*14*
The next morning Harry could feel eyes on him. It started with a prickling feeling on the back of the neck, but as he moved through the hallways it became more apparent. As he walked, he noticed more students staring at him than normal. A few times he even noted a few muggle students would elbow each other as he approached them. When he entered the Great Hall with Ron, the stares were unavoidable. He tried to ignore them as he sat down across from Hermione and Ginny.
Marcus and a muggle friend of his approached Harry as he scooped himself eggs.
"Uh-Harry, can I ask you something?" Marcus seemed hesitate, as if he knew he'd annoy Harry with his question. Harry closed his eyes for a second as he expected the question. The Muggles knew.
"Of course." Harry turned around, trying to seem as causal as possible. He nearly missed knocking over the butter.
"Last night, I tried a Chocolate Frog and we noticed they had cards with famous wizards." Marcus paused, taking a breath. Harry looked to the ground, before returning his glaze to Marcus.
"One of our cards had you." Marcus stopped, as if in mid-sentence. Harry nodded, without saying a word.
"Is it really you?" Marcus asked.
"Ah-yea. It's really me, but I was famous even when I went to school with you. Just didn't know about the whole magic thing, you know…" Harry and Marcus stayed quiet for a moment. Marcus didn't know what else to say and Harry wished he could be anywhere else. Suddenly Ron jumped up, nearly spilling his plate.
"RONALD!" Hermione yelled as she just caught his cup.
"Bloody Hell Harry! I left it! We got to go." Ron grabbed Harry and the two nearly ran out. As the two wheeled around the corner Harry slowed to a slow jog.
"What? What did we leave?" He asked in confusion.
"I dunno. The Great Hall." Ron shrugged as he turned down a corridor. He took a bit of the apple he had snatched.
"But you said…" Harry started laughing, the realization that Ron had made the story up to get him out of there.
"Thank you."
"Anytime. You think the elves will make me some pancakes?" Harry chuckled. Of course, they'd make him pancakes. They'd make him a tower if he'd like.
"If they don't, I will.
Harry tried to keep a low profile for the rest of the day. He went through hidden corridors to classes and sat in the back corner of his classes with muggles. Once he made it to his free period he dropped on the couch, letting his bag hit the ground with a thud.
"Long day?" Seamus jumped over the couch sitting between Harry and Hermione. Harry just nodded.
"Well, it's been long for me too. So many questions of the Great Harry Potter." Harry rolled his eyes as Dean joined, sitting on the floor.
"I heard the Great Harry Potter defeated a group of blood sucking vampires." Dean said in a serious voice.
"Well, I heard he conquered a centaur village." Seamus said.
"Nah guys, it was a village of pixies." Ron couldn't hold his composer any longer and began to laugh.
"Conquer a bunch of pixies. What a load of rubbish! He couldn't even fight them off second year." Dean cracked up laughing.
"He did get that one out of my hair." Hermione said laughing.
"Such a hero!" The group kept laughing.
"Oh, and he was almost expelled because of a house elf."
"Oh yea. Dabby!" Dean laughed.
"Dobby, and yea. He dropped a cake on my uncle's boss." Harry smiled as the group kept laughing.
"And don't forget the year we all thought he was crazy." Dean laughed.
"Which year was that?" Ron smirked at Harry who hit him with a couch pillow.
"True, but I was referring to the year he could see the thestrals and no one else could. I thought you'd gone mad!" Dean leaned back on the floor, stretching out by the warm fire.
"I wasn't the only person. Luna could see them." The group continued to laugh at all the strange things Harry had done. It was nice to Harry to laugh about them all. To not be taken so seriously for once.
"HARRY! HARRY! HARRY!"
"Neville?" Harry slowly rolled over. The door slammed open and suddenly there was light as Neville ripped open the curtains around Harry's bed. Harry quickly shielded his eyes.
"Bloody hell Neville." Harry heard the squeak as Ron pushed his curtains.
"It's bloody Saturday."
"HARRY!"
"Neville what?" Harry reached for his glasses. As soon as they were on, he noticed how pale and sweaty Neville looked.
"I did it!" Neville yelled. Harry couldn't tell if he was more nervous or excited.
"Did what Neville?" Dean moaned from across the room.
"This better be bloody important Neville." Seamus walked slowly across the room towards the bathroom.
"I asked her out."
"YOU DID WHAT?" The boys chorused. Seamus stopped mid-step and Ron's jaw nearly touched the floor.
"I asked her out." Neville said in disbelief. "I did exactly as you said, and she said YES!" Neville paced back and forth. Harry was taken aback, when did he ever tell him to ask anyone out.
"When did I say this?" Harry stood in front of Neville trying to make him stop pacing.
"At the end of the Quidditch party! You said she clearly liked me, and I should just go for it. That it worked with you with Ginny!" Harry blankly stared at Neville. He had no memory of this conversation.
"Oh Merlin! Oh Merlin! You don't remember telling me that do you?" Neville nearly shouted. "I took advise from you and you don't even remember giving it." Neville started his pacing again. "Oh Merlin. Oh Merlin."
"Neville. Forget about that. She said yes! Whether Harry remembers whatever he said it worked. You got a date!" Dean grabbed Neville's shoulder to stop his pacing. He was smiling wide.
"Yea, way to go man!" Seamus punched Neville in the shoulder in congratulation.
"Yea!" Neville smiled. "Yea. I got a date! I got a date…I got a date…" Neville quickly began paling again. His hands started to cover his face as he slowly sat down on Ron's bed. "I've never had a date before. The last date I had, wasn't even a date! It was Ginny at the Yule Ball! I don't know how to date! I can't date!" Neville nearly shouted.
"You'll do fine Neville. Why don't you ask if she wants to go to Hogsmeade with you? You could go to the candy store and the Three Broomsticks. It'll be ok. Harry tried to smile reassuringly at Neville. Neville nodded as if trying to convince himself it would be fine.
"Neville." Ron kicked Neville back into reality on the bed. Neville turned to him, still lying on the bed.
"Did you or did you not cut the head off a snake last year?"
"I did, but that was a snake. This is a girl!"
That Saturday Neville stood in front of the boy's mirror, staring at his own terrified reflection. He was dressed nicely with one of his sweater vests. Seamus had tried to convince him not to wear it, but Dean had interjected that he should dress with what made him feel comfortable.
"Ready?" Ron asked from the doorway. Neville nodded a few times before replying.
"Yea."
"Good, but ah-you sure you want to give her the flower?" Harry used his thumb to point in the direction of the potted plant sitting next to Neville's bed. The flower was beautiful when it's leaves opened. The bright red and midnight blue swirled around each other in a beautiful color dance. The edges of each petal appeared to have a thin layer of gold wrapped around. The leaves even shimmered in the sunlight. By appearance alone, this flower was one of the most beautiful flowers in the Wizarding or Muggle worlds. By smell…not so much. As soon as the flower had bloomed the other boys lit candles daily and even in the cold of night kept the windows open. At the end of the day, forgetting about the flower, they'd enter their dorm room, and a wall of stink would defile their nostrils. Each time clasping their nose in their hands. Ron and Seamus had even refused to sleep in the dorm room the night before.
"Yes. It's a rare Bella Aut Medicus. They are known for their many healing properties including-"
"Yea man, but it bloody reeks!" Seamus called from behind Harry.
After a few more minutes of trying to convince Neville to leave the flower, the boys joined the girls in the Common Room. Ginny walked up to Harry, but as she neared him, her nose scrunched up.
"What is that – "
"Smell? Don't ask." The large group traveled together to the Great Hall. As the group ate, Neville sat nearly trembling in his spot.
"You really should eat something Neville." Hermione said, concern dripping in her voice.
"I'm ok Hermione. I don't think I can eat." Neville tried taking a few breaths to calm himself. His hands were noticeably trembling.
After breakfast the group walked to the courtyard outside the castle. Neville stopped in his tracks as he caught a glimpse of Marie. Ron came up behind Neville and whispered in his ear.
"You are Neville Longbottom. You provoked a group of werewolves like a psycho. You cut a bloody snake's head off and yelled at You Know Who." Neville nodded, more to himself than Ron.
"Yea. I'm Neville Longbottom." With that Neville walked confidently over to Marie.
"Did he just bow…"
Seamus and Ron both faced palmed.
"He's doomed."
An hour later the boys had been abandoned by the girls. The four watched Neville and Marie through the window of the Three Broomsticks. They sank low to the ground and peered over the ledge. Only their hats and eyes would be seen from inside.
"She's laughing." Seamus said in surprise. "Like really laughing, not that fake laugh girls do to make you think you're funny."
"What do you think they are talking about?"
"Plants? She can't be that into plants…can she?"
"They did meet in Herbology. Neville's been helping Professor Sprout with the muggle class."
"She's clearly into Neville. She keeps leaning towards him."
"Hello." The group jumped at the new voice.
"Don't do that!" Seamus yelled, his voice higher than normal.
"Ah, sorry, but what are you doing?" Dudley stood facing them, he'd clearly be seen from the window if Neville looked out.
"Get down." Harry motioned for Dudley and Victoria, earning a puzzling look. The four wizards turned back to the window.
"So…what are you doing?" Dudley asked again, he joined the boys looking through the glass.
"Neville has a date." The wizards chorused. Dudley and Victoria gave each other a puzzled look.
"Shouldn't you give them privacy then?" Victoria asked.
"You sound like Hermione." Ron didn't look away. Suddenly Neville turned to the window.
"Duck!" The group was nearly laying on the floor.
"You think he saw us?" Harry was the one brave enough to check. He slowly lifted his head, trying to remain as small as possible. Neville was standing at his table looking towards the window.
"He saw us." Harry slid back down the wall.
"Are you coming in or what!" An aggravated Madam Rosmerta called from the doorway to their right. Her hands were on her hips and she stared down at the group.
"We are." Dudley and Victoria lifted themselves slowly from the ground. Madam Rosmerta had to move out of the doorway for them to pass.
"And you? You've been sitting out here, staring into my pub for nearly an hour."
"We're watching our friend, he's on a date." Madam Rosmerta looked down at them disappointedly. Without another word she returned to the Three Broomsticks, closing the door behind her. Above them, the boys heard a snap as the shutters covered the window.
As the sun set, the boys joined the crowd moving towards Hogwarts. They hadn't seen Neville since Madam Rosmerta had closed the shutters and the girls just rolled their eyes anytime they mentioned it. The small group quickly went to their dorm room to drop off their goods. Quietly they inspected the room to see if Neville had ever returned. Determining he had not, they went to dinner in the Great Hall. Whenever someone entered through the door the four would look, but still no sign of Neville. After dinner the group returned to their dorm. They decided to play cards as they waited for Neville to return. Seamus was the first to pass out. He leaned awkwardly against the wall. His head hung back to rest on the windowsill. After midnight, Ron was the next to fall. Harry threw a blanket half on him. Around twelve thirty, Harry and Dean fell asleep in their beds. Somewhere between one and two, Harry awoke to the sound of wood, creaking under someone's weight. Without sitting up, he quickly pulled open his curtains.
"Neville." He whispered. "How'd it go?" Neville turned around beaming.
"Great!"
Author's Note: Please leave a review! Tell me what you think of Neville's date.