notes: Thumbs up to our reviewers - Indigo Lily, rainy. day. dreams, mit1 and DrinkingAlcoholicRainbows! Thumbs down to our alert-ers - lil manny and L-U-N-A-654 - sigh. Generosity is celebrated this Christmas season! Also, seriously, DrinkingAlcoholicRainbows, how did you know what this pairing would be? Insane. Enjoy!
our dancing days
v. corruption
nevillehannah
She's not overly pretty, and he's not overly handsome. She's not overly smart, and he's not overly witty. There's just something about the two of them, though, that makes them outshine anybody who is prettier, or smarter, and that's what draws them to one another.
She's only working at the Leaky Cauldron when Neville comes in after his first year at Hogwarts. She eyes him over the rim of the pint glass she's cleaning.
He looks over, and catches her. She blushes, remembering a time when all she did was blush, when she had her chubby face and blonde pigtails. Neville watches her quietly for a moment, as if figuring out who she is. He calls her over, ten minutes later.
"You know, Hannah, for a moment there I thought you were going to act as though you didn't know me," he tells her, flashing her a grin. It's very un-Neville like, and she finds she rather likes it.
"Oh, I couldn't do that, Neville. It's pretty darn near impossible."
She looks left and right shiftily, then leans forward to whisper in his ear, "I get off in half an hour. D'ya reckon you'll still be here?"
"Well, for you, I think I might," he says sincerely. "You don't think you could bring me another Butterbeer, though? One year at Hogwarts again, and I'm already sick of Rosmerta's brew compared to yours. I used to like it as well. You've corrupted me!" He cries dramatically, drawing the attention of some lingering eyes. Hannah blushes, again, and pats his arm consolingly. He apologises, wonders how she puts up with his antics, and tells her to put her feet up. She doesn't, of course, but it's nice to think he cares.
They talk for hours, long after the pub's day-time visitors have left and the people drowning their sorrows wonder in. Their laughs are shrill and high over the other mumbled words, but they don't care.
"So... what's with the change in confidence, Professor Longbottom?" Neville cringes and Hannah chuckles to herself.
"Well, you, really," Neville tells her honestly, and she blinks up at him in surprise. "I saw how confident you were after the DA, in fifth year, and then when we came back to retake our final year... it kind of gave me hope." He flashes her another wry grin. "How cheesy a pick up line did that sound?"
"Extremely cheesy. Worse than Edam, I'd wager."
"Drat," he says. "I don't suppose it worked, though?" He asks, and suddenly he does look hopeful, all wide hazel eyes and parted lips and Hannah just can't say no.
"It... might have worked," she confirms, picking up his empty Butterbeer glass without a word, refilling it and sitting back down, crossing her leg over her knee and smirking slightly at Neville's bemused expression. "On the house. You're corrupting me, Neville Longbottom."
"Oh. Oh, right," Neville says, distracted. "I don't suppose you want to meet up on Thursday, do you?"