Don't panic, Neville. Just stay calm, the more you struggle the faster it will kill you. Oh, shit – KILL you! Not a good thought, not a good thought, not a good thought. Relax! Don't panic. No panicking.
"HELP!" Neville screamed in absolute panic as the plants oily vines gripped his body even tighter.
"Help, I've lost my wand and I can't breathe!" Vines were grabbing at his hands, his throat, his thighs. He couldn't breathe! He was going to die and he'd never even told Severus how much he loved him! Black sots danced in front of his eyes; there was a loud buzzing in his ear. His lungs burned – he needed oxygen. But no rescue came. With agonizing slowness Neville felt his life being choked out of him. His eyes fluttered closed.
"Incendo!" A harsh-grating-beautiful-wonderful-snarky-growly-shivery-voice ripped into Neville fading consciousness. Bright face swirled into Neville vision as he was abruptly thrown to the ground, the Devils Snare shrieking in pain.
Neville could feel the cold stone floor burning into his body as he lay gasping for breath. Before he had time to even register he was alive, Neville was caught up in a strong grip and found himself staring into the fathomless eyes of his beloved.
"You blithering idiot boy!" Severus seethed. "What is Salazar's bloody name were you doing down here! You cold have been killed!" Severus increased his grip on Neville's shoulders. His heart was still pounding with fury at seeing Neville laying limp in the Devil's Snares tendrils – his beautiful eyes drifting closed.
"You idiot boy" he screamed again. At this moment Severus didn't care if the boy was a bumbling Gryffindor or if he himself was undeserving of love. If Neville had died, Severus would have … shit, just seeing the boy in danger had caused the heart he wasn't supposed to have stop beating. Fuck.
Neville slumped to the floor again as Severus grip slackened but barely had time to gasp before he was pulled against the potions masters' hard chest.
"You idiot, idiot boy," Severus continued to whisper brokenly, softly cradling Neville in his arms. Neville wasn't really sure what was going on. First he was nearly strangled to death, then his beloved teacher had come running out of the blue, first he was angry and now, now – Neville timidly tucked his head into the crook of Severus's neck. He had never been held so gently before. It was as if Severus really cared what happened to him, as if he had been worried. Knowing that it wouldn't last long, Neville inhaled Severus's scent, imaging that his fantasizes were the truth.
Slowly the hands wrapped around Neville's shoulders drifted to his back and began rubbing light circles; Neville could hear Severus's heartbeat calming against his chest. They lay there like that for unknown time.
Sighing Neville tried burying his head even further in Severus's neck, relishing how the hands hug him tighter in response. Oh sweet Merlin, this felt so good. Neville was not used to being held – his Gran would have sent him on his way with a blistering lecture by now. But Severus was holding him, comforting him … and he was so warm. In fact Neville was getting hot. His breath hitched as Neville became truly aware of where he was. In his potions masters lap. Cuddling. He was so close – he had never been this close to Severus before. He could feel Severus's breath ghost over his ear. Oh fuck, he was in heaven, he was … so good. Neville barely repressed a moan as the hands trailing over his back ignited little flames all over his body. It was so good to be treated so gently so good … Neville froze. Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh no. Stupid hormonal body ! This was not good not good not good. Maybe Severus hadn't noticed. Maybe – the hands stopped.
"Mr. Longbottom," Snape's snaky voice bit out, "that had better be your wand."