Disclaimer: All recognizable characters, settings, and other elements belong to JK Rowling. Only the plot and original characters are mine.
"Oh Neville Dear! I'm so glad you were able to join us afterall! Come in, come in- yes that's it. All that self imposed solitude can't be good for you dear. Oh, and look how thin you've gotten! Are you feeding yourself-" The rest of Molly's half greeting, half lecture was cut off by Mr. Weasley.
"Let the boy breath a moment their Mollywobbles! How are you Neville?" Mr. Weasley interjected, clapping him on the back. Neville gave him a weak smile as Molly continued her speech. He half-heartedly glared at the twins as he saw them sneak out of the kitchen.
"-tons of those fan letters have arrived for you. I imagine the owls didn't know how to find you." Neville snapped to attention at that.
"Oh! I'm so sorry, I had no idea they would send them to you! Gran has a ward up so that all the letters are sent to one of the rooms at Longbottom Manor. It hasn't been bad has it?" He questioned anxiously. The last thing he wanted to do was impose on the Weasleys after everything they had done for him.
"No, no of course not dear! We tested all of them before opening, you got quite a few love spells sweetheart. You've received dozens of propositions. What with the new law condoning same sex relationships, triads and more, you've got several offers of many varieties." While she had been speaking, Molly had offered Neville a glass of pumpkin juice.
After hearing her last statement however, Neville wished he had declined,as it quickly became a choking hazard. Mr. Weasley pounded him on the back as he gasped for air.
"I- uh. What about relationships? I haven't renewed my Daily Prophet subscription since they started going after Seamus and I during the war." Molly snatched the latest issue from the top of stack of papers in the corner.
"There you are. Still mostly a load of rubbish, but at least the write about the important issues nowadays." She said, handing it to him. Quickly skimming the article, Neville grinned.
"Wait...this was passed yesterday? It's about time! We're finally starting to get rid of the prejudice. I mean, that's what started the war afterall! Hell, that's what started Voldemort!" Mr. and Mrs. Weasley subtly flinched as Neville said his name. Setting the paper down, Neville worded his next question carefully.
"Anyone I know taking advantage?" The entire Gryffindor dorm had known about Ron and Seamus' relationship, but Ron had been wary of telling his parents. Molly sent him a wide grin.
"I'm assuming you knew, living with them for seven years and all. I'm so happy Ronnie finally told us! I've known for years afterall. Oh, and Seamus is such a lovely young man! That irish brogue could have gotten anyone, and he chose our Ronnie!" Neville smiled back happily.
It was amazing that Ron and Seamus had such accepting families. Neville had yet to find out how accepting his own could be. Actually, now that he thought about it, Dean was the only one from his dorm that was straight. Lost in his thoughts, Neville jumped when a tawny owl carrying a parcel of letters alighted swooped through the window, making a beeline for him.
Accepting the package of letters, Neville nicked a cracker from the table to give the bird in payment. Quickly turning the bundle over, he checked all of them over for potions and charms. Making a small pile of the spelled ones, he tucked them all away into his robes. Molly ushered him into the living room to join the rest of the Weasley Clan before dinner began.
Before he could sit down, a familiar red blur attacked him, constricting his airflow with a tight hug.
"H-hey...Gin." Neville gasped out. When Ginny loosened her grip, he was quick to return the long overdue hug. Pulling away, she fixed him with a stern glare, looking eerily like her mother.
"Why haven't I seen you in months Longbottom?! Don't you dare try that again!" He chuckled nervously, hastily promising his friend that it wouldn't be happening again anytime soon. It had been a long time since anything had scared him, but Ginny was a force to be reckoned with. Neville glanced around, assessing the room.
Bill and Fleur were sitting by the fire with their daughter Victoire held in her mother's arms, talking with Charlie who had made the trip back from Romania. Percy and his new wife Penelope, who was pregnant with their first child, were cuddled up on the couch, whispering to each other. Blaise Zabini sat on the adjacent sofa with an empty spot next to him which Ginny had obviously just vacated. In the corner he could see Seamus and Ron were discussing (or arguing) with Luna about some odd creature. Hermione and Dean were sitting on the floor eagerly discussing the damage done to muggleborns over the course of the war would have to be corrected. It was a miracle they could all fit within the living room.
Fred and George took it upon themselves to grab the attention of the room by loudly announcing his presence.
"All hail Neville Longbottom! Great killer of the snake! Herbologist extraordinaire! Savior of Fred Weasley! Sexy, single, and ready to mingle! D-" Laughing breathlessly, Neville wandlessly cast a silencio on both of them, cutting off their exclamations. As the twins began to rudely gesture at him while the curse wore off, he was drawn into a bear hug from behind.
"Where have you been mate?! I 'aven't seen you in months! Got quite a lot 'o letters from birds askin' after ya. Reckon they thought I knew where you were 'cuz of me being your second and command and all." Seamus said. Neville spun around and chuckled, pulling the irish lad in for a hug.
During the war, he and Seamus had been the only ones from their dorm room still at hogwarts. Dean was on the run and the Golden Trio had been on their epic adventure. Of course, being the oldest Gryffindors, they took it upon themselves to protect and lead the rest of the house, alongside Lavender and Parvati. The hell of their last year only brought the two of them closer.
Pulling away. Neville accepted Ron's grin and clap on the back with a friendly nod and smile. Turning away to greet the rest of the Weasley clan, he missed the loaded glance Ron shared with his irish fiance.
Having finished his greetings, Neville perched on the end of the couch that Blaise and Ginny occupied. He gave the former slytherin a considering look before offering his hand with a greeting. Zabini accepted without hesitation.
"Blaise. I love her and I swear I won't hurt her." The conviction in his statement was enough to convince Neville.
"I know you won't. She's bloody terrifying." Blaise gave him a rueful smirk and inclined his head. Ginny, having been not-so-subtly listening in, rolled her eyes. Percy never gave her the opportunity to reply.
Turning from reprimanding his twin brothers (who had been shooting Neville considering looks since their arrival) for something or other, he addressed Neville.
"So where have you been Nev? You literally just disappeared. The papers have been going insane with their theories. Though, I hear you've been chosen for the top wizards in Witch Weekly. Actually, I think more than half the room is in that article." Neville sent a grateful prayer for the subject change away from his disappearance, though this one wasn't much better.
"Yeah mate. Ron, Neville and I are all in the top five with Harry and Malfoy. Blaise, Dean, Charlie and the twins both made the list too. Not sure of the rest of 'em, but they wanted you and Bill too, except you're both married now." Seamus responded.
Ginny lifted her head with automatic interest and smirked deviously. "So you lot are going to the shoot tomorrow right?" She received nods all around except for Neville.
"One of you drag Nev along with you. He's liable not to go otherwise." He pouted at this, though he couldn't disagree. Before he could defend himself, he got an 'aww' from Seamus. Turning to raise a questioning brow, he received a chuckle in return.
"Sorry mate, but you look downright adorable when you pout." Ron said with a grin, enjoying the red blush staining Neville's cheeks and Seamus' palpable excitement at seeing their fellow Gryffindor again.
Neville scowled lightly and muttered disagreeably under his breath about this so-called 'pout', which no one seemed to hear. Tearing his eyes away from the couple, he locked gazes with George who had been watching him closely. He and the twins had become closer following the Battle of Hogwarts, as he had narrowly saved Fred's life and both hadn't hesitated to follow his orders during the fight. Neville shot him a small smile, which he hoped showed how sorry he was for being away for so long, and turned to engage Blaise in a conversation on Herbology.
Neville had just been named Head of Magical Botany and Herbological Studies alongside his auror post (Kingsley had been kind enough to assign him desk work which he could do from home for a bit). Neville was one of the only ministry employees assigned a double post, and his background made him more than qualified. The workload was heavy, but it was rewarding.
Finding himself pleasantly surprised with Blaise's agreeability, their conversation continued until Mrs. Weasley called for dinner, all the while oblivious to the four pairs of eyes watching him hungrily.