Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The only character I own in this chapter is Renata.
Sorry it's been a while since I updated. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to get where I know I'm going. This should work all right. If you like it or just want to comment, please review.
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Harry sat down in the common room, very stressed. It had been an awfully long day; the worst part being that Snape was nicer than normal. It was just creepy. And now he couldn't sleep, so he was stuck sitting down here, staring at the dying fire.
Neville came downstairs, "Hey, Harry. I've got the picture. You wanna see it?"
"Sure, Neville."
He showed Harry two pictures. One was Renata and Harry sitting close together by the fireplace, arms around one another fondly (but not kissing as Neville had threatened). The other was a picture of Ginny. She was holding an armload of books and looking thoughtful.
"Does Ron know you fancy Ginny?" teased Harry. Several of Neville's pictures were of her.
"I don't fancy, Ginny!" his face turned beet-red. "Maybe a little," he whispered. "But don't tell Ron!"
Harry grinned. "Of course I won't."
Neville sat down. "Are they any good?"
"Yeah. They're both great. All your pictures are, Nev. Can I have this one?" He held up the one of him and Renata.
Neville shrugged. "If you want it."
"Thanks."
It was a long time before either of them spoke. "Harry, when's it coming?"
"What, Neville? When's what coming?"
"The last battle. We all know it's coming. Even the first years. Reports in the paper are getting worse. Tension is building. We all know it's only a matter of time. Only a matter of time. How long do we have?"
"I don't know, Neville. I wouldn't be surprised if it was before the end of the year," he said quietly. "Some of us, namely me, might not be alive to graduate in June."
"You don't mean that."
Harry nodded. "I do."
"I'll be there for you, Harry. I can't forgive him for what he's done to me. To my parents. To Gran and Uncle Algie. Bloody heck, I can't forgive him for what he's done to all of us. One of these days I am going to pay him back with every last ounce of my strength."
There was a dangerous glint in Neville's eyes and Harry knew that Neville meant every word he said. Never had Neville wanted anything so badly before.
"I know, Nev. He's hurt too many of us. Too many of us. Me and you and Renata, especially. And our families. I know everybody's thinking that the last battle will be a large-scale duel led by Dumbledore, but I don't think so. I think he's going to come quietly and attack with all his force at a single target. For you, and Renata, and Terry, and Cedric, and their families, and yours, I'm going to do what I have to when the time comes."
"But you won't have to do it alone, Harry. I'll be there. You can count on it."
Harry knew Neville meant it. Harry wasn't sure whether or not, if he even had a choice in the matter, he'd take Neville with him when the time came. Neville deserved a shot at Voldemort and the others as much as Harry did, but Harry knew it was his own fight and not Neville's. He shut his eyes. When Neville had spoken, he had a haunted look in his eyes. Harry mused, idiotically. Hunted. Haunted. Neville was haunted and Harry felt hunted. Harry sighed and opened his eyes, leaning back in the padded chair. "Neville?"
"Yeah?"
"Assuming that the battle comes, we win, we survive, and we graduate, what do you want to do?"
"Do?"
"For the rest of your life, I mean."
"Oh. I don't know. I want to do something that really means something. I was thinking about opening a nursery."
"A nursery? I didn't know you liked kids that much, Nev."
"No, not that kind of nursery. A plant nursery."
That made much more sense, thought Harry.
"I want to grow stuff for St. Mungos. Find cures. Some things can only be cured if the plants that are used are given proper attention, very specific attention. I want to help people. I want to make a difference. Maybe I could help rewrite a medicine text even, I know I could draw the sketches for it accurately. And I've been told my writing has improved. What about you, Harry?"
"I want a peaceful life. I used to think I wanted to be an Auror. Fight bad guys and all that. But you know what, Nev? I'm sick of fighting bad guys. It's starting to make me physically sick. I'm done with it. Just done. I'm not brave or a hero or anything like people think, I do only what I have to. I have to get rid of Voldemort or die trying. When that's over, for better or for worse, I'm done. I'll settle down and live a calm life. Maybe get a teaching spot here. I could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. Heck, I'd take over for Hagrid and be the Gamekeeper. I just want a little peace and quiet." He sighed. "Do you know what else I want, Nev? More than anything? I want a family. My family is gone. Everybody but Sirius. You, Ron, Hermione, and Dumbledore, you're family to me. But I need more than that in my life. I want to settle down with a wife and kids and lead the normal boring life I thought I was going to lead before I found out about any of this. Before I found out about Voldemort. I just want to press the reset button on my whole life, but I guess we can't really do that, can we?"
"No, we can't. I wish we could. Gran's great and all, but to have my mom and dad be there and to know them? Honestly, what would beat that?"
"Nothing," agreed Harry.
They sat in silence after that for almost half an hour. Knowing that they understood, really understood each other.
Renata came downstairs, wrapped in a bathrobe over her pajamas. "What are you still doing up?"
"Just talking. You?" asked Harry.
"I was asleep, but I woke up and realized that you were still down here awake," she said, coming to sit down between them.
Neville gave her a perplexed look.
Harry explained, "Sometimes, she just knows these things without any rhyme or reason. She can track me down almost anywhere in the school, you know."
She put her head on his shoulder. "Are you boys almost done talking? I won't be able to get a wink of sleep until I know you're upstairs snuggled safe and warm in your beds.'
"Yeah, Ren. We're done for tonight."
"Good. I'm exhausted." She yawned wide. And stretched. As she stood, Harry steadied her with his arm at her waist as he walked her to the stairs.
"Goodnight." He hugged her and gave her a push up the stairs.
Harry took the picture Neville gave him and rolled it up and Neville rolled up the picture of Ginny. "What are those?" asked Renata, turning back on the third step.
"Just pictures."
"I want to see. That one looks like me."
"Go to sleep, Ren. I'll show you in the morning."
"You'd better," she grumbled.
Harry and Neville went upstairs finally and went to sleep.
