Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Seventh Year // Chapter 5

~*Lori's POV*~

"Lorrinda wait!" I heard Neville calling from behind me. I just kept walking forward, not even paying him any mind. "Lori, please!"

"What?!" I snapped turning back to face him, the tears still running down my cheeks. 

"I'm sorry, about how I reacted. It's just ... the thought of losing you is so prominent in my mind. It's killing me just thinking about it." Neville explained. "I've never loved anyone as much as I love you, and I never will." 

"Nevy ..."

"Here." Neville pulls out a small ring and places it on my ring finger on my right hand. "This is a promise ring. A token of a promise that you will come back to me when all of this bullshit is said and done, so we can get married, live in a wonderful house, have some kids maybe adopt a few, and just hold each other forever."

"Neville, I don't know what to say," I said looking at the ring. 

"Promise me you will come back to me, promise you won't stay away forever." 

"Like I could ever stay away from you, Nevy." I reached into my dress and pulled out the necklace he gave to me my first year. The stone in the necklace was still a bright ruby, except it seems to have only grown in size and brightened in shade. "We're soulmates after all."

Neville chuckled and pulled me into a kiss, as the music in the distance began to swell and the dancing started to happen. They both started to slowly sway to the music as it was the music of the first dance of the newlyweds but stopped as the music picked up a little bit. 

"We should get back to the party," I said, taking Neville's hand and pulling him over towards the tent.

"Could we just stay away from everyone, forever?" Neville wiggled his eyebrows and looked me up and down. 

"Not now, Neville. Tonight is about Fleur and Bill, let's not take away from their special night. Neville reluctantly agreed and we walked off back to the tent and joined the happiness of the party. Neville and I walked over to where Fred and George were standing.

"When I get married, I'm telling Mum I don't want a huge wedding like this," George commented as he took a sip of some wine that Mum had set out.

"I will say this, when I get married I won't be having anyone wear this uncomfortable shit to my wedding," Fred grumbled tugging at his collar. "Honestly, how do people wear this stuff and be able to breathe!"

"Well, first of all, maybe if you didn't have it buttoned to the top." I sighed, reaching up and undoing the top button. "Fred, Dad does not even have his top button fastened."

"Mum told me that every single button must be fastened or else. So I did just that."

"Well, too bad. Does she want to lose her son?"

"Maybe." Fred laughed. "What would be funny is that if the tent fell on me and I suffocated, not because of the tent, but because of this collar." I shook my head at Fred, while George sighed and slapped him lightly.

"Let's not joke about you dying, Freddie. Not after I just lost my ear."

"C'mon, dark humour is the best coping mechanism there is!" The twins bickered back and forth for a few moments, so Neville and I walked off to the table holding the little cookies and drinks. As I reached for my cup of water, Neville took my hand and squeezed it. Before I could ask what was wrong, I looked behind to see a silver Patronus bursting through the tent and landing in the middle of the dance floor. 

"No ..." I whispered, as the silver Lynx opened its mouth and the silky voice of Kingsley Shacklebot rang through the crowd, at nothing but a whisper.