Falling
Chapter Twelve: Hereafter

Neville could not look away when, in the pause in the battle, she fell upon the lifeless body of her father and howled. As she knelt between the bodies of Remus and Tonks, the wreck of her family, their hands clutched in hers, he knew he would never forget that moment. He knew then that he would do everything he could to make it all right for her, to comfort her and to keep her safe from feeling such devastation ever again. That is when he knew what he meant when he said he loved her.

Jemima would never forget the moment when Neville rushed forward and defied Voldemort. She would never forget how she felt in that moment, as though someone had grasped her viscerally and was ripping her very insides from her. Nor would she forget how he stood, so straight and still, the Sorting Hat aflame on his head before he pulled the sword and swung it. She hadn't known until then that pride could be such a violent emotion.

That they had both survived felt like a miracle. Only hours before she had thought they were invincible.

They had daubed the walls of Hogwarts – Dumbledore's Army, Still recruiting – and she had charmed a radio to blare Muggle music throughout the school every night. They had grasped hands and danced around the Gryffindor common room to Muggle bands called Take That and East 17, knowing if they were caught that they would be punished. They had bunked down in the Room of Requirement. They had followed the progress of the war through Potterwatch and the scraps of any papers they could get their hands on, though the Quibbler had been long since banned. But death had seemed so distant, even when they heard that Ted Tonks had died, it had seemed – unreal. It could never happen to them.

But reality smashed into them the night of the Battle of Hogwarts – reality delivered in the cold bodies of her family, the cries of the Weasleys' over Fred, the flare of fire about Neville's head.

Now, looking back at that night, it was incredible that they had both survived all of that.


His Gran came to see them at Andromeda's. It was still early in the day and Jem was stroking her fingers through Teddy's blue hair, watching Andromeda warily as Neville clattered about making tea. Andromeda had returned from the school an hour before, her expression pinched. She had not said a word to either of them. When the doorbell rang, Neville scrambled to answer it. Andromeda's ashen expression did not change. Looking slightly bewildered, Neville led his Grandmother into the kitchen. She seemed to take in the situation at once and Jem stared in astonishment at the suddenly tender look on the formidable old lady's face.

"I'm sure you two could do with some fresh air," Augusta said pointedly and they nodded and scurried out.

"I came to offer my condolences," they heard Augusta say as the door closed. "I lost my own son and daughter-in-law in the first war..."

They sat in the front garden, Teddy growing grizzly from lack of sleep and hunger. Jem bounced him in her arms and Neville conjured violet bubbles from the end of his wand, managing to entertain him for a few moments. But then there was a sudden cry from the kitchen, sharp as a snapped twig and Jem's lip trembled as Neville darted forward and wrapped his arms about her and the baby.

Augusta Longbottom paused on the doorstep to pull on her gloves. She saw the three of them at the bottom of the garden, her grandson's arms about that slender little girl who had been so terrified of her that first summer. They drew apart when they heard her coming. Augusta bent over slightly to look at the chubby little boy in Jem's arms.

"Take him to his grandmother," she advised. "He'll take better care of her than anyone else."

Jem nodded and hurried back into the house. There was a moment of silence between Augusta and Neville.

"I've asked Jem to meet my Mum and Dad," he said softly after a moment. Augusta turned sharply to look at him, eyebrows raised in incredulity.

"Really?" she said and fiddled with her handbag. "Well. And what did she say?"

"She said she'd like to meet them. I -" she saw him blush and avert his eyes before meeting her gaze with a challenging sort of look. "I love her, Gran."

Augusta felt her face collapse into an easy smile and she put her bony hand on his shoulder and gave him a squeeze.

"Oh, I know, my boy. I know."

Jem had come back and was nervously tugging the sleeves of her jumper over her hands.

"Do you think she'll be all right, Mrs Longbottom? I don't know what to do..."

"She will be well enough, in time. As will you, my dear girl." Jem blinked hard and did not answer. "Neville tells me that you are to meet his parents, Jemima."

"Oh. Yes. I am."

Jem's hand fluttered uncertainly at her side and Neville seized it with a fiercely protective look that made Augusta's heart swell.

"I will go with you."

"No," Neville said firmly and Augusta almost jumped in surprise. "No, Gran. Thanks, but I'd like to take just Jem. If you don't mind."

The tone of his voice made it quite clear that she didn't really have a say in the matter. She studied Jem through narrowed eyes. She was such a wisp of a thing, even more thin after those months of rebellion, her eyes larger than usual above her hollowed cheeks. Neville put an arm about her shoulders and pulled her close. Augusta's lips thinned. Her little boy had grown up and away from her. She blinked hard and nodded.

"Very well. As you wish, Neville. I am returning to Hogwarts, there is much to be done."

She nodded curtly and strode down the path, Disapparating just beyond the garden gate.

"That went well," Neville said lightly. "We should probably check on Mrs Tonks."

"Yes..." Jem said faintly. "And maybe we should... Maybe we should go back to Hogwarts too."

"Really? You want to?"

"Someone's got to put the old place back together. And seeing as we had a hand in smashing it up..."


The next day they picked their way over the debris to the great front doors. Minerva McGonagall drafted them in immediately to help with the clean up.

"We will open again, as always, on the first of September," she said briskly, handing them brooms and waving them off towards the greenhouses.

The idea that the shattered school could be righted in two months seemed beyond them, but they went anyway. Professor Sprout greeted Neville with something like relief – she needed help to rescue what plants she could. She hesitated when she saw Jem, who could kill a plant with just a look of interest.

"Well, perhaps you could just clear those that are beyond saving?" she asked and stepped in front of the Tentacula as though shielding it from Jem's talent for destruction.

Jem nodded and set to work. She enchanted the brooms to sweep up the glass, following behind with a sack, whisking up the destroyed plants with her wand. Beneath the blackened remains of a plant burnt beyond recognition, something else quivered.

She looked over her shoulder, but Neville and Sprout were engrossed in conversation, wrapping bandages around the weeping trunk of a Venomous Verbena. Jem levitated the debris and crouched down to study what she had found.

"Neville," she called. "Neville, come here. You won't believe it!"

He hurried over and looked at what she was pointing at. Professor Sprout puffed up behind them,

"Well, blow me," she said.

"It's your Mimbulus Mimbletonia!" Jem said. "The one you bred in fifth year."

Neville knelt down to right the pot and ran his eyes over the plant. The plant shivered under his touch, almost as though in pleasure.

"It's fine," he said in awe. "Not a scratch on it."

When he looked up, Jem was smiling. Pomona Sprout glanced at one, then the other and crept away.

"We're going to be ok, aren't we?" Jem said, sinking down beside him and sounding almost mystified as she stared at the plant he was carefully tending.

"Yes," he said, standing up. When he reached for her she smelt the rich dampness of peat on his fingers and thought suddenly of the Amortentia in sixth year Potions. He stroked her hair, leaving dirty trails in it. "Yes, we'll be all right. Always."


The End.

Author's Note: I felt I had to end on "Always" because it's such a powerful word in the Potterverse. Says it all really.