Chapter 36: Another Longbottom Day

Neville waved my sorry away and sat next to me, still rubbing his neck as he watched me try to move away from him again. "What's going on?" Augusta's voice came from outside the car, before the door opened and her face appeared. "All this shouting is gathering attention. Be quiet girl." I nodded and pushed my tears down before they could spill over. Neville's hand found mine and he smiled at me, his eyes holding no fear of me. "It's alright, we can talk about it later…if you want…I mean, you don't have to…" he began to ramble and I sighed, he was too sweet for me.

Augusta climbed in and Neville moved a small amount away from me, removing our hands from each other before she could see and we headed straight back to the manor in silence again. My thoughts were racing, was he really close? Did he know who was hiding me? I couldn't put them into the danger of keeping me any longer, it was too much to ask. Now the Dark Lord has returned and the world has bigger problems, it was all too much. I didn't realize I was chewing my lip raw until Neville nudged me with his leg, making me stop and look at him.

"Hey, look what Gran got me!" he pulled out a new wand, still in the box and I smiled, remembering how his got snapped in the battle. I took it in my hand and rolled it a bit, feeling the smooth wood under my flesh. "It's stunning Neville, a perfect match for you. Your spell work should be much better now." his smile faded a bit as he nodded. "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe it wasn't the wand." "Shh that Neville, Dumbledore and quite a few others have badgered me with your actions in the battle. You did our name proud, as well as your parents."

I blinked, feeling a little like I didn't belong. It was surprising hearing her praise Neville, I hadn't heard much about it. His ears turned red and he began to ramble again, so fast it was almost not words anymore. We arrived at the manor and she climbed out with no more words and went inside. Neville turned to me, taking my hands. "Are you sure you are alright?" I nodded and hadn't realized I had been chewing my lip again until Neville gave my hands a tug, helping me out the car. "Stop worrying. Everything is alright, let's go check on the plants."

I nodded, grabbing my new plant and following him toward the greenhouse. "It's unique alright. I've never even seen anything like it in books." Neville was saying as I conjured a small pond in the back of the greenhouse for it's new home. "The witch said it's in the far east, so not a lot is known about it. It's going to be fun to learn though, right?" I said, letting him help me sit it gently on the surface. "What was the name again?" he asked and I replied, "She called it Witch's Ganglion." We gave the other plants an around of our attention, making sure they were all growing healthy before walking back toward the house.

We ate dinner in silence, Neville asked for a plate for me and made sure to move it down to where they normally sit. He spoke to me the entire time, even getting Augusta to comment here and there on my history. "I'm still unsure of your being half-vampire. Would you not be either human or full vampire?" she was asking, as the plates were taken away. "I'm not sure myself. I have properties of both species, so I'm very unknown to everyone. I haven't met many vampires except for when I was with my father and those were not friendly, so I do not group myself with them. My mother is a witch, pureblood, I guess that's why magic is strong in me, or maybe it helped to conceive me. I'm unaware of another half-vampire being born. I'm just different."

"And eating normal food does the same as blood?" she asked, nodding to the roll I was finishing off. "Well, it's different. I can survive on both, but my vampire powers are really weak and unstable if I don't have blood regularly." I cleared my throat, feeling awkward at having this much attention on me. Neville caught on and yawned, making Augusta turn to him. "If you are tired boy, go to bed. I swear you don't listen to your body." she stood up and excused herself, retiring to her room as we smiled at each other and went to the balcony.

"Sorry if you didn't want to talk about yourself. I just wanted her to acknowledge you like a person should." I caressed his cheek as he pressed his chest against my back, placing his head on my shoulder. "Neville, I'm fine with the way things are, no need to change. I'm safe here, I'm with the one I love and who loves me. It's a beautiful night and I just want to enjoy our time together." After a while, we went inside and I changed into my nightgown as he went to get something to sleep in. He snuck back into my room wearing nothing but a pair of pants, his shirt in his hands.

He laid it on the chair and climbed into the bed, settling perfectly beside me and curled me into his embrace. "Aethna, I'm so happy we met. I can't imagine my life without you and never want to. These years without you have been so hard, I never once stopped thinking about you. Please never leave again. I won't survive it." I could feel his pain and his tears on my neck as he cried softly as he squeezed me tight. I felt my heart ache, I wanted to take his pain away, I wanted to always make him smile. I turned in his arms and made him look at me. "Neville, you are my heart and soul now. Whatever happens from this moment on, we will handle together." I sealed our promise with a kiss and turned into lovemaking until we fell asleep holding each other.

**A month later**

We settled into a normal routine, Neville and I snuck around any chance we had and stayed in my room every night. Augusta didn't seem to catch on it seemed, we kept our distance from each other and kept it all real simple around other people. But when we were alone, everything else didn't matter, we were together and live couldn't be better. We had just finished tending to the greenhouse and garden and were heading back into the manor when Augusta met us on the patio.

"Aethna, walk with me. Neville, go clean yourself up, I can see the dirt under your nails from here." she scolded and he gave me a smile and wave before hurrying inside, leaving us alone. "Yes, Mrs. Longbottom?" she turned and began to walk along a path, away from the garden area and manor. I followed a couple steps behind, unsure of why she wanted to speak with me alone. Was she kicking me out? Had I outstayed my welcome? Had something happened with my father? Did the school not want me back? My questions were running all through my mind as we continued walking in silence.

We were walking up a small set of stairs when she spoke, "I've noticed a change in my grandson with you around." I missed a step and nearly tripped as I tried to cover my surprise. "A change, Ma'am?" she nodded and continued to the top, revealing a large area filled with tables, chairs and even a dance floor. I was confused as she took a look around, sighing. "The last time I was here was when Neville was just a year old. We threw an immense party for his birthday, it was so joyous and beautiful. Then that creature came forward and attacked the Potters, while his lackeys brutally attacked my Frank and his wife."

I ran my fingers along a table, seeing the untouched layer of dirt from years of emptiness. Augusta continued as she faced me. "I sense Neville has become more than I ever thought he would. He was always a shy child, sensitive and simple. Many of us believe he had no magic, yet here he is, standing up to the fools that align themselves with that so called Lord. Practicing his spell work so hard, bettering himself so much. Such a change in him…" she stepped over to me and her eyes bore into mine. "And I know you are the cause of it." "What do you mean? I haven't changed him. He has always tried to better himself, ever since we first met in school."

She scoffed, giving me a wave of her hand. "The boy never once wanted to do anything to do with magic until he came home from Christmas break. Raving about a young girl that needed help with a problem and that he had promised to help her. Saying he was going work hard to help her, that she was his only friend and was counting on him. I could go on and on about how he went on about this girl. I never realized that this girl was you until the day Neville came home from school and you surprised him."

I recall that day a month ago, he was so happy to see me, but that was before anything happened between us…how could she tell I was the girl? "I'm confused." I blurted, unsure of what was going to happen now. "The boy isn't the brightest when it comes to his heart. He wears it on his sleeve, and his face. Aethna, Neville has loved you since the moment he saw you. Whether he admits it or not, a grandmother knows. I raised that boy and he cannot hide a thing from me. Every time you enter a room, he lights up, he looks for you when you are not there. The child has given his heart to you and I need to know if you have yours to give in return."

It was a surprise that she saw through Neville so easily, but it was also easy for me to see through him, perhaps it was love to see the real Neville. She continued to wait for me to answer as I pondered what I should say. Would she accept that we love each other and that we wanted to be together? Would she accept a half-vampire into her family? "No need to deny it then, Augusta. I love Neville with all that I am. He is everything to me. I understand that we shouldn't be together, I could only cause him danger and harm. I wish for him to be happy and safe. However, I cannot be without him, I have swore to face any challenges with him from here on out." I steeled myself for her response and her eyes were hard, her lips pursed.

Then they softened and she smiled slightly. "I only want the boy to be happy. If you make him happy, then I think he picked a strong-willed, talented, unique young woman. Now, to the reason I brought you here. This place hasn't been open to anyone since Neville's first birthday. I wish for us to plan a party for his upcoming birthday. Who better to plan it than the woman who raised him and the woman who holds his heart?" she took out her wand and motioned for me to follow suit.