Pre-Proposal

For the Christmas Character Challenge by The Kawaii Neko

2 – Tree – Write about Rubeus Hagrid

Neville ducked his head, red with embarrassment, struggling against a shy smile.

Hagrid waited a moment, but no further explanation was forthcoming, so he opened the door of his hut wider and beamed at Neville. "Neville! Fancy a cuppa?"

"All right then," Neville murmured, and followed Hagrid over the threshold. Hagrid could hear scraping rustling sounds, followed by a regular slurping as Neville settled into one of the armchairs and submitted to Fang's enthusiastic greeting. Hagrid poured out two large mugs of tea – making sure that it really was tea, and not just boiling water, as he was sometimes wont do to – and put it in front of Neville, along with a plate of warm rock cakes.

Neville's brow fell into little wrinkles as he surveyed the plate, face reddening slightly. Perhaps the lad was overheated. "What's th' matter?" Hagrid asked, concerned. "Are ye overheatin'? I can turn down the fire" – He reached for the pink umbrella by the fireplace, but stopped when Neville stretched out his arm.

"It – it's fine." Neville's voice trembled slightly, the syllables trailing off in a squeak towards the end, and Hagrid felt his concern increase. He hadn't hear that particular strain on Neville's voice since third year, when the story of Snape and Neville's grandmother's clothes had made the rounds. "Whatever it is, Neville, yeh can tell me, yeh know. I'm here, anytime" –

"It's Hannah," Neville blurted out, "I want to ask her to marry me."

Hagrid felt his face splitting into a humungous grin. He could well imagine anybody having flutterbies in their undershorts when thinking on such a task – especially someone like Neville, who was quite genuine and serious about the endeavour. Why, Hagrid himself had been completely tongue-tied when he'd tried to pop the question to Olympe… taken a few tries, it had, but in the end… Hagrid let his thoughts trail off, wiped his face of his silly grin, hitched on a more appropriate congratulatory expression, and turned back to Neville.

The plate of rock cakes was completely empty. Wonderful appetites, these youngsters had. Hagrid grinned, and Neville smiled back, still slightly green in the face.

"Yeh'll be fine," Hagrid said roughly. "Yeh a good man, she'll not say no."

"What – what if she gets better offers?" Neville asked anxiously. "I'm not the best catch, surely there'll be more eligible men…"

Hagrid shook his head. "Yeh a true Gryffindor, Neville. One o' the bravest men I know. Pulled out the sword of Gryffindor outta' the Sortin' Hat, didn't yeh? That's good proof, right there."

"But Hannah's a Puff" –

"An' they're the best at seein' and appreciatin' people just as they are. Don' go beating roun' the stable door" –

"The bush," Neville interrupted, "beating around the bush" –

"That's what I said," Hagrid waved a hand dismissively, "yeh've got all your birds in one bush, don't go closing the stable door till the horse is inside. Leastways, leave out anything that isn't important first time around. Main thing is to ask her right out."

Neville nodded, eyes intense. "I intend to." He took a deep breath, then wiped his hands against his black professor's robes, unmindful of the muddy streaks that ran across the rough woollen cloth. "Tonight," he said firmly. "I'd meant to ask her tomorrow, but I'd rather do it tonight."

"Soon as possible is better," Hagrid agreed. "Yeh haven't got nothin' to worry about. Why, I remember when yeh were a tiny little thing just this high, an' the Sortin' Hat slipped right over yeh whole face – and now yeh the best Herbology teacher Hogwarts has seen this side o' a thousand years."

Neville went crimson and hid his mumbles in his teacup.

"That's right," Hagrid nodded, "Pomona's right happy with yeh progress, an' all the kids love yeh." And it wasn't just Neville who'd become stronger. There was Harry, and Ron – even now, the memory of him attacking Malfoy with the slug-eating charm brought a tear to Hagrid's eye, and little Ginny, so full of fire, and Luna, who'd grown up into a wonderful young woman. At one point, he'd thought that Neville and Luna… but this way was better, he had to admit…

"Yeh friends, then? They'll be comin' to the weddin' then?"

"I – I haven't thought so far… but yes, yes, I suppose they will. Harry and Ron are here, at any rate, and Luna'll be down in a month or so."

"Expedition goin' well, then?" Hagrid replenished the rock cake plate, and settled down in his own armchair, sticking out a boot and scratching Fang's belly.

"She wrote last week," Neville said, breathing in the minty scent of the herb tea. "She's got great news – found the Crumple-Horned Snorkack! Sent us photographs, too. Hermione was fair foaming at the mouth…"

Neville laughed, face and voice alive with happiness, and Hagrid sat back, and smiled as the warmth of the evening enveloped him.