“Another pint, love, go on!”
“A bit more Gillywater, Hannah, there’s a good girl.”
“Is there any food to be had here?”
“You’ll wait for dinner like everyone else. It’s not served until six.”
Neville listened to the general chatter throughout the Leaky Cauldron with pleasure. Compared to what the place had been like two years ago, this was heavenly. He drained the bottle of Butterbeer before him and signaled for another.
Hannah brought it to him with a smile. “Good day, Neville?” she asked.
“All right,” Neville said. “Very pleasant in here, anyway.”
“How’d your interview with old McGonagall go?”
“Pretty well. She’ll probably be inclined to give me the position.”
Hannah shook her head. “I can’t believe Professor Sprout retired so soon. She’s not terribly old, is she?”
“No, but she had a hard time after the war. She’s such a peaceful person, really. Besides, I think she’s excited to leave Hogwarts.”
“You saw her, then?”
“Briefly. Said she’s going to travel the world, study the exotic plants she can’t import.”
Hannah smiled. “And you? You’re willing to be tied to Hogwarts for a while?”
Neville shrugged. “I’ve had all the excitement I need in a life time,” he said. “Even these last two years have been crazy.”
“You’ve been helping the Auror office, haven’t you?”
“A bit. Studying some more plants. Working on my garden. And you’ve settled down here.”
Hannah nodded. “True. I agree, though”these past few years have been crazy enough.”
At that moment, Hannah was called away. Neville smiled and went back to listening to the general chatter, though his eyes stayed on the barmaid.
*
At Hogwarts, Neville hadn’t really known Hannah. She was in his Herbology classes all through their school days, and they had been in Dumbledore’s Army together, but other than a few passing conversations and an occasional smile in the hallways, Neville and Hannah hadn’t interacted much at all.
Their seventh year, though, things had changed. Not only were Neville and Hannah in more classes together, but they were both part of the revolution. Neville was the leader, sure, but he tried to give personal time to each of his followers, his soldiers. There were a lot of them, but Neville knew from watching Harry Potter run the first DA that individual attention was essential to building a strong army.
Neville tried not to differentiate too much, but he found himself giving special attention to people who had lost family members in the war. Thus he found himself talking to Susan Bones about her Aunt Amelia and the sisters whose brother had been killed by a werewolf. Hannah also received special attention. She had been taken out of school for most of her sixth year because he mother had been killed by Death Eaters. She was forced to come back the next year, but she was pale and strained, more than the others. Neville found himself talking to her more, helping her move on from the loss, even sitting with her in the classes they shared since so many of his friends were gone.
Now, two years after the war had ended, Hannah was an almost completely different person. She was happy, friendly, laughing with anyone who needed to laugh, crying with those who needed to cry. Although she had not really completed Hogwarts, she had taken a job at the Leaky Cauldron not long after the battle, and only last year, the old landlord had retired, leaving the business to her. She was young and pretty and people swarmed to her pub, making it as lively and wonderful as it had been in the glory days between the wars.
Neville was at the Leaky Cauldron often. He had taken two years off without either school or real work and had plenty of time to sit in the bar and listen to the general noise, or talk to Hannah about whatever came up. She had grown up immensely in the last two years. In their school days, she had worn her hair in two fat pigtails that, while sweet and innocent, had made her look much younger than she was. Now, she pulled her hair up in a loose bun that gave her more maturity. Neville also recalled a lot of freckles that had since disappeared. Whatever it was, though, it was very becoming.
In fact, Neville almost regretted applying for the Herbology position at Hogwarts because it meant that he’d have to be away from the Leaky Cauldron, which meant being away from Hannah.
He glanced at her again. She was pouring out a glass of Firewhiskey in her usual calm fashion. He would miss her… a lot.
The realization hit Neville like a herd of rampaging Hippogriffs. He couldn’t think about things like that. He was very likely going to be a teacher… a teacher, for Merlin’s sake! Young, sure, but he had to learn to think and act more responsibly. Hastily, he gulped the last of his Butterbeer and threw down what he figured was enough money to cover the bill. He left without so much as a goodbye to Hannah.
Once in the street, he was able to think more clearly. What did he have to offer anyone, anyway? Absolutely nothing but a possibility of a job at Hogwarts. Hannah had her own business, her own life. Who was he, Neville Longbottom, the boy who no one could ever think of as anything but the awkward plant nerd, to be thinking of Hannah that way? There were plenty of young wizards who liked her, young wizards who she had to like better. No. She’d never choose him.
*
Hannah had hardly spoken to Neville before he took over as the leader of Dumbledore’s Army. In fact, if Ginny hadn’t declared Neville the leader, Hannah never would have looked twice at him. But when he was leading, when he was showing them all how to fight and be brave, Hannah noticed. She noticed that Neville was courageous and strong, even handsome in his way. And he cared about the Army and its members. He talked to all of them, consoling them for loss, looking after their injuries in any way he could.
Now, two years later, Hannah knew Neville in ways she had never dreamed possible. It wasn’t just that he frequented her pub. Plenty of people did that. It was that Neville made a point of talking to her whenever he came in and Hannah loved talking back. She had learned to be strong during the war. She had gained serenity and could listen to people talk to her all day long about their problems. She heard all about the round-up projects that Neville volunteered for”the Auror department was taking volunteers to help capture Death Eaters since the force itself was severely understaffed”and she listened as he talked about his nerves at applying for a full-time position at Hogwarts. She wanted Neville to get the post because she knew he would love it, but at the same time she hoped he wouldn’t so he wouldn’t stop coming into her pub.
Hannah looked up. Neville had left, but he had left enough for his bill and more. Hannah shook her head. Neville never had been good with numbers. It didn’t matter. She’d try to give him his change the next day and he’d tell her to keep it as a tip or put it toward his next round. She didn’t know why he bothered to pay every time since he had enough credit to buy drinks for everyone in the bar on an average night.
She was sad that Neville had left, though. While there were plenty of other people for her to talk to, he was her favorite. Why had he left so suddenly? Had she offended him? Or was he called away? She hoped it was the latter. If it was, he’d be back tomorrow with an apology. If not…
He’d come back. He always came back. It would be less if he got the job, but he would come on the holidays. Yes, he’d come.
*
Neville didn’t go to the Leaky Cauldron the next night. He didn’t want to be preoccupied with Hannah all night. He went all the way to Hogsmeade and up to the Three Broomsticks. He wanted to listen to bar chatter, sure, but not with Hannah there to distract him.
He got his Butterbeer and sat down at an empty table near the edge of the room. Although the Three Broomsticks was noisy and raucous, he somehow felt peaceful. At least if anything happened here, he’d have a few minutes warning.
“Hello, Neville,” a vague voice said. Neville looked up and smiled as Luna Lovegood wandered over to him.
“Hey, Luna,” he said. Luna had been third-in-command of Dumbledore’s Army and was always good for a chat. Neville had dated her briefly just after the war, but the relationship had ended quickly. There was no bitterness on either side, though, and Luna was still one of Neville’s best friends. “Sit down,” Neville offered.
“Thank you,” Luna said. She studied Neville for a moment. “What’s on your mind that’s got you in a bother?”
“Oh… nothing,” Neville said. “It’s just… something silly.”
“It’s funny,” Luna said thoughtfully. “How silly things are often the most important.”
This was typical Luna. Neville restrained himself from laughing. “All right,” he said. “It’s a girl.”
Luna nodded serenely. “I thought it would be. You haven’t volunteered for a round-up in weeks. Who is it?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Neville said. “She’ll never like me that way. I mean, what have I got to offer?”
“You’re a war hero,” Luna reminded him. “And you’re not terribly ugly. I don’t see why you can’t ask her to drink a Butterbeer with you or something.”
“She won’t accept.”
“Not with that attitude, she won’t,” Luna agreed. “What have you got to lose, Neville?”
“Nothing,” Neville admitted.
“So ask her out,” Luna said. “Just try.”
*
Hannah was disappointed. Neville hadn’t come back.
She knew it was nothing to get upset about. He didn’t come every day, just most. But it was still disappointing when he wasn’t there. Somehow, the bar didn’t feel right without Neville’s solid, if quiet, presence. Hannah wasn’t really happy if she didn’t get to talk to Neville in the evening.
She told herself to get used to it in case Neville did go back to Hogwarts, to be ready to not see him for months at a time. But she knew she wouldn’t get used to it. Ever since they had started school they’d seen each other almost every day, and even if they hadn’t been good friends before their seventh year, it was still an adjustment.
Hannah thought that was a little bit silly. She didn’t even see her best friends from Hogwarts very often. Why should she be upset over Neville? Out of all the people who came into her pub every day…
There was something about Neville and Hannah knew it. She knew that she didn’t just want to be his friend or his barmaid or whatever she was. She knew she wanted something more.
But he didn’t. He couldn’t. Why should he? There was no reason for Neville to prefer her over any other girl. Neville was a hero, a friend of Harry Potter. Neville was popular. As for Hannah, she was popular too and could have any one of a dozen wizards who came to her pub regularly. But Neville… Neville was different.
“Let him come tomorrow,” Hannah prayed to herself.
*
Neville spent the next day in his garden. Whatever else was happening, Neville always found comfort in plants. There was a certain sort of peace in the feel of soil, in the smell of fertilizer, in the skill it took to care for magical plants. It gave Neville time to think, to decide what to do.
Luna was right, of course. Despite her weirdness, she had wisdom that Neville trusted. Why shouldn’t he ask Hannah to go out with him sometime? Her bar closed at eleven every night, but some of the shops in Diagon Alley stayed open much later. She could probably use a break. Hannah only left her pub on special occasions because finding someone to run the bar was very challenging.
Neville frowned. The garden needed something. There was a patch that had nothing but grass in it and while grass could be enough sometimes, Neville preferred different plants. Flowers of some sort. Nice flowers. Nothing elaborate since he would probably be going soon. Something his gran could look after.
He’d pick something up when he went out. There was always something interesting in Diagon Alley. It would be something to do before five o’clock when it would be more acceptable to drink some Firewhiskey before taking Luna’s advice.
Actually, Neville wouldn’t go in until well after five o’clock. Probably closer to nine or ten. Ten thirty. Sometime that would be less crowded. Maybe he could wait until eleven when the bar would empty. Get her alone. There would be less pressure on both of them then. Yes, that’s what he’d do.
He checked his watch. Four o’clock. There was still plenty of time to prepare.
*
“Drinks all around!”
Hannah sighed. Drinks all around meant a lot of extra work for her, even if it meant a large windfall of money. But this was Harry Potter and saying no to him was a major faux pas.
At least Neville was here, although he’d waved away the usual Butterbeer in favor of Firewhiskey. Hannah had learned in her very first week not to ask questions about what was ordered, though, so she simply began to conduct the various bottles and taps with her wand as Harry tossed down enough money to cover everyone’s bill for the entire night.
“What’s the occasion?” Neville asked as Harry sat down beside him.
“I asked Ginny to marry me,” Harry answered with more exuberance than usual. “And she said yes. You’ll come, won’t you?”
“Course I will,” Neville said. “Wouldn’t miss that wedding for anything.”
Hannah laughed. “If you’d said that, I’d have declared drinks on the house,” she said. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks, Hannah,” Harry said. “How’s business been?”
“Thriving,” Hannah answered.
Since Harry was buying drinks, the pub didn’t empty until almost near exactly eleven when Hannah called closing. The people staying at the Leaky Cauldron staggered upstairs to their rooms while the rest went out to take the Knight Bus home. Harry shook hands with Neville one last time before dashing out to catch the bus.
“Nearly closing time, Neville,” Hannah reminded him as she wiped down the bar.
Neville took a deep breath, knocked back the last bit of Firewhiskey, and said in a rush, “Are you busy tonight? I mean… if you aren’t too tired, would you like to… I don’t know, pop round for a cup of tea with me?”
She smiled. “I’d love to have a cup of tea with you.”
*
“Hannah! Hannah!”
Neville burst into the pub. “I got the post! Professor McGonagall hired me to teach Herbology!”
“Was there ever any doubt?” Hannah asked. “Butterbeer?”
“Yes,” Neville said breathlessly. “Hannah, I’ve done it… I’ve got a job that pays well, I’m going back to Hogwarts… it’s a wonderful place, you know, and the kids…”
Hannah nodded, but she didn’t look particularly happy.
“There are a few things I need to take care of, though,” Neville said. “Like the bare patch in my garden. I haven’t found anything that would look right in it.”
“How about a few nice rosebushes?” Hannah suggested.
Neville looked at her. “That’s perfect,” he said. “And…well… marry me?”
Hannah looked up. “What?”
Neville no longer cared that the bar was full of people. He leaped up and knelt on the bar. “Hannah Abbot, will you marry me?” he said for everyone to hear.
Hannah smiled in wonder. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Neville kissed her as the entire pub burst into applause. When it was done, Neville looked into Hannah’s eyes. “I love you,” he said. Then he shouted to the room, “Drinks all around!”
“No!” Hannah called. “Drinks on the house!”