Characters and setting both belong to J.K. Rowling the genius!

Chapter 1

Neville couldn't wait to get back to school. Summer break with Gran was like having tea with the big bad Wolf. At Hogwarts someone actually believed in him. He was good at something.

"Hey Neville," greeted Hermione as she passed him in the train corridor. He nodded a reply. Knowing he would find Harry and a place to sit nearby, he checked the windows of the train compartments surrounding him. Soon he found Harry, Ginny, and Pavarti and Padma Patil.

"He Harry. Good holiday?"

"Yeah, not bad, and yours?"

"Average if you don't count what happened at the world cup. Gran's worried sick."

"My parents almost kept us home this year. We just barely convinced them in time," said Pavarti. Neville was glad that she would always be safe. Nothing could ever hurt her now.

The train ride was uneventful as always. They arrived on the picturesque grounds of Hogwarts and the first years were led to the giant squid. The majesty of looking at the castle was lost to Neville's impatience. He had to see her. There was still an hour and a half of waiting, with the feast and the shuffle of getting back to the common room.

"I'll skip the feast. She won't be there anyway." He waited in the boys lavatory for the footsteps to quiet, then snuck off towards the Ravenclaw tower. He kept his fingers crossed that Peeves was busy with Filch or the first years.

"Helena?" he called. "Helena, it's me." He flattened his hair nervously and cast looks towards the ceiling. Then that familiar feeling of being doused with ice water came over him. And he knew she was here.

"I've missed you this summer," said Helena in a critical tone. An eternity for Neville, a blink of an eye for a ghost. Neville couldn't tell if she was being serious. She didn't seem to like missing him.

"I've missed you too Helena. I hope," he started uncertainly, "I hope you'll let me read to you again this year."

"I think that arrangement went well last year. Can I trust you as I did last year? You won't ever tell anyone or talk about me to anyone?" Her grey pupils starred into Neville's brown ones. He wondered, as he often did, what color those eyes had been when she was alive. He guessed them to be blue, and her hair a creamy brown.

"Of course. You know I won't ever tell anyone. There's no one to tell."

"I had to check. People cannot be trusted."

"I can," Neville replied.

"You're different Neville. You're so innocent… Polite as well." That was almost a compliment. Neville smiled.

"I brought some muggle poetry that I thought you might like." The cover of the book read 'Newton's Guide to Dry land Plants'. He didn't need to be teased anymore than he already was.

"I hear footsteps! I'll be seeing you, Neville Longbottom." Her beauty shined on Neville's face and he felt the ache of her departure.

"Goodbye Beautiful Lady." Neville whispered. He was unsure if she had heard him before she whisked away from sight.

Neville ran down the stairs and then back onto the main staircase to catch up with the other Gryffindors. He knew that he'd be stuck in the corridor AGAIN if he missed them. He finally reached the 7th floor, completely out of breath. He sat on the stair in front of the Fat Lady. He wasn't in anyone's way because there was no longer any traffic. He sat and waited and hoped someone would come out. At half past eleven there was a noise behind him. Hermione.

"Neville! I was wondering where you'd gone. I didn't see you at the feast."

"Yeah, long story. I missed the password."

"It's Droobles."

"Mind the time, mind the time," murmured the Fat Lady.

"Thanks Hermione. Goodnight."

"Night Neville." Hermione gave Neville a pondering look then turned towards the girls dormitory.