So this morning I was thinking about all the missing moments in the It Was A Joke? story. Little stories that Lizzie mentions but doesn't go into detail about. I think I'm going to start a collection so here is the first one.
Review, or message if there are any mentioned moments you would like to see!
Four Times
"How many times have you crawled into my bed when I was sleeping?" That had been Neville's question, he'd only woken up three times when I did it, once Harry had dragged me out before he noticed so our number had been slightly different. {Chapter 20, It Was A Joke}
Four times. Over my Hogwarts career I had snuck into Neville Longbottom's bed four times. He only woke up three of those times.
The first time I crawled into his bed had been in fifth year. After a rather long day and he had looked rather sad after the D.A meeting we had just had. I knew why of course, the moment Harry brought out that old picture of the Order his face drowned in sadness and he spent the rest of the meeting in a daze. I honestly had wanted to kick Harry for that one, I know he enjoyed looking at pictures of our parent but I highly doubted Neville enjoyed reminders of where his parents had been for the past fourteen years of his life. Surprisingly, Harry hadn't objected when he heard my idea (I secretly think he realized his mistake and was feeling guilty), it sounded like a good one, what fifteen year old boy doesn't want a girl in their bed? Though when I say it sounded like a good idea I meant only to me, Hermione had spent the duration of the meeting trying to change my mind. Honestly, it's not like I was going to do anything to him.
"Lizzie, get back here!" Hermione yells as I run from our room giggling, I knew she was just going to huff about it but she didn't plan on stopping me. I rush down the girls stairs and make my way over to the boys thinking about how stupid it is that girls could get up them. Did the founders honestly think that men couldn't charm women into their bed with whispered compliments? It was totally naive to only block the boys from going up their girls stairs. Not that I was complaining. With ease I climb the boys stairs and make my way to the fifth year dorm and quietly make my way in only to be greeted with curious looks.
"What are you doing?" Dean asks slipping under his covers, I hold a finger up to my lips and motion for the rest of them to get into bed. Neville already look to be asleep his bed hangings were drawn all the way and I could see his back facing me, his breath soft and even. Perfect.
"Lizzie, he's sleeping, leave him alone" Harry hisses, I could tell he suddenly didn't feel like this was as good a plan as I did. It only took a moment for me to slip his hangings to the side but the moment my knee hit the bed Neville was up.
"Wha-what? Lizzie?"
"Err..." I stutter not expecting to get caught. "Sleepover?" I question flashing him my best smile. Neville frowns and shakes his head, leaving me to pout and remove my leg from his bed. He did look slightly cheered up but I could tell he was still focusing on today. I could hear Ron and Seamus laughing behind me, I turn briefly to glare before looking back at my sad friend offering him a small smile.
"You okay though? I'm here if you want to talk." I offer quietly, he seems to think about it for a moment before shaking his head.
"I'm fine, ju-just let me sleep."
With that said I nod and push my friend down with a smile ignoring his protests as I proceed to tuck him in placing a loud kiss on his cheek. "Night, Neville!"
"Goodnight, Lizzie" he mumbles as I pull his hangings around his bed flashing a smile to the boys. I shrug, "I'll have to be sneakier next time."
My next two attempts after Christmas went much the same way, he wasn't sad or anything any of those times but he still would wake up as soon as my knee hit the bed and wait patiently until I left the room. That was the nice thing about Neville he was always patient with me, anyone else like Oliver Wood would have blown their top by now. Not Neville though, he's turn, groan, insist that he didn't want to have a sleep over and then wait for me to leave. I always tucked him in though, leaving him trapped under his blankets and with a loud, sloppy wet kiss on his cheek. That was his punishment for not letting me in. It's not that I wanted to cuddle with him or anything, I more wanted to see his face in the morning, his reaction.
The night of the fight at the Ministry had been the fourth and final time I crawled into bed with Neville. After being forced to the hospital wing I rotated sitting by the chairs of my friends beds. Both Ron and Hermione were sleeping quietly and so were Luna and Neville. Ginny had been allowed to go to bed and Harry had disappeared awhile ago to deal with his grief. Sirius was gone. I had more hate bubbled up in me for Bellatrix Lestrange in that night then I had at any moment of my life. I couldn't cry any more, but my eyes felt like they were going to burst open at any moment once again from the pain. Another family member gone, it seemed like everyone close to us died eventually, why did we even bother anymore.
I could hear blankets moving and with a look up I could see Neville tossing and turning on his bed, I had expected that, he had confronted the woman who tutored his parents tonight I was both proud and sad for him. Another reminder, that was the last thing he needed. Slowly I stand from my chair giving Ron's sleeping figure one last look and make my way over to Neville's bed placing a comforting arm on his back to calm him.
"You were so brave tonight Neville, I'm proud of you" I whisper quietly half expecting him to answer. He didn't though and then I realized he must truly be asleep, I had always thought he was a lighter sleeper then that, perhaps... No that would be inappropriate... But there were no other beds... Just for a moment then.
With slow movements I sit up on Neville's bed and gently swing my legs around laying on my side facing his back. I'd only sleep for a minute, just until Harry comes back.
Neville
I had almost expected her to make a joke, her touch woke me up and I was ready for her to start shaking me or jump on my bed. That was stupid though, she had just lost someone close to her, Lizzie was strong but she wasn't without feeling. She whispers something and I only catch a few words, brave, proud, you. She couldn't be talking about me could she? Shouldn't I be the one comforting her, telling her how brave she was tonight?
I feel weight on the bed and almost groan because I couldn't believe she was going to do that here. What was she going to do anyways? I was a light sleeper and could always feel her arrive in the past but maybe she didn't realize that. I hold my breath as she lays down and wait for it, anything. An inappropriate touch, crude things whispered in my ear, a smack to the bottom. Anything, I wouldn't put anything past her really. I feel my cheeks heating up and think about what Gran would say if she saw us like this, me, with a girl, in bed. I could hear the lecture now.
A few minutes pass, then a few more and I realize she's not moving. I strain to hear, her breathing deep and even. Of course she had fallen asleep. Harry was going to kill me, he was upset enough as it was. Something brushes against my neck and I freeze. Maybe she wasn't actually asleep was she going to lick me or something? Give me one of those love bites? How would I explain that. Was this normal? Or was this rape, I get the distinct feeling it's rape. Could Lizzie actually rape someone? She doesn't seem like the type, maybe it a coping mechanism? That's stupid, who uses rape as a coping mechanism for death. I really needed to stop hanging around her these are the types of things she thinks of. Was it horrible I found her weird? Fun and sometimes a little annoying but she was also weird. Not bad weird. Just a good weird.
I know when I feel sad about my parents I wrap myself up in a big blanket and try to remember happy times with them. It's useless, I don't remember anything from when I was one, but Gran tells me some stories and I like to remember them as she tells them, brave, loving, full of life. Lizzie doesn't have many memories with Sirius though, well that I know of. Leave it to her and Harry to have an escaped convict in the family. Something brushes my neck again and then I feel her breath on my neck, the thing was, I didn't hate it. It felt kind of nice to have someone so close, I could feel her behind me as her body shifted closer trying to get comfortable. It was comforting almost and I think for the first time I understood what she had been initially trying to do before Christmas. Comfort me. I can't remember the last time someone had been this close to me other than Gran, maybe Ginny at the Yule Ball last year but that hardly counted we were dancing.
Her breathing was light and I held back a laugh, I had always expected her to snore. Not because she was a mouth breather or anything but I always figured she would be as loud in her sleep as she was when she was awake. She mumbles something quietly in her sleep, it sounded like creature, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what that meant. Maybe she was dreaming about Care of Magical Creatures, Merlin knows I have nightmares about that class sometimes too. I hear some muffled footsteps and feel my heart start racing, what would a teacher do when they saw us? Detention? Maybe worse, would they write Gran? I'm sure that Gran wouldn't be too mad if I explained it, she seemed to like Harry and Lizzie, that was odd for her because Gran didn't really like many people. She had only met them once.
I hear a loud sigh as the footsteps approach the bed, some deep muttering and a huff.
"Lizzie!" Harry whispers, shaking the bed slightly. I hear Lizzie give a soft little moan as she grabs onto the back of my shirt, this only makes Harry more annoyed.
"Lizzie, get off, Neville!"
I squeeze my eyes shut still feigning sleep, it would be better this way. Even if I almost wanted to tell him to let her stay.
"Lizzie, get off Neville!" a voice hisses in my ear. I crack an eye open seeing the back of Neville's head. Well he was a lot closer then I expected. I release Neville's shirt which was bunched up in my hand and slowly sit ignoring the look Harry was burning the side of my face with. I had been able to relax for a bit, that had been nice, I was almost sure I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep after this though.
"He was having a bad dream, I didn't do anything. I was just lying there." I tell him easing off the side of the bed and grabbing a blanket from the floor. Harry sighs heavily dropping a hand onto my shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"I know you mean well, I think he would be slightly horrified if he woke up though."
I drape the blanket over Neville with a slight frown, that was weird I really thought he would have woken up. Harry was right though, he probably would have been horrified. This wasn't the time or place for my usual games after all, the last thing I needed was for him to wake up screaming about how I was trying to rape him or something.
"Come on, you can sleep in Ron's bed if you want". Harry urges tugging me away from our sleeping friends. I look around the room giving them all one final look before following him out of the hospital wing.
At least I hadn't gotten away with it this time.
