Two Weeks Later-
"I've never been more nervous in my life."
Hannah looked at herself in the mirror of her bedroom. She was wearing a pale pink sundress with tiny white flowers on it and a pair of white sandals.
"You'll be fine." Her best friend, Susan Bones, told her, as she curled Hannah's hair. "It's just dinner."
"Yeah, with his grandmother." Hannah emphasized. "Who raised him."
"You'll be fine." Susan repeated.
"What about my Dad?" Hannah asked, applying some light lipstick. "You know he can't stop cracking stupid jokes to save his life."
This was a fair point, though Susan didn't say it. Caleb Abbott's jokes were awful.
Hannah and her father were having dinner with Neville and his grandmother. They'd been going together for the last couple of weeks, but had been so busy, they hadn't even been on a real date, or met each other's families.
After the final battle, everyone had been working non-stop to rebuild Hogwarts so it could open again on September 1st, for the new school year. Most of the NEWT students were planning on repeating their last year, so they could really learn. Neville, along with Harry and Ron, had been recruited by Minister Shacklebolt to the Auror office the day after the battle; but they gave as much help to the school as they could.
"Hannah?" Her father asked through her bedroom door. "Are you ready to go? We're supposed to be in Blackpool in ten minutes."
"I'm ready." Hannah called back through the door. She hugged Susan quickly. "Thanks for helping me get ready."
"You're welcome." Susan hugged her back. "Good luck, it'll be fine, I swear."
"I hope so."
"Hannah!" Her father called. "I'm apparating out this door in two minutes; if you're not in here, I'm going without you!"
"Coming!" Hannah called back. Susan quickly apparated herself and Hannah grabbed her purse and hurried down the stairs. She stopped short at the sight of her father.
"Dad, you cannot wear the ducky tie!" She said. "It's ridiculous!"
"Your mother loved this tie." He said, tugging at it.
"I know." Hannah said quietly. "But Neville's Gran is really old fashioned and I want to make a good impression. Please, Dad, take it off."
"But who doesn't love a quacking tie?" He said.
Hannah stomped her foot like a child. "Dad!"
He sighed. "Okay, okay."
After Caleb had removed the tie, they apparated together. They reappeared outside a pale blue, two story house cottage with a large garden. There was an enormous tree in the front yard with a tire swing hanging from it. Hannah smiled; and it was nice to see where Neville had grown up.
He met them at the front door, smiling. "Mr. Abbott," He said, shaking Hannah's father's hand. "It's so nice to meet you."
"You too." Her father replied, eyeing the young man that had his only child in such a tailspin. "And call me Caleb, please."
"Caleb," Neville repeated, still smiling. He kissed Hannah on the cheek. "Hey, you."
"Hi." She said as they stepped inside.
"You look beautiful." He told her. She felt her face heat up.
"Thank you." She replied. "So do you. Also, look beautiful, I mean."
"Smooth." Her father whispered. She nudged him in the ribs.
"Thanks." Neville said.
"Neville!" A formidable female voice was approaching. "Why are you all standing around in the entryway? Bring them in!"
For the first time, a look of nervousness crossed Neville's face. "Coming, Gran!" He called back.
Introductions were quick and Hannah found herself being studied by Augusta Longbottom. She wished her dress was a little longer and that she had worn less eyeliner.
"So, you're the young lady my grandson has been taken with for so long?" Mrs. Longbottom asked after they were all seated.
"Um…yes?" Hannah said, unsure of how to answer. Neville squeezed her hand.
"Neville tells me you're not in Gryffindor." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Hannah felt a small swell of indignation.
"No, I'm in Hufflepuff." She said, with a glance at her father, who simply raised his eyebrows.
"Our family has been in Gryffindor for decades." Mrs. Longbottom informed her.
"And our family has been in Hufflepuff for decades." Caleb cut across before Hannah could answer.
"Funny, how that seems to run in some families, isn't it?" Neville said quickly.
"And you lost your mother last year?" Mrs. Longbottom asked, ignoring her grandson.
"Yes." Hannah replied, with another look to her father. "Deatheaters."
"We're no stranger to tragedy in this home." Mrs. Longbottom stood. "Why don't we go check on supper, Hannah? Give the men a chance to talk."
Hannah was afraid it was more like a chance for Neville's grandmother to interrogate her without her grandson intervening, but she stood anyway and followed the older woman into the kitchen.
"You like roast and potatoes?" Mrs. Longbottom asked and Hannah nodded.
"Oh, yes." She said.
"Well, let me look at you." She moved Hannah under the light. "You're pretty enough, Neville was right about that. Seem to have a strong constitution. You've already had sex with my grandson." Once again, it was not a question, and Hannah felt her face go beet red.
"Oh, I, uh, well…"
"Nonsense," Mrs. Longbottom waved her hand. "I could tell a difference in the boy the moment I saw him, same as his father before him. A mother knows. He has no idea I know, of course, but men are clueless. He's a good boy. Man," She corrected herself. "He'll treat you right."
"But that's not why you brought me in here, is it?" Hannah asked, finding her voice at long last.
Mrs. Longbottom almost smiled. "No. It was more along the lines of; do you intend to treat him right?"
"Yes." Hannah answered, her tone a tad belligerent. "I wouldn't be with him if I didn't."
This time the old woman did smile. "You remind of Alice." She said. "She was fairly sassy herself. Come, help me finish this food."
In the sitting room, Neville fiddled with his trouser leg. He was terrified his grandmother was giving Hannah the third degree in the kitchen. What if she scared her off?
"So, how're things going in your corner of the Ministry?" Caleb asked, after several minutes of silence. He worked in the Department of Magical Transportation and knew how rough things were.
"Well, we've managed to out most of the scum that was residing there." Neville smiled slightly. "But the Minister is certain there are more, and I'm sure he's right. Some of the older Auror's, they give Harry, Ron, and me a hard time because we're so young. They don't like us being there."
"Fuck 'em." Caleb said quite frankly and Neville couldn't help but smile. Hannah had said her dad was extremely blunt and it seemed she hadn't been exaggerating. "You fought in three battles, you earned your place."
"Thank you, sir." Neville said, his chest filling with pride. "How're things in your Department?"
"A mess." Caleb sighed. "Of course, after being in hiding for nearly a year, what should I expect? Robert Casey's been made Head, and he's an all right fellow. He gave me my old job back, in any case."
The two of them continued to talk shop until Hannah announced they were serving dinner. The meal was quite delicious, one thing Neville had to hand his Gran, and she could cook like no one's business. Hannah seemed a little more at ease during dinner and answered all of his Gran's questions honestly. Neville was glad she seemed slightly impressed that Hannah intended to be a Healer.
Hannah offered to help clean up, when they were done eating, but Mrs. Longbottom waved her off.
"Neville, take her for a walk around the garden." She suggested. "Caleb and I can handle this."
"I hope Gran didn't interrogate you too badly." He said, swinging her hand in his as they walked the back of the lot.
"Not too bad." Hannah said. "She knows we've done the dirty."
Neville stopped walking. "What?"
Hannah laughed at the look on his face. "Yeah, she said she could tell as soon as she saw you."
"She…knows…." His voice was faint and Hannah laughed again.
"The man who shouted Dumbledore's Army in You-Know-Who's face, scared that his Gran knows he did the deed?" She said.
"Shut it." He replied. "Did she seem mad?"
Hannah rolled her eyes. "No, she was cool."
"My Gran," He said. "Is not cool."
Hannah laughed again and took his hand. "Come on."
And they kept walking.