there was nothing she could really do about it.
Second year and third year passed in much the same way. Her trying to get closer to Harry and failing because of a myriad of different things. For one her shyness and two Ronald Weasley. For all his talk of being different than Malfoy, he was essentially the flip side of the same coin. He wanted to control Harry and keep him in his circle of influence. All the Weasley's seemed to be like that. Just as cliquish as the Malfoys but less honest about it. Fourth year though, was different in so many respects. It all started with that damn goblet. He couldn't have one normal year. Not one without someone trying to kill him. But when his name came out of the goblet Harry found himself quickly abandoned by all his friends.
She still remembered how Ron ranted and raved at Harry, demeaning him in so many ways. The worst part was that everyone else, all of Harry's "friends", just sat and watched. Even Hermione said nothing. Just turned away and averted her eyes, trying to make it all go away. Seamus, the twins and even Katie Bell all turned on Harry. And he just sat there and took it. That's when she had enough. From her side of the room Nadine stood up and practically screeched. "Shut up! Just shut up! All of you are disgusting" she said before stamping over and standing next to Harry's chair. "I hate how you treat Harry. One minute he's your hero and the next he's a villain. When has he ever lied? Especially to you Weasley? Or you Granger?" She asks casting accusatory glares at the people in question. Hermione just looked even more guilty while Weasley turned almost puce.
"What the bloody hell are you on about Longbottom? How about you screw off to wherever you slink off too you cow" he said which made many in the room chuckle but quite a few look away, thinking that was too far. In fact Hermione was just about to chastise Ron when the sound of a crack echoed about the room, Harry's fist having made vicious contact with Ron's jaw. The redhead was on the floor, doubled over in pain as Harry seethed above him. "You do not talk to Nadine like that Ron. Now get your arse up and apologize" he said slowly, enunciating every word.
"Potter you've gone bleedin' mental" came the voice of a shocked Seamus Finnegan but that was really the only response. Aside from Hermione who looked at Harry with half approval and half disapproval , most of the room was in shock. Harry hit Ron. And all over Nadine Longbottom. For a minute Nadine felt her heart swoon. Ronald Weasley was still on the ground, moaning as he tried to get up, helped on either side by his twin brothers. "You're dead Potter, dead" he says before his brothers bring him up the stairs. Most others get the hint as Harry is still fuming , and slowly leave the common room, willing to see the next part of this drama play out another day.
Before long it's just Nadine, Hermione and Harry left and Hermione just lets out a small laugh. "I can't say he didn't have that coming but you really have created a problem Harry" she says turning seriously as she pays his shoulder before hugging him close and pecking his cheek. "You'll always have me to watch your back" she says simply before she too heads up to the girls sleeping quarters. Soon it was just Nadine and Harry and Nadine was out of words. She just stood there, wringing her hands in compete nervousness.
"Harry, I'm….well I'm sorry I didn't want that to happen. You didn't need to do that because of me. I know that you and Ron are friends and...I didn't want to" she let the sentence drop as Harry turned and smiled sadly, his hand instantly going to her shoulder to pull her closer to him, his arms moving quickly about her waist as his head rests on her shoulder. "Thank you Nadine" he whispers simply, raw emotion present in his voice. Nadine can do nothing but blush as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. This is all she wanted and she wanted to revel in it while it lasted. Before long however Harry had let go and quietly went to his bed leaving a blushing and confused Longbottom.
The next morning was just as strange. Aside from a bruised Ronald Weasley glaring at her and a few strange looks most things were normal. However it became incredibly different when Harry came down and sat next to her. "Mind if I sit her Nadine?" He asked to which she just nodded. "Uhh of course Harry" she said chastising herself for her obvious lack of smoothness. This seemed to anger Weasley more but right now she could care less what anyone thought of her. But the strangeness, the good kind, continued with Harry volunteering to be her potions partner. He even asked her about her interest in herbology. In other words she seemed to be becoming very close friends with one Harry Potter which was just what she wanted.
She seemed to float on air nowadays, going from class to class with a confidence she had never had before. Even professor Snape's jeers and sneers couldn't get her down. Nor could her grandmother's constant letters of disapproval. Despite her fear for Harry she was exhilarated that he was winning challenges so easily. The dragon's egg was one of his most daring challenges and while she was on the edge of her seat most of the time she was the one who cheered the most when he won despite the more muted responses of her classmates. In fact she was the one who found herself sabotaging the Potter stinks pins. She saw Malfoy and his cronies with the baskets full of the pins and for once didn't fail in casting a spell when nobody was looking and blanked out the badges.
The funny part about it was that she felt great doing it. For once she didn't have any fear or nervousness. Neither was she too upset with the jeers and teasing that she got. In fact she even managed to get a hex off at Parkinson that elongated her nose. She Was so upset that she just retreated to madam Pomfrey. And the real kicker was that nobody believed that Nadine Longbottom did it to her. All in all her friendship with Harry was blooming into what she hoped was more and he was really rubbing off on her.
She helped him through all the other challenges and even suggested Gillyweed for his trip underwater to the land of the merpeople. She wondered who it was that Harry would miss most but didn't have to wonder long as she was immediately stunned after Harry left. The next thing she remembered she was on the dock with Harry above her and the Beauxbatons champion's little sister. Apparently she was the thing Harry would miss most? Her heart was thumping so fast she was sure Harry could hear it. Especially as he seemed to be looking deeply into her eyes. They were having a moment. She desperately wanted to just reach forward and kiss him. That's when the veela decided to thank him for saving her sister too and kissed him directly on the mouth.
The moment destroyed Nadine Longbottom sat there, soaking wet and insanely jealous. It was only a few minutes later that a blushing Harry handed her a towel. She smiled him, lightly remembering that he didn't kiss her it was the other way around. And besides, Delacour she thought was her name, would be gone soon anyway. It's not like the veela wanted Harry. He was much too young for her. So instead she wrapped the towel around her shoulders and kissed Harry's cheek, making him blush even more as the crowd cheered and clapped.
That night was a long one for her. She couldn't help but think about how quickly she'd fallen for her friend. To be fair she had always had this feelings but to be head over heels for Harry like she was after only two months of closeness? It was almost unthinkable. But it made her happy. Being in her happy. It gave her a purpose and a secretive joy she couldn't explain. If only she could articulate that to him. Tell him how much he meant to her. Would he feel the same? After all she had been the only one who was standing behind him all the time. Ron and even Hermione, although she did so only because she was now dating Ron, had abandoned him, leaving him to face the challenges thrown at him alone. Well not alone. He had her. She would always stand by his back and it wasn't just because of the Potter-Longbottom house alliances. It was so much more. She knew, just knew, they were meant to be together. It was with this newfound confidence that she had finally settled her mind. She was going to ask Harry Potter to ask her to dance and then he was going to ask her to which she would say yes.
Nadine Longbottom smiled and got up from her seat, moving across the nearly empty room to where Harry Potter was sitting. He saw her coming however and a bright smile lit up his face. "Heya Nads. What are you up too?" He asked his friend to which she simply sat down across from him. "Harry", she began simply before taking a deep breath. "I want you to take me to the dance, that is if you don't already have a date" she said feeling empty now that the pressure was finally off. She had asked and a mixture of hopefulness and fear filled her gut. Did she just ruin something so vastly important to her?
Harry simply blushed, his eyes averting her as his face continued to turn red. "Well Nadine...I have kind of been waiting to ask you myself. I was just well nervous that you'd say no" he says almost stuttering. It's a shock to Nadine. Harry wanted to ask her to the ball? On a date? And he was nervous about it? The thought almost caused her to laugh outright but she didn't. Instead she decided to be more bold. She reached her hand forward across the table and grasped his, moving over as well to make quick contact between his lips and hers. It was a quick kiss but Nadine almost felt like her world had exploded in colors she had never known existed before. "Good, it's a date then Harry. I'll have to owl home for a ball dress. But anyways it is late Harry. I'll see you in the morning" she says before getting up and quickly pecking him on the cheek.
She resists the urge to squeal and run up to the girls dorms, desperate to not only owl home but to also get to sleep. After all the quicker the days go by the quicker she'll be able to dance with Harry . She also wanted to floo her grandmother. She assumed that her grandmother would find Harry a more than suitable match for her.
The young man in question however was completely shocked. He liked the new Nadine, well no. He downright loved her. So brave, no wonder she was a Gryffindor. He had fought monsters and dark lords, dragons and merpeople but nobody intimidated him and made him more nervous that Nadine Longbottom. "Oi, Potter, that's quit a filly you got on your tail now mate. Don't think she's letting you go anytime soon came the mocking voice of Seamus Finnigan. Apparently a few people had entered while Harry and Nadine were speaking and saw the whole thing. The Patil twins looked rather jealous while Lavender just snickered. Ron looked a mixture of triumphant and apoplectic. "So Potters dating Longbottom. Despite being the boy who lived he still has to scrape the bottom of the barrel when it comes to women.
Harry didn't even respond as he just smiled dumbly. "Weasley…...shut up" he says simply looking after where Nadine had left and himself going up to bed. Nadine Longbottom had become a force to be reckoned with in Harry's life