I Love Plants {a Neville Longbottom story}

Free at last

Half blood prince

Classes go by incredibly slow that day knowing that Serenity is awake and ok, madam Pomfrey said I should go back after my last class to fetch her and bring her to dinner. It's only lunch. I sit at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione and Ron.
I look across the table at Harry and he forces a smile. Things haven't been quite the same with him after what happened in the common room that one night.
I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn around and see Draco standing behind me.
"So? How is she?" He asks timidly.
"She woke up! She's all clear for dinner tonight!" I say excitedly. A small smile creeps on Draco's face.
"And? Did you ask her?" He asks
"I did, thanks for the advice Draco, she seemed really excited." I say patting his shoulder

"Ahw that's nice, Malfoy has a heart." Ron says
"Shut it weasley, you won't be talking much when Flint breaks your jaw during your upcoming quidditch match. I for one cannot wait to see you suffer." Draco says with a wicked smile and with that he walks away. Ron is now practically shaking in fear.
"Bit hot and cold he is isn't he?" Ron asks.
We all laugh historically.
"What did you ask her Neville?" Hermione asks.
"I asked her on a hogsmeade date." I say proudly.
"Girls like that?" Ron questions. "But that's so lame." He finally says after little to no thought.
Hermione hits him with her textbook.
"Are you that daft!??" Hermione yells.
Harry and I laugh at their interaction.

My last class finally ends and I gather my things faster than I ever have and sprint to the hospital wing. When I arrive Serenity is already up waiting for me, she is wearing an oversized sweatshirt and a giant smile on her face. "Nev, have you come to free the princess!?!?" She asks with a smirk.
"Oh yes my love, let's us ride off into the sunset!" I exclaim. I run up to her and flip her into my arms bride style and carry her out of the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey just rolls her eyes and shakes her head but also has a small smile on her face.

We arrive to the great hall and I set her down on her feet. "Serenity first I want to tell you something." I say to her.
"Yes?" She asks with a smile still on her face. She hasn't looked this healthy and happy in a long time.
"Draco and I think it's best you leave him to do the task alone." I put simply. The smile leaves her face.
"What do you mean? He needs me." Serenity says.
"You won't be much help if you are out in the hospital wing again or worse." I say motioning towards her. "Yeah... I guess you are right." She says.
That was much easier than I thought it would. Something in the back of my mind tells me there is no way she would have agreed so easily but I'm too happy to have her happy and healthy and infront of me that regretfully I push my thoughts away.
"How about you sit with Draco and meet me after dinner? He and Astoria have been missing you like crazy!" I say giving her and kiss on the nose. She nods and runs towards the Slytherin table.

Like hell I'm going to stop helping Draco. I feel bad lying to Neville but I know he'll understand in the future. I find my seat next to Draco at the Slytherin table and he and Astoria pull me into a tight hug sandwich which feels really nice and really weird at the same time. A few Slytherins give us odd looks but Draco just glares at them and they look away.
"Do you know how hard it is to deal with this guy without you!?!?" Astoria says.
"Quite the handful he is." I say patting his head jokingly. "Nothing compared to me though." I smile.

After dinner I meet Neville in the hallway like he said and we hold hands while walking to the Gryffindor common room. He talks to me about everything that has been going on lately, how him and Harry haven't been on speaking terms, how Ron and Hermione are still not together, and how Ginny started dating dean. We approach the portrait door.
"Ohhhhhohoho my Darling Serenity! You are all well! How delightful! Neville here has been worried sick about you!" The fat lady exclaims. Neville turns a bright shade of red and I giggle.
"Thank you Aurora, it's nice to see you again." I say to the portrait. The door swings open and we enter.

"Serenity! We are so happy you are ok!" Hermione says as she pulls me into a hug.
"Just in time too! You get to see my game against Slytherin next week!" Ron exclaims.
"Oh yes I've heard interesting things about this game from Draco." I say with an evil smirk. I'm just trying to spike him out and it totally works.
"Wha what's that supposed to mean?" Ron questions. He runs his hands through his hair nervously.
"Ron I'm only joking with you! You are going to do great!" I say and I pull him into a hug. "Wow Ron you smell really good!" I exclaim.
"Thank you, that girl Lavender got this cologne for me." He beams proudly.
"Merlin Ron, and you actually put it on!?!? What if it had a love potion in it!" Hermione yells.
Oh how I have missed their bickering. At some point Ginny and Dean join us but they basically just snog in the corner. Harry goes to bed early and I take the opportunity to speak to him.
"I'll be right back Nev." I say kissing his cheek and making my way up to the boys dorms.

"Harry?" I ask while pushing the dorm room door open gently.
"Oh Serenity, what's up?" Harry says, he scoots over on his bed and pats the space next to him. I sit down and look down at my hands. I roll the sleeve up on my left arm and study my dark mark.
"I'm sorry." I say finally.
"What do you mean?" Harry asks.
"I'm sorry I came back." I say. Tears start to gently fall onto my arm. The salt in them burns a little on my arm. Harry notices me wince and looks down at my arm.

He holds a shocked look on his face. My left arm skin is completely raw. 3 years. 3 years I have had the dark mark and I had scrubbed that skin raw every night since, hoping, praying, I could scrub the evil ink off of my arm somehow.

"Serenity I-" Harry starts but I cut him off.
"I have nothing, like you Harry. I only have my friends, they are my family. Draco, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, you. Neville, he is so important to me, much more important than just a friend. You guys are all I have. The difference between you and I is you also have the order. The adults in my life are there to give me tasks, orders. They punish, bully. So I'm sorry, I'm sorry if I make the wrong choices sometimes, I'm sorry I do some of the things I do, I'm sorry I've done awful things and that I may continue to do awful things." I pause for a minute.
"But if you think for a second that I'm not doing it all to make sure the people that are important to me make it to another day, you are dead wrong." I finally say. I stand up and start to walk out of the room.
"Serenity. I know. I know, but I'm also doing the same. So. What I'm trying to say is. Sorry if I caused you any more pain. Sometimes I forget it isn't as warm and welcoming on your side. Sometimes I forget that it's not what you want or what you asked for." Harry explains.

"Harry if you ever see those people that are on my side."

"Yeah?"

"Give them hell." I say.