I'm Neville Longbottom

It's amazing how love can sneak up on you, especially when you have known so much heartache, and especially when you are Neville Longbottom. I thought love would never find me, that is until...

One day, I had made my way to the library study potions for a quiz the next day. I desperately needed a good grade on this and I had buried my head in my textbook.

"Is anyone sitting here?" said a beautiful voice from behind me. I turned around to see a pretty girl to match it.

"Uh," I fumbled with the words. "No, go right ahead."

I couldn't take my eyes off her. Why had I never noticed this Hufflepuff?

"It's Neville, right?" she inquired.

I was so amazed that she knew who I was.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"We had Herbology last year together, you were one of the best in our class, besides Hermione Granger."

"Thanks, what did you say your name was?"

"I'm Joanne Port. Are you studying for potions too?" She pointed to my book.

"Yes," I replied sounding unhopeful, "I have to work extra hard, because Snape doesn't care for me too much."

"Don't let him get you down. He only likes Slytherins. Do you want to study with me?"

"Sure," I said eagerly.

We worked together, testing each other until Madame Pince kicked us out at closing time. We parted ways, and as I walked up to the Gryffindor Common Room, I was happy to have a new friend.

As I was reading my letter from gran the next morning, I looked up from it to see Joanne standing in front of me.

"Hi, Neville," she said.

"Hi Joanne, how's it going?"

"Oh, pretty good I guess, I just wanted to wish you good luck for your Potions test today."

"Thanks. You'll definitely do a good job. You had it down."

The bell rang.

"Well, I'll see you later. Oh, that reminds me, would you mind helping me with Herbology tonight?"

"Sure, I'll meet you in the library after dinner."

"Great," she said.

"Ooh, Neville," Fred Weasley said, "Nice going man."

"It's not like that," I told him, "We're only friends."

"Sure."

Throughout the day, I kept thinking about Joanne. The day lagged on, and finally dinner came. I shoveled down my food, barely pausing to breathe. I ran up to the library and waited about ten minutes when she came.

"Sorry, I took so long. I had to write a letter to my grandma."

"Oh," I said, "Are you two close?"

"I live with her."

I was surprised that she lived with her gran too.

"Ever since my muggle mum was killed by He-who-must-not-be-named, and my dad tortured into insanity. He's now at," she stumbled and started to cry, "He's now at St. Mungo's."

"Well," I said, "If it makes you feel any better, both of my parents are at St. Mungo's. They went insane after You-know-who got to them. I've lived with my gran ever since. She's quite nice really; it's all my other relatives you have to watch out for. I've had dogs set on me to see if I had any magic in me."

"Oh, Neville," she said sadly, "That's terrible."

"It isn't so bad, I'm just glad it doesn't happen so much any more since I got my Hogwarts letter."

"Well, that's good. We better get to studying."

"Right."

Yet again that night we studied until the late hour. I was the good friend and walked her back to the Hufflepuff common room.

"Um, I was wondering," I said as we drew near the Hufflepuff dormitories.

"Yes, Neville?"

"Would you, by any chance, want to go to the Quidditch match with me on Saturday?"

I was expecting a no.

"Oh Neville, I would love to but..."

Oh great, I thought, I should have known, I mean, I'm Neville Longbottom.

"Well, Neville, I would love to."

"Great," I said, "I'll meet you in front of the Great Hall then, bye."

"Bye, Neville," she said, giving me a peck on the cheek.

I stumbled back to the Gryffindor Common Room, dumbfounded. I couldn't believe it; someone actually liked me more than a friend. As I pulled my bedcovers up to my chin, I didn't have a care in the world.

When the day of the Quidditch match arrived. I met Joanne after a quick breakfast and we walked toward the pitch.

"This should be fun," I exclaimed. "I wonder who Gryffindor is playing."

"Hufflepuff," she said dismally.

It took me a minute to register what she said.

"What? Hufflepuff? Well, you don't have to sit with me then you can sit on your house's side."

"But I want to sit by you," she told me. "I don't mind being on the Gryffindor side. I just won't cheer for anyone."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said, putting her hand in mine.

As we reached the stands I heard an angry voice yell out, "Neville, what are you doing?"

I found that it belonged to Ron Weasley.

"What do you mean Ron?"

"What are you doing fraternizing with the enemy?"

"Enemy?" I asked him.

He pointed at Joanne.

"She's not the enemy. Is it a crime for a Hufflepuff to sit on the Gryffindor side? Lighten up, Ron."

He stormed off, but you know what? I didn't care. Apparently, a lot of Gryffindors weren't too pleased, but so what? We just watched the rest of the game. She didn't seem to mind when Hufflepuff lost.

It seemed so amazing, when I was with Joanne nothing could get me down. I was always living an adventure. It was like nothing I had ever known. One day though, as I was walking with Joanne to class, Pansy Parkinson passed us.

"Uggh," she shouted so everyone in the hall could hear, "I can't believe she would ever go out with that dunce."

"Shut up, Pansy," Joanne yelled at her.

I then got to wonder, why did she like me, Neville Longbottom?

"She's right you know," I told her.

"Neville, don't ever say that!" Joanne exclaimed. "Don't listen to any of them. They're all idiots."

That made me feel a little better, but I still felt stupid, and no matter what Joanne said to try and make me feel better, it still hurt.

I really liked Joanne and I became very paranoid about it. I would just freak out if she would talk to other guys and it became a real problem.

"Neville," she told me one day, "you really have to stop this."

"Stop what?"

"You know perfectly well what. It's all this stuff. You go crazy when I'm talking to another guy, but Neville, I really like you and I'm not going to leave you, but please stop all this nonsense."

"I'm sorry, but I've never been this close to anyone before and I'm just scared that I will lose you. I'll try not to do it anymore."

You know what? After that I was cured. Well, mostly, at least I got better. Even so, it's easy to take thing for granted. Professor McGonagall approached me one afternoon.

"Mister Longbottom, you might want to come with me."

I followed her up to her office.

"Please sit down," she instructed.

I did.

"Mister Longbottom, I happen to know that you are close friends with Miss Joanne Port."

I nodded my head.

"Would you know where she is?"

I hadn't seen her all day.

"No, mam, I don't. Is there a problem?"

"She hasn't been seen by anyone this morning. That is all then, but if you have any information, please bring it to me."

I couldn't believe it. Where could she be? The day crept slowly by without any news. I was very upset when night came, and she still wasn't back. I waited until everyone went to bed and then crept out to find her. I looked everywhere for her with no luck. I decided to go back to the Common Room. On the way up, I found her tied up at the bottom of a staircase. No one ever went on this case, so it was easy to see why she hadn't been found. I soon went for help. After I untied her, I asked her why she was tied up. She honestly didn't know. Someone had snuck up behind her.

Soon after, the culprit was caught. It turned out that it was a Slytherin. Needless to say, he was expelled.

I had changed so much since I had met Joanne. She helped boost my self-confidence. I knew now that I wasn't a nobody, I was Neville Longbottom.