Ficlet Challenge #111 // Now that the Mask has come off
Title: Getting There
Summary: His friends think that Neville is addicted to helping people. Maybe he is but not in a Golden Boy/hero-complex way. Neville just thinks that the post-war wizarding world is too full of people hurting and that if you can make a difference, you should. That being said, even Neville never could have predicted he would be coming to the aid of one of his oldest bullies.
Characters/Pairings: Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy; mentions of Neville/Hannah Abbott
Genre: Angst-y
Beta: n/a
Rating/Warnings: Rating - G?
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 696
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: n/a
Almost all of Neville's friends, including his new girlfriend Hannah Abbott, thought he was completely out of his mind for hiring none other than Draco Malfoy as a bartender at The Leaky Cauldron. Imagine their scandalized exclamations if Neville had admitted he was secretly considering hiring even more of his ex-Deatheater classmates. Neville just thought that the war had brought so much tragedy and hardship into the Wizarding World that it was the least he could do to help when able. Almost three years later, families were still torn apart, at least a quarter of wizarding adults were unemployed, Hogwarts enrollment was at an all-time low, wizard-muggle relations had yet to be stabilized, and it seemed like everywhere Neville turned, people were struggling to make end's meet. There was a lot more to being a war hero then riding the fame but thanks to it, Neville really was in a position to do good. He taught Herbology at Hogwarts, he had taken over ownership of The Leaky, he lived comfortably, and he made more than enough to support himself. Neville donated to war relief funds diligently, generally opting to simply throw money at Hermione and telling her to put the galleons towards whichever one of her pet charity programs was hurting the most that month. He also did a lot of volunteer work with Harry, who tended to focus on St. Mungo's and orphanages. Hannah jokingly swore that if her boyfriend went too long without “sticking his nose into somebody else's business,” he developed a twitch. Although that particular accusation was in jest, Neville definitely did have a knack for getting at the root of people's unhappiness and tackling it head on.
Working the pub, contributing financially, volunteering, and doing his part in any little ways Neville could manage, had been enough for him until a month ago. Until Draco Malfoy had slouched into his pub one day and kicked Neville's not-so-inner Hufflepuff into overdrive. The blond had been disturbingly thin, his eyes sunken in and his wrists so small they looked like a toddler's. The once highly praised platinum blond hair had looked greasy and unkempt under the hat covering Malfoy's head. His clothes had been baggy, threadbare, and in muted colors. Everything about him had reminded Neville of an abused pet cowering in a cage, trying to stay below the radar so it wouldn't be hurt again but unable to actually escape the torment. Neville remembered a vain aristocrat when he thought of Draco Malfoy; a boy who had always been fierce and proud. When this new and downtrodden Malfoy had ordered a drink, refusing to meet Neville's eyes, it was like a light had gone off in the Gryffindor's brain. Without a word, Neville had placed down two more drinks and a steaming shepherd's pie in front of his old bully. The blond's timid and weary mask had cracked for the first time Neville had seen since he had entered the pub, equal parts shock and suspicion radiating from those piercing blue eyes. The Gryffindor had just raised a placating palm, saying it was on the house and that Malfoy was welcome to a free meal whenever Neville was working.
It had taken some time to build a rapport with Malfoy, and even longer to gain enough of his trust that the blond was willing to carry a conversation with him, but Neville's hard work had paid off in the end. After a few months, he had learned enough about Malfoy's current predicament to casually offer him a job. Malfoy had agreed, to Neville's pleasant surprise, after very little objection.
Watching Malfoy now, Neville couldn't have been happier with his spontaneous decision to meddle, regardless of what his friends thought. Malfoy was still visibly tense but at least that beaten down mask was gone. Malfoy was professional and he always managed to feign cheerful aloofness for the guests. His hair was back to its stylized perfection. His clothes were flattering again, even if they didn't quite fit his still skeletal frame. They weren't on a first name basis yet but Neville liked to think they were getting there. They were getting there.
Kelly // Gryff // 28 points for Gryffindor!
Summary: His friends think that Neville is addicted to helping people. Maybe he is but not in a Golden Boy/hero-complex way. Neville just thinks that the post-war wizarding world is too full of people hurting and that if you can make a difference, you should. That being said, even Neville never could have predicted he would be coming to the aid of one of his oldest bullies.
Characters/Pairings: Neville Longbottom, Draco Malfoy; mentions of Neville/Hannah Abbott
Genre: Angst-y
Beta: n/a
Rating/Warnings: Rating - G?
Medium: Ficlet
Word Count: 696
Can the Order post to Tumblr?: Yes
If yes, your Tumblr username: n/a
Almost all of Neville's friends, including his new girlfriend Hannah Abbott, thought he was completely out of his mind for hiring none other than Draco Malfoy as a bartender at The Leaky Cauldron. Imagine their scandalized exclamations if Neville had admitted he was secretly considering hiring even more of his ex-Deatheater classmates. Neville just thought that the war had brought so much tragedy and hardship into the Wizarding World that it was the least he could do to help when able. Almost three years later, families were still torn apart, at least a quarter of wizarding adults were unemployed, Hogwarts enrollment was at an all-time low, wizard-muggle relations had yet to be stabilized, and it seemed like everywhere Neville turned, people were struggling to make end's meet. There was a lot more to being a war hero then riding the fame but thanks to it, Neville really was in a position to do good. He taught Herbology at Hogwarts, he had taken over ownership of The Leaky, he lived comfortably, and he made more than enough to support himself. Neville donated to war relief funds diligently, generally opting to simply throw money at Hermione and telling her to put the galleons towards whichever one of her pet charity programs was hurting the most that month. He also did a lot of volunteer work with Harry, who tended to focus on St. Mungo's and orphanages. Hannah jokingly swore that if her boyfriend went too long without “sticking his nose into somebody else's business,” he developed a twitch. Although that particular accusation was in jest, Neville definitely did have a knack for getting at the root of people's unhappiness and tackling it head on.
Working the pub, contributing financially, volunteering, and doing his part in any little ways Neville could manage, had been enough for him until a month ago. Until Draco Malfoy had slouched into his pub one day and kicked Neville's not-so-inner Hufflepuff into overdrive. The blond had been disturbingly thin, his eyes sunken in and his wrists so small they looked like a toddler's. The once highly praised platinum blond hair had looked greasy and unkempt under the hat covering Malfoy's head. His clothes had been baggy, threadbare, and in muted colors. Everything about him had reminded Neville of an abused pet cowering in a cage, trying to stay below the radar so it wouldn't be hurt again but unable to actually escape the torment. Neville remembered a vain aristocrat when he thought of Draco Malfoy; a boy who had always been fierce and proud. When this new and downtrodden Malfoy had ordered a drink, refusing to meet Neville's eyes, it was like a light had gone off in the Gryffindor's brain. Without a word, Neville had placed down two more drinks and a steaming shepherd's pie in front of his old bully. The blond's timid and weary mask had cracked for the first time Neville had seen since he had entered the pub, equal parts shock and suspicion radiating from those piercing blue eyes. The Gryffindor had just raised a placating palm, saying it was on the house and that Malfoy was welcome to a free meal whenever Neville was working.
It had taken some time to build a rapport with Malfoy, and even longer to gain enough of his trust that the blond was willing to carry a conversation with him, but Neville's hard work had paid off in the end. After a few months, he had learned enough about Malfoy's current predicament to casually offer him a job. Malfoy had agreed, to Neville's pleasant surprise, after very little objection.
Watching Malfoy now, Neville couldn't have been happier with his spontaneous decision to meddle, regardless of what his friends thought. Malfoy was still visibly tense but at least that beaten down mask was gone. Malfoy was professional and he always managed to feign cheerful aloofness for the guests. His hair was back to its stylized perfection. His clothes were flattering again, even if they didn't quite fit his still skeletal frame. They weren't on a first name basis yet but Neville liked to think they were getting there. They were getting there.
Kelly // Gryff // 28 points for Gryffindor!