And Those Little Sticky Kisses ** (NEVILLE)

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@superluigi64
<3

Generally, Hannah never had an issue talking about anything. Not to anyone. She was very open and very honest, never stuttering or trying to beat seeing the bush. But lately, there was something that had been on her mind for awhile, but Han wasn't sure how to bring it up. She wasn't sure how to talk about it or what type of reaction the words would cause.

Trying to keep it off her brain for the time being, Hannah realized how hungry she was. The Great Hall was fairly full, but it was definitely not the entire school. She made her way up to the head table. Neville was not there yet, but she hoped he'd be soon. This wasn't something she could keep bottled up forever.

Hannah filled her plate with food and ate a few slices of bacon before taking a deep breath and relishing in the taste of her coffee. Hannah wasn't sure how much longer she could keep this in. Her brain was so muddled by her thoughts that she hadn't even seen Neville enter the Great Hall, and she didn't even realize he was right next to her.

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Neville stepped into the Great Hall a few minutes later, having just returned from the Greenhouses. Pulling double duty as Headmaster and Herbology professor wasn’t going to cut it for much longer. Even with Calex taking on much more of the slack than he should have to while teaching his own classes, there was simply no way around it: they would need a Herbology teacher for next year at the latest. Neville hated to give up his beloved greenhouses, but stepping down from his post as Headmaster would only mean presenting a new target to their enemies. Calex was a brave individual, but the Purifiers would be willing to attack him, where they hesitated to trifle with the Lion of Gryffindor.

Still, this year had its upsides too. One of them was sitting in the seat closest to his own. During official meals, the staff sat in a more formal arrangement, with the Headmaster at the center and the Heads of House arrayed around them. They didn’t bother standing on ceremony most of the time though. Granted, Neville still had to sit in the high-backed Headmaster’s chair, but Parvati was not so attached to the spot on his left.

He made his way up past the student tables and around to his chair, but before he could sit down, he realized that Hannah had not even seen him. He arched an eyebrow. The people who fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, particularly those from the DA, were very rarely unaware of their surroundings. It was instinct when you grew accustomed to situations where you could be attacked from any direction at any time. He leaned over and kissed her on top of the head. “I haven’t seen you this distracted in years,” he chided, sitting down next to her.

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Hannah jumped slightly. Her hand went straight to her chest and she took a deep breath, smiling at Neville. The kiss on her head had calmed her down a bit, and she could still feel it lingering on her hair. She hadn't expected to be so caught up in all of this, but her and Neville's latest meeting with Andromeda had got her thinking.

All of their children were growing up, they were all almost adults. And then they'd all be gone soon. While Hannah would love time alone with Neville, love to be able to just be alone together and travel, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing. Neville's reaction was all that was frightening her.

As he sat down and turned towards him, smiling genuinely now. "Oh, I know I'm sorry. I've just been thinking a lot is all, nothing important." Hannah picked up her mug and took a sip, her eyes lingering on the students coming in.

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Neville’s smile faded slightly at her words, and he arched one eyebrow in skepticism. Hannah was many things, and like anyone, she had her downsides. But fretting over nothing? She might not be as brash as Ginny, nor as insistent as Hermione, but she was just as willing to speak her mind. So he didn’t buy that line for an instant.

“Han. If it were nothing important, you wouldn’t be this distracted. I know better. This is something that’s important to you, very important.” He stood back up, moving behind her chair, and put his hands on her shoulder, rubbing them gently. They generally avoided overt displays of affection in public—for the sake of respecting the rules the students had to follow—but something was definitely worrying his wife, and he needed to be there for her.

“Come on, love. You’ve never had to keep anything from me before.”

@jill11

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@superluigi64
<3

Well, it was very important. But that didn't mean it would be important to Neville, or important enough for it to even be a consideration. Her eyes shut slightly when she felt Neville's hands on her shoulders. This was a very difficult conversation, especially with everything they've been going through, everything they've done already. Hannah knew he wouldn't be angry, confused maybe, but not angry. Or at least she hoped.

She smiled gently at Neville's words. "It's not that I have to keep it from you, it's that I am nervous for your reaction." Hannah let out a sigh and rested her mug down in front of her. Being in front of the students was not where she wanted to do this, but Hannah had a feeling Neville wouldn't let it go, especially where her acting in this way was such a rarity. Thankful for him being behind her, Hannah looked around quickly, hoping to not see anyone listening in on their conversation. "I've been thinking for awhile about...well," She took a deep breath, her voice a whisper. "A baby."

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He tilted his head, the normally easy smile on his face fading. She was nervous over how he would react? That had the potential to be so bad. They were very similar; Neville was a Gryffindor who acted more like a Hufflepuff, and Hannah was a Hufflepuff with fire equal to any Gryffindor. They saw eye to eye a lot. But not on everything. And they were, in general, uncompromising in their beliefs. Most of the fights they'd had in their marriage had been over a clash of beliefs, and none of them had been pretty. Certainly, they were far too strong to be torn apart over such things, and they understood each other enough to not hold it against each other, but...well. The fights themselves tended to be angry and painful, because neither of them wanted to budge.

“I've been thinking for awhile about...well...a baby.”

Oh. Oh.

Neville's eyebrows drew together for a moment. “Because I dropped two more kids on you just in time for you to rediscover how much you love watching them grow, and now they're all five growing up?” It was a question, just in case he was wrong, but he was pretty sure that was where this was coming from. Maybe coupled a bit with coming here and being surrounded by throngs of children.

After a moment, he sighed. “I'm...not against the idea itself. But it scares me to think of you pregnant right now, with everything going on. I'm worried it will paint a target on you as you get further along. I'd put you up against the Purifiers any day in your normal condition, but when you're pregnant, you wouldn't be able to duel nearly as well if you had to.” He said all this calmly, like they were talking about the weather, but his hand reached out and gripped hers rather more tightly than usual. It was true—he was very much afraid of the idea that people would go after her while she was pregnant.

Because she was an easier target.

Because they wanted to hurt him.

Or just because they truly believed it was better to kill her and an unborn child than let it be raised to coexist with Muggles and Muggleborn.

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Hannah looked up in time just to see Neville's eyebrows furrow closely together. She wasn't sure if she should take that as a good thing or a bad thing, or just plain confusion. Generally, Hannah was never this nervous to speak with her husband. But this was a large subject, and while it was something she desperately wanted there were many other things that needed to be taken into account before any decision was made.

As Neville asked that question, Hannah's face went from worried to glad. She knew he'd understand, and as she sighed, she felt her eyes water. "Yes. They're all so big...almost adults. All of them." Her eyes glanced around The Great Hall, seeing all of the children filing in. So many children, some who were incredibly loved, others who had many issues. Hannah wished she could help all of them, but she couldn't.

Hannah saw Andromeda and Jayden enter and go sit at their table, and she smiled, feeling incredibly bittersweet as Neville grabbed her hand and squeezed it. Gently Hannah squeezed his as well and finally looked back at him. Neville's understanding attitude was not what Hannah had expected, but it all made sense. "If I have to duel, then I have to. I know it isn't the best time, or really the best decision, but when really is the best time?"

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“Yes. They're all so big...almost adults. All of them.”

He didn't think they would ever stop being parents entirely. He went back to his Gran often enough as an adult, even once he really had the world mostly figured out. He didn't rely on her, exactly, but he relied on her being there if he did need her, right up until her death. And he still occasionally asked her portraits for advice, though she always said she was happy just quietly watching her family thrive. “We'll always be their parents and they'll always remember that, no matter where they go.” He hoped Hannah wouldn't somehow feel diminished by this sudden emptying of their nest.

She pointed out that there was rarely a good time for them to have children. And she did have a point. Much as Neville wanted to say that the best time was when a group of Pureblood supremacists were NOT looking to hit the Ministry or the quote-unquote heroes of the last war anywhere they could...he was Neville Longbottom. He would always be a target, and by extension, so would Hannah. Did he want her to get pregnant? If he were honest, no. But that was only because of the danger it represented for her. And she was willing to face that danger. Never had she told him not to go. When he had had to rush out of the Cauldron on a storm-drenched night to answer Ron's call for help, and she had two babies and a great round belly, she hadn't told him to stay, to not risk his life so near to the birth of their third child. Even as Gran had pulled him aside and warned him that he'd better not dare get so much as a scratch, Hannah had understood. Sometimes, for what mattered most to you, you had to risk everything, even if it was foolish, even if you could lose everything, even if you could die and leave a toddling girl and a crawling boy without a father.

She had never wanted him to die. But she had never stopped him from risking his life.

He could not do less for her. “I'm scared, baby. But there's nobody stronger than you in times like this, I know that too. If that's what you want, we can try.”

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Hannah knew she'd always be a mother. She knew she'd always be called mum, always have all of her children. But she felt like once they were all gone, out of the house on their own, that she wouldn't be important anymore. They'll all most likely have made their own families, be parents themselves. And while Hannah was excited for the day that it would just be her and Neville, it was also bittersweet.

As Neville spoke, she took in a deep breath, a tear falling down her cheek. She glanced down at the food in font of her, then at their hands. He was...he was saying okay. He was saying they could try. Her heart was filled with happiness, but just like Neville said, he was scared. So was she. Hannah looked up at Neville, her eyes watery. "Are you...are you sure? I'm scared too, Nev..." Swallowing hard, she forced a smile to her husband. As much as she wanted a baby, she didn't want to wait for everything to be safe, because that may never happen.

"I love you so much, Neville Longbottom."

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He smiled at her when she asked if he was sure. “I remember what we all promised, the year that Harry didn't come back. We all said we would never be like everyone else, we'd never let fear dictate our choices. What kind of leader would I be if I went back on that now?” He grinned, that slightly-smug grin that he rarely showed, the one that said he knew the legends about him and they were all true, even if he didn't want them to be. It was a grin saved for when friends and family needed to be reminded that, sure, he was just Nev to them, but he was still a walking warzone to his enemies when he needed to be.

The grin only intensified at her next words. “And I love you, Hannah Longbottom.” It probably wouldn't be appropriate to pull her into his lap and start snogging like a couple of teenagers, and if he thought long enough about it, he was sure he'd remember why. Still, he held off for now. “Still, while we're on the subject of children—you think we should try to round ours up in Hogsmeade the weekend after the Yule Ball? Maybe have them bring all their significant others?” They hadn't had a big family meal in such a long time. Maybe last Christmas was the last time they had tried? And Alice had hardly been a ray of sunshine during that break.

But he did remember her smiling a lot when she went off with Carcer. And he was betting that the half-giant could make her enjoy just about anything.

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Hannah felt as if she had been making herself worry for no reason. Neville was open to trying for a baby. And while Hannah was still worried, the happiness she felt was rare lately. As she looked at her husband, and saw that smug look on his face, a large smile slowly made it's way onto her lips. What he was saying made complete sense, and Hannah just wanted to copulate with Neville right then and there. Although that wouldn't be a sight that anyone would want to see and Hannah supposed she could wait until later.

She took a sip of her coffee, the smile never leaving her face. "That sounds like a great idea. Let's hope they all come. It'll be nice to cook a large dinner again, I miss it." Hannah tilted her head to look at Neville, thinking of a small memory from when all the children were little and running around like crazy, Hannah cooking, Neville in the Greenhouses. She laughed quietly. "Our children are lunatics."

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Hannah agreed to try for a big gathering of the family. Neville chuckled at her words. “I miss it too. The house-elves are good, but they don't compare to what you can do in the kitchen, love.” Not for nothing was Hannah Longbottom the longtime proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron. She could outcook almost anyone, and the best Neville had ever seen anyone do was merely keep up with Hannah in that arena. Though he did like to cook breakfast himself on occasion, since it felt good to give her a break from cooking and to make something himself for his children.

She mentioned that their children were crazy. A grin slowly crossed over Neville's face at those words. “Don't be too harsh on them for that. They got it from their mother's side.”

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Ah, so everyone did miss her cooking. Sometimes it was nice to have a small break, but a small break had turned into a very large break, and Hannah was itching to get back in there and cook a large meal. For their entire family, and the significant others. Hannah wanted to see them all together, their entire family. She laughed quietly and rose an eyebrow at Neville. "Do you think by then we'll have something to tell them?" She truly hoped it wouldn't be too difficult to conceive once more, it was something she was hoping would happen in a jiffy.

Her jaw dropped slightly and as much as she tried to pretend to be angry she couldn't help but laugh. "I am not a lunatic, Neville Longbottom." She turned her head away with a large grin, but hid it behind her coffee as she took a sip. "I love our lunatics. Although, I do think Jayden is 100% you." Their son was one of their cherished lunatics, but he was, in Hannah's opinion, the most difficult of them all.

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He shrugged at Hannah's next question. “Your guess is as good as mine. Better, probably. I don't recall us ever having trouble conceiving before.” They weren't, after all, much older than they had been. Sure, they had aged, but to a wizard, twenty years wasn't as harsh a time period as it was to a Muggle. And even Muggles had kids in their forties. Neville couldn't see that being a problem.


He paused and tilted his head, considering Hannah's comment. “I don't know that I'd say he's all me. Phil, maybe, but Jayden...he's still got that protective streak, like he wants to save everyone if he can. I don't think I ever believed in that. Maybe I would have, if not for my parents, but I think his attitude comes more from you. The accidental streak....okay, I 'll take the blame for that one, you win.”

He smiled. “And Alice? I always say she's Gran made over, but nobody would ever mistake her for not being your daughter. I am glad my genes didn't interfere with you giving her such beauty.”

@jill11

[Deleted]

@superluigi64
<3

Hannah laughed. They definitely hadn't had any issues conceiving before, the children they had were quite obvious of that. She was just nervous was all. It had been a long time since they had planned for another child, and with so many years in between their youngest and the newest to hopefully come, Hannah's nerves were running loony. "I don't either, I'm just nervous is all."

"That's true..." She smiled sheepishly. Jayden was a good mix of the two of them, that was great. Hannah shook her head as Neville mentioned Alice. "Well our sons have your physical genes, and I think they're both incredibly handsome young men." Hannah reached over and squeezed his hand. Thinking of their children always made her so happy, she didn't think she'd ever love someone as much as she loved her three babies. She finished her coffee and took a deep breath, glancing back to her husband, a small smile on her lips.