You look at your watch and curse. You have exactly three minutes before Snape will count you absent. You berate yourself as you push your bag more securely on your shoulder and run towards the dungeon. You make it to the hallways of the Potions class when you see Snape begin to shut the door. You quicken your pace and step-dive into the gap of the door. Snape raises an eyebrow at you as you rest your hands on your knees to attempt to catch your breath.
"I'm so glad you have graced me with your presence, L/N."
"Likewise, sir," you gasp.
"Now stop holding up my class, and get to your seat."
"Yes sir."
You step to your seat as Snape walks to the front of the classroom. You drop into your seat with a sigh. Snape clears his throat to see that he has everyone's attention.
"Today we are beginning a group project," he drawls.
You perk up and eye your friend across the room. Whispers begin to fill the room at the possible groups.
"The groups I will choose," he says over the whispers.
A simultaneous groan erupts across the class.
"I will assign the groups," he repeats, "as well as the potion you must not only make but prove that it works in front of the class."
You look at the ceiling and ask Merlin what you did wrong to deserve this hell. Snape starts calling groups accompanied by their assigned potion. Your eyes snap up when your last name is called.
"L/N, Longbottom, Potter. You get Veritaserum."
Great. You get a truth potion to work on with two attractive men. What could possibly go wrong?
Snape calls the rest of the groups and potions before saying, "I'm dismissing class early so that you may get together and set up a time to work on your projects. I will not give you class time to work on this, and I will know if you don't meet together. Your potion will reflect it. You are dismissed."
Everyone stands and begins to huddle in their assigned groups. You reach down to the floor to grab your bag. As you lift it up, both Neville and Harry are standing in front of your desk. You rise and begin to walk out of the classroom. The boys follow as you expected.
"So what night is everyone free?"
"Every night but Thursday. I have a study group that night," Neville responds.
"Same. but Thursday is Quidditch practice for me."
"Okay, so every night but Thursday? If we finish early, we could stop meeting. I would rather be safe than sorry."
"Sounds good," Harry comments.
"What time, Y/N?" Neville asks.
"Uhm, how about after dinner in the library?" Harry suggests.
You appraise him. "Great idea. Are we starting today or tomorrow?" you ask.
"I think we should start tonight. The sooner the better." Neville says.
"Okay, so tonight after dinner in the library. Sound good?" Harry asks.
"Perfect."
You glance at your watch. "Well, I have a crystal ball to stare into and pretend to see things in. See you two tonight." You wave and begin up the stairs.
***********************
You excuse yourself from your friends. You sigh as your steps echo towards the library. You're not sure how this study group will work. Snape has made it very clear in his taunting that Harry isn't good at Potions. Snape's taunting has also made it very clear that Neville is clumsy. Plus, you three are making the truth potion! If you don't make it correctly, you make a T. If you do make it correctly, you might say something stupid in front of the whole class. This entire project has potential for disaster.
You shake your head to maybe shake these intruding thoughts of disaster from your head. You push through the double doors t find both boys at the back table already.
You raise your eyebrows as you place your backpack on the table. "Wow, I didn't know it was possible for Harry to be on time."
Neville laughs while Harry playfully rolls his eyes.
"You think you're funny, don't you?" Harry asks.
"I think I'm quite hilarious. I make myself laugh," you retort.
Neville laughs again while Harry tries not to laugh to prove his earlier point of you not being funny. He fails because you see his lips upturn.
You place your hand on your chest dramatically. "Have I entered an alternate universe, or did you just crack a smile for me?"
"Nope. Are you ever going to sit down so we can start this?"
"Wow, you're rude. I'm going to sit next to Neville since he actually appreciates me!"
You slide your bag next to Neville and sit down. Neville is smiling as Harry is fake glowering at you.
"Fine, be that way."
"Aww, is Harry jealous?"
"No," he denies. "I'm just surprised Neville puts up with you."
You gasp. "What ever do you mean? I am a delight!"
Both boys burst into laughter.
"That's it. I want new partners."
Neville snorts. "Good luck with that."
You pout. "Stop being mean to me then."
"Fine, we won't be mean. Now where do we even start on this project?"
You nod, pull out your parchment and quill, and discuss the game plan on doing this project.
****************************
You're walking down the hall when you feel a tug on your sleeve. You turn to find Harry at your side.
"Hey Y/N, I can't make tonight's group because I have detention with Snape."
You raise an eyebrow. "Harry, we have the same class. I know you have detention."
Harry slaps his forehead. "Duh. I just uh wanted to make sure you knew." By now, he is blushing furiously.
"Of course, Harry. Neville and I will still meet to knock some of the project out, yeah?"
He smiles at you, and you can't help but smile back.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Thanks, Y/N!"
"Of course, love."
Later that night, you enter the library to find Neville reading a Herbology book in the corner. He accidentally drops his book in the floor when you get to his table. He smiles awkwardly as you chuckle at him.
"Hey, Neville. Is that book for class?"
"No, it's not."
You smile. "Wow, you're such a nerd," you say teasingly.
"Thanks Y/N," he says sarcastically.
"Of course, anytime."
You smile and look over Neville. His wavy brown locks cover his forehead in a swoopy kind of fashion. His hazel eyes glimmer in the floating candle lights of the library. The curves of his lips as he smiles back at you is mesmerizing. Damn, this man is attractive.
"Y/N?"
You snap out of your eye-banging. "Uh yeah?"
"I asked you a question, and all you've done is stare at me."
"Oh, sorry. I uh lost my train of thought. What's up?"
He asks some question about the project, and you answer absentmindedly.
You realize that you are extremely attracted to Neville. He clumsily found a way into your heart. You can't act on this, or this could mess up the group project. Shite. What if you say something about Neville to the class? Could this revelation not have waited until after our presentation? Merlin, help me.
*************************
You're walking to the Dungeon for class when you notice Neville step next to you and begin to walk with you. Your heart beats faster, and you silently beg for it to stop that.
"Hey Y/N, I can't make tonight because Professor Sprout asked me to help tend to the Mandrakes tonight for the upcoming First Years."
You smile as you think, 'He has such a big heart.'
"Yeah, of course. Harry and I can meet tonight and catch you up!"
"Can you be the one to catch me up? No offense to Harry, but I notice he doesn't pay attention much to academics."
You laugh. "Anything for you, Neville."
Scarlet dances across his cheeks, and you find it to be extremely cute. You're flattered you can make him blush.
Later that night, you arrive before Harry. You sit down and go ahead and pull out your notes. Your group is basically done. You just have to make the potion in question, which means you have to go to the Dungeon.
Harry comes in a few moments later with Hermione at his side. She parts ways with him, and he heads in your direction.
"Hey Y/N!"
You pause. Something about the way he says your name caused you to immediately blush? You turn away and clear your throat.
"Hey Harry!"
You hope that he doesn't notice how weird you just were. Thankfully, he seems oblivious.
"So what are we doing tonight?"
"Well, we have to go to the Dungeon to make the potion."
"Without Neville?"
"Yeah, he has something with Professor Sprout. We will have to attempt this alone."
"Great," he mutters sarcastically.
You two head to the Potions classroom. You lay your bag down and pull out your notes once again. You eye your notes and you proceed towards the supply closet. You grab the ingredients needed and deposit them on a table close to your bags.
You two work diligently. Well, try to. You joke around a lot, and you also have to keep Harry on task. You finally get the potion done.
"Okay, I'm 75% certain this won't blow up," you say cheerily.
"How do we know it works?"
You look into the cauldron. "I dunno. I guess one of us tries it."
"I vote you!" Harry automatically says.
"We could try it together," you suggest.
(We are going to pretend it doesn't take a whole lunar cycle to let set.)
If you choose Harry:
"Okay, we both do it." he agrees.
Harry gets a dropper.
"Ready? You go first."
You nod your head. He carefully drops a drop on your tongue. You take the dropper from him, and you do the same. You don't taste anything. You look at Harry as he eyes you. You both speak at the same time then laugh.
"You first," he encourages.
You ignore his words and instead focus on him. His dark raven hair falling across forehead, his emerald eyes...
"I gotta say... you look incredibly hot."
You slap your hand over your mouth. Harry blushes.
"I think you look hot. I was excited to get partnered with you."
His blush deepens after his admission.
"You have the mot beautiful eyes I've ever seen," you blurt.
"Do I have a chance with you?" he blurts back.
"Yes, I want you," you say.
"I want to kiss you."
"Do it."
He moves in and kisses you. His lips are soft and warm as he pushes them against yours. He caresses your face with his hand. He breaks away, but he still keeps your foreheads touching.
"I've dreamt of doing that for such a long time."
If you choose Neville:
You and Harry had started the potion last night, and you finished it with little trouble. You're almost certain you did it correctly. Almost.
You bring the vial to class and place it carefully on the desk in front of you. You didn't dare let Neville be in responsible for it with his track record of losing things, and Harry was just irresponsible sometimes. You watched as students presented. You found glee in the fact that Parkinson's potion blew up in her face and turned her hair a seaweed green.
"Longbottom. L/N, Potter," Snape drawls from his desk.
You stand and unease rises in your throat. You really don't want to try a truth serum in front of this class. You proceed to the front with the two boys. You stand in a crooked semi-circle around the table given and set down the potion. You take the dropper and notice that your hands are shaking. Neville notices, and he silently offers to take it from you. You shake your head.
"Open up, here comes the airplane," you say with a slight quiver in your voice.
Harry chuckles, but Neville is confused. "A what?"
"Nevermind, just open up."
You carefully lift your hand to drop the mandatory drop on his tongue. You can't help but notice the concern in his hazel eyes, his gorgeous hazel eyes. No Y/N, you can't be thinking anything like that.
You hand over the dropper to Neville, and he does the same for you. Your eyes connect once again, and you feel mesmerized. He breaks it suddenly to give Harry a drop as well. Right.
You focus on the potion that was in your mouth. You taste nothing. Nothing feels different. you dare not look at Neville.
"Neville, I can't look at you," you say aloud. Merlin, kill me.
"What, why?"
You look up at him, and your mind stops for a minute. Surprisingly, he says something before you do.
"You look.. You look very nice... Gorgeous, I mean. Damn, why can't I speak?"
He look at you with mortification in his eyes.
"I think I might be in love with you," you blurt.
"Stop flirting," Harry exclaims.
"That's great to hear since I'm also in love with you," Neville responds to you.
"Merlin, you're making me blush."
"I'll make you do other things."
You laugh in surprise, and he blushes immediately.
"I meant laugh and be happy!"
"Sure Neville."
"Okay, enough sap from you two. Sit down," Snape interupts.
You put your head down and head to your seat, but not before muttering, "Library after class?" to Neville. He nods his head, and you sigh happily.