FIC: Sincerity (Neville/Hannah)

Oct 23, 2008 11:09

Title: Sincerity
Author: shiiki
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Neville Longbottom/Hannah Abbott
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 305

Summary: Years later, she would still recall how a little compliment and a small but sincere hand of kindness could assuage the bitterness of disappointment.

Notes: This was written for day 14 of February Frenzy, in a locked post on my private LJ, so I'm reposting it here for accessibility.


Only two people ever knew that Hannah was one of the forty-six students who sent a Valentine to Professor Lockhart in second year. Susan was one of them; she'd come across Hannah drawing a lilac on the card in the dormitory by accident. Staid, sensible Susan had of course shook her head over Hannah's foolishness. All the same, she promised not to divulge the secret.

Susan didn't know that Hannah had sneaked out to the greenhouses the previous evening intending to steal a lilac to send with her card.

At the time, Neville Longbottom was there, tending to the Flitterblooms.

'Oh hi, Hannah. Professor Sprout's in her office, if you're looking for her ...'

'Oh on, I'm, um, here for a flower, um ...' Her face turned pink.

'Lilacs, eh?' said Neville shrewdly.

'How did you know?'

'Hermione was here not ten minutes ago looking for the same thing. She didn't say why, but ... I reckon I can put two and two together.' He shrugged. 'But they're a Muggle flower, Hannah. We wouldn't have any in here.'

'Oh.' Hannah didn't know which was the more disappointing: that the flowers were unavailable, or that Hermione Granger, every teacher's favourite, was evidently sweet on Professor Lockhart too.

'I shouldn't even bother,' she mumbled.

'Why don't you draw one?' Neville suggested, tactfully ignoring her last comment. 'I've seen your drawings for Herbology; they're quite good.'

'Really?' The unexpected compliment on her sketching brought warmth to her cheeks again. 'You think so?'

'Sure.' His pruning shears clipped off a Flitterbloom flower and he held it out to her. 'Here. I'm sorry I can't help you with the lilacs, but you could have this if you like.'

Years later, after Hannah had long forgotten how Professor Lockhart even looked like, she would still recall how a little compliment and a small but sincere hand of kindness could assuage the bitterness of disappointment.

2008!fic, fic_character: [hannah abbott], fic_fandom: [harry potter], fic_character: [neville longbottom], fic_pairing: [neville/hannah], fic_length: [ficlet]

Previous post Next post
Up