Title: Time Race
Pairing: Neville/Hannah
Rating: G
Prompt: How the couple got together
Summary: The time for their first date is finally here. But Neville doesn't arrive. Hannah waits but no signs of him. What will happen?
A/N: Chapter 2! Again: hope you like it, if you want to follow it press the "Add Story Alert" and review! Thanks!

Time Race

Mummy,

It's been a long time since I called you that...You are probably wondering why. Well...remember that last letter I told you about Nev almost asking me out? Yes, you're guessing right. He finally did. We were going back to Diagon Alley after I left you the letter and he said that he wanted to go out with me as more than friends.

The fact that he felt compelled to especify we were going out as more than friends made love him even more. I think I'm falling for that boy man, mum. I'm falling hard for him...

So last Friday he had to pick me up at seven. I was wearing this beautiful black dress and the stunning -and expensive- high heels I went to buy with Susan two days before. After getting prepared for two hours with Susan's help, my make-up was perfect (it looked almost natural) and my hair was loose with this delicate ringlets at the end...I was so happy mum. By 6.55 I was waiting in the sofa with my coat and purse next to me. But time passed...

The ticking noise of the clock above the fireplace was banging in her head like hammers. 7.05...maybe he couldn't decide what to wear....7.12...he might have gotten caught up with some new plant in the greenhouse...7.24...should I call someone?...7.33...he's never late...7.37...what if he is regretting asking me out? What if he had realized he just wants me as a friend?...7.46...he might have realized I'm not pretty. Even after all the effort I make it's not enough, I'll never be pretty enough...7.51...small tears started falling down her eyes leaving dark lines of rimmel/mascara across her face. Suddenly, a thought striked her mind. Gasping she stood up in one quick motion

What if something happened to him?- she whispered to herself. Giving one last look at the time that read 8.03 she grabbed her coat and went downstairs.

The Leaky Cauldron was full of loners drinking firewhiskey, and couples and families having dinner. The sound of clicking glasses, plates and small chatter filled her ears.

Hannah! I thought this was your free night? – said Matt, the barman, before having a better look at her appearence. He whistled – Wow, you look stunning. Are you going out?

- What? – she stopped right in front of the door looking back at Matt – Uhm...yeah...sort of. Listen, if something happens or someone comes to get me would you call me to my cell and tell them to stay until I come back?

- But I don't know how to use that thing! –desperately waving his arms with the teatowel on his right hand pointing at the grey cellphone next to the pile of clean glasses.

- I've already told you how to use it! –a sigh of frustration escaped her lips– Okay, ask Abby, she's muggleborn and is eating her weekly dinner with her friends here. She'll stay at least until midnight so that'll do.

Before Matt could say anything else she was walking down the street while putting on her coat. The cold wind hitting her cheeks wasn't important at the time. Checking her watch for the tenth time that night she saw it was 8.27. She took out her wand and Apparated to Neville's house.

Rushing to the front and knocking on the heavy wooden door, she waited until Neville's grandmother opened it.

- Hannah, darling! Showing up unannounced...-she pursed her lips– Do you think this are hours t-- she was cutted by the blonde girl.

-I'm sorry Mrs. Longbottom, it's important. Is Neville home?

Her ray of hope was vanished by Augusta's answer.

- No, he hadn't come back from work. Haven't seen him all day. He said he was having dinner with a friend-, I thought it was with you...because if it was with Potter and the Weasley boy he would hav--

- Okay, thanks Mrs. Longbottom! – she called out looking back over her shoulder as she was already running out of the Apparating fences. Her high heels soaking in the muddy ground.

Seconds later, she was Apparating to the greenhouse where Neville worked. All the lights were out and all the doors were closed. No one seemed to be around. They have all finished working hours ago...Looking at her watch again she saw it was 8.59 but before she could start thinking of her next destination her cellphone rang.

- Neville? – she answered, agitated for all the running she'd done.

- Uhmm..hello, is this Hannah Abbott?

- Yes, I'm Hannah. Who is this?

- Right, we're calling from St. Thomas' Hospital. Neville Longbottom was admitted in here after a car accident and he said this was the only number he knew...

Hannah's breath was caught in her throat. She had a tight hold of the cellphone in her ear while she let herself fall on her knees in the dirty greenhouse floor.

- Ye..Yes, is...is he okay? – her voice shaking with worry.

- We cannot give you that information over the phone. If you would be so kind to come here we coul-

- Yes! Of course I'm comming. The adress of the hospital?

As the doors of the elevator opened, the first thing Hannah saw was a big clock that read 9.20 pm. She rushed along the corridor reading the numbers of the rooms.

- 505! – she gasped, openning the door.

And there he was. A black eye, a bandage around his head and a plaster cast all over his right leg. He had his eyes closed but his quick breaths showed her he wasn't sleeping.

- Neville! What happened? Are you okay?– she whispered once she was next to his bed and grasping his left hand.

- Hannah...I'm so sorry, I'm so damn late. I'm sor- he stopped once he took a good look at her. Sweat around her forehead, blushed cheeks from running, her hair wild with tangled locks that seemed to have been ringlets a few hours ago, her beautiful black dress full of wrinkles, knees covered in dirt and high heels bathed in mud. He's never seen something so beautiful in his life, and he needed to tell her. – You are beautiful – he whispered putting a blonde lock behind her ear.

Her eyes widened once she saw her appearence. She was so worried that she hadn't noticed how those hours of make-up, doing her hair and shopping were thrown to the dust bin.

- Are you crazy? I'm a mess!

- No, you are beautiful Hannah. I'm regretting not being able to go to our date more than anything in my life right now...

- Really? – A small smile appeared on her lips for the first time in almost three hours – I thought you had second thoughts. That you regreted asking me out, that you've realized I'm not beautiful enough for-

- Stop right there Hannah Abbott. Don't you ever dare think something like that again. You're so much more beautiful than you give yourself credit for. You have no idea...how...how perfect you are to me – he ended up whispering after his Gryffindor moment passed. Now, embarrassment was clear in his blushed ckeeks, but he was still holding Hannah's hand.

The blonde couldn't help but grin at his words, the words she was longing to hear. But then she remembered...

- You still haven't told me what hapened to you!

- Oh...well...After work I had an hour to kill before our...da-...date, so...I decided to take a small walk through Muggle London and found those...flowers you love so much. I was walking with no success in my search when suddenly I saw a flower shop about to close across the street. So...I guess excitement got the better of me and I run across the street without looking at anything but the woman who was locking the door of the shop. I suppose she haven't heard my shouting...Anyway, after the bang I don't remember anything. I just appeared in this hospital. When I woke up they asked for a family member's telephone number. And there's when I knew this was a Muggle Hospital...–He scrached the back of his neck clumsily with his right hand before continuing– I didn't have the cell you gave me with me so I did my best at remembering your number. It wasn't until the fifth try that I got it right. They thought there was something wrong with my brain because I couldn't remember any other telephone number... – He huffed – I couldn't say we use owls or patronuses to communicate with each other because they would have locked me up in the mental ward...

- And that's why they want you to stay the night? – she asked copying his lightly stroke on her hand with his thumb.

-Yeah, they made me some studies to check if I'm sane – he huffed again - Honestly!...What could I've done?

- Shh, it's okay. I know you're sane, and that's what is important –she laughed– Well, I thought you were sane...but then you asked me out and said I looked beautiful...

- I said you are beautiful –he smiled in spite of the growing blush in his face– Would you like to...have dinner tomorrow? Since today was a complete failure...

-There's no need for that – she answered.

- Oh, okay...I understand. I should have known you wouldn't want to go out with me after all this and all the time I left you waiting... – he mumbled looking down to (unsuccessfully) hide his disappointment.

- No silly! I meant that I don't need a date to know how...how I feel about you. I...I like you Nev... – her face grew hot with embarrassment.

...and then he kissed me mum! Right then and there. I'm so happy mummy...It wasn't the perfect date I had in my mind, but the kiss was so worth it. I can't stop smiling since then. Not only the boy I like, likes me back, but now he is my boyfriend! I'll bring him here next month so I can present him to you officially.

Oh how I wish you were here to celebrate with me. I know you're protecting me all the time but it's not the same, you know? I want my mummy here to hug me and ask me how my boyfriend is...I'm getting all sensitive these days...

I'll visit you next month mum! I miss you terribly.

Lots of love,

Hannah