Heavy at Heart - a Neville Longbottom/OC fic

Chapter 1: I've Heard it All

A/N: Hello! I started writing this fic about 4 or 5 years ago before taking a break, and lately I have gotten back into fanfic writing, so I have up until chapter 10 of this fic completed, but I don't want to post everything right away. Basically the concept behind this fic is that not all main characters or females have to be perfect, skinny, and the way we see them in movies and TV. I hope this fic reaches quite a few people who may be sick of that typical "ideal" woman.

Also, please review! Any feedback would be wonderful.

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I’m Genevieve Poineau and I’ve went to Hogwarts for six years now. This is my seventh year and the problem is, I’m overweight. Technically, this isn’t a problem for me. I’ve come to live with being overweight. The problem seems to be with everyone else because I think I’m a pretty decent person. I do my homework, I try to treat others with courtesy, and I’ve actually grown to like myself. I try to wear nice clothes and put on a bit of makeup, but people can just be so cruel because I’m different.

When someone is overweight like me, I tend to hear every insult in the book. I’ve heard it all from “fat ass,” to “tub-o-lard”, to “go on a diet,” and even “drink a Slim Fast”. I’ll admit that the Slim Fast comment was pretty inventive, but it still hurt at the time. Most of the time, I just laugh at the insults people throw at me. I’ve heard them all, so they’re overused and lame. People can’t come up with anything creative like “You’re so fat, people run around you for exercise,” or “Every time you jump up and down, it causes an earthquake”. Those would actually be creative and might sting, but even then, they’re still pretty lame.

Another thing is, I may be overweight, but I absolutely refuse to turn to an eating disorder. I’ve seen what eating disorders can do to people, and to be honest, I wouldn’t want to look like that. I refuse to look like a sack of skin and bones because I have no flesh left on my body. Yes, I may have more curves than most, but it is better than having my hair fall out and looking half-dead because I don’t eat. In fact, I actually don’t eat as much as people would think. Sometimes I only eat once or twice a day. This usually causes my friends to ask me if I’m anorexic, but they should know better. I would never turn to an eating disorder. The real reason I don’t eat sometimes is because I forget, lose track of time, or am just too lazy to make something to eat. By the time I remember that I didn’t eat, then it is close to bedtime, so I don’t eat anything.

Just because I’m overweight, it doesn’t mean I don’t have friends. In fact, I do have a couple of friends. I consider them my best friends because they actually know me, instead of someone who has a lot of people around and they only like that person because of appearance. I would rather have someone like me for me, instead of being surrounded by people and still feeling completely alone. That’s why Luna Lovegood is one of my best friends. She’s in Ravenclaw with me, and she always speaks her mind. If she doesn’t like something I say or do, she tells me honestly, instead of trying to protect my feelings. I appreciate that because I grew sick of false pretenses a long time ago.

My other best friend is Savannah Leery. We have been best friends since our first year at Hogwarts. She is in Hufflepuff, but somehow, we’ve managed to tell each other almost everything and stay close throughout the years. This year is different though. Half of the Hogwarts students aren’t returning because Voldemort is on the rise. Parents are scared and mine almost didn’t want me to come. I had to reassure my parents that Hogwarts is the safest place to be during this time, even without Dumbledore.

Right now, I’m actually on the Hogwart’s Express. I’m sitting in the compartment by myself, reading a book. Eventually, Luna finds me and enters the compartment. She takes a seat across from me. “Hello, Genevieve Poineau.” She says, in her typical, dreamy voice. Why she always greets people with their full name, I will never know. I’ve grown used to it though.