A/N: I've decided to try writing a novel length Harry/Neville fic which may or may not include this selection. Either way this was an exercise to get me started. As of right now it is a standalone oneshot.
"Longbottom, Neville."
A round young boy hesitated before stepping out of a crowd of other 11 year olds. His hands shook and his knees knocked and it seemed to take ages for his feet to carry him to the small stool that was sitting in front of an enormous room full of teachers and older students. He stumbled when he finally reached the stool and nearly fell on his bum in front of everyone. He clenched his jaw and willed himself not to cry out of embarrassment. He had time for only a single steadying breath before a stern looking woman placed a tatty old hat on his head. A hat, which immediately began speaking to the boy.
"Hmm… Longbottom is it?" the hat began. Neville trembled and nodded before he remembered that the entire hall was watching him and the hat couldn't see him. Then he flushed and stilled. The hat chuckled and said, "No need to be afraid of me. I pass no judgment but to tell you where you could belong. Where you belong depends on what you want. Tell me Longbottom, would you rather be successful or safe? Or would you perhaps rather be popular? Or do you simply want to be happy?"
Neville shivered and contemplated this. The hat continued, "You would be most successful in Ravenclaw. Your predisposition for Herbology would be nurtured there. In Slytherin you would be safest. Your pure blood would protect you from the wrath of those who would otherwise scorn you. You would have the most friends in Hufflepuff. Your housemates would adore you. But it is in Gryffindor where you would be the happiest."
How could I possibly be a Gryffindor though? I'm scared of everything. I'm a coward!
"Being afraid does not a coward make, Mr. Longbottom. You would be surprised at the resilience and bravery that you have not yet found within yourself. And what better place to find it than in Gryffindor, eh?"
My parents were in Gryffindor. I want to be like my parents.
"I agree that you would do best in Gryffindor. But remember Longbottom! Do no strive to be like your parents. A Gryffindor you may be, but your parents you are not. I mean that in the best possible way Mr. Longbottom. Do not try to be someone you are not! Well, since we've already decided where you belong, we might as well let everyone else know! GRYFFINDOR!"
Neville heard applause break out as the hat was lifted from his head. He stumbled away from the stool and hurried to find an empty spot at the Gryffindor table. He sat down clumsily and stared at his plate even as people he didn't know thumped him on the back and he didn't look up again until Harry Potter's name was called. He slowly looked up in time to see the Sorting Hat placed on small boy's head. The entire hall watched in silence. Neville suddenly realized that Harry Potter's sorting was taking nearly as long as his own. He also realized that no one else's seemed to last nearly as long. Especially that Malfoy bloke.
Finally the Sorting Hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" and Neville watched Harry Potter stumble toward the Gryffindor table, much the same way that Neville had. Neville watched until he realized that Harry Potter had sat down right next to him and was now smiling at him. Neville flushed and mumbled a "congratulations" before looking back down at his plate. Harry Potter responded with a bright "thank you" and a kind "you too" to which Neville responded with an even deeper flush.
Neville could feel Harry Potter's eyes on the side of his head, but he refused to look up to meet them. That is, until Harry Potter tapped on his shoulder. He glanced up at the boy who said "I'm Harry."
Neville swallowed and nodded. "'M Neville," he managed to choke out. Harry Potter beamed at him and Neville thought his head might explode if he blushed any more fiercely.
"I know," said Harry Potter. "We met on the train. You lost your toad. But you found him alright?" Concern laced his voice.
"Yeah I found him." Neville pulled out the toad. "He's always running off. I don't think he likes me much."
Harry Potter shook his head. "He probably just has a sense of adventure," he said with a grin. Neville smiled shyly back at him. Harry Potter seemed nice enough right now. That would probably change when he realized how pathetic Neville was. Neville's stomach sank and he frowned and looked back down at his plate.
"What's wrong?" Harry Potter asked. Neville shrugged. He hoped Harry Potter would move on to someone else soon. He couldn't bear his concern when there were other people who were more worthy of it. But Harry Potter didn't move on. In fact, Harry Potter moved closer to Neville on the bench and put his hand on Neville's elbow. Neville glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Harry Potter's eyebrows were drawn together in concern. Concern for him! Neville Longbottom! It was too much to bear.
"I'm fine!" Neville nearly shouted. The people closest to him looked at him reproachfully. Harry Potter just kept looking at him in concern. He did take his hand off of Neville's elbow though. Neville was relieved at that, but also the tiniest bit disappointed.
Finally Harry Potter moved on. He talked to his new friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Dumbledore made a speech that Neville didn't listen to and food appeared on the tables. Neville put some food on his plate but didn't eat any of it. He pushed it around with his fork until it disappeared again. Dumbledore said something strange and dismissed them. Neville followed a Gryffindor prefect up to their dormitory with the rest of the Gryffindor first years, but he was so distracted and miserable that he didn't pay attention to how to get there or what the password was to enter the Common Room.
He headed up to the First Year Boys dormitory with Ron Weasley, Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and of course, Harry Potter. They all joked and laughed but Neville didn't join them. He got ready for bed as soon as he entered the dormitory, ignoring Harry Potter's attempts to talk to him. He drew the curtains around the four-poster bed that was to be his for the next 7 years and stared at the canopy above him. He could hear the others talking. Probably talking about him. Neville turned onto his side and curled up. He sniffed and used his sleeve to wipe his eyes and then his nose. He gave a small hiccup and closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him.
The next morning Neville woke up early. Earlier than any of the other boys, he was sure. That was just as well. They wouldn't want to speak to him anyway.
He shivered as he padded across the dormitory with a towel and new robes in hand. He took a quick hot shower and changed into his robes with his hair still wet. He was still toweling it dry as he walked back across the dormitory to his bed. He stopped in his tracks however when he realized there was someone sitting on it. And he blushed and forgot about his wet hair when he realized that someone was Harry Potter.
"Can I help you?" Neville squeaked, wet towel hanging limply at his side. Harry was still in his pyjamas and was sitting cross-legged at the foot of Neville's bed. Harry nodded and gestured for Neville to sit down next to him. Neville did so and Harry drew the curtains back around the bed. Neville looked at him nervously. What did he want? Had Neville messed up already? He'd only been here a day and he was already being confronted by one of his housemates for being rotten and clumsy! Oh what was Gran going to say…?
"Neville, are you okay?" Harry whispered. Neville stared at him. "It's just… you seemed upset yesterday. And I'm afraid… well. It all started when I was talking to you at the feast and I was afraid maybe I said something wrong and if I did I want to apologise and – "
"What?!" Neville squeaked again.
Harry continued, "It's just that I wanted to be friends and if I upset you already then I'm not doing a very good job and it's just that I've never really had many friends and I'm not very good at this. I'm sorry."
Harry was so sincere. Neville didn't understand. Harry hadn't done anything to hurt Neville. It was Neville's fault that they can't be friends. Why was Harry apologising?
"But you don't want to be friends with me. I'm no fun. I'm a coward and I'm clumsy and pathetic," Neville said earnestly.
Harry's eyes widened. "Of course I want to be friends with you. You're none of those things as far as I've seen." Then Harry lowered his voice even more, like he was telling a secret. "And even if you were, it wouldn't matter to me. I think we could be great friends no matter what."
Neville suddenly felt very warm. "Really?" Harry nodded seriously. "Oh."
They sat in contemplative silence for a few moments until Harry spoke again.
"My first class is potions."
"Me too."
Harry hesitated and then said, "Can we sit together?"
"Yeah," Neville said quietly. "Yes please."
Harry grinned and dashed off toward the showers. Leaving Neville sitting within the perimeter of his four-poster yet again, this time with the possibility of friendship swirling around inside his head. He decided to wait for Harry to be done showering so that, maybe, they could walk down to breakfast together. He hoped that wouldn't bother Harry very much.