Neville
An alarm screamed into his ear, aka, Ron. The redhead and Harry were already changing.
"About time you woke up, mate. Kept making strange noises in your sleep. Figured it was a nightmare from-" Ron shuddered, hauling his bag onto his shoulder "You know what…"
It was 'eighth' year, since the ministry of magic had suggested and gave everyone from last year, during the war, the option to come back for another year or redo the one they missed. Neville hadn't wanted to go at first, but his Gran had convinced him to go for the best. They had finished settling the day before, giving the group time to rest. Neville always despised school. Sure, he had friends and it was fun, but most of the time, he'd hide behind his quiet, shy mask. People thought they knew him, but they didn't. They never bothered to go past the shy, meek mask he wore to get to know him really, except Luna. He couldn't even raise his voice! He was pathetic, but one good thing came out of coming to Hogwarts.
Blaise Zabini.
Yes, Neville was bent, he had come to terms with that ages ago. And he knew the consequences of the fact he was infatuated with a Slytherin, automatically evil in the eyes of his 'friends', except for Luna, Harry and maybe Hermione. Oh, how he wanted Blaise to shove him against a wall and shag him senseless-
Argh! Hormones!
He shuffled around on his fluffy sheets, turning over for a stretch. Quickly getting ready, and thinking if Blaise would think he looked nice, he walked into the Great Hall, meekly, and avoided everyone's gazes. Some girls giggled around him, which made him internally groan. Ever since he had gotten rid of his bowl cut during the war, and kept it that way, girls have been squealing around him, sending him flirtatious looks and signals. He ever wondered if he should've told them he was gay.
He sighed, plopping onto the Gryffindor bench. Everyone around him was laughing, or joking, or at least making a loud noise. Seamus and Dean were snogging against the table, Harry was sending Draco a call me signal, Hermione and Ron were arguing, and the list goes on.
When he glanced at the Slytherin table, he scanned for a certain chocolate skinned boy. Blaise was chuckling at Draco, who'd just sent Harry an imaginary kiss and a suggestive wink.
Why couldn't they be like that?
Right, he was a Longbottom.
Gran had already made it clear she was a homophobic, avoiding gay couples at all costs and telling Neville to 'Stop watching those blasted, disgusting gits,'
Losing his appetite, he pushed the bowl of porridge away and stood up from his seat.
"Going to the library, bye," He murmured, weakly, stalking out of the Great Hall, not noticing the pair of eyes watching him leave.
OOO
The library was his second most favourite place, even with Mrs. Pince, who he'd gotten acquainted with during the mostly desolate holidays, giving her a hello and a smile, occasionally conversing with her. The library was quiet, void of racket and was stuffed with amazing books, him mostly being there of the Herbology textbooks.
His utmost favourite place was a certain area in the Forbidden Forest. He loved going there to relax, and feed the thestrals with Luna, after he saw his Grandfather die, they were clearly visible. The wilderness wasn't quite as scary early in the morning, bright light seeping into the small clearing through the delicate trees, grass swaying and birds chirping. The cool breeze and quiet peace. The thestrals were quite soft and cute, when you went past the fleshless skin and skull like heads. He'd grown to like them, but not as much as Blaise- what was he thinking? No Zabini thoughts, just for a day!
He stepped into the empty Library, apart from the stray student or two that came for study, he found himself alone in the mass of shelves and the smell of fresh ink drying against yellow pages. He propped himself against the back of a wooden chair, pulling a worn-out book from his bag, holding it up for a clear view.
The book was about Herbology, of course, it had some small stains around the edges and some crinkles and scratches, apart from that, and it was fine. He had found it in his father's study as a child, it was a bit outdated, but he read it anyways. It made him feel warm and fuzzy to have something his father previously owned, and was interesting to see what people wrote in the past. He flipped a yellow page. The pictures were old, being low fps and slightly glitchy, but overall fine.
That's when a person appeared next to him.
"The nargles have been awfully quiet, recently," Neville beamed at his one true friend.
"Hullo, Luna!"
Luna was a year younger than Neville with dirty blonde hair flowing down her shoulders and misty, pale silver eyes and a kind smile. She currently was wearing her Beetroot earrings, although causing teasing, Neville honestly liked them.
"Hello, Neville," She pulled out another chair, as if from air, and sat next to the boy.
"Are you okay, Neville? You're attracting a lot of dapperblimps," Neville looked surprised.
"I am?"
"Yes, they signify worry and-" She whispered the last part. "-unrequited love,"
Neville sputtered, putting his book away.
"M-Maybe you're wrong! Maybe they're Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?" Neville asked, desperately.
"No, it's clearly a dapperblimp," Neville groaned, planting his face onto the table. Luna patted his back lightly.
"I won't spill, trust me, Neville," Neville looked up and smiled warmly, yet nervously, at Luna. She was such a great friend and he wouldn't know what to do without her...
"Now, who is it?"
Scratch that.
"Wha-? Why would I tell you?" It came out harsher than he intended. At Luna's hurt expression, he sighed. Luckily, he library, still empty and dusty, no-one would hopefully hear them.
"Sorry Luna… it's just, don't tell anyone, okay?" Luna smiled and pretended to zip her lips and through the keys away, after pushing a giant rock over it and chiselling it into something. To a stranger, it would probably be random gestures, but Neville had known Luna so long, he'd figured it out.
"Okay, first thing's first, I'm… gay…?" Neville waited for Luna to burst out in anger and exclaim he's disgusting and a man-whore queer, but all he received and another pat on the back and soft smile. She gestured for him to continue.
"And it's a Slytherin…" She nodded.
"And… it's Blaise…" Luna grinned at Neville.
"Looks like Daphne has competition," Neville's eyebrows shot up. Daphne Greengrass? Didn't she have a major crush on Draco?
"I thought she had a crush on Draco…?" Luna waved him off.
"Yes, but he's obviously dating Harry now and moved onto the next best Slytherin,"
"Crap."
OOO
Neville growled the next morning when he realised, Luna was right. Daphne was blinking a lot with a bunch of flirtatious smiles thrown at Zabini. How Neville just wanted to rip her outside of the Great Hall and-
His thoughts were cut off when Justin Fletchley, a decent looking Hufflepuff, walked over to him from the yellow and black flagged table. Neville stuttered slightly at the new arrival.
"O-Oh, hi, Justin. Why aren't you with your Hufflepuff friends?"
"Oh, um, I heard rumors you were gay?" Neville sputtered at this. Rumors that he was gay? Why hadn't he heard about it sooner? Justin's face fell, slightly, confusing Neville.
"So I take it the rumors were wrong-"
"No!" Neville burst out, before looking down at his fingers, fidgeting.
"Y-Yeah, I guess the rumors are true," Justin beamed at Neville. Sweat dripped down his forehead. Other people were probably listening, ready to spurt out gossip the moment they left the Great Hall.
"Great, be my date?" Neville stared wide eyed at Fletchley.
What?
"What? What for?" Justin chuckled.
"The new thing Hogwarts is trying out, a prom!"
"When?" Justin chuckled again, nudging Neville's shoulder.
"Just then, don't you pay attention to the announcements at all?" He flashed a uncomfortable Neville a blinding smile.
"So, what's your answer?" Neville hesitated, before looking over his shoulder at the Slytherin table. Blaise was chatting merrily with Greengrass. A wave of jealousy surged through Neville.
"Y-Yeah, alright," Justin's grin widened into a cheshire smirk. He took Neville's hand a planted a kiss on Nevill's palm, causing the boy to redden.
What has he gotten himself into now?
BOOM first Harry Potter fic, YEE
Lots of love and cheesiness
-Hobby