Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Graces Malfoy, who is my own. I do not claim any ownership of the characters or settings contained within. This story is for entertainment only and is not part of the official story line.
Author's notes: This chapter is being uploaded before my second beta can review it. It will be reposted with the final editing as soon as Denarii can get to it. I just didn't want to make you all wait. So a big thanks to ArthurDent2 for fixing a majority of the punctuation mistakes in here, as well as aiding me with the French! Yeah, my beta is awesome and speaks like five different languages, French being one of them haha.
Denarii will finish up editing later when he isn't as busy. It's the holiday season so bear with us ;)
Special thanks to: the-compulsive-tea-drinker,DamonSalvatorelover,Snakespur,Morgan Morai, and Phoenix for their reviews! I love reading the ones where you all are trying to guess what happens next! I am so glad you all enjoyed the humorous chapter and that I am surrounded by Loki fans!
Phoenix: I am so sorry! I promise I will bear in mind your correct anatomy from now on hahaha ;)
REMEMBER THIS IS STILL THE SAME DAY AS CHAPTER 11!
Chapter 12
Neville decided that he did not want Graces to have the upper hand in their meeting tonight. It sounded juvenile, but he hated how composed the Slytherin girl always was. Graces constantly seemed to need to be in control, and while Neville was used to women like that from growing up with his gran, for once he wanted to be the cool, steady one, the one with the upper hand. With that thought in mind, he decided that he was going to do everything in his power to knock those brick walls of hers down, and his first plan to achieve that was to catch her off guard.
So there he was sitting in an abandoned classroom, alone with his thoughts, well over an hour before she would be arriving. All day the sandy haired Gryffindor had been thinking of Graces. At first, after her monster of a pet attacked him, he was mostly thinking of all the bad things about her, but after his conversation with Hermione his anger had diminished quite considerably. Probably because he was then thinking of all the reasons he wanted her and not Hannah.
He had not lied to Hermione, everything he said was true. He and Graces had amazing chemistry, but it was more than that. Yes, the sex was fantastic and his body definitely reacted to her's. His body reacted to hers even when he just saw her in the halls. Just the other week he had been in potions, for once doing well with his assignment, and then Graces had put her hair up in her usual messy bun. After that it all went downhill. Instead of concentrating on what he and Hermione were brewing, he stood mesmerized by the three beauty marks Graces had on her neck. Neville had never thought that a neck could make him botch a potion, but Graces' neck did. When he should have been making sure he was adding the correct ingredients, he instead was fantasizing about standing behind her, folding her tightly in his arms, so that she was leaning back against his chest, and gently kissing the back of her neck right where those marks jeweled her perfect skin. But it was more than his body that reacted to her, his magic reacted to her. He first realized this as he felt hers' within him when he awoke in the barn. Now he constantly could feel his own power calling out to hers.
It was not quiet and gentle when she was around, it was active, humming with excitement inside him. He was beginning to think it was also the main drive behind why he was able to be so much of himself with her. He couldn't seem to just shy away from her with his magic egging him on. Things he would usually be able to ignore he now couldn't. If he was upset with her, he wanted, no needed, to show it. It was odd, feeling the need to want someone to see you. This was so strange for Neville, considering he originally spent most of his day not wanting to be noticed at all. Well, I think she is definitely paying attention now.
Neville heard the door being eased open. He glanced down at his watch and noted he still had almost an hour before Graces was to arrive. When he looked up he saw Graces enter. She was balancing a pile of books in her hands so high that her vision was completely obscured. He sat quietly as she placed the books down and began organizing her things on the desk. She had her hair in a messy bun again, two quills sticking out her messy locks, and a chocolate frog in her mouth that she was holding between her teeth as her hands continued to pull an appearingly endless amount of potion supplies out of her rucksack. Graces, after all her things were neatly laid out, sat on the desk across from her supplies and began taking her hair out, while at the same time finishing her snack.
Neville just sat bemused, in the same corner he had been occupying, enjoying the scene before him.
Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
I should have changed, Graces thought, looking down at her uniform. I could have worn that nice blouse with some jeans. Nothing too showy, but not a uniform. I'm always in a uniform around him.
Wait… why on earth do I care if Longbottom sees me in something nicer. Ugh! No, I look fine. A uniform is fine for meeting Longbottom and discussing … well talking about… Oh Gods, I need more chocolate for this. Graces reached over and proceeded to pop her millionth chocolate frog in her mouth for the day. She immediately began to feel a bit better as she focused on the sweet sensation that was filling her mouth and not the knots in her stomach. Okay, I can do this. I can talk to Longbottom about our… relations with one another. It can't be that complicated, we've only had sex twice.
And what if he wants more?
Graces could feel another onset of panic well up through her, and grabbed the last of her chocolate frogs. Tearing its leg off and letting the small piece melt in her mouth. If he wants more I will calmly explain that that is not possible.
Do you want more?
Graces broke off the frogs upper half and shoved it in her mouth for that question. She wished this damn voice in her head would just shut up. No, I don't.
If you don't want more than why are you becoming so upset?
I'm not.
You are though.
Oh Merlin, I am upset. Why am I so upset? I can't really be fancying Longbottom, can I? This has to be just some rebellious thing, wanting the guy you can't have, the guy your parents wouldn't approve of, something like that. I can't really be that stupid. Graces popped the remaining frog in her mouth and nodded to herself. No, I just need to get Neville Longbottom out of my system and then-
"Eating that much chocolate cannot be healthy."
Graces almost fell off the desk she was balancing on. She looked over to the corner of the front of the room at the bane of her existence, Neville Longbottom was sitting right there in the corner, his arms crossed, openly smirking at her!
She tried to calm herself down, losing her temper at Longbottom would not be a good way to start off their little meeting. Especially considering what happened last time we both became heated up. Who would have ever thought Neville Longbottom angry could be so… NO!
"I suppose making me aware of your presence would have been too polite, Longbottom?" Graces drawled, praying that she looked as collected as she sounded.
Neville just continued to smirk at her, much to the blond's irritation. "Sorry, I suppose I thought we were past politeness, considering you had your pet attack me this morning."
"Loki did not attack you!" Graces argued, a hint of a whine in her voice. "He was just defending me. He thought you were insulting me by not writing back. He's a sweet owl, really he is. And you were being a prat after all. He wasn't the least bit nasty to you until you pushed that letter back at him."
"You sound like Hagrid when he is defending his pets," Neville chuckled, more amused than annoyed now with the situation. Graces scowled at him and he quickly added. "It's cute. Not that I think Hagrid is cute, or anything like that. I mean Hagrid's well he's… my point is it's cute when you do it. Just when you do it."
The two stood there awkwardly for a few moments. Graces could tell that Neville was mentally scolding himself and she decided that she would rather have him putting his foot in his mouth, distracted by himself, than noticing how off guard he had caught her. It also was quite endearing if Graces was willing to admit it. She would never say it aloud of course, but alone in her head she could freely think that she liked how easily Neville became undone. She was so used to purebloods, who always seemed to have every move and word planned as though they were performing a dance they had practiced since the beginning of time. Neville wasn't like that, he was… real. Genuine. Things that she could never say about the other boys in her life.
"I'm trying to be angry with you," Neville admitted, sighing. "Obviously I am not very good at relaying to someone that I am upset."
Graces just continued to stand, looking at Neville as though she were trying to discern what his next move was going to be. She watched him like a mouse might watch a snake waiting for him to strike. Neville decided it was now or never.
"You shouldn't have ran away. That was completely cowardly, not to mention thoughtless."
Graces frowned. "Thoughtless…" Neville watched as she seemed to be turning the word over again and over again in her mouth, as though she was unsure if she knew what that word meant.
"Yes thoughtless, do you even care how that made me feel?"
Graces looked down and closed her eyes, Neville watched as she swallowed some emotion down, before her gray eyes glanced up at him. "I just don't know what to do," she whispered, over the lump in her throat. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel anything. I don't know what to do."
"Talk to me." It sounded so simple coming from Neville's mouth, in his mind it was that simple, but as he watched Graces, he realized that in her world it may not be. "Tell me why you ran," he suggested helpfully.
"I... I don't know why I ran."
"You must have some idea." Graces just stood there sullenly; the sandy haired boy could have screamed with frustration. "You can't run away from everything forever."
"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom, for those precious words of wisdom," Graces sneered, now becoming angry with the boy in front of her. "Does your gran have that embroidered somewhere on a pillow? If she does, why don't you owl me it?"
"You can be as mean as you want to me, Graces Malfoy, but I am not running away. I am very used to verbal abuse, nothing you can say will faze me."
Graces raised an eyebrow at the boy standing before her. "Nothing I could say would hurt you?"
"I said faze me, not hurt. You can hurt me, Graces. You actually could hurt me a lot more than most people at the moment, but nothing you can say will make me leave you alone. I think you need someone, and if you need someone to be your verbal punching bag, I can be that."
"I don't need-"
"Yes, you do. I was there the night you were drinking and I was there in the hospital wing. Even now I can see the pain in your eyes." Neville was advancing up to the girl before him trapping her under his gaze. "And I saw the dagger."
The two students stood in silence of that statement. Graces knew that out of all the things that Neville had seen, the dagger was the most dangerous and possibly the most telling.
"At first," Neville began slowly, " I was horrified that you had it, that you brewed such a potion. Then I remembered what you said about You-Know-Who punishing your brother."
"Stop," Graces choked, her back against the wall now. She didn't want to hear anymore, she couldn't bare this. She didn't want to face this, she could hardly stand thinking of it.
"Graces, please," Neville begged, taking hold of her shoulders and forcing her to look at him. "Is someone trying to hurt you? Is that it? Is it You-Know-Who? Please tell me, maybe we can go to Dumbledore or-"
"STOP!" Neville jumped back as the desks in the room all splintered into thousands of wood shards. His eyes widening at the powerful burst of accidental magic that came from Graces. When he turned back she was sitting on the floor, her head in her knees, sobbing uncontrollably.
Slowly he bent down to her, gently placing his arms around her shaking frame. "It's okay, Graces."
"Please stop," she whimpered, causing Neville's heart to clench as the unmistakable brokenness could be heard in her small voice.
"Why lace the dagger with poison?" Neville asked, still hovering over her on his knees. Graces kept pleading with him to stop, it seemed with every breath she was able to manage she was just begging for him to stop. To leave her alone. To go away, but Neville wouldn't stop. She was here now and he needed to know at least one of the questions on his mind."You don't have to say who you are frightened of, but why that poison?" Graces just continued to sob uncontrollably. "Please, Graces, I need to know. I just have to understand why you thought you needed to go that far, because honestly, I cannot understand why anyone would make that poison worse for its victims. Do you have any idea how badly that poison hurts to begin with? A fast death is the good part of it and you took that-"
"BECAUSE MY FATHER ISN'T AROUND ANYMORE!" Neville stopped his questioning and stilled. "He's not here anymore," Graces whispered, as though she still didn't believe it, "and I need him. For the first time in my life, my father can't take care of me. My God has fallen, and I am frightened."
Graces looked up at Neville, her blotched face and watered silver eyes reminding him that there was so much to this girl he didn't understand.
"I never meant for you to be the one to get hurt," she whispered earnestly, reminding Neville of what he just said. Neville made to interrupt, to tell her that he didn't bring up how much the poison hurt to make her feel bad, but Graces put the tips of her fingers over his mouth and shook her head. "You deserve some explanation, but I can't give it to you. I know I owe you this, but I can't. All I can tell you is that the dagger and the poison were meant for no specific person, just the first person to try and hurt me. I wanted people to see to what extent I would go to. I wanted them to fear me." Graces was vigorously wiping away some tears that were still streaming from her eyes. "So I beg you, please don't ask me more. Just go and leave me."
"I can't do that," Neville said gently, causing Graces to cry even harder. "I will do anything, but leave you alone, Graces. Just tell me what you want."
"And if I want you to leave me alone?" Graces croaked between sobs.
"I already offered that," Neville reminded gently, pulling Graces into his arms so she could cry against his chest, "and you said don't. So now I won't, ever, no matter what you say."
Neville felt Graces hands cling tighter to him, her fingers digging in his skin as she cried harder into his oxford, dampening the cloth underneath. He didn't move away, he just continued to hold her, resting his cheek against her hair. She needed this, he knew better than anyone that she needed this. Despite how strong she was, Graces was just a frightened girl whose life was being torn apart by a war she wanted no part of, and Neville could remember that. Neville knew that he wasn't the person that could protect her against harm, as badly as he wanted to be; he was aware that he was in no position to protect her. He understood that her brother had to be the one to do that. Graces would never reveal everything to him, and even when she did grant him some inkling of information, it was with the weight of knowing he couldn't ever help her. He prayed that Draco could though. As each choked sob muffled against his chest, he prayed violently that Draco could protect her. He wanted so desperately to be what she needed, Neville would have given anything in his power to be able to give Graces just that. I can at least be the person she doesn't have to be strong for.
So with that thought in mind, Neville held tighter to the girl in his arms. Eventually moving her so that she was cradled on his lap, her arms going tightly around his neck while she continued to weep into his collar. He didn't offer her any pointless reassurances that everything was going to be okay; he didn't know that, and he was not going to lie to her. All he could do was allow her to cry without trying to stop her tears, she needed to cry. Neville knew all too well that people, like Graces, mostly cried when they have had to be strong for too long.
After an hour or so the cries diminished and a little bit, until they were gone. The room had become quiet and Neville just sat against the castle wall, Graces still curled on his lap, her head now resting on his chest as he continued to hold her. He began to wonder if she had just cried herself to sleep, he couldn't see her face to know for sure. Neville honestly didn't care if she had. He was so warm and content, with her body blanketing his, that he was perfectly happy with sleeping there for the night if she was indeed asleep. A small noise alerted him that she, in fact, was not.
"I don't love you," Graces hiccuped against his chest.
"And I don't love you," Neville stated back, continuing to play with a strand of her long hair that had fallen out of her messy bun. "Some days I don't even like you."
Neville could feel Graces small smile against his chest. "Nothing can ever come from this." Neville just hummed a reply. "I'm serious, Longbottom, nothing can ever come from this."
"What do you think I am expecting?"
Graces was silent for a moment, before sitting up and looking into Neville's brown eyes. "I'm not your girlfriend."
"I know," Neville said patiently.
"I never will be either," Graces added, watching the boy in front of her for any hint of emotion.
Neville just smiled, "I know."
The blonde frowned. "Then what do you want?"
"What do you want?"
"Answering a question with a question is not a very Gryffindor thing to do, Longbottom," Graces said sighing.
Neville just sat back against the cool stone wall. He was beginning to understand the girl in front of him more and more everyday. If he told Graces that he fancied her she would run away. He needed to let her move and set the pace. He could gently push, but Graces needed to at least believe she was the one in control. He could already see that he had the ability to get behind her walls, but he didn't have the privilege of being invited in. He needed to be close to her and wait. He had a feeling that if Graces knew him she would slowly let him in. It was already working that way after all.
"Gryffindor boys aren't really the talking kind," he divulged, moving into the girl before him, he gently nuzzled against her neck kissing her softly against the sensitive skin. "We're more of the action type," he murmured kissing a trail up to her neck before gently nibbling at her lobe. "Words are just noise anyways," he smirked.
"I don't understand," Graces breathed, as Neville pressed his chest into hers, breathing her in deeply as he moved to be on top of her, taking her small frame tightly in one arm as he lowered her down.
"I'm lonely," the sandy haired boy muttered, as he slowly caressed Graces bare leg, "and I think you are too. I want to escape that loneliness." Neville decided not to mention that his plan at the moment was one to permanently escape that loneliness. Instead he looked into Graces eyes and willed those silvery orbs to not see everything in his. "I'll take away your pain, if you help take away mine."
"Why are you lonely and in pain?" Graces asked softly, her eyes sadder for a moment, Neville liked to believe that they were sad for him. That this beautiful creature despite how crass she was actually cared for him.
"Oh, is it now sharing time, Miss. Malfoy?" Neville asked playfully, sitting up. He watched as Graces pinked and looked away. He smiled softly at her and cupped her chin in his palm before he kissed her deeply letting the heat from his mouth and body mingle with hers, leaving them both dazed.
"I'm all puffy," Graces pointed out, self consciously.
"You're beautiful," Neville promised, never taking his eyes away from her.
"It's just sex?" Graces asked, relaxing under Neville's weight. The sandy haired boy decided that it would be best for him not to answer that. He kissed Graces tenderly in reply, running his hands up her legs until they were lifting her skirt and removing the small cloth that would separate them. If Graces needed to tell herself it was just sex, to allow herself some semblance of comfort, than he could allow her to do that. She'll realize this is more when she is ready to, Neville thought before sinking into her.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Graces was ready to just drift off into slumber there on the castle floor. She turned over to see Neville with his eyes closed still panting from their undertakings. His tie hanging loosely around his neck and the first few buttons of his shirt undone so she could see his chest glistening with perspiration.
"Thanks," she said, a small smile on her lips, remembering Neville's pitiful attempt at breaking the awkward silence last time.
"You are very welcome," Neville panted, not quite understanding the joke, until Graces started giggling on the floor. Neville frowned for a moment before turning over on his side and facing Graces. "Are you mocking me?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
Graces continued giggling, now holding her side. "Where would you ever get such an idea, Longbottom? I mean who, wouldn't thank someone for a good shag? Honestly, it's just good manners. You're gran would probably just die of shame, if she heard you had shagged a girl and not even thanked her afterwards."
"You are mocking me," Neville groaned, in embarrassment, "I just...I didn't know what to say."
"Obviously," Graces teased, sitting up and pulling up her knickers.
Neville smirked. "I still have your other pair."
Graces stilled and looked over to see Neville smiling cockily as he folded his arms behind his head.
"Perve," Graces scoffed. When Neville just grinned wider she let out an annoyed sigh. "Well? Aren't you going to hand them over?"
The gryffindor just chuckled deeply. "Maybe I like having them."
"Dear Gods, Longbottom, don't tell me you are into wearing women's lingerie. I've heard some boys like that, and frankly if you are that kind of bloke maybe we should end this affair here."
The smirk that had been on Neville's face was quickly replaced with a blush. "No.. that's not.." Neville frowned when he saw that Graces was laughing wildly obviously happy for making him uncomfortable. "You are not funny."
"I think I am," Graces chided with a smirk, getting up off the floor and picking her wand up. "Seriously though, Longbottom, where are they?"
"In my dorm. I can't go around the school with a girls knickers in my bag, especially with how many times a day I accidently end up droppings its contents. I'll give them to you next time."
"You are pretty clumsy."
"Thanks," Neville deadpanned, standing up and starting to dress.
Graces just smiled. "Are you ready to get to work?"
"You seriously want to study right now?"
"Longbottom, the whole reason why we are here is for me to tutor you. What else would we do?"
Neville groaned. "Honestly I just want to collapse in bed and sleep."
"La petite mort."
"Pardon me?" Neville asked, his hands paused from finishing up his tie.
"The little death," Graces translated, shrugging. "It's a french term given to describe the aftermath of a male orgasm. The little death, because after you just collapse into sleep."
"You speak french?"
"Oui, bien sûr je parle français, ma famille a un château en France. Je passe tout mes étés là."
"Okay, obviously you speak french. What did you just say?"
"Yes, of Course I speak french. My family has a chateau in France. I spend all my summers there."
Graces began to feel awkward standing in front of Neville as he smiled at her. It was an odd smile he was giving her, one that she liked and disliked at the same time.
"So… you're the patriarch now?"
Neville's smile faded and shifted a bit from where he was standing rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Erm… Yeah."
Graces waited patiently for Neville to continue, but the sandy haired boy seemed content with the silence.
"Well," Graces prompted, wanting to hear more.
"Well, what?"
"When did that happen? I know for sure that at the start of last year you were not the patriarch, your Uncle Algie was. It was assumed he would maintain that title until you graduated Hogwarts. I thought that you would only take up the position of head this early if he passed away and I know he didn't pass away."
Neville was just staring at Graces, obviously bewildered that she knew so much about his family. "Not that I mind your interest, Graces, but how on earth do you know all that about my family?"
"I'm a pureblood," Graces stated matter of fact, like that answered everything.
"So?"
Graces rolled her eyes. "I was raised being taught every detail of every pureblood family. That includes, full names, family history, loyalties, and titles. All the Slytherins know these things."
"That's… that's a little much don't you think?"
Graces looked at him puzzled for a moment, "No. How are we supposed to know who we should befriend, date, marry, do business with, and offer alliances to if we don't know these things. It's important to know who is surrounding you. My father always said that the people around you can often be your best resources."
"Still… that's a tremendous amount that you have to learn. How are you able to keep it straight?"
"We started young," Graces answered simply. "Draco and I were home schooled until we were able to attend Hogwarts, like most magical children, and this was a part of our curriculum. I've been learning about your family since I was six."
"My whole family?" Neville whispered, his face turning pale. Graces nodded and watched as Neville swallowed what seemed to be an arrange of emotion before looking her in the eye."And… how long did you know about my parents?"
Neville was trying to stand tall, trying to give off the appearance that this was not a hard question for him to ask, but Graces could see it was. She knew it must be, Neville had never once mentioned his mother and father.
"Not until this summer," Graces said quietly, "when my Aunt was telling us about the ministry. My mother never told us why you lived with your Gran, I think she didn't want to scare us. Dying is one thing, but… We never really questioned why you lived with your Gran, I suppose we just assumed your parents had died on duty. Draco and I were told they were aurors, and that you're middle name was supposedly after Alastor Moody your parents mentor in the auror program. I never knew they were still alive."
Neville nodded. "It is after Alastor Moody," he confirmed hollowly, going somewhere dark in his own mind. "I don't know him though, we've never actually really met."
Graces now had an endless amount of questions whirling in her head to ask Neville. Like why hadn't Moody taken an active interest in his life, how did he feel when he found out it was Crouch that had taken an interest in him fourth year, what it was like having your parents alive, but unable to be parents. But she didn't ask any of them. Asking Neville those questions would only open more doors between them and that was not an option. This is getting too personal, we have to get off this subject.
"Anyways, I figured out why you have such a hard time in potions."
Neville moved to sit at the table where Graces was standing, his mood clearly more diminished. "And?"
"You're a hands on learner. You can't just learn from reading the instructions in the book or hearing them prattled out to you. You need to be able to work through and discuss each thing while you are learning. The way Professor Snape teaches is the exact opposite of how you learn, so I am going to teach you in a way that your mind will attain the information."
"How is it you know so much about teaching?"
Graces realized that Neville was attempting to restore some of the mood, that he clearly wanted to put away any discussion on his family, and that he was bringing everything back to her. Ordinarily she wouldn't allow too much talk regarding her childhood, but she wanted to atone in some way for her earlier behavior and though she hated to admit it, Neville looking saddened bothered her on some level that she wasn't willing to go to.
"My parents are very serious about education. Education has long been a family value, each generation of Malfoy women has made it a part of their duty as a mother to do their very best when it came to the education of their children. The thought being that well educated children could only aid in the value of the family. Each generation is raised to be better than the last. One of my ancestors, Armond Malfoy, he married Evelyn Wea-" Graces cut short and pretended to have a small coughing spell, but the cat was definitely out of the bag and he knew that she was about to say Weasley. Neville couldn't contain his large grin. It wasn't surprising, most of the pureblood families were related to one another in some way, but it was still funny to watch Graces blush violently at her slip.
"Anyways," Graces stressed, giving Neville a glare for smiling, "my great grandfather's wife, Evelyn Malfoy, she started teaching in various ways after a few of her children were having problems learning. She observed her children's reactions to different lesson plans and noticed that all her children learned in different ways. So she accommodated for the ways they learned, it then became sort of a passion for her and she designed all types of curriculums for each child. Later, when her kids were all at Hogwarts, she wrote the test and a book detailing the learning methods for generations of Malfoys to benefit from."
"Do you enjoy teaching?" Neville asked, curious to learn as much about Graces as possible.
Graces seemed hesitant to answer. She twisted her mouth around pondering the question as though she never thought about it.
"I suppose. I want our house to succeed, each year we get so close to winning the house cup. We all study incredibly hard, because we want Slytherin to remain an honorable house. It makes it easier when we graduate to get good jobs and to be well respected. I like being a part of that, and I like children too." Graces paused for a moment and Neville could see the inner debate of whether to go on turning in her head. "Also, my father wanted me to tutor the younger years. He thought it would aid me when it came time for me to get married. He wanted other families to see the benefit of having me as the mother to their future heirs. The thought being if everyone wants me I can have my pick of whomever I want and whatever family I want to be apart of."
"Is that what you want?" Graces didn't answer, instead she gave Neville a look that let him know that question was overstepping their boundaries. Neville blushed slightly, under the gaze. It wasn't malicious in any way, it was actually very patient, but her face was firm and she was giving him a pointed look.
"Sorry," Neville apologized.
They sat there for awhile, neither one knowing what to say or how to continue on with one another, but both wanting to continue talking. "I really appreciate that you are helping me with potions. I know you have to, but you don't have to be so patient. I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate it. I think I am even enjoying the subject now."
"You're, uh, welcome," Graces acknowledged awkwardly. "I umm… well I appreciate your patience in herbology with me… as well… I guess."
Neville smiled warmly over at Graces. "I like having you as a partner. You're actually a very competent herbology partner. The only time we seem to have problems is just in the practical side, because-"
"The plants attack me," Graces deadpanned with an amused smirk, "or commit suicide around me. I can't believe you just said I was a competent partner. Did you forget why I needed you so desperately to be my partner?"
"Trust me, Graces, I did not forget," Neville chuckled, taking out his parchment and quills.
Graces bit her lip for a moment before deciding to straighten something out. "Longbottom, I… you.. well, I don't think you should use my given name." Neville frowned, but gave Graces a look to let her know he was listening. "We established what this was and… well you using my name is too… too intimate." Graces realized how stupid it sounded, especially considering what her and Neville had just finished doing, but she still couldn't shake how uncomfortable it made her. Only a handful of people said her given name and those were all friends and family and Neville wasn't any of those. He was just … well she didn't know what he was, but he wasn't someone she wanted saying her name.
"Graces." Neville ignored the scowl the girl sent him. "Call me old fashion, but I would like to be on first name basis with the girl I am currently sleeping with. I will not use your given name in public, because I can see that causing problems for you and I don't fancy having your brother kill me if he ever finds out what we are doing, but in private I plan on using your given name. I would like you to use mine, but I won't force it on you. Call this a stipulation in our arrangement if it makes you feel better."
Neville could tell Graces didn't like this one bit, but he made sure to stay firm on it even when she spent the rest of their time being sullen as she tutored him. He would egg her on a bit when she was being extra pouty by saying her name. "Thanks, Graces," "Like this Graces," or saying her name to grab her attention. Eventually the night ended with her muttering about annoying Gryffindors and practically running out of the room, but the sandy haired boy felt that this was great progress considering they agreed on another time to meet before she ran off.
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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! If you did make sure to review/follow! I give you a good chapter, you give me a review: P Next chapter is a funny one ! And we get some Draco in there ;) and Luna! Oh and Quidditch! I love CH13