#longbottom!reader

            During one of the changing of classes Y/N and her fellow 5th-year Gryffindors were confronted by a hoard of 7th-year Ravenclaw students, loudly insulting the youngest Longbottom of his foolishness and stupidity while Neville could be seen tucking his blushing head and practically fleeing the scene, while Y/N stood still and took it in. The look on her face actually struck fear in Fred’s light prankster heart.

 Deftly, with barely a whisper of a spell or a movement of robes, Y/N hexed that unsuspecting Ravenclaw with a vicious Furnunclus curse, covering the bully immediately with large and prominent boils. Chaos ensued. The loud wailing of the victim, students trampling each other, all ducking and parting like the Red Sea to find the perpetrator, lucky for Y/N the girl quite literally ducked and covered, joining the crowd and concealing her identity from the frantic teachers in the corridor.  

Fred vowed never to make fun of Neville in front of his cousin as long as he lived, or actually, piss her off that badly, ever in his life.

            Locking eyes with Y/N he slowly smiled and nodded his approval- it truly was an act of a talented witch- and to not get caught! Teachers were whipping their heads around but couldn’t find the perpetrator. Y/N smirked, and a high flush appeared across her cheeks, making her almost glow.

She is beautiful.

            Fred had been surprised by the thought, but unsure of its meaning. They were good friends, known each other since diapers, how did he not realize she was also a pretty girl? That was looking at him. Limbs moved thankfully on their own accord, helping up and dusting the girl off. They were both giggling, falling back into line, the adrenaline rush of pulling off a minor crime and getting away with it, and maybe the rush of something new.

            The night that Buckbeak the hippogriff and Sirius Black’s great escape was an ordinary one for everybody who wasn’t Harry Potter’s immediate friend or foe. Late in the evening, Y/N was sitting at one of the windows of Gryffindor Tower, quietly taking in a beautiful night in the Scottish hills. OWLs were over, and Y/N was disappointed by her growing indifference to grades. To Y/N it was difficult to take a test seriously when it seemed obvious that there were bigger and more grave things brewing. The foreboding expressions on their professor's faces with every hysterical article from the Daily Prophet, the tight-lippedness of her parents’ letters, Y/N didn’t know what to think of it. A close creak next to the girl made her jump upright, wand gripped so tightly it was a miracle it didn’t splinter.

            “Merlin don’t curse me!” Fred Weasley yelped as he threw his hands above his head.

            The immediate sob of relief and realization that it was only her friend made Y/N want to cry.

            “Fred, what are you doing?” She whisper screamed, the feeling coming back in her hands, and the heat of the sun burning her cheeks into a bright crimson blush. Fred was in pajamas, a homemade blue jumper, and flannel pants, but with bare feet and bedhead. Obviously not intending to leave Gryffindor Tower. The question was met with a couple of seconds of silence.

            Fred raised a red eyebrow, the shadows of the night taking away most of his color.

            “I could ask you the same, or did McGonagall leave you in charge to hex anybody who dared cross the common room?” He asked sarcastically, hiding the fact that seeing the girl he fancied wielding what he knew could be a painful end to his night sent his heart rate through the roof. As soon as the words left his lips, he regretted it. Fred knew his friend was not expecting to be disturbed, and Black’s reappearance had put everybody on edge.

            She smiled instead, a true one, a smile that made Fred’s chest swell with affection and pride for making it come into existence.

            “No, just, thinking,” Y/N answered, sitting back down, drawing her knees back into her chest.

            “Ah, never good.” Fred joked, weakly, as he took the open spot next to her. They both took in the night, not exactly needing to end the comfortable silence, but politely waiting for the other to speak first. It was Y/N.

            “You never answered my question.” Why he was awake?

            “Honestly? Lee snores.” Fred replied with an exhausted chuckle, it was very very early in the morning. They sat and talked about nothing, which meant everything to them. Y/N welcomed the attention and distraction from her earlier worries that brought her to this spot, to this chair, and to this moment with the boy she had grown to be so fond of. After a couple of yawns and rubbing of eyes the pair agreed to part and get some sleep.

            Y/N was already halfway from their perch to the girls' staircase when she heard Fred exclaim looking out the window,

“And where the bloody hell have you been!?” Fred Weasley demanded in his usual laughing tone, almost toppling over the now blushing and giggling girl. It was at some point last school year that Fred realized with fondness that Y/N’s laugh is the one he reveled in the most, and scarcely let an opportunity pass to hear it. Too dazzled and overwhelmed at his sudden thereness- Y/N couldn’t even respond before the final call whistles of the Hogwarts Express blared next to them.

           “Saved by the bell aye? Let’s find our seats…” Fred let go of his all too willing victim and followed his twin into the trolly. Turning slightly, still dazed, Y/N looked into the faces of her equally surprised, awed, and grinning faces of her friends.

           “Well, well, well- “ Katie smirked,

           “That’s new!” Alicia declared,

           “Where did that come from!?” Angelina questioned,

           “I have no idea.” Y/N replied dreamily.

Settling into their cabins the friends flowed into their usual routine, having this be the 5th trip they’ve taken to Hogwarts together. Y/N settled into her spot next to the window and across from the Weasley twin that made her heart skip a beat. How was it possible for him to be any fitter? Y/N thought hopelessly. All of the Weasleys had pretty hair, vividly red with mixes of auburn, cinnamon, and gold. The twins both had the build of a Beater- with broad shoulders and strong arms, definitely on the stockier side than their tall and gangly brothers. In the corner of the cabin Fred had his whole body angled toward his brother- who was animatedly discussing the newest broomstick with Angelina.

           A vicious jolt of the train knocked the Gryffindors around their cabin, the air turned frozen and still, the lights went out and Y/N knew then what pure fear felt like. Screams echoed through the Hogwarts Express, introducing the nightmare that drifted through the halls. Dementors, more horrible than ever previously imagined. In those horrible moments Y/N knew that the sun would never feel as warm, that laughing would never come as easy, or that she’d ever sleep as soundly again after knowing that these creatures existed. She was shaking from her position on the floor, in the chaos she hadn’t noticed that her and Fred both were knocked to the ground. He had his arm slung protectively over her chest, though his pale and horrified face surely reflected her own. Then, as soon as it happened, it was over. The Dementors were gone, the lights turned on, the warmth returned and reality sunk in. They regarded each other all for a moment in silence to process what they all had just experienced together. Fred moved his arm away from Y/N and shared a blank look with her, for once shocked into silence.

           “Why?” Angelica asked nobody in particular, breaking the tension,

           “Sirius Black.” Y/N answered simply, wincing as she rose.

           “Where are you going?” Fred demanded as he helped her stand. Y/N noted that in moments of extreme distress that Fred Weasley didn’t have the power to make her blush, oddly a relief.

           “I- I have to find Neville.” How could she explain this to them? Neville had experienced truly horrible things in his life, and if they had made her feel that wretched, she needed to find her cousin immediately.

           “Ginny?” George immediately asked. His twin only nodded. They did that often, where an entire conversation can be communicated with a single word and a gesture. The three set out for their respective younger family members and were relieved to find them whole, and together. The expression on Nevilles face made Y/N want to cry, Ginny was pale and watching Harry with deep concern. Y/N felt the sigh of relief from the twins as they saw that both of their younger siblings were relatively unscathed, and turned their attention to Harry Potter, who was getting handed chocolate squares by an older man with premature grey hair and a shabby suit.

           “Ah, family I suppose? Rather crowded in here..” The man politely assumed, and the older Gryffindor’s could just nod.

           “I am Professor R. J. Lupin, and if I were you, I’d return to my carriage- they will not be coming back.” Professor Lupin advised kindly. With a nod from Neville, Ginny, and Ron, the three departed back to their cabin. As they walked a thought struck Y/N that made her snort in humorless laugh. The twins looked at her questioningly.

           Of course- such heartwarming or pleasant topics came to a screeching halt at Halloween. The Chamber of Secrets had been opened, and member of the castle were attacked. Their safety felt like it had been ripped away, the very real threat of one of their friends being killed weighed heavy. Fred and George tried, as they always do, to make things lighter with their comedic commentary. It didn’t work all the time. Poor Harry Potter was even further outcasted than before, and Y/N didn’t know how students could even think that a 12 year old boy would want to murder people. Neville seemed to believe Harry anyway, so that was good enough for Y/N.

           One night, with the dormitories emptying out due to the late hour, the usual group of fourth years laid around. Not saying much, thinking too hard. They all had contemplated the suspects of who could be the heir of Slytherin, nobody daring to mention Harry’s name, and several offering Draco Malfoy’s instead.

           “He’s got to be it. Little creep called Hermione a mudblood,” George stated, anger crossing his features making his face almost the color of his fiery hair. Undoubtedly remembering the fight that broke out between him and Malfoy.

           “Plus his family, the whole lot was in Slytherin,” Fred added, twirling his wand between long fingers.

           Y/N straighten from her spot on the floor, angling herself to face the twins better as they were sitting on one of the couches in the common room.

           “Good points- But he is only a second year, how could HE be the one to figure out how to open the bloody thing after all this time, and don’t you think he’s been a little bold about the whole thing? It’s too obvious.” Y/N offered an open question to the group.

Angelina nodded in agreement, her chin resting on her folded hands. Alicia looked away thoughtfully and yawned. With a sigh Fred stretched his arms out wide and said,

           “I think you’re right Y/N.”  

           The affirmation from him made Y/N glow on the inside, even as morbid as the subject was. A sudden thud broke the comfortable quiet of the group, Alicia had fallen asleep and slipped from her upright position against the sofa and onto the stone floor. A booming laugh erupted from the fourth years, with Alicia joining in when she realized what happened. They quickly went to their respective beds for the night. The warm and familiar feeling was too good to last.