Detected - Book Two

Chapter Six: Careers and Promises

Riley - Chapter Six - Careers and Promises

"Neville, is there a reason your grandmother doesn't like me?" Neville shrugged,

"She thinks that you're too grown. Especially now with the piercings and the tattoo that I have yet to see." She smiled, holding her right arm out. He looked at her forearm to see an animated heart that was broken in half, but still beating as a single part at the bottom was together. "There's magical tattoos?"

"Yeah. To Muggles, it's a simple heart. But it represents our relationship." She looked in his eyes, smiling. "The closer we get, the more it heals." He nodded, leaning over and kissing her lips gently. He moved his hands down her arms, lacing their fingers and holding them in her lap as he pushed closer. Riley's eyes slowly fluttered shut and after a few seconds, she started to kiss him back. 

"I'm sorry for breaking up with you."

"It's okay." She shrugged, "It happens." She looked down at the heart, which had started to beat faster, but didn't heal any further. "Why didn't it heal?"

"I-I don't know." Neville let her hands go and reached up to brush hair from her forehead so that it wouldn't get in her eyes. Her hair had grown tremendously, even though it had been about a month and a half since they last saw each other. Her hair now just brushed below her waist and her eyelashes were a lot longer, even though she didn't have on any makeup besides lipgloss. 

"You're staring at me." Neville blinked and nodded, apologizing. "I promise we'll be friends forever." She looked down at her lap, shrugging. "What?"

"I want more than a friendship." 

"I do, too." He leaned over and kissed her cheek gently. "Will you please forgive me?" 

"You're already forgiven. Just don't snog me anymore."

"I won't." Riley nodded, smiling. "Why aren't you at the World Cup?"

"Several reasons. One, I'm quitting Quidditch-"

"-What?"

"-secondly, I-I didn't want to be with my parents and Draco. They don't know how to enjoy something a-and Draco and I barely show our emotions around them. And most importantly, my best friend won't be there to watch it with me." He smiled as well, watching as she took here shoes off. She then took off her jacket, tucking her legs underneath of her, poking his chin gently. "Let's do something." 

"Like what?"

"Can you read to me?"

"Uh, read what?"

"Herbology books." She smiled bigger and he blushed before nodding. "And I can cook spaghetti. Does she usually leave for a long time?"

"No. She goes on cruses twice a year, once in the Summer and once in the Winter. Gram usually uses magic to preserve food for me. I like being by myself, though. It's calming and peaceful and I like to think."

"About what? You're fourteen?" He shrugged,

"My life." She rolled her eyes and nudged him gently. 

"Elaborate, please." He sighed, shrugging again.

"Just about how I let gran down most of the time." Riley nudged him again, urging him to go on. "She wants me to be like my father, b-but I just want to work with plants. I don't want to be an auror. I want to open my own Herbology shop and sell the plants to people and even make my own fertilizer potions and stuff." 

"Why don't you?" He shrugged,

"I can't afford it on my own and Gran is only paying for me to become an auror. I'll have to get a job and save up a lot just to afford the shop. I'd still have to find a way to buy all the seeds and everything else." Riley played with a lock of her hair as he spoke, "My only hope is to become an auror first and then hopefully I can have my own shop."

"If it helps, I want to open my own Potions store or replace Slughorn."

"That's not so bad."

"My parents want me to work in the Ministry with father." He nodded, "I understand where you're coming from."

"Thanks. Anyway, um, . . . a-are you hungry? I have some American snacks."

"Sure!" As they were walking down to his kitchen, Neville took Riley's hand in his. 

"I promise that if we're not dating anyone in fifth year, w-we date each other." 

"Really?" He nodded, "O-Okay. Deal."

"Deal."

.