Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

8

Neville stared back at her more confused than ever. Anything he said to her in this moment would make him sound like quite the asshole.

He wasn't sure what was worse, the fact that he had fully believed he had carried a Hufflepuff boy to the hospital wing that night 2nd year, or the fact that he had fully forgotten it happened in the first place.

"You remember now, and I'm guessing you thought I was a boy."

Neville's head snapped towards her as he waved his hands around apologetically as his mouth ran through stutters and the word sorry.

"It's quite alright Neville, you wouldn't be the only one." Magnolia giggled.

Neville locked eyes with her and his head tilted slightly, seemingly deep in thought about something he had seen.

"What?" She questioned.

"Your eyes, it's your eyes."

"What about my eyes?" Magnolia questioned, slightly confused. She felt herself shrink under his deep gaze.

"That's why I don't remember, I wouldn't forget your eyes. Your hair covered your eyes before didn't it?" He asked.

If Magnolia was still upset at him before this statement, she couldn't remember it now. Her cheeks felt warm, her whole body felt warm. She nodded nervously and a wide smile grew on his face.

"My adoptive parents, they didn't know how to manage curly hair so they always cut it short but throughout the school year it would grow out and get in my face. Malfoy and his friends always find it fun to remind me how ugly I was." She explained.

Neville reached out for her hand, squeezing it tightly in reaction to her words.

"That's not true. You are very pretty, your hair just covered it up instead of showing it off. I quite like your hair how it is now, but Lia, there's no way you've ever been ugly." Neville explained.

The two acted as if time stopped for a moment, looking at each other with appreciation and admiration. Neville was the first to snap from the staring contest, he cleared his throat to interrupt the silence.

"So I was going to ask if-" he started.

"Oh that reminds me!" She said at the same time.

They both paused but then chuckled at the situation, Magnolia felt so comfortable with this boy. She wasn't sure why.

"You go first." Neville stated, motioning gently towards her with his hands.

She bit back a smile and nodded before speaking.
"Well I was going to ask you about Michael Corner."

Neville's heart sank. Michael Corner?
"The Ravenclaw?" He asked, as if there were some other Michael Corner she could possibly be bringing up. He swallowed anxiously as he watched her cheeky grin.

"Yes, the Ravenclaw. Him and his mates talked to me earlier. They seemed nice." Magnolia explained cheerfully.

Neville was the opposite of cheerful in this moment, but he had hoped his face didn't display such emotions.

"Well?" Magnolia questioned.

"Well?" Neville asked.

"Neville I'm new to this whole friendship thing but I think this is the part where you tell me your opinion?" Magnolia giggled.

Neville wished he could enjoy the sound of her sweet laughter but the situation made it rather hard to do just that. The Gryffindor was put in one of those impossible situations many people find themselves in. And the main theme happens to fall under the 'Jealousy' umbrella.

He pondered the fact that if he told her how crappy Corner was he wouldn't technically be lying. Michael was a jerk, and Ginny could easily back up his story.

And yet he knew he was just telling himself that to feel better.

"Michael Corner is nice."

Magnolia wasn't expecting those words, but she wasn't as shocked as Neville. He wasn't sure why he lied, he wasn't planning on it.

"He's nice?" The Hufflepuff girl questioned with a confused expression.
"are you sure?"

Neville rubbed his face in frustration.
"No, he isn't. He's a prat."

Magnolia fell into a fit of laughter.
"Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

Neville was silent, he had no words. He just watched as the girl held onto her stomach as it ached from the harsh laughter that left her lips. He wasn't sure why she was laughing but he hoped the joyous expression on her face would stay forever.

"What's so funny?" He finally asked.

"You." She replied simply.

"Me?"

Magnolia turned her body towards him, a content smile resting on her face.
"After Corner spoke to me Cho found me. She told me all the things he'd said and done, especially to your friend Ginny Weasley."

"You knew? Then why ask me?" Neville questioned.

Magnolia just smiled back with a cheeky grin, that mischievous smile she didn't often show.
"Because your opinion is important to me."

"W-why?" Neville said in a surprised tone.

"Because you are important to me." Magnolia answered.

Neville studied her expression as she spoke. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, possibly a sign that she were joking or possibly lying. Yet all he saw was a beautiful girl, whom he fancied very much, looking back at him with a pure and honest smile.

The Gryffindor boy took in the deepest breath he could and spoke as quickly as he could
"Wouldyouliketogotohogsmeadewithme?"

Magnolia looked back at him quizzically.
"I'm sorry, what?" She questioned.

Neville sighed and shook off his nerves before speaking calmly and clearly.
"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?"

Magnolia felt her face get warm as she bit her inner cheek to hide her obnoxious joyful grin she was suppressing. She nodded slightly more enthusiastic than she intended.
"Yes, yes I would love that." She replied.

"Oh okay good." Neville noted as he backed up out of the room, his eyes not leaving hers.

He bumped into a table and Magnolia giggled as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Yes, very good. I'll see you then?"

"Yes, definitely." He agreed before bumping into the door frame. Magnolia continued to chuckle at his nervousness as she watched him finally slip out of the room, leaving her alone in the greenhouse.

She took one extra minute to make sure he was really gone before she hopped up and down excitedly.