The Forgotten 7th Year

Hogsmeade pt. 2

Hannah's POV

"Where do you want to go now?" I asked. He thought for a moment.

"I'm not sure. Let's just wander around." I decided. "When we find an interesting store, we could go inside."

"Ok then, let's go." He smiled.

"Okay then."

We wandered around the village for a time, pointing out different interesting sights.

"Ooooh ooooh oooh!" Neville jumped up and down, pointing.

"What?" I turned to look down the road at where he was gesturing.

"Zonko's is over there. Just imagine what we could do with proper prank products instead of the makeshift ones that the Room of Requirement's been giving us."

"We'd have to actually get away with a prank first. That mole-." He cut me off with a look. "But it would be nice, let's go look."

It was only a little ways down the street, but it was still out of sight. As we got closer, I noticed something odd. At first, I thought it was simply an unusual window display, but as we drew near I realized the entire shop was boarded up.

I gritted my teeth, internally screaming. I clenched my fists; my nails digging into my palms. I barely noticed the pain.

Why am I acting like this. It's not a big deal. I'm being stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

It wasn't the fact that we didn't have new supplies, or even the fact that the Carrows seemed to be one step ahead of us. It was more the principal of it, really. That they could and would shut down an innocent business just to make our job harder.

Well, the fact that the store was innocent probably made them want to shut it down even more.

"Let's go." I said. My voice seemed oddly hollow.

"Hannah? Are you all ri-."

"Let's Go!" I snapped, then immediately felt bad.

"Sure." His tone was brittle. The guilt seemed to double.

"Sorry. I-I didn't mean it like that. I'm just... so done. With all of this. I'm sick of being afraid all the time. I just want it to be over."

"It will." He put his arm around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder. "It has to be."

He scanned the street behind me, looking for somewhere we could go next.

"Let's go to...... Gladrag's Wizardwear."

"Why not." I suddenly sounded tired. My insides felt like stone, and right now all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry over what was nothing yet everything all at once. All at once, standing up seemed like too much effort, and I leaned against him, doing my absolute best not to cry.

He rubbed my back comfortingly and hugged me close.

A girl with vibrantly purple hair in two buns broke away from the crowd of students and hugged us both. She then turned and walked away as if this was all completely normal.

I was too exhausted, both emotionally and physically, to be confused by this.

Neville and I walked across the street to Gladrag's Wizardwear.

"So, what do you want to do?" He asked me.

"Maybe..." I grabbed a green feathery boa and bedazzled sunglasses. "So... am I an actress or a rich socialite?" I looked at him over the rim of the glasses.

The boa made me want to sneeze, but I was trying to look posh, and that would simply ruin the effect.

"I think..." And he grabbed a top hat and a monocle. "That we are both ready for the Ball."

"Yes, good sir, we are." I changed my voice to be an overdone, upper class accent.

We linked arms, and skipped through the store, not caring who might see us, or that the lady at the counter was glaring. Along the way, I picked up a flashing lime handbag, and Neville snagged a prune colored cape that he twirled dramatically in.

I turned to face him and flipped the boa dramatically over my shoulder. He snorted and the monocle fell loose.

I watched it tumble to the ground, the light shining through the window glinting off it's gold rim.

We both bent down to pick it up at the same time, and our heads smacked together.

"Ow."

I looked up, and when our eyes locked, my head didn't hurt quite so much anymore. We were so close. I could count his eyelashes; see each strand of hair brushed casually off his forehead. His eyes looked into mine, then drifted down to my lips. He leaned in.

I closed my eyes.

I felt him softly brush my cheek with a thumb, and then cup it in his hand. He guided me even closer, and I knew we were millimeters away.

My heart was racing in anticipation.

When he gently pressed his lips against mine, a thousand sparks seemed to burst in front of my closed eyelids.

I leaned in to him, letting my fingers comb through his hair. The kiss was soft and exceedingly gentle.

It was exactly what I needed right now.

I never wanted this moment to end. I never wanted to go back to Hogwarts and to the Carrows.

Why should I?

I was here and everything was perfect. The warmth seemed to fill me up, overflowing and sweeping everything else away.

I love you so much, Neville Longbottom.