alisanne

Title: Nightmare's End
Author:

alisanne
Pairing/Characters: Neville Longbottom/Draco Malfoy, Severus Snape/Harry Potter.
Word Count: 100 x 9
Rating: PG
Challenge: Written for

neville100's prompt #327: Defence Against the Dark Arts.
Warning(s)/Genre: The possibility of Mpreg implied.
Beta(s):

sevfan and

emynn.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.

~

Nightmare’s End

~

“Crucio!”

Nerves screaming, Neville shrieks in agony—

“Neville! Wake up!”

Gasping, Neville blinks up into Harry’s concerned face. “Sorry,” he croaks. “Didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“It’s fine.” Harry glances back over his shoulder to look at the door where Snape’s standing. “Severus is the one who heard you, actually.”

“Ears honed from years as a professor,” Snape murmurs.

“I bet.” Neville sighs, scrubbing his hands over his face. “It was a nightmare about the Carrows’ Defence classes.”

Harry nods. “It’s been years, Nev. Maybe you should talk to someone. A professional.”

Neville sighs. He’s right. “Maybe,” he agrees reluctantly.

~

“No way,” Neville says, shaking his head.

“He’s one of the best Mind Healers at St Mungo’s,” Snape says.

Harry leans across the table, patting Neville’s arm. “Was he one of the ones who tortured you in Defence class your seventh year?”

Neville pauses. “No, actually. He…stayed out of all that.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“He held Luna captive in his house, he—”

“He was just as captive,” Snape chimes in. “You really think he was free to do as he liked?”

Neville sighs. “I suppose not. Fine, I’ll go see Malfoy.”

Snape sits back with a satisfied smirk.

~

Malfoy has somehow become pointier. And he’s wearing glasses as he eyes Neville across his desk. “As we have a history, I need to ask. Will my delving into your psyche be a problem?”

Neville shakes his head.

“I need a verbal answer.”

“No,” Neville snaps.

Malfoy raises an eyebrow. “You’re sure? We won’t get very far if your defences are up.”

“Sorry. I’m sure.” Neville exhales. He’s done his homework, and all his investigating has revealed Malfoy to be a disciplined, principled Mind Healer with an impeccable reputation.

“Very well.” Malfoy nods. “Tell me about these dreams, then, Longbottom.”

~

Malfoy’s professional, focussed. Neville’s surprised how good he is at his job. He never reveals anything personal, however, and after weeks, Neville’s curious.

Malfoy remains an enigma, however. A frustratingly attractive enigma.

“Malfoy?” Harry blinks, clearly surprised at the question. “I’ve no idea. Why? What do his dating habits have to do with his mind healing?”

“He’s sometimes late for appointments,” Neville lies defensively. “Just curious.”

Snape isn’t forthcoming either. And since Neville’s cottage renovations are almost complete, he’ll soon be out of Snape and Harry’s place where he’s been crashing, and he’ll have no one to ask. Except Malfoy.

~

“Our session’s complete for today.”

“Right,” Neville says. Biting his bottom lip, he decides to take the leap. “So…what do you do for fun?”

Malfoy raises an eyebrow. “Are you attempting small talk?”

“Maybe?” Neville smiles. “So are you going to tell me?”

Malfoy reclines in his chair. “I shouldn’t. We should focus our meetings on your mental defences. Anything else is counterproductive.”

Neville hums. “You’re saying I’ll have to fire you before I can ask you out on a date?”

Malfoy smirks. “If we go by the book, yes.”

“Then I say sod the book.”

Malfoy sighs. “Gryffindors.”

~

As it turns out, Draco’s a rule-breaker, too. Although when they finally shag, he starts proposing alternate Healers. “Pansy’s good, or maybe —”

Kissing him, Neville shuts him up, and when they part, Malfoy’s dazed and pliant in his arms.

He’s marvellous in bed, so perfectly suited to Neville, that Neville wonders how they managed without each other.

“I love being with you,” Neville confesses one night.

And, defences down, Draco whispers, “Me, too.”

The nightmares are a thing of the past, and, in the event he does have one, Draco’s right there, Neville’s comfort.

Neville wonders how to thank Snape.

~

It takes him ages to perfect, and he has to combine several plants to manage it, but when he finally succeeds, Neville’s jubilant.

Draco, now accustomed to Neville’s plant obsession, just rolls his eyes when Neville comes home clutching dark green leaves. “What now?” he asks.

“If it works, you’ll be the first to know,” Neville tells him, kissing him. There are no defences, no walls between them now.

Draco smiles, kissing him back. “I know.”

It works beyond Neville’s hopes, and, after owling Snape to let him know he was coming, Neville shows up at his and Harry’s home.

~

“Everything’s okay?” asks Harry. “You and Draco’re still—?”

Neville beams. “We’re brilliant.”

“Indeed.” Snape sniffs. “Your message sounded urgent.”

“Maybe not urgent, but important.” Neville hands him a phial. “I know you’re trying for children. I…overheard you talking one night after one of my nightmares. This may help.”

Snape’s face is unreadable, Harry’s is red. “Nev—”

“It’s the least I can do after…everything.” Neville pushes on. “I’ve combined hazel and levisticum to—”

Snape holds up a hand. “You’ve proof it works?”

Neville grins. “Trevor’s pregnant!”

Harry’s beaming face is one thing, but seeing Snape’s defences crumble is another.

~

“Severus smiled? Actually smiled?” Draco shakes his head. “Salazar, I’d pay to see that.”

“When they have their first baby something tells me Snape will be doing more than just smiling,” Neville says.

Draco chuckles softly. “Oh, I don’t know about that. Severus was temperamental enough with sleep, I don’t want to know what he’s like without it.”

“Not our problem,” Neville reminds him, drawing him close.

“Point.” Draco nuzzles his neck. “Now, if we’re done discussing someone else’s sex life, perhaps we can discuss ours.”

“Good by me,” Neville agrees, straddling him. And afterwards he sleeps, untroubled by nightmares.

~