Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

21

Neville indeed found Magnolia by the Black lake. She was sitting with her knees pulled to her chest. Between wiping her nose dry with her sleeve he watched as she threw rocks aimlessly into the water.

"Lia?" He timidly said.

She didn't reply, she didn't even turn to face him. She just continued picking up pebbles and tossing them into the lake like he wasn't even there. He sheepishly approached her, sitting beside her but nit too close.

They sat in silence for a what felt like forever before he spoke again.
"I saw what Malfoy did to your greenhouse. I'm sorr-

"Don't."

Neville was taken back by the statement. It was harsh a sure. She almost sounded.... Angry.

"Dean, Seamus, Luna, and your mates are helping clean it." Neville explained, hoping this would help her feel better. It didn't.

"Brilliant." She replied plainly.

"Cmon Lia, you have to give me something to work with here." Neville said.

"No."

"No? Look I'm just trying to help."

Magnolia stood up abruptly.
"Well then stop trying to help! You lot getting involved in other people's business is what got me into this mess in the first place!" She yelled.

Neville stood up as well, surprised by the outburst. He wasn't even fully aware of what was going on or why she was feeling this way.
"What do you mean you lot? Are you saying it's our fault Malfoy trashed your greenhouse? He's been bullying you for years." Neville noted.

"Exactly, and then you come into my life and I'm suddenly I have an even bigger target on my back!" She countered. Crossing her arms and turning away from him.

"You can't actually believe that?" Neville questioned.

Magnolia didn't let up, her anger not slipping grin the slightest. She was being fully honest and that's what hurt him more.

"I was only trying to protect you Magnolia, I didn't mean any harm." Neville explained, now his voice was agitated.

"I don't need your protection, I've got on just fine without it."

"Oh yeah because being alone was going so well for you before."

"It was."

"Well fine, be alone then."

"I will."

Then Magnolia was turning on her heals and walking away, zero hesitation on her part. Yet Neville regretted it immediately. He quickly jogged after her, hoping she'd change her mind.

"Wait- Lia- that's not what I meant. Can we just talk?" He begged.

"I think you've said enough."

"No I haven't- I really haven't. There's so much left to say. Please..."

"Sorry Neville, I don't have time. My parents will be here soon."

And with that statement she was gone. Neville didn't follow her any further. One, because it seemed there was no changing her mind. Mostly two, because with all the stuff going on lately, Neville had forgotten it was parents day.

The day he dreaded the most, the only day he wanted to be anywhere but here.

Neville hadn't been so nervous about it before because he had Lia to distract him, but now he didn't even have that.

Now he was nothing again.

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

Magnolia hated pushing away Neville. Even if she believed everything she said, even if she knew being around him put a target on her. She'd still take that chance for him.

It was the fact that he didn't see it, he didn't see how much pain he was causing her by starting things with Malfoy. It might work for him and his Gryffindor mates but it didn't work for her and Zach.

She stormed back into the Hufflepuff commons, tears staining her cheeks.

"Maggie- what happened? Are you okay?" Zach asked the second he caught sight of her. She attempted to slip away but he caught her by the arm and pulled her back.
"Didn't Neville find you? Why are you still crying?"

"You sent him?"

"Well yeah, I hoped he would have helped you feel better. I'm guessing that's not the case?"

"No Zach, that's not the case."

Zach raised an eyebrow at her, feeling the sad and broken rage radiating off of her. He'd never seen this much emotion out of her and it wasn't what he'd predicted would happen when he sent Longbottom to her.

"Woah Albero, aim that heat somewhere else. What's this about?" Zach questioned, putting his hands up in defense.

Magnolia huffed, throwing her hands up in the air like she was defeated, or in this case, worn down enough to talk about it.

"He can't stop trying to fix things, he just has to be the hero. Sometimes I don't want things to change, and most of the time being the hero just causes more pain. I just want things to go back to the way they were before. I want peace and the possibility of Malfoy saying something mean once in a blue moon, because I can handle that." She explained to Zach. Her voice was shaky now, she was choking up on her words and borderline sobbing.

She wasn't being honest anymore.

"You want to handle life? Was it really better when you were just... getting by?" Zach questioned, his eyes soft and his voice curious.

"Yes."

"I don't believe that for a second Magnolia Albero." Zach chuckled.

Magnolia's eyes snapped to him. She was shocked he was laughing at a time like this. She was in tears and he was just standing there laughing at her like she said some illuminating joke.

"You aren't completely wrong, Neville has a hero complex for sure. It's rather annoying if you ask me, but is it really worse than if he never stuck up for you at all?"

The words took Magnolia's breath away.

"Aha, I knew it. Because if he'd never spoken to you, never noticed you, Magnolia Albero would still be that little witch that had a fat unrequited crush on Neville Longbottom. That witch would do anything to be in your shoes right now."

He was right. She thought to herself.

He whole world had changed but was it truly worse than before? Or just... different?

"I've made a terrible mistake Zach."