Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

6

Neville was gathering his books when he felt a gentle tug at his sleeve. He looked down at the curly haired witch with a friendly expression.

"Lia." She said softly.

Neville felt his cheeks warm and his eyes widened.

"You can call me Lia." She repeated with a subtle smile.

Neville wasn't sure what had gotten into him, but the pretty witch offering him such a personable nickname to call her made him feel nervous. He definitely felt undeserving of such a thing.

"I mean, only if you want to." Magnolia stated abruptly, as she waved her hands in defense and embarrassment when Neville took awhile to reply.

"Of course I want to!" The wizard reassured her. He took her hands in his to stop her from flailing them about.

She looked up at him with wide eyes, her lips slightly parted. Neville cherished the feeling of her small, yet extraordinarily warm, hands in his. The Gryffindor noticed he had been staring silently for too long again so he quickly pulled his hands away and nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"Look, the freaks are into eachother!" Crabbe chuckled as he entered the greenhouse.

Magnolia felt her heart stop. She quickly gathered her things and with her head hung low as she attempted to leave as quick as she could.

"Who do we have here?"

Magnolia dead stopped infront of the boy that was blocking the exit. He walked forward causing her to back up as quick as she could, she ultimately slammed into the desk behind her while he loomed over her.

"Leave her be Malfoy!" Neville yelled.

Magnolia looked down in shame as Draco looked between Neville and her.

"Aww is this one yours Longbottom? Rather pretty isn't she?" Draco noted as he lifted the Hufflepuff's chin with a harsh grip so that she was looking at him.

Neville stepped forward abruptly but stopped when Draco started speaking again.

"Aha, I remember you." Draco whispered as he took a closer look at her mouth. He turned her face towards Neville with a mischievous grin.

"Not so pretty now is she?" Draco stated as he squeezed her face in a way that revealed her front teeth to them.

Neville watched as tears welled in her eyes, not due to the bully's painful grip but because of the fact that he had now discovered she had a large gap between her front teeth. Now the times she'd look away or cover her mouth made sense to him.

He didn't get the chance to say anything because Magnolia had wiggled out of Malfoy's grip and was now sprinting out of the room. Draco and his mates laughed while watching Neville run after the girl.

"Lia! Lia wait!" Neville yelled as he tried his best to keep up with the girl, but thankfully he knew where she was heading.

He stopped in the doorway of greenhouse 2, catching his heavy breaths before going in and looking about the room. It was seemingly empty besides the soft sobs and sniffling coming from behind some wood crates. Neville sat with his back against them as he listened to her quiet cries from the other side.

"Just leave Neville, Im quite alright." Magnolia said between sniffs.

Neville didn't say anything, just held a tissue out to her from his side of the boxes. She hesitated at first but took it, wiping her nose and taking a deep breath. She still felt upset but not as hysteric.

"One time I was visiting my parents in the hospital and cried. I think it was the first time I cried in public. My Nan is very strict you see, says a man should be strong and such. That day my mum did as she usually did, giving me a candy wrapper as a gift-"

"A candy wrapper?" Magnolia asked.

Neville smiled warmly at the interruption.
"Yes, a Droobles wrapper. Every visit. She doesn't speak but I think it's her way of showing me she loves me."

Magnolia hugged her knees as she quietly listened to Neville's story. Her tears since dried up.

"So my Nan said, 'that's it, you have plenty of those Neville. Toss that in the rubbish bin.' And I was crushed. It was like I wasn't saying I love you back if I threw it away. So I ran from my Nan and found a quiet part of the hospital. I cried and cried and cried until some boy sat next to me and took my hand in his."

Neville had snuck his way around the crates now, sitting next to Magnolia as he continued speaking calmly to her. He was content with the fact that she had stopped crying.

"He told me people shouldn't cry alone, and he sat with me until I felt better. So I guess that's why I couldn't leave you alone. Well the long version anyway." Neville explained.

"Thank you." Magnolia said, wiping the leftover tears left on her cheeks with her sleeve.

"No problem, and if it means anything, I think it's cute."

"I'm sorry?" The witch asked confused, looking up at the Gryffindor boy.

Neville pointed at her mouth with flushed red cheeks.
"Your teeth, or the tooth gap, I think it's really cute." He admitted.

Magnolia smiled wide up at him and he returned the gesture. Then the two began laughing, Magnolia's tooth gap on full display once again but this time only happiness shone on her face.

"Who was the boy?" She finally asked as she attempted to catch her breath.

"I dunno, I never asked his name." Neville replied.