Disclaimer: Harry Potter, his friends, enemies and all respective items and characters (beasts or beings) from the novels and novellas of J. K. Rowling are hers by moral right and legal copyright. All new creations are my own fictions by moral right.

Neville "Romeo" Longbottom

Chapter 3 - Juliet

The Great Hall was crowded as it always was Monday morning when Ginny Weasley entered. She ignored her three brothers and sat down at the other end of the Gryffindor table. All over the hall heads turned towards her and the hum of conversations rose appreciable as the news of last night spread.

At the staff table Madam Hooch leaned over to Professor McGonagall and said, "I hear that young Miss Weasley and Longbottom are quite an item."

Professor Snape's head snapped up and he asked "Longbottom, Neville Longbottom, are you sure?"

"Severus, I don't think it is any of our business. It's best if we just let this remain with the parties involved." Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"It seems that many don't share that view, Minerva." Madam Hooch said observing the growing crowd of girls gathering around Ginny Weasley.

"I'd best see to this!" Professor McGonagall said and rising she moved towards the now large group of girls at the end of the Gryffindor table. She reached the crowd just in time to hear…

"After Cedric Diggory was killed and I heard what happened to Harry... and with You-Know-Who back…" Ginny spoke as her words struck home with all that were listening. "Harry's going to fight You-Know-Who. And Ron and you, Hermione, aren't going to let him do that alone are you? And the rest of my family is going to fight too. I want to help, if I can. I know it will be very dangerous and perhaps some of us will… not survive. I almost died in the chamber of secrets, didn't I?" Tears ran down Ginny face as she poured out her heart's greatest fears but there was also a resolute courage in her voice. Even the normally sneering girls from Slytherin were shocked into silence. "I just didn't want to die without ever having… lived."

Every girl present considered this in silence for some time. Finally someone in the crowd broke that silence with a question.

"But with Longbottom?"

Ginny smiled a little knowing smile through her tears. "You don't know how wonderful he is. You didn't notice!" she said. "He took me to the ball last year and when he asked me to dance I thought I was going to have him stepping all over my feet because he's always so clumsy but he didn't. In fact, he's a very, very good dancer. It was lovely gliding across the dance floor in his arms. He has a great sense of rhythm and he can anticipate his partner's every move. It was electric. When he's not nervous, he isn't clumsy at all. He was a perfect gentleman too, that night. He just gave me a little kiss after he took me back to the tower."

"So at the end of last year, when I had made up my mind, I hinted to him what I wanted him to do and he was so shocked." Ginny's smile was now growing and the red blush to her cheeks intensified. "Later he came to me with a red rose and told me he would… well he would be honoured to be my lover." Now on the verge of a nervous giggle Ginny strained to continue. "He was so romantic." The girls crowded around Ginny sighed almost in unison, their own faces reddening.

"The next night, after everyone else had gone up to bed, Neville led me out of the tower and down to the charms classroom. He had arranged the cushions in front of the large window and with candles all around us; we made love till the dawn. He was so nice and gentle. He took his time so I wasn't scared." Ginny now held the crowd spellbound. "And … his bottom isn't the only thing that's long!" The girls around Ginny were shocked out of their silence by her last remark.

"Ginny!" Hermoine exclaimed and then she lost the struggle not to giggle too, as did most of the others.

"I think that's quite enough for now." Professor McGonagall said with an odd tone in her voice. "Everyone back to their own tables and finish your breakfasts or you will be late for class."

Hermoine couldn't be sure but Professor McGonagall's face looked flushed.

As the girls moved back to their own tables, the level of noise from the many conversations in the hall rose to a new high. It sounded like a great swarm of insects buzzing.

In though the doors of the Great Hall walked Neville Longbottom and the buzzing stopped dead.