Let It Be Me

I am not making any money from the characters or from the books. They belong to the author. Believe me, broke is my middle name.

Summary: Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter have been together for three years, ever since graduation. Neville has something he wants to tell Harry, but Harry isn’t listening.


Let It Be Me

Neville Longbottom sat at his kitchen table, tears glistening down his cheeks. It was eleven p.m., and he’d been sitting at the table, hunched over and crying for the last two hours.
“Never again,” he swore. “I’ll not let him do this to me again.” Neville wiped his face and gave out a long shivery sigh. He thought over the evening’s events. It had started out well enough. He and Harry met at the “Blue Star” for dinner in Diagon Alley. This was their standing date every Friday night. Neville had always felt a spark run through him every time he saw Harry, and realized that he was his lover. He and Harry had been inseparable for three years. In all that time, Neville could never figure out what this raven-haired beauty with the brilliant green eyes saw in him. But tonight, he knew.
“He feels nothing towards me,” Neville said in anguish, fresh tears falling from his eyes. “I needed to talk to him, but he doesn’t know that I exist.”

After Harry’s hello kiss, they sat down at their regular table and ordered dinner. Harry told Neville about his day as an Auror, and Neville brought him up to date on his Herbology research at the wizard university he attended. Just when Neville was about to tell Harry his news, Harry’s friends gathered round, monopolizing Harry and ignoring Neville. They all knew Neville, including Ron and Seamus. What hurt Neville the most was Harry, who seemed to have forgotten he was even there.
“Harry, listen, I need to speak to you,” Neville whispered in his ear, hoping to get his attention.
“In a minute, Neville. I need to go over my weekend schedule with Ron.” Harry told him as he and Ron poured over the assignment sheets. Neville got up and went to the men’s room to wash his hands, which suddenly felt sticky. He splashed some water on his face to quell some of the nausea and heartburn he was feeling. The heartburn made his chest feel as if it were on fire. As he walked out of the room, he stopped in front of the alcove, when he heard his name mentioned.
“I can’t imagine what Harry sees in Neville,” a voice piped up. It was Harry’s supervisor at work, Sean Rafferty. “Harry can have his pick of lovers, and this is what he gets. Neville is a blob.”
“Neville’s a bit of alright,” Ron chimed in, defending Neville. “He’s a little dull, but maybe that’s what Harry needs at this stage of his life”
“I’m dull!”
Neville whispered to himself, slinking behind the partition. “No wonder Harry is ignoring me. When we’re at home, he just eats dinner and goes to bed. I’m only good when he wants to shag”
“He needs a blob? Neville’s a drag on him” Sean snorted.
“Don’t say that,” Seamus countered. “He’s a good man. You should have seen him during the war. He’s part of the reason Harry was able to defeat the Dark Lord”
“Look, you and Ron went to school with him. It’s nice to defend your classmate. But tell me, would you two shag him?” Sean responded, arms folded.
Seamus and Ron had no response. Sean smiled and shook his head. “I rest my case”
“Well, I’m engaged to Hermione,” Ron answered.
“I’m with Dean,” Seamus tried to explain.
“Never mind, I win my point,” Sean waved them off. “Harry deserves better than that plant lover who has the I.Q. of one”

Neville waited until he was sure they were gone. The nausea felt as if it were stuck in his throat. He walked back to the table and tried Harry’s attention. It wasn’t easy because now it was ten deep with Aurors, ministry workers, and their dates surrounding the table.
“Harry, I really need to speak to you,” Neville said quietly, trying again.
“Love, we’ll talk later,” Harry promised, brushing him off. “I need to speak to Sean”
Neville opened his mouth, and then thought better of it. He walked out, not noticed by anyone, including Harry. He went over to the “Leaky Cauldron” and used their fireplace to floo home.

Neville looked at the time and saw it was almost midnight. He decided to take a shower and go to bed. Harry wasn’t coming home anytime soon. Maybe he would never come home again. “After all,” Neville said out loud. “What does he want with a blob like me? I needed to talk to him, and he blew me off”
Just as Neville was about to leave the kitchen, sparks flew from the fireplace and out stepped Harry, brushing the soot from his red Auror robes. Neville looked down at his feet. He couldn’t bear to have Harry look at him and tell him it was over. Harry walked over to Neville, casting off his robes. He sat down beside Neville and cupped his chin in his hands. He raised Neville’s face to him, kissing him lightly on his lips, tasting the tears from his face.
“What is it, Love?” Harry tenderly asked. “I’m sorry. I’ve been so wound up at work that I forgot about you” Neville swallowed, but the tears started again. Harry took him in his arms and held him, stroking his dark hair. “I needed to talk to you,” Neville whimpered. “I’m sorry for being a blob and keeping you back”
Harry leaned back, keeping his arms around Neville’s shoulders. “Why are you saying that?” Harry asked in surprise. “What brought this on?” Harry took a handkerchief and wiped Neville’s eyes, kissing him gently on each one.
“I heard your boss talking about me to Ron and Seamus,” Neville hiccupped out. “He said I was a blob and you deserve better”
“Sean is a bully and a loudmouth wizard. He’s been trying to get into my pants for months” Harry explained. Neville leaned against Harry’s chest.
“Don’t you understand?” Harry continued. “He’s jealous of you, baby”
“Of me?” Neville asked in surprise. “Why?”
“Because, I’m in love with you, silly!” Harry said, his green eyes twinkling. Neville reached up and ran his fingers through his lover’s raven hair. Harry smiled as Neville seemed to relax in his embrace.
“But Harry,” Neville spoke, still unsure of himself. “We never seem to talk anymore. When you come home, you eat and go to bed right away. I must be very dull to you”
“Because, I’m tired. These last few months have been very draining,” Harry assured him. “Isn’t school tiring for you?”
“No,” Neville admitted. “These last three years have been the best ones of my life. It’s because I have you and I’m doing what I love”
“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me” Harry said in a choked voice. “I’m proud of you, Neville. I don’t say it often enough, but I am. Remember in first year when I said you were worth twelve of anyone. Well, you’re worth a hundred of any of the people I know. You’re my world”
Neville looked up at Harry and smiled. “Really?” he asked
“Yes, really. You know what, let’s go someplace else next Friday night so that we can be alone,” Harry suggested. “O.K.?”
“O.K.” Neville agreed.
“Let’s get to bed” Harry said, as he pulled Neville out of his chair and led him to their bedroom. They quietly stripped their clothes off, with Harry gently laying Neville on the bed. Their lovemaking lasted for hours, each one whispering endearments and pledging their love for each other. As they lay in each other’s arms, Harry suddenly remembered that Neville wanted to talk to him.
“Neville,” Harry said, arms holding Neville tightly. “What did you want to tell me?”
Neville sat up and stroked Harry’s face.
“I went to the Mediwizard today. We’re going to have a baby in six months.” Neville told him in a trembling voice.
”Brilliant! Brilliant!” Harry said over and over, kissing Neville all over his neck and chest. He pushed the blankets off Neville and rubbed his stomach. “I love you little one” he said as he kissed Neville’s stomach.
“I graduate a month before the baby comes.” Neville told him. “I’ll be waddling down the aisle”
“Who cares? We’re going to be a family!” Harry said, kissing him again. “Thank you, Neville”
“For what?” Neville asked, nonplussed.
“For letting it be me” Harry answered. “I love you”
“Don’t worry, I’ll always let it be you,” Neville solemnly told him as they both held each other tightly, savoring this most precious of moments.

The End.