A/N: I've only seen two fics about Neville's parents, so I decided to write one of my own. And, this is one of my few serious fics. Enjoy! --KittyAngel
Neville lay awake in his four-poster bed, the curtains closed and blocking out the silvery moonlight. He couldn't sleep. The blank, confused faces of his parents were still fresh in his mind. He usually didn't visit them when at Hogwarts, but their faces seemed to haunt him no matter what.
Finally Neville decided to go down to the common room, just to do something and get his mind off the mum and dad that he never really had. As he entered the deserted room, he could here the noise of someone quietly flipping pages in a book. Probably Hermione, he thought to himself, staying up late to study. Neville approached the chair and was surprised to find not Hermione, but Harry. He was sitting cross-legged in the big armchair, his dressing gown covering his green pajamas. On his lap was a big leather-bound book. Neville could see that it was filled with photographs that Harry was staring at intently.
"Hullo, Harry," said Neville, and Harry jumped.
"Oh, hi, Neville, I didn't hear you come down. Couldn't sleep either, huh?" Neville sat down in an armchair next to Harry's and looked out the window.
"Is that a photo album?" he asked after a minute.
"Yeah, Hagrid gave it to me. It's all pictures of my parents." Harry explained, "I don't remember them at all. I wish I could give them a hug, or at least see their faces, besides in photos that is…" He trailed off and looked over at Neville, who was looking very upset. "Are you okay, Neville?"
"I never told you, did I?" he said suddenly, after a brief silence.
"Told me what?"
"About my mum and dad." Harry suddenly remembered what Dumbledore had told him last year about Neville and his parents. Dumbledore had told him not to mention it until Neville was ready to tell him himself.
"No, you've never mentioned them," said Harry.
"Well, I'm not living with my grandmother because they're dead, like everyone assumes. They're still alive," he paused, waiting for Harry to speak, but continued when Harry remained silent, "They're at St. Mungo's, but they're good as dead," he said bitterly, "After you defeated You-Know-Who, they were captured by the Death Eaters and tortured for information, my dad was an Auror, you see. But now they're both insane, they don't even recognize me when I visit them. It's like their souls died but not their bodies. It's horrible… I've seen them every year since I was one, but I don't know them at all. I don't think they even know I exist. I sit and hold my dad's hand, and kiss my mum's cheek, but they just stare blankly and mumble about stuff nobody understands. At least your's are in heaven Harry. At least they never suffered."
Harry sat dumbfounded in his chair. His emerald eyes were filled with tears. He had never thought about it that way. How awful it must be for Neville to go see his parents in that condition.
"Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry. I really am. Now that I think about it, you've got it as bad as I do, maybe worse." Neville just sat looking out the window silently for a long time.
"I never told anyone before. I didn't think they'd understand how I feel. But I guess you can relate, huh, Harry?" Harry nodded.
"Yeah, I guess so. You know, its getting late, we better get to bed."
"Yeah," replied Neville, "Snape would kill us if we dozed off in class tomorrow."
Harry ginned and closed the album. "Thanks for listening, Harry," said Neville as they headed up towards the domantory, "And thanks for being my friend."
"No problem, Neville," answered Harry, "No problem."
A/N: I don't like the ending, but I couldn't think of any other way to do it. Pleez make me happy and review. Thanx! --KittyAngel