They pushed back out into the sunshine after Neville paid for the food. The sun beating down was wonderfully warm as Pansy took his hand. He took in a deep breath and felt the happiness in his bones. This is all he had ever wanted from a relationship. Hand holding, the occasional comment that brought a blush to his cheeks and a smile to his lips and a deep affection that warmed him down to his toes. He grinned at her and kissed the back of her hand again as she laughed back in reply. He was falling hard and fast, and he couldn't find a cell in his body that cared.
They headed back towards the main section of town where Hogwarts students seemed to fill every free space. Congregating in small clusters as they laughed and chatted animatedly. He felt a sudden sharp pain as he thought of his friends. He did miss seeing them and hanging around on the streets of Hogsmeade.
"I remember coming down with the other guys and hanging around by the fountain. It seems like so long ago now." He sighed as he watched a group splashing around in the round pool a the centre of the square.
"Who'd have thought it would be this busy?" Pansy muttered as she dodged a group of third years. Neville shook his head, he was surprised at the crowds too.
He thought it strange to see the village so busy, especially so soon after the war. Some businesses hadn't returned, and other buildings still bore battle scars despite the efforts of the community over the summer. It seemed incredible that all could seem so normal again. As if the world hadn't changed.
"I know I heard some of the girls in the common room talking about Christmas shopping the other day," Neville mentioned
"Already?" Pansy asked. Neville nodded as he too stepped to the side to avoid being stepped on by a fifth year. He heard the girls giggle as he walked passed and felt his face flame. He patted down his clothes and rubbed his face insecurely as they strolled on. "Are you alright?"
He glanced back to the girls who were still watching him walk away, before looking at Pansy. She looked concerned as he shook his head. "Have I got anything on my face or clothes?" He watched as she looked him over and shook her head.
"Nothing, Why do you ask?"
"Just some girls back there started giggling as we walked past."
"Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with you," She smirked as she squeezed his hand. "They're just being normal teenage girls.
"Are you sure?" He asked, and she nodded.
"They were giggling because you're fit." She smiled as she pushed the hair behind her ear.
"Fit?" He asked.
"Yes, fit as in sexy, darling." She smiled indulgently as she looked at him as if he had done something adorable.
"Really?" He asked sceptically.
"Really, News has probably gotten around about your washboard abs and generous wand." She tried to stifle a giggle but failed.
"Eurgh, not that again." He said as his neck started to heat. He rubbed at it with his spare hand.
"Yep. You've just got to own it. You're a hottie, and the girls are going to giggle and preen as you walk past hoping that you'll like what you see." She squeezed his hand and shrugged. "As I said the other day, You're a studmuffin." She giggled when she saw his face.
Neville shook his head, she was just being kind. He knew he would always be the dumpy, shy Gryffindor. And no heavy lifting or gardening would ever get rid of that. She laughed at him and shook her head. "I know you don't believe me, I can read you like a book. The next group of girls we walk past, I bet you a galleon that they react the same."
"That's not necessary," Neville tried to protest.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You know I would tell you if there was, right?"
He chuckled and nodded as his mind darted back to memories of her cutting remarks. "In painfully vivid detail, I'm sure,"
She nodded as they both laughed as they approached the crowd outside Honeydukes.
Neville noticed a group of girls outside and noticed as one by one, they turned to glance at him as their chatter stopped. He smiled at them as they passed and heard as they squealed when they thought he was out of earshot.
"Told you," Pansy smirked before she hit his arm.
"What was that for?" He asked with a chuckle as he rubbed at the injury.
"For smiling at other girls, I get very jealous," She smirked.
"You have got nothing to worry about." He smiled. "I only have eyes for you,"
"Good," She smiled as they reached a heaving Honeydukes.
Neville squeezed her hand again and smiled at the answering squeeze as they pushed in to the busy shop.
The bright colours and tantalising smells were a stimulation overload as they were engulfed in the crowd. Neville spotted Terry and Roger over the other side of the shop and waved at them as he pushed Pansy towards the counter. She hummed as she leant back into him as they looked at the jar-filled walls. It always astounded Neville just how many sweets there were in the world. There were jars filled with glowing red balls, green triangles and purple coated nuts. There were glassy lollypops of every description and rainbow coloured everything.
"So, what do you want?" he asked as he leant close to her ear. Partially in an attempt to be heard, but also because he wanted to smell her cherry-scented hair. The latter being arguably the nicest scent in the shop.
"Some sugared Butterfly wings please, and exploding bonbons, Oh and I said I would get some chocolate wands for Draco." She smiled as she reached into the pockets of her skirt. She pulled out some coins, but Neville shook his head.
"Put those away." He demanded. She smirked as she looked at him.
"Yes, Sir!" she agreed with a smouldering look. He smirked as he caught the eye of the harassed wizard behind the counter. After what felt forever and a long shopping list later, they left the shop.
"Well, I think we have enough to last for a while, what do you think?" He asked as he looked at the bag full of sweets in his hand.
"Maybe." She hummed "Now where would you like to go? Don't forget Dogwood's." She reminded him.
"We'll go there last, if they do have it, I'll want to get it straight back to the castle." She nodded in agreement "Where would you like to go? Is there anything you need?"
"Actually, would you mind if we visited Scrivenshafts? I need to get some more parchment and ink. I also need to send those wands to Draco,"
Neville nodded as they turned to head back into the direction of the quill shop.
"So what is Malfoy doing with himself these days?"
"He's the owner and editor of the daily prophet," Pansy smirked.
"Oh, I didn't know that. It makes sense, though. The amount of slanderous news articles seems to have decreased lately. Seems like he's doing a good job."
Pansy nodded thoughtfully before she spoke again. "After the whole propaganda scandal, Draco bought the company. It's an independent company now and can no longer be used at a propaganda machine by the ministry. Not that it needs it at the moment, with perfect Mr Potter training to be an auror." She smirked, and Neville saw some of the old Slytherin mischief poking out.
"I feel sorry for Harry. He's always been hounded by the press."
"With Draco in charge, I don't see that changing any time soon." Pansy laughed. "Poor guy!"
"Are we talking about Harry or Malfoy?"
"Both I think, They need to get their act together. I received a letter from Draco the other day, and it was practically all about Potter. I probably know him better than you do,"
Neville laughed at the thought.
"And what is Harry up to these days?"
"Draco was saying something about them bending the rules for Weasley and Potter and allowed them onto full duty without them having completed all their training. Apparently, he feels that it will put people's lives in danger."
"Knowing Harry, He'll argue with Shacklebolt and will take the full training. He doesn't like his name affording him any special treatment."
"That's not how Draco tells it." Pansy rolled her eyes. "He still thinks that Potter is an attention whore, but I think he's just jealous."
"So, doesn't being a journalist make him unpopular?" Pansy nodded and shrugged.
"It does, but I don't think he really cares any more. He managed to do something the rest of us purebloods dream of, he managed to get out to do what he wanted to do instead of following what his father wanted."
"So Lucius didn't want him to do it?"
"Oh definitely not, but after getting locked up in- well, you know where. It meant he didn't really have any power over the family any more. Narcissa was able to take over. Now there is a woman!"
"What do you mean?" Neville asked as he readjusted the bag in his hand.
"There's a woman who followed the rules and did as she was told and it all came good. She's the perfect pureblood wife who has power of her own. She was the main reason that Lucius was as successful as he was. No one liked him, He was too arrogant, too pompous. Lucius was the face but Narcissa, She was the charm."
"You sound in awe of her," Neville stated.
"Well, who wouldn't be? She's a formidable woman, I don't envy her, but I do admire her. The true power behind the throne."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about being the power behind the throne," He smirked and rolled his eyes, "Hell, you can have the throne if that's what you want?"
"Do you know how muggle families do it? Is the man the head?" Neville shrugged.
"You'd be better asking Hermione. I know Gran's the head of our family, obviously not by design." He sighed sadly as he thought of his parents.
"Oh, Neville. Don't be sad, let's change the subject."
"It's ok, it is what it is. From what Gran said, they were deeply in love and tackled everything as a team. I think Mum being an auror meant they were more like partners than Dad being the head of the family." Pansy nodded seriously as she hugged his arm. "The photos I have of them together, they look utterly besotted with each other. Even when I go to visit them, they're always together, holding hands like they remember their love" He smiled as he thought of them.
"That's lovely, Neville. Now you see, that's what I want. I want to be in a partnership where everything is equal. I don't think I'll ever be able to be one of those women who speak only when spoken to. It's not me. Both Daphne and Millicent have been betrothed to families they don't know, and it makes me feel ill."
Neville cringed at the thought of his Gran arranging a bride for him. He couldn't imagine marrying someone whom he had never met or had no connection with. He shook his head in sympathy before speaking.
"Ok, a slight change of subject and back to our game. Where would you like to see yourself in five years?" He asked as he let her step into the quill shop first.
He hadn't realised how noisy it had been outside, but now that they were in the cool air of the shop he realised that the noise level had dropped quite drastically.
"Let me think," Pansy said as she looked thoughtfully through the parchment selections and inks. Neville stepped away to look at some of the notebooks and writing tools.
A new range of quill had been launched, and a large and brightly coloured stand adorned one of the walls. The quills were made from dragon glass, hand-blown and twisted with different colours to create elaborate nibs. Some of them were imbued with cores like wands and charmed to create neater writing or other such improvements. They really were like works of art in their own right. He wondered how much they were, thinking of his own chicken scrawl handwriting.
"Oh, they're interesting," Pansy added as she stepped up behind him. "What are they?"
"Dragon glass quills," He replied as he looked at the swirling glass pens. She nodded, impressed before turning away to look at the art supplies. She smiled sadly as she looked at the multicoloured pastels. "Do you draw?" He asked as he followed her.
"I don't, no. Draco used to come in here every visit and stock up. He was always drawing. He was exceptional but as far as I'm aware he stopped after the battle. He hasn't touched it since. I guess there's too much to wade through before you can reach what you want to draw."
Neville nodded sadly as they ventured further into the shop. There were books towards the back, how-to books and artwork on the walls. Pansy looked at them and sighed. There were the dark works that Neville's eyes tried to skip over, too reminiscent of darker memories. Still, there were peaceful ones of mountains and clouds. A forest floor carpeted in bluebells and dappled in sunlight. The artists had enchanted them to move as they watched.
"They're very talented, aren't they?" Neville said as he kissed her shoulder. She nodded.
His eyes caught a range of pictures that were small and slightly hidden, their themes seemed to be mostly of tiny plants and animals done in a cute and unrealistic style. He smiled as one caught his eye. He picked one up before looking around to locate Pansy. When he was satisfied that she was too far away to notice, he made his way towards the counter to pay.
