Understanding (Neville Longbottom)

Epilogue

"I'm leaving" I announced still not believing it.
Neville narrowed his eyes and Ben cocked his head left.
"You are?" he asked

"My... My family wants to take me home"

My best friend smiled easily then and got up "Of course they do" he said crushing me against him again. His cheek rested against mine as he whispered "Come back as soon as you can, Love"

"I promise"

"I love you Jo"

"I love you Ben"

He pulled away and kissed my cheek before leaving us alone.

I sat down astride the bench. Neville moved one of his incredibly long legs to do the same and gathered my hands in his.
"You know, my grandma is already in love with you" he said massaging my palms with his thumbs.

"Yes"
The old witch had made that clear enough when we had met.
He chuckled and then fixed those eyes full of love in mine.
"When you get back..."

"I'll come to you first" I finished for him. I put my lips on his and I tried to put all my love, my desire to be with him, my pride in being his into the kiss, because I knew I could never put it into words.
"Don't forget me" I prayed him before standing up

"It's not possible" he smiled. Then he kissed my fingers before letting my hand go.

"They'll probably be rowdy at first" Eugene warned me. We were walking towards Hogsmeade in the first light of the morning; the air was cold and crisp but the sky was light blue and not a cloud was in sight.
The whole family was walking peacefully down the bridge with Gilly, whose hand was firmly planted in mine. My little house elf couldn't stop smiling; Christopher and the twins were well ahead and Alan and David were just a few places in front, but I had stayed with Eugene who was walking a little slower.

"We've wanted to meet you for so long and now you come victorious, a war hero"

"I'm not a war hero"

"Oh, I beg to differ my dear" he chuckled and tapped the cane on the ground "The lovely lady I was talking to insisted that it was mostly you who expanded the rebellion inside the school"

Luna. She had talked with him for a while, but I didn't know about what. It seemed she had spun an image of me as a great conqueror.
"She was exaggerating" I assured.

"No Miss Josie!" Gilly disagreed with a lot more passion than I thought she could contain.

"Well Aberforth Dumbledore seemed to be in accord"

The old man... I should have gone to visit soon. Wait...
"Dumbledore?" I asked incredulous.

Eugene nodded serenely "And he doesn't give praise easily. Now if you would hook your arm with mine..."

We had reached the others in the deserted village (everyone had either fled or was still at the castle). I grabbed Eugene's arm and before I could take a breath we were gone.

We appeared with a sonorous crack in a lovely meadow. The grass was so green it hurt my eyes, and wild flowers bloomed in different shades of blues, purples, and pinks, forming a patchwork carpet at our feet.
The house we had in front was a lovely cottage with cream walls, stone details and a blue rooftop. It was rather large as it expanded horizontally rather than vertically and there was nothing else in sight apart from hills.

We only took a couple of steps towards it before the wooden door was blasted open and an elderly witch came running out.
"Eugene! Chris!" she shouted.
She was still wearing her red checkered robe, her long gray hair was gathered in a messy braid. She stumbled into Christopher's open arms.