Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

7

Neville Longbottom hummed cheerfully as he scooped food onto his plate. Dean and Seamus sat silently, watching him as he was content in his own little world.
Neville finally looked up from his plate, making eye contact with his mates.

"You two alright?" Neville questioned.

"We're fine, are you?" Seamus asked him as he forcefully checked Neville's temperature by pressing his hand aggressively onto Longbottom's forehead.

Neville chuckled and pushed Seamus off of him.
"I'm quite healthy, thank you." He said with a smile.

Just then Neville caught sight of Magnolia taking a seat at the Hufflepuff table, she glanced around ultimately locking eyes with the Gryffindor boy. She smiled and sent him a small wave in which he returned.

Dean and Seamus pulled Neville's attention back onto them.

"Okay, when did this happen?!" Dean inquired with a wide grin.

"It's not like that." Neville insisted.

Seamus hummed as he took a sip of pumpkin juice and rolled his eyes.

"It's not." Neville repeated. He crossed his arms in annoyance, like a young boy being scolded.

Dean put his hands up in defense.
"Hey sorry we assumed, especially after what Zach told me about second year."

Second year?

Neville looked at him quizzically, but Dean didn't explain himself before continuing.

"I think you should ask her to Hogsmeade."

"Hogsmeade? Like this Saturday Hogsmeade? Like a date?" Neville questioned slightly nervous, his collar suddenly feeling tight. He kept looking between Dean and Magnolia, whom was eating peacefully without a care in the world.

"Yes this Saturday, and yes a date. She's obviously really into you and I'm assuming the feelings mutual?"

Neville's head snapped, locking onto Dean.
"You think she fancies me? Are you certain?"

Seamus laughed at how obvious Neville was being.
"You should definitely act quick mate, because we aren't the only wizards that noticed how pretty she's gotten." He explained.

As if on cue a few familiar Ravenclaw boys sat in the open seats surrounding Magnolia, all wearing cheeky smiles on their faces. Neville knew these wizards and he wasn't very fond of the idea of them speaking to Magnolia.

"Corner, I hate him more than Smith." Seamus scoffed.

"Do you hate everyone outside of Gryffindor?" Dean questioned.

"Just the ones that deserve it." Seamus explained.

Neville couldn't help but agree. Michael Corner and his mates weren't the purest of souls, so they probably weren't approaching Magnolia with good intentions.

And yet, Magnolia giggled at his jokes.

So what, Neville thought to himself, Magnolia was her own person. She was allowed to have other friends besides himself. He should truthfully be happy for her, as she didn't seem to have much company. But Neville had a bad feeling about Michael Corner, and not just because Ginny said he was bad news.

It was the way Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein whispered and chuckled with Michael as they were walking away.

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

Magnolia finished the revisions she had left to do in the greenhouse that evening. She rarely ever used the library, there was too high a chance someone would speak to her there.

The curly haired witch tapped her quill thoughtlessly as she attempted to regain focus once again, but her mind kept drifting.

She had dreaded interacting with peers for so long she forgot what it was like. Sure Cho always spoke to her and Zacharias Smith was always polite, but other than that she only spoke to people in passing or when she was forced to. Then Neville became her friend, that was more than enough excitement for her. Or so she thought.

Michael Corner and his mates, but mostly Michael Corner, was all that was on Magnolia's mind at present moment.

Magnolia rubbed her face nervously as she tried to shake the feeling in her stomach, the odd feeling she felt when she thought about this morning.

"Hello."

Magnolia jumped at the voice, knocking her parchments and books onto the floor.

"Merlin, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you!" Neville exclaimed as he rushed towards the scattered items, picking them up as quickly as he could for her.

Magnolia jumped in, doing the same. As they both grabbed at random parchments and books their hands touched. It's not like Neville had never touched a girl, yet the feeling of her hand brushing against his sent electricity through his body.

"Sorry." She said with a blush when she pulled her hand away, holding it to her chest nervously.

"It's okay, more than okay actually." Neville noted bluntly. He set her belongings back onto the table while Magnolia stood by with a blushed face, attempting to process this whole situation.

"I- I was wondering if we could have a chat?" Neville asked slightly nervous, he scratched the back of his head again. A nervous tic Magnolia had picked up on.

The Hufflepuff girl smiled up at him, nodding towards the stool beside her.

"So this is embarrassing, but I'm sure it would have come out at some point." Neville began.

Magnolia was on the edge of her seat. So many thoughts swirling around in her head.

"Have we met before? I feel like maybe we have but then again I didn't know who you were until the beginning of this year."

Magnolia felt whatever had been left of her small battered heart crack. The ache in her chest was almost too much to bare, she held her breath in attempts not to cry. The boy she had been head over heels for since second year had no idea she even existed.

"Your expression is telling me that it's true, we have talked before this year. Shit Lia I'm so sorry, I must look like a prat right now." Neville exclaimed, rubbing his face in frustration towards himself. He felt as if he just messed up whatever friendship he had with the witch.

"You really don't remember?" Magnolia finally asked.

Neville looked back at the girl with apologetic eyes as he shook his head in reply. Magnolia let out a long shaky breath, attempting to find the right words. She didn't want him to feel bad, but then again she wanted to scream and yell at him as well.

"Second year, the Basilisk got me. All I remember was seeing it's reflection in the window. I woke up in the hospital wing a week or so later after they had the cure cooked up. The only thing they told me was that someone had carried me there." Magnolia explained.

Neville looked back at her curiously.

"Neville it was you, you carried me to the hospital wing. Don't you remember?"