"Neville! Who are you here visiting?" Ron was trying to lean around the privacy curtain to see who was on the other side. Harry looked at the boy as he fidgeted, looking over his shoulder several times. A tall women with a stuffed vulture hat and a bright red person.
"Neville, is everything ok? Oh? Hello." She made eye contact with Harry and his friends.
"So who are you here seeing, Neville?" Hermione asked, finally approaching with scraps of paper showing disjointed writing.
"Have you not told them?" Augusta Longbottom looked reproachfully at her grandson. They all looked up as a women came shuffling over to them.
"Alice you should really lay down, dear," Augusta patted her shoulder and begin to guide her back to her bed. Neville was grimacing, still holding the sweet wrapper.
"Is that your mum?" Ron asked, gaping and still trying to see around the screen.
"Yes," Augusta said. "Both his parents are here..full time."
Harry hadn't stopped watching Neville. The way he moved. The way he crumpled and uncrumpled the wrapper. He was ashamed. Harry wished to reach for his hands to calm him. They met each other's gaze.
"Hi," Neville whispered, giving Harry the smallest of grins.
"Hi, Neville." Harry watched the boy as his cheeks flooded with color. "Can we talk? Quickly?" Neville nodded.
"Don't take to long, Neville, we need to catch our train," Augusta said as the two boys retreated to the hallway.
Neville was confused as to way Harry need to speak with him. Was he going to ask why he hadn't said anything about his parents? Maybe say he didn't want to be involved with him because of it. Harry finally let out a sigh, as if he had been holding in his breathe.
"How-How've you been?" Neville asked him.
"Good. Good. And you?" Harry was glancing up and down the hallway, seemingly to nervous now to look at Neville. "You know you don't need to hide things, Neville. Especially from me."
"I'm sorry?" Neville's mouth was wide with shock. Harry looked almost hurt. The boy got closer and reached for his hand. Neville could hear his heart beat in his ears.
"You don't need to keep things bottled up," Harry was holding Neville's hand. He looked at Harry's but Harry wasn't making eye contact with him.
"Harry, what's this about?" There he was standing in the hall holding hands with Harry Potter.
"I'm glad I saw you today Neville. I haven't stopped thinking about you since that night. You care for me, don't you?" Harry couldn't bring myself to look at the boy.
"Well, yes. You've alway-always been kind to me, Harry." Neville couldn't figure out where this was going.
"You don't need to hide from me." Suddenly, Harry's lips met the soft flesh of Neville's hand. Harry pulled away. "I'll see you, Neville."
The door to the ward opened, Neville couldn't even breath. He felt heat rising from his hand up his arms to his face.
"Ready?" Augusta asked Neville. All he could do was nod.
The train ride seemed shorter than it was. Neville stared his hand. Harry Potter has held his hand. Harry Potter has kissed the back of Neville's hand. Told him he didn't have to hide his feelings. For once, Neville felt accepted.
