Tala. 199 days before May 4, 1999.
As Alice Longbottom handed me a bubblegum wrapper, I charmed it into a living paper crane and watched while she laughed brightly as it fluttered around her.
"Mum doesn't recognize you but she still loves that," Neville smiled beside me on the foot of the bed, watching his parents lovingly. "Thanks Tala."
Tonight was second time I visited Neville's parents with him at St. Mungo's in over a year. The first time we did in a while was last month, on his dad's birthday just like the first time we ever snuck out to visit them. It's been over two years since we first did that, and so we resumed our promise to go out every month and visit them for this school year. I still hadn't told Neville that I could possibly just disappear in May, so I wanted to make sure I spent some time with him if it were to really happen.
I didn't want to tell him or Luna, the only ones who knew were the trio and Draco. After Luna exhausted herself by charming the ring that saved me in the war, I couldn't risk it anymore. She could've died if I decided to be selfish and left her to defend herself from that Death Eater. So for once, I planned to take the secret to my grave because I didn't want any of my friends to risk their lives just to save mine anymore. I already owe them so much and they had such bright futures ahead for themselves.
After Neville kissed his parents' foreheads and I waved my goodbyes, he led me out of the Hospital and out to the dark alleyway. It was just outside of what seemed like a run down clothing store, hiding a Hospital for the magical inside it.
"My treat," Neville said to me as he took his arm out for me to take.
I smiled, knowing what it meant and so I took his arm and felt the ground below us disappear until we landed on familiar snow. We headed inside the pub and took our seats on the run down wooden tables, ordering butterbeers like we always did after visiting his parents at the Hospital. This was Neville and I's tradition, using this time to catch up since we only had herbology together, but he'd usually pair up with Luna while I stayed with Harry.
"I swear, I could drink an entire Black Lakes worth of this stuff, so freaking good," I said as I felt the warm caramel like liquid trickle down my throat. "You're the reason I'm addiction, you know."
"You're silly," Neville smiled and laughed lightly as he took a sip. "How are you, anyways?"
"You know, the usual," I sighed as I started fidgeting with my glass jug. "Trying to prove to everyone that my boyfriends not evil while he makes it harder by acting evil," I joked bitterly.
Neville laughed lightly at that. "But you said so yourself at this very table that there are no true good and no true evil," he quoted what I said two years ago. "Only choices that have us act on the light or dark, since everyone has both and everyone is capable of both," he continued, shocking me with how much he remembered. "And you even defended Malfoy back then — that some bad choices are made because you never had a choice in the first place, what's different now?"
Holy crap, he remembered that to like — the tea!
Awe, I'm flattered!
"You remember?" I asked him curiously as I tilted my head, my ears warming a little.
"Of course I do. I found it very wise and took a liking to you the moment you said it," Neville confessed bravely. "Those words kept me strong and helped me keep an open mind during the darkest times at Hogwarts."
I felt myself feel even more flattered at those words, my ears turning red. I've always known that Neville had a little crush on me then, it was painfully obvious but he was too shy to act on it. But now he was so confident and so much bolder than before.
Neville really is a true Gryffindor.
I was so proud of him for his bravery in the war, his parents would've been so proud to know that their son was just like them. So I gave Neville a bright smile in response, watching his fair cheeks turn rosy like it always did when I made him feel flustered.
"Draco has a choice now though, that's what's different," I started, answering his question from before. "But he's choosing what's easy and familiar to him. And, I get it because the last two years have sucked for him — but it's just frustrating to see him like this when I'm the only one who knows that he's good."
"Well that's not true," Neville reassured me. "Sure, Malfoys a bit of a git but everyone saw him as a hero in the war. He helped save a lot of people's lives by brewing healing potions and even protected students from Death Eaters," he continued. "And you know, words gotten around that Madam Pomfrey recommended him for a job as a healer at St. Mungo's after graduation."
"Really?" I asked in disbelief as I grinned.
I'm so happy for Draco, he would be a perfect healer.
I'm proud of him.
"Sure," Neville said as he shrugged. "And after how he acted when he held you in his arms when we all thought you had died, we knew how much you had meant to him. You changed him Tala, we all believe he's redeemed himself," Neville said casually as he took another sip. "Don't tell the others I told you this, though."
I laughed lightly as I nodded my head, taking another sip. "Thanks Neville," I said, feeling reassured. "How've you been doing?"
"I'm brilliant!" Neville flashed me a smile. "I'm absolutely mad for Luna," he gushed. "And I've been spending more time in the greenhouses at night thanks to Harry."
Oh trust me, I know.
"Yeah I know," I chuckled. "I barely see you two without sucking each other's faces off," I teased. "Is Harry still helping you for some Gillyweed?"
Because I would very much, like some as well.
I'm so grateful that Ron's such a stoner.
"Yeah," Neville snorted as his whole face blushed from my tease. "Though he wanted me to plant these roses in exchange as well."
I touched my ears, feeling them turn warm. "Roses?" I asked Neville unsurely.
"Yeah," Neville said. "Bet it's for some girl he fancies."
Um, come again?
"What color?" I asked nervously.
Please don't say black.
"White ones," Neville said as he finished his drink.
Whew!
Now, that was a close one!
I let out a huge sigh of relief, chuckling at myself as I shook away a silly thought.