Chapter 9:

A Welcome Change

.:&:.

Nothing extraordinary happened as my days in Hogwarts continued; I've had volunteered to patrol through the hall they where in (The Dumbledore's Army DA as they called themselves) and whenever Hermione could, she would inform me of their progress. That's how it was, pretty much every day. That is until some interesting news have reached my ears, nothing that obviously involved me.

It was about Harry and Cho. The two have become a couple, surprisingly, not everyone knew about this. It was an obvious fact that he had fancied her for some time, not sure if it started before she was with Cedric… but it was known. I haven't seen them together, perhaps they were the kind of people who preferred their privacy? In any case, the thoughts of those two together did not bothered me as much as it should have.

I would not call my relationship with Harry a real "friendship", we were still more in the acquaintance level as before but since I'm hanging around with Hermione, I suppose I could say that status was slowly changing. My personal feelings for him exactly? That's the strangest thing you see; one moment I'm deeply interested in him and the next, he's just another bloke in Hogwarts. I've noticed a pattern though, whenever I was around him more than usual, those feeling will arise and whenever I wasn't... they will disappear.

Two months later, something happened. Not only was Umbridge tipped off, but the club ceased to exist. Give a week or two afterwards that the Trio and a few others have disappeared from the school grounds. Give a day after, that they have all appeared though not in their best presence.

It was, as I was making my routine down in one of the halls that I have seen Neville walking by himself. It was already nine-thirty, and it was a rule that everyone should be in their Common room being that it was a Wednesday. It was also that day that the others have appeared, except for himself. Stepping out of the shadows, I called out his name.

He had stopped and quickly turned toward my direction. He wasn't wearing his school robes, so it was apparent that he had come from somewhere. It wasn't his clothes that caught me by surprise; it was the obvious injuries he had that cut my words.

"My… whatever happened to you?"

Neville shrugged, his hands instantly being tucked into the pockets of his pants. I've been speaking with him for some time now and now he was suddenly nervous, if not shy, around me.

"It's alright, there's no need to tell me." I whispered, as I stepped closer to him.

He gave me an awkward smile, "No, I-um.. You've heard what happened, didn't you?"

I shook my head, all I knew was that, he along with the others, had disappeared a couple of nights ago. He sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck, "You're a trustful person, I know well. I'll tell you then…"

What followed was an account of what happened that night in the MoM. How he, along with the others, have fought wand-in-wand with Death Eaters. How they all witnessed death and felt pain. That was a night, as he told me, that forever changed his outlook in life.

After he uttered the last word, I couldn't help but feel the need to hug him right then and there. It was a strange feeling you see, it was none that I ever felt before. It was not out of sympathy, I knew that well enough, it was just something… else.

What happened in that hall was the beginning of something between us. It will be a couple months later, that I would finally realize what it was.

♠, ♠, ♠, ♠, ♠, ♠,

I expected my Sixth year in Hogwarts to be similar as my Fifth.

It was and it wasn't.

I was still a Prefect, though my partner of last time was exchanged for someone else. The careers that we have chosen to pursue in our last year was finally being put to practice this year. I've chosen to pursue a writing career, not an author but more of a reporter. The requirements wasn't much, but having a strong vocabulary and a will to write something out of a whim was something important. So, unlike Lisa who wanted to become a Healer, I really didn't need to take the necessary classes for it.

Though the career that I have chosen for myself didn't require it, I still took some advance classes; this time around you needed to pass with a certain mark to be admitted to one of them, thankfully, that wasn't a problem for me. Though some of the classes were hard, I've still managed to be one of the top students in some of them. Though I was serious about my studies, I've noticed and welcomed a new change into my life.

My social circle grew; I've become acquainted with others outside of my House and those of Gryffindors. I knew who was who in Hufflepuff as well as in Slytherin and even though I was becoming known, I still stayed with the same small group of friends. Along with this, something else came with it. Specifically, I'm speaking about the opposite sex.

It took me a while to notice the looks; I blame that on being naive, after all, I never considered myself to be someone… attractive. Lisa and the others had teased me about it back when I was in Fifth, but I had brushed it aside. I guess you could say that it took me a while to "bloom" and I mean that in the emotional/inner sense, not the physical thing.

Yes, I was flattered that I was getting their attention (I was always invited to go with someone in a Hogsmeade weekend) but I did not necessarily welcomed it. Mainly because it just suddenly "happened" and I wasn't accustomed to it as some of the girls I have known. So, I was "really pretty" as some of them said. Big deal. That was the only thing I was getting their attention with and that was something I did not like; I was not like the others girls, who lavished at the attention of their admirers. If I wanted to be with someone, I would want that person to know me for who I was and not for what I looked like. I know that sounds pretty cliché but that is pretty much true for me.

So, it has come as a surprise for some, when I was publicly going out with Neville.

It was nothing awkward as I expected it to be; he wasn't nervous when he had asked me out. Yes, there was some hesitance in his voice but being that we were together half of the time, well, it was just easier for him. Nothing much really changed between us beside the fact that we knew the other really liked us. A week later, I had received my first kiss but unlike the majority of the girls, I was not necessarily on the receiving side. I didn't mind though, after all, it felt perfect and that's what counts.

"Looking forward to our Apparation training?" I asked him, as I snuggled closer to his body.

It was already November and though snow hasn't yet fallen on the school grounds, the grounds were still crisp to sit on and enjoy the last green before it turned into a winter wonderland.

He placed his arm around, pulling me closer to him. "Who isn't? The day that I won't have to use the Floo transport will be the day I'll celebrate."

I smiled, before I looked up at him. Though I have obviously grown in height (5'5"), he amongst others, were still taller than me. So I wasn't short enough nor tall enough, but I didn't care, I really loved being somewhat "small" whenever Neville embraced me.

He had grown and changed since he went into the Ministry that night with the others; his physical has change slightly, but not enough but his personality was what appeared to have received a make-over. He was more confident than ever before, he no longer was the "clown" in his year. That is the one thing that made him attractive to me; I really loved a guy who was sure of himself. Thankfully, after that event with the Death Eaters in the Ministry, Voldemort as well as the others, haven't been heard since (must have gone underground, I suppose). That only meant that he will not run off with Harry and the gang.

"Is there something on my face?" He asked, as one of his hands started feeling around his face.

I shook my head, my smile soon turning into a grin. "I'm just admiring you, can't I do that?"

A small gust of wind crossed through us, thankfully, I was wearing my long cloak.

A smile was starting to form at the end of his lips, "This troll? What's there to admire?"

I furrowed my eyebrows at this, "Troll? What troll? I'm talking about the handsome bloke who's in front of me."

He let out a single laugh, "You're way too nice, but you…" he started, taking hold of my chin, "You're beautiful." he said, slowly leaning down to where our lips finally met.

I smiled as we pulled apart, "You flatter me so much."

He shrugged, "If you don't like the truth, then I won't mention it again." he said nonchalantly.

I shook my head playfully before I heard him chuckle, I leaned against the tree trunk but snuggled closer to him.

I couldn't have wished for anything else right then and there.

♣.♣.♣.♣.♣,

A/N: Hopefully you all enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think it is the perfect time to tell you guys that the story is nearing its end, after all, Saria is in her sixth year and what more could happen after Hogwarts?

'till next time!

Much ♥