His feet his the marble with echoing thumps as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him up the stairs, praying that he would not trip and embarrass himself in front of everyone. Eleven year old, Neville Longbottom, raced to catch up to his fellow Gryffindors as they all made their way to the common room. His breath was coming out in harsh, short bursts as his feet slipped and slid across the hall. He could see it just ahead closing slowly, and he had to reach it.
"No!" he yelled, practically slamming into the wall just right of the Fat Lady's portrait, trying not to damage it. He had missed them, the portrait was closed, and he could not, for the life of him, remember the password. Sliding down the wall in defeat, Neville wheezed as he attempted to catch his breath. A couple minutes passed and his breathing slowing down. His heart, however, continued beating faster than normal.
A glance around him made it clear that he was alone. The watch on his wrist told him that curfew was quickly approaching; he might have to sleep here again tonight. Looking up slowly, Neville noticed that the portrait of the Fat Lady continued to glance in his direction when she thought he was not looking. Shifting his position so he was sitting cross-legged in front of her, he smiled softly and was shocked when she hesitantly smiled back.
"You're called 'the Fat Lady'?" he asked, looking down to the confusingly blank nameplate of the Gryffindor entrance portrait. She scoffed.
"No. That is just what everyone thinks I'm called," she answered calmly.
"So you have a real name?" Neville replied. The Lady looked down at him, then seemed to bend slightly so that her face was closer to his.
"I do, young man. But why would you want to know?" Neville blushed, trying to find the best words to explain himself.
"Isn't that what you do?" he began. "You learn someone's name when you talk to them?" He took a deep breath to calm himself and his face returned to his normal colour. "Mine is Neville."
"Well, Neville," she said, cautiously considering him, "I guess you're right." She looked around the hall before saying very plainly, "My name is Eleanor."
Neville and Eleanor talked for an hour, he learnt about her past and he told her about his parents.
"That's horrendous!" She exclaimed. Neville nodded sadly, then leaned back against the wall, his eyes drooping. Eleanor looked sadly at the little boy, knowing that she should not help him, but feeling suddenly compelled to do so.
"Neville," she said, his eyes shot open.
"What is it?" he said, looking around wildly. Eleanor swung her portrait open, something she hadn't done without the password in centuries.
"Have a good night's rest." Neville looked up at the warm smile of the aging painting. He moved quickly, peering inside and frowning when no one exited. Connecting the dots, he walked back to the front and said softly:
"Thank you, Eleanor!" before moving swiftly through the portrait hole. The Fat Lady blocked the hole after he had made his way through, with a small smile she looked down at the floor where he had been sitting.
"Maybe this new bunch wont be as bad as the rest?"
A/N: Written for the '365 Days of Drabbles' challenge, 'New', and the 'Disney Character Challenge', 'Winnie-the-Pooh'. Anything you recognise is not mine.