CHAPTER FIVE:

Femme Complexius

(AUTHORS NOTES: For those curious, my OC's adventures at Hogwarts and giving Snape a daughter, and a life, a reason to smile, are mostly what the story is about.. She will eventually be paired with a canon and interact with more than just Luna, her best friend. I'm trying to stay as true to the series as I can while also inserting a little fuckery at random here and there, to make people laugh and smile. If you don't like those kinds of story, you won't like it. You were warned on my bio, I am a fangirl, so this is stuff I'd probably try and do if the stories actually existed. -le sigh- The three OTHER ORIGINAL CHARACTERS are mostly so my oc's not going off alone all the time.. They're based on 3 old friends of mine from high school. They won't be paired. Just minor players.. It's sort of like a story within a story, if that makes sense?

Did I mention that this story is over 5 years old? I started writing it when I was probably 14, so yeah.. if it seems a bit immature, it's because I found nearly all of it on an old flashdrive and decided what the hell, I'll upload it, see if anyone thinks it's funny or anything... Again I stress this.. IT IS AU. THINGS WILL CHANGE, THOUGH NOT TOO MUCH. ORIGINAL CHARACTER SHENANIGANS (like the totally made up Devil's Snare scenario below).. BE WARNED. NO FLAMES PLEASE?

OMG.. THANKS TO CHEMICAL77. Your review made me smile! I'm glad you like this so far!)

The teachers seemed to like partnering her with him as of late.. Not that the quite and shy Gryffindor minded particularly, but he was hard pressed to find anything to talk to the wild and free spirited petite brunette bombshell of a Hufflepuff. Like right now, they were in Herbology.. He should have been concentrating on the plant lesson for the day, but he couldn't stop watching her movements, the small subtle ones. And even though he shouldn't have, when she said something sarcastic in retort to something Hermione said first, he'd laughed a little to himself.

But watching her tend to a fallen in the dirt firstie, he saw a whole other side of the wild brunette. He stood watching, his hands in his pocket as she said something and then hugged the little boy, laughing a little. She'd stood, smoothing her mini skirt as she turned to him and said sheepishly, "Sorry, it just looked like the poor little guy took one hell of a fall."

Beyond that, nothing farther was elaborated on, and he didn't mention it. Today, they were working with a plant located nearby some Devil's Snare and Neville said quietly, "Don't stand so bloody close to the plant. That's Devil's Snare, ya know." his voice coming out stiff, strained. The Hufflepuff had gotten beneath his skin in recent weeks and he wasn't sure how to deal with this, what to do about it.

No sooner had the words come from his mouth when she squeaked and paled, the tendril snaking slowly around her hips and upward. "Don't fight it, Charmie, bloody hell." he said as he tried to keep her relatively calm, while she however was panicking and shrieked, "What the bloody blue hell do you mean don't fight it.. What is this fuckery? I'm being felt up by a bloody plant."

He blushed at her statement and then said firmly, "You have to relax. Be still and do not fight it." while looking at her. If it crept any higher, it'd strangle her easily. Hermione rolled her eyes and remarked, "If she weren't so busy flirting and giggling, making cow eyes at you, Longbottom.." matter of factly as she crossed her arms, smug. It was the girls own fault.

Neville's glare silenced her for once as Ron sniggered and made the mimic of a whip sound as Charmaine spoke again and said in a panicked voice, "Neville? It's trying to go up my skirts... ". Josie, a friend of hers ran over and then groaned, palming her face as she asked, "Can you get her out, Longbottom? Listen to me, you bloody stubborn arse of a girl.. Do not fight it.. Longbottom's the plant guy.. If he says don't fight it, Charmie, don't fight it."

And naturally, Charmaine only did the opposite, out of reflex. By now, the entire class was watching the scene with interest, a few of the boys cackling amongst themselves as the snare encircled itself slowly over her chest and she gasped, trying to pull at the damn plant, paling, breathing heavily her brown eyes wide with horror. Another tendril was making it's way slowly up her leg, she eyed it warily and groaned, blushing all over with embarassment.. If only she hadn't been staring at him so hard, trying to figure out why he got to her as he did.. Damn her hormones.

"Never shagged a boy.. Going to die a fucking virgin." she muttered as Neville blushed, rubbed the back of his neck and then said "If you'd do what I say, you bloody stubborn silly woman.." while biting his lower lip. "Fire."

"OH HELL NO! YOU ARE NOT SETTING ME ON FIRE!" came the panicked beyond all reasonable panicked Hufflepuff's reply as she tried to control herself. Hermione grumbled and Ron almost doubled over in laughter while Josie, Mary Beth and Rosa gaped at the scene in horror, open handedly smacking Ron's head, Rosa stating, "Don't be a tosser, Weasley."

"No, not setting you on fire silly woman, calm down, Charmie.. " Neville coaxed as he said quietly, "Err, Charmaine. Bluebell Flames."

"What?" Hermione asked as Neville looked at her, waiting. "Oh fine.. But seriously.. She had no business even standing so close to the plant, Neville. Clearly she's daft."

Moments later, the Devil's Snare loosened and she hurriedly stepped away, out of it's path, dangerously close to Neville, more or less falling in his arms, hiding her face in her hands, her forehead resting against his chest, immediately his face and body went a lovely shade of maroon almost matching the maroon of his Gryffindor tie.

"Thanks, Granger. You are right.. This time." she muttered as she danced the tip of her fire engine red/black tipped nail down Neville's button front shirt and then said in an even quieter tone, "And again, Nevvie saves my arse." before turning, walking to the edge of the creek bank they stood nearest, staring out at the water, arms crossed, properly embarassed.

The bell for end of class sounded and she still hadn't moved, instead, she was kicking at pebbles, muttering Muggle swears to herself aloud.. She was good at Herbology, it was a favorite class. But one distraction.. Ughh, it had Hermione Granger, know it all prat she was, looking like a saint, saving her arse for the most part. This didn't set well with the Hufflepuff and she turned around, intending to go to her dorm room and fume, but instead, she found herself chest to chest with Neville who asked, "Are you alright?" looking at her in concern.

"How the blue bloody hell could I be so bloody fucking stupid.. My marks are 2 points below yours in this class and I... Ughh, damn it to hell. Fuck my life right now, Merlin above." she mumbled as he snickered a little, perplexed by her attitude on what'd happened just now. She wasn't repulsed that he'd had to touch her a bit to make the Bluebell Flame melt away the snaking tendrils of Devils Snare from her body.. She wasn't disgusted that she'd practically fallen on him, for a 4th time in nearly a month now since the begin of term.. She was disgusted, however, because Hermione came out looking like the heroine and she was embarassed by her distraction in class today..

These things only added to the growing list of quirks the curvy brunette Hufflepuff had that intrigued the tall and wiry dark haired Gryffindor.

"So you're more worried about Hermione looking better than you.."

"Exactly."

"The fact that a Devil's Snare, how'd you put it moments ago, almost 'felt you up'.. It's not what's upsetting you?" Neville asked, his hand in his hair, aware that they now stood completely alone, were migrating closer to each other, nobody was around to taunt him or make fun of him..

Still, the hesitance was there.. He was after all a very shy young man. And for all of her wildness, Charmaine Morgan seemed to be a bit reserved emotionally, herself. She had no problem flirting.. But when she had to 'face up' to her feelings.. She ran and hid mostly.

Love affected her differently than it did others, due to a strong lack of it in her life. If you showed her kindness, if you showed her caring and concern, she'd shut down, she'd retreat.

His large warm and slightly calloused, dirty hand went to her cheek as he said quietly, "You had a bit of hair in your..." brushing the hair back from her eye as he asked, "Do you want me to walk you to class?"

"You really want to? After I completely made an arse of the both of us, back there?" Charmaine mumbled as she stared at him with startled curiousity, fingers tangling in her long dark hair.

"I asked, didn't I?" he muttered, wondering if she were now politely trying to 'distance' herself from the known nerd boy of Gryffindor. Instead, she sighed and then picking up her books said casually, "Let's go.."

She'd walked a little ahead, and he noticed a piece of parchment had fallen from her notebook. Picking it up, he looked at it, bit his lower lip, looking at her curvy long legged form retreating in the distance as he looked back down at the paper in his hands.. It was a sketch, done apparently, while he'd been reading quietly in the library less than a week ago.

He caught up to her, held out the parchment and then said quietly, "Do you draw those a lot?"

" Actually, only here and there.. You and Professor Snape seem to make better subjects than most. Everyone else moves too bloody much." she explained, or lied rather, easily, her cheeks heating a little as she swung the zebra print shoulder bag to her opposite shoulder. All too soon, they stood in front of their respective classroom doors, and both gave a nod, ducking into them.

Charmaine slid into her seat and groaned when the professor immediately paired her with Blaise Zabini for the lesson of the hour.. And he spent the entire time fussing over her, saying aloud how he 'missed her' and how she 'needed him.'

A year ago, that would have worked, she'd have given in, she'd have been back with him by the end of the hour.. But this time, she shook her head and said quietly, "Don't touch me you arse." moving her things to the opposite side of the work bench, biting her lip as she worked on the lesson solo, not bothering to help Blaise at all.

She stormed out ahead of him as class ended, he followed, his hand gripping her wrist as he turned her to face him and repeated, "You know I'm right.. You want to give in and you do need me.. Without me, Charmie, princess? You're nothing more than a disgusting and quite stupid little Mudblood."

"Leave her alone." came the calm and quite icy voice behind her as Neville stepped forward into sight, wand raised. He honestly wasn't sure why in the bloody hell he was interfering, the whole school KNEW that the two of them dated the year before, she'd been his date to the Yule Ball and a Halloween Masquerade that the school held every year.

Charmaine groaned, she knew how sharp Blaise's tongue could be, naturally and she knew he didn't deserve any of it, really. She glared at Blaise and then said "You heard him, Zabini. Beat it or I'll put you on your arse.. Without magic. Remember last time?"

He glared and then doubled over in laughter as he looked from Neville, the nerd of Hogwarts, to his former girlfriend and then he said "You'd choose him.. Over me? Really.."

Without any real hesitation, she shrugged and said "Apparently so." before looking up at Neville and pleading with her eyes so he didn't get confuzzled, walk away thinking this was some joke aimed at him. "Why not? He's more a man than you'll ever be, Zabini."

"He's... He's Longbottom, Princess, that's why."

"JUST GO!" she shrieked, pointing him away, her arms crossing angrily. He stalked off muttering how he wasn't giving up that easily, he wasn't about to be rejected for a Gryffindor, a blood traitor, no less.

"Does he do that often?" Neville asked as he studied her in concern a moment, trying to process what had just happened apparently.

"You mean when the git's not trying to force me into fucking him? Basically, yes." she muttered, her eyes avoiding his, not wanting to see the disgust his face was probably filled with, at her for being so stupid.

Neville winced at the harsh words but said quietly, " Why did you say that?"

"Because, Nevvie.. It's true." Charmaine said as she gave a sheepish blushing smile and shrugged, muttering something else he couldn't hear before calling out to her friends, Luna running over, holding out the parchment.

"You'll sign up for Dumbledore's Army?" Luna asked as Charmaine's gaze flickered up the hallway to Umbridge, the cow herself, and a smirk passed over her plump candy glossed lips as she propped parchment on Neville's chest and scrawled her rather 'graceful and loopy' autograph on the paper.

"We meet tonight. I've tried all day to find you, Charmie." Luna stated in her usual dreamlike voice as Charmaine sighed and said "Let's put it this way, Lu.. Tonight, when we're all in the Astronomy Tower, after the meeting? I will have earned every single vodka shot I take."

Neville groaned and started to say something, but decided against. After all, they'd merely 'pretended' for the sake of Blaise leaving her alone moments before.. It was really none of his business what she did.

She stared up at him a moment and then said quietly, "Actually, on second thought.. I might go for a walk on the lawns tonight while drinking.. Maybe we can sneak away and visit the Thestrals and the Unicorns, Luna?"

Luna grinned and Charmaine made herself turn, walk away after giving Neville a slight wink in parting, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Luna looked up and giggled as she said casually, "You like her.."

"Do not. I didn't say that."

"You don't need to, Neville."