Edit Dec 14: I'll be changing this story to make it more Neville/Hermione. So if you read this version, take heed that it will change.
Title: Singed Eyebrows
Summary: This story follows Neville Longbottom during one embarrassing moment in Potions class.
Characters: Neville Longbottom
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. They are all JK Rowling's creations.
Type: One- Shot
Author Note: I wrote this story for fun because things have been very stressful for me this week and I needed a release. This will NOT be a chapter story, so there is no need to request it. I hope you enjoy.
Neville Longbottom had never been a very outgoing boy. He'd always shy away from huge crowds, avoid answering questions in class, other then Herbology of course, and he'd never been what everyone considered charming when it came to talking to girls; one in particular being Hermione Granger.
It was a dreary Tuesday evening and Neville, along with the other fifth year Gryffindors were bent over their cauldrons; stirring the contents inside that were suppose to be emitting pink steam. Neville looked sideways at Ron's cauldron and was shocked to see that his was no better than his own which was goopy and green and was not melting his copper cauldron. The metal oozed down the table and onto the floor scalding the cement by his feet.
"Watch it," Ron hissed as he moved aside as the red hot liquid metal fell from the table's edge and dropped right where his foot would have been. Neville said sorry quietly and raised his hand nervously. He'd been hoping that he'd be able to right his evident mistake before having to call the potion master to aid him, but it seemed his efforts were making more problems than solving them.
Snape swooped over on him like a ferocious bat and glared down at what was left of his cauldron. "Is it just me or are you becoming more abysmal every lesson, Longbottom?" Neville didn't know whether to answer, but even if he should have he couldn't for the sooty smoke issuing from his burning potion was clogging up his throat. He gagged along with everyone else at his table and covered his nose as the puke, rotten egg and dung scent stung his eyes.
"I'm waiting for an answer Longbottom," Snape hissed covering his own nose with his robes; not attempting to vanquish the smell. Neville stared up at the older man and nodded. Tears were now streaming down his red cheeks as the smoke tried to suffocate him.
"That will not do…" Snape snapped as he pulled Neville's hands from his face. "You'll answer when spoken to."
"Yes," he answered gagging yet again. He felt Ron tap on his shoulder and mumble something about fire but he took little notice.
"Yes, what Longbottom?" he growled. The slytherins behind him snickered quietly.
"Yes, sir." Neville got out before covering his nose again. He could feel everyone around him shrink away to the opposite side of the room before the contents of his cauldron burst into flames.
Neville fell backwards onto his back on the floor as the flames engulfed the table, everyone elses' cauldron and the front of Snapes' robes.
Snape quickly put out the fire with his wand and vanished the mess. When the smoke was gone Snape grimaced down at him angrily. His face was covered in soot and his eyebrows were singed off.
"You'll have detention every day for two weeks Longbottom," Snape sneered as he stifled a cough. He stalked off toward the front of his classroom. "Class dismissed," he yelled before he disappeared into the storage room; to fix his eyebrows nonetheless.
"You stupid git," Ron hissed looking down at Neville. "Why did you have to go and destroy my stuff too?"
"I didn't mean to," Neville said apologetically as he pushed himself from the floor. Hermione, who had stayed quite calm during it all came over to his side and wiped the soot from his robes.
"You really need a tutor," she said unsmiling.
"Um…" Neville said as he eyed her hand on his shoulder. "I do don't I?" he stated dumbly looking toward the floor.
"You'll need more than a tutor Longbottom," Draco Malfoy's voice drawled just behind him. "More like a miracle and some common sense."
Neville's face burned crimson as Draco and his cronies stalked by and left the classroom.
"Just ignore them," Hermione said screwing up her face. "I'll help you if you'd like."
"NO," Neville yelled before he could stop himself
Harry and Ron looked at him with eyebrows raised. "No need to yell," Harry said as he grabbed his books from the floor. "She was only trying to help."
"Come on Mione," Ron said gripping her arm and pulling her away. "He can help himself for all I care."
Hermione looked over her shoulder as she was pulled from the room. Neville didn't meet her eyes, but turned to gather what was left of his personal items which didn't include much. All that was left was a singed quill and a leek root.
He glanced at the board and read the instructions once more. No where in the entire list did it mention leeks. It did however say "check your cauldron for leaks."
Neville grimaced angrily and grabbed his bag and left the room. He had managed to burn a hole in a cement floor, destroy everyone's property and make a complete arse of himself in front of Hermione; all within ten minutes. That was a new record, he thought sadly as he climbed the staircases to the common room.
Maybe he should just quit school altogether. His life would be more bearable if he was away from the magical word. He could fit in quite cozily with muggles if he tried hard enough…He paused. Funny, who was he kidding? He'd fit in whether he tried to or not. The muggles would welcome him with open arms.
He stopped when he came to the portrait hole and stared up at the Fat Lady. "Password," she asked looking down at him from her new scrubbed portrait.
Neville stared blankly up at her and for the life of him he couldn't remember the password. "Damn," he hissed under his breath.
"Nope, that's not it," she mocked laughing
He stared at her and frowned. This was going to be very long day.