Holding her up as she held her towel, Neville guided her to his room as she clung to his arm. Behind the worry and concern, the glimmering hope intensified as he felt her skin against his.
"What are we to each other, Longbottom?" She whispered as they reached the door. She looked hesitantly up to him as though afraid of the answer. Neville paused as all the loving words he had called her flooded his mind. He didn't want to scare and overwhelm her. He opened his mouth to speak but paused. She waited silently, her face slowly looking crestfallen.
"You once told me you loved me," he said finally, quietly as though afraid to mention the words out loud. She looked shocked as she pulled away slightly.
He knew it, it had been the wrong thing to say. He waiting for her to pull away completely but she didn't. Opening his eyes, he found Pansy studying his face, her mouth slightly parted as her pale eyes danced over his features.
"And what was your response?" she whispered, looking down at the button on his sodden sleeve. He took a deep breath and hoped that he was reading the situation right. He prayed his Gryffindor courage didn't fail him. He pushed her hair behind her ear before lifting her chin to look at him.
"Well, I said it to you first," he smiled as he met her eyes- her beautiful stardust eyes. She swallowed nervously as she looked between his eyes and mouth. "you mean the world to me, Pansy." He whispered as she looked away. Her breathing came fast as her bare chest rose and fell as though she had been running. "Pansy, don't worry. I'm not expecting anything from you. I just want you to get better." He said calmly as he touched her elbow.
She opened her mouth to say something when a cry fell out as her body stiffened. Her grip on his arm was painfully tight as she fell against the doorframe.
"Neville?" His gran called from downstairs. He ignored her as Pansy began to scream. Her towel fell to the floor as she writhed in pain. Without a second glance, Neville scooped her up and carried her to the bed. She thrashed in his arms as whatever was happening to her controlled her limbs.
"Pansy?" he called as he took her hand. Her breathing was laboured as her back arched off the bed. He covered her in a blanket to retain her dignity as she clawed at the bed frame. Fear gripped him as she was unresponsive to anything he said. Only her death grip on his hand told him that she knew he was there.
"What on earth is going on up…"
Neville turned to find his gran in the doorway. He watched as the consternation turned to surprise and then horror as she sagged and dropped to her knee's. Pansy's grip stopped him from running to her.
"Gran, are you alright?" He asked, looking between the two stricken women. There was silence as the older woman just stared as Pansy thrashed on the bed. He could feel his own desperation rising as the two strongest women he knew were reduced to this. What could he do? Even a year under the Carrows hadn't prepared him for this. "Gran? What's wrong?" He called trying to hold onto his calm. Losing his own shit was not going to help any of them.
Augusta Longbottom watched silently from the floor, tears pouring from her eyes as he wrinkled face turned deathly white.
"GRAN!" Neville barked harshly, hoping to break whatever spell this was. She blinked and looked at him, her eyes wide and unfocused. "Gran, What do I do?"
"Nothing," She whispered, Neville almost couldn't hear her over the grunts and sobs from the bed. "There's nothing you can do to help against the cruciatus curse."
Pansy screamed as her nails dug into Neville's hand, bringing his focus back to her. The Cruciatus curse? But how? There was no one here casting that spell. The confusion but have been clear on his face as his gran started to get to her feet.
"Father!" Pansy choked as she kicked at the blanket. Neville pulled it back over her again, his heart breaking as he watched on helplessly. "Father, no!" she screamed again as another wave almost bent her double, and he wondered whether her spine could bend much further in that direction.
"What an evil man, to put his daughter through that pain," his gran muttered from where she stood at the bottom of the bed. "All you can do is hold her hand and wait for the pain to stop."
"How do you know that?" Neville asked, not sure he wanted to know. The disturbed look on her face told him that the truth would be horrific, but he couldn't retract his question. He needed to know.
"The night your parents were attacked," His gran said as she collapsed into the chair by his bed, looking twenty years older as she cradled her head with a trembling hand. "I took you and hid as the death eaters…" The tears had started again as his own eyes filled. "I cradled you, trying to keep you quiet as we hid in the wardrobe. I saw the whole thing." He closed his eyes at the thought that they had been there when his parents were hollowed out and the empty husks left behind. Hatred and loathing boiled up in his throat as his gaze moved back to Pansy. The muscles and sinews taut and straining as everything clenched in agony. "This is but a memory of what he did to her. Let us hope that it is short-lived." She muttered again as she watched on, her haunted eyes wide with the horrors of the past. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I can't stay and watch this, not again."
Neville nodded as she headed to the doorway. She paused and looked back for a moment.
"Remind her she's not fighting it alone, Neville." She said before breaking into tears as she pulled the door closed behind her.
Alone and scared, he looked down at his love. He lowered himself onto the bed next to her and tried to hold her close. He stroked her hair and held her hands, all the while whispering sweet words into her ears. It felt like an eternity before her body finally relaxed against him, and he was able to wrap his arms around her, holding her close. Keeping her safe. His tears soaked his pillow as he shed tears for his parents, for all the children at Hogwarts who had suffered at school last year. For himself, remembering Alecto's gleeful cackle as his bones were set aflame. And finally, tears for his darling Pansy. His brave, beautiful, strong girl.
If he ever met Linden Parkinson, he wasn't sure he would be able to still his wand. He wanted to watch as every pain, every tear, every single ache and agony was fed back to him tenfold. He would willingly and cheerfully enjoy his time at Azkaban, knowing that he had suffered the way he had made Pansy suffer.
When he was sure that she was asleep and when he could bear the thought, he slid off the bed, careful not to disturb her. Moving silently to her suitcase he grabbed his wand and Accio'd her pyjama's. Carefully dressing her, he tucked her back into bed so that she could rest. He hoped the worst was over, he wasn't sure he could cope with watching it again. He grabbed her cold cup of coffee and left the room, leaving the door open in case she cried out again.
He found his gran huddled over a cup of strong black tea, her limbs still shaking as she brought the cup to her lips. He placed his hand on her shoulder, making her jump in surprise.
"Oh, Neville. Sorry." She said breathlessly as she held her hand to her heart. "I didn't hear you come down. Is Pansy alright?"
Neville nodded silently as he slid into the chair opposite her. He took her hand and held it feeling the fine tremble as he pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket. Handing it to her, she smiled. "Such a good boy," She praised as she dabbed at her face. "I'm sorry for blubbing, my boy. It was a shock to the system. I'll be alright," She nodded.
A knock at the door stopped them both as they turned to look down the corridor to the front entrance.
"Are you expecting anyone, Gran?" Neville asked suspiciously.
"Not today and your aunt and uncle usually come by the floo." Neville rose, his eyes on the door as another knock came.
"You stay here, I'll go see who it is,"
He didn't wait for her to agree before he moved towards the door. He opened it slowly revealing a short woman with sandy blond hair. He recognised her immediately from her appearance in the hospital wing when Theo awoke. She smiled brightly, and she slid the oversized glasses back up her nose. She shrugged her shoulders as she straightened up.
"Good Afternoon, I am Ms Ent of Libertas Solicitors, here on behalf of Mr Linden Parkinson."
"I know who you are and who you work for," he said coldly, surprising himself with the sharpness of his tone.
"You do? Ah yes, You must be Mr Longbottom. I spoke to your Grandmother earlier."
"Which is why I'm confused you felt the need to show up here, unannounced. My Grandmother told you, in no uncertain terms that Miss Parkinson isn't here."
"That's as may be. However, the fact remains that Pansy Parkinson is still missing, and as her… friend, it is most likely that she would come to you for aid."
"Aid? Why would she come to me? I'm a blood traitor, and she has been forbidden to speak with me. Why would she risk her father's wrath by coming here?"
"You know as well as I do that Miss Parkinson doesn't always do things that are in her own best interests."
"She wouldn't be alone in that would she?" He warned with a look. Miss Ent looked him up and down before trying to look around him and into the house.
"Well, I wanted to pop by and just reiterate what I was trying to communicate to your grandmother this morning. If Miss Parkinson does happen to show up here. Please could you contact me? Here's my card." She said, holding out a small piece of cream-coloured paper. Neville made no move to take the card as he crossed his arms over his chest, gripping his wand tightly.
He wondered whether she had been there when Mr Parkinson had tortured Pansy, or whether she had just fed back to him about them being together. Either way, she had been the cause for some discomfort on Pansy's part. Her eyes caught sight of his wand, and she swallowed again before clearing her throat. "I see that I am indeed wasting my time here. Please will you inform Miss Parkinson that her father will be in touch shortly about the marriage contract she signed? There could be magical and physical consequences if she attempts to renege on the agreement."
"That's as maybe." He said, throwing her words in her face, "But as she is not here, that information is irrelevant. Now I request that you get off our property before I unleash the dogs." Neville said. The woman nodded as she rushed down the path, her heels sinking into the grass between the flagstone slabs. He smirked as she disapparated once across the threshold. He shut the door and leant against it as his heart thrashed inside his chest, the adrenaline and anger, making his head throb as the emotions ebbed away.
His gran stood smiling at him, her pride tangible, and she stepped forward and patted his cheek.
"I saw some of your mother in you then, She didn't take fools gladly either,"
"Sounds like you, as well," He chuckled as he pushed his hair back from his face.
"Nice to know I get some credit," she smirked at him. "Now, I was thinking about tomorrow. With the Ant woman snooping around and all, maybe it would be wise for you and Pansy to stay home. Your mum and dad won't notice, and you can go and see them when everything calms down,"
Neville couldn't think of a better solution without putting Pansy at unacceptable risk. Guilt gathered in his gut at missing the long-standing tradition. The look must have shown on his face. "Your mum and dad would understand. Pansy's safety is more important, and they would be proud of you for protecting her," She smiled at him.
"Thanks, Gran," he said finally.
"Means you'll have time to get the final decorations up and the food prepped too." She smirked as Neville rolled his eyes. So much for a Christmas holiday. He smirked himself as he heard her chuckle as she headed back to the kitchen.
"I'm just going to go up and check on Pansy again, alright?"
"Ok, Lad," she said with a wave as he climbed the stairs again. He made his way to his bedroom, pausing in the doorway to look at her. She lay motionless in bed, prompting him to move closer. He had the irrational thought that he needed to check that she was breathing. As he moved closer, he found her gripping the pillow tightly as is she'd had another bad dream, or memory attack. He lowered himself into the armchair and placed a hand on hers, watching as her whitened knuckles loosened on the fabric. He rested for a moment as he cast a warming charm in the room. Resting in the armchair, he watched her face as she slept and wondered what she would remember next.
He yawned as the room warmed around him, and soon he felt drowsy as the chair warmed around him. He blinked once before rubbing at his eyes. Maybe a short nap would be alright. Closing his eyes, he relaxed as his hand held hers, keeping her safe with him.
