Nothing so Sweet
A/N: I know; it's been an awfully long time since I updated this but, if it's any worth, it's been awfully long since I last update all my fics. On a side note, however, I'd like to reassure you all that I will indeed end this so fear not, my beloved readers. Thanks to everyone who sent me messages asking for an updated I felt all warm and fuzzy on the inside. I'm really thankful for having such nice readers like you lot. Lots and lots of love! And let's get this started!
Chapter 9: Under Different Lightening
How very Neville of him; Hannah thought as she stood outside Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. She had been there waiting for her friend for the last 30 minutes and still no sign of him.
"If I had someone here with me," She told herself. "I'd bet them ten galleons he forgot." Hannah took an impatient deep breath and leaned against the shop walls. It was a white Christmas morning and it seemed like any normal day at Diagon Alley except, maybe, for a few closed stores. The Weasley's shop was evidently closed as Ronald Weasley had once told her:
"You miss a Christmas party and my mom will tear your liver apart; she's very…" he made a calculated pause. "…strict about family gatherings." Hannah had laughed out loud but neither Ron nor his older brother, George, seemed to be jesting, so she stopped.
Olivanders, Quidditch Quality Supplies and Eeylops Owl Emporium were also closed due to Christmas Celebrations but Fortescue's, most of the cafes and – she thought about it with a crescent bad feeling – The Leaky Cauldron remained open even during the holidays. Actually, she couldn't really recall the last time her inn had been ever so crowded. She felt so tired just thinking about it that her eyes lustfully fell on Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor just across the street. She'd been dreaming of one of his steamy hot cocoa ice creams for a long time but just as she was about to take a step towards the shop, a snapping sound came from behind her:
"I'm so sorry…." He panted "I'm late…" Hannah turned to face him with narrowed eyes:
"You owe me an explanation, Mr. Longbottom! Haven't your grandmother taught you better than to let a lady waiting?" She said it all in a mockery tone, with her hands on her hips but he seemed to take her seriously and stared sheepishly at his own shoes:
"I'm so sorry but I really got carried away with Hogwarts' feast." Hannah's jaw dropped, sincerely shocked this time:
"You traded me for food!? You're no better than Susan!"
"I brought leftovers." He tried, raising a hand to show her a brown paper bag.
"You're forgiven." She said and he chuckled. "So, are you ready?" Hannah changed the subject turning around to knock on Madam Malkin's door. Neville seemed uneasy:
"I don't know, Hannah, it doesn't feel right. Burgling in like this...Are you sure we won't be a bother?" Hannah rolled her eyes and knocked on the door again, he held her raised wrist to stop her. "I mean, seriously, isn't the store closed for Christmas?"
"Neville, we've been over this already, haven't we? Madam Malkin lives upstairs all by herself, and she wants company for Christmas! I've talked to her already and we all agreed to do this, remember? Or would you rather buy your formal robes on a normal day with actual people inside the store?" The only reason she even discussed this with Madam Malkin was because Neville himself had claimed he couldn't walk around peacefully anymore, ever since the article came up on the month before, so Hannah had all right to be mad at him for backing off now. "Should I remind you that, in order to help you look presentable, I'd need you to leave the cabins fully dressed?" Neville grimaced and swallowed his own saliva bitterly. "Oh! I should probably also comment on the fact that I stood here for no more than 30 minutes and so far eight girls have already approached me to ask whether or not we were getting married…."
"Alright, alright! Point made; knock on the bloody door already!" Hannah rolled her eyes at him but smiled triumphantly. She knocked on the door three times and waited.
"You'd think a war hero wouldn't become such a girl over such small things as Skeeter rumors…"
"I'm not being a girl about it!" He protested. "I just don't enjoy the idea of people discussing my love life." Hannah gazed at him. "Not that you're part of it or anything…" He mumbled turning red. "I'm just saying people assume things that are not at all relevant and…"
"Oh, Neville, stop; I know we're not a couple, no need to explain it so vehemently." She always got a little offended by the way Neville had to make everyone absolutely sure they had nothing to do with each other.
"What about you? How come you're not ashamed at all?" She sighed impatiently:
"I have nothing to be ashamed of. First because it's not true, second because I have no reputation to preserve and third because, well, you're a pretty awesome guy, aren't you? People actually started envying me after the rumors started…" Neville gagged.
"What kind of person are you?" Hannah laughed. Ever since he had appeared on her house looking for Trevor (who turned out to be inside her pocket the whole time, very quietly so he wouldn't be noticed), she had decided not to worry about the rumors. She was just too thankful for having her friend back to worry about any other matter:
"Calm down, I'm just kidding. All I'm saying is that the rumors of us being together are all lies and, even if they weren't, all they do is say that I'm dating a very nice guy. You're the one who should worry though; they say I'm some sort of evil, no-good, scarlet woman, don't they?" Neville wanted to say something about this but, at this moment, an old – formidable looking – lady opened the door for them. She was wearing green and red robes and looked rather pleased to see them:
"Oh, you're finally here, Miss Abbott!" She said in a very cheerful tone before her eyes went straight to Neville's face. "Bless my soul!" she exclaimed. "Is it possible that you're even taller than you were when you came here on summer?"
"I doubt that…" Neville mumbled quite embarrassed. Hannah took off her coat and hung it by the door before she started pacing from side to side of the store:
"Well, how do we do this? Pick outfits first then lunch? Or would you prefer the opposite, Madam?" Madam Malkin stared at Neville for a while before saying:
"Well, you came from Hogwarts, didn't you, dearest? You're probably already stuffed."
"Don't be silly." Hannah said before Neville could open his mouth in protest. "Christmas is all about food. You're supposed to test your stomach limits. He'll be ok."
"Are you sure?" The old lady asked anyway.
"I'll survive, I'm sure." He shrugged, having no other choice but to agree with his friend. Madam Malkin seemed to sympathize with him though:
"Well, why don't you two start picking the outfits while I go upstairs check on the food? This will give your stomach some time, darling." Neville was very thankful to that. He looked around just to realize Hannah already had a pile of clothes on her arms.
"Alright, shall we start?" She looked almost gleeful and that, he had learned, was very seldom a good sign.
--
"I hate it. White is definitely not your color, Neville." Hannah said fifteen minutes later while he tried what seemed like his hundredth white robe. "I still don't get it why it has to be white, you know?" Neville rolled his eyes, frustrated:
"It's part of the ritual." Hannah snorted:
"Ritual!" she mocked. "She's just getting married."
"It's not like that!" Neville protested. "Luna doesn't believe in marriage. She says marriage is for those who are not brave enough to completely trust the one they love without a contract. So the party we are going is merely a ritual of celebration. They are celebrating their love and union by kissing under a big willow tree while their loved ones wear white; it's a symbol of steadiness and beginnings." Hannah sighed heavily:
"She told you all of this?"
"Yes. It's in the letter I received; I had to read it a thousand times to memorize it all though; she insisted on me understanding the meaning behind it all."
"May I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"Is she going to be wearing a dress?"
"Yes."
"Will there be vows?"
"A few."
"Will there be food, beverage and people they both love?"
"I suppose so."
"Are they going to exchange something as a sign of their love?"
"She mentioned something about peacock feathers and pearls…"
"Then it's a wedding." Neville scowled and left the cabin once again, now using a different outfit. Hannah stared at him attentively: "Now…this one. It really suits you." She even seemed a little awed:
"You think?" He looked at his reflection nervously. "You just said white wasn't my color, didn't you?"
"Oh, no…but I really like this shade of white…You look sharp."
"Thanks." He avoided her compliments by staring at his cravat. Hannah came closer to fix his neck cloth and he suddenly felt claustrophobic inside the tiny changing cabin, even though its door was open.
"Say, Neville…" Hannah started from under his chin; his eyes were now focused on the ceiling so he wouldn't clumsily hit her head.
"Yes…" He answered with a croaky voice, trying to understand why he was feeling so awkward out of the blue.
"There was a rumor at Hogwarts I once heard…"
"About me and Luna?" Hannah was silent for a second.
"Yes." They both said nothing for a while. "Was it true?" More silence.
"L-look…" Hannah mumbled suddenly very self-conscious. "I'm just asking, is that…You never talk about yourself and I feel like a bad friend, you know? If you were to be her ex-boyfriend, you'd be a little hurt over her wedding, wouldn't you?" Neville looked at her and smiled:
"It's not a wedding." Hannah frowned and raised an eyebrow:
"Don't change the subject, Longbottom!" They were both under the yellowish light of the store cabins and Hannah's hair was glowing so bright he avoided to look directly at it. "Did you or did you not date Luna Lovegood?" He sighed:
"No, I didn't." She didn't seem to believe him as both her eyebrows went up her forehead. "I mean it. Neither did I ever like her."
"Are you for real?" Hannah seemed impressed.
"For someone who complains so much about other people interfering on people's love choices, you're quite a supporter yourself, aren't you?" She smiled sheepishly:
"It's not like that." She said while cleaning an invisible dust from his shoulder. "I just thought that you, war people, all had something for each other."
"War people?" Neville asked, confused. Hannah could be terribly confusing sometimes.
"Oh, you know. You war heroes!" She sat on the cabin's puff and laid her head against the mirror. "I mean, you're all so amazing and all that; no wonder you lot got all stuck together."
"You're ranting nonsense." He said, crossing his arms and looking down at her.
"Nah, it's something that I've been thinking about, ever since that Skeeter article. Ronald and Hermione, Harry and Ginny and all the others, you people all fought together, you're all famous and popular…"
"You really do think someone needs to have won a war to be with me?" He asked feeling a bit offended.
"No, it's not that. It's just…It's too much pressure; being your girlfriend, I mean." Neville's face reddened. "I'm not your girlfriend, Neville, I'm aware of that. I'm not talking about us." She waved him off. "But this Rolf…he's some sort of amazing person as well, isn't he?"
"Hm, I believe he's some naturalist or something of sort…I'm not really sure."
"Yes, as I thought. He's Rolf Scamander; the guy is super famous among magical creature's experts, didn't you know?" Neville smiled:
"I don't know about creatures that don't come in vases, Hannah." She rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm glad I'm not interested in you at all." She stood up and stretched, walking away from him. "You're too perfect; I wouldn't be able to survive the pressure."
"Perfect?" Neville almost gagged. "I think that's the first time anyone ever even used that word addressed to me! I'm far from perfect. You do realize the one reason people thought me and Luna were together was because we were both outcasts, don't you?" Hannah seemed really irritated by now but she just sighed and said:
"I wish you'd tell me more about your friends, you know? I really do feel like I'm a bad friend…"
"Now you are the one changing the subject." He said. This conversation was becoming way too confusing and Neville was promptly reminded of why he had never been good at being friends with girls. They were way too complicated. But then, it hit him: "Say, Hannah…Is this about Skeeter?" She didn't say anything but blinked in surprise. "Is this because she said you were…using me?" Hannah shrugged as to act as if she didn't care but failed:
"Hannah, really, didn't you say you didn't mind her article?"
"And I don't! All I'm saying is that it's quite offensive to know that people think I'm some sort of gold-digger and that we ought not to be together." Neville reddened again. "I'm being hypothetical! " She yelled. Neville patted her shoulders:
"If you want my honest opinion…" He said, beaming. "I think you're even greater than a lot of war heroes I know…" She looked up at him. "And I'd be perfectly fine to have you as a girlfriend…Hypothetically, of course." He choked. Hannah was dazzled for a second; she knew those words might have been really hard for him to say.
"Thanks, Neville. You're great!" She made a pause. "Even when you're saying things out of pity." He opened his mouth to complain but before he could say anything he caught a glimpse of their reflection on the cabin mirror (they both strangely quiet for mirror reflexes) and felt a lump forming in his throat. He took his hand from her shoulders and said:
"It was not out of pity, I was being hon…."
"Ok, who's ready for pie?" Said Madam Malkin; who was finally coming downstairs.
"Oh, I'm starving!" Hannah pointed out with a smile. "I heard your food is great!" she then turned to face Neville:
"Go change already! I'll tell her we're taking these robes with us."
"Aren't you going to pick something for yourself?" He asked. "You're going with me, remember?"
"Yes, I do." She said. "But us, normal people, can afford to buy our clothes on normal days." She said laughing and rushed upstairs. Neville caught a last glimpse of her blond hair under the yellow light and he sighed, sitting on the puff himself.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" His reflection said, taking him by surprise. He decided it was better to ignore it.
--
"So, are the two of you going to spend the day together?" It was obvious by now that Madam Malkin thought them to be a couple but as if to prove Hannah he wasn't offended at all at the idea of them together, Neville didn't care to deny anything. She thought this to be very imbecile of him.
"No, no; not really." Hannah said. "Neville is visiting his family and I'm visiting mine." Madam Malkin looked sad for a second, and then turned to face Neville:
"How are your parents? And Augusta?" Hannah envied her; she never had the guts to ask a lot of questions about Neville's parents.
"The same, I suppose. We're all having dinner together today." At the Hospital; Hannah completed his sentence mentally. She was so selfish, she knew, worrying about a little visit to her old house when Neville had to face much worse. There was an awkward silence and Madam Malkin left to get them dessert:
"Hm, Hannah…" He started.
"Yes?"
"I didn't know when to give you this but…Merry Christmas." He said placing a box next to her now empty plate. Hannah seemed furious:
"This better not be something expensive 'cause I haven't got you anything." Neville laughed out loud.
"You're welcome, Hannah!" He said sarcastically.
"I'm not kidding, I don't like gifts; they're too much pressure."
"Honestly, woman, what doesn't pressure you?" Hannah really did have a nerve condition, he realized. She overreacted about pretty much everything. She glared at him: "Relax, it was no big deal!"
"Of course it is! We were fighting until what? Last week? how come you bought me a gift? That's utterly unfair!" Neville was now really laughing.
"Why is Miss Abbott so upset?" Madam Malkin came back holding a beautiful caramel pudding on a tray.
"She does that a lot." Neville said with a smirk and then turned to Hannah. "It's just a notebook, Hannah! That one with the green cover you liked that day on Flourish and Blotts, it's hardly a gift at all." She turned around and faced him with narrowed eyes:
"You're giving me something cheap but extremely meaningful? Die, Longbottom, die!" She hit his head half heartedly and he dodged, chuckling. Madam Malkin was laughing a lot too even though she didn't seem to understand exactly what was happening. Hannah smiled at her new notebook: "I hate you, Neville, but I love this. Thank you!"
"You're welcome…I guess." He said a little confused.
"Here!" Hannah suddenly searched her pockets, and snapped a colorful piece of paper.
"W-what's this?" He asked.
"It's a Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrapper, of course. Don't you collect them? This is a new one; I kept just so I'd give you and forgot." Neville didn't really say anything; he just accepted it without a word and smiled:
"Thanks, Hannah. Thank you very much." Hannah smacked her head on the table.
"I know it sucks, alright? But I wasn't prepared or anything!"
"Well, children…" Madam Malkin served them a slice of pudding each. "Why don't we focus on the food for now? I recall someone saying Christmas is all about food!"
"Yes, please." Neville beamed and pushed a plate in front of Hannah. "There's no time for guilt in Christmas."
"Yes, you're right." Hannah said. "Easter is the time for guilt." They both laughed really hard but, once again Madam Malkin seemed a little lost. She smiled a lot though.
"You know what I love?" She said.
"What?" They asked at the same time.
"I like watching the two of you. If you ask me, Christmas is all about blossoming love." Hannah choked so hard, Neville rushed to get her a glass of water; he usually forgot about using magic when he was too nervous. Hannah took advantage of the moment to clarify things with the old lady:
"Listen, Madam…Neville and I, we aren't…an item, you know? You shouldn't believe in everything Skeeter says. Neville gets really nervous when people misunderstand our relationship." She said with her kindest smile. Madam Malkin looked very surprised as she looked at her and asked:
"Skeeter? Did Rita write anything about the two of you?"
--
Half an hour later, when they were both leaving Madam Malkin's store, Hannah made sure she kept her distance from Neville the whole time so they wouldn't run the risk of ever standing under mistletoe together. She had gotten so used to the rumors by now, she had completely forgotten how embarrassing it felt when someone assumed they were together without any influence, as if they were really acting like a couple.
Madam Malkin walked them to the door and smiled before closing the door behind them. They were now back on the white streets of Diagon Alley and Neville said:
"Well, I guess this is it. Merry Christmas, Abbott."
"Yes, yes; Merry Christmas, Longbottom." They were silent for a second. She rocked back and forth on her heels. "Say…Should we hug or something?"
"Are you insane? There are people all around us…"
"Yes, yes, you're probably right. Don't want them thinking the wrong thing…" And this time she was honestly agreeing with him; the shock of Malkin's comment still very alive on her head. "Oh well, then…bye."
"Yeah….bye." Another awkward silence. This was really, really weird. Why were they both so tense? Neville tried to hug her so he opened his arms. Unfortunately, she did the same thing, so they hit each other by accident and gave up. Hannah shrugged.
"Hm, listen, Neville, my birthday is coming up…"
"Is it?" He asked, surprised. "You shouldn't really tell me this. What if I buy you a gift?"
"That's exactly why I'm telling you this. I don't really get gifts on my birthday. I usually ask for something else."
"Something else? Like one of those "adopt a ghoul" certificates or something?"
"Hm…no." She stared at him, thinking. "Well, you see, I usually just ask people to spend their time with me on my birthday. It's a tough date for me to gather people for a party."
"Why?"
"Well…" She started. "Do you have a date for Valentine's Day?" Her eyes closed as if she expected a negative answer.
"Wow, you must have had some seriously lonely birthday parties, haven't you?"
"You have no idea! But the loneliest is still to come, you know?" She sighed and Neville realized what she meant.
"Oh." He said. "So…"
"So, hm, please! Let's spend my birthday together!" Neville blushed furiously. Hannah said:
"Oh, so you already have a date?" She asked, disappointed.
"Excuse me, have we met? Of course I don't but…if we went out together on your birthday wouldn't it…look like a date?" It was Hannah's time to come to conclusions:
"Oh." She said. "Oh!" She said blushing really hard. "I'm sorry, I didn't really mean it that way, I was just, I…Justin and Susan are probably going to show up at some point, so we wouldn't really be all alone, you know? I just didn't feel like spending the night of my birthday alone and…" She stopped again and bumped her head against the wall a few times, talking to herself. "Oh, I'm making it sound even worse!" Neville laughed out loud, so loud he had to lean against the wall and hold his stomach to breathe more evenly. Hannah glared at him, a bit hurt by the fact that he was laughing at her nerves.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He said. "Don't worry, Hannah. I'll be there. I promise, it won't be a date at all."
"And don't you dare bring me a gift!" She said a little more relieved; he tried opening his mouth to argue but she raised a finger to his face: "I'm deadly serious about this, there's something I want to ask for, so you wait 'till the right time. Don't buy me anything!"
"O…ok." He mumbled. Hannah smiled from ear to ear, in the same close mouthed way she always did with her thin lips and, this time, almost with no awkwardness at all, she threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Neville! You're the best!" She let go of him and he studied all the freckles on her face as she waved bye before apparating. Under sunlight, he realized, her hair was even brighter.
A/N: Nothing to complain about it now, uh? I mean, this whole chapter was so, so full of awkward shipping moments I almost feel like I wasn't the one that wrote it – lol! I have no idea when Hannah's real birthday is so I'm just guessing here. If you ask me, she's a little too passionate to be an Aquarius but still, I really needed her birthday scene so…there it is. If anyone knows the real date, please tell me! Ok, off I go. Please review! This chapter was nice, fluffy and long and I totally didn't reread it so it's probably full of mistakes. Anyway, your reviews make me write faster, so please, please, leave me a review! Love!
