(no subject)
Hello, msmoocow
By very uncreepily sneaking about your LJ, I found that you have a soft-spot for a shy yet courageous Gryffindor. So your present for today is... fic! Neville centric fic, at that. I haven't written him before so I hope I got this right. Oh and since I'm really awful at naming the bally things, I'm going to let you do the honours. It is a privilege. No, really!
For msmoocow, for being a fantastic Little.
Neville nervously ran a hand through his hair as he stepped into the library. Avoiding Madam Pince’s glare, he looked around, searching for her. He stepped into the aisles and narrowly avoided colliding with Viktor Krum. Stammering out an apology, he spotted her at a study table on the far right, almost completely hidden from view by the huge tomes that seemed to perpetually surround her.
"H-hello, Hermione."
"Oh... hello, Neville."
She looked up from the book she had been perusing and smiled kindly at him.
"Ah... what are you reading there, then?" he asked nervously, stalling for time.
A slight crease appeared on her forehead as she replied. "Oh, just some extra reading for Transfiguration. I wanted to understand that bit about... Neville, is something the matter?"
"What? Oh, no. Nothing. Er."
"Is it Snape? Did he-"
"No, it isn’t anything like that... I was just wondering…that is to say, I just wanted to ask you... er..."
"Yes?"
"Wangoballwime?"
"Pardon? Neville..."
"I was just wondering, if you didn’t have anything else to do that day, if you would... er, like to go to the Ball. With me. The Yule Ball, that is. For... dancing."
"Oh, Neville..." Hermione looked embarrassed. Oh God, what had he been thinking? Of course, she wouldn’t want to go with him…
"Neville," Hermione said a little insistently. "It isn’t that I don’t think of you as a lovely person and a dear friend…it’s just that someone has already asked me. And, I said yes."
She looked at him imploringly.
"Oh, quite alright... just thought I’d check, you know…well, best get going then. Don’t want to disturb..." He waved his hand vaguely at the stack of books piled on the groaning table.
Hermione opened her mouth again to speak, but before she could say another word he nodded at her reassuringly, turned away and walked rapidly towards the exit.
He nearly bowled over another person and as he stammered out his apology, he noticed that this was someone he knew.
"Oof! Are you alright? I really am very...Ginny?"
"It’s alright, Neville. No harm done."
She smoothed her jumper and sniffled, suspiciously avoiding eye contact.
"Er, everything okay?"
Her head came up angrily. "Of course! I’m just fine."
He thought it best not to comment on her telltale red eyes.
"So... the Yule Ball, eh?"
"Yes. Silly, if you ask me. All these girls sighing over the most absurd of things, hoping the boy they like will ask them to it. Of course, he won’t. Hasn’t noticed you in ages now, has he? It’s not like that’ll be changing anytime soon."
"So... you’re not going then?"
"Well, third years aren’t allowed, unless someone who is asks them to it. I’d rather finish up some homework, anyway..."
"Oh. Because I... haven’t got anyone to go with. And I thought if you wanted..."
"You want to go to the Ball. With me." Ginny seemed a little stunned by the idea.
He thought about the earnestly sympathetic expression on Hermione’s face when he’d asked her and braced himself.
"Well, yes. If you wanted."
She looked at him thoughtfully.
"Look, it’s better than not going at all, isn’t it?" he burst out. "I mean, you want to go…and so do I. We could just-"
"Alright," she said decisively.
"Alright?"
"Yes, alright. I’ll go with you."
"Oh. Oh, okay. So, er... alright."
She smiled at him, patted his arm reassuringly. "We’ll sort out the details at dinner, shall we? I have to..." Nodding towards the library, she stepped back.
"Oh, yes, of course. I’ll see you at dinner, then."
She nodded again, smiled and walked in, leaving him at the doorway staring after her.
It looked like Neville Longbottom had a date to the Ball.
----
Notes:
1) Thanks to the Mousie for looking through this. *gives cheese*
2) I really started noticing Neville more after writing this and he has so much potential for angst! So, thank you, Little! ♥
3) Title Suggestions are very welcome. *whimpers*
By very uncreepily sneaking about your LJ, I found that you have a soft-spot for a shy yet courageous Gryffindor. So your present for today is... fic! Neville centric fic, at that. I haven't written him before so I hope I got this right. Oh and since I'm really awful at naming the bally things, I'm going to let you do the honours. It is a privilege. No, really!
For msmoocow, for being a fantastic Little.
Neville nervously ran a hand through his hair as he stepped into the library. Avoiding Madam Pince’s glare, he looked around, searching for her. He stepped into the aisles and narrowly avoided colliding with Viktor Krum. Stammering out an apology, he spotted her at a study table on the far right, almost completely hidden from view by the huge tomes that seemed to perpetually surround her.
"H-hello, Hermione."
"Oh... hello, Neville."
She looked up from the book she had been perusing and smiled kindly at him.
"Ah... what are you reading there, then?" he asked nervously, stalling for time.
A slight crease appeared on her forehead as she replied. "Oh, just some extra reading for Transfiguration. I wanted to understand that bit about... Neville, is something the matter?"
"What? Oh, no. Nothing. Er."
"Is it Snape? Did he-"
"No, it isn’t anything like that... I was just wondering…that is to say, I just wanted to ask you... er..."
"Yes?"
"Wangoballwime?"
"Pardon? Neville..."
"I was just wondering, if you didn’t have anything else to do that day, if you would... er, like to go to the Ball. With me. The Yule Ball, that is. For... dancing."
"Oh, Neville..." Hermione looked embarrassed. Oh God, what had he been thinking? Of course, she wouldn’t want to go with him…
"Neville," Hermione said a little insistently. "It isn’t that I don’t think of you as a lovely person and a dear friend…it’s just that someone has already asked me. And, I said yes."
She looked at him imploringly.
"Oh, quite alright... just thought I’d check, you know…well, best get going then. Don’t want to disturb..." He waved his hand vaguely at the stack of books piled on the groaning table.
Hermione opened her mouth again to speak, but before she could say another word he nodded at her reassuringly, turned away and walked rapidly towards the exit.
He nearly bowled over another person and as he stammered out his apology, he noticed that this was someone he knew.
"Oof! Are you alright? I really am very...Ginny?"
"It’s alright, Neville. No harm done."
She smoothed her jumper and sniffled, suspiciously avoiding eye contact.
"Er, everything okay?"
Her head came up angrily. "Of course! I’m just fine."
He thought it best not to comment on her telltale red eyes.
"So... the Yule Ball, eh?"
"Yes. Silly, if you ask me. All these girls sighing over the most absurd of things, hoping the boy they like will ask them to it. Of course, he won’t. Hasn’t noticed you in ages now, has he? It’s not like that’ll be changing anytime soon."
"So... you’re not going then?"
"Well, third years aren’t allowed, unless someone who is asks them to it. I’d rather finish up some homework, anyway..."
"Oh. Because I... haven’t got anyone to go with. And I thought if you wanted..."
"You want to go to the Ball. With me." Ginny seemed a little stunned by the idea.
He thought about the earnestly sympathetic expression on Hermione’s face when he’d asked her and braced himself.
"Well, yes. If you wanted."
She looked at him thoughtfully.
"Look, it’s better than not going at all, isn’t it?" he burst out. "I mean, you want to go…and so do I. We could just-"
"Alright," she said decisively.
"Alright?"
"Yes, alright. I’ll go with you."
"Oh. Oh, okay. So, er... alright."
She smiled at him, patted his arm reassuringly. "We’ll sort out the details at dinner, shall we? I have to..." Nodding towards the library, she stepped back.
"Oh, yes, of course. I’ll see you at dinner, then."
She nodded again, smiled and walked in, leaving him at the doorway staring after her.
It looked like Neville Longbottom had a date to the Ball.
----
Notes:
1) Thanks to the Mousie for looking through this. *gives cheese*
2) I really started noticing Neville more after writing this and he has so much potential for angst! So, thank you, Little! ♥
3) Title Suggestions are very welcome. *whimpers*