Little Brave Hearts || Neville Longbottom

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Going on a Christmas shopping felt different than when she was back in England. Japan looked more lively and colorful than what she was used to seeing back home, and the shops were filled with things perfect for gifts to give her friends.

She had already picked a gift for Hermione, which was a very delicately made cherry blossom bookmark with beads that decorated its tassel. Her gift for Harry was hand warmers for when he played Quidditch, and she bought Ron a box of Japanese snacks that she was sure he would devour as soon as she handed it over to him. Unfortunately, she was yet to see a gift for Neville.

"Hey, Maykha," Reina called her, "Didn't you mention your friend Nellie liked plants?"

"His name is Neville," Maykha replied flatly.

"Yeah him, what do you think of this one?"

Maykha narrowed her eyes to see what her cousin was talking and she saw a terranium, a spherical glass container that looked like a fish tank, but instead of fish, it was filled with greens and plants. The one in Reina's hands looked like miniature garden that Maykha was sure Neville would love. It did not take her another moment to grab the item from her cousin's hands and bought her with the remaining of her allowance.

Reina leaned closer and whispered as they walked ahead of the others, "Do you fancy this Neville, my dear cousin?"

Maykha's eyes became wider and she shook her head aggressively, denying her cousin's statement but her face seemed to have a mind of its own as she felt her cheeks starting to become hot.

She cleared her throat before speaking, trying her best not to stutter to the question that obviously caught her off guard, "W-what are you saying, Reina? I'm eleven for heaven's sake! Don't you think I'm too young for you to tease me with something like this?"

Reina looked at her for a good couple of seconds before laughing and shaking her head, "Well, if it makes you feel better, I had my first crush when I was seven. But fine, whatever you say, lil' cousin." The older girl started walking a little faster, leaving the younger one behind, still red-faced.

"Reina, I swear I do not fancy him!" Maykha shouted before chasing her cousin playfully.

Ren, who was walking behind the girls alongside with the adults, was watching the girls as they ran around the mall with Maykha still being cautious of the plant. All he did was to sigh while watching the two being childish again.

...

Whenever Neville was home, he would always confide inside his room, or in their garden, so as to avoid being in his grandmother's way. It was not because he disliked his grandmother, but he was uncomfortable with her presence which made it difficult for him to develop a close bond with her. She looked at him with disappointment apparent in her eyes, and he knew why. Of course, his parents were outstanding, they were known to be one of the bravest, and then there was him. None would have ever thought that he was a son of two former aurors who fought against the dark forces during the First Wizarding War. It did not take a genius to know that the his grandmother wanted him to be something else, someone like his parents — brave, strong, and fearless.

However, Hogwarts had slowly became a place where he could breathe without the pressuring stares of his grandmother who wanted him to be someone he was not. He was a bit sad not to be put in Hufflepuff as it would have been a perfect wxcuse for being the way he was, but being in Gryffindor meant meeting Maykha and becoming a friend to her, and he would not wish to have it any other way.

Laying on his bed was scattered letters from his friends, telling him how they were spending their holidays. He read Hermione's 'happy' holiday which mainly consists of reading books and reading books, and Harry and Ron's that told him that Harry found a strange big mirror in one of the rooms in Hogwarts, however as he reached the end of all the letters, he felt quite a bit disappointed as he couldn't spot any letter from Maykha, the one he expected to send first.

"Where could her letters be?"

At that moment, he heard a noise coming from his window and when he got up to see what it was, he saw an owl whom he recognise was Felix, Maykha's owl, flapping his wings while carrying an envelope with his mouth. Neville hurriedly opened his window and let the owl in for him to take a rest.

"Hi there, Felix. You look exhausted." Neville said as he gave the owl a treat. The owl then flapped its wings and dropped the envelope as he got the treat from the boy's hand. Neville gave his letter for Maykha to the owl as he tore the envelope open with full of anticipation.

Felix took a short rest before starting his journey back to his owner and Neville on the other hand, was just smilling the whole time he was reading Maykha's letter. He had forgotten that the letters would be coming from Japan, and it was only reasonable to have it arrive this late.

Neville was in the middle part of the letter when he heard a knock from his door. "Neville, it's dinner."

His gran called him, and he put the letter down as he decided to continue reading it later since making his gran wait was the last thing he would want to do.

As he quietly went down the kitchen, his eyes beamed when he saw his great-aunt, Enid and great-uncle, Algie, sitting in the dining room with his grandmother. He smiled at them before taking his seat.

As they started eating, Enid and Algie told him that they will be celebrating Christmas with them that relieved Neville. If he was going to be honest, he was not quite fond of the idea of having a Christmas with his gran alone. Not that he hated her, it was just a bit awkward and quiet.

It was obvious that the two were trying their best to lift up the mood inside the circle. "Neville, my boy, do you still remember the time you fell from the window and bounced when you were eight?" Algie asked.

Neville smiled and chuckled, "How could I forget? I really thought that it was the end of me."

"Don't be silly, boy. Thanks to that, we knew you weren't a squib."

Enid cleared her throat to catch their attention, "Oh, I think you should also thank my meringue for that."

"Of course, honey. If you didn't offer me your meringue, Neville here wouldn't fall and we wouldn't know that he was infact a wizard," Algie said sweetly as he held his wife's hand tightly underneath the table. They were talking as if that event did not traumatize him up to this day.

Neville just smiled at the two as they never failed to be sweet to one another despite their age. Unfortunately for them, they didn't have a child but that didn't stop them from being happy.

The rest of the night went by pretty well, thanks to Enid and Algie. When Neville excused himself to bed, he immediately continued reading Maykha's letter and longingness for the girl and for the rest of his friends began to wrap around him as he drift off to sleep.