Summary: Neville sits by the lake pondering matters of the heart and why it is that Ginny left him.

Disclaimer: A Harry Potter fic-let stealing lyrics from the Brooks and Dunn song – He's Got You. I don't own Ronnie Dunn and Terry McBride's lyrics nor JK Rowling's characters. I do however own my smidgen of a 'plot, what plot?'

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He's Got You
by Tyde

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Neville skimmed a rock over the lake. Or at least he tried to skim a rock, it plopped into the water after only one hop on the mirror-like surface. A ripple caught his eye and he discovered the giant squid was pushing the rock back to him. He leant down to pick it up and mumbled a thanks. He didn't try to skim the rock again after that. He sat down on a large boulder and watched the squid lazily tracing circles in the water with a few of it's tentacles. No one else was out in this weather. It wasn't quite snowing yet but the frigidity to the air was enough to keep everyone indoors in front of a roaring fire.

Neville crossed his arms and put his hands under his armpits to keep warm. He'd forgotten to bring his gloves of course. He'd been trying not to focus on what he'd heard that morning but it was proving very difficult. The tears that were streaking his cheeks were threatening to form into frost if he didn't brush them away soon. The cold was biting through his cloak and his shivering was getting uncontrollable. He had loved her, correction, still loved her with everything he had, but she'd left him.

I thought we would always be together - The love we shared was gonna last forever

Once I was your one and only - Now here I sit, Mister Lonely

Now that he really sat down to think about it he couldn't be sure if she'd been as enthusiastic in the first place. She never invested as much time in their relationship as he did. He would spend hours working on charms to surprise her at dinner or on the weekends when they'd head down to Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer and a stroll down the main street. Everyone in Gryffindor knew that they were going out. Ginny and Neville – the longest lasting relationship any of them they could count. Three years. He'd been charmed by her at the Yule Ball and it had taken him all of the summer to muster up the courage to send her an owl to ask her to sit with him on the train to Hogwarts for the next school year. She'd agreed at once and his little heart had leapt with joy. He'd noticed Colin Creevey getting close to her in an annoying way (no doubt it had something to do with second year and their mutual admiration of Harry) and he had to nip that in the bud. Neville couldn't figure out how he'd missed Harry moving in. It was subtle at first, they were friends, everyone was friends with Harry, but no doubt it soon turned to something more.

He'll hold you tonight, but I won't - What's he got that I don't

The one thing I thought I'd never lose - He's got you

"Gran always told me to hang onto her like she was precious" He spoke aloud to himself now, not really caring who heard. The wind whipped up around him and he felt a chill colder than anything before. "I thought I did. I thought I did everything I could for her. I thought we were happy".

What little autumn sun there was was being blotted out slowly and steadily by the dark clouds looming above the lake and the castle. Neville hoped it wouldn't rain, only for the fact that he didn't think he could move. "What's so special about Harry?"

"Because he's the Boy Who Lived" said a voice.

Neville nearly fell off the boulder and spun around to locate the source of the voice. He looked at the blades of grass at his feet and the distant horizon, but there was nothing. But the voice seemed to be listening to him, and Neville really needed to get this all out. "I know there's that. But he's just Harry to me. He's like every single one of us, trying to struggle through life and love. What made him so special? What made her pick him over me?"

"It's not a matter of the mind Neville Longbottom, it's the heart"

"Well my heart doesn't want her to leave me! Why can't she feel that?"

But the voice did not answer him this time and he resigned himself to the fact that he was all alone again. Neville sighed.

Beneath this dark cloud you left me under - Can't sort it out so I'll sit and wonder

Tell myself, "It hurts, don't it" - Now my heart will be forever haunted

The sun had completely disappeared now and he was sitting in the dark, by the ominous looking lake with tears frozen to his face and no thought for the lunch and dinner he'd missed. His mind was drifting back to the weekend before when Ginny had asked if they could have a private word. He'd smiled at this, usually when she said 'a private word' they'd sneak away to smooch endlessly in one of the empty classrooms. That's all they ever did, kiss. Kiss, hold hands and talk for hours by the fireplace in the common room.

Neville had always felt that getting involved in a serious, adult relationship while he was still at school would not be a good idea. Ginny had felt exactly the same. They agreed on so many things that he found it hard to think that it would ever end. She'd led him into the Charms classroom and sat down at a desk. She was looking at the floor, timidly, like she'd been on her first day at Hogwarts. The shy little Weasley girl. Neville had kneeled on the floor in front of her and tilted her chin up so that he could capture her lips in a soft, gentle kiss. Ginny had allowed it but as soon as he'd pulled away she'd sighed and put her hands on his shoulders to stop him from trying to kiss her again.

"Nev, I really do need to talk to you. A serious talk"

"Okay" he'd been surprised and he rocked back on his heels. She'd joined him on the floor. It hadn't felt cold at the time but after she'd delivered the blow it had seemed like ice.

"You and I, I just don't know if..." she'd stopped halfway through her sentence because the lump was forming in her throat and she didn't know if she could continue.

"What is it Gin?" he reached into a pocket for his handkerchief and then remembered that he'd lost it the day before. He wiped her tears away with the sleeve of his robes.

"I don't think we can be together anymore" Ginny had said it really quickly, the words had seemed to blend together but Neville got the meaning. The stone floor under him turned to ice and his heart dropped into his stomach.

"Why?" it was the only response he could muster.

"I can't be loyal to you. I don't know if I can be with you forever" She held one of his hands in hers, trying to soften the blows of her words with tiny kisses over the palm of his hand. "My eyes have strayed and I let them. I wanted them to" More tears ran down her face and he sat there in shock. The circulation had been cut off to his feet and he wasn't sure if he could stand up. Ginny was attempting to catch his eyes with hers but he stared blankly out the window.

"Neville? Please say something"

"I love you Ginny. You know that I love you. That's all I can say. If that isn't enough to keep you then..." He choked on the tears as they came steady and fast. She leant in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Her hands were warm on his neck and he wanted to reach out, to grab a hold of her and never let go. But he couldn't. She'd made her decision and it didn't involve him.

"I'm sorry"

Ginny had left him there on the floor of the classroom to let him cry it out alone. Just two days later he'd learned of Ginny and Harry's relationship and that was what brought him out of the castle on a cold autumn day and down to the lake. He'd needed time to think he told everyone. But the more he thought the more it seemed to be slowly killing him inside. Neville didn't want to think about it anymore but it wouldn't leave him alone.

A dark shape whizzed over him in the stillness of the night and he heard the tinkling of Ginny's giggle mixed with the deep laughter of Harry. They had gone for a broom ride after supper.

He's got you

As they rose higher and higher in the sky Neville saw them silhouetted against the moon, Ginny in front with Harry's arms firmly around her waist, holding her tight, so that she wouldn't fall. So he wouldn't lose her.

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THE END

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