Courage {Neville Longbottom} (ON HOLD)

Chapter Ninety-Six

Neville was beside himself with overwhelming giddiness shortly after he confessed his true feelings for Kefira and to hear her utter the words back, there was really nothing in the English vocabulary that could describe how he felt. It had been taking a chance certainly, as they were young and the most Neville had mentioned the word "love" to were all family members. He was sure that people would have their opinions, but he honestly didn't care either. Kefira had come into his life in an abrupt manner and he never regretted a second being around her. When no one else was paying attention to him, she was there. When no one else would stand in his corner, she was right there willing to fight whoever she had to in order to protect his name. 

But it wasn't just about her protecting him, she helped him protect and stand up for himself. She wanted him to be the person that he could be proud of first and foremost above anyone else. She didn't place the pressure of his parents' greatness and achievements on his shoulders, she was the first to see him for who he truly was. He was Neville in her eyes and perhaps that's what allowed him to be proud of himself in the first place, the fact that someone was actually able to see him. 

Word around the castle didn't involve the couple, instead, it involved a newly formed couple as everyone had come to witness Ginny and Harry share a kiss in the common room. Neville didn't care really, he was happy for them and they could be the centre of all the gossip, he was just thrilled that he had Kefira and had Kefira for as long as they had shared their friendship. No one was able to steal that feeling of the moment. 

If Neville thought he was on Cloud Nine, it was nothing compared to what Kefira was feeling in those moments. It seemed all the suffering through the term and dealing with all the drama had been rewarded in the best ways possible. Gryffindor winning the quidditch cup was nothing compared to hearing her boyfriend tell her he loved her. At first, it might have appeared as a spur of the moment thing, but then Neville said it again that night before she went to bed and he said to her in the morning when she made him laugh.

Each time it caused her to blush furiously and her mighty roar was reduced to a soft whisper whenever she uttered it back. She wasn't ashamed to say it back to him and she knew she felt the same way, but she found herself in awe of how Neville was carrying himself. The shy demeanour was nowhere to be seen and he didn't dare to stumble or stammer out the words whenever he was in her presence. He said it with confidence, he held her hand with pride, and in those moments, Kefira could only see a proud lion standing with her. 

She wrote home to her sisters to inform them of the quidditch match and the exchange of the three little words. She knew that the response would be rapid and possibly crazy. Luckily, her sisters couldn't send Howlers or she knew she would receive nothing but high-pitched screaming. 

And as if the confession of their love for each other restored balance to the world, everything around Kefira seemed to be going so smoothly. Ginny and Harry were together which definitely freed up the world of angst that had been cast over the group of Gryffindors as Dean and Seamus returned to their normal "obvious-not-so-obvious" flirting. The two boys seemed more than happy to be just in the company of each other again, but not only that, they didn't need anyone to be with them in order to be around each other. They had no problem telling their friends that it was just going to be the two of them when they headed outside on the castle grounds. 

They certainly didn't have any trouble with it just being the two of them as they sat in front of the Gryffindor fire at night, catching up on little things that the two seemed to miss out on during their awkward period of not really talking. Ron and Hermione were on good terms with each other as well, the obvious exchange of smiles and laughter between the two, now that they didn't have to worry about Lavender standing in the way. Although the major question seemed to be with Lavender no longer in their way, what were the two waiting for?