Authors Note
Alright, since the first chapter was mostly me rambling about this story, here is another one for you so you don't get bored and you have something to comment about.
Chapter Two: End of Term
Neville sighed as the carriages retreated from the grounds of Hogwarts castle. Why was it that he always hated leaving the castle when he endured so much pain over the school year? He hardly had any friends, even though Harry, Ron and Hermione acted as if they cared. Well, he knew Hermione did. She was always such a nice girl. So caring and genuine, always willing to lend and ear and sometimes, the truth, no matter how hard it was to swallow. That seemed even harder to bear than the ridicule and advances that he received all year, the worst had come from the Slitherins.
He had just turned seventeen and he had gone through a major growth spurt. He had always thought himself to be a late bloomer, but he never expected to go through major physical changes so late into his teens. It was odd really. His fifth year, he was still chubby and his cheeks were round like those of a child. He outgrew that quickly and over the summer, most of his baby fat was gone, or was that just the normal fat gained from eating too much, either way, it was gone and his features were more defined. He bulked up just a little, like a boy should be he thought when he looked at himself in the mirror after a little while.
He sat in the carriage pulled by those ghastly thestrals that they had learned about in his fifth year and he shivered at the thought. He couldn't see them, and he hoped that he never would. He stared ahead, knowing they were there, but pretended that they weren't, if that was even possible.
Just don't think about it as leaving for good. You will be back next year. Besides, Gran has a big present for you when you get home.
Since his birthday was in the middle of the year, all big presents had to wait. They weren't much really, but it was always the thought that counted. He wondered quietly what the present could be all through the carriage ride to the train station.
All through the train ride, he found himself in the company of Harry, his girlfriend, Ginny and Luna Lovegood, who had a dreamy expression as usual. Ron and Hermione however were off making their rounds, only popping in occasionally, each time, he found Hermione looking so out of it. Her hair was always a mess and he noticed once that her buttons were done up the wrong way. Ron had his usual expression, the only indication that anything had happened was that his shirt was inside out and his zipper was undone.
"Well, now that our rounds are done, I think we can join you all for lunch," Hermione said sitting down and running a hand through her curly hair in an attempt to tame it. Ron sat beside her and leaned back in the seat. Neville looked at them with a little grin and looked at Harry and Ginny who were near tears from trying not to laugh so hard. Neville noticed and took it upon himself to say something.
"Um, you two might want to fix yourselves up before other people see." Hermione gave him a confused look and Neville elaborated.
"Well, your buttons are done up wrong, and Ron, you're unzipped down there…" Both of them turned beet red and Harry and Ginny lost it.
"Merlins beard, I do hope the two of you were safe!" Ginny exclaimed. Harry grabbed her hand as he tried to catch his breath. "From the looks of it," he had to pause as he laughed some more. "This was rather unexpected for the two of them."
"Ginny! For heavens sake we didn't do THAT! Not here on the train at least." As she fixed the buttons on her shirt, she gave Ron a coy smile, who turned even redder if that was even possible.
"Hermione Granger, are you implying that you have done this before?" Ginny was shocked.
"A lady never kisses and tells," she said and turned her nose away in a stuck up manner.
"I think it was more than kissing," Harry said to Ginny in an obvious whisper. Ginny just blushed and giggled.
"Hush! The both of you! I know you have to be thinking the same thoughts every now and then." Neville chastised them both for being so childish and it worked. They immediately stopped the majority of their laughing but there were a few giggles here and there.
To cover up the slight awkwardness that followed, Harry coughed and looked around. Luna was clearly off in her own little world, talking to herself occasionally as she responded to the article in her father magazine. "Well, Ron, Hermione, I'm hoping you have nothing planned for this summer."
"Why?" the red head asked, looking away from Hermione and turned his eyes to Harry.
"No reason, I just did a little bit of calculating, I saved my money and decided that we are all going to Ireland for the summer." Ron's' Jaw dropped and Neville looked at them with a pang of jealousy. He had never been out of England.
"Harry, I couldn't! Mum and Dad were planning on taking me to France again." Hermione brimmed with a mix of excitement and regret. She had told her parents that she really wanted to go again but now, the notion of spending the summer with her best friends was more enticing.
"Yeah, and Charlie was coming back from Egypt, I can't this summer." Ron looked a little let down but Harry didn't seem the least it disappointed in their news.
"I've already discussed it with them actually. A couple of summers ago to be exact. You see, after the last world cup, I wanted to see another one and I said to myself, if there was ever another one close by, I would take my two best friends with me."
Neville looked a little hurt at Harry's words. He would never talk about him as his best friend. Sure, a friend perhaps, but Neville was merely another person in Harry's life that meant nothing.
It's not fair. I never get to do anything exciting. I didn't even see the Bulgaria and Ireland match that summer.
He never voiced his opinion on the matter, instead he watched the friends with a haze of green over his eyes. He jumped though when Luna tapped his shoulder.
"I went to a match once, not much fun if you ask me. You can never follow what is happening." She spoke as if quidditch was the worst game in the world. Well, Neville didn't like it much, but not so much that he didn't want to join the golden trio.
"So we're going?" Ron asked hopefully. While Neville was complaining to himself he had missed Harry's explanation on how he got Ron and Hermione permission to join him this summer.
"Yes, and Fred and George agreed to accompany us since we are still minors. They are paying for their own tickets though."
"Wow Harry, I can't believe you did that! This is going to be a great summer!" He leaned back into the seat again, finding Hermione's hand as if no one was watching them.
Yeah, a great summer, Neville thought sarcastically.