Just Perfect
It wasn't fair, thought Hannah Abbott.
She had spent years, YEARS, defending her hopeless crush on Neville Longbottom. through countless late night games of Kiss, Marry, Kill and Who'd You Rather in the girls' dormitories. Her answer of Neville Longbottom had always been met with 'ew's and 'why?'s
But now, now every girl wanted him. The bloodied hero, de facto leader of Dumbledore's Army, defender of absolutely anyone who needed defending. She even had to admit, this side of Neville was increasingly hot.
But she had loved the other side. The boy that became the man. She loved Neville when he couldn't look her in the eye after spilling her potion in first year. She loved the Neville who excitedly told her all about the plants he read about when they were partnered for Herbology, she loved the boy she had cried over when he asked Ginny Weasley to the Yule Ball over her, and then comforted her, not even knowing that he was the object of her distress. She loved the boy who's entire face lit up when he conjured a corporeal patronus for the first time in the DA, and helped her find a memory of her own, talking about his mother, and how she can make him feel better with just a look, with such love and care, Hannah couldn't help but hope to meet Alice Longbottom one day.
It wasn't fair that she had spent so many years pining for this boy, and some other girl would get the man. Because this Neville Longbottom wouldn't want chubby, Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbott. He would want gorgeous Lavender Brown or whip smart Cho Chang, or even delicate Astoria Greengrass. Neville Longbottom would never want plain, ol' Hannah Brown.
'This is madness.' said a voice above her, releasing her from her angry musings. speak of the devil she thought as the object of her infections sat down beside her in the room of requirements. 'I can't go anywhere without someone needing me for something. I appreciate it, I really do, and I want to help however I can, but Merlin's nut sack, sometimes i just need a second to breathe.'
'Anything I can do to help?' she asks him. He stares at her then. Really stares at her, and she can see something akin to fondness in his eyes, and maybe she's just wishing it, but perhaps love as well.
'That's what's perfect about you, Hannah Abbott.' he tells her 'The world could be falling apart, and you will always ask me how you can help. Don't ever lose that. This war will take everything from us, but don't let it take that. Absolutely perfect.' He continues to stare, and for a second she thinks he leans it. Her heart starts to race, but then he remembers where he is, the room of requirements, raising an underage army, and who he is, a general in this war, and he stops. And while it may not be fair, Hannah Abbott thinks, it might just be perfect.