a lot of people, like neville, choose to return to hogwarts for their “eighth year”
a lot of them aren’t surprises - hermione, luna, draco…
but what is a surprise is when george weasley peeks his head into neville’s train carriage and asks if he can sit with them
and, unlike many of the people on the train, he grins and accepts a voucher for a free copy of the quibbler from luna and when he says “cool” she looks so happy she might burst
“i thought you left school,” neville says
“thought i’d come back,” george says, scratching his arm, “finish learning everything, so my products can be the best”
there’s something he’s not saying, but neville just nods
they share the jelly slugs they get from the trolley, and swap chocolate frog cards because neville has fabian prewett
“i didn’t even know he was on a card,” george says, raising an eyebrow
the room of requirement shows up to all the eighth years as another common room, for when they need the peace and quiet and time to themselves or time with those who have been through what they’ve been through
neville almost always finds george there, instead of in the common room, and he’s surprised, but he doesn’t say anything again, because he knows george is still reeling from being without fred
(the fact he’s even come back is a miracle)
but he can’t take that george is always sitting there looking miserable, so after class one day he heads over to george, feeling bold, and asks
“would you like to come and help me cultivate the dittany?”
fuck, he thinks suddenly, that’s so stupid, of course he isn’t going to want to do that, he probably thinks it’s boring-
but george smiles and nods, getting to his feet
he’s surprisingly good with the plants, and he even talks to them, just like neville
between the two of them, they take the dittany cuttings in far less time than neville would’ve taken alone
“thanks for inviting me out,” george says, leaning against the greenhouse door as neville pulls off his apron (can’t be too careful). “it’s been really hard, and you and luna and hermione have been great”
neville shrugs: “i just want to help”
neville’s not expecting it when george tentatively puts his arms up around neville’s back and leans in close, hugging him gingerly, like he’s scared of the contact
he’s a little nervous to do this, in case it’s wrong, but neville hugs back a little tighter and george melts into him for the briefest of moments
george starts to settle in a little, after; he stops sitting on the sofa on his own staring into space and helps luna out with making posters advertising for quidditch positions for ravenclaw
he even takes up the helm of quidditch commentator, and when neville cheers in the stands with hermione, it almost feels like nothing’s happened at all
he’s not going to forget the carrows and what they did to hogwarts, not easily, and george is never going to get over being alone in hogwarts, but it feels like - it feels like things aren’t completely awful, like there’s a light far far away at the end of the tunnel, but there, even if it’s difficult to reach
there’s a strange and utterly unpredictable mid-october heatwave, and he helps george and luna hand out ice creams to the younger students
george lights up when he’s busy, grinning at the first and second years and giving them a reassuring clap on the shoulder when he sends them off with their cute little ice cream cones
neville is struck by how sweet it is, that he’s doing his best for them, no matter how he feels on the inside
george is a people person, and always has been
“hey, nev, you want some?” he asks with a grin
“it’s for the younger students,” neville says stubbornly, but he can tell already that george isn’t giving up on this
“come onnnn,” he says, butting his shoulder against neville and giving him a playful look, and neville has to give up with a smile
“only if you’ll have some, too”
luna takes over, because the rush has died down, so neville and george sit out in one of the courtyards, basking in the peculiar heat (“the hell’s wrong with scottish weather?” george asks with a fake frown)
“how are you feeling?” neville asks, trying not to be awkward
“okay,” says george. “not feeling like i want to die, or anything, strangely enough”
“if you do, i’m here, and so is luna, and hermione, and everyone else…” he nudges george. “maybe even draco malfoy would be nice to you,” he says with half a wink, and george giggles
and they spend most of the afternoon out there, even once they’ve finished their ice creams (though george has to finish neville’s cone), just talking and laughing and reminiscing
they start spending time as a group: neville, george, luna, and hermione, and dean and seamus sometimes join them, but they’re tight-knit because they’ve been through so much
they can relate to each other
but neville and george start to stick together; neville loves george’s quirks, and george appreciates that neville wants to help and spend time with him
george helps out around the greenhouse, and neville helps test the products… even if that means being turned into a canary again (he didn’t mind so much the first time, really)
neville worries he’s a replacement for fred, but hermione assures him he can’t be, because he’s so different and not exactly a bundle of excitement and energy like fred; he’s quiet and careful, sits and waters his cacti instead of making big jokes
it’s an option in seventh year to help out in the first year classes - not that most people take it, because it’s a waste of the time they could be using revising for their dang n.e.w.t.s - but neville has a go, and george waits for him to walk to their next period class, grinning
“next thing we know, you’re gonna be called professor longbottom,” he says
“you think?” neville scratches his chin, thoughtfully. “that’d be nice”
“you’d be great,” george assures him
it’s not a surprise that they get together - the only surprise is that it took them so long, but with feelings all tangled up like vines, maybe it’s understandable (but not to the younger gryffindors, anyway, who have been keeping a betting pool)
it’s in mid-december, and they’re sitting out in the rain in puffy jackets testing out george’s magical umbrella that creates more of a bubble than an umbrella, keeping the rain off completely, with no having to dump the umbrella in the bath later
neville has a flask he’s borrowed from dean, with hot chocolate and marshmallows and he’s about to share it with george when he suddenly realises how close they are and how much he wants everything for george
and wants everything about george
he just wants to be close to george, to hug him, to kiss him better
he leans in and touches his lips to george, a little uncertain just like their first hug, and george puts a hand round the back of his neck, pulling him closer
neville can feel the smile against him
they don’t say anything about it afterwards because there’s nothing they need to say to each other that they don’t know, so he takes a sip of hot chocolate
(and they kiss again because they’ve spent this long not kissing; they might as well start making use of their time)
“how are you feeling?” neville asks, just before they go back inside
“a lot like i don’t want to die,” george says, squeezing his hand, “’cause i think i’ve got something to live for”
