Harry Potter One Shots

[3] Neville Longbottom - Plant Baby (Part One)

So, you admit it, you were never the best herbology student. Sure, you get good enough grades to pass the class, and all of your other classes have pretty decent marks. But the thing about Herbology is the fact that you can't keep any previously living thing alive. Your own parents don't even trust you to watch your younger siblings and your succulent plant died. They said it was the easiest plant to keep alive and you watered it every day, so how could it possibly die? You're forced to admit to yourself that your thumb was tainted black the day you were born, so when you found out that thirty percent of your grade will be testing how well you could keep an actual living plant alive, you really thought you were completely screwed.

The first option you considered was to flee the country and when you wrote your parents asking them if you could drop out of school, they said no. So you nearly fainted today when you walked into the classroom and saw a bunch of plants lined up on the table. You knew today was the day that you failed and had to redo your third year all over again. You'll be the laughing stock known as the plant-killing girl.

"Okay, students, settle down," Professor Sprout started, "Let me just get everything in order, and then I'll give you further instructions about your projects."

You leaned your elbows on the table and stared down the plant in front of you that seemed to be taunting you with its prickly leaves.

"Alight, students, as you can see there aren't enough plants for each of you to get one, so I'll be having you all work in pairs," Professor Sprout says.

You're on cloud nine because you just heard the most fantastic news of your entire life. You mean to say that your grade is saved and someone else is going to be doing all the work for you?

"Now, I will be picking partners, and I know the rivalry is strong between your two houses, but I'm asking you all kindly to behave yourselves for this project," Sprout says, "There will be a number floating above your heads in a moment and the person with the corresponding number to yours will be your partner. No switching!"

Magical numbers started appearing one by one above each person's head, looking around you could see both Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter with a one floating above their heads and you instinctively smirked to yourself. You then looked up to see that above my own head was the number four and started looking around for your own partner.

Your eyes settled in on a pale boy who you knew to be Neville, and who was already staring back at you. When you smiled, his face seemed to grow even paler. Salazar Slytherin, someone must truly be looking out for you up there because this is the biggest Herbology nerd in the class. Even a few of your fellow Slytherins looked a little jealous that you got this pasty kid over them.

"Now, now, kids, stand with your partners and choose a plant."

The boy seemed to be frozen in place, kind of just staring at you from across the table, so you make your way around the table to him.

"Hey, I'm Y/N."

"I-I'm Neville."

"I know," you say, then look over towards the plant he's already picked out.

"You know my name?" He asks. You turn your head back towards him to see that his once pale cheeks were turning into a slight shade of pink.

"Mhm," you hum. "So why this one?"

"W-well, um, you can tell by the stem that the roots will be stronger and the stronger the roots are the more likely that the plant will sprout more and just have an overall better chance of survival, along with other certain benefits like-"

"Fascinating," you cut him off. You turn your attention back to the small green sprout in the pot. You really hope you won't screw this up. You've been given all the chances in the world to not fail, but you'll find a way, and take this Neville kid down with you.