A/N

I shipped Dramione before I knew any of... before I knew what shipping is. So you can all chill.

Title for this chapter is by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Little Night Music

He dreamt of butterflies. They were flying around his head, their thin wings softly flapping. One lightly brushed his cheek, catching Neville's attention. It was a delicate, orange creature, and for some reason, it had long eye-lashes. It flew aimlessly around his head for a few seconds and then landed on his right hand.

"No, more," the butterfly said, "no more."

Neville's eyes widened. No more of what?

"No more medicines! He's slept enough!"A shrieking voice pierced through the protective velvety veil of his unconsciousness. Neville's eyes fluttered open.

Ginny was sitting by his side, holding his hand, but Madame Pomfrey was Ginny's current occupation. The two women were glaring at each other. The nurse was gripping a bottle of Sleeping Draught, and Ginny, his redheaded goddess, was Avada Kedavraing the older woman in her mind, while trying to reason her into letting Neville off the per scripted medicines. Neither noticed that Neville had woken up and was ready to rise.

The woman of his dreams was sitting right next to him, holding his hand. He felt her fingers burning the skin underneath. He became ten times more aware of his own body sprawled on the bed like a seal stranded on the beach. He tried to calm his breathing.

"Miss Weasley, I think I know how to do my job," Madame Pomfrey said through gritted teeth.

"With all due respect, I'm just saying that he seemed perfectly fine when he woke up yesterday. It's been almost a week since the accident! You fixed his bones, what's left?" In the heat of the moment, Ginny dug her nails into Neville's flesh, causing him to shriek. Startled, Madame Pomfrey dropped the bottle, spilling the liquid everywhere.

"My goodness!" Ginny covered her mouth, worried.

"Mr. Longbottom!" exclaimed Madame Pomfrey, while cleaning the mess she'd made with a simple swipe of her wand.

"I'll live," Neville attempted to joke. Making sure her patient is not in a mortal danger, Madame Pomfrey hurried into her own quarters, presumably to get a new dose.

"So sorry, Neville, does it hurt?"

He flexed his fingers. There were deep purple crescents on his palm, but the flesh was quickly adapting and it didn't sting anymore.

"I'm fine."

Ginny started to smile, when he mumbled, "But maybe I like it when it hurts," with a sleazy grin, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows. Ginny blinked, but the arrival of Madame Pomfrey, accompanied by Dumbledore, saved her from replying.

Neville spent the next few minutes with his arms crossed over his chest, feeling extremely exposed with only a thin hospital gown on, and sincerely nodding at everything Dumbledore said.

"In conclusion, Mr Longbottom, we think you should stay in bed for a couple of days more," Dumbledore said.

Next thing Neville knew, warm liquid was being forced down his throat and he was drifting off to sleep. Again.

.

He woke up disoriented, in the middle of the night. He waited for a few moments, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness. Then he felt someone move on his right, snuggling closer to him. Ginny? Could it really be her? Could his dreams be finally coming true? He squinted, trying to make out her shape. Yes, it was really her. She was sitting on a chair that looked very uncomfortable. His heart started to pound faster, and a warm feeling flooded his chest. He closed his eyes, savouring the moment, enjoying the feeling of complete happiness.

"Neville?" she whispered, making him look at her. It might have been dark, but he could still see her sleepy smile.

"Ginny," he breathed in return.

"Good to see you up again." She still hasn't moved her head from the crook of his arm, "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry that I haven't taken you seriously that day. None of this would have happened. It just seemed so...unreal. I never even dared to dream about you having some sort of feelings for me."

"Are you joking?" he laughed, but she put a finger on his lips.

"Shh, Madame Pomfrey is in the next room, and we wouldn't want to wake her up, now, would we?" she smiled conspiringly, tracing his jaw line with her finger. He felt like his heart would jump out of his chest.

She finally pushed herself up, only to sit on the bed. "I really love you, Neville," she bent down to him, her long hair spilling on both sides of his head and then their lips met for the first time.

Neville has been surrounded with magic all his life, but nothing he ever experienced was as magical as Ginny's warm lips on his own. The kiss seemed to go on for ages.

When they finally separated, she smiled at him and cupped his cheek, "Go to sleep, Neville."

And he obeyed.

.

Next time he opened his eyes, he was in the hospital. Saint Mungo's, he supposed, observing a teapot that was slowly floating towards the door. The room was bright, all windows opened. He could see green trees outside, and clear sky. How long has he slept?

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, but yelped and fell back. His whole body was aching and he was suddenly dizzy. A nurse emerged with a teapot in her hands, and hurried to his side.

"This is a miracle!" The woman was middle aged, with greying hair tied into a knot on the top of her head. "You should keep still, young man." She tucked him back in. "I need to go let your poor old grandmother know."

"Wait," he croaked. She poured him a cup of herbal tea. He tried again, "What date is it?"

"June 6th," she chirped, "we thought we lost you. You've been out for quite a while. Over six months."

"But..." something didn't fit, "You're saying I was in a coma all this time?"

"Exactly."

"I never woke up? Not once?"

"No, but now you're finally awake, and I need to..."

"But that's impossible!" he interrupted, "I clearly remember everything, Ginny was there and we, we.."

"Pish posh, darling. I'll go owl your grandmother."

Impossible. I heard it, clear as a bell, "I really love you, Neville." She said it. She did.

Was it really just a dream?

.

He returned to Hogwarts two weeks later. The school was about to end and Dumbledore informed him that he'll need to repeat the year.

He found only Harry and Hermione in the common room. Harry was eating blackberries and spitting out the seeds.

"Harry please, could you not? That's so barbaric."

"Sorry, but these nasty little bastards get between your teeth."

She rolled her eyes at him and turned to get up when she saw Neville standing at the entrance.

"Neville! You're alive!" she ran to him and hugged him. Harry followed close behind, his eyes twinkling.

"I knew I slept a lot, but I had no idea it was that long!"

"It surprised us all, Neville," Harry patted him on the back, "The important thing it that you're back to normal now."

They lead him to the sofas, and he listened to them chat about everything and nothing for a while. But he actually only wanted to go see Ginny. They were talking about final exams when he couldn't take it anymore.

"Come on, Harry, the Transfiguration exam wasn't even difficult," Hermione said.

"Well it was hard for me!" Harry shot back.

"I bet it was, Harry," Neville cut him off, "but where is Ron? And Ginny?"

Hermione's eyes saddened, "I'm sorry it didn't work out between you two."

"How do you even know...?" Neville started, just as Harry asked, "What worked out between whom?"

"Never mind, just tell me where she is," Neville sighed.

"Neville, Mrs. Weasley won some money on the lottery, and they decided to go on an early holiday. The whole family took off to America. They are on a tour, visiting National Parks."

Stunned, Neville asked, "When are they coming back?"

"In a couple of months," Harry replied, still confused and a bit defensive, "you have a thing for Ron?"

"What, no," Neville seemed lost in his thoughts. In his head, he was forming a plan. Later, when he and Harry retreated to the dorm, he decided it's time to get on with his plan.

"Harry, could I borrow your broom for a while?" His plan wasn't a complicated one. The only thing he knew was that he had to find her, and as soon as possible.

"Umm, sure," Harry dug out his Fire Bolt from under the bed, "Isn't it a bit too late to start flying now?"

"It's never too late for a good ride, Harry," Neville jumped on the wood and flew out of the window, into the sunset.

Another A/N:

Neville was never exceptionally good at flying, though.

Sorry, but Draco didn't fit in this time.

Credit to Jaxam (N.R.) for the inception idea.