Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius of J.K. Rowling. We are not her. This is merely a fan fiction to tide us over until Book 6.

A/N: Pushing the PG-13, but not breaking. Long chapter. Enjoy.

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Not wanting to climb back down the ivy, Neville was easily convinced to use the stairs this time. After being told the steps turned into a slide, Alaire thought it would be fun if they slid down together. The idea spread like wildfire through the dormitory and soon a train formed with Neville at the head. Usually, he probably would have fallen and broken something, but this time he had Alaire's arms wrapped around his middle. Someone shouted "Go!" and soon they landed in the common room in a lump of limbs and giggles.

The rest of the boys stared in stunned silence at the mass of bodies at the base of the stairs. The only distinguishable feature of Neville was one leg trapped under five or six giggling girls.

Finally, Seamus spoke. "I never thought I'd say this, but at this moment I want nothing more than to be Longbottom."

Quite a few nodded in agreement as Ron started lifting the girls up onto their feet.

"Hermione, are you in there?' he asked as he set another girl up from the floor.

"Of course not, Ron," Hermione huffed playfully as she came down the newly formed stairs. Ron's face lit up as he rushed up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist before kissing her.

Flushed as they broke apart, Hermione surveyed the room and asked "Don't we have a movie to watch?"

Thirty minutes later, as Sleepless in Seattle played, Harry snuck a glance over at Alaire and Neville. His heart ached a little to see them there snuggled on the couch together. Alaire was sitting in Neville's lap, her head resting on his chest, and Neville had one arm wrapped around her waist and a big grin on his face. A sarcastic Slytherin-ish thought crossed Harry's mind. "Yeah, enjoy it while you can. When her dad gets here, you'll be lucky to be in the same country as her."

Sighing, Harry turned his attention back to the movie while his mind kept making excuses why he didn't need Alaire or want her at all. He ran through all her flaws and by the end of the movie, Harry felt a bit better having come up with one thought that to him rang true. He felt the urgent need to share it with Neville, poor soul.

"Thank you for everything tonight, Neville," Alaire said at the base of the stairs to the girls' dormitory later that night. Everyone else had gone to bed leaving the new couple alone to cuddle in the firelight.

"I meant every word up there, you know," Neville said in a low voice.

"I know," she said smiling before she leaned into him and kissed him.

A few minutes later they pulled away.

"Goodnight," she whispered as she started up the stairs.

"It will be now," Neville replied, causing a flush to rise up on Alaire's face.

Neville felt like screaming in joy as he bound up the stairs two at a time. He rushed into the boys' dormitory and laid down on the bed, his heart beating heavily in his chest.

"I take it that it was a GOOD goodnight," teased Seamus.

"Shut up, Finnegan. Even your vile comments couldn't ruin this night," said Neville with a smile on his face.

"All right! On that note, I'm leaving," Seamus said. "I've got a date. Sleep well boys because I won't be sleeping tonight!"

"Yeah, yeah," Harry muttered as Seamus left the room. "Dean left for detention. Make sure you and Lavender don't get caught by Filch or you'll be joining him."

"Well, I should be going to," Ron said getting up and heading for the door.

"And what are you leaving for?" Neville asked.

"R-rounds!" he said defensively. "I'm a prefect, you know."

"Yeah, we know, but I thought Ginny said that tonight was Ravenclaw's night to do rounds."

"Well . . .well . . . she's wrong," Ron stammered as the tips of his ears turned red. "It's 'Mione's and my turn tonight."

"Sure, mate," Harry said. "Just make sure she doesn't slip you another of those bondage bars."

By now, Ron's whole face was red. "Bloody twins," he said leaving the dorm room as laughter rang out.

That just left Neville and Harry.

Neville sighed and looked at his roommate as he prepared to go to sleep. They were going to have to talk about the fight earlier today.

"Look Harry –"

"Don't worry about it, Neville," said Harry as he pulled the covers back to his bed. "I'm over it now. It just took me a bit. I mean I like Alaire and everything, but it's not like it would lead anywhere. I mean with her condition and everything, there wouldn't be much of THAT you know."

Neville gave him a look letting him know he had no idea what he was talking about. Harry sighed as he climbed into bed.

"Think about it Neville. She's an empath. Powerful emotions cause her pain remember? Like at Halloween. Didn't she have to go to have medicine because of the powerful emotions then? Just think about what it would be like. Every time you felt a powerful urge to do something . . . um, sexy, she'd have a fit. I bet that's why most empath's don't get married. Poor girl." Harry shook his sympathetically and was glad that his long hair covered his slight grin. "Goodnight Neville. I'm sure the two of you will find a way through it all."

Lying down, Harry's words echoed in Neville's head. What if Harry was right? What if what the emotions he was feeling hurt her? He never wanted to do that. He had been with her after the fight and it had scared him. He remembered what the power of the emotions had done. Her pale face and sick stomach. And didn't she say earlier after the fight that he and Harry were giving her a headache? It was true he hated what Harry had said then and hate was a powerful emotion, but so was love. What would happen if the amount of love he felt for Alaire made her sick?

Suddenly Neville felt ill himself. Twisting in the bed he tried to go to sleep, but he wouldn't sleep peacefully he knew. Making a vow to himself he promised never to make Alaire sick with his emotions, no matter how much it tortured him.

Neville and Alaire spent the rest of the weekend generally avoiding their classmates. Having a study of his own proved invaluable to Neville. They spent the afternoons there studying, talking, and simply enjoying be with each other. They joined their classmates for meals then quietly disappeared again.

Alaire was glad of the time alone. She had never had to deal with the feelings of jealousy and envy that flooded her every time she and Neville walked into a room of Gryffindor girls. Neville was oblivious to the covert glances and outright stares that he now generated among his classmates. Lavender Brown had actually sat down next to Neville in the common room while he was talking to Dean on Sunday afternoon. She only moved after receiving a full-on Southern girl "Get your hands off my man!" glare from Alaire.

The week before Hogsmeade flew by in a flurry of study sessions, last minute essay writing, and late nights finishing seeming mountains of homework. When Saturday finally rolled around, the inmates of Hogwarts ran for freedom as fast as they could. Unbeknownst to them, they were under the watchful eyes of several Aurors.

As Filch opened the gates and let loose the flood of children, he made a surreptitious sign that was seen by Severus Snape situated high on a hill overlooking the path to Hogsmeade. He had concealed himself with a Disillusionment charm and magically erased is footprints from the snow. He cast another warming spell on his wet boots and sighed. He hated this part of teaching. He liked chopping ingredients, mixing liquids, and creating new potions. He did not like snotty students, walking hallways, or guarding a path to Hogsmeade on a cold, snowy day in early December.

He watched as a Weasley head of red hair made its way down the path alongside Draco Malfoy. Who would have thought of that one? Apparently opposites attract as was proven by the second redhead who was herding third-years alongside his bushy-headed girlfriend. Brawn and brains.

After the group passed by, one of Snape's main concerns walked down the path. Harry Potter was a solitary man these days. Snape had noticed his shoulders more hunched than usual this past week. He didn't even snap back when prodded by Snape in class. He had only sighed and re-cut his dandelion roots. Where was the fun in that? Snape had heard rumors but his sources had busy with schoolwork themselves. His suspicions were confirmed, however, when he saw a red cape and a dark coat slip through the gate under Filch's glare. Ah, here was the proof of the thing. The two culprits walked slowly along the path stopping occasionally for quick kisses. His usual frown lifted to a flat line that was the closest that Snape had come to a smile in a very long time. He had tortured Neville mercilessly in his potions classes hoping against hope that the boy would fight back. It never happened and he had left Snape's reach as soon as possible. Perhaps Alaire would give him the backbone that he needed, the courage that his father had shown.

Snape shook his head clear of several memories that threatened to rear their ugly heads. He watched Harry then Neville and Alaire make their way to Hogsmeade then signaled to Kingsley Shacklebolt that the path was clear. Turning his back on his memories and teaching duties, he made his way back to his dark lab.

At Hogsmeade, Alaire and Neville quickly made their Christmas purchases, books for her parents and a feather restorer for his Gran's prized turkey hat. As they shopped, all they did was hold hands and have some pecks on the lips. Alaire was beginning to wonder what was wrong. Their snogging never went beyond short sweet kisses.

"I mean, Neville's a guy, isn't he?" Alaire thought to herself.

He should like to do more than rub noses. Merlin knows she wanted to touch something else other than his elbow. That wasn't a bad thing was it? To want to be closer to the man she loved? Surely, Neville knew she liked him. The last time at Hogsmeade, I practically threw myself at him. At least he had grabbed her bum. Granted, he didn't realize what he was doing at the time, having collided with her outside a dressing room, but still that was more action then she was getting currently and they were dating now. Neville hadn't done more than a quick kiss since the movie Friday night. It seemed that he had emotionally cut himself off from her. It certainly wasn't the action of a man who had literally scaled walls to declare his love for her.

Sitting at the Three Broomsticks in the back booth, Alaire went to kiss Neville on the lips only to have him just give her another little peck. When she tried to deepen the kiss, he just broke away and went to get another butterbeer.

Maybe he's just doesn't want to show any affection in public, she reasoned with herself as he sat back down.

"Here you go, love," he said sitting a butterbeer in front of her as he drank from his cup. Alaire just stared at the cup as the chatter in the tavern filled the silence between her and Neville.

Neville noticed that she wasn't drinking and turned to her. "Are you all right?"

Alaire smiled weakly at him. "Can we just go back to the castle, Neville?"

Neville nearly jumped up in panic. "Are you feeling sick? Do you want me to get you something? If you don't feel well, I'll see if we can floo right into the infirmary?"

Alaire smiled. "I'm fine, Neville. I just want to go back."

"Are you sure? Do you need me to do anything?"

Yes! Something romantic and sexy, you twit! Her mind screamed as she just smiled. "Now that you mention it, I would like to spend some time in your study with you – alone."

"Oh," he said relieved before his eyebrows shot up. "Oh."

Finally, she thought smirking as they left the tavern. She had thought Ron Weasley was just personally dense but it seemed to be a common trait for the entire male sex.

Twenty minutes later they were in Neville's study. The heat caused them both to shed their cloaks and outer robes as the sweet smell of honeysuckle and roses filled the air.

"So what did you want to do?" Neville asked as they sat down on the couch.

"This," Alaire said before capturing his lips.

They began to kiss in earnest and Alaire shifted so she could get a little closer to him when she felt him tense up and push her away.

"For heaven's sake, Neville! What's wrong?!" Alaire asked in exasperation as he pulled away from her again.

"Nothing. Nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing? Then why do you pull away from me every time I try to touch you? Do I disgust you?"

"No!! Not at all! It's just that . . ." his voice trailed off.

"Its just what?" Alaire sighed. "Honestly, Neville. This is getting to be more than frustrating. I have a wonderful boyfriend that I love to kiss and would love to do a bit more with but he keeps running away from me. Would YOU happen to know why?"

Neville opened his mouth to say something then stopped.

"Fine! I give up! I thought we had something but if you're just going to stand there gaping at me like a goldfish, I'll just go back to the common room!" Alaire had turned to grab her cloak when Neville grabbed her by the arm and turned her to face him.

"You and your temper! It's just hard to say."

"Neville, you can trust me. I'm not going to hex you or anything."

"No, but you are fragile. And I'm afraid of hurting you."

"What?"

Neville let go of her arm and looked down at his feet gathering his courage. "I'm afraid of what would happen to you if I, if I," he paused and took a breath. "If I let go of how I really feel."

"You think I would be hurt by you?"

"Yeah. I mean, strong emotions affect you and I-I don't want you to go into a coma or anything in the middle of-of. Oh, Hell. This isn't going well."

Alaire had to turn away from Neville to hide her smile. He was afraid that his passion would overwhelm her and send her to the hospital wing! He had a valid point but she felt he was completely wrong. There was only one thing to do. Set the man straight and then prove to him that she would be just fine. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she turned back to Neville who was leaning against his work table, staring at his shoes, and looking more embarrassed than she had ever seen him.

"Neville, I know you're thinking about the Halloween party but this 'situation' is totally different. Those were bad emotions. Your emotions are all good."

"But-"

"It's a difference in opinions. You think your EMOTIONS are bad. I happen to like them." She gave him what she hoped was a seductive smile. "And, you have to remember that one of the first things that I learned when I became empathic was to separate my feelings from the feelings of others." She took a step toward him.

"And, remember that I can tune people in and tune people out. If your passion," she took another step, "became overwhelming then I would take a moment to block you out. But, Neville," she leaned toward him placing a hand on either side of his hips.

"I don't want to block you out. I want you." She leaned in an inch from his lips pressing her hips into his. "Your emotions are like champagne."

She leaned forward and prayed that he would understand that she wanted him. All of him. His mind, his emotions, and his body and all the risk that a relationship entailed.

Neville's mind was racing. They were taking such a risk. But Alaire wanted to take it. And the way she was kissing him was leaving him little choice. Parts of him were responding whether he liked it or not.

Alaire pulled back and looked at him. "Believe me, Neville?"

"Yeah. But can we have a code word or sign or something that would let me know if I'm going too far? I'd feel more comfortable."

Alaire giggled. "Most girls would just say 'NO' but I understand. How about Snape?"

"Gods, no!!"

"Ok, then. California?"

"What?!"

"Well, it's a word than neither of us would think of usually."

Neville was quiet for a moment. "OK. Only if you promise to use it."

Alaire smiled and nodded. "I promise. I trust you, Neville. You'd never hurt me on purpose. Who knows? You might need to use it yourself." Alaire ran a finger down his throat down to his chest. "Because if you haven't figured it out yet, I think you're sexy. And --"

"And would like to cover me in whipped cream and eat me up?"

Alaire's mouth dropped open as her face turned red. "I am going to kill Ginny Weasley."

They stood laughing together for a few moments before Alaire felt Neville bend down to kiss her neck sending a chill down her spine. A second kiss behind her ear was followed by a kiss on her cheek. When their lips finally met, Alaire was trembling. Her knees went weak as Neville's tongue brushed hers. She leaned in towards him and for the first time in a long time, he didn't pull away. Instead, he pulled her closer and began to move over to the couch in the study.

Alaire moved her hands from his chest to wrap them in his thick hair. He had wonderful hair that was just wavy enough to wrap around her hands in a silky caress. As they continued to kiss, Neville began to move his hands up her ribs at a maddeningly slow pace.

"Neville, we need a silencing charm." His head came up with jerk.

"I'll do it," she said and pulled her wand out of her back pocket. "Silencio."

The room was basked in a light blue glow for few seconds.

"I should have thought of that," Neville said with a smile. "Now, let's lock the door and put up the wreath."

"The wreath?"

"Don't ask."

Another muttered spell and they were safe. It was still dark except for the glow of the moon through the enchanted window.

"Neville, I-I don't know how far you want to . . ."

"Not that far!" Neville quickly said. "That has to be special. I mean, more special than right now, I mean . . ." He stopped and grinned. "I don't know what I mean."

"I do. Now, where were we?" she asked as pressed her hips into his making Neville close his eyes as he swallowed a groan.

"You're going to kill me, Alaire."

"Yeah, but what a way to go," she replied as she leaned in for another kiss.