They now look at me with shock and concern. Hermione spoke first.
"Neville that´s illegal!"
"Hermione! We all know that already! You don´t have to point it out to him!"- said Ron.
"Oh Neville!"- said Ginny putting a hand on her chest.
"I couldn´t help it."
"I don´t think it´s that bad"- said Harry and everyone turned to look at him. "I mean, how old is she? Or he for that matter?"
"17 I suppose, SHE is a 7th year."
"Oh well then it´s just a matter of months. And you ´re just 5 years older than she is."
"Yeah, that´s what Luna told me."
"What´s she like?"- asked Hermione with curiosity.
"She´s….very pretty. Black hair, emerald eyes, pale skin."
"So you like the female version of Harry."- chuckled Ron.
OK. Ew.
"Ron!"- Hermione scowled while Harry was trying to suppress his laughter.- "Thank you for the image."
"She sounds pretty."- commented Ginny.
"Yeah because you like Harry."- said Ron again and I wanted to throw something at him.
"Rooon!"- Hermione punched him lightly with an elbow.
"Is she a Gryffindor?"- asked Harry. Shit.
"What if she isn´t?"- I asked casually.
"No, nothing. I was just wondering since you are the head of the house."
"She´s a Slytherin." There I said it.
"What?"- shouted Ron while the others were staring at me in disbelief.
"Neville, how on earth did you fall in love with a Slytherin?"- asked Ginny.
"Long story. Long speech."
"Tell us, we have all day."- said Hermione.
"Well, I hated her. Just like you guys because she was in Slytherin and doesn´t have a very nice reputation. There were some gossips about her flying around which I believed. Luna didn´t seem to mind about her house. She says she´s a nice girl. But I hated her. Besides, she was annoying in Herbology, a pain in the neck. But Luna was right, if you ignore what other people say and try meeting them yourself, you might be surprised."
"If she ´s nice, why is she in Slytherin?"- said Ron making a face.
"I personally don´t believe all Slytherins are evil. Professor Slughorn isn´t, and we all know what Snape did for us, so..."- said Harry.
"Tell us more Neville!"- pleaded Ginny.
"Well, I took points from Slytherin because of her. I thought she was an annoying little brat but, I don´t know what she thought about me. For her social service, surprise, she decided to go to St. Mungo´s to help the patients."
"Your parents!"- exclaimed Hermione.
"Exactly. She met them."
"And what happened?"
"I don´t know. She told me and wanted to know what happened to them, but I didn´t tell her. Actually, I was quite harsh. I had an outburst and...yelled at her."- I said utterly embarrassed and mad at myself.
"Why would you do that?"- asked Harry.
"I guess I was having the same prejudice Ron was having a few moments ago. I thought she was an idiot. I told her some offensive things I can´t even repeat. She goes to see them every Sunday."
I decided to omit her revenge, even though it had been a good one.
I told them about her try out for the choir, my chat with Luna, and that I was considering apologizing again. They all agreed that I should just for my parents' sake and to have a healthier relationship in class. Then, I have a few more months to sort my feelings out. They all wanted to meet her afterwards, Harry joked about wanting to meet his long lost little sister. I would have to think about it.
Kate POV
I arrived at my dorm at Sunday night. Nothing special with the Longbottoms today. Georgiana and Rachel were grinning at me like idiots.
"What?"-I snapped.
"Look at you bed! An owl brought them."
Now they were giggling...like idiots.
I sat on my bed and found a dozen of beautiful red roses tied up with a black ribbon. There was a note attached to them.
Dear Ms Green/ Dear Katharine
I chose this for you and hope you like them. Please meet me at the lake by 10 o´clock.
Professor Longbottom/Neville
PS. I know it´s after hours. Don´t worry, you won´t get detention.
I couldn´t help smiling after reading it. Not only had he remembered about the time I told him I liked roses, I was also excited about meeting him.
It was 8 o´clock. I put them on water and proceeded to make myself pretty...and yes, shout and giggle with the girls like an idiot. What did he want to see me for? The doubt was killing me. Finally the time came and when I arrived to the lake he was already there.
"Hello Kate. Glad you come."
"Hello Nev."- one of the many secret pet names I had for him.
He pated the spot next to him inviting me to seat. I did and realized how close we were. I was thinking about ways to ask him why he had requested our meeting but he got ahead of me.
"So ehrm ,I wanted to talk to you because again, I recognize I judged you rather too early. I think I got myself carried away by your...black humour."
"I probably should have watched my humour as well."
He looked at me and for the first time gave me a bright smile.
"Kate, will you pleeeaase forgive me?"
How could I say no to that?
"Yes. "
"Just so that you know, you have become my favourite Slytherin student."
"How flattering, thanks! Sorry I had to...you know, do that the other night."
"I think we can keep it secret for our own good. Besides, it wasn´t horrible."
Did he just say he enjoyed it?
"Yeah I know I felt it."
Both our wands were in Lumus and through that and the moonlight I could see him blushing deeply. I smirked.
"Admit it Longbottom. I´m sexy."
He laughed.
"Yes. And also, you sing very beautifully."
"Thank you. So sexy, nice and a beautiful voice. Anything else you wish to tell me?"
"You flatter yourself to much Ms Green"- Ms Green was in a playful tone this time.
We both laughed. Then he got a little more serious and asked:
"How are my parents doing?"
"Very well. You could think they wouldn´t like meeting someone new, but our first encounter was quite friendly. You look so much like your mother."
"Thanks."
"And I don ´t mean to brag but I think they like my company. And I could already get them to understand I know you."
"They don´t recognize me as their son."- he said sadly.
"They know you´re someone who goes often. I don´t think they forget faces."
I just stared at him while he stared at his shoes in silence. Then he looked up at me.
"You want to know don´t you?"-I nodded.
"They were Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix. When the first wizarding war ended and Voldemort disappeared after not being able to kill Harry Potter, his Death Eaters were looking for him. Somehow they thought my parents had information, they came to my house and tortured them. They never gave in. At some point they lost their minds and went mad. I was one year old. I was brought up by my grandmother. Today they don´t recognize me or anyone or anything. Sometimes I think they would have been better off dead. "
I wanted to cry. It was probably the saddest story I´d ever heard.
"Neville, I am so sorry. If I had known..."
"Don´t worry about it. I´ve learned to accept it."
"Who was it?"
"Bellatrix Lestrange."
The name sounded familiar.
"Lestrange, Lestrange...oh! Her?"
"She´s dead but, you knew her?"
"I was very young but she would try to persuade my parents to become Death Eaters. They never liked the idea of torturing and killing other wizards. Always declared themselves neutral."
Silence.
"You know? If your parents had seen you at the battle they would´ve been so proud."
"How do you know about that?"
"Everyone does. You´re almost as famous as Harry Potter out there."
"I will never forget that tragical battle."
"Neither will I."
"What?"
"Neville, it wasn´t that long ago and I´m not 2. I was in 2th grade. I was aware of Voldemort and his crimes. I remember the tension. I wasn´t supposed to stay but I managed to escape the line. I wanted to see it for myself."
"So while basically all grown up Slytherins left you stayed."
"Aha."
"Kate, you shouldn´t have. You could´ve been killed."
"But I wasn´t."
"Now that you mention it...Now I remember! After it all ended I saw a little girl helping Madame Pomfrey administrate potions to the sick and wondered what she would be doing there. It was you!"
"Yeah I think I was the only one under 16 in there. See? We were both students at the same time you´re not that old!"
"*chuckles*So you always wanted to be a Healer."
"Yep."
"Well I´m proud of, you for what you did."
I smiled. "Thanks."
Our faces were now inches from each other. He pressed his lips against mine and kissed me lightly. Then he started to kiss me more deeply and caressed my lips with his. I kissed him back and put a hand on his check. It only lasted a few seconds, but it was the sweetest thing. We broke apart and he said sadly and coldly:
"We can´t do this."
"I know. I´m so sorry."
And with that he got up and left.
:( not for now. is there gonna be any tension between them now? please don´t turn off, we will be right back with more...:DoOOooO
