CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Returning to the castle, Hermione was quite grumpy and half slicked in mud while Neville only supported an obnoxious grin. She'd been so close to beating him, only 10 or so yards off from the side entrance to his quarters, when she had turned to laugh back at him and slipped straight off her feet in an unsuspecting patch of muck near the greenhouse. She'd landed on the side of her ass and heard Neville erupt with booming laughter. Hermione then forfeited her dignity to just lay there, catching her breath.

She was escorted inside and directed to the bathroom to clean up as soon as they got inside. Sure, she could've wicked it away, but there was a primal honour in being filthy and just keep walking. A rap on the door and Neville presented her with his own sweater and pair of comfy pants. "Here, I keep these by the fire. Nice and toasty."

Hermione smiled back, tired and warmed by the familiar gesture. "Thank, you Neville."

He gripped the door knob and shrugged with a dopey smile. " 'Least I could do.. You did fall into a spot of threstral manure."

She gaped at the quickly shut door behind him. "You're such a liar !" She heard his muffled chuckle as he walked away.

"Whatever you say, Her-musty Stranger .. I'll put on a kettle !"

She shook her head and held the very soft and warm sweater in her hand before scourging the most of the muck away. Draco had come up with the name years ago when he wanted to let her know she'd been postponing a bath much too long. "My ass… I'll get his entire wardrobe thick with it if he's right.."

The kettle was belting its crescendo when she exited the washroom. The sweater was much too broad in the shoulders and the sleeves dropped past her finger tips. It felt relaxed and familiar of their last days in Hogwarts where Hermione and Draco would constantly be stealing Neville's clothing for the oversized warmth. She suspected this grey cashmere set was a gift from the blond git himself. Shuffling out, the pant legs dragged on the floor and she saw Neville setting up two mugs at the table. "Minerva sent down food, d'you want tea or something else to drink with dinner ?"

Hermione blushed. I'll have to have a talk to Min when I see her.. I can see right through your schemes, woman.. "Water is good. We can sip on tea after."

Neville nodded and pulled out her chair. Hermione accepted the seat and sat down to be pushed in. He seated himself across from her and began dressing his plate of fish'n'chips with some salt and vinegar. "Got any ketchup ?"

Neville made a face. "Godrick, no. I'm not an animal."

Hermione laughed. "I don't think animals even like ketchup. Umpf ?"

Immediately, the old grey elf popped up next to her chair in a minty cloud. "Missus ~ ! Would Missus like some peppermint tea ?" Excitement glinted in his eyes and gave an exaggerated wink to her.

Hermione shook her head no. "Maybe later, but I see you've been doing well, Umpf."

His ears drooped slightly, but pulled back bashfully at her comment. "Well, Missus… " Umpf lifted a skinny wrinkled leg to show off his new delicious smelling foot covered in a very nice pair of slippers. "Missus is a good Missus."

"Wonderful !" Hermione clapped her hands together in joy and Umpf managed a slight bow. "If you don't mind, may you send for some ketchup, please ?"

Neville watched confusedly at the strange interaction.

"Right away, Missus !"

The elf poofed away and a bottle of bright red sauce appeared on the table with a flourish.

"Blimey, I've never heard him speak.."

"Maybe he has not to say to you, Longbottom." Hermione tutted in a very McGonagall like manner before dumping the sauce in a pile over her fries.

"Merlin.. That is repulsive. "

"So is your breath but I don't point that out at the dinner table either."

Neville dropped his jaw. "You just did - now ?!"

"Irrelevant."

He chuckled and dug in anyway. "You're a strange bird, Hermione. Can't believe you still eat that stuff. No wonder Minerva is trying to marry you away."

She snorted and dipped the golden bite of fillet into the provided tartar sauce. "Good luck with that. I'm in no rush to settle down."

Their utensils clicked and speared the delicious assortment of fried food. Neville swallowed down his forkful of cod. "Yes, how goes it in the love department, by the way ?"

"Gods, you people are so nosey !" Neville laughed. Sipping his water, he replied. "Can you blame us ? All we do is teach horny young students the same curriculum day in and out. We live for the gossip."

She sighed and snatched a fry off his plate. "Well then you'll have to starve. I just work, go home, and sleep if I'm lucky. Nothing going on here. What about you, hm ?"

Neville shrugged. "I'm happy. I do what I want, when I want, and I'm in no shortage of projects. Again, this school tends to depress any type of sex drive.. not that I'm sure I had much in the first place."

Hermione hummed and nodded. "I agree. School, then the War, then school, and suddenly the Ministry.. I'm too busy for any of the fuss."

Neville's mouth fell lopsided. "No, it's not like that.. I have plenty of time for myself. I don't think I'm interested in having a partner. Or sex at all."

Hermione's fork stilled. Her cheeks heated slightly due to the topic. "What do you mean ? You don't want a girlfriend ?"

Neville squinted at Hermione and scoffed, shaking his head. "No ! No.. it's, Merlin. I forget that it must be different when you're muggle born."

The chair legs scraped as she pulled back, "Oh God, could someone please just tell me what you're talking about."

Neville's thoughtful smile faded. Setting down his utensils, he leaned in close, "Alright, suppose it makes sense to say something." He waited for her pouty expression to stop before he continued. "So, it's something like this. We're magic, yeah ? Well magic enables us to do things that are more like impossible for muggles. Because this access is so free, you really aren't confined to any type of gender or looks or sex, if that makes sense ?"

Hermione tossed her hands in the air angrily. "Why haven't I heard about this before ?"

Neville didn't look in the slightest bit cowed. "Well they can't go about teaching Sexual Education in Hogwarts can we ? Too many complaints from parents - especially muggle ones. You see, we have a lot of differences to muggles in that department. Muggles often associate witches or wizard with crazy sex cults that you muggles can come up with from time to time. If muggleborn children tell or share these facts to their parents then you have waves of parents claiming we are corrupting innocent minds and if these portions of the magical community are removed from the population-"

"Then the concentration of bloodlines are too thick ?"

"Exactly." Neville responded. "I mean, it's not perfect. A lot of muggleborns slip through the cracks and only receive muggle level sexual education, but the idea is that one learns by going through puberty with the rest of your peers. Madam Pompfrey was always available to answer any questions without bias."

The crispness of her chips were sogging up from their own steam. "Yes, I know but.. I never.. I would never… " Hermione trailed off, arms wrapping around herself. "I was always busy with school work and Harry, you know ?"

"Yeah, muggles are supposed to be real private about these topics, right ? Terrible.. You guys really have all the disadvantages." Hermione prickled and shot a glare. "Oops. Sorry, Herms."

They sat like that awhile. Neville patiently waiting as Hermione processed it all.

"Then," Hermione began, clearly frustrated but continued. "What do you mean by your comment about 'sex drive' earlier.

Neville smiled gently. "Oh, I mean I am asexual."

Her brow furrowed. "What does that mean ?"

Neville stood up and grabbed their empty cups from the table. "Let's sit down by the fire, yeah ?" Hermione watched him enter the kitchen and the sound of cupboard opening and closing.

"Alright, Professor.. " She grumbled before wandering over to the living room to flop onto his couch.

He chuckled returning with the steaming cups. "I've already had the talk with some of my students, Hermione. There's no shame here." He handed her a mug shaped like a large toad. The set was a gift from Luna when he originally got the job as Herbology Professor. When placed on the table, it would puff its vocal sac, bubble the liquid inside, and ribbit. "I'll tell you what I told them, I'm asexual. I don't feel a strong sexual attraction to people and I'm completely fine with that."

Hermione held the toad mug like a steaming hot, anchor. "So you don't want to get married ? Or have children ?"

"I never said that. I said I don't feel attraction to men, women, or otherwise. I can still get lonely, I can still have sexual needs, and I can still want to have a partner one day. And for children, I have enough of them to deal with at the moment." He smiled easily.

Hermione thought about Lex and Fletch. "Oh.."

"It's okay, Hermione. Merlin knows you are a genius with everything you touch. You can always ask me if you have any other questions.. Hell, you could ask Minerva, too. I think she's ace as well."

She shrugged down and curled her limbs together over herself. "Thanks, Neville.." Trailing off, she felt distinctly othered. Sure, it was nice to hear more coming from a close friend. But, she could help feeling stupid and frustrated as herself. To her, she thought she was doing well for herself.. A working witch with an excellent Ministry job and a flat to herself. Shouldn't I be beyond this by now ? Neville laid a hand on her knee and squeezed. Looking closely into her creamy cup of swirling tea, her nose scrunched and her mouth set in a quirk. Maybe, that's why I get along so well with Neville and Minerva ? Could I be asexual, too ? Her eyebrows furrowed in concern and her mouth dipped in a quirk.

Suddenly, the fireplace that the two were enjoying the heat from flashed green and Alice Longbottom swept into the living room with ferocity. Hermione, in surprise, sloshed the second cup of tea on her front that day. "Yeek-!"

Neville quickly stood to cast a charm to fix the burn and looked over to address his mum. "Oh, hello Mum. Wasn't expecting you and Da today ?"

Hermione's face burned red and wicked the liquid away with a twitch of her fingers. Alice stared down at her with an intense and very long, calculating look. She only broke the heavy glare to check her son and checked the door to see Hermione's grey cloak and mucky boots left at the side entrance of the Quarters. She finally noted the two unattended dinner's at the table and Hermione wearing Neville's clothing. Hermione wished she could disapparate from the couch in that second.

"He's not coming, it's just me." Alice answered shortly. "I didn't realize you'd be having guests."

Neville stood protectively in front of Hermione and crossed his arms. "I was just spending time with my friend, Mum."

At his cold tone, Alice finally released Hermione from her stare and carefully addressed his defensive position. Her eyes fluttered and softened. "I'm sorry, Neville. I did drop in unannounced. I'll send a Patronus next time, first." Hermione was blown away by the absolutely sincerity and softness in this powerful woman's voice.

"It's fine, Mum." Neville, on the other hand, responded in absolute steel.

She couldn't see it, but Hermione suspected that an unspoken conversation was occurring on the opposite side of her friend. Oh shit.

"It's alright ! I need to go, anyway." Hermione announced and rolled off the couch and towards the door.

"It's fine, Hermione. Mum can go." He didn't look away from his mother while saying this and the women immediately cringed at the icy tone.

"Sweetie, I-"

"I was about to leave-"

Alice immediately reared an ugly face at the young witch at being interrupted and saw Hermione only looking desperately at her friend who wasn't acknowledging her. That was the final straw, for Alice turned back to Neville with a sigh before looking back to her. "Hermione."

She, in turn, froze at hearing her name. She didn't dare speak.

The older witch let out a sigh again and Hermione was reminded of the poor woman she'd seen so many times before in St Mungo's. Her frailty and her absence. Alice began, "I'm sorry for the way I have been treating you."

Neville and Hermione both dropped their jaws.

"I didn't think that you might have also been affected by .. the War. " Everyone thought she would've said her name instead. "Either way, my behaviour is inexcusable. You were a major player from what I've heard and beyond that.. A good friend to my son."

Hermione just stared back speechless. From the corner of her eye, she could see Neville turning between his mother and his friend.

And like the cherry on top of the cake, Alice finished by saying, "I just hope that you'll give me a chance to earn your forgiveness.. Hermione."

The fire cracked and the three stood silently. Neville slowly pulled his eyes from his mother's face to look at Hermione.

Are they expecting an answer now ?

The toad mug ribbited.

"I'll… yes, that's okay." As soon as the words left Hermione's uncertain lips, the tension in both Longbottoms relaxed. "But ! I need to go-" She cast her eyes out at Neville and sent him a look that said they'll talk later and called out. "Nice seeing you- both ! Bye."

Summoning her items she marched to the door that led to the rest of the castle and left.