Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

5

-flashback to 2nd year-

Magnolia sat in a window seat reading a 4th year Herbology textbook. It was a quiet evening on this side of Hogwarts, besides the rain sprinkling the window and the thunder rumbling in the darkening sky.

The sound of voices caught her attention as she averted her gaze the the end of the hall.

"Oi! Longbottom!" A Slytherin boy exclaimed.

Magnolia's body grew stiff at the familiar voice.

Malfoy and Goyle.

"Got any sweets on ya?" Draco questioned as he pushed the young Gryffindor.

Magnolia felt sad seeing Neville be pushed around by the boys, though she didn't have it in her to speak out against it. She too had been the target of the Slytherin group and she feared defending Neville would end with her getting pushed around as well.

"Cmon, let us have it." Goyle ordered when Neville hadn't replied, his eyes still locked on his feet.

The Hufflepuff girl noted he was just like her in that way,
too scared to defend himself.

"Get lost snakes!" Seamus Finnigan yelled as he came barreling down the hallway, he threw fists at the bullies but Dean Thomas caught Finnigan's collar in his hand just in time, stopping him from making things worse.

"Down Seamus, there's enough death going around with the monster out and about, don't need to add two Slytherins to the list. Dean said calmly, referring to the creature that had escaped the Chamber of Secrets earlier this year.

The two Slytherin boys scoffed and turned on their heels, walking away not wanting to test Dean's empty threats.

"Thanks guys." Neville grinned.

Seamus punched Neville straight in the stomach and Magnolia watched in shock as Neville fell over in pain.

"Seamus!" Dean exclaimed as he scrambled to help Neville.

"I had to punch somebody! And admit it, Nev needs to toughen up a little." Seamus noted.

"Seamus I don't think-"

"Nah he's right, I'm a coward." Neville huffed.

Magnolia now felt ashamed to have witnessed Longbottom in such a state, it seemed intrusive to continue listening. So she closed her book gently and turned towards the window to tuck her things into her leather book bag. As she looked up towards the window a snake like creature looked back at her in the reflection.

Then everything went dark.

-end flashback-

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

The day of Herbology class finally came around and Neville felt like he had a little skip in his step, and not just because they were going to be working with a new plant today.

"Something is different." Seamus stated bluntly at breakfast that morning.

"What?" Neville questioned. A content smile permanently resting on his face.

"You're happy, excited even." Seamus noted, pointing Dean up and down with a fork.

"We're working with a new plant in Herbology today, I'm allowed to be excited." Neville defended with a chuckle as he stuffed his face with toast in hopes of not receiving anymore questions.

Just then Dean walked into the great hall. His neck tie and hair was slightly disheveled, despite being perfectly tidy before he left the dorm room. Seamus took note of Zacharias Smith walking in looking in a similar state a few steps behind him.

"What are we talking about?" Dean asked cheerfully as he sat down beside Seamus.

Seamus watched as the Gryffindor boy straightened out his tie before scooping breakfast on his plate as Neville went into detail about Self-fertilising shrubs.

"Right Seamus?"

Seamus pushed whatever he was thinking a moment ago into the back of his mind, turning towards his friends and smiling cheerfully.

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

Magnolia rested her chin in her hands as she leaned over the Herbology table, taking in the information in her textbook.

Neville's eyes locked on the girl as he entered the greenhouse. She was keeping to herself as she usually did, ignoring the students around her as she sat in her own little bubble. Magnolia had a content resting face most of the time, but this morning she wore a smile.

The Gryffindor boy took the seat beside her, placing his books and Parchment on the table as he sat down.
"Goodmorning." He greeted, smiling at her with a wide grin.

"Morning Longbottom." Magnolia replied, looking up at him with a gentle smile, before quickly averting her attention back to the textbook.

"Neville."

"What?" She asked as her head snapped back towards him, her eyes surprised.

"You can call me Neville." He repeated calmly, his attention was now on professor Sprout beginning the lesson.

Magnolia was left feeling her cheeks warm. How could he say that so easily? She wondered how he was so confident and comfortable around her. Then she contemplated how she should have properly responded.

"Albero."

Perhaps she should offer he call her Magnolia, but her first name was long and sounded rather formal. She thought about how Cho called her Maggie but that felt like a nickname for a child.

"Albero?" Sprout repeated.

Neville bumped Magnolia's arm, pulling her from her deep thoughts. She turned towards the Professor nervously.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Self-fertilising shrub, they eat what?" Sprout repeated her question.

"Oh, yes, they eat flesh of all kinds and even other plants. Self-fertilising shrub shouldn't ever be stored with other plants for that reason." Magnolia stated swiftly as if she were reading straight from a book.

"Very good." Sprout smiled, moving on with her presentation.

Magnolia let out a sigh of relief, looking down at the table. A chill ran up her spine when she felt a hand on her back.

"Are you alright?" Neville asked.

"Y-yeah" Magnolia practically choked out nervously.

"Okay good." Neville replied with a grin, pulling his hand back to his quill and parchment.

Magnolia hadn't been focused that lesson. So many thoughts, feelings, and questions swarmed her head. Most of all she was stuck on the single thing that has been in the back of her mind since second year.

Her unquestionably embarrassingly deep crush she had on Neville Longbottom.