AN: I don't own Harry Potter. Any of it. At all. Not even a little bit.

OMG you guys! I am so sorry it's been so freaking long! I didn't even realize how long it had been. I truly am sorry. It seems like every time I'd sit down and try to get something written on any of my stories, I'd get distracted by something else.

So, 2020 has been a giant shit show, yeah? Is there anybody actually enjoying this year? I mean, quarantine's are fun to a point. I don't have to go anywhere, see anyone, get dressed, do my hair...you get the point. I just get to chill around my house. But I miss life. There's a park just down from my house, and they have all the play equipment wrapped up in orange netting. It's a real downer. It makes me sadder than I ever thought I'd be about a playground.

Now, I have to answer my husband's questions of 'How long has that been there?" to which I have to tell him 'Since we moved in" about damn near everything in this house. It's not my fault he's never noticed the huge dragon statue near the tv in all the years it's been there, but...eh. It's tacky, but one of those things you just can't bring yourself to get rid of. It was a gift from his late sister, so I feel like we have to keep it.

Anyway...sorry I'm rambling. This is more of a filler chapter than anything. If you want a better idea of Longbottom Manor, just search Broughton Castle. That's my inspiration for the Manor.

Alright - Go! Read and enjoy!

"I have to side-apparate you onto the property, Hermione," Neville said as the two approached the dirt road at the end of the Burrow's property. "It's just...the wards, you know? You haven't been before, so I have to take you through the first time."

Hermione couldn't help but smile at how shy and nervous Neville was. It was giving her flashbacks to their Hogwarts days when he was shy and timid, afraid to speak out in a group.

"That's okay, Neville. I trust you. You won't splinch me," she said, squeezing his arm that her hand was wrapped around.

"Oh, I promise I won't, I swear," he said, eyes going big and round. "I swear I've gotten it down. I've only ever splinched myself the once, and that was when I was still learning" he said, trying to calm his own nervousness by reassuring Hermione.

"Neville, I trust you. Honestly," Hermione said, giving his arm another squeeze, finding herself excited at the feeling of a very muscular arm beneath her hand.

'Hmmm...Looks like Gin was right all those years ago. I guess I do have a thing for muscles after all,' she thought.

"Oh! Alright, then," he smiled, relaxing. "Well, if you're ready..." he said, trailing off as they stepped onto the road.

Squeezing Neville's bicep once more, Hermione gave him a nod.

"Ready."

"Hold on tight," Neville said. Feeling her grip tighten a bit, he took a deep breath, apparating them away with a quiet pop.

The two landed on a gravel path, leading up to what Hermione thought was a guard tower, surrounded by a high wall, the house barely visible beyond.

"Are you okay?" Neville asked, turning worried eyes toward her, looking frantic that he had splinched her.

Hermione smiled, touched by his concern for her. "Never better, Neville," she said. "You did it perfectly. Stop worrying," she added, squeezing his arm.

Neville let out a small breath of relief, grateful he hadn't messed up and hurt his future bride.

"Okay, okay," he nodded, smiling down at her. "Shall we?"

"Yes," she nodded back. "I'm excited to see Longbottom Manor, you know? Despite us being friends, you never invited me over during the summer."

"I never had anyone over, to be honest," he said, leading her down the path. "Gran never allowed me to. Always said she didn't want a bunch of kids running around the place. So, during the summers, I was out in the gardens most of the time."

Hermione felt a wave of sadness come over her at his admission. While she was spending her summers with her parents on holiday, or hanging out at the Burrow, Neville was here with just his Gran for company.

"I'm sorry, Neville," she said. "Gods, that must have been lonely."

Neville laughed a bit, shaking his head. "Nah, it was fine. Truthfully, after being at Hogwarts most of the year, it was kind of nice to get some peace and quiet."

"I can imagine," she said. "I was an only child, too, so I understand. To go from somewhere fairly quiet and relaxing to a place constantly filled with noise was a bit of a shock," she smiled.

"You're telling me," he laughed.

Hermione was going to say something else when the two turned a corner around some bushes, and the first images of the Manor came into view. The path they were walking continued on for a bit before turning into a stone bridge. What she originally thought was a tall stone wall was actually a guard tower that straddled the pathway, entrance to the grounds being granted through an arched entryway.

"Oh, my!" she gasped, already feeling overwhelmed. "Is that a guard tower, Neville?"

"It's actually a gatehouse," Neville said. "I mean, it used to be a guard tower, but back in the late sixteenth century it was changed," he explained. "Don't get upset, but it's where Gran lets the elves stay."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. That stained glass window at the top is their place. Gran said it's better for them to be there than in a cupboard somewhere, plus they can keep an eye on the grounds."

"That's...that's really nice of her, actually," Hermione said, staring up at the window. "And you can relax, by the way. I don't get as upset about elves as I used to."

"Um...alright," Neville nodded. He knows how upset Hermione used to get over the treatment of elves everywhere, and didn't want to upset her on their first date. "Just so you know, we treat them very well."

"Neville, if they have their own place that's as big as that,' she said, pointing to their quarters, 'I believe that," she said. "You'll get no problems from me, I swear."

"Um...okay, then," he said, giving her hand a slight tug to get her moving.

"And...is that a moat we just crossed?" Hermione asked, turning her head to look.

"Yeah," he nodded. "There's nothing dangerous in there, though. Just a few different breeds of fish Gran wanted for when she feels like fishing. It surrounds the whole property."

"Wow," she whispered, feeling awed at that. She was going to be marrying a man who lived in a Manor and so far, the grounds seemed like something out of a storybook. There was a even a moat, for Merlin's sake!

Neville chuckled at her reaction. Even after living here all his life, he had to admit that he still got impressed with the grounds of the manor. Just the entrance itself was still impressive to him, somehow.

"And here it is," he announced, distracting her from the moat. "Longbottom Manor," he said.

"Oh, Neville! It's...Merlin, it's gorgeous!" Hermione exclaimed, genuinely awe-struck.

'Holy mother of Merlin, it really is out of a fairytale!' she thought, internally squealing.

Standing in front of her was Longbottom Manor in all it's glory. If she thought that just the moat was impressive, this proved her wrong. Longbottom Manor itself was like a castle from all those fairytales she had read as a child. Or, more likely, something she would have pictured Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy living in.

"Holy...Neville!" she exclaimed, feeling the air leave her body as she stared at the house in pure awe. "Merlin, it's...oh, it's gorgeous!" she repeated, her hands flying to her chest to keep her heart from flying away.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? I'll give you a tour later, if you want." he asked, smiling.

Truthfully, he'd always been proud of Longbottom Manor. It had been in his family since the fifteenth century, and he'd never grown tired of it, looking forward to raising his own family there. He knew it wasn't as fancy as some other Pureblood homes, namely Malfoy Manor, but it was one of the most historic. Even older still than Malfoy Manor that had been built in the middle of the sixteenth century.

"If I...of course, I'd love a tour," Hermione smiled, feeling her sanity slowly returning.

"Great," Neville beamed. "But, first we eat. I'm bloody starving, and I know the elves have gone all out for our dinner. I also know they were going to make a trifle for dessert."

Hermione let out a little laugh at that. "There's tip number one for keeping me happy – desserts. I may have been raised by dentists, but I have a huge sweet tooth."

"Oh, trust me," Neville laughed, "I remember. Back at Hogwarts, on days the elves made chocolate cake, you would eat a bit less, and a bit faster, just to guarantee you'd get at least two pieces."

"Well...in my defense," she giggled, "it wasn't just chocolate cake, Neville. It was a mixture of dark chocolate and German chocolate. That's like top top top level cake," she said.

Neville laughed hard right along with Hermione. As the two laughed, he felt his nervousness disappearing. Just like that, as their shared laughter floated away into the night, they weren't a newly engaged couple forced together by the Ministry. Instead, they were just two people, two old friends, enjoying a night together.

"Well, it's not chocolate, but trust me, the elves' trifle is absolute heaven," he said.

"I can't wait," she said, smiling at him.

Review please.

Stay safe and stay sane!

XOXO - Onyx