y o u . k n o w . i t ' s . a l l . r i g h t

You Know It's All Right
[by victoria p.]

Rating: G

Summary: "The price of happiness is high, but well worth the result."

Notes: Thanks as always to Jen, Pete/Melissa, Dot, and Meg. Written for Rynne, who requested "Neville, wand, happiness."

Date: March 11, 2004

While he's working in the greenhouses or teaching his classes, Neville tucks his wand behind his ear, in memory of a girl he once loved. He grows lilies in his garden, prizewinning lilies, in memory of a woman he never met, who gave birth to the boy -- man, now -- who saved them all in the end.

Remus assures him she and James both would have liked him. He makes Harry happy, and that is the most important thing.

Neville has a black dog who curls up on the foot of the bed, in memory of a man who tried so hard to do right by Harry, and whose presence lingers even now, years after his death. The dog warms Neville and Harry's toes as they sleep every night.

Neville used to worry about it, having an omen of death, yet another reminder of all Harry's lost, living with them, but he knows it's all right. Snuffles is nothing more than a black dog, and Neville's always known there are worse fates than death.

Their small house in Hogsmeade is overrun with Weasleys and Weasley-Grangers, Creeveys and MacMillans, Jordans and Thomases, their friends and their friends' children underfoot all the time. As he and Harry will have no children of their own, they are more than happy to host everyone else's, though Harry is sometimes exasperated by the way they crowd around and ask him for stories of how he defeated Voldemort, or demonstrations of his superior Snitch-catching ability.

At those times, Neville rescues him with a fond smile, and shoos the children out into the yard to degnome his garden.

They are all a little broken, and Harry more than most, but when he and Harry are together, the pieces seem to fit better, and time has worn the jagged edges smooth. The price of happiness is high, but well worth the result, Neville thinks.

He starts as arms wrap around him from behind, old reflexes still sharp, though Voldemort's been gone these last fifteen years.

"All right, there, Harry?" he asks, leaning back into the embrace.

"All right, Neville," Harry answers, pressing a warm kiss to Neville's temple. It's more than all right, Neville thinks, still overwhelmed on occasion by how lucky he is.

They stand in the garden for a few moments, enjoying the warm summer breeze and the scent of roses just beginning to bloom, before heading inside for dinner.

end

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Disclaimer: All Harry Potter characters belong to JK Rowling., Scholastic, etc. This piece of fan-written fiction intends no infringement on any copyrights.