Neville couldn't keep the smile from his face as they trudged back up to the castle. He could feel the liquor running through his veins, slowing his responses, but he didn't care. Pansy in her summery dress and her slightly flushed cheeks walking beside him was all he wanted. He was pretty sure that he was at the very least tipsy and at the very worst drunk.
Theo and Blaise had left for the castle already leaving them to finish their final jobs. They had a couple more glasses of the brandy before visiting the post office. Pansy sent the chocolate wands to Draco, and then they had scoured the shelves in Dogwoods and Deathcap, but there had been no sign of the Bulgerwort.
Annoyingly, the wizard behind the counter didn't seem to know if or when they'd be getting any in. He thought that they had managed to appear at least semi-sober when they asked. However, it occurred to him that he might need to go back in when he hadn't been drinking.
He concentrated on walking in a straight line just to prove to himself that he could. The world seemed to veer off to the left, causing him to stumble, and pull Pansy with him. She stumbled too before breaking down to giggle. She covered her mouth as she shook, her eyes squeezed closed. He held her tight as he started to laugh too, the sight of her drawing the laughter up from his belly.
"You alright?" He asked through his chuckles. She looked at him. Her eyes widened, and her face sobered, and he wondered what she had seen. His own face straightened instantly too as he looked into her deep, beautiful eyes.
"I'm completely alright, so utterly alright with you right now, totally right." She babbled as she stepped towards him, scooping his face up in her hands.
She pressed her lips to his, and he could taste the brandy on her lips, smooth and warm. He moaned into the kiss as he pushed her back against a nearby tree. She grunted as her head bumped against the bark before groaning into the kiss. That grunt was everything, spurring him on as they explored each other's mouths, passion building between them like lightning warming the thick blood in their veins.
He pushed his free hand into her hair and tightened his grip making her groan again. He held her at the waist; half pushing her against the rough bark of the oak. Pansy pushed her arms up and around his neck, holding him to her as they kissed long and deep. Forcing him close as if he would ever want to escape.
He could hear his heartbeat booming between his ears like a drumbeat through syrup as he felt his cock twitch in his jeans. He wanted her unlike anything else, like two magnets forced apart.
His hands dropped to stroke the bare, milky skin below the hem of her skirt. She giggled and moaned as he pushed his thigh between hers. She pulled away breathlessly as she looked up into his eyes.
"I do believe that I've been a bad influence on you." She smirked as she kissed him again. "Who knew you could be this forceful?"
"I don't know. I kinda like being a bad boy for once,"
"I like it too, drunk and fondling a girl in the woods. What would Gran say?"
"Stuff Gran, what would Hermione say?" they laughed as he stole another kiss.
"Very true, She would be outraged, I'm sure. We'll probably find out when we get back" Pansy said as she twirled his hair in her fingers.
"So would you say this has been a successful date?" Neville asked coyly.
"Despite my gatecrashing idiot friends, I would say it's been excellent."
"I believe we might be missing something though." He swayed slightly, "You told me not to let it happen again, so I was determined."
Pansy dropped her arms and frowned as Neville rummaged around in the bags.
"What are you talking about, Neville?" She pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she watched him.
"I got you a present, It not pretty but I thought you'd like it all the same." He held out the small envelope to her. Her frown deepened as she took it from him.
"You know you didn't have to get me a gift? I was joking." Neville shrugged as he watched her delicate fingers slide underneath the lip of the envelope.
"I saw it and thought of you,"
She slid the envelope off and looked at the painting within. She started to laugh as her eyes filled with tears.
"Does it look like him? It sounded exactly like your description. He even has the eyepatch splodge." Neville asked nervously.
"Oh, Neville. It looks exactly like him. It's wonderful! Where did you get it? Scrivenshafts?"
Neville nodded and accepted the kiss she placed on his cheek.
"I thought you'd like it."
"I love it!" She whispered as she pulled him in for another deep, earth-shattering kiss before releasing him.
"Sorry that it's not something pretty," He offered.
"Definitely not pretty but perfect," She snorted as she gazed at the painting again.
He took her hand as they began to walk back towards the looming castle and felt a great sense of calm as she squeezed his fingers.
The common room was swarming, as it was most Saturday nights when they stumbled through the doorway. Eyes turned to them, and Neville grinned to a few as he squeezed Pansy's hand. She giggled as she followed him towards Hermione and the others who sat by the piano. They dropped down onto the sofa after Theo rolled his eyes and shifted to one of the armchairs.
"Oh good lord," Hermione cursed as she looked at them. "What in god's name have you two been up to? Pansy, you have twigs in your hair." Hermione offered awkwardly. Neville started to chuckle as he picked out the leaves. Pansy shook with laughter as she tried to help.
"Outraged," They both agreed when another bout of laughter stole them away.
"This may be our fault," Blaise muttered. "We decided that Neville needed an education,"
"An education in what?" Hermione said suspiciously.
"Liquor," Theo added with a frown "Pansy usually handles it better, but I think they've had more."
Pansy cried out as she desperately tried to stop giggling. Neville's giggles slowed as he pulled her close. He smiled as their lips met. She calmed slightly as she giggled into the kiss before running her tongue over his bottom lip. He groaned as he pulled her closer. He reached to run his hands through her hair when his hand met thin air.
He opened his eye as he tried to reach for her again, his slow mind struggling to understand why she wasn't there any more.
Pansy sat looking confused at the other end of the sofa. Her hair tousled, and her eyes narrow in a frown.
"What?" He asked her as he pointed to the sofa next to him.
"That is quite enough of that!" Hermione huffed as she waved her wand at them. "There will be no snogging while we are trying to study. If you want to do that, then find somewhere else."
"Sorry Mione," Neville said with a smirk as Pansy moved closer again.
Neville threw his arm around her shoulders before threading his fingers with hers. Their eyes met again, and they shared a sweet secret smile before she turned and rested her head on his shoulder. He placed his head on hers as he watched the others working. He could feel the warm buzz of the alcohol in his muscles as he closed his eyes. The weight of her next to him made him feel so snug and content. He pulled her closer, smiling when she hummed and squeezed his arm affectionately.
"Eurgh, get a room you two, It's turning my stomach just watching you carry on," Blaise huffed.
"We've got one, you just happen to be in it." Pansy retorted.
"Annoying little bitch," He shot back.
"Now, now. Sticks and stones may break my bones," Pansy muttered sleepily.
"But whips and chains excite you, Yes yes. Go back to sleep," Blaise interrupted with frustration.
"Watch out, Longbottom!" Theo teased. Neville smirked without opening his eyes. "She's a kinky one!"
"What's wrong with that? They excite me too," He admitted with a laugh as he kissed the top of Pansy's head.
"Neville!" Hermione shot. He cracked his eyes open to look at them. Hermione did indeed look outraged, but the two wizards smirked in good-humoured surprise. He chuckled.
"Sorry Mione," His eyes felt so heavy, and he felt so warm and comfortable. He could feel sleep sucking at him, pulling him down, and he couldn't fight it.
The corridor seemed to stretch for miles as the moon cast twisted and sinister shadows. He looked around, pointing his wand into the dark creases, expecting them to jump out at him at any time. He knew they were hunting him, and knew they were close, but he needed to get everyone out first before he could escape. He knew this place so well. He knew that he'd been here before.
He turned when he could hear their taunting laugher right behind him. They seemed to scuttle down the hallway like beetles, chasing him through the halls. He felt the hot breath on the back of his neck and froze. Someone was holding his hand. He turned and found no one there but felt the heat and pressure in his own none the less.
Great comfort came from knowing he wasn't alone even if it was an invisible hand.
He heard the flash and the crackle as every muscle tensed. The teeth in his head wanted to shatter at the pressure biting down. Determined not to cry out or yell. He refused to satisfy them. Lava scorched his marrow and ignited his nerves as he wanted to cry. Anything to make the pain stop. He wanted his mind to burst free so that he could distance it from the agony. He tried to breathe, but there was a weight on his chest, holding him down. The blinding pain that eclipsed his thoughts was all-encompassing.
Neville felt hands on his shoulders, shaking him. He gasped as he sat straight up as though escaping from a drowning pool.
Tears escaped and rolled down his cheeks as he looked around the darkened room.
Fear caught him in the chest when he didn't recognise where he was. He went to stand, but a hand on his shoulder made him pause.
"Neville? Honey?"
He let out a shaking breath and relaxed.
"Yep," he answered as he wiped the tears away from his face with his sleeve.
"Another nightmare?" She asked, sounding meek and timid. He nodded for a moment before he realised she couldn't see him.
"Yeah," he breathed.
"Me too," She answered. He let out a sigh and sat back, pulling her towards him. He pulled out his wand and flicked it
"Accio Blankets" He commanded.
"What do you dream about?" She asked as the blankets covered them. He held her tight as he closed his eyes again. He could feel her shaking against him and redoubled his efforts to keep her warm and secure.
"The Cruciatus curse and the Carrows. They chase me through a corridor. And then torture me, like my parents." He swallowed as he tried to forget the images.
"Oh, Neville. That's awful." She said, and she gripped his arm tightly. "Is it always the same, or does it change?" She asked, eventually.
"Up until now they're almost always the same, This one I could feel you holding my hand, so I wasn't as scared," He admitted.
He kissed her forehead and pressed her into the sofa, protecting her from the room. "What do you dream of?"
"Being in my cell at Azkaban," Her voice sounded hollow and far away as if she was still in her dream. "The tide hits the side and floods the cell with freezing cold water. But then the ocean just keeps pouring in, and the cold fills my bones like ice. It burns. I'm shivering, and I can't stop, can't escape the cold. I'm chained to the floor, and the water just keeps pouring through the window like sludge."
He stroked her hair as he listened. Sometimes talking about it could make it disappear.
"As it pours in it starts to harden around me and I can't move, can't breathe. Like there's a weight on my chest. Then the water turns to tar and it continues to pour in, and I can't get away."
She shuddered against him, and he held her close.
"Nothing can hurt you while I'm here. I won't let it!" He kissed her forehead again "I'm right here, and you're safe." He soothed
"Neville?" She asked quietly as she pulled at his clothes.
"Mmm?" He asked
"You're the best thing that ever happened to me." She whispered into the dark.
"I feel the same about you." He replied tenderly as he tried to make out her outline in the dark. She yawned before pulling him close and nuzzling into his chest.
"Don't leave me." She whispered as her breathing evened out.
Neville sat and stared into the black and pushed his free hand through his hair as he cursed. He knew that something was going to come along and ruin this for them, it was their luck. Well, it was his luck. Nothing that went right ever lasted for very long. As he closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. He knew that regardless of what was down the road, it was going to near enough impossible for him to leave Pansy Parkinson alone.
