A/N: Saw this headcannon on Tumblr- credit to the person who thought of it.
Neville stepped onto the hard tiles of St Mungo's reception and nervously approached the front desk. It was late, but he didn't care. He had to do this now. The blonde witch was filing long pink nails as she chewed on some muggle gum, with her feet propped up on the counter. Sensing Neville's presence, she continued filing her nails, and without looking up, muttered "Visiting hours are over, come back tomorrow."
Looking briefly away, Neville turned his head back to her and spoke. "Please," he rubbed the back of his neck, "five minutes."
The witch looked at him, cocking her head to the side. Neville thought she recognised him, as she smiled and whispered, "Five minutes." He nodded at her, and her eyes followed him until he was out of sight.
Neville made his way up the flights of stairs, until he reached the fourth floor. Spell Damage. He swallowed, let out a deep breath, and whispered Alohamora with his wand pointed at the door. It swung open easily. Nodding at the Healer on duty, he made his way to the far end of the ward.
Though the curtains were drawn, he knew that his parents were still up, and sure enough, he saw his mother knitting, and his father staring fondly at Alice as she did so.
Neville swallowed again. "Hey Mum," he whispered, "Hey Dad."
He stepped up to them, and his parents smiled at him. Frank and Alice Longbottom, two of the greatest witch and wizards of their time, reduced to this. To not even recognising their own son. Neville pulled up a chair and sat opposite his parents.
"So, um, I just wanted to tell you something, erm," he said, rubbing the back of his neck again. "There was a war yesterday. Crap, that's a terrible way to put it, what I meant to say was..." Neville trailed of, and felt his eyes watering up a bit.
"I love you both so, so much, do you know that?" He asked, "There is nothing that I wouldn't do to protect you, and, er, that's what I tried to do yesterday." Neville rubbed at the gash on his forehead. He hadn't let Madame Pomfrey patch it up properly, he was too pumped full of adrenaline. That was all gone now.
Neville stared his Mum in the eyes. "I did good Mum, Dad," he felt himself choking up, "I know you don't get it properly, I didn't either until a few hours ago, but I destroyed a horcrux. I saved Ron and Hermione's lives."
He found himself rambling slightly. "I did good, I helped fight him and we won, we won Dad, Mum, I did good, Voldemort's dead!"
Neville went on and on, and the more he did so the more he felt like all of the air, the light in him was being sucked out of him.
"And, um, anyway..." He paused, sucking in a shaky breath, "I just want you to know that I, er, did it for you." He felt the tears finally spilling over, and he ducked his head.
"You fought this fight long before I was born, and you two made such a difference to so many people, me included. Me most of all. You're both my heroes, and without you- I wouldn't be here."
Neville stood up abruptly and wiped a hand across his face. "Thank you." He whispered, "I love you." Neville turned to leave.
As he walked away, Alice Longbottom stood up and followed him out. She tapped his arm gently. Neville turned around with red, puffy eyes.
Alice picked up her son's hand and gently placed something in it. A Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper. She closed Neville's fingers around it. She smiled. And spoke for the first time in years.
"So proud."