Courage {Neville Longbottom} (ON HOLD)

Chapter Forty Four

Some time had passed since McGonagall had called Kefira out about the Mandrake leaf in hr mouth and since Kefira didn't find herself in trouble, she had to believe that McGonagall wasn't going to say anything about it. The woman carried on as if nothing had happened and Kefira decided to do the same. She was thankful to have the spell to stop the extra saliva that was collecting in her mouth, but she still found herself going mental with the task. It was terrible that she couldn't eat anything she liked because the taste was ruined. She was surviving off of bread and water and it was just leaving her grumpy. However, Neville knew he had to cheer her up or she was going to quit and spit out the leaf. All progress would be lost and if she wanted to try it again, she would have to start from the beginning.

Trying to cheer her up, he sat her down in front of him outside in the courtyard as the two sat down on the stone wall. Kefira had her legs crossed beneath her, her hands folded in her lap, and a curious look on her face. Neville had his legs hanging over the sides with a smile on his. 

"Nevs, what are you up to?" She asked him. "I'm surprised you actually considered taking time studying for our O.W.Ls to come out here. Weren't you the one who kept drilling Seamus and Dean about focusing?"

"Yes, I know, but I thought you could use some fresh air."

"Are you trying to say I stink?" She chuckled causing Neville to turn a bright red color as he shook his head back and forth.

"No, I didn't mean...I didn't-"

"I'm teasing you," she said with a wink. "Sorry, I couldn't resist, I need something to make me laugh. All I want to do is spit this leaf out and send it back to Bandile in an envelope. I don't understand how students at the other school can do this."

"Well, maybe it's easier when you have friends that are doing it with you. After all, they take a whole class, so there's a whole bunch of students doing it. They can turn to each other when they feel like quitting and they have someone to sympathize with. You, on the other hand, you're doing this all by yourself and I know it hasn't been easy at all. But you've been doing great, which proves how strong you really are. Do you know how much I envy that about you?"

"What do you mean, Nevs?"

"The fact that you take on the most challenging of tasks and even when things seem impossible, you still fight through it all. I don't know if I ever told you this, but you're pretty much my role model."

"Me?" She said, looking stunned at the confession. "How can I be your role model? I would be the worst one to have...I am the prime example of what not to do a lot of the time-"

"No, you always tell me that I need to give myself more credit, but you need to start doing the same. You definitely need to take more credit all of your accomplishments. You always stand up for what's right and wrong, and you don't let anyone change you."

"Aww, Nevs, if I didn't have this leaf in my mouth, I would definitely kiss you right now," she told him. "But you don't want any of this."

He chuckled before leaning in and kissing her nose, bringing her to laugh. He continued to kiss both of her cheeks as the laughter persisted. But suddenly, they were interrupted by the clearing of a throat.

"Ahem," the irritable little voice had sucked all the happiness away from the moment, faster than a dementor ever could. The two looked over to see Professor Umbridge watching them from a few feet away, a smile on her face as she approached where they were sitting.

"What do we have here?" Umbridge asked and it was during that moment that Neville wished that he could turn back time because the statement that left Kefira's mouth caused him to nearly faint and fall over the wall.