Chapter 2
Neville was still shocked about the new marriage law and was still trying to heal from losing Luna. He was sitting in an arm chair in front of the fireplace at Longbottom Manor. He had been starring into the fire deep in thought when he soon heard a rapping at the nearby window. He looked up and sighed knowing what it was as well as wondering who he had gotten paired with. He got up and once reaching the window took the letter from the owl. He gave the owl a treat before watching it fly away. He soon closed the window and went to sit back down in front of the crackling fire. He just starred at the unopened letter mind numb. After about fifteen minutes he finally opened the letter. He read the ministry letter and then turned the page to see who would be his wife. When he saw who the picture was and her info he was shocked. He about fell out of the chair he was sitting in when he finally looked at the picture again. He soon smiled and felt somewhat relieved about who it was. He had had a crush on Hermione since their third year at Hogwarts.
Hermione and Harry sent an owl with a letter to Neville's asking if they could come and visit. After about an hour or two they received a reply from Neville that said that they could come over anytime that they wanted. After both taking showers they got changed and decided to floo over to Neville's. Neville was waiting and soon smiled as they arrived. Hermione was the first to walk over to him and hugged him. Neville wrapped his arms around her and nodded at Harry. Hermione rested her head on his left shoulder as she replied, "Neville, I'm so sorry about this..." He could feel her lightly crying into his left shoulder. Neville just held her and replied, "It's okay Mione and besides it's not your fault. It was Voldemort's." Hermione sniffled and replied, "I don't want you to think that I'm replacing Luna...I would never want to do that." Neville smiled, "Hermione… I know and I also know that I couldn't have been paired with anyone better than you." Hermione looked up at him with tears in her eyes, "Neville, what do you mean?" Neville smiled more, "Hermione, I've had a crush on you since our third year." He then added, "When I saw you gravitating towards Ron…well I was happy for you because I thought that he would treat you right. I soon after met Luna and made a decision that we would just be friends, however, after Luna passed I couldn't stop thinking about you." Hermione smiled, "Really?" He replied, "Yeah, I wondered how you were holding up and when I found out what that git did to you, I was so mad at him. I mean he let go of the most amazing girl." Hermione smiled at this as she soon sat down between him and Harry. "Thank you Neville. That means a lot and to be honest I've had a crush on you for about the same length of time, but didn't know how you felt about me. So, I kept my distance and just decided to be friends." Neville smiled and then asked, "Hermione, may I kiss you?" Hermione smiled and replied, "Of course Neville." He soon leaned in and they kissed their first ever kiss together.
After their kiss broke Neville as Harry how he was doing. Harry said, "About the same as both Mione and him. Was still healing from losing Ginny." Neville nodded in agreement and felt the same about Luna. Neville then asked Hermione who the third person she got paired with was. Hermione sighed and replied, "Draco Malfoy." Neville sighed and then said, "Well at least you aren't paired with Goyle." That made all three of them burst into laughter and made them all feel better. Hermione sighed then asked curiously, "I wonder how Draco and the Malfoys are doing since they left the death eaters?" Harry and Neville stopped and wondered about that themselves.