nev longbottom

Er

Hello?

This is Neville. Longbottom. Not that there are other Nevilles.

Since George only gave this to a few of us.

Er. Ginny, would you like to join Luna and I for our weekly lunch?

Luna and I had lunch today, at a Muggle place - Pizazz. I enjoyed the pizza rather a lot, actually.

I showed her the ring. To get her opinion on...well, anything. Pansy's nothing like Luna but...Luna's my best friend. So talking to her...helps. A lot.

Pansy accepted the ring, though. So there's that.

Gran's still not entirely happy about everything, I don't think. She...I think it's because she loves me. Probably. I...think she wants me to be happy. It's hard to tell, with Gran Honestly, though...I think she and Pansy could get along. They're both very...formidable.

I think she'll try, now. Because...of my asking for the ring.

I think she assumed I would ignore all of this. I just...saying no, to not be in this project...I know it's probably naive of me, but...a second chance. It would be nice if such things were true. And if none of it works out - as some of it isn't - perhaps...I don't know, perhaps at least we can say we tried. Although...I don't know, I think for me it's just...I don't know how to change people. I don't honestly want to try.

But I can't put someone back in Azkaban just because I refuse to try this. It wouldn't...I couldn't.

That's what I thought, back then.

And now she's...a real person. She was before, I mean. But I know things about her. She knows Russian. And likes to dance. And shop. And those aren't evil things, or bad things, and...there are terrible people in the world, but there are also people who aren't, and who just...do terrible things. I don't think she's a bad person.

I don't know. I don't think I ever knew.

I just hope that one way or the other she doesn't have to go back there. It's...

I don't know.

We're going to try sitting closer together at the table. And being friends. So.

placeholder.

The Masque was fun, surprisingly. Pansy looked lovely (being 'the beauty', and...herself, really) and we danced once or twice. It was...nice. I suppose I was expecting a disaster, even with all the dancing lessons Gran forced me into it.

She liked it. Dancing, I mean. It's...nice to know that sort of thing. Back in school, I think I was convinced she didn't like anything, except possibly Malfoy. It was...daunting.

I sort of hung about the wall for most of the night, except to make the usual rounds (and Pansy and I said hello to the Minister, as was 'proper', according to her) so it wasn't too overwhelming.

I'm fairly certain that if my family has any good name whatsoever on the social front, Pansy is the cause of it. Which is something I'd never thought to say, before...all of this.

Gran is...well, Gran. And I'm...me. And Aunt Enid and Uncle Algie just...well, I hope Pansy doesn't need to meet them anytime soon. I think that would end badly. Most of their visits with anyone end badly. Or perhaps I just think that because of my childhood.

Whatever the case, she is certainly the Longbottom most at ease at a party. It's weird to call her by my name and not Parkinson.

So she likes shopping. A lot.

We got costumes , though. That she approved of. I finally came up with an idea she liked: beauty and the beast.

She seems to be looking forward to the Masque. One of us should be, I suppose. Parties have never been my strong point.

Things aren't...bad. Autumn Run is...big, though. And the dining table is...long. We sit at opposite ends and make awkward conversation. On my part. I don't think she's ever been awkward.

I sort of hoped that Gran was the only person in the world with the notion that eating at the ends of a really long table was the thing to do.

It's sort of lonely. And awkward.

I got married today.

I mean...I knew it would happen, I knew it was coming. But...I'm married. It's...such an odd thing to say.

It's Pansy Parkinson. She is, I mean.

My wife.

I think she hates me, so I don't know how this will

I'm moving, apparently.