Chapter 17
Harry was annoyed. It was Valentine’s Day, and he hasn’t had a moment of peace since he opened his eyes. Everywhere he went people were giggling and pushing their friends at him to ask him out. Plenty of girls had asked him out and even a shocking number of boys.
Harry had politely refused all of them.
Harry had never gotten this much romantic attention before and was a bit shocked by it. He guessed now that he looked much healthier, he had an appeal he didn’t before. It didn’t matter anyways, mentally he was just too old to even think romantic thoughts about any of the students.
When he was Henry Longbottom, he had been in love before he had his memories come back and he was determined to keep said love. While he does admit it was slightly hard until Thomas matured a bit, he did his best to not act differently in any way. Of course, it ended up biting him in the arse.
Shaking his head from past memories, Harry ignored the love letters and chocolate piling around him as he tried to eat lunch. It made him a little sick to his stomach how many of those chocolates caused his rings to alert him that they were filled with potions.
He hated love potions. They were as bad as imperio curse, Veela allure and anything else that took away your control. He had often supported that love potions should be illegal not matter how strong they were.
After his second life he had also been in favor of Veela allure checks to make sure both parties were both consenting. In the end no matter what way you looked at it, if those were used it was rape and the perpetrator should be punished accordingly.
Maybe with all his political power this time around he would be able to push through laws. Protect those who were and would be victims of such incidents.
Harry shook his head and tried to finish his lunch only to be interrupted.
“Are you ready to go, Harry?” Ginny asked, standing near him wearing an extremely short red dress that clashed horribly with her hair.
Harry frowned at her. “Go where?”
“To Hogsmeade for our date, silly?” She announced smiling at him, though she began to eye all the chocolates and cards next to him.
Hermione walked up at that point. “You guys better hurry or you're going to be late for your reservation.”
“Let me make myself perfectly clear. I am not and will never date you, Weasley. I do not like you in any way.” Harry told her sternly, ignoring the now watching bystanders.
“Oh, Harry, stop joking around.” She tries to smile at him and flutters her eyelashes.
“I’m not playing around. Leave me alone, Weasley.” Harry turned back to his lunch.
“Harry Potter! Don’t you ignore me! I’m going to be your wife!” Ginny screamed. “I am the future Lady Potter!”
“You will never be my wife. I will never marry you. You will never be Lady Potter. You will never get any of my money.” Harry turned and glared at her.
“Harry James Potter, how dare you say that! Apologize to Ginny and take her to Hogsmeade for a romantic date!” Hermione demanded, stomping her foot.
“20 Points from Gryffindor for causing a scene in the Great Hall.” Snape's voice rang out. “Miss Weasley, Miss Granger, I suggest you go find your seats or leave.”
“Come on, Harry.” Hermione demanded grabbing his arm.
Harry ripped his arm away from her. “I’m not going anywhere with you Granger. Both of you should justtake a hint and leave me alone.”
“20 Points from Gryffindor for trying to manhandle a fellow student.”
Both Ginny and Hermione huffed and marched out of the Great Hall.
-*-
Neville was nervous as he sat at any empty table in the Three Broomsticks. His Gran had owled him that she wished to speak with him and had even booked the table. His gran was a harsh, stern woman who always expected him to act like his father. Neville did try, but never seemed to live up to the shadow he was cast in.
His gran was always disappointed in him, and this was the first time she ever deigned to come to Hogwarts to see him. He couldn’t help but wonder what he had done.
“Neville, why are you sitting here by yourself?” a familiar smooth voice interrupted his thoughts. Neville watched as Blaise slid into one of the empty chairs.
“Oh. Er. My Gran wishes to speak with me.” Neville stammered out.
“Ah.” Blaise smirked. “And here I thought you had a date.”
Neville blushed. “No j-just…”
“I myself don’t have a Valentine.” He announces causally.
Neville looked a bit shocked by that. Blaise was very handsome and he had seen many people swoon when the boy smiled. “That is a surprise.” Neville mumbled.
Blaise grinned at him. “I believe I have a way to rectify this.”
“Rectify what?” Neville questioned, confused.
Blaise didn’t answer, he simply placed a box of chocolate on the table. The box was backed in red and silver packaging. “Be my Valentine?”
“Oh.” Neville stared at him wide eyed.
“Neville!” was suddenly heard through the crowd of students.
“That my gran.” He said, staring at the boy sitting with him in shock.
“Think about it.” Blaise told him before standing up. “Enjoy your visit.” With that he left as quickly as he came.
Neville looked at the box of chocolates. No one had ever asked him to be their Valentines before.
“Neville.” His gran appeared sitting down. “I do apologize for not realizing the significance of this day.”
“Hello, Gran. It’s no problem at all.” He assured her, moving the chocolate to the side, closer to him.
“I had the most wonderful news and had to tell you in person.” His gran gave him a smile.
Neville stared at her. His gran did not smile.
“Neville, your parents are… they are getting better.”
Neville kept staring. “What?” he asked thinking he misheard.
“I know this may come as a shock. The healers aren’t sure what to make of it but they have come back.”
Her eyes teared up. “They are back.”
-*-
Neville did what he always did when he was feeling overwhelmed. He went to the greenhouse. He stuck his hands in the soils and mindlessly worked with the plants as he thought about the news.
His parents had, for lack of better term, woken up. They were coherent and talking. They had asked for their baby, for him. They were apparently shocked by how long they have been out of it. Their bodies were still weak and needed to regrow in strength, but his gran had said that they would be moved to the Manor next week. She had said she would be pulling him out of Hogwarts for a week after she got them settled,
So he could meet them.
He was going to meet them. His parents. It was like a dream come true.
“Thought I would find you in here.”
Turning around he saw Blaise leaning against the doorframe with a smirk.
Blaise. The boy who had asked him to be his Valentines right before he found out about his parents.
“They’re coherent.” He blurted out.
Blaise brows furrowed in confusion. “Who’s coherent?”
“My parents. Gran told me they have basically woken up.” He told the other boy. He was pretty sure he was still in shock.
“That’s great news, Neville.” Blaise smiled softly at him. “Are you going to go see them then?”
Neville frowned. “No, it’ll be a few weeks before Gran will take me out of Hogwarts to see them.”
Blaise also frowned. “That’s…” he paused for a moment. “Do you want to go see them?”
“Of course.” He couldn’t wait to see them and hated that he had to wait.
“Then let’s go.” Blaise said.
“What? We can’t just go.” Neville protested.
“Why not?” Blaise shrugged. “We can head back to Hogsmeade, summon on the knight bus and go to St. Mungos.”
“People will notice if we leave.” Neville pointed out half heartedly.
“It’s Valentine, most students won’t be at the feast and will instead be hiding out and having dates.” Blaise shrugged. “As for our friends, we can let them know later. I’m sure they won’t care and will understand.”
Neville thought about it. He knew he shouldn’t go, but it was his parents. “Okay let’s go.”
Blaise smiled at him, and they both headed back to Hogsmeade.
-*-
Alice Longbottom was mad; she wanted to see her baby. Her mother-in-law, though, was refusing to bring him for some reason. She and Frank still might be a little weak due to not moving a lot during these past years, but she was able to visit with her son. After all, Augusta has been visiting enough to know this as she visits with her son.
Alice understood that her Neville was now fifteen and not the little baby she remembered. She did have vague memories of a boy visiting them throughout the years who always looked so sad. She was sure it was Neville.
She let out a sigh.
“Alice?” Frank, her loving husband, inquired.
“I want to see Neville.” She told him, heart aching as she saw a similar feeling on his face.
“Me too.” He sighed. “I keep pestering mom, but she won’t listen.”
They sat together on one bed, holding each other for comfort.
They heard footsteps walk up to their room door and looked up, expecting a healer or Augusta again. She would come in and lecture Frank for moving to Alice’s bed, that neither should be moving, etc. Alice always disliked her mother-in-law, and it worried her that she had raised her baby.
The footsteps however didn’t enter, just stopped at the door. They could hear a muffled conversation but couldn’t quite make out what was being said. When the door finally opened Alice stared.
Standing in the doorway were two boys. However, one of the boys was the perfect blend of her and Frank.
It was her baby. Her Neville.
“Neville.” She breathed. She let go of Frank and opened her arms.
Neville gasped before running into her arms. They both held each other as if the other would disappear. Frank's arms went around the two and tears filled all their eyes. They were finally together again.