Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

2

"Neville!" Seamus yelled once again, his voice booming over the others in the great hall that night.

The wizard's head snapped back to his mates and their conversation. Seamus and Dean turned around to see what was taking all of Neville's attention.

"Will you two stop, you are being so obvious!" Neville exclaimed in a whisper yell as he grabbed at the two and faced them back towards himself.

Dean gave Neville a knowing smirk.
"Ah I see."

"See what." Seamus asked.

"Shove off Dean, it's nothing." Neville stated as he picked at his food left plated in front of him.

"What's nothing?" Seamus continued.

Dean shook his head with a grin as he patted Seamus on the back.
"Seamus, wake up and smell the love blooming."

Seamus looked between the witch and his friend.
"Her? HAH, fat chance." He chuckled.

Neville dropped his head onto the table in defeat, the plates and cutlery clanking around him as he knocked his head against the wood over and over.

Of course there is no chance.

She was a beautiful girl and he was just Neville. He could barely talk to his friends let alone strangers, let alone gorgeous strangers. Seamus was right, and luck was never on his side.

"Her last name's Albero, I didn't get her first name. Apparently she's been going here as long as us. Weird though because I've never seen her." Dean explained.

"Where'd you hear that?" Seamus asked.

"Smith." Dean answered in a short statement.

Seamus rolled his eyes.
"Hate that guy."

Neville's eyes drifted back towards the Hufflepuff table once again. Albero. How on earth had he never noticed her before? He watched as she sipped her pumpkin juice quietly, not conversing with her fellow house mates. It was possible she was shy like him, maybe that's how he never crossed paths with her.

Yet something felt oddly familiar about her.

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

First lesson of the day and Magnolia already wanted to go back to her room.

Herbology was Magnolia Albero's favorite subject. She knew that made her seem like a stereotype, the Hufflepuff witch named after plants was obsessed with Herbology. She didn't care what people thought, she did enough of that when she was younger. The constant bullying shaped her into the person she is now, a quiet loner with plants as friends. She was content with that.

"Late on your first day Mr. Longbottom? I expected more from you." Professor sprout stated.

The name made Magnolia snap out of her thoughts but she didn't dare look up.

"I'm sorry professor- the twins they- and I-"
Neville stuttered out as he tried to catch his breath.

"Never mind all that, just take a seat." Sprout nodded towards the only seat open.

Neville's face immediately went a bright red and his feet felt 100 pounds each.

"Longbottom, today." Sprout repeated.

"Oh, yeah, right." Neville replied as he practically dragged himself towards the curly haired girl he was meant to sit next to.

Magnolia attempted to act cool as she felt the boy's presence next to her, she didn't look up from her parchment and quill. The witch was already educated on everything Sprout was lecturing on today but she couldn't help use the notes as an excuse not to acknowledge the Gryffindor beside her.

Neville glanced at the witch plenty of times during the lesson, yet never once did she look towards him. When Herbology concluded the girl gathered her things and scurried out the door without any words and Neville was left wondering if she was acting odd because of him, or if she always acted in such a way.

"Longbottom."

The wizard stopped in his tracks just before leaving the greenhouse. He turned towards Sprout with a nervous smile.

"Don't think you are getting away scott free, arriving late to class is means for a detention." The professor explained.

Neville bit his cheek anxiously.

"But you are one of my best students and you've never been late before. What is your next lesson?" Sprout questioned.

Neville shook his head.
"I have an off after this one, Dark arts isn't for another hour and a half." Neville explained, though he wondered if he should have lied to get out of whatever it was she was about to assign. At least that's what Seamus would do.

"Excellent, how about you bring these terrariums to Greenhouse 2. Magnolia can tell you where to put them." The professor ordered.

Neville was about to question her but she was already out the door before he could get a word out. He turned towards the terrariums and sighed.
"I guess it could be worse." He said to himself.

Neville carefully took the large tray of terrariums in his hand hands, making sure he didn't break any of them in the process. Greenhouse 2 wasn't far, but it wasn't often used. Luna once said that some students had permission to enter it for personal use and even got extra keys. Dean and Seamus begged her for one of those keys because they assumed personal use meant growing muggle herb.

Neville kicked the door open as he didn't currently have use of his hands. Unfortunately this startled the witch already present in the greenhouse.

"MERLIN!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you wer-"

The sight of the curly haired witch in front of him made him almost drop all the terrariums, thankfully the girl was quick and pulled them away from him just in time. Neville scratched the back of his neck nervously, feeling embarrassed he almost made a mess. Though he often found himself in such positions.

When Sprout said Magnolia he certainly should have connected the dots, but he didn't.

"I'm sorry, again."

"It's fine." She replied shortly.

Neville rocked back and forth from his heels to his toes as he watched her put the terrariums away. She felt his gaze on her and stopped what she was doing.

"Is there something else I can help you with?" She asked, almost sounding like an employee at some business.

Neville noticed she still hadn't turned to look at him. She spoke to him now but still hadn't met his eyes once.

"No, Uhm.... Sorry." He finally said before disappearing out the door.

Magnolia let out the breath she was holding in, looking back at the place he once stood.
"Dammit Magnolia, why can't you just be normal for once?" She exclaimed to herself.