Disclaimer: Do I own Harry Potter? The answer is no and will always remain so.

Chapter IIIV: The Fight, the Resolution, and the End.

Involuntarily, Neville moved closer to Ginny. He did not know what he was doing. The voices in the back of his head were yelling at him to stop before he got himself into trouble, but Neville would not listen. He leaned he head in and caught Ginny's lips in a kiss. I'm in for it now, he thought, but then she started to kiss back.

Neville was in a complete state of bliss. Then he heard the door open.

To say that what happened next was not a pretty picture is a gross understatement. Harry Potter, himself, had looked out the door to come upon a scene of his ex-girlfriend lip-locked with Neville Longbottom. Harry was not at all happy about this.

As Ginny and Neville heard the door open, they immediately separated. Both were blushing furiously, especially when they saw Harry looking at them with a venomous glare. He took a slow, malicious step towards them.

"I thought that I told you, Longbottom, to stay away from Ginny," spat Harry. "For this, you will pay."

Neville was not quite sure how to reply to this, but Ginny saved him from having to at all.

"You told him to stay away from me? You have no right to do such things. I knew you were a bastard, Potter, but I didn't realize that you were such a chauvinist pig!"

Well, apparently, Harry did not take to well to being call a bastard or a "chauvinist pig." His face grew red with anger. "I will deal with you later. What's wrong Neville? To afraid to speak up for yourself?"

"Never," said Neville steadily. "Harry, you have no right to make demands upon others. I do not answer to you. I am sorry you think so much of yourself that you actually expect to command respect in this way."

This did not sit too well with Harry either. He punched Neville, square on the nose. There was a sickening crunch and blood sprayed. Neville held his hands over his nose. There was a scream and Mrs. Weasley ran from inside, taking her apron to cover Neville nose. To the ignorance of Harry, Ginny and Neville, the rest of the family had been watching from inside.

Neville's bleeding was quickly healed by Mrs. Weasley, but his nose looked swollen and broken. By that time, Ginny was laying into Harry hard. It looked like she had slapped him.

"How dare you! You are a bloody bastard. You think you are all high and mighty but you are really just a stupid little boy! Punching Neville like that of all things! I am surprised that you didn't call him a potty-head as well. Oh wait, you are potty-head. You willingly rid yourself of any part of my life years ago, if you did not remember. After everything, too! I loved you, I would have given up my life for you and I nearly did!

"Of course you wouldn't remember. You only remember things that promote yourself. I know the War was hard, but that does not mean you can get away with everything!"

"Don't talk to me about the War! You have no idea what it was like! You just twittled your time away at the Burrow. You have no idea what I saw, the destruction, the horror and the pain!" yelled Harry.

"I have no idea?" said Ginny incredulously. "You actually thought that I would just sit at home doing nothing? I joined the Order at sixteen. I became a spy at age sixteen! I saw more horror that you may ever believe. The worst part is that I could do anything to stop it because I couldn't give myself away! You never spent weeks in the Death Eater camps. I did. I saw the worst of the worst. You ever wonder why I became and Auror after the War? Well, now you know!"

"That just shows what you know! You did not have to avoid everyone you cared about because if you didn't they you likely be murdered! You didn't have to live in constant dread that you would either become a murderer or have to be murdered. You were not pushed away by everyone. You never looked true evil in the face and had to stand strong."

"Who pushed you away? Moreover, 'never looked true evil in the face and had to stand strong'? Are you that daft that you forget that fast? I was a spy; I looked evil in the face day after day! And Voldemort? If you don't remember, I loved you so much that I two curses from that bastard that almost killed me, just to be thanked with a slap in the face."

"You are just a silly, stupid little girl. You know that?" Harry sputtered.

Both Ginny and Harry had tears in there eyes by this time. Everyone watched with wide-eyes, not daring to interfere. Ginny slapped Harry again.

"You know what? Tom was right, you two are very similar. He said just that same thing to me before he tried to steal my life," Ginny said in a sturdy whisper. Then she turned and stalked away. Everyone just stood there gaping, unsure what to do next.

There was a flash. Everyone quickly turned to see none other than Rita Skeeter and some photographer.

"This will definitely make front page. Henry, you got a shot of that slap, didn't you? 'Harry Potter's not so Happy Christmas,' sounds like a good headline. 'The internationally famous Quidditch star and savior of the magical world, Harry Potter had better watch his campaign for Minister of Magic. Why? In a scene witnessed by Daily Prophet journalist, Ms. Rita Skeeter, herself, Mr. Potter displayed a devastating lack of the control that is needed to succeed as Minster…"

Neville, as calmly as possible, walked up to Rita Skeeter. "Ms. Skeeter, if you will kindly enough leave, I believe enough has happened tonight."

She sent Neville a scathing look, but apparated. She had a story, anyway.

Harry then crumpled to the ground in a wave of tears.

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The article had made the front page of the Daily Prophet, just as predicted. It explained the whole situation around Ginny and Harry. It also included Neville, much to his astonishment. It sold more copies than any other issue, not to mention furthered Rita Skeeter's career. Apparently, she had been working on this story for a long time, digging up information that had been until recently buried deep. The story, being completely verifiable, also restored her credibility.

No body had seen either Ginny or Harry since that night. Neville knew that they both had to cool off, but he was beginning to become worried.

It was the next day that Harry Potter resigned in his campaign for Minister of Magic. No one was surprised about that, and after the article, most wouldn't have voted for him anyway. This, of course, brought about a landslide win for Hermoine Granger. She graciously accepted the position.

Ron planned a very big celebration party for her the next Saturday, which also happened to be New Years Eve. The guest list was huge, but Ron insisted upon it.

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Neville left his shop at five to get to Hermoine's party. It was a cheerfully brisk night, with the stars twinkling, inviting the new year in.

Ron greeted him cheerfully. There were many witches and wizards already there. Among them were Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter. They were talking and it seemed to be a civilized conversation. Neville smiled, but also became worried. What if Ginny accepted Harry back? He was of course, the great Harry Potter, why wouldn't she accept him back? Why would she choose dull, dim Neville long bottom over him?

Neville became withdrawn from the party, being too preoccupied with his own thoughts. He clutched his drink and bit back a bitter laugh; perhaps he should have just stayed away. It was at this miserable moment that Harry Potter approached him.

"Neville," he started slowly. "I first wanted to tell you that I am sorry. I am sorry for everything I have done. I—I don't know what came over me exactly. I am just happy that I have been brought back…"

"I am happy your back too, Harry," said Neville, with a slight, but sad smile.

"Thank you, Neville. After everything, I do not know how you can be so good to me, but then again, you always have been a great man. Even those you defeated respected you and thought of you with no hate, only admiration."

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Harry's words had heartened Neville, but he still tried to avoid Ginny. It was only a few minutes until midnight and he had managed to avoid her so far, but his luck ran out. She approached him with a sweet smile.

"I finally found you! I have been trying to talk to you all evening, but by the time I get to where you are, you are no longer there."

"I have just been mingling," said Neville, a little bit sheepishly.

"I really wanted to talk to you. I am sorry I didn't contact you sooner, I just…well…needed time to think," she said.

"I understand."

"I wanted to thank you, so much, for being there for me. I know this all hasn't been easy and you have been a great friend, despite the calamitous last few months…"

There it was, Neville cringed. He had been the best "friend."

"Yes, well, your welcome. You deserve the best. I hope you and Harry are very happy together."

Ten

Nine

Ginny looked at him incredulously.

Eight

"Harry and I are not…" said Ginny, breaking off. Seven Six

"You're not?" said Neville, wide-eyed.

Five

Four

"No, there is someone else," she said, making Neville heart drop.

Three

Two

"Who?" he asked nervously.

One

"You," Ginny whispered, kissing Neville thoroughly.

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THE END

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A/N: Well, don'tI feel a little sheepish. I meant to make this story longer and better, but I have lost it. This will be the end for now. I may add an epilogue, or much later come back and fix it up (maybe even change the ending or add more chapters). I would like to thank everyone for reading and an extra special thank you to my lovely reviewers: Riye Link Reue, Taken-IT-Easy, ih8uppl, Charlo, Angelique Collins, Daine, Friends yet Enemies, and These Days. And another thank you to anyone who feels that they deserve it, or that I accidently left out. Finally, I apologise for any and all grammer mistakes and plot holes.

Thank You All!

---Perplexity