Neville
Neville eventually fell into the comfortable rhythm of school. The uninterrupted cycle of lessons, homework, sleep. It was normal, assuring with the inconsistency of burdened backs, loaded with pressure and inflexible stare. Umbridge's aggressive strides to gain as much regulation as she could had slowed, only to maintain an exceeding expanse of protocols and inspections upon the professors.
The teachers were to be monitored for a class period, Umbridge, being of high importance, would sit in a corner of a class and scribble notes as good as doodles on a clipboard, giggling her high pitched croak to herself whenever a Professor stuttered. The students found themselves seeking out the classrooms, absentmindedly reassuring themselves that they would be able to breathe normally for the next hour. Regardless of the fact they aren't the ones being assessed.
He couldn't necessarily complain. Obviously it would have been fully justified if he was, but it was becoming easier. Neville could tell Dahlia was having difficulty with something, dark circles of insomnia coated her under eyes. They were so pigmented that he was worried, at first glance, that she had been punched less severely in the face. Yawns made lines crease dully in her brow and around her mouth, in all honesty, a thing he would never tell her, it made her look partially mortally departed. Her reaction time was delayed, 'huh' being the only response her lagging brain could muster up. All her energy went to school and homework, he would barely notice her while she would be working slowly at the same table as himself.
"Dahlia." He said.
Either she was too deep in thought, focusing double the amount of a well rested person. Or she simply didn't hear him.
"Dahlia." He repeated patiently, nudging her under the table in a nurturing way, their knees brushing together.
Her head jerked serenely up, her eyes red.
"Huh." She muttered, the words hardly leaving her lips. Confusion rising as her previous thoughts sank behind her eyes.
"Are you okay? You seem out of it." Neville questioned.
"Yeah I'm fine, I just didn't get much sleep last night." She smiled weakly.
"Do you get enough sleep any night?" He interrogated, his eyebrows screwing up in accusation.
"Yes." She defendingly chuckled.
"I tend to doubt it." Neville breathed under his breath.
Her eyes flashed in a certain tiredness, one she quickly tried to cover up with a blink. A sigh of undeniable exhaustion escaped her mouth, decompressing her lungs. Her head dropped back to her work.
"I take that as some sort of answer or are you just annoyed." Neville whispered tenitavely.
"Yeah." She said, her head still parallel with the floor.
"Yeah what?" He smiled.
A long moment passed where they sat in the slight sturr of the common room. He could have taken Dahlia's lack of confirmation for an answer, he could have let her brain catch up with her head, but he couldn't deny himself the satisfaction of hearing her admit it.
Neville let his quill fall from his left hand, some of the ink fresh from his last dip in the cartridge made freckles on his parchment. He reached his hand to her face, leaning in to look her in her eyes when she gained a proper posture. Neville touched her as gently and little as possible. Snaking his fingers smoothly under her chin. Her eyes lifted back into view, they reluctantly opened to give him a glare. His thumb lightly brushed her lips as he adjusted her head.
"Dahlia?" He questioned again, his elbow resting on the table.
"Now I'm annoyed." She smirked, his hand still keeping her head up.
YOU ARE READING
When the Stars Align (Neville Longbottom)
Fanfic'Before he could give it another thought, Dahlia had leaned up, kissing desperately close to his lips, the corners essentially overlapping. It was deep, lasting, her hands had found his neck, her fingertips grazing over his jaw. He leaned his head d...
