Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

12

Neville wasn't sure how he was feeling when he walked into the Gryffindor common room.

A feeling of fear, nervousness, and guilt even.

The only other time he'd felt even close to this way was first year when he caught his friends sneaking out one night. They were always looking for trouble, or rather, trouble was always looking for them. Harry, Hermione, Seamus, Ron, Dean, Ginny, and Luna, were all like family to him now but he quickly learned they weren't the type of people in need of protection.

Then there was Magnolia.
She was soft, sensitive, and quiet, much like himself.

He felt the overwhelming urge to keep her safe, like he'd rather die then allow anything bad to happen to her.

"Neville's back!" Seamus announced as the wizard entered the room.

Everyone's heads snapped in Neville's direction, smiling as they eagerly awaited hearing about his date with Albero. Though their smiles quickly turned to confusion when he remained silent while sitting in between Ginny and Seamus on the common room couch.

The friends all exchanged worried looks.

"It didn't go well?" Ginny asked as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"What?" Neville asked.

"Your date, with Magnolia, it didn't go well?" She asked again.

"Oh no, it was lovely. Perfect in every way actually." He noted before once again sitting in silence, his eyes locked on no thing in particular as he dived deeper into his thoughts.

Ginny shrugged her shoulders at Harry. He stood up from his seat and stood facing Neville, waving his hand in front of his face hoping to pull him from his thoughts.

"Mate, you alrigh-

"What happened at Three Broomsticks earlier today?" Neville asked, interrupting Harry and causing the wizard to look back at him with his mouth hanging open.

"Wa- how did you hear about that?" Harry stuttered.

Neville finally looked at Harry, his brows furrowed in a slight agitation.
"You mean you weren't going to tell me?"

Ginny and Seamus shrunk in on themselves, both not witnessing the situation that went on earlier in the day. Though they both had heard all about it. Neville caught on to this easily.

"You all knew? And you weren't going to tell me?" He exhaled. He stood up and angrily paced around the room.

"Look mate, Cho and Smith said it would be bad if Albero found out. We figured it would be better if you didn't have the burden of keeping a secret from her." Harry explained.

"I don't even know what we are talking about yet, because apparently my mates like keeping secrets from me now." Neville exclaimed while motioning to Ginny, Seamus, and Harry.

Ginny threw her hands up in defense.
"Hey, don't look at me! Seamus and I just heard it from Harry like 10 minutes ago, we weren't there."

"I only saw the last bit, maybe you should ask Dean." Harry added, motioning towards the boys dorms.

Neville scoffed and rolled his eyes as he made his way towards his dorm room. Throwing open the door, he found Dean lounging on his bed reading.

"Well if it isn't Mr. Romance-

"What happened at Three Broomsticks today? And don't say you can't tell me." Neville spoke abruptly as he sat on the side of his bed.

Dean sat up, swinging his legs over the side of his own bed, facing Neville with a slightly nervous expression.
"Look, Zach made me swear I wouldn't tell you. Harry and I wanted to but-"

"Just tell me what happened."

Dean noticed how upset Neville was at present moment. He'd never seen him this way before. He knew what he promised Zach but he wasn't even completely sure why. Why was it such a big deal to Zach and Cho that Magnolia not know? Most of all he wondered why he'd even attempted to keep a secret from his best friend in the first place.

He let out a long sigh.
"Michael Corner was upset that his flirting with Magnolia didn't land him a date with her. He said that he only was interested in her to get back at you for ruining his chances with Gryffindor witches."

"But I didn't-"

"I know it was Ron, but apparently Corner thinks it was you." Dean reassured him.

"Zach stepped in, defending Magnolia but then I saw Michael trying to start something with him so I put myself between them, and then Harry threatened him..." Dean explained.

Neville's brows were still furrowed as he sat deep in thought.
"What about Malfoy?"

"Malfoy?" Dean questioned.

"Yeah, I overheard him talking about it when I was walking back from Hufflepuff. He said something about helping Michael, acted like he was a part of it too." Neville looked to Dean for answers.

"That would explain why they were chatting outside the pub after Zach and I left, but I didn't know they were friends. Did you hear anything else?"

Neville thought back to the conversation he eavesdropped on. There wasn't any actual plans Draco stated, but he had a gut feeling it wasn't over.
"I don't think they are friends, more so using eachother. They didn't say anything specifically but they did bring up Lia by name."

Dean took in the concern written on his friend's face. He knew the girl was special to him but he didn't know she meant this much. Neville rarely concerned himself with Malfoy's antics, let alone put himself in the position of being in them. Magnolia Albero was more than some school crush for Neville and this just confirmed that.

"Look Neville, I'm sorry I tried keeping this from you." Dean admitted.

Neville smiled for the first time since entering the room and it sent a wave of relief through Dean's body.
"It's alright mate, Cho asked Harry to keep the secret and Smith asked you, I understand how that's a sticky situation. You just didn't want to upset him."

Dean's expression suddenly fell and Neville couldn't help but notice.
"What's wrong? Something go on between you and Zach?"

"No, absolutely nothing is going on between Zach and I. That's the problem." Dean huffed, rolling back onto his bed and screaming into his pillow.

"I don't understand." Neville stated. Which was fully true, he didn't know much about Smith and Dean's relationship. All he knew was they met sometimes and Dean couldn't shut up about him.

"I may have...in a moment of weakness....stated he was my boyfriend in front of the whole pub. I shouldn't have said it, it's not true, even if I want it to be. But still, Zach said nothing. All he had to talk about was me keeping my mouth shut about Michael Corner and then he ran off before we could talk about it." Dean explained.

Neville sat beside Dean as he listened to his words. He'd never fully understood his friend's love lives as he barely had one of his own. Now he had Magnolia and he couldn't help but sympathize with Dean. If the same happened between them it would certainly eat him up inside.

"Maybe he was just nervous about the situation? I don't know Smith well but he seems like a nice guy standing up for Lia like he did. Maybe just give him time and he'll come around?" Neville explained.

Dean turned towards Neville with a wide grin, a quick and frightening flip from the frown that had just previously been plastered on his face.

"What?" Neville asked.

Dean wrapped his arm around Neville's neck and ruffled his hair despite Neville doing his best to escape.
"When did you become the mature one huh?" Dean chuckled as his mate tried his best to wiggle out of his grasp.