I Love Plants {a Neville Longbottom story}

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Set during Goblet of Fire

Serenity

I was so excited to be back in Hogwarts, I got to see my friends again! I hadn't made much friends at my new school, they were all so stuck up and they called me dirt, not like names that treat me like dirt, no they actually called me "dirt" I don't blame them. I did always have soil on me.

No, I blame them for making me feel so small, despite having the best grades in the whole school. I was worried I was bothering Neville the past year with how many letters I sent him. I probably sounded lonely, and he was just making more and more friends. I stopped sending as many letters because of that.

He seems indifferent about seeing me, Cedric and Draco had been nothing but ecstatic, but Neville had just been staring and looking almost sad. I wonder if he got a girlfriend or something? That would be horrid! Especially because I had come to the conclusion second year that I definitely had a crush on him. Maybe that's why he was acting weird though. Regardless, I was happy to be back and I wouldn't let anything ruin that.

The feast starts and I'm finally able to leave my school table, I run up to Hannah and give her the biggest hug, we sit together and talk about everything we missed in our letters.

"Cedric tells me he is going to enter the tournament!" Hannah says.

"Oh really" I say as I jokingly glare at the boy.

"What!?" He says with a full mouth of food.

"Oh nothing, just thought your friend ought to know if you have the possibility of getting seriously injured, but no, I guess you don't like to tell me anything any more." I say as I dramatically rest my hand on my head as if I'm fainting.

We all three laugh historically.

"Don't worry, I promise to not mess up my pretty face for you." He says with a wink.
"Oh thank god, what would us girls do if the prince of Hufflepuff damaged his precious face!??" I jokingly exclaim.
"Oh shut it nerd" he bumps my shoulder and I tell him more about the art program I joined at my new school.

Cedric and Hannah flip through my 3rd year sketchbook in awe and I'm absolutely beaming with pride as they ooh and awe at my art.
"This is amazing Serenity, I knew you were good but this is just flawless!" Hannah exclaims!
"Thanks Hannah" I blush.

I make my way over to Draco next, I would have seen the Gryffindors next but I was feeling slightly nervous, especially with the way Neville had been acting since I arrived. He is resting his head on the table watching as, who I believe to be Ginny, talk to Hermione.

Maybe him and Ginny- I think to myself but shake the thought from my mind.
"Hey blondie!" I said as I waved at the Slytherin boy. Draco immediately hugged me and lifts me into the air.

"Woah there muscles, no need to show off!" I say jokingly.
"Sorry Leaf! I just missed you!! Woah babe you are smokin!" He says.

I blush and gently push him on the shoulder
"shut it blondie, don't make me slap you again!" I say.

"don't tempt me." He jokes back. We sit there for awhile talking about his life at home and what I do over the holidays. He talks about how lonely it is without me at the house and how he still wasn't used to it. We had lived together since we were one so I agree with that statement, I missed him so much too. I hug him one last time before everyone starts to make there way to the common rooms.

I make the extremely hard decision to force myself up to the Gryffindor common room. I have to face him at some point. I say to myself.

"Oh my dear Serenity!!! Is that you!?! How much you've grown! Oh how beautiful!" The portrait exclaims!!
"Why thank you miss" I say with a curtsy.
"Go on in dear, ya know Neville hasn't stopped talking about you since you left." She winks. My face goes red as I enter the common room.

"Serenity!!" Hermione yells, everyone's head turns and Ron and Harry are jumping to their feet following their frizzy haired friend over to great me. Hermione jumps into my arms.

"Hey Mione, I missed you!" I say
"I missed you too, no one will study with me like you did!" She says
"Wow is that all you missed?" I laugh.

Harry and Ron pull me into a hug as well.
"You look good in blue." Harry says.
"Thanks Harry, although it wasn't really my choice."
"Serenity, this is Ginny, my sis!" Ron says while pushing Ginny towards me like she is unable to use her legs or something.
"Nice to meet you Ginny! I've heard a lot about you from Nev's letters, I'm sorry about what happened your first year!!" I exclaim.
"Nev? Oh you mean Neville? Ugh that freak, I hope he didn't say anything embarrassing!" She says.

I'm enjoying talking to my mates again but I can't stop looking around the room for someone. Where is Neville? He wasn't here when I came in so where could he be?

"Looking for Neville?" Hermione asks in a whisper. "Yeah, he hasn't said welcome back properly yet." I pout and cross my arms.
"Well what did you expect with the show you put on at dinner?" Ron says, Hermione punches his shoulder in reaction.
"Yeah he ran out of the hall after that, went straight to the dorms." Harry explains.
"Wait what show? My school's entrance?"
"No Serenity, you and Malfoy." Hermione says. Serenity looks around at all her friends and they all nod in agreement with sad looks on their faces.

"Why would you wanna date that git anyway?" Ron adds. This earns him another punch from Hermione. "Serenity, we know you've been friends for awhile so you know him a little different than we do, but he hasn't been the nicest." Hermione explains.

I hadn't even once thought of Draco in that way, I wasn't sure how to react to such a strange off putting situation.

"Wait!!! Woah woah woah, I'm not dating Draco!" I chime in putting my hands up in defense. "why would you guys think that?"

I think back to dinner when I saw Draco and how he lifted me into the air when he hugged me. Why would that mean that I was dating him? And why would that matter so much to Neville? From what I heard, they were on speaking terms and even owled each other a few times over summer.

"Where is his dorm?" I ask loudly.

.....

A/N

Draco and Serenity are not blood related or even step siblings, they are childhood friends!!