The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Six)

Chapter 22

After our dispute class was dismissed. Transfiguration was held with Ravenclaw students so McGonagall was able to tell us to stay careful and watch out for each other.

After classes were over Neville, Seamus and I were sitting on the couch in the common room in front of the fireplace. Seamus was upset that the two of us had gotten ourselves in trouble, on the first day no less.

"Seamus, Neville and I are going to go have a quick chat upstairs while you go to dinner. WE will see you after our detention."

"Okay," he said hesitantly, "I'll catch you guys later," and he walked out the portal.

"We have to talk?" Neville questioned me, "About what?"

"Come on," I said grabbing his hand and leading him up to the boy's dormitory.

ONce we were sitting on his bed I looked at him and said seriously, "You can't do what you did in class today ever again."

"I'm not going to let him hurt you," Neville insisted.

"I'll be okay, I promise. I can handle myself, you don't need to get hurt because of me, I couldn't stand it if that happened."

"Jessica, you also have to listen to me and believe that I'm not going to let you get hurt either. You were standing up for me in the first place. When will you get it in your head that I care about you in the same way you care about me. He freaking tortured you Jessica, I couldn't even bear to watch."

"Nev," I whispered taking his hand, "I know you care, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone up there in the first place, I just get reckless and irrational when you're upset or going to be hurt or anything like that. I just react and think later."

"I really love you so much Jessica, please be more careful."

"You have to be more careful too, because I love you with my whole heart."

He lifted my hand to his face and kissed it gently, "I know neither of us can promise we are going to be completely safe, and it's in our nature, especially yours, to fight, but just be as safe as you can be. I'd like to actually date you one day, and I can't do that unless you get out of this war alive."

"I'll try to make it out alive, but maybe we don't have to wait that long?" I asked shyly, "Only if you want to of course, I don't want to force-"

"Are you sure?" Neville cut me off, "like everyone could know?"

I nodded excitedly, "Very."

"Good," he replied then leaned over and grabbed my face and pulled me into a kiss.

We kissed for a few seconds more before we finally pulled apart. We kept our foreheads together and I stared into his eyes. I probably shouldn't have done what I did, but I do react very irrationally with Neville. Amycvus was about to torture him and all I could think about was what I would do if he had gotten hurt, or ultimately killed.

"Never leave me," I voiced.

"Never," he whispered back.

We stayed in bed under the covers snuggling and giving each other soft kisses until we finally had to pull ourselves out of the warmth and drag ourselves to detention.

"Snape, Longbottom, nice of you to show up," Amycus greeted, "You'll be serving detention with me and Alecto tonight. We both believe that more corporal punishments instill discipline in students better than anything else."

I snuck a glance at Neville. If they hurt him I would flip.

"Do either of you want to take back what you said and did in class today?" Alecto asked.

We each shook our heads and an air of understanding passed between the two of us. Even though we wouldn't go out looking to get hurt or in trouble we weren't going to compromise our own morals for anyone.

Alecto drew her arm back then punched Neville across the face hard. I was about to exclaim something indignantly, but Amycus punched me across my face next effectively silencing me.

"Do you take it back now?" Amycus asked once more.

When we shook our head no again we received another blow. This continued on for the next half an hour until finally both my eyes were swollen shut, and the side of my face was bleeding. Neville had a fat lip as well as what appeared to be a broken nose.

After about the hundredth time of both of us refusing to take back what we had said during class despite the state our faces and bodies were in Alecto turned to Amycus and said, "Perhaps they don't understand just how serious we are about this."

"You're right. Crucio."

I was too weak to fight the curse this time around and seeing neville succumb to the curse next to me made it even worse. I was able to stay on my feet and just double over in pain but keep my mouth shut. He fell to his knees then to his back and began to twitch on the ground.

Suddenly the curse was lifted and I heard Severus yell, "You morons, take your hands off her."

I straightened myself and turned to glare at my father as he came into the classroom looking furious. His fury only grew as he saw the state I was in, though I knew he couldn't do anything at the moment.

"He said we were allowed to punish students-. THat's half the reason we agreed to come here. We don't answer to you Snape," Amycus spat.

Severus drew his wand and planted it at the man's throat, "Yes well he isn't here right now to save you two from me is he? I suggest you don't take it this far again or I'll have you both fired. It would serve you to remember whose blood you're spilling when you hurt her."

"Fine, we won't hurt your precious daughter too much Snapey," Alecto replied, "You swooping in to save her won't make her love you though."

"You three come with me," Severus said shortly, "Longbottom get up to Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm not leaving her."

"Nev, go up to the Hospital Wing, I'll be fine," I told him softly but firmly.