Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any associated characters.

Just Neville

Whispers followed Neville as he made the familiar journey up to the fourth floor. It was an uncomfortable feeling having people stop and stare at him as they passed. Once they thought he was out of earshot, the whispers would start. Neville made a mental note to ask Harry how he dealt with it the next time he saw him.

Of course, the whispers and constant staring was only to be expected. As soon as the journalists had finished interviewing Harry, Ron and Hermione, they had descended on him like Bowtruckles on Doxy eggs. The leading force behind the rebellion at Hogwarts, the student who had stood up to You-Know-Who, set alight in front of both armies and still carried on fighting, killing the snake and taking down Greyback…

Yes, the Prophet had credited him as doing all those things, but Neville didn't think he deserved it. It had been Ginny, Luna and he who had started the rebellion, he was only one in a long line of people who had faced You-Know-Who, the flames hadn't burnt him (thanks to Harry's sacrifice) and Ron had helped him with Greyback. Cutting off the stupid snake's head was the only thing Neville took credit for.

Neville reached the right floor and made his way along the corridor to the end where the Janus Thickey ward was. He pressed the doorbell next to the door and waited.

He stared guiltily down at his feet while he waited. It had been nearly two months since the Battle of Hogwarts and he had been too busy to go along with Gran on her visits. Helping to repair the castle and starting the Auror apprenticeship had taken up all his time until today – his first day off. Neville had never considered being an Auror, at any rate his grades had never been high enough, but Kingsley Shacklebolt had asked many from his year who had fought in the battle to help the Auror division as they were having trouble catching some of the Death Eaters who had escaped. Neville had accepted, as well as Harry, Ron and a few others.

Despite rather enjoying it, Neville still didn't see it as a long-term thing. He supposed having seen first hand what sort of danger being an Auror put you in had put him off the idea. It was okay for now, but Neville wanted to put the war and all the fighting behind him now that it was over for good.

The door to the ward opened, making Neville jump.

"Well, if it isn't Neville Longbottom," said Healer Marstoff.

Neville smiled hesitantly. Healer Marstoff had been in charge of this ward for as long as he could remember. She was a friendly woman, now in her mid fifties, with greying blonde hair that was tied up in its usual messy bun.

"Come on in," she said, opening the door wider. "Your grandmother says you've been very busy, joining the Aurors."

"Yeah," said Neville, following her into the ward. She closed the door behind him and locked it with a tap of her wand. "I don't think I'll stay there, though. I'll just help out catching the Death Eaters for a year or so and then I'll find something else to do. I never fancied being an Auror much."

Healer Marstoff smiled at him sadly.

"I'll let you have some privacy. If you need me I'll be in my office."

She turned her back and went into her office.

Neville looked around the ward. It mostly stayed the same from visit to visit, with the occasional new photograph being put up beside a bed. Really, the only changes came when one of the inhabitants died and someone new moved in. Neither happened all too often.

Shaking off these morbid thoughts, Neville walked over to the two beds at the far end of the ward. He waved to Gilderoy Lockhart as he passed his bed.

When he reached the beds which his parents occupied, Neville couldn't help grinning.

The usual photographs showing Neville at different ages throughout his childhood were still stuck to the wall, along with the Daily Prophet article about the break in to the Ministry during his fifth year at Hogwarts (even though Neville hadn't been mentioned in it by name, his Gran had insisted on putting it up). It had been joined by various more newspaper clippings, most of which were accompanied by a picture of Neville awkwardly smiling and waving at the camera.

"Hi mum, hi dad."

Neither returned the greeting. They did turn to him smiling, as he settled into the chair between their beds, though. Neville felt his face go red.

"Gran told you about what happened at Hogwarts then? Harry got rid of You-Know-Who, at last. Harry Potter, you know James and Lily's son."

Neville thought he saw a flicker of recognition on his mother's thin face at the mention of Harry's parents' names, but then it was gone and he was sure he had imagined it.

A few days after the battle, Harry had invited Neville to a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix, along with Ginny and Luna, saying that "they deserved to know what had been going on". Harry had started from the very beginning and explained everything about You-Know-Who, going from his childhood as Tom Riddle, through the business with the prophecy, his first downfall and what seemed to be Harry's own life story. Neville had been shocked to hear how he was involved with the prophecy business, but was interested in the small bits of information about his parents that no one in his family had mentioned – like how they had been members of the Order and had defied You-Know-Who three times – even if Harry didn't know the details.

Neville sat in silence for a while, feeling a bit awkward. He had never visited his parents on his own before and he didn't quite know what to say. Both had lost their voices years previously and now Neville only had vague memories of them talking, and even that was mumbled nonsense a lot of the time.

"I joined the Aurors," Neville said, finally. "They wanted help catching the Death Eaters and asked a few of us who fought in the battle. I won't stick with it long-term, though. I think…" Neville hesitated – he had never spoken this thought out loud before. "…I think I want to be a teacher. I'm good at Herbology so I'd like to do that."

He looked round at his mum and dad who were smiling and nodding at him. It was in an absent-minded way that made Neville sure that they didn't really know what he was talking about, but he appreciated it all the same.

"They've been talking about putting us on chocolate frog cards. Me, Harry, Ron and Hermione. I promise I'll get you some if they do."

Silence again. Neville racked his brain for something else to say.

"Do you remember Remus Lupin? He was in the Order with you and he taught me Defence Against the Dark Arts a few years ago… Well he had a baby before he died. A boy. I think Harry said they named him Teddy."

Neville sat and made idle talk with his mum and dad for another hour. They both stared blankly ahead while he talked and his mum would start humming every now and again, but Neville pretended that they were listening and after a while he stopped feeling awkward. He talked just as he would to anyone, filling them in on his day to day life.

When he was leaving, Neville kissed his parents on the cheek.

"I'll come back and visit as soon as I can. I'm busy at the moment so I don't know when it'll be. Gran will probably keep you updated."

Neville was about to walk away when his mum beckoned him towards her.

"What is it, mum?"

She had raised her hand and Neville saw that it was clenched around something. He put his own hand out so she could give whatever it was to him. She dropped it into his hand and pulled away so he could see what it was.

Neville recognised the wrapper instantly and was ashamed that he had forgotten: at the end of every visit his mum had always given him a Drooble's gum wrapper. Today was no exception.

"Thanks, mum." He smiled and pocketed it.

He said goodbye then and left, waving to Healer Marstoff in her office.

Neville was glad, as he made his way back through St. Mungo's and the whispering and staring started again, that no matter how famous he might be for helping to destroy a dark wizard, he was still just Neville to his parents.

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