Authors Note: My apologies everyone! It looks like the very beginning of this chapter was missing! I have reuploaded this chapter to fix this! Thank you so much for reading, some of the things I see mentioned in the reviews are only a few chapters away now!
Neville was making his way to the Great Hall for breakfast, lost in thought. He'd been trying to figure out how to make things easier for Ginny. He knew it was only a matter of time before more people found out, and the weight of that knowledge was heavy on his shoulders.
As he entered the hall, he spotted Ginny at the Gryffindor table, her expression unusually tense as she toyed with her breakfast. She glanced up and met his eyes, and for a moment, a silent understanding passed between them. They were in this together, even if it felt like the weight of the world was on their shoulders.
Neville had just reached the table when a piercing, familiar voice echoed through the hall. "Neville Longbottom!" The voice boomed, causing heads to snap around in confusion. Neville's heart dropped into his stomach as he saw an owl swoop down, a red envelope clutched in its beak.
"No, no, no," he whispered under his breath, panic surging through him as the owl dropped the Howler in front of him. He glanced at Ginny, her face pale, eyes wide with horror.
Ginny's eyes widened as the owl dropped the Howler in front of Neville. "Neville," she whispered urgently, "do something!"
But the Howler was already beginning to smoke. The whole Great Hall fell silent, all eyes on Neville as the Howler burst open, filling the room with Fred and George's voices.
"NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM!" Fred's voice shouted, loud enough to shake the walls. "WE HOPE YOU'RE TAKING YOUR NEW RESPONSIBILITIES VERY SERIOUSLY!"
George's voice joined in, equally booming. "YEAH, WE EXPECT YOU TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW WHAT WE MEAN!"
"DON'T FORGET, NEVILLE," Fred continued, "WE'VE GOT OUR EYE ON YOU! AND SO DOES THE REST OF THE FAMILY!"
"BEST BEHAVE!" George added, the Howler's voice filled with mischief and implication.
The Howler exploded into flames, leaving behind a stunned silence in the Great Hall. Neville could feel everyone's eyes on him, whispers starting to spread through the room. His cheeks burned with embarrassment and fear.
The dead silence hung in the Great Hall, as heavy and stifling as a storm cloud. Ginny was pale, her mouth slightly open in shock, while Neville looked as if he might faint. He turned to Ginny, his eyes wide, silently pleading for this to be a nightmare they could wake up from. But the reality of the situation crashed over them like a wave—they couldn't take it back.
Slowly, the murmurs started, spreading like wildfire through the hall. Whispers bounced off the stone walls, students leaning into each other, trying to decipher the meaning behind the Howler's cryptic message. But at the Gryffindor table, where the attention was most focused, the whispers turned into direct questions.
"Blimey, Neville," Seamus said, leaning closer, his eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief. "What was that all about? You got some new responsibilities we don't know about?"
Neville's mouth opened, but no words came out. He felt his face burning, his mind scrambling for something to say. Before he could even form a coherent thought, Lavender Brown's eyes widened with realization, and she gasped loudly.
"Merlin's beard!" she said, her excited voice carrying over the rising chatter. "Ginny, are you pregnant!?" she covered her mouth, which was wide open in a conspiratorial smile.
The table went dead silent again, all eyes now fixed on Ginny, who looked like she might bolt from her seat. Her hands were trembling as she tried to regain her composure. She glanced at Neville, who looked just as horrified as she felt.
More whispers filled the air, this time more insistent, more assured. The news was spreading like fiendfyre, and Ginny could feel the weight of the entire hall's gaze bearing down on her. Panic flared in her chest as she realized there was no stopping it now. The secret they had fought so hard to keep was out, and there was no going back.
"How long?" someone else asked, but Ginny couldn't even tell who had spoken. The world around her seemed to be spinning, her mind struggling to keep up with the flood of emotions.
Neville finally found his voice, though it was shaky. "Look, it's… it's not… it's private, okay?!"
But it was too late. The damage was done. Ginny shot Neville a look that was half grateful for his attempt to defend them and half desperate as the reality of their situation settled in. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she could feel tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She stood up abruptly, her chair scraping loudly against the stone floor.
Without a word, Ginny turned and fled from the Great Hall, leaving Neville to face the onslaught of questions and stares alone. As the door swung shut behind her, she could hear the whispers following her out, and she knew that what little peace she had was gone for good.
Neville ran out of the Great Hall, his heart pounding in his chest. He had to find Ginny. The look on her face when she'd fled had been enough to break his heart. He had come to be very protective of her, in a fraternal way. He knew how much this meant to her—keeping the secret, keeping Harry safe. And now, because of that Howler, everything was unraveling.
He found her in the courtyard, leaning against a wall, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. For a moment, he hesitated, unsure if she wanted him there. But he couldn't leave her like this. He took a deep breath and walked over to her, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Ginny," he said softly, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know they were going to send that Howler. If I had—"
Ginny turned around, tears streaking down her face. Her eyes were red, and she looked furious. "How could they do this, Neville?" she choked out. "They've exposed everything! Now the whole school knows! If the wrong people find out—"
Neville's heart sank. "I know, Ginny. I'm so sorry. They were just trying to scare me, I think. They didn't realize…"
Ginny wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, trying to steady her breathing. "It's not your fault," she said, her voice trembling. "I just… I thought we could control this. Keep it under wraps for the most part for a lot longer. But now…"
Neville took a step closer, his voice firm. "We're going to be okay, Ginny. Everyone had to find out eventually, I'm sorry it was like this but at least you don't have to hide any more."
Ginny nodded, trying to draw strength from his words. "I know. It's just… everything's so out of control. And I hate it."
Neville was about to respond when a mocking voice cut through the air, dripping with malicious glee. "Well, well, what do we have here?"
They both turned to see Draco Malfoy approaching, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, a smug smirk on his face. "Potter's little girlfriend and her loyal lapdog," he sneered. "Caught in a bit of a predicament, are we?"
Neville's face flushed with anger, but he forced himself to stay calm. "Leave us alone, Malfoy," he said coldly. "This doesn't concern you."
Malfoy raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Oh, but I think it does. See, it's not every day you find out that the Longbottom bloodline is being tainted by a Weasley. I don't think you could have created a more disgusting pureblooded child if you tried. Really, Weasley, couldn't you have found anyone better?"
Ginny's fists clenched at her sides, but she didn't say anything. She couldn't afford to let Malfoy's taunts get to her. Not now. She needed to stay strong.
Malfoy took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "I bet Potter's furious, wherever he is. Oh, wait, that's right—nobody knows where he is. He's too busy playing hero to bother with you. So you had to settle for second best, did you?"
Neville's temper flared, and he stepped in front of Ginny, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't know anything, Malfoy. So just shut up and leave."
Malfoy laughed, a cruel sound that echoed through the courtyard. "Or what, Longbottom? What are you going to do? You can't even keep your own girlfriend from getting knocked up. How do you expect to protect her now?"
Neville's fists clenched, his anger threatening to boil over. Before he could react, Ginny stepped forward, her voice icy and unyielding. "Listen, Malfoy," she snapped, her eyes blazing. "You can say whatever you like about me, but leave Neville out of it. He's twice the person you'll ever be."
Malfoy's smirk widened, a mocking laugh escaping his lips. "Oh, Weasley, how noble," he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're just as pathetic as he is. But by all means, keep pretending you're heroes. It'll make things that much funnier when it all comes crashing down."
Still chuckling to himself, Malfoy turned and swaggered away, Crabbe and Goyle following close behind, their laughter echoing in the corridor.
As they disappeared into the castle, Ginny let out a shaky breath, her hands still trembling. Neville turned to her, his expression softening. "Are you okay?"
Ginny nodded, though her voice was still unsteady. "Yeah. Thanks, Neville. For standing up for me. And for… everything."
Neville smiled slightly, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "We're in this together, remember? No matter what."
Ginny squeezed his hand back, a small smile breaking through her tears. "Yeah. Together."
As they stood there in the courtyard, the weight of the world pressing down on them, they found a small measure of comfort in each other's presence, knowing that they weren't alone in facing the challenges ahead.
The weeks that followed the Howler incident were some of the hardest of Ginny's life. The news had spread through Hogwarts like fiendfyre, and there wasn't a single student who didn't know. Everywhere she went, she could feel the eyes of her peers on her, hear the whispers that followed her down the corridors. Some were pitying, others were mocking, and a few were just plain curious. It felt as if her entire world had shifted, and she was constantly on edge, waiting for the next snide comment or cruel joke.
In classes, she could barely concentrate. The professors were kind enough, but Ginny could see the way they looked at her—with a mix of sympathy and concern. She hated it. She hated being the center of attention for all the wrong reasons. She hated feeling like some fragile idiot girl who needed to be pitied. But that was exactly how everyone treated her now.
The whispers in the hallways were the worst. "Have you heard? Ginny Weasley's pregnant!" "I heard it's Neville Longbottom's baby. Can you believe that?" "Did you see the look on Longbottom's face when he got that howler? Priceless!"
Even the common room, which had once been a sanctuary for Ginny, was no longer a place of comfort. She could feel the stares of her fellow Gryffindors whenever she walked in, could hear the sudden hush that fell over the room. Her friends tried to be supportive, but there was an awkwardness now, a tension that hadn't been there before. They didn't know what to say, and Ginny didn't know how to make it easier for them.
Through it all, Luna Lovegood remained a constant, unflappable presence. She sat with Ginny at every meal, her calm, dreamy demeanor a balm to Ginny's frayed nerves. Luna didn't offer sympathy or ask probing questions. Instead, she simply treated Ginny the way she always had, with a gentle kindness that made Ginny feel almost normal.
One afternoon, they sat together by the lake, watching the grey November sky reflected in the water. The weather was turning colder, and Ginny was bundled up in her cloak, trying to keep warm. Luna picked at the grass absentmindedly, her expression as serene as ever.
"I think you're very brave," Luna said suddenly, her voice light but sincere. "To face all this. It can't be easy."
Ginny managed a small smile. "It's not," she admitted. "I just… I didn't think it would be like this. I didn't think everyone would find out for a long time."
"People like to talk," Luna said, her eyes drifting to the horizon. "They like to have something to gossip about. But they don't know you, not really. They don't know what you're going through."
Ginny nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. She couldn't tell Luna the whole truth, couldn't explain that Neville wasn't really the father, that she was still hoping against hope that Harry would come back. But Luna's quiet support was a comfort, and for now, that was enough.
The quiet between them was comfortable, the kind of silence that didn't need filling. But Luna, always curious and perceptive in her own way, broke it with a question that caught Ginny off guard.
"Can I feel the baby?" Luna asked, her large, dreamy eyes focusing on Ginny's midsection.
Ginny blinked, taken aback. No one had asked to touch her belly yet. The thought of it was both strange and oddly intimate. She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Sure," she said softly, pulling her cloak aside to reveal the gentle curve of her stomach.
Luna reached out, her hands warm against Ginny's skin even through the layers of clothing. She rested her palm there, her expression one of quiet wonder. "You're definitely showing now," she said, her voice filled with a soft awe that made Ginny's heart ache in a bittersweet way.
Ginny looked down at Luna's hand on her belly, the small swell that had become more noticeable in the past few weeks. It was strange, seeing someone else touch it, acknowledging the life growing inside her. It made everything feel more real, more immediate. For a moment, the weight of it all pressed down on her, the reality of what was happening, of the life that was changing her body.
"Have you felt it kick yet?" Luna asked, her tone casual, as if she were asking about the weather.
Ginny shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips despite the lump in her throat. "No, not yet. It's still too early. I feel awful but I've been so worried about keeping it a secret that I havent really thought much about the baby at all."
Luna nodded, her hand still resting gently on Ginny's belly. "It must be strange, knowing there's a person growing inside you. A little life. I think it's beautiful, even if it's hard."
Ginny's eyes misted over, and she blinked quickly to clear them, nodding at Luna.
Luna gave her a serene smile, her hand lingering for just a moment longer before she pulled away. "You're not alone, Ginny," she said softly. "You have friends. You have this little one. And you have hope. That's more than a lot of people have these days."
Ginny nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yeah," she whispered. "Yeah, I suppose I do."
The conversation drifted back to other things, the DA's latest plans, the rumors swirling through the school, but Ginny's thoughts kept returning to the moment when Luna had touched her belly. It was a small thing, a simple gesture, but it had made everything feel more real. She was going to be a mother, whether she was ready or not, and that thought was both terrifying and comforting.
As they walked back to the castle, Ginny's hand strayed to her belly, feeling the small curve under her fingers. For the first time, she allowed herself to think of the baby growing inside her, the tiny life that was already changing everything. And for the first time in a long while, she felt hopeful, a small, fragile thing that she held onto tightly as she made her way through the cold stone halls of Hogwarts.
Dean found Neville in the courtyard, sitting alone on one of the stone benches. The autumn wind blew through the trees, rustling the fallen leaves around them. Dean's expression was stormy, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as he approached Neville.
"Hey, Neville," Dean said, his voice tight, barely holding back his anger. "We need to talk."
Neville looked up, surprised to see Dean standing there, clearly upset. He'd been so focused on maintaining their cover story that he hadn't even considered what Dean might think about the whole situation. Actually, It wasn't until this very moment that Neville even remembered that Dean and Ginny had even dated.
"Sure, Dean," Neville said cautiously, sensing the tension. "What's going on?"
Dean sat down heavily on the bench beside Neville, he glanced around the courtyard, then back at Neville, his jaw clenched. "Is it true? About Ginny? Is she… pregnant? And you're the father?"
Neville hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded, knowing he had to stick to the story. "Yeah, it's true," he said quietly, meeting Dean's gaze. "She's pregnant, and… it's mine."
Dean shook his head, his expression a mix of disappointment and anger. "I always respected Ginny, Neville. I never would have done something like this to her. I can't believe you let it happen. You should've known better. How the hell could you have not been more careful?"
Neville felt his face flush, caught off guard by Dean's directness. It was the first time someone had confronted him so bluntly about his supposed intimate relationship with Ginny, and he struggled to find the right words. He always thought of himself as someone responsible, someone who wouldn't make reckless choices like this. How could he explain something that hadn't really happened? He stumbled over his words. "I-I… it wasn't… I mean, things just… happened. It… it got out of hand. But I care about her, Dean. I'm not just going to leave her to handle this alone."
Dean's eyes flashed with anger. "You better not walk away, Neville. You've already done enough damage. Ginny deserves better than this. She deserves better than you."
Neville flinched at the harshness of Dean's words, his mind racing. Dean was so passionate, so upset that he actually felt guilty despite knowing that he had not in any way been involved. "I know, I know," he said quietly. "And I'm doing everything I can to make it right." And he meant that.
Dean shook his head, his expression filled with frustration. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Ginny's entire life is going to be so much harder now, all because you couldn't keep your hands off her. And what about Harry? He's out there, fighting this war, and you're here, screwing up everything."
Neville's jaw tightened at what Dean seemed to be implying, and he stood up, facing Dean squarely. "Ginny and Harry were broken up when this happened," he said firmly. "She wasn't cheating on him, and he's got bigger things to worry about. I know, I really messed up, but I can't change it and I'm just trying to do my best now."
Dean stared at him for a moment, his anger slowly giving way to a grudging acceptance. His shoulders slumped slightly, the fight draining out of him. "Fine," he muttered. "But if you hurt her, Neville, I swear…"
"I won't," Neville promised, his voice steady. "I'd never hurt Ginny."
Dean nodded reluctantly, the fire in his eyes dimming. "Alright. Just… take care of her, Neville. Don't make things worse."
"I won't," Neville said again, watching as Dean turned and walked away, his footsteps heavy with frustration. As Neville sat back down on the bench, he felt the weight of his promise settle on his shoulders.
Maybe it was a bit naive—or perhaps even sexist—but Neville had assumed it would be easier for him. Maybe easier wasn't the right word, but he had thought people would admire his loyalty, his willingness to stand by Ginny. Instead, he was starting to realize that his involvement—whether real or not—only made him look reckless and thoughtless. And why wouldn't they see it that way? If Dean had been in his shoes, Neville would've been furious on Ginny's behalf, too.
But beneath it all, there was another emotion Neville hadn't fully confronted until now—anger at Harry. How could Harry have been so careless? He'd left Ginny vulnerable. How could he not have been more careful? How could he put her in this situation and then leave? Leave Neville to struggle for the answers to these questions. He should've been more careful. He should've known the danger Ginny would be in.
The thought made Neville's stomach twist. He knew Harry was out there risking everything for all of them, but that didn't erase the fact that Ginny was the one suffering now. And Harry had left. He'd left her in the middle of a war, pregnant, with people ready to use her as bait. And Neville was here, trying to shield her from all of it. He hadn't signed up for this, hadn't planned on feeling like the responsible one while Harry was off doing who knows what.
But as his anger simmered, Neville forced himself to step back. It wasn't about him—none of this was. Ginny was the one who had to live with the weight of Harry's absence, the danger of what carrying his child meant. Whatever frustration Neville felt paled in comparison to what she was going through.
And compared to the risks Harry was taking, Neville's resentment seemed small. Harry was out there fighting for all of them, and if taking on this role helped Ginny stay safe, then it was worth it. The judgment he faced—the whispers, the stares—was nothing compared to the real dangers they were all facing.
The resentment didn't fade all at once. It lingered, gnawing at him, but slowly, he began to remember the bigger picture. The sacrifices they all had to make. The sacrifices Harry had already made. He would be here if he could, Neville knew that. If Neville had to shoulder the blame, to carry the burden of being misunderstood—so be it. He hadn't fully understood the cost when he'd agreed to help Ginny, but now, he knew: if this was what it took, he could bear it.
And when Harry came back—when, not if—he would give him what for, that was for sure. But until then... until then, Neville would stay strong. He had to