A/N: JKR owns it all. But I seriously hope you all enjoy! This was written for the HP Potions Competition: Blemish Blintzer.
The first time I saw him was my first year, and his second. I had noticed him across the Great Hall, talking to some other Gryffindors. At once his aura drew me in and I found myself wanted to know him better.
He was a plain looking boy then. He had short brown hair, and a full chubby face. Well, he was actually chubby all over. But he smiled a lot, and I think that's the most beautiful trait a person could have.
We met a few days later in the library. I was too busy trying to fight off the Nargles that I didn't even notice him… I walked right into him.
He introduced himself as Neville, and I finally had a name for that chubby face.
My second year and his third year weren't much better. It seemed there was always some sort of trouble surrounding that Harry boy. Daddy always said that Harry Potter would be famous someday, but I never understood why. Now, it was easy to see trouble was just attracted to him.
But my eyes were always on Neville. Handsome, awkward Neville. He wasn't as chubby as he was the year before, and he had grown a bit. But it was obvious that puberty wasn't being very kind to him.
His teeth were crooked and he still didn't know how to act around others, but I could see there was a confidence there, lurking beneath the doubt.
His aura grew a bit stronger that year, and I knew that he too would accomplish great things. Neville's aura was very similar to Harry's and I always wondered why. What on earth did the two of them have in common?
The next year came, and Neville continued to grow older. I still thought he was the most handsome man I had ever laid my eyes on, despite hearing what everyone else would say about him.
They would tease him, make fun on his weight, say horrid things to him, and I could only hope that he didn't take any of it to heart. He was beautiful in my eyes.
His awkwardness was a part of who he was, and I loved that.
My fourth year was when I fell in love with him. This was the first time we actually talked and spent time together. When Harry started Dumbledore's Army, I eagerly joined, hoping I'd be able to spend time with him.
And I did. We would practice dueling together every so often, and I was rewarded with watching him grow. When he was finally able to disarm someone, I couldn't have been more pleased.
The happiness on his face was the most attractive thing I'd have ever seen. And it was in that moment, that I knew I loved Neville Longbottom.
Together, we fought Death Eater in the Ministry, always covering each other's backs. I trusted him, and he trusted me, and together, we made it out alive.
Fifth year came and went, things with the War becoming more difficult. I didn't really see Neville that much, only occasionally. The War was escalating, and I started to find myself more frightened. What would happen to us both? We were both Purebloods, but ones that were one the wrong side of the War.
I was afraid.
My sixth year of school came, but I didn't spend much time at school. I was captured, thrown into the dungeons, and left to wonder what was happening to Neville. Knowing him, he had restarted the D.A. and was fighting the Carrows back on every opportunity.
My sweet, brave Neville.
I didn't see him again until the Battle of Hogwarts.
I watched with pride and love as he bravely stood up to Voldemort, refusing to surrender. I watched helplessly as I thought Neville would die, the hat burning on him. And I watched in awe as he did the greatest thing of all: pulling the sword from the hat and cleaving the head right off that blasted snake.
I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I had watched this small, chubby boy turn into a man, one who had helped to save the wizarding world. I would tell him the truth: that I loved him.
However, it seemed I wasn't the only one who had noticed Neville's transformation into a handsome man. Hannah Abbott approached Neville, gushing about how brave he was and how she wanted to go out with him some time.
He accepted, never even knowing how I felt.
It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that I lost him, when I was the one who had loved him since the very beginning. I loved him when he was a chubby little boy with crooked teeth.. I loved him still.
I had been there through it all, unlike that shallow Hannah girl.
But it seemed that it wouldn't be enough.
Still, I couldn't help but smile that at least Neville had finally gained his confidence, one that had been lurking beneath the surface all along.
I just wished it would have been me by his side.