Halloween Gift for kcstories
Gift for kcstories
From manghahabi
A/N: Yes, I ended up with four drabbles. I hope you guys don't mind... Many thanks and undeadsquishyglomphuggles to luckychan and EEP-sama. *sends love* I couldn’t have done these without you. *deathglomp*
One boy holds a toad in his hands, so grateful, that his Uncle will never learn of how he’d always wished for an owl. He listens to his Grandmother’s lecture on what not to do in Hogwarts.
“And as for your toad---” His Grandmother barely finishes her thoughts on proper handling when it wriggles from his grasp.
Neville runs. Short of breath, he calls out, “Trevor!” and asks everybody he bumps into if they’ve seen him.
The train whistles.
Shoulders drooping, he goes back to his Grandmother. She doesn’t say anything.
He bites his lower lip to keep it from trembling and pulls his trunk.
“Wait!”
Neville almost trips on his feet as he turns around. A little girl waves at him almost madly, red hair forming a halo around her face with her speed.
“Is this your toad?” After a few gulps of air, she hands him Trevor and smiles widely. “He’ll be lonely if you leave him behind.”
Neville cradles Trevor carefully.
“Mummy says I can go to school next year,” she whispers before running back to her mother.
Neville clings to that as a promise.
“Albus Potter, a word in my office, please.”
The rest of the Gryffindor first years get herded by their prefect. One of the boys, with blond hair and a pointed face, glances at Albus before following the others. Neville recalls his initial disbelief at seeing the two plotting like George and Fred just after the Sorting. He wonders how would she feel about her son’s unlikely friendship.
He and Albus walk silently in the hallway. He fumbles with the door, still uncomfortable about using McGonagall’s old room.
Albus leans on his toes and gives him a hug. He can smell her on him, her scent still lingering on the boy’s robes, definitely the result of a prolonged goodbye.
“Mum asked me to give you our love.”
He holds on to Albus, knowing that she loved him the most, because he has Harry’s eyes.
“Give her my love too, when you send them an owl.”
“Sorry about not talking to you earlier,” Albus confesses to his sleeve.
Neville reluctantly lets go. “Glad your opinion of our fine school has improved.”
Albus laughs, embarrassed. “Mum already sent you an owl about this morning.”
He was Neville’s favorite because he has her laugh.
Neville would’ve battled all four of the Triwizard dragons if she asked him to.
Instead, his sentence comes as two words. “Drink this.”
He obeys without question. It burns his throat, turning his skin inside out.
Ginny helps him to his feet.
“Are you alright?” She places an object over his nose and ears and then he could see her again clearly.
Neville’s jaw clenches. “Perfectly.” The voice sounds hollow to him.
Ginny’s hands remain on his face, fingertips feathery light on his skin. She looks at him as she’s never done before, like she’s afraid he’s a wonderful vision that will go away the instant blinks.
She guides his face down to hers and just before her lips brush his, Neville has to smother that split-second impulse to turn her away. It wasn’t really him.
They kiss - awkward lips, clashing teeth and shy tongues - but all he could feel is Ginny’s hurt, anger and hope.
“Let’s dance.”
“Thank you,” she says with a hug and they sway in time to the silent room.
He just has to find a way to remove himself from her memory of this almost perfect night.
“What would you like? It’s on the house.”
Ginny snaps back from her reverie. She finds herself staring into Neville’s smiling face.
“Kids getting on your nerves?” He hands her half a glass of amber liquid. “Don’t worry, it’s my own special blend. I drink it whenever I get the urge to imitate old Moody in bringing more ferrets to the world.”
Ginny breaks into a wide smile. Funny how she never noticed Neville having a great sense of humor.
“You seem to be aging well.” Her thoughts slip out of her mouth.
Neville laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I should be offended. I’m only older by a year. That should make you ancient too.”
The bell tinkles and people file into the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny blinks at the intrusion.
“Let me talk to Hannah. I’ll tell Luna to keep you filled up with my special blend, so help yourself.” He winks. “It works.”
Ginny watches him walk toward his wife, cover her eyes from behind, saying, “Guess who?” and kiss the top of her head.
Ginny remembers him stepping on her toes at the Yule Ball, his hands warm over hers.
If she only knew back then.
From manghahabi
A/N: Yes, I ended up with four drabbles. I hope you guys don't mind... Many thanks and undeadsquishyglomphuggles to luckychan and EEP-sama. *sends love* I couldn’t have done these without you. *deathglomp*
One boy holds a toad in his hands, so grateful, that his Uncle will never learn of how he’d always wished for an owl. He listens to his Grandmother’s lecture on what not to do in Hogwarts.
“And as for your toad---” His Grandmother barely finishes her thoughts on proper handling when it wriggles from his grasp.
Neville runs. Short of breath, he calls out, “Trevor!” and asks everybody he bumps into if they’ve seen him.
The train whistles.
Shoulders drooping, he goes back to his Grandmother. She doesn’t say anything.
He bites his lower lip to keep it from trembling and pulls his trunk.
“Wait!”
Neville almost trips on his feet as he turns around. A little girl waves at him almost madly, red hair forming a halo around her face with her speed.
“Is this your toad?” After a few gulps of air, she hands him Trevor and smiles widely. “He’ll be lonely if you leave him behind.”
Neville cradles Trevor carefully.
“Mummy says I can go to school next year,” she whispers before running back to her mother.
Neville clings to that as a promise.
“Albus Potter, a word in my office, please.”
The rest of the Gryffindor first years get herded by their prefect. One of the boys, with blond hair and a pointed face, glances at Albus before following the others. Neville recalls his initial disbelief at seeing the two plotting like George and Fred just after the Sorting. He wonders how would she feel about her son’s unlikely friendship.
He and Albus walk silently in the hallway. He fumbles with the door, still uncomfortable about using McGonagall’s old room.
Albus leans on his toes and gives him a hug. He can smell her on him, her scent still lingering on the boy’s robes, definitely the result of a prolonged goodbye.
“Mum asked me to give you our love.”
He holds on to Albus, knowing that she loved him the most, because he has Harry’s eyes.
“Give her my love too, when you send them an owl.”
“Sorry about not talking to you earlier,” Albus confesses to his sleeve.
Neville reluctantly lets go. “Glad your opinion of our fine school has improved.”
Albus laughs, embarrassed. “Mum already sent you an owl about this morning.”
He was Neville’s favorite because he has her laugh.
Neville would’ve battled all four of the Triwizard dragons if she asked him to.
Instead, his sentence comes as two words. “Drink this.”
He obeys without question. It burns his throat, turning his skin inside out.
Ginny helps him to his feet.
“Are you alright?” She places an object over his nose and ears and then he could see her again clearly.
Neville’s jaw clenches. “Perfectly.” The voice sounds hollow to him.
Ginny’s hands remain on his face, fingertips feathery light on his skin. She looks at him as she’s never done before, like she’s afraid he’s a wonderful vision that will go away the instant blinks.
She guides his face down to hers and just before her lips brush his, Neville has to smother that split-second impulse to turn her away. It wasn’t really him.
They kiss - awkward lips, clashing teeth and shy tongues - but all he could feel is Ginny’s hurt, anger and hope.
“Let’s dance.”
“Thank you,” she says with a hug and they sway in time to the silent room.
He just has to find a way to remove himself from her memory of this almost perfect night.
“What would you like? It’s on the house.”
Ginny snaps back from her reverie. She finds herself staring into Neville’s smiling face.
“Kids getting on your nerves?” He hands her half a glass of amber liquid. “Don’t worry, it’s my own special blend. I drink it whenever I get the urge to imitate old Moody in bringing more ferrets to the world.”
Ginny breaks into a wide smile. Funny how she never noticed Neville having a great sense of humor.
“You seem to be aging well.” Her thoughts slip out of her mouth.
Neville laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I should be offended. I’m only older by a year. That should make you ancient too.”
The bell tinkles and people file into the Leaky Cauldron. Ginny blinks at the intrusion.
“Let me talk to Hannah. I’ll tell Luna to keep you filled up with my special blend, so help yourself.” He winks. “It works.”
Ginny watches him walk toward his wife, cover her eyes from behind, saying, “Guess who?” and kiss the top of her head.
Ginny remembers him stepping on her toes at the Yule Ball, his hands warm over hers.
If she only knew back then.