A/N: Written for Rosalie'sRevenge, Four Seasons Challenge

The Challenge: To write a fanfic based around the four seasons. In each season one character's opinion about that season must be changed by the other.

This Installments Season: Spring

This Installments Pairing: Harry Potter / Neville Longbottom

Enjoy!

April Showers

I can't stand the rain… It's hitting my window pane… A little too much

Harry sat at the bay window in the Gryffindor Common Room, viridian eyes trained on the distorted vision of Hogwarts grounds through the rain soaked window. Rain wasn't the correct term really, more like torrential downpour. There weren't a myriad amount of raindrops pelting the glass, it was all one writhing liquid mess, like a small river passing over the clear surface, so that looking through it was like looking through a kaleidoscope, just a mish-mosh of abstract shapes.

He hated Spring, always had. Spring was filled with rainy days he was forced to stay inside for, and before coming to Hogwarts that meant time locking in the cupboard under the stairs. Spring now meant end of term, which meant he had to go home to the Dursley's soon. After third year it had been a blow, his inability to clear his godfather's name had sealed the fact that he had to return to Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley, at least till he was seventeen, and was considered an adult in the eyes of the wizarding world. Till the end of this very summer, except, his godfather had passed through the veil and, was no more. He was gone and gone with him was the hope of ever having a family to love him, care for him, it was like adding insult to injury.

Not only had he been the cause of the death of a great man, but he had been the cause of the death of the only family he had left, it seemed to be a very harsh pattern in his life. His father and mother had died because of him and now his godfather.

How many lives were on his head, whose blood was on his hands? His mother, his father, Cedric, Sirius, all because of him… how many more would there be before Voldemort was finally vanquished. He really should just cut ties now with everyone before he caused yet another pointless death.

The sound of the portrait swinging open brought Harry from his thoughts but did little to ease his morose mood. He saw the smiling face of Neville Longbottom and he couldn't stop the thought that passed through his head, 'It should have been you'. As soon as it appeared though he squashed it down and felt extremely guilty.

Neville didn't ask for this burden anymore than he did, and he had lost just as much. His parents were still alive, but would never know their son. They were vegetables, unaware of their surroundings, Harry wondered what was worse, having lost your parents completely, or having your parents there physically but just as lost as Harry's was mentally. After only a second of thought he realized how much worse it would be to hug his mother and father and never know if they knew it was him who held them was a far worse fate. At least Harry knew by way of the connection of his wand to Voldemort's wand after the Triwizard Tournament that his family was around and watching him. With a sigh Harry turned his eyes back to the window and was surprised to fell additional weight join him on the bay window bench. He looked out the corner of his eye to see that Neville had joined him.

"You know I used to hate Spring." Neville stated out of nowhere and the shock of how close his statement was to Harry's own thoughts had Harry stilling. "All the rain, it was bloody depressing, and with how protective my grandmother is, she would never let me outside." He said and Harry found himself nodding his head in agreement. "I mean really who ever thought that eight to ten weeks of rain and only two-four weeks of good weather should be called something as cheerful as Spring." Neville continued and despite his sour mood, Harry gave a snort of laughter.

"You know you're absolutely right Neville." Harry stated and they both sat in silence looking out the window for a while.

"Dumbledore told me you know." Neville stated softly and Harry's eyes widened. "It's a bit scary, to know that You-Know-Who could have picked me instead of you. I'm sorry you know. I'm sure you're wishing he had, I mean it would mean your parents were still alive, and you wouldn't have this immense ordeal thrust upon your shoulders. Lucky for all of us that he didn't though, if it was all up to me, the world would be doomed, because I'm rubbish." Neville spoke while staring at the window and Harry stared at his profile, it was so crazy that he was speaking all the thoughts that had just been in his head, well except for Neville being rubbish.

"You're not rubbish Neville, if it was your burden to carry we'd be just as fine, and I don't wish for our situation to be reversed. I have thought about it, but this is how it's is, moping over how it could have been isn't going to be productive, and also it's not like you have had much in the way of parents either, they've taken from us both." Harry sighed and let his eyes shift to the window.

"True, but I think you're giving me far too much credit, we'd all be in deep trouble if it was my responsibility, but thank you for the vote of confidence."

"You couldn't do any worse than me that's for sure, I'm having a hard time as it is with what being the chosen one entails, but it's my burden to deal with, and so I will."

"You know just because it's your burden, doesn't mean you have to carry it alone, If you would ever need my help, as horrible as I am, I'll be there, no questions asked." Neville said softly and Harry for once felt a strange sort of connection between him and Neville. They were after all in some abstract way, kinfolk. Both could have been the chosen one, both had had their lives ruined by Voldemort and his Death Eaters, especially one Bellatrix Lestrange, and both would stand against the Dark Lord, regardless of the fact that Voldemort had chosen Harry to fulfill the prophecy.

"Thanks mate." Harry said before clasping Neville on the back softly, before letting his hand drop to his lap and stare out the window once more. They sat silently for another while before Neville finally moved to stand.

"Hey Neville, what changed your mind?" Harry asked suddenly and Neville paused giving him a confused glace.

"About Spring, you said you used to hate it, I gather that means you like it now."

"Oh well, my hobby of Herbology and helping Gran with her garden helped a bit. I noticed that the worst Spring's, with the most frequent and strongest storms always produced the most potent herbs and most beautiful flowers. It was easy to associate my garden with my life. The harder and more bleak of a storm, the better it will all be when I finally weather it, you know." Neville said and the obvious simplicity of it really struck a cord with Harry. It was so obvious that of course he'd missed it, plus with what was going on in his life, seeing the bright side of things really wasn't going to be his forte. But hearing it now from Neville's lips was like lighting striking his brain. It all just sunk in and clicked.

He found his eyes turning to the window and the melancholy that he'd had just minutes before wasn't set so deep within him. It was still there, but almost a ghost of its former self, and Harry was sure that it wouldn't be long till it was gone completely.

"Thanks Neville, I never quite thought of it like that before." Harry said.

"No problem Harry, see you at Dinner?" He questioned and Harry gave him a quick nod of his head, and watched as Neville left before his eyes drifted back to the horizon, the film of rain wasn't so thick now and Harry could see that the sky very far off by the lake was no long a dark and bleak gray but now a warm and vibrant orange in the setting of the sun.

His mission and his life didn't seem so bad now with Neville's words pinging around his brain. All he had to do was weather the storm and with the love and support of his friends and family, weathering it wouldn't be all that horrible really. It would be tough but he could pull through, and when the last cloud departed and the rain finally stopped, there would be many buds just waiting to burst forth with radiant blossoms, like myriad symbols of hope.