Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Twenty Nine

"She hit me!" Draco threw an accusing finger at Kefira, before smirking evilly at her, waiting for her to get into trouble.

"Is this true?" Professor Snape looked to Kefira.

The girl sighed, knowing there was no sense in lying. "Yes." she replied. "I punched him in the stomach, but...it was only because he was being rude! All he does is make nasty comments about Neville and Muggle-borns, it's not right."

She looked to the professor, her nostrils flared in irritation. The man didn't speak right away, instead, his focus moved around to all the students that were watching.

"If you were not involved in the altercation, I suggest moving along to your houses unless you want points deducted!"

Neville was unsure if he was involved or not. After all, Draco had shoved him aside and insulted him, which really had been the final straw to Kefira losing her temper.

"Did I not make myself clear, Mr. Longbottom?" Professor Snape peered down at him. Neville swallowed and quickly shot a glance at Kefira before leaving.

The girl folded her arms and glared at Draco, who was still smiling in her direction. If Snape wasn't standing in between them, she would have taken a second swipe at him to wipe the stupid grin off his face.

Professor Snape went to reprimand both students for causing a ruckus, he went to start on the Gryffindor girl first, but as she looked up at him, he stopped. The combination of reddish hair and the green eyes peering up at him with a sorrowful glance had caused all the words he planned on saying to disappear. How protective she was over the Longbottom boy whenever someone dared to say something nasty in his direction, reminded him of...

He shook his head slightly and kept a stern appearance.

"Li-...Miss Walsh, return to your dorms. If I find you so much as making the slightest disturbance, I won't hesitate to give you detention again. Now go."

Kefira stood in front of the taller man for a moment, completely baffled by what he said.

She wasn't in trouble for punching his prized student in the stomach?

But rather questioning it, she nodded her head and left quickly to the Gryffindor Tower.

As soon as she walked up the steps she was greeted by the Fat Lady.

"Finding yourself in trouble, again?" the woman smiled at her.

"Not this time, Elizabeth!" Kefira grinned, before she gave the password and entered the common room. She was quickly bombarded by Dean, Seamus and Faye.

"What happened?!" Seamus asked.

"Did you get detention?" Faye asked.

"Did you get expelled?" Dean continued.

Kefira laughed. "No, none of those things. I didn't get in trouble. He let me go."

"WHAT?!"

Kefira's took a step back as the three of them screamed.

"I said he let me go."

"You mean to tell me that Professor Snape, hater of all Gryffindors, let you go without even a detention?"

"He did give me a warning that if I made a peep that I would get one. Does that count?"

"What did you do, bribe him?" Seamus questioned her.

Kefira rolled her eyes. "No, you git. Maybe he just realized that I wasn't in the wrong this time."

"Oh right, and I'm a banshee." Seamus said with an eye roll.

"Well you did scream like one that one time-"

"I was startled!"

Kefira walked further into the common room and glanced around. "Where's Neville?" she asked them.

"He went up to the dorms when we got back." Dean told her. "I think he felt really bad thinking you were going to get in trouble."

She sighed, unsure how many times she was going to have to tell the boy that he didn't have to feel bad about such things. No one made her punch Draco in the stomach, it was her choice completely.

"Well, I'm going to go tell him I'm alright."

"You can't go up to the boy's dorm!" Seamus said.

"And are you going to stop me?" she challenged.

"Umm...no." Seamus shook his head. "But Dean might!"

Kefira turned to Dean who held his hands up in surrender. "Feel free, I'm not stopping you."

Kefira skipped over to the stairs and ran up them causing a couple of boys to whisper as she passed them. Finally, she found Neville sitting on his bed with Trevor in front of him.

"Hey Neville."

"Kefi!" Neville hopped up. "You..you can't...what are you doing up here?"

"I came to see how you were doing?"

"How I was doing? I wasn't the one who got in trouble." Neville frowned.

"Neither was I."

"You didn't get in trouble?"

"Nope. Professor Snape let me go. How crazy is that?"

"Really...crazy. Look, I'm sorry you almost got in trouble because of me again."

"Neville!" she said throwing her head back in frustration and walked over to him. "You aren't responsible for my actions, I'm responsible for myself. Should I have punched Draco? Probably not. Do I regret doing so? Not in the slightest."

Neville grinned. "You did get him pretty good."

"He deserved it. You're my best friend and no one is going to talk about you like that with me around." she said. "You can count on me."

"W-well, I'll do my best to do the same for you." Neville promised her.

If he couldn't be brave for himself, he could at least try to be brave for her.