A/N just a sad one-shot I posted. It's all about Neville and his parent's relationship. It's truly one of the saddest things I think happened in the Harry Potter books, and that's saying a lot since J.K. insisted on adding the most sad, terrible things in all of her stories. Well review and favorite. It means the world to me.
Neville Longbottom had been branded as a coward. His entire school career he was the one who couldn't get the spells right or just got by on his O.W.L.S and his N.E.W.T.S. Only he didn't get mediocre grades to try and be cool like some kids did. He actually tried to get good marks. He did. He tried his hardest. It just seemed that his hardest wasn't good enough most times.
Oh but in herbology Neville excelled. It just came to him, like he was sure all the other subjects in school came to other kids. He knew Professor Sprout liked him too so that helped. She always smiled at him and he knew that she would be patient with him if she needed to be. Only she didn't need to be like most other teachers had to. Neville could pot his mandrakes faster than anyone in his class, even faster than Hermione Granger. That was saying something.
He always known that herbology was his gift. His Gran told him that his mother excelled in it as well when she was in school. Neville was fond of that memory. His Gran didn't talk about his mother and father that much. Not after what happened to them. She talked about his mother sometimes. Never about his father, since he was her son and it was harder for her. It was okay though. It didn't bother Neville that much anyway. It was customary to him. Not really knowing his parents.
He would visit his parents sometimes in the summer and on Christmas vacation when he went to school. His Gran said that it was good for him to see them. It wasn't good for them to see him. It didn't even matter if they saw him. They couldn't remember him. That's why Neville didn't very much like going. Especially after what his mother had said all those years ago.
Neville was walking to the room his parents were in. It was the room they had always been at St Mungo's. The nurse at the front desk gave him her customary smile. He nodded. He knew he couldn't start a conversation. Gran was waiting for him outside of the section of St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries where his parents were kept. The incurable wing. He didn't have a lot of time. It would have to be a quick visit his Gran told him.
He continued walking until he got to the sickening familiar door. He opened said door to the room that they were kept. His parents. One of the healers tending them smiled. He heard his mother mumbling something ineligible and his father was sitting in the bed staring up at the ceiling.
"They're going to be so happy that your here Neville darling." The healer whispered an airy tone to her voice. She walked over to where Neville stood, her black hair getting in her face, and pinned the button he had pinned on him countless times, on his vest. Marked on it with large red capitol letters was the word "Visitor'. He hated the button. He didn't want to be a visitor in his parent's home. He didn't want to be just a visitor to his parents. The healer smiled when she finally got the pin fastened. "Have fun sweetheart." She said to him and exited the room.
Finally when the sound of the healer's bright red heals clicking away into the distance he finally made his move. Neville walked over to his father's bed first. He placed his hand in his father's and gave it a tight squeeze. The elder man just looked at him. He opened his mouth to shout but Neville just calmed him and patted the palm of his father's upturned hand. The older man relaxed and lay back down on his hospital cot. Neville sighed to himself. He couldn't have a real conversation with his father. He never had. His father was too afraid of him, of everyone.
The creak of the hospital bed made Alice Longbottom jump. Neville looked over his shoulder now to his mother who was sitting up right. The noise he made when he was getting off of his father's bed scared her. He walked the short distance to her bed and sat down. He placed his hand on his mothers and looked into her blue eyes.
"I got an O on my herbology O.W.L." He told her. She smiled a wide smile like she knew what was going on. Neville smiled to himself. It was bittersweet, talking to his mum.
"G-g-good." His mother stuttered out like a young child. Neville smiled anyway. Even though she had no idea who he was Neville had a feeling Alice cared about his grades. She was just an all around good person. She would've cared even if it was a complete stranger who came in here and told her all about their grades at a place called Hogwarts that she doesn't remember.
As a matter of fact Neville was the complete stranger telling her all about these things that she didn't understand.
He just proved his own point.
Neville was about to tell her all about the Dumbledore's Army that his friend Harry had set up at the mystic land called Hogwarts when his Gran walked in. Flustered and in a rush as always the older woman walked in the room and wanted to walk right out. The incurable wing made Augusta Longbottom just as unnerved as it made Neville.
Neville hadn't even noticed that his grandmother was in the room until she made a loud rude cough, instructing her grandson that it was time to go. Neville wasn't ready to go yet. He had to do one more thing. His mother's present.
"Again?" Mrs. Longbottom said sounding slightly weary "Very well, Alice dear, very well- Neville take it, whatever it is." Neville though ignored his grandmother and had his hand outstretched ready to collect whatever his mother was about to give him. He stretched out his hand, into which his mother dropped an empty Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper. "Very nice dear." Neville's grandmother said in a faux cheery voice patting the boy's mother on the back.
Neville though appreciated the gift. Even though coming here he knew what it was going to be. He had to have dozens of them by now. He could understand why his grandmother was getting annoyed with them. Seeing as Neville kept every last one.
"Thanks mum." Neville said quietly. His grandmother was already up now and ready to go judging by how she was holding her purse. Neville sighed he did have to go soon. Just not yet. He didn't want to go just yet.
"Well Neville. I'll be out in the hall. You better come along. We don't have all day." The elderly woman said walking out leaving Neville alone with his mother and father again. Alone, until the healer with the red shoes from before came back in.
It was pointless. He wouldn't get a long enough moment alone with his mum today. He'd have to tell her about the D.A some other time. Getting up he wished his mother goodbye and nodded to his father who currently was staring at a glass of water the healer had brought. Walking out of the room, Neville stopped for a second before opening the door to the hall. He heard the voice of his mother talking to someone. He wanted to listen.
"Did you have fun with the visitor Alice." The slightly to cheery healer asked. He heard his mother mumble un-understandable words before she answered her voice demented and broken.
"There's-s a n-nice boy who comes and v-visit. Do you know who h-he is?" His mother's voice responded. He heard the healer sigh and begin rambling on into her long complicated answer of who he was in relation to his mother.
He was her son. It wasn't that complicated. Well at least it shouldn't be.
Neville opened the final door into the hallway and saw his Gran waiting for him. The constantly impatient expression tapped on her face. He sighed and looked down to where his grandmother was looking. The gum wrapper in his hand. The gum wrapper his mother had given him.
"Well we better get back now." His grandmother said her voice slightly saddened by her grandson's expression. "Neville put that wrapper in the bin now. She must've given you enough to paper your bedroom by now." The older woman then walked off. Anxious to get to the apparation spot. Neville sighed and placed the paper in the pocket of his dress slacks.
Neville knew it was stupid now though. Thinking about the gum wrappers. Thinking about how she kept wondering who he was. How no one could explain it to her. How she was in the incurable ward. It hurt, still even now after all these years. He was 25 years old now for crying out loud. He made a name for himself, by killing Nagini. It was years after the war.
He had stopped visiting his mother and father a few weeks after his Gran died of old age. He told himself it was because there was no one around to tell him to go anymore. That was a lie. It was because it hurt too much. Seeing them again, his parents whose memories seemed to have only gotten worse.
He still had the wrappers though. He never understood what they were for. Maybe his mother thought he was a rubbish man who just liked to make conversation. Maybe she didn't have anywhere to put them. Maybe it didn't matter.
Sighing and slamming his arms on his desk in his study Neville felt the familiar guilt rush through him. He wasn't the same awkward boy he was during school. Not after he because brave and showed his promise. He looked at the picture he had of Ginny smiling on his desk. She had gone to stay with her brother since they had gotten into an argument last night.
She just kept telling him to go and visit his mum and dad. That he'd regret it if he didn't. Just like he regretted all those mean things he thought about Gran now that she died. He told he didn't need to see them, that they wouldn't even remember him. She told him that that hadn't stopped her before...
"Dinky." Neville called to the house elf who immediately show up at his side. Neville smiled at his house elf's loyalty. Then remembered what he had decided to do.
"Yes Master Neville?" The petite house elf asked smiling at the older man. Neville looked down then at the gum wrapper that he kept lying on his desk and spoke again.
"Can you tell Ginny that I've gone to 's and won't be back for dinner."
"Hello. Welcome to St. Mungo's- oh!" The healer with the long black hair and the bright red shoes smiled up at him. He nodded his head at her like he used to when he was young and came here with his Gran. She smiled to herself and walked out from behind the desk. "Come on Mr. Longbottom I know Alice will be thrilled to see you."
"Mum?" Neville asked walking into the same familiar hospital room. They still had the same blue curtains and the same dark oak wood doors. He saw his mother and smiled. He noticed the little things about her. The way her hair was graying at the sides. How small and skinny she was. The woman made an odd noise of happiness and a wide smile was placed on her face.
"H-hello!" She said smiling at him. He walked over to her bed side and sat down. The bed made a creaking sound and the woman next to him tensed up. Neville chuckled to himself. Patting her hand he smiled up at her.
"I haven't seen you in a while." He murmured softly in her ear. "We have a lot to catch up on." He opened his mouth to start about his girlfriend Ginny and his friends when his mother interrupted him.
"F-first." She croaked out. Leaning over to her bedside table she opened the drawer. Reaching her frail arm out she grasped the bag. Neville raised an eyebrow and tried to see what was in the bag. He smiled when his mother lay back down and opened the bag. "For y-you. N-neville."
Taking the bag out of his mother's hand he smiled when he finally could see what it was. Taking them out one by one he admired them. Smiling happily when seeing his mother's reactions trying to explain each one.
"Thanks mum." He said when they finally put everything back in the bag. It was night now and he knew it was way past dinner time. Ginny wouldn't mind though when he brought the bag home and showed it to her.
"L-like my wrapper?" His mum asked for the fiftieth time that night. Laughing to himself he nodded and got up. He heard the healer walk over to his mother and asking her to customary 'did you like seeing your visitor Alice?' Neville stopped then and listened already knowing what he was going to hear.
"Y-yes. H-he's a nice boy."