Disclaimer: Not one tiny shred of the basic plot/characters/etc. is mine. OK? Are you happy now?

(Note: Bits in italics are dreams, *asterisks are thoughts* and #hashes are song lyrics, singing, etc.#)

(Chapter title is a line from an Amy Studt song, Seconds Away)

Chapter 13: Love Is All And Love Is None

Harry arrived at the unused girls' bathroom, and Neville banged the door after him. Staring at Neville, a.k.a. Imposter Harry, with suffused rage, he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. Hard.

          "What are you doing?" Neville screamed.

          "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Harry screamed back. "YOU COME INTO LESSONS DRESSED AS ME, RIGHT DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL! EXCEPT YOU'RE TOO FAT!" Neville looked hurt but Harry carried on regardless. "Do you know how hard this has been?" he said softly, sitting down on the floor. "I fell in love with a teacher, had strange dreams, went mad, was on tranquillizers – all because of you!… and now this! You, idolizing me. It's creepy, Neville. I don't know what you want to achieve, but…" he trailed off.

          "Harry," Neville said. "You forgot one part. The fact that I'm in love with you, and I have been for nearly seven years. How do you think I feel, watching your life fall to pieces like this? All I wanted was for us to be together, I didn't want any of this. I just wanted it to be Neville and Harry. Together. But I brewed it wrong, I know. I should have made Hermione do it. But I didn't want anyone to know, just in case we did get together, and she told someone. I want your love – genuinely, not by using a potion. But term ends in about ten weeks. Only seventy days left together, and then graduation. We'll go our separate ways, and I may never see you again." Neville joined Harry on the floor, and neither of them spoke for several minutes.

          "But," Harry said, infringing the silence, "Neville – I still can't see why you want to dress up as me."

          "Harry, I love you for you mind, you wit – and you looks. I want to be you, as well as be with you. I just want to be as kind, as good, as courageous, and… as good looking," he mumbled. Harry was starting to feel sorry for him… especially as tears were gently stroking Neville's crimson face. Neville stared at the floor and carried on. "You see, before Hogwarts, I'd heard about you, and I so wanted to meet you. I was aching to see you, just catch a glimpse… and I did. And you were every bit as handsome as people said. I didn't fall in love with you then. That was later, once I'd got to know you. You were so nice to Ron, and when you saved Hermione from that troll, that was it. I fell in love. Signed, sealed and delivered. And I didn't even know I was gay.

          "I never told my grandma. I knew that, given her age, she'd kick me out the house, and probably have a heart attack. So I kept quiet, and each time she asked why I hadn't got a nice girlfriend, I'd throw a teenage tantrum on purpose. Say I was perfectly normal. When I knew I wasn't, of course. Falling in love with one of the most important magical figures there is… that's not good. My life… everything's changed. I wish I'd never brewed that damn potion! I've ruined so many lives… mine. Yours. McGonagall's. Dumbledore's. I hate myself…" Harry ogled, stunned, while Neville collapsed into heavy sobbing. Revelations indeed! So at least he knew now. But what could he do? Answer: nothing. Harry recognized that he couldn't do anything – it was up to Neville to decide.

All day, Harry drifted around school. He planned on going to lessons, but his feet forced him up to the empty common room to the chair by the fire. Neville stayed in the girls' bathroom, still weeping. But both were thinking hard.

          Harry was thinking about McGonagall. He couldn't figure out a way to make his conscience clear. He couldn't bring her back. Maybe he could conduct a private memorial himself. Get her into Dumbledore's office and maybe… he'd decide when he got there. Do it on the last day. Yes. And that gave him time to think.

          Neville was thinking about what he'd said. All true, unfortunately. He was in love – by Jove he was in love! He adored Harry's every breath. But Harry was definitely straight. And so was Neville. Sort of. Since he'd fallen in love with Harry, but unbeknown to anyone else, himself and Ginny… ages ago – they had kissed. And Neville certainly fancied her. But he wasn't in love with Ginny. Was that possible? To fancy boy and girls? He thought so. He'd heard about it – bisexual, was it? Bi-something anyway. But he didn't think, at the time, it was possible. Now he wasn't so sure.

A week passed and everything was near-normal.

Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Apart from Neville hunting out Harry in the dorm, and kissing him.

And Harry kissing back.

~#~#~#~

Apologies for short chapter. I KNOW they're getting shorter! The last one will be a bumper one. It will almost certainly end at 17, unless my typing gets out of control.