A/N: I really enjoyed reading the lovely reviews from my last chapter :) Found out that I'm being made redundant next week, so they really cheered me up.
Anyways, I hope that you enjoy this chapter :)
Neville woke up the next morning, feeling warm and happy. Harry's words still rang in his ears.
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy."
He'd never been told that he was better than anyone before. He'd always been trying to live up to the reputation of his parents, who he knew were better than him. And he'd never quite been good enough, but now, he'd been told, he was better than Malfoy.
Smiling, Neville rifled though a stack of envelopes that were kept next to his bed. He never took them out of order, because they'd always seemed to go in the order that he needed them. He didn't know how his mother knew his life, but it seemed she did.
The letter on the top of the pile was in a different handwriting to his mother's.
It simply said:
To read when you need to feel confident.
Neville set aside the rest of the letters, and opened it curiously.
Hello son.
It feels very strange to be writing this letter to you. Your mother has been writing them for a long time, and has been asking me to as well. I'm not so sure I want to believe that you'll ever need to read these.
But, just in case. If I'm not there to ever say it.
I love you.
I've loved you from the day you were born, and every day of my life since.
I heard that you will live with my mother. I know she can be a handful. I had a brother when I was younger, who died when I was eight. You probably don't know this, it's not something my mother likes to talk about. But, growing up, I never felt as good as him.
I don't want you to feel like that.
I know something of what you will be like when grown up, if your mother turns out to be right. And don't tell her I said this, but she always is.
You are fantastic just as you are.
If anybody tries to make you feel bad about yourself, ignore them. Because you are better than them. Worth a hundred of anyone who tries to make you feel bad. I already know, from knowing you as a baby, that you are good, and kind.
Don't lower yourself to the level of others who try to bring you down.
Just keep being you, and I will keep being a proud Dad. Even if I can't say it.
Love from Frank. Your Dad. Always, your Dad.
Neville smiled. Being able to read that was just the perfect way to wake up.
He was amazed too. He hadn't expected to get a letter from his father, particularly not one that was so supportive. And he'd had an uncle! Who knew?
In his head, his father would have been stern, like his grandmother. He was so so happy to know that his father was not like that. And to hear that he was proud...was amazing.
Neville had always believed that when the letters said they loved him and were proud, he couldn't trust that. This was because he didn't think his parents knew him. But, over time, it was becoming obvious that his parents did know what was going on in his life. One day, Neville decided, he would figure out how they knew.
And he would make them better. He would help them to remember. They would be a family again.
It was weird to think that his parents who couldn't even recognise him, knew more about his life than his class mates did. Neville just didn't feel comfortable opening up to them knew that some pure blooded students must know who he was, like Ronald Weasley, but none had asked him anything. For which he was thankful.
He'd never talked about his parents. And he didn't want to start now.
It was just too private.
Feeling, if it was possible, in an even better mood than he had the night before, Neville got up and dressed.
Neville usually avoided looking in the mirror, as he didn't tend to like what he saw there. Usually, he just saw a slightly chubby, ugly boy, who nobody could love. Today, he stood in front of the mirror, and examined his face.
He knew what his mother looked like. And he knew what his father looked like.
Today, he studied his face. He could see his mother's eyes, and his father's nose. He had the same face shape as his mother, and the same, deep brown, neat hair as his father.
Today, Neville was not just Neville. He really felt as though he was the son of Alice and Frank Longbottom.
Walking down to breakfast, Neville was very happy. Today was a quidditch match between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, which Snape was refereeing. Harry was playing, and at the last match he'd nearly been very badly hurt, so today Neville, Hermione and Ron would be cheering for him, and keeping an eye on what was going on.
Neville knew that Ron and Hermione had some suspicions that Snape had sabotaged the last match. He'd heard them talking about it one day at dinner. Neville didn't know if he believed that. He was very, very scared of his potions professor, but he didn't see why Snape would do that. Either way, he wasn't getting involved in crazy conspiracy theories. He was just there to cheer for Harry, and watch the match.
He met with Hermione and Ron and the breakfast table, Harry having already gone down to the Quidditch pitch.
Neville was still closer to Seamus and Dean, but he wanted to be friends with everyone, so he was trying to hang out with Hermione, Harry and Ron too. Hermione had been Neville's only friend at the start of term, but since an incident with a mountain troll, she'd been hanging out almost exclusively with Ron and Harry, leaving Neville some what alone. But instead of being bitter, Neville was just determined to win his way back to being her friend.
Swallowing down his bacon and eggs, Neville remained pretty quiet over breakfast. He was happy to nod along to the conversation going on around him, while thinking about the letter his father had written him.
He was so happy.
He continued to daydream, all the way down to the quidditch pitch, walking slightly behind Ron and Hermione, and then sitting next to them in the stands.
The match began, and Neville watched intently as Gryffindor promptly began to take the lead.
Looking up sharply when he heard Ron cry out, he realised that it was because he had been poked in the head. By Draco Malfoy.
"Oh sorry Weasley, didn't see you there."
Malfoy grinned at his two goons, Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wonder how long Potter is going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want to bet? What about you Weasley?"
Neither Ron, nor Hermione answered, choosing to focus souly on the game, and Harry's welfare. Neville followed their example, though he could feel himself getting more and more angry. And more and more shaky. Scared, and angry at the same time. It was an odd feeling.
He tried to remember his father's letter.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy said loudly, a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason whatsoever. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who have no money - you should be on the team Longbottom."
Malfoy grinned at Neville as though daring him to react. Neville's heart had stopped. What was he about to say? Was everyone about to find out about his parents?
"you've got no brains." Malfoy said, leaning forwards.
Obviously not.
Neville went bright red, took a deep breath, and turned around in his seat to face Malfoy.
"I'm worth twelve of you Malfoy." he stammered.
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from he game, said, "You tell him Neville!"
Hermione, at this point, had turned in her seat and her hand was on Neville's arm. He took support from her, from Harry's words, and from his father's letter. He knew he was right.
"Longbottom, if brains were gold, you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something!" Malfoy howled, still laughing.
Ron's nerves were allready stretched to breaking point with anxiety about Harry. Crabbe and Goyle were staring daggers at Neville, as though daring him to say something more.
"I'm warning you Malfoy - one more word -" he began, stopping suddenly, gasping as Harry went into a spectacular dive.
"You're in luck Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some gold on the floor." Malfoy drawled, leaning back leisurely in his seat.
Ron snapped. So did Neville.
From far away they could hear Hermione screaming at Harry, who was chasing after the snitch like a bullet, but neither boy was really aware of that.
Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron and leapt on him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville did not hesitate, he threw himself straight into the battle to help.
Hermione was so focussed on the match, that she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the flurry of fists what was Crabbe, Goyle and Neville.
"Ron! RON! It's over! Harry's won!"
All the fighting suddenly stopped, Malfoy stared up in disbelief, Neville untangled himself from the pair of goons, and Ron scrambled to get a better view.
As Harry jumped off his broom, Neville watched Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle walk away. In the morning he would have a black eye, and a cut lip. But he would be smiling. He had stood up for himself.
As he headed back up to Gryffindor tower, for the after match party, Neville was beaming. His face ached, his head hurt, and his arms and legs felt as though he had been through a hurricane. Crabbe and Goyle were, after all, rather big lads. It felt as though he could do anything.
It had been the best day, ever.
A/N: So, did anyone spot the small change I made to cannon events in this scene? I mean apart from the obvious letters :p
Please review, it makes my day!
