A Burning Flame
by jstreader
A/N: Just a little something for Neville lovers. grins Course, if you don't like OFCs, then I'm sorry. :-)
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It was Christmas Eve and the Great Hall was decorated to the nines. There were a lot more students staying during winter break because of the ever present threat of the Dark Lord and his followers. The staff had done their best to keep things light and cheery, and it worked, for the most part.
The leaders of the DA were almost always in a huddle, conversing, passing papers back and forth, and basically making the plans that would be the main defense of their beloved Hogwarts. Now, however, the four of the Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw were sitting at their prospective tables chatting, telling jokes, tasting all the delicious food and generally having a good time.
A lone Hufflepuff sat at one edge of the house table staring at her food without really seeing it. The grief surrounding her was palpable and made most shy away from her in sympathy. Her entire family had been the latest victims of Voldemort's attacks and not even two weeks before then, her two closest friends and their families had also been murdered.
Elena Smythe ran through the whole of her life, seeing flashes of family gatherings, visiting the Muggle world to be with her friends, having 'study' parties in the Hufflepuff common room. All of it rushed by like a movie on fast forward.
She felt several emotions run together and then repeat…grief, fear, anger, despair, hopelessness, anger, grief. But throughout it all, she felt fierce determination well up.
She would not let it beat her down. She would not give Voldemort the satisfaction of seeing that she was afraid. She would not let this…tragedy freeze her every move.
Elena's head rose slightly as figure slowly entered the hall.
He was tall, about 5'10', having finally hit his growth spurt the year before. His hair was a slightly darker shade of brown than the color of his eyes. A slightly rounded face but otherwise an ordinary guy, unless one saw him in action.
And Elena had. At the beginning of their sixth year, a somewhat small skirmish had occurred on the last Hogsmead weekend and Elena had seen Neville Longbottom finally come into his own.
She had harbored a much hidden crush on the bumbling wizard every since their fourth year. She had worked up the courage to ask him to the ball when she had heard by word of mouth that he was going with Ginny Weasley. She had cried, no doubt, but felt no ill will toward the beautiful redhead.
In fifth year, the DA had formed despite the tyranny of Umbridge and Neville had flourished. As did she. She had learned that she had a core of steel, or at least a steel-like substance. Only a few had known that she had aided the Wesley twins with their pranks. However, unbeknownst to any, Elena had garnered nearly as many detentions with Umbridge as Harry Potter did. A glamour hid the permanent etched words on her left hand. I will not question authority.
Now she watched Neville stop to converse with Luna Lovegood. The two had dated very briefly last year before deciding to stop. Elena thought they had been cute together.
Watching him smile then laugh at whatever Luna had said, Elena felt something warm in her stomach. She could feel her cheeks grow a little warm as well and couldn't help herself. She stood as he turned and met him at the end of the Gryffindor table. He smiled as he caught sight of her and Elena felt herself redden even more.
"Hi Elena!"
"Hi Neville." She smiled just a bit then ducked her head shyly.
"What's up?" Neville asked. Elena felt his voice was over her and wondered why she couldn't remember when it had deepened. She raised her head to meet his gaze but blinked when someone called out, "Hey guys!"
Both Neville and Elena looked over at his friends and saw that it had been Ron Weasley. He was pointing upward.
Elena's stomach dropped as both she and Neville turned to look up. Above their heads was a floating sprig of mistletoe. This time Elena's mouth dropped open in surprise. She snapped her gaze to Neville's and saw the surprise mirrored in his eyes. But there was something else behind the brown eyes. A lick of heat.
Before she could stop herself, her hands were on his shoulders her lips were on his.
The scents of earth and nature and exotic plants filled Elena's lungs making her instantly dizzy. And the taste of freshly ground spices burst on Elena's tongue. The deepening of the kiss came so naturally when his curious tongue met her lips. Her arms slid around his neck to get closer just as his grip on her waist moved to her back. Their tongues danced together and teased each other.
The need for air made them separate, albeit slowly, and they rested their foreheads against each other's.
Elena tried to make her brain start up again but all she could think was wow.
Then reality intruded when her hearing came back. She jerked in Neville's arms as clapping and cheering rung out in the hall. She looked around and saw almost everyone whooping and whistling at them.
She made to pull away but was stilled when Neville's arms tightened around her. She raised her head to look at him. There was laughter in his eyes as well a nice red to his cheeks but as she had seen before, there was so much more behind his gaze. A burning flame.
Fin