The regular disclaimer still stays in place, I owe nothing but the AU and OC. The rest belongs to JKR. This one is an interrelated fic.(np)


Chapter 11

Neville was first to appear at the Ministry of Magic. Shacklebolt had managed to get an empty room and had explained it to him that the jury members of the Wizengamot were ready to let go of Pansy if he was ready to attest that he was capable enough to keep her under house arrest for a period of six months. Neville had stood there in front of a nearly empty courtroom, at the nears two hours earlier for the office hours to start and had bargained for three. Grumbling they had agreed. The witch was not able to use her wand for the period. Neville was fine with that.

Shacklebolt had still egged on about why was he so interested in Pansy. Neville had given him the same reply. "Saving a woman's honor."

It had actually been two weeks after the war had ended. And apart from the capture and trial of the death eaters, the magical marriage law was the other grand program launched by the Ministry. They were trying their best to project, that they were truly intending to do something for the betterment of magical society.

He had noticed Snape and Draco Malfoy walk in. It was common knowledge within the Dumbledore's Army during the last stages of the countdown to the battle that Malfoy was the second in command spy planted by late Dumbledore. His innocence had been proven at the court. And pieces of evidence collected from the portrait of the former headmaster and those provided by Aberforth Dumbledore had saved the young Malfoy from rotting in Azkaban.

But as the wizarding community had incurred quite a loss in the hands of the Malfoy family, he was needed to pay a hefty compensation. Though the details of it were still not made public. Lucius Malfoy had killed his wife for lying about Potter's death. And Malfoy had truly been quite happy to see his father humiliated and dragged away to Azkaban. That night he had received the Kiss.

Hermione had walked in and spotting him, had come down the gallery steps and had sat beside him. She was to be the first one to go, they were aware.

She had turned at him and had said, "In moments, I will be shoved in Hell."

Neville had shrugged and had asked, "Why?"

"Because I will be tagged along with the ferret."

Neville had given her a sly smile and had whispered," Granger you never know."

Ginny and George had joined them too.

Authur and Molly Weasley had succumbed to the injuries sustained at the Battle of Hogwarts. So had Percy and Fred. Bill and Fleur had been wounded and were recovering at 's Speciality Ward. And Charles Weasley had been commissioned by Gringotts to secure their banks. Since it was a high-security job, he was pardoned from this fiasco of Marriage law, till his tenure with the goblins ended.

He had simply abided by whatever the official had been asking him through swift nods and hushed confirmation. But his eyes were glued on the witch who would soon be his wife. She had looked ill at ease. She was definitely weak and ill-fed. And no cared for. During the grandeur ceremonial binding procedure, conducted within a sealed-up room adjoining the courtroom, she had first looked at him, really honestly looked at him. Her eyes had searched for some unfathomable recognition. And Neville had felt that even for a split second, the snobbish, pug face of Slytherin, had looked more like a girl lost, alone and desperately looking for help. He had, for his own part meant well to keep to the ancient binding oaths. The fact that the magical glowing cords intertwined around both of their hands had glowed the accepted shades of Gold and red, had given him some peace. Even he had his own reasons to marry the daughter of his Gran's murderers, the magical spells had looked passed the social stigma attached.

And Pansy Parkinson, the last of the surviving Parkinson's looked more than acceptable in the beige tunic, she was made to wear.

Due to the special circumstances of his arranged marriage, he had been able to skip the Gringotts. They as a couple could visit it once her probatory house arrest period would end without setbacks. The aurors had directly escorted them to Nevile's Gran's cottage. As soon as the marriage had got officiated, Pansy had been giving him nasty looks. But once the aurors had secured the place and seen to it that Neville had kept away Pansy's wand safe and warded, they left the couple to themselves.

Neville had turned and had given Pansy a small and but confident smile. He had addressed her for the first time," Hello, Mrs. Longbottom."

Making a face of utmost disgust, Pansy, had spat at him and had dashed away to find some way to escape. While she was off, Neville had simply sat down on a chair, waiting for her to return. Absent-minded, he had twirled his wand.

She had tried every single window and door. But nothing had budged. Instead, each time she had touched a latch or a doorknob, that opened to the outside of the cottage, her hands had got singed. She was crying and her palms were now both burning and aching. She had slowly walked back to the living space, where Neville was still sitting. She was feeling awful and resting her back to the doorframe, she had looked over at Neville. He, on his part, had simply stared back at her, mildly interested.

She was standing there holding out her badly bruised hand. Gathering so strength and bringing forth her high-born attitude, she had said, "I heard that you killed that slimy snake. Thought, you were are Prince in shining amour…" she had tried hard not to gag at those words, "let me go, or simply let me die…I didn't know that Dada and Mum were asked to…I am sorry…"

"No, you are not sorry. Not yet."

She had whispered and had sounded defeated. She had restored to begging now, "Please, please aren't you the good ones…please…"

"You know -
'If a werewolf is in human form and bites the victim, they will merely gain lupine tendencies such as a fondness for rare meat. Any bite or scratch obtained from a werewolf even if inhuman form will leave permanent scars. However, the fresh wound can be sealed with a mixture of powdered silver and dittany.'

Pansy's head had snapped up and she had stared at Neville is utter panic.

She had started stuttering, and shaking her head in denial, had yelled at him, "What are you mumbling about, fame and money, got you all crazy, huh?"

Neville had got up suddenly, the tunic on him, had defined his muscles and broad chest. Pansy had backed up and had hit the wall. She had desperately tried to hit Neville with her burned hands. And the much stronger, Gryffindor had her pinned to the wall. His large frame had caged her small body, two hands safely secured in one of his large palms. To stop her from hitting him with her head, he had trapped her face, with his other large palm, in a sure and firm grip, but had made certain he was not hurting her.

"I also know, two nights before the battle you had had enough dittany, but you had dropped most of the silver, in sheer panic…so tell me Pansy, where did Fenrir bite you or touch you?"


A/N: I know this ship is the rarest of all, but remember, war does funny things with people's lives.