Birds of a Feather
This is just a simple little piece I wrote when I needed a bit of a break from my much larger story. It's set in either Harry's sixth or seventh year, it doesn't really matter. Oh, and I own none of the characters or the wonderful world JK has created for us to enjoy.
Neville stood in the middle of the Room of Requirement after all the other students had left from their latest DA meeting. Tonks was wandering around the room, picking up objects and looking around for places to put them.
Neville thought Tonks was a very pretty woman, but knew he'd never be brave enough to say anything to her. He felt his throat dry out just thinking about it, but for some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off her.
Tonks picked up one too many books, though, and her entire armload when crashing to the floor. One of the sneakoscopes fell right on her toe, and she cried out in pain before starting to hop around the floor.
Neville's heart pounded to see this, and before he realized it, he sprang into action, running to her side to see if she was all right. Unfortunately, he stepped on the same sneakoscope, and fell onto his back with a loud thud. He groaned and looked up at the hopping Tonks, who was now looking down at him and shaking her head.
"What a nice pair we seem to make," she gasped in between hops.
"Yes…" Neville gasped as he tried to get his breath back.
After a minute, Tonks's toe hurt her a bit less, and Neville could breathe again. She held her hand out for him to take, and helped him to his feet. He took her hand, and his heart began to pound again at the thought of touching her.
The two hobbled out of the room carefully, each leaning on the other for support. Once they'd reached the Gryffindor common room, they stopped. Tonks unwound her hand from Neville's arms, and smiled. "Thank you," she said with a grin.
Neville turned beet red, and looked at the ground. "It was nothing," he stammered.
Before Tonks could say anything else, Professor Lupin walked over to them. "Hello, Tonks," he greeted her with a smile.
"Oh, hello, Remus!" Tonks cried while throwing her arms around him. "Are you ready to go to dinner now?"
Remus nodded his head, and smiled at Neville before turning and escorting Tonks towards the staircase.
Neville's heart sank as he saw her walk away from him. He sighed, and was about to use the password to open the portrait and return to the common room, when the painting opened in front of him. Ginny stepped out in front of him, and grinned. "Hey Neville," she said in greeting.
"Hey Ginny," he replied with a small smile of his own.
"I was just going to get some hot chocolate in the kitchens, want to join me?" Ginny asked.
Neville thought about this for a moment before nodding his head. Ginny really was much prettier than Tonks, and she was only a year younger than he was, much closer in age than Tonks. He sighed to himself as he walked down the stairs next to the lovely red head. If only he was braver, he would ask her out some time.