A/N: Hello, m'dears! Long time, no post. My apologies. Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. You are the only reason I haven't lost all interest or hope in this whole writing thing.
***
Neville went upstairs to pack after dinner. Ron excused himself after a few minutes and went to check up on him. When he opened the door to his room, he was shocked. Neville was bustling about, slamming everything that could be slammed and shoving things into his trunk with complete disregard as to what state they'd be in when he unpacked them. Ron had never seen Neville this angry about anything. "Stop," Ron said absently. Neville ignored him. Ron grabbed his wrists gently. "Nev, stop," he commanded. Neville paused. "Look at yourself." Neville sighed.
"You're right. You're right." He dropped his hands and sat down on the bed. Ron sat beside him.
"What's wrong? And don't tell me nothing," he added sternly.
"I really, really don't want to see Gran and Neil."
"Are they really that bad?"
"My grandmother wears a dead carrion bird for a hat and my brother was a Slytherin. What do you think?" Neville muttered. Ron laughed and hugged Neville tightly.
"That's my Nev. Always finding the humor in an otherwise dark situation." Neville smiled weakly. "Cheer up. It's two weeks, at most. Just two weeks."
"Just."
"It's not that long."
"And You-know-who isn't that evil," Neville replied sourly. Ron laughed again.
"How awful can they be?"
"You don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
"Can't I just kiss you instead?"
"Can't we do both?" Neville considered this for a moment.
"No," he answered.
"C'mon. I have brothers."
"This is different," Neville insisted.
"Different how?"
"Your family is not my family."
"That's true..." Ron agreed cautiously.
"I can't talk to mine like you can talk to yours." Ron thought he understood.
"Nev, surely your grandmother will understand- about us," he said quietly.
"Gran was a Ravenclaw. She won't like this. It will just be something else that makes me different from Neil," Neville stated bitterly. All of a sudden something dawned on Ron and he truly understood. He pulled Neville to him. It bothered him no small amount to see his boyfriend falling apart at the prospect of facing his own family- not when he had been behind Ron one hundred percent. He had been so calm and strong for him and Harry.
"Talk to her. She's got to know eventually. What's the worse that could happen?" Neville didn't answer. "I'll be there no matter what happens."
"I know. It's what'll happen that bothers me."
The next day a tall, lean young man stepped out of the Weasley's fireplace. He had dark brown eyes and long dark hair. His face so resembled Neville's he could have been a brother. In fact, this was his brother. He looked over the Burrow carefully. "Neil Longbottom!" Charlie exclaimed. Neil beamed.
"Charlie Weasley. How nice it is to finally see you again!"
"Likewise."
"They told me you could've played Quidditch professionally."
"I had offers," Charlie replied, blushing slightly.
"Why didn't you?"
"I love dragons. You understand."
"Indeed, I do," Neil laughed.
"If anybody understands loving dragons above all else, it's Neil," Neville said, entering the kitchen.
"Or Harry," Ron added, looking extremely pained. Neville smiled.
"Harry? Who's that?" Neil asked.
"Honestly Neil. You do know who Harry Potter is?" Neville asked sharply.
"Yes, of course. I just didn't realize he was in your year," Neil mumbled.
"Would you like some tea? Mum is making some right now," Charlie offered, sensing tension.
"I don't want to be too much trouble-"
"Trouble? No, the more the merrier, right Neville?" Ron said.
"Right. Mrs. Weasley would love to meet you," Neville replied unenthusiastically.
"If you're sure, then."
"Positive," Charlie said.
"Everybody, meet Neil," Charlie announced. One by one, Neil was introduced to Molly, Arthur, Bill, Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny.
"I don't believe we were introduced," Neil said, turning to Ron.
"You haven't met Ron?" asked Molly, more than a little surprised.
"If you meet nobody else in this house, you must meet Ron," Fred said.
"Why is that?" Neil inquired. Bill's eyebrows rose dangerously high. Neil didn't know. Neville's family didn't know what the Weasleys had grown to accept.
"Why Ron is Neville's-" Bill signalled to his mother to stop. She looked at him curiously. "Bill dear, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Choking," Bill replied. And indeed he was. He doubled over in a coughing fit, requiring the assistance of the twins, who were only too glad to practice their skills as Beaters on the unfortunate Bill, knocking over the table in the process.
"I'm all right! I'm all right!" Bill cried, holding up his arms to sheild himself against the twins attack.
"However, the tea things do not share your good fortune," Percy said grimly, holding up half a teapot.
"I'll clean it up. Mum, why don't you make more tea? The rest of you go sit in the living room for awhile."
"Okay," Molly agreed, still eyeing Bill curiously.
"What was that about?" she asked as soon as they were alone.
"Neil doesn't know."
"Doesn't know what?"
"That Ron and Neville are dating. He hasn't the slightest clue."
"But he should know there's a good chance. I mean, Neville's a Gryffindor."
"Neil was a Slytherin. Slytherins don't give a shit what Gryffindors are up to."
"Language!" Molly reprimanded. Bill looked sheepish.
"Sorry. But we shouldn't tell Neil before Neville does."
"You're right, of course. Neville should tell him when he's rea-"
"You mean to say you didn't know!" came the voice of one of the twins.
"Honestly, George. Way to respect the privacy of others," Percy grumbled.
"Damn!" Bill swore.
The scene in the living room was an interesting one indeed. Ginny looked as if she could've dropped another cereal bowl. Neville was mortified and Ron was whispering to him. On the other side of the room, Neil was as white as a sheet and Charlie was trying to get him to say something. Percy glared disapprovingly at the twins, who were still trying to figure out how Neil could possible be unaware that his brother was dating theirs for about six months now. "Say something, say anything," Charlie said.
"Something. Anything," Neil replied.
"It's a start," Charlie muttered. Gradually, order was restored (much to the dismay of Complete Chaos) and Neil regained his composure.
"Forgive me. It was just a shock, that's all. Last time I saw Neville he was 11 and so thrilled to be going to Hogwarts. To find that he's dating now should be expected, but I just hadn't thought about it."
"You should see him more often," Ron replied.
"Quite right. It's nice to meet you," Neil said, extending his hand. Ron shook it and noticed something on Neil's forearm. He squinted at it. Neil followed Ron's gaze and pulled down his sleeve with an apologetic smile.
"Likewise," Ron murmured.
"We should go," Neville said.
"So soon?" asked Molly.
"No doubt Gran is expecting us," Neville sighed.
"We'd better get your things," Ron said. Neville nodded.
The things were brought downstairs. Ron and Neville kissed briefly. Neville bade goodbye to all the Weasleys, promising to write and visit as soon as possible. Neil said his goodbyes as well, expressing regret that they couldn't stay longer. And when they stepped into the fireplace, both looked very thoughtful.
***
I have no idea how long that was, but I regret after such a long hiatus, I don't have more for you. What did you think of Neil? Is he evil or not? Oh there were four people who guessed which movie Sirius and Remus saw. And I can't search for they're names right now. Please forgive me. The movie was Cast Away.
love always,
J. Silver
***
Neville went upstairs to pack after dinner. Ron excused himself after a few minutes and went to check up on him. When he opened the door to his room, he was shocked. Neville was bustling about, slamming everything that could be slammed and shoving things into his trunk with complete disregard as to what state they'd be in when he unpacked them. Ron had never seen Neville this angry about anything. "Stop," Ron said absently. Neville ignored him. Ron grabbed his wrists gently. "Nev, stop," he commanded. Neville paused. "Look at yourself." Neville sighed.
"You're right. You're right." He dropped his hands and sat down on the bed. Ron sat beside him.
"What's wrong? And don't tell me nothing," he added sternly.
"I really, really don't want to see Gran and Neil."
"Are they really that bad?"
"My grandmother wears a dead carrion bird for a hat and my brother was a Slytherin. What do you think?" Neville muttered. Ron laughed and hugged Neville tightly.
"That's my Nev. Always finding the humor in an otherwise dark situation." Neville smiled weakly. "Cheer up. It's two weeks, at most. Just two weeks."
"Just."
"It's not that long."
"And You-know-who isn't that evil," Neville replied sourly. Ron laughed again.
"How awful can they be?"
"You don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
"Can't I just kiss you instead?"
"Can't we do both?" Neville considered this for a moment.
"No," he answered.
"C'mon. I have brothers."
"This is different," Neville insisted.
"Different how?"
"Your family is not my family."
"That's true..." Ron agreed cautiously.
"I can't talk to mine like you can talk to yours." Ron thought he understood.
"Nev, surely your grandmother will understand- about us," he said quietly.
"Gran was a Ravenclaw. She won't like this. It will just be something else that makes me different from Neil," Neville stated bitterly. All of a sudden something dawned on Ron and he truly understood. He pulled Neville to him. It bothered him no small amount to see his boyfriend falling apart at the prospect of facing his own family- not when he had been behind Ron one hundred percent. He had been so calm and strong for him and Harry.
"Talk to her. She's got to know eventually. What's the worse that could happen?" Neville didn't answer. "I'll be there no matter what happens."
"I know. It's what'll happen that bothers me."
The next day a tall, lean young man stepped out of the Weasley's fireplace. He had dark brown eyes and long dark hair. His face so resembled Neville's he could have been a brother. In fact, this was his brother. He looked over the Burrow carefully. "Neil Longbottom!" Charlie exclaimed. Neil beamed.
"Charlie Weasley. How nice it is to finally see you again!"
"Likewise."
"They told me you could've played Quidditch professionally."
"I had offers," Charlie replied, blushing slightly.
"Why didn't you?"
"I love dragons. You understand."
"Indeed, I do," Neil laughed.
"If anybody understands loving dragons above all else, it's Neil," Neville said, entering the kitchen.
"Or Harry," Ron added, looking extremely pained. Neville smiled.
"Harry? Who's that?" Neil asked.
"Honestly Neil. You do know who Harry Potter is?" Neville asked sharply.
"Yes, of course. I just didn't realize he was in your year," Neil mumbled.
"Would you like some tea? Mum is making some right now," Charlie offered, sensing tension.
"I don't want to be too much trouble-"
"Trouble? No, the more the merrier, right Neville?" Ron said.
"Right. Mrs. Weasley would love to meet you," Neville replied unenthusiastically.
"If you're sure, then."
"Positive," Charlie said.
"Everybody, meet Neil," Charlie announced. One by one, Neil was introduced to Molly, Arthur, Bill, Percy, Fred, George, and Ginny.
"I don't believe we were introduced," Neil said, turning to Ron.
"You haven't met Ron?" asked Molly, more than a little surprised.
"If you meet nobody else in this house, you must meet Ron," Fred said.
"Why is that?" Neil inquired. Bill's eyebrows rose dangerously high. Neil didn't know. Neville's family didn't know what the Weasleys had grown to accept.
"Why Ron is Neville's-" Bill signalled to his mother to stop. She looked at him curiously. "Bill dear, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Choking," Bill replied. And indeed he was. He doubled over in a coughing fit, requiring the assistance of the twins, who were only too glad to practice their skills as Beaters on the unfortunate Bill, knocking over the table in the process.
"I'm all right! I'm all right!" Bill cried, holding up his arms to sheild himself against the twins attack.
"However, the tea things do not share your good fortune," Percy said grimly, holding up half a teapot.
"I'll clean it up. Mum, why don't you make more tea? The rest of you go sit in the living room for awhile."
"Okay," Molly agreed, still eyeing Bill curiously.
"What was that about?" she asked as soon as they were alone.
"Neil doesn't know."
"Doesn't know what?"
"That Ron and Neville are dating. He hasn't the slightest clue."
"But he should know there's a good chance. I mean, Neville's a Gryffindor."
"Neil was a Slytherin. Slytherins don't give a shit what Gryffindors are up to."
"Language!" Molly reprimanded. Bill looked sheepish.
"Sorry. But we shouldn't tell Neil before Neville does."
"You're right, of course. Neville should tell him when he's rea-"
"You mean to say you didn't know!" came the voice of one of the twins.
"Honestly, George. Way to respect the privacy of others," Percy grumbled.
"Damn!" Bill swore.
The scene in the living room was an interesting one indeed. Ginny looked as if she could've dropped another cereal bowl. Neville was mortified and Ron was whispering to him. On the other side of the room, Neil was as white as a sheet and Charlie was trying to get him to say something. Percy glared disapprovingly at the twins, who were still trying to figure out how Neil could possible be unaware that his brother was dating theirs for about six months now. "Say something, say anything," Charlie said.
"Something. Anything," Neil replied.
"It's a start," Charlie muttered. Gradually, order was restored (much to the dismay of Complete Chaos) and Neil regained his composure.
"Forgive me. It was just a shock, that's all. Last time I saw Neville he was 11 and so thrilled to be going to Hogwarts. To find that he's dating now should be expected, but I just hadn't thought about it."
"You should see him more often," Ron replied.
"Quite right. It's nice to meet you," Neil said, extending his hand. Ron shook it and noticed something on Neil's forearm. He squinted at it. Neil followed Ron's gaze and pulled down his sleeve with an apologetic smile.
"Likewise," Ron murmured.
"We should go," Neville said.
"So soon?" asked Molly.
"No doubt Gran is expecting us," Neville sighed.
"We'd better get your things," Ron said. Neville nodded.
The things were brought downstairs. Ron and Neville kissed briefly. Neville bade goodbye to all the Weasleys, promising to write and visit as soon as possible. Neil said his goodbyes as well, expressing regret that they couldn't stay longer. And when they stepped into the fireplace, both looked very thoughtful.
***
I have no idea how long that was, but I regret after such a long hiatus, I don't have more for you. What did you think of Neil? Is he evil or not? Oh there were four people who guessed which movie Sirius and Remus saw. And I can't search for they're names right now. Please forgive me. The movie was Cast Away.
love always,
J. Silver