A Chaste Kiss

"…AND GRYFFINDOR WINS WITH A SCORE OF TWO-HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE! Sorry, Slytherin, but it looks like you'll be taking the walk of a loser's shame! Congrats to Gryffindor!" Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff exclaimed with zeal into the magic microphone. "Good luck, Gryffindor, with your next match against the mighty Hufflepuff! You need it!"

"MR. MACMILLAN!" McGonagall said sternly. "I daresay that's enough, won't you?"

Up in the commentator and faculty box, Ernie blushed. "Yes, Professor. I'll shut up now."

"Best idea you've had all day!" McGonagall said, grabbing the magic microphone from his grasp.

Rows and rows of bleachers below the commentator and faculty box, sat Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. The three were cheering on their other three friends – Harry Potter, and Ron and Ginny Weasley, all of which were on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

It wasn't the first time that Luna had bothered to wear her massive lion's hat, which always drew her much scornful attention; she didn't seem to care, however.

"Ronald was brilliant!" she said serenely, smiling. "He's a very good keeper."

Hermione nodded, though she didn't completely agree; to be honest, Ron wasn't the greatest of keepers.

"Harry stole the show," Neville said as the stands began to empty. Dozens of feet below the Gryffindor Quidditch team were congratulating each other on their win whilst the Slytherin team stomped off in the direction of their change rooms, led by Draco Malfoy, of course.

"Of course Harry does," Hermione said, also standing from her seat. "He's one of the best seekers Hogwarts has seen in years."

Luna's smile widened. "I thought you didn't care for Quidditch, Hermione?"

"I don't." Hermione shrugged. "But that doesn't mean I don't know a thing or two."

Neville was the last to stand. "I bet there'll be a party in the common room this evening!"

"I don't think I'll attend," Hermione remarked, scowling. "I don't really fancy seeing Ron and Lavender Brown swap spittle."

"Me neither," Neville said, and then he blushed. "I meant, err, about the not attending part, not – not the Ron and Lavender part."

He fell quiet, looking away and feeling more heat rise to his cheeks. He always became so flustered around girls, but it was at its worst when he was around Hermione Granger. She was so nice and helpful, and she had been the first person from Hogwarts he had ever spoken to. He'd never forget her kindness on the train when everyone else had shut the compartment door in his face.

At that moment an idea occurred to flushed Neville.

"H-Hermione," Neville stuttered, fidgeting suddenly.

"Yes, Neville?" Hermione said as the three walked down the bleacher aisle.

"C-Can I, err, speak with you alone for a moment?" he asked. He didn't dare to believe he had just been brave enough to ask Hermione Granger for a moment alone. That itself felt like quite a feat.

Hermione stopped in her tracks, looking at him with curiosity, and then looking over her shoulder at Luna. Luna shrugged, apparently indifferent about Neville's request.

"I'll leave you two be," she said dreamily, floating past them and to the wooden, rickety staircase of the bleachers. "It's time I check my ant farm, father says they're as much of a responsibility as any other pet."

With that, she disappeared down the staircase, humming as she went.

Hermione turned back to Neville, again with curiosity written on her face. What could Neville possibly want to tell her?

Neville fidgeted some more, feeling his palms go sweaty, and butterflies begin to flutter in his stomach. Despite these nervous feelings he was feeling a mounting height of bravery. He could do it, he concluded, he could perhaps actually (for once) ask a girl out. So maybe he belonged in Gryffindor after all.

"Well, I – I just… I wanted to ask you," he said, trailing off. He sighed and decided to try again. "I wanted to ask you… would it be terribly horrible for you to go out on a date with me?"

Hermione's eyes widened and she looked utterly taken aback. Apparently she had suspected his question to be about schoolwork. Once the initial shock wore off, she looked at him, contemplating what her answer should be.

Neville was one of the sweetest, nicest boys she had ever met. He was definitely loads more sensitive than Ron, who really did have the emotional range of a teaspoon. Neville had always been so kind to her, he had always treated her with respect, and he was always there to eat lunch with when she wasn't speaking to Harry or Ron.

A slow smile lit up Hermione's features. Perhaps giving Neville a chance wasn't so illogical after all. As seconds passed Hermione fancied the idea of a date with Neville more and more. Finally, she knew it was a good decision to give it a try.

"Yes," she said shortly. Her smile widened upon seeing the look of relief on Neville's face. "Yes, Neville – I'll go out with you."

Neville looked as if his prayers had been answered. He released a relieved sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them again, and giving her a look she didn't recognize from him.

Then, Neville Longbottom kissed Hermione Granger. It was a complete and utter content kiss – a chaste one, full of sweetness and promise.

It was his first kiss, and as he pulled away, opening his eyes to see the stunned expression on Hermione's face, he smiled toothily and blushed with timidity. He never expected his first kiss to be so sudden and yet so wonderful.

The feeling of Hermione's soft lips pressed against his was indescribable; he wanted to kiss her again, but knew they should at least wait until their first date.

"It's a date," he muttered quietly.

Hermione nodded, still surprised from Neville's abrupt kiss.

"Yes," she agreed. The kiss was nice, and she got the feeling this was only the beginning of Neville's sweetness. "Yes," she repeated with a second nod. "It is a date."

-Fin-