Entry tags:

harry potter, neville longbottom, neville/harry, slash

Ficlet: Rebuilding (Harry/Neville, PG)
Title: Rebuilding
Author: coffee_n_cocoa
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Harry/Neville
Summary: Harry goes looking for Neville after the battle.
Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction set in the Harry Potter universe – all recognisable characters and settings are the property of J. K. Rowling and her associates. No copyright infringement is intended. No profit is made from this work. Please observe your local laws with regards to the age-limit and content of this work
Warning(s): None
Word Count: 504
Author's Notes: Written for the Free For All Day for xnevillelovingx's 30 Days of Neville fest. Prompt taken from midnightblue88 who asked for Harry/Neville and rebuilding when I asked for inspiration prompts a few weeks back. Sadly unbetaed.

Rebuilding

The sun was setting over Hogwarts as Harry slipped unnoticed from the castle, concealed beneath his Invisibility Cloak. The evening air was fresh and cool, blowing the scents of burning and death away. He picked his way over the grounds, avoiding stones fallen from the castle and holes blasted into the earth from spells, making slow yet steady progress toward the shattered remains of the greenhouses.

He found Neville inside, as he’d suspected, sitting on what was apparently the lone bench to escape destruction, his back facing the door. Harry cleared his throat, stepping quickly out of the way when Neville whirled, suddenly upright and with wand in hand.

“It’s only me,” he said, taking a step forward, broken glass crunching underfoot.

“Sorry,” Neville said, tucking his wand back into one torn sleeve. “There are still acromantulas running about. I was afraid you were one of them for a second.”

“Yeah, Ron was pretty careful about where he went inside the castle earlier before leaving with the rest of his family.” He didn’t have to mention why, taking Fred home for the last time. He watched Neville sit again, turning to pick up a pot, miraculously unbroken unlike nearly everything else in here, recognising Neville’s prized Mimbulus mimbletonia.

“Are they looking for me?” Neville asked, looking up from the plant.

“You missed dinner,” Harry pointed out, “and as you said, there are still acromantulas roaming the grounds, not to mention a Death Eater or two. We were starting to worry. It’s getting dark.”

Neville shrugged, fingers still moving over the Mimbulus mimbletonia, listening to it croon. Harry wasn’t entirely certain who was soothing whom, or what. “I’ll be okay. I just…had to get away for a bit. There’s so much work to be done, and people keep stopping me and asking questions, and did you know girls move in packs? I feel like a sheep being stalked for dinner. They’re everywhere.”

He sounded bewildered, and Harry couldn’t blame him. He’d always been the quiet one, hovering at the edges of things, watching and listening while everyone flirted with everyone else. The sudden attention had to be overwhelming. “We’re alone now,” he said. “We’ve a few minutes before the others send a search party for me as well.”

“Can’t have that, the hero of the day gone missing,” Neville replied with a small smile. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes. I just…had to come here. It’s all gone, Harry. Everything but the Mimbulus. I’d been so worried…” The smile twisted. “That must seem so dumb, fretting over a plant.”

“Two heroes,” Harry corrected, moving to sit beside Neville. “And not dumb at all. I’ve missed you.”

Neville looked up, meeting Harry’s eyes. “I’ve missed you, too. I knew you’d come back.”

“We do have a few minutes,” Harry said again, leaning forward. “We can start rebuilding the buildings tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Neville agreed, and then Harry was kissing him, hands cupping his face, fingers sliding into overlong hair.

Some things couldn’t wait to be rebuilt.