Chapter 48: Holidays

My days seemed to melt together, it was Sanguini checking me up before sunrise, breakfast of blood transfusion, Augusta coming with the post to bring me Neville's letters, then practice with my wand and the homework Dumbledore sent. Then I would go sit and talk to Nikolaus, but he slept most days. Then lunch of another transfusion and I would take a nap, my energy not what it used to be. The evenings were more transfusions and Sanguini coming and checking up on Nikolaus and myself. Seeing how we were healing. Neville told me about the new potions master and how Snape was now the Dark Arts teacher.

I wrote him back, trying to make it seem like it was a good thing he left, telling him how I was improving and telling him I was hoping to be joining him soon. It was all lies really, I haven't improved very much. My legs still weren't working and Nikolaus seemed to be getting better faster. It made me worry that my condition would be permanent. I sent the owl off with my newest letter, hoping my words would keep Neville happy and safe at the school. Then I went to visit Nikolaus and was shocked to see him standing up and dressing himself.

"Hey…" I breathed and he whipped around, smiling brightly at me. "Sanguini said I'm almost fully healed! Isn't that great?" I nodded, putting a smile on my face and rolled over to him. That's when he realized I was still in my chair, still unable to move my legs, still weakened and healing. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel…" he trailed off, sitting on the bed. I shook my head, "I'm happy you are healed and feeling better. What are your plans then? Have you tested your powers out?" I asked, maybe I gave him too much power and that was why he healed faster than me.

He shook his hand, opening and closing his hands. "I haven't been able to bring out my fangs or claws. My eyes don't even change anymore. Sanguini just keeps telling me it will be practice and just take time. We both almost died doing what we did. I still feel the pain inside, I just don't show it." he pressed his palm to his chest and I could see the pain run though him. He wasn't as healed as he made himself out to be. "I want you to take it easy. If you are still healing, I want you to rest as much as you can. You are my younger brother and I will take care of you."

I couldn't stand much longer being in the room with him, seeing him walk around and be able to do so much more than me. I excused myself and rolled out to the greenhouse, checking the plants Neville grew for me, making sure they had everything they needed. Neville had shown me how to care for them and I promised I would continue while he was at school. "Okay, but just until you come to school too." he had said, making me promise to join him as soon as I was better. I stayed out there for the entire day, enjoying just being in our spot, it made me feel like he would come in at any minute, smiling at me and his eyes bright with his love for me.

I sighed and went back inside when I heard the others calling for me, joining them in the parlor. "You're leaving?" I asked, after Nikolaus and Sanguini informed me that they would be leaving within the next couple days. "Aethna, Nikolaus is healed and you seemed to be healed as well. It's for the best if we leave and get to testing out if the power share was successful." "I'm not healed! Look at me! I'm stuck in this chair!" I shouted, feeling like everyone was leaving me now. "Sister, please. Calm down. It's not like we will be going far. Sanguini and I will be back to check on you and we are going to practiced our powers together. We won't be staying here is all."

I knew there was no point in arguing, they had made up their minds and wasn't concerned about me in the least. They left soon after, Nikolaus kissing my cheek and Sanguini kissing my hand. Once they were gone, Augusta breathed out a sigh of relief. "My apologizes, but I am happy they are gone. I can only take so much of this." she turned to me and patted my hand on my knee. "Come now dear, let's get you some rest. You look exhausted." I didn't speak as she lifted my chair up the stairs and rolled me to my room. I pulled myself into the bed and fixed myself under the covers. "I miss him…"

I whispered, making her stop at the door. "I know it's hard being away from the one you love…but it's for the best. You aren't ready to go back to the school and he needs his education. I got a letter from him today saying that Professor Slughorn was talking to him about joining the Slug Club. It's a great honor to be in that. Neville is doing just fine." "I get it Augusta, he's better off without me. I can't help the way I feel. I am going to get better and join him again. No matter how you feel about it. He loves me and I love him." she chuckled and bid me goodnight.

Over the next month, I practiced my spell work and tried to bring out my vampire powers, but it was so painful to even try. My fangs wouldn't come out, my claws either. No matter how angry I got, how focused I was…it was as if I wasn't vampire anymore. But Nikolaus wasn't able to either…so at least it wasn't just me. Neville's letter got more lonely as he told me that he wasn't invited into the Slug Club after all, he felt like he wasn't good enough. I wished I was there to show him he was, he was an amazing wizard and worked so hard to improve every part of what he thought was his weakness.

It was Christmas break when I got to see Neville again, still struggling to move my legs. He was so happy that he almost knocked me out of the chair. "Aethna! I've missed you so much!" I couldn't complain, I had missed him so badly. Augusta was okay company, but mostly just wanted me to practice my witchcraft. And Nikolaus and Sanguini weren't much better, only wanting to see me to check my vampire powers out…only Neville truly wanted to see me…for me. Just me. We went for a walk, well I rolled, but it was so nice. The snow was bright and crunched under his feet but he just used it as an excuse to cuddle against me to 'keep warm'.

We were almost always together as Christmas approached and I had completely forgotten to finish Neville's gift I had been working on. I excused myself from dinner, saying I was tired, Neville attempted to follow. "Neville, I just want to get some rest. I can get up the stairs myself. Finish eating, spend some time with your grandmother. She has missed you." he nodded, sighing deeply but I lifted myself up the stairs and rolled into my room. I pulled out the box from the closet and moved over to the bed, laying it all out. I started working again, I had been working on this every night, trying to finish it before Christmas.

Neville woke me up on Christmas morning, kissing me softly and showing me a simple breakfast he had prepared himself. We ate together, just enjoying the morning light slowly shining in as it rose. "Gran has a lot planned today, so I just wanted to have a few minutes to ourselves." I nodded, leaning my head against his shoulder. He was so much taller now, his pudginess was gone now, he was a man, his face showing some hair growing already. I smiled, this was a perfect Christmas.

Finally we were called downstairs and I saw Sanguini and Nikolaus at the doorway, standing in the shadows, both smiling slightly. "Good news I'm assuming?" I asked as I rolled over, letting Neville go find his Gran to see what she needed him for. "Very much good news. Look." Nikolaus said and opened his fist, his claws shooting out and looking much larger than last time. His eyes flashed crimson and he smirked, his fangs sliding out. They didn't look much bigger, but his eyes were brighter. I clapped and smiled, I was happy for him…but it also hurt inside because I was still unable to do that myself.

"Any luck with yours?" he asked, sliding his claws back and retracting his fangs as his eyes went back to normal. I shook my head, doing the same motion as he did with his fist and my fingers remained the same. "He's gotten stronger as well, Aethna. Although still no match for yourself or a full vampire. But he can hold his own." I groaned, making them rush to my side. "I'm just hungry." I lied, I couldn't handle this, he was fully healed, he was stronger and so happy. I wanted to support him, but I could only take so much. Being stuck in this chair was too much, I wanted to get away from them both. "Of course, we will leave you to it." Sanguini said and Nikolaus gave me a hug. "I'll come see you this evening. I have a present for you."

I nodded and bid them goodbye, when they left, I sighed and turned to see Neville smiling at me. "Are you alright?" he asked and I rolled over, tears forming in my eyes. "I am…kind of." he rolled me out to the greenhouse and I told him what had happened, he also looked happy, but hurt at the same time. "I see, I'm sorry I left you to deal with that alone." I pressed my hand to his, lacing our fingers together. "I don't want to think about it anymore. I just want to enjoy Christmas with you." we tended to the flowers and checked on the one I had bought from the shady witch so long ago.

Neville left to get a blanket for me, seeing me give a shiver as I touched the frozen water to thaw it. I went to tell him I was fine, the cold shouldn't bother me like this…but it was concerning as well. I traced my fingers along the bulb, it seemed to pulse under my touch. Witch's Ganglion it was called, nothing truly known about it except witches and wizards in the far east. I check the leaves, which looked nice and healthy. It seemed to be thriving here, under the watch of Neville and myself. I slid my fingers under the water, touching the bottom of the bulb to make sure it wasn't rotting under and I gasped, pulling my hand back as sharp pain engulfed it.

I stared at my hand, seeing the veins turn blue in color and begin to pulse. I winced and tried to shake it to get it to stop, but it was useless. After a minute, I watched as my claws slowly crept from my nails, painfully as well. It was only that one hand, the one that touched the bulb…I blinked, this thing was blood red, I only bought it because it reminded me of blood. Did it have a connection to vampires? I decided to test it out, rubbing my fingers along the bottom again on my other hand. Sure enough, the pain shot through me and I watched the same thing happen to my other hand, claws forcing their way out of my nails.

I stared at my hands, the veins still pulsing under my skin, I felt the vampiric power flowing through them, but it was just them. "Aethna?" I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Neville walking over with a blanket in his hands. He saw my arms and ran over, taking them in his own. "Are you alright? What happened?" I explained about me touching the bulb and then it just happened. "Oh wow, that's amazing. It's healing you." I shook my head. "It doesn't seem that way. It's as if it is forcing the powers to come out. Neville, it hurts…a lot." he nodded and covered me with the blanket. "Then let's go inside, it's getting chilly and Gran said dinner is ready."

I nodded and let him roll me inside and away from the plant. My claws pulled themselves back inside when I got far away from the Ganglion and I sighed, the pain finally fading away. We ate and Gran showed us the tree and all the presents under it. I watched Neville and her open them, he had gifted her a beautiful new scarf and gloves. She had given him so many things, spoiling him for once it seemed. She walked over and passed a gift to me. "Here, Aethna. This is for you. I hope you like it." I was surprised, she actually got me a present. I unwrapped it and saw a lovely hair piece, it had dark greens and reds in lacy fabric and connected with a pretty clip to pin my hair back.

I thanked her and handed her my gift to her, it was a brooch that I had ordered by owl. She thanked me as well and joined Neville again, handing another gift to him. I wasn't surprised I haven't gotten gifts from other kids at school, after seeing me drenched in blood and a dead body at my feet, I was sure that Harry, Ron and Hermione wasn't planning on being my friends anymore. "Well, I'm going to go to bed. I'm tired. Happy Christmas you two." Augusta said and left, I turned and saw Neville's red face looking at me. "What is it?" I asked and he chewed his lip, holding something behind his back as he walked over. "I uh…have something for you…"

He handed the box over, watching my every move as I lifted it and saw a beautiful pair of earrings. I smiled and reached for his hand. "These are amazing. Thank you so much Neville." he seemed to be happy and I pulled his gift from my pocket, passing it over. He opened it and stared at it, confused. "It's a…vine?" he asked, holding the brown circle up. "It's a charmed bracelet. I made it myself, it's for protection and luck. Try it on, see if it works." he did as I asked, sliding it on his wrist. As soon as it settled against his skin, the vines grew out into a small pattern around his forearm.

Slowly, it retracted back into the single vine, only keeping a ring of leaves along it. "Wow, this is awesome Aethna. How did you come up with this?" I shrugged, I had plenty of free time nowadays. "I even included some liquid luck into it. Not much so it's not super strong, but it'll help you stay safe in the future. A leaf will vanish with time, I'll have to redo the spell work to keep it strong. I just don't want to worry about you all the time." he blinked and I realized that the wording I used seemed like I didn't trust his skills.

"Neville, I didn't mean…" he just smiled and kissed my cheek. "I love it. Thank you. I'll take anything from you. I love you." I sighed, he was too good for me. "I'm sorry." I mumbled and he waved it away, pulling me out of the chair onto the couch and snuggling to me. "Nothing to be sorry for. You can't come to school just yet, so I can understand you are worried. But you'll be back to normal soon and we'll be together at school again, then you won't have to worry." he pressed our faces together in a soft kiss before tucking me against him. I wrapped my arms around his waist, feeling so safe in his arms. It was hours later when he poked me, I had fallen asleep. "I'm sorry. I dozed off." he brushed my hair from my face and I could tell he had been watching me sleep, his sweet face showing his love.

"I have another gift for you. Can you sit up?" I nodded and pushed myself off him, letting him get up and go digging under the tree. He came back with a small box and I could see his hands shaking. "Neville, are you alright?" he nodded and fumbled the box, nearly dropping it. He sighed and bent onto his knee, opening the box and showing a ring nestled in it. My eyes went wide with shock as I realized what he was doing. "Aethna…I love you with all my heart. I want to be with you for all my life. I know the future is not set in stone. All I know for sure is that I want to be your…husband. Will you marry me?"