Disclaimer: Harry Potter is from the creative genius that is J.K. Rowling. We are not her. This is merely a fan fiction to tide us over until book 6.
Neville looked around for Alaire and noting her absence sighed. He had been waiting for her in the library for almost half-an-hour. She had made him promise to meet her at seven for a quick charms study session before her test the next day. He really didn't think he was the person to give her pointers but she had insisted. He looked around again and rubbed at a headache forming at his temples.
He was worried about Alaire. He knew she would show up eventually out of breath and a story about getting caught up in a conversation with Ginny, Seamus, or Dean. No, it wasn't anything at Hogwarts preoccupying him; he was worried about Deatheaters.
That morning's owl posts had brought news of an attack in Yorkshire. Some tourists had accidentally interrupted a meeting of Voldemort's followers. Thinking it was part of some historical tour, the hapless muggles had actually laughed when told to leave. They never got the chance to laugh again. Only one man had managed to hold on long enough to tell his story. He had mercifully died of a heart attack at St. Mungo's a few hours after his arrival.
That attack, coupled with the one over New Year's just made one thing stick out to him - Alaire need protection. She was HIS girlfriend and LeStrange had a personal grudge against him. She was also friends with Harry who had Voldemort as his fate.
Whenever he had tried to approach the subject, she simply reassured him that she had a few tricks up her "American sleeve" but he wanted more. She needed training. The only problem was that the best person to train her was Harry. Hell, truth be told, he was the best person to train anyone including some at the Auror's level. Jealousy wasn't really the big proble as far as Alaire and Harry being together for extended periods of time. Okay, so it was the small problem but Neville would gladly encourage the training as long as it meant that Alaire was safe. However, getting Harry and Alaire to work together was the big problem. While she claimed that they had finally resolved their problems, their friendship just wasn't the same. It couldn't be. So the question was could they put aside their differences long enough to work together?
"You're lost in your thoughts." Neville flinched as heard Ginny's voice whisper in his ear.
He heard Ginny giggle at his jumpiness.
"Yeah," he said, his heart still racing from being surprised. "Ginny, maybe you could help me?"
"Girl trouble, already, Neville? This is supposed to be the honeymoon stage," Ginny said with a sly grin as she sat down beside him at the table. She had a large load of books with her all having to do with potions.
"No. Actually, for the first time in my life, that part is going well. Very well, as a matter of fact," he said fighting down a blush.
"I knew you had it in you, Neville. I just wasn't the person to bring it all out. Although, I must admit that I did enjoy trying!" Ginny said with a smile. "From what I hear, you're doing just fine. Better, even."
Neville felt himself color as he imagined Alaire talking with Ginny.
"Umm-"
"Before you even ask, she hasn't told me or anyone else anything. She just has that glow whenever I ask how things are going. She seems very," Ginny paused as she sought for an appropriate word, "Satisfied."
Neville felt himself smiling with a bit of pride. He was finally doing something right.
"So what did you need, Neville?" Ginny asked as she opened one of the books and skimmed the glossary.
"It's about the war," he told her in a hushed tone.
Ginny's smile faded as she looked up from the book.
"What about it?"
"We all know that something big is going to happen soon. And, it will probably involve Harry. It might involve Dumbledore. Hell, it could even involve us again. Alaire's not ready for that."
Ginny had gone pale. She sighed before sitting back in her chair and nodding. "You're right."
"I've been thinking about trying to get her to work on some of her defense work."
"That's a good idea. But I can tell you that working with someone you love is difficult. Unless you've had a really big argument, it's hard to work up the emotion to throw a curse and mean it."
"Know that from personal experience?"
"Yeah, I mean Draco tried dueling with me, but he wouldn't throw anything he thought would hurt me. He still doesn't really. It took 12 bat-bogeys, a excrement enhancer and more before he even tried to send even a cutting curse my way."
"That's why I thought I might ask Harry to do it."
Ginny stared at him.
"Are you serious?"
"Who else would I ask? He knows what he's doing. He's the best at DADA in the school. Plus, he cares about Alaire. He'd want to help."
"That's a dangerous game to be playing, Neville, putting your girlfriend in the same room with someone whom we both know is still in love with her."
"Ginny, if she breaks up with me to be with Harry, it will break my heart. But if something happens to her because she's wasn't prepared, it would kill me."
Ginny nodded her understanding. "I know what you mean."
She had begun to have nightmares about Draco and the final battle. His mother had been sending him coded messages that he wasn't safe outside of Hogwarts. What would she do if Hogwarts was threatened? Would Lucius Malfoy hurt or defend his only son?
Draco himself said he wasn't taking a side in the war.
This had lead to a full out row between him and Ginny, and another between him and his father. Ginny could still remember what he said in the heat of the argument.
"You want to know how I can not choose a side? I'll tell you. The only side I am on is mine and that includes making sure that what's mine is safe. That includes you, Ginevra. If you go out there, and I'm sure as hell you will, I won't care who it is I curse! Death Eaters, Aurors, professors, students or what! No one is going to be able to get within 10 feet of throwing a spell at you! I will not lose you, damn it! It almost happened once and I'll be damned if it happens again!"
"What am I? A pet or a person, Draco? You can't put me up on a shelf like my family has tried to do all these years! I am my own person and I will do as I please!"
"Even if it means death, Ginny? Or have you spent your time daydreaming about your funeral? The minister, your family, Dumbledore, all of your friends bent over your casket crying over your NOBLE sacrifice? Well, I can tell you one person who wouldn't be there!"
"Draco . . ." Ginny began to feel hurt. "You wouldn't . . . If something happened to me, you wouldn't . . ."
"No, I wouldn't." He came over and took her in his arms and held her so tightly that she couldn't breathe. "Because I would either be lying right there beside you or alive and searching for revenge. Don't you dare be a hero, Ginny. Let someone else go out and face the bad guys. Stay here with me."
"I have to follow my heart, Draco."
"I thought I had your heart, Ginny."
"You do, but . . ."
"If you feel you have to do something then do something that's less dangerous. Work in the infirmary, work at the Ministry, run away with me to the Caribbean and lie in the sun all day."
Ginny had to smile.
"You know neither of us can bear the sun, Draco."
"Promise me, Ginevra. Promise me."
"I can't promise not to die, Draco. But I do promise not to risk my life without thinking."
Draco wasn't entirely satisfied but he nodded. It was a start. They had spent the rest of the hour before curfew simply holding each other tightly as if trying to imprint themselves on one another's very soul.
Ginny felt tears starting to pool in her eyes at the memory.
"Wow, you two are so far gone!" Alaire's voice cut across their morbid thoughts. She bent and gave Neville a quick kiss on the cheek. "I have a legitimate excuse this time. Professor Snape just stopped me for a chat. It's hard to break off with him when he wants to talk."
Ginny looked at Alaire quizzically. "You and Snape are on speaking terms?"
"Yeah. My mother had loaned him a book over the holidays and he was returning it."
"Wow. I thought Draco was the only one he liked. That's who gave me a heads up on the potion quiz on Monday," she said gesturing to the books in front of her.
"I didn't say he liked me. I said he talked to me. Not the same. Now, ready to work your Charms on me, Mr. Longbottom?"
Ginny made her excuses and left. She suddenly had the need for a hug from a Slytherin.
"Actually, Alaire, lets go to the study. We won't be disturbed."
Alaire gave him a seductive smile. "Hmmm. I like that kind of studying."
As they walked along, Neville tried to find the words to talk to Alaire about studying DADA with Harry.
After they put their books down, Neville found himself wrapped tightly in a hug.
"Mmm. I needed that," Alaire said as she snuggled up to him. "Talking to Snape can be so tiring."
"So he wanted more than returning a book?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "He wants me to start working on my legilimency and occlumency with Harry. I tried to explain but he wouldn't have any of it."
"Oh."
"You're not jealous?"
""Of Snape?" Neville sputtered. "Merlin, no! But that kind of defense work, I guess is what I need to talk to you about."
Alaire pulled back from him puzzled.
"Alaire, I want you to spend more time with Harry, too."
"Excuse me? Are you breaking up with me?" she asked in a raspy voice.
"No! Not that. It's something else. I-I . . . Let's sit down."
He pulled Alaire over to his beat-up couch.
"Alaire, you know about Harry's role in the war
against Volde- against You-Know-Who." She nodded. "Alaire, I'm afraid that because you are my girlfriend and Harry's friend too that you might be in danger."
"So you want me to spend more time with Harry? That doesn't make sense, Neville."
"It would if you would spend that time working on defensive spells."
"Neville, we've already talked about this," Alaire sighed as she squeezed Neville's hand in hers. "If you think I need more work, I'll work with you."
"It wouldn't work, Alaire," Neville said letting go of her hand and standing up to look down at her. "We care about each other too much. Besides, Harry is the best in the school. I trust him. He'd teach you much more than I could."
"Have you spoken to Harry about this?"
Neville shook his head.
"What if I say no?" A heavy silence fell between them. "I don't want to do this, Neville. It's just not in my nature to hurt someone. I'm not a soldier. I can defend myself but this is different."
Alaire looked over at Neville and was shocked to see a tear rolling down his cheek.
"Honey, what is wrong?"
All she could feel was his sadness. More than sadness. Something deeper. Despair. She got up from the sofa and took a step toward him.
"What if something happens to you? What if you end up like my parents? I don't want to visit three beds, Alaire. And I sure as hell don't want to have to tell your parents that something happened to you. And if you die . . ."
Words failed him.
Alaire quickly closed the space between them wrapping her arms around him.
"Oh, I am so sorry, Neville. I am so sorry."
"Alaire, you mean the world to me. And not just as my girlfriend but as my friend. I've seen what these people are capable of, Alaire. So have you. It's not a matter of hurting someone else on purpose, it's a matter of protecting yourself. Please, for me, if not for me, for your parents and your family. I'm not asking you to go out and become an Auror. I just want you to defend yourself."
Alaire sighed against his chest. "I'll do it, Neville. I'll do it. I won't like it but I'll do it."
They sat there together holding each other until Neville's fear subsided.
"I live with that fear every day, Alaire.," he said cupping her face in his hands before placing a chaste kiss on her lips. "Thank you. If Harry won't work with you, we'll find someone else."
"OK. Just promise me something, OK?" Neville nodded. "When this is all over, you'll go away with me to somewhere hot and sunny where no one knows us and we'll just spend days making love and loving life?"
"I promise." Neville said blushing at the image that had just formed in his mind from her words. He pulled her closer to him and sealed the promise with a kiss.