Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

15

Zach hurriedly made his way to the library, he didn't want to deal with Dean right now. It was getting too complicated.

He really did like him, he wanted it to work out between them, but one thing kept getting in the way.

His brain was going through so many thoughts and then the next thing he knows, he's face down on the hard floor. His head ached from hitting the ground so hard and then he felt his nose bleeding.

"Fuck my nose." Zach exclaimed, lifting his hands to his nose as he sat up slowly.

"Ew, disgusting." Michael spit, pulling his leg back towards him, indicating to Zach that he tripped him on purpose. His little Ravenclaw mates laughed hysterically.

Zach averted his eyes away from Michael and his friend's, grabbing his things as quickly as he could. He noticed another set of hands helping him collect them. He looked up to be met with the sight of Neville Longbottom.

"You don't have to-"

"It's alright, don't worry." Neville cut him off, smiling at him as he handed him the rest of the loose parchments. Zach nodded a thank you.

"Wow, you sure do get around Smith. Shagging your best friend's boyfriend." Michael announced.

Zach was about to interject but Neville quickly stepped in between Zach and Michael.
"How about you fuck off." Neville stated.

Michael looked up at Neville in shock, even Zach was taken back slightly by the statement.

"What did you say to—

"Michael, seriously. Fuck off mate." Zach pleaded.
Michael looked towards Zach.
"Please" Zach mouthed but didn't say outloud.

"Whatever." Michael scoffed, walking away swiftly. His friends following close behind him.

Neville pulled his wand out from his pocket, motioning toward's Zach's nose.
"May I?" He asked.

"Oh, sure." Zach said, standing still and letting Neville wave his wand towards him. He felt a slight crack and it hurt for a split second but then it felt so much better. He lifted his hands up to his nose, feeling it cheerfully.

"Damn, thanks. Where did you learn how to do that? You don't seem like the fighting type." Zach admitted.

"My friend Luna Lovegood, I guess she hangs around too many fighters. Well— I guess I do too now." Neville chuckled.

Zach nodded a reply and then turned to be on his way but Neville stopped him.
"Wait—"

"Yeah?" The Hufflepuff questioned, wanting nothing more than to hide away in his dorm room now.

"I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble—"

"Spit it out Longbottom."

"I was wondering if you'd tell me what you know about Michael Corner?" Neville asked.

Zach tensed at the name, he averted his gaze, wanting to look anywhere but Neville's eyes in this moment. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment and nerves.

"He's obviously a problem, he's got Malfoy in the cards now." Neville explained.

"It's fine, I've got it under control." Zach stated, walking swiftly back towards the Hufflepuff dorms, Not wanting to study in the library anymore. I guess you could say he lost his appetite for learning.

Neville chased after him, easily keeping up with his pace.
"It's obviously not fine, look what he's done to you. If I know anything it's that you can't go at it alone."

"I said I'm fine, just drop it." Zach noted, still not letting up his pace. He faced the Hufflepuff barrels, tapping them in a specific order with his wand. Neville had seen Magnolia do it a few times but he'd never seen someone hit the barrels with such agitation before.

"Please Smith, I'm worried about— Magnolia?" Neville exclaimed, seeing Magnolia in the Hufflepuff common room with Dean Thomas of all people.

"Neville, what are you doing here?" Magnolia questioned curiously, a small smile tugging at her lips. But the smile washed away when Zach opened his mouth.

The Hufflepuff boy pointed his finger towards Dean angrily.
"I told you to give me space and here you are again? Why can't you listen?"

"Woah Zach, I wasn't here for you. I was just helping Magnolia with something."
Dean put his hands up in defense, nodding his head towards Magnolia.

"It's true, he was just—"

"Don't drag her into this, I told you to back off and you still showed up unannounced. Again." Zach continued, cutting Magnolia off.

"If you'd just talk to me, this wouldn't be a problem!" Dean argued back, his voice getting elevated. Neville and Magnolia took a step back. Watching the situation unfold.

"I don't want to talk, I want you to leave me alone!"

"Why? Like Michael Corner?" Dean asked.

Zach's confidence faltered slightly in that moment but his anger came back in full swing when he turned towards Magnolia.
"You told him?"

"What?" Magnolia asked nervously. Neville stepped in front of her protectively while Dean attempted to pull Zach back but he pressed on further.

"You told him about Michael? Why?" He asked, frustrated.

Magnolia looked back at Zach with apologetic eyes, feeling pure guilt in this moment. She'd never seen Zach so hurt before. Not since the end of second year. The tears were just itching to leave his eyes but his anger held them in.

"And I'm sure you two were talking about Michael because you told her about the pub huh?" Zach asked Dean, his emotions less anger and more broken.
"You wanna know about Michael Corner?" He asked Neville whom nodded.

"Michael Corner is a back stabbing prat that will do anything to save his own skin. That's who he is." He explained.
"You're on your own now, I'm done protecting you. I can't trust you anymore. I certainly can't trust him." Zach noted as he pointed between Magnolia and Dean. Zach stomped up the stairs towards the boys dorms.

Magnolia attempted to go after him but Neville held her back.
"What does he mean protect me?" She asked as she looked back towards Neville and then Dean.

Neville scratched his head nervously.
"Neville..." she asked again.

"Malfoy and Corner have it out for us, we heard them talking about you too. We were worried they would try something." Dean explained.

"And you didn't tell me?" Magnolia asked, looking up to Neville with sad eyes.

"We wanted to, but Zach told us not to-"

"So you two thought it would be smart to upset him? Not only that but keep something this important from me? Now my only Hufflepuff mate hates me and I'm a bloody target." Magnolia sighed out.

"We only wanted to help." Neville noted, attempting to take her hand in his. She pulled away from him, crushing his attempts at amends in this moment.

"You Gryffindor's and your heroism. Has it ever crossed your minds that maybe some of us don't want to be saved?" Magnolia huffed before turning and stomping to her dorm as well.

Dean and Neville looked at eachother in shock. So much had gone wrong in so little time.