Written for the 1991 Challenge prompts #21 and 4 (Neville and interested), the If You Dare Challenge prompt #579 (one chance) the Pairing Diversity Boot Camp prompt #2 (whatever) and the Fifty Ways to Say Goodbye Challenge.

Stray Kiss

"Do you know why he's so distant lately?" Neville asked uncomfortably, looking at his friend. She shrugged, attempting to suppress another bout of tears.

"I don't know why he did it," she gasped, shaking her head. "Wars coming Neville; he's trying to protect everyone. He's trying to protect me. Maybe that's why Harry dumped me."

Neville gave her a sympathetic look. "Ginny, remember that his uncle did just die. Sirius was the only family he really truly cared about anymore, and now he's gone. Harry's in a rough place right now."

"I know," she sighed, wiping her eyes. "I just wish he'd let me help him. I wish he wouldn't be so closed in and shut down. Every time I tried to comfort him he'd just shrug me off. Now he's not quite talking to anyone. I'm worried about him."

"Hey now, don't worry too much. Harry's a fighter, that's for sure. It's tough to get over losing someone you love, but he'll move past this eventually. He just needs time to mourn."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Ginny whispered, dropping her head into the pillow once more. Neville sat back awkwardly and let her cry, having never been the best at comfort. But he came back from his prefect duties and found her sitting in the empty common room crying, and had to see what was wrong. Now he just wished he knew what to say.

"What are you afraid of?"

She lifted her head again, brushing the tears away. "I'm afraid Harry's going to have too much time to mourn and think. We know him Neville! When Harry has too much time to himself, he gets inside his own head and overthinks things. He's his own worst enemy. And I don't want him hurting himself or ending up depressed over this." She took a breath. "With war coming… it's only the first death of many."

Neville gulped at her words. She was right of course, but that didn't mean that he liked the truth. It was a scary concept with the approaching war looming in the distance. "He going to go about things his own way no matter what any of us say Ginny. That's just how Harry is. Give him the night and maybe tomorrow morning, and he might want to come talk to you. You don't know what he'll think in the morning."

"I don't even know where his mind might be in the morning."

He reached forward and pat her hand, ignoring how strange it felt. He didn't often comfort Ginny, as she was usually angry if she was upset. She rarely cried over anything, but the fact that she cried over Harry alarmed him. He didn't want Harry's mood dragging his friend down either. After what happened a few weeks ago, they all needed to be on their a-game.

"Things will get better Gin. They always do."

"Yeah, maybe that's true. But when will Harry get better?"

The boy pursed his lip. "I honestly don't know."

She nodded slowly, looking away from him. "I was afraid that you'd say something like that. I just wish someone could tell me something for sure, you know Neville?"

"Yeah, I wish that all the time," he agreed, briefly thinking back to his parents before shaking the memory away. He didn't want to focus on that right now. It would be very distracting.

"I just wish I could help him, you know?"

"You and I both."

Ginny shook her head. "I just need one chance. I just need to be able to speak to him and get him to see that there's still a brighter tomorrow. He keeps losing the people he cares about most. It's going to affect him, if it hasn't already."

"I know. He's going to need you around to really keep him going."

The redhead nodded before sinking forward, her head coming to rest on the shoulder of the man who sat across from her. "Why is it so hard Neville? Why can't relationships just be easy? For once I'd like to just have a simple, easy-going day with Harry. And I know it's not his fault that we can't. He didn't ask for all of this to happen to him, it just did. And now he has to deal with it all."

"Yeah, it's pretty unfair," Neville replied, awkwardly rubbing her back. He really wasn't that great at comforting people. Especially girls. He didn't have much practice with girls, though as the years dragged on he got a lot more experience with them. Apparently he got more and more attractive each year. Hey, that's the way to go.

"I just wish for one day I could have a regular relationship!" she continued, pulling away as she extended her hands. They were sitting much closer now, and her fingers brushed his chest. He blushed, but she didn't move back on the couch again. Her eyes were suddenly locked intently on his.

He was very interested with the look in her eyes. He'd seen that look plenty of times, but it was never actually directed at him. That fact also alarmed him.

This was Harry's girlfriend. She shouldn't be looking at him like that…

Ginny bent forward again and before he knew what was happening her lips were pressed against his. Startled, Neville did nothing for a moment.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't at least enjoy the kiss. Ginny seemed to be a very good kisser. His eyes almost drifted shut at the contact, then fluttered open and he backed away, immediately getting up off the table. His cheeks burned red, matching the ginger's hair. Her cheeks were also rather scarlet, and she had one hand resting against her lips in shock. Apparently, she didn't mean to do that.

Or maybe she did…

Neville cleared his throat awkwardly, looking anyplace but her. "I think um… I think maybe you're really tired Ginny. Maybe you need some sleep? You're not really acting like yourself tonight. Yes, sleep would be good. Why don't you go up to your room, and I'll go up to mine."

He could tell that she was embarrassed and ashamed as she ducked her head, moving away from him. "Yeah, whatever. Maybe you're right."

"Maybe."

"I'll... I'll see you in the morning then Neville," she said, rubbing her head awkwardly. She seemed to regret kissing him, and although he secretly enjoyed the kiss he was happy to see that she already felt bad. That meant that she couldn't stand the idea of cheating on Harry, which she did technically do. He'd leave that for them to patch up, if she did tell him.

Harry and Ginny were meant to be together. He would never try to mess that up.

"Yes. Night Ginny." The words barely escaped his lips before she was gone up the stairs. He hesitated a moment before dropping down onto the sofa again and sighing.

He'd never understand the way women's minds worked.