Pure-Blood? I'm B Positive

It was the day before my O.W.Ls. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, I wasn't even able to study, to concentrate I was so nervous. Hermione had just left, wishing me good luck. I was left alone for a short while as Neville had gone out for a while when Hermione arrived. I paced around and around, my heart felt like it was in my throat. I'd never once been this scared when I was doing my GCSEs; dreading an exam and fearing an exam are two completely different things, and I was definitely feeling fear. I spent all day with my head in my books, frantically attempting to study. Neville left me alone most of the day, sensing how stressed I was. When he returned he had a small vile in his hand.
"You know Hogwarts students prepare for their O.W.Ls at the start of their fourth year."
"Thankyou Neville, you always know how to make me feel better." I threw the book I was holding and put my head in my hands. I was going to fail.
"I can't do this Neville." I wanted to curl up and die, I know how melodramatic that sounds, but getting good grades was really important to me, especially now - I wanted to make Neville and Hermione proud. I felt like I needed to prove to everybody at Hogwarts that I was worthy to study magic. I was, or believed I was a muggle for the first 16 years of my life. I didn't want to seen like an idiot, I bet everybody at Hogwarts was able to do remarkable things and I was barely getting started, It was going to be humiliating.
"You worry too much, have you not realised where you are?" Neville smirked.
"What do you mean? We're in the Leaky Cauldron." I lifted my head and looked at Neville.
"We're in a world that is powered by Magic." Neville winked at me, and pulled a small vile out of his pocket.
"Whats that? It looks like Veritaserum.." I took the vile and examined it, I knew it couldn't be water, but it was clear and Veritaserum was the first thing that came to mind.
"Felix Felicis." Neville stated.
"Liquid Luck? N-Neville you're a genius" I jumped up from the floor in excitement and gave Neville a kiss on the cheek. Then reality set in.
"That's cheating, I can't use this." I gave Neville back the vile and slumped into the old wooden chair that was situated to the left of us.
"It doesn't exclusively say that you're not allowed, it's not as if it's a cheating quill is it?" Neville waved the vile in front of me, I continued to protest.
"It just wouldn't feel right. I want the results to be my own. Not Felix's"
"It doesn't give you knowledge, it just gives you good luck. Araina, you'll still know all the stuff you know now, not any more. You'll just get good luck."
I wanted to take it, my whole body was itching to grab it and drink the whole thing but my will power was stronger than that, I restrained and simply shook my head."
"Araina... this potion takes 6 months to make, it's very expensive, and very tricky to brew. I had to go to Knockturn alley to get this. I risked a lot for you."
"The guilt card? Is that what you're playing?" I felt bad but i'd have felt worse if I had taken it. Neville pocketed the small vile and sighed, almost with disappointment, you think my 'guardian' would be discouraging rule breaking and cheating.
"Fine. Fail." Neville said this in a childish manor, crossing his arms as he spoke.
"So you think I'm going to fail, I knew it." I slumped down in the chair and soon filled with anger. "You said you believed in me, you told me I could do this. The only reason I didn't take the potion is to prove you right, that I could do this. You were the only person who said I could do anything, ever! In my muggle life, and in this life. Neville, I never thought you'd be dis-honest, especially to me." I stood up and my eyes filled with tears. Neville, the one person I had ever trusted, the one person I listened too, felt I needed a potion in order to pass some tests. I knew I wasn't good enough.

I stormed out and headed for the bench, this time alone. Neville didn't follow me, and I was in two minds if I wanted him too. I felt so conflicted, I knew I was over-reacting, but I just didn't want to face him, he was the only person I felt I could be truly myself around, because he seemed to feel just the same way, and now he was making me feel like rubbish. My attitude was accurately represented by the weather, It was raining heavily and the air was cold and still. I sat there giving looks to on-goers who were seeking refuge from the rain in shops and pubs. Suddenly the rain stopped, above me at least. I looked up to see an umbrella, I assumed it was Neville so just carried on as I was. However, I was wrong.
"No thanks? I probably saved you the trouble of drinking a Pepperup Potion." The voice sounded cold, yet friendly, I definitely recognised it. I looked to my left.
"You have hazel eyes. I never noticed." I lied, I had noticed, the first time I met him, not far from this spot.
"It's nice to see you again." Keeran sat beside me, where Neville was supposed to sit.
"Is it?" I wasn't in the mood for flirting, or making friends. I turned from him, hoping he would just leave.
"What's the matter with you?" He asked, however concern wasn't the tone his voice carried.
"Nothing, and it's not like it's any of your business anyway." I turned back to him and noticed he was wearing a necklace similar to my own.
"Whats that?" I pointed to the necklace and then instinctively touched my own.
"The Deathly Hallows, I got it in a Christmas Cracker one year." He looked down to the black plastic symbol attached to a thin chain that hung to his collar bone.
"Excuse me? I don't follow." I shuffled on the bench and all thoughts of Neville and my O.W.Ls had gone as I focused on the only thing that my parents had left me.
"Wait here." Keeran stood up and walked into Florish and Blotts, returning a few moments later with a small book in his hand.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Is this like, a childrens book." I took the small book from him and read the front cover. I saw the name Hermione on the front cover.
"Hermione Granger wrote this?" I held up the book in astonishment.
"No, she translated it from Runes to English." Keeran sat back down on the bench. I nodded
"But does this have to do with the Deathly Hallows." I passed the book back to him.
"The tale of the three brothers is in there, about the creation of the deathly hallows. A powerful wand, an invisibility cloak, and a stone that can raise the dead. It used to be just a story, but now we know they're real." Keeran pushed the book towards me and smiled an odd smile. I looked up and decided he suited the broody mysterious look a whole lot more.
"Keep it, read it. I have to go now, I have places to me but I guess i'll see you at Hogwarts." With that, he left. I watched him walk, down Diagon alley, past Florish and Blotts, and down into... Knockturn Alley. The other day I'd asked Neville what was down there - Dark Arts filled the place, that's what Neville said. Why would be be going down there? My curious mind created various reasons to why he was venturing into the alley. Maybe he had to buy something for a potion - after all, Neville got Felix Felicis from there... Or maybe it was the only way he could get home. Never did I think Keeran would be involved in the dark nature that infested the small alley and the shops that resided there.

All the deep thinking and day dreaming led me to be unaware that I was no longer alone.
"Where did you get the book?" Neville took the book from my hand and looked at me and smiled apologetically.
"That guy from the other day came by and gave me it, he was explaining the Deathly Hallows." I didn't look at Neville and although I was no longer angry or bitter at him, I still felt hurt by his honesty. I knew every word he said was true and I felt terrible, but It hurt hearing what had been going through my head all this time. I knew I wasn't good enough, I knew I was going to fail.
"I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry." We both apologised in unison. I smiled at him as he handed back the book.
"It's not that I don't think you can do it, I just know how worried you are, and I wanted to help." Neville pulled me towards him and as before, my head fit perfectly on his shoulder.
"I know, I was just so nervous and stressed, I guess I just took it out on you. Neville, I really appreciate everything you've done for me, and I just don't want to let you down by failing these O.W.Ls." I sighed, wishing that I'd been told about my true identity sooner so I had more time to study.
"Take the vile." Neville put his arm around me and rested his head on my head.
"But- I can't even argue anymore." I shivered as I noticed the sky turn darker and darker as we had sat, the rain still falling.
"Lets's go inside, you're soaking wet." Neville stood up and I followed, the weather hadn't even bothered me until Neville had mentioned the rain. My skin was ice cold and wet, storming off in summer wear is not a good idea. We headed inside our room and Neville got out his wand and produced a small flame in the centre of the room. I hurried over and still shivered took off my boots, revealing my soaked socks, which I then also removed. A hot chocolate later I was beginning to feel my feet again. The same couldn't be said for my fingers.
"Thankyou." Neville was rushing round getting me this and that, cleaning the room and telling me to drink up, making mug after mug of hot chocolate.
"You say that too much, what are friends for?" He winked at me and then sat beside me after finally being happy with the state of the room.
"This flame you made is really nice" Red and amber danced and flickered as me and Neville stared into the hypnotising flames of the fire. Neville wrapped his cardigan around my bare shoulders which were still quite cold as we sat in silence, admiring his handy work.
"You're still cold, and your hair is wet." Neville pushed my wet, limp wavy hair back from my face as I shrugged my shoulders, not even caring that tomorrow I'll probably have to drink more vile Pepperup Potion.
"What if tomorrow I fail? Will I not be able to go to Hogwarts?" I looked down and clutched the cardigan close to me, voicing my fears.
"You won't fail." Neville's eyes showed how much he believed in what he said, but no matter how many times it was said, I still didn't believe it.
"I hope not. But I still can't stop thinking that I will. I don't care about not going to Hogwarts as much as I care about letting you down. I'm sick of being a disappointment." I whispered the last bit as I sipped the hot chocolate.
"I don't care if you get an Outstanding or a Troll on your O.W.Ls. All i care about is your happiness. You're a great person and your O.W.L isn't going to change that, you will not disappointment me." Neville seemed saddened by my honest yet melodramatic words.
"But what if-" Tears were forming in my eyes as I looked into Nevilles, usually Neville smile and kind heart wiped away my negative emotion effortlessly but this time, it was going to take more to make me act like a Gryffindor. Mid sentence I was stopped by Neville's soft lips touching mine with force. I was in shock, but it was a good shock. Everything just melted away, time stopped and we just sat kissing, despite my wet hair I'd never felt warmer. The fire that burned within Neville seemed to radiate through me as we kissed. His hands cupped my face as we continued to embrace. Minutes that felt like hours went by as we reluctantly parted lips. Nothing was said, Neville just stared open mouthed, catching his breath as I looked up at him in awe. The only noise came from the crackling flames. It felt like I was looking down on the both of us, looking down at the scene I knew would reply in my mind over and over.

***
It was morning, I realised what day it was and my heart sank. O.W.Ls. Neville, as always was awake before, dressed and ready to go. I had no idea where I would be doing my O.W.Ls and had no idea what they would be like. I stalled getting ready, and in the rush of the morning and the fact both me and Neville were nervous for the days events, last night just seemed to have never happened. We were both dressed and out of the Leaky Cauldron before the shops of Diagon Alley were even open. We walked, in silence, the tension between us slowly building before heading to a small fire place just off of Diagon Alley.
"We're traveling by floo powder. You've never done it before, so we'll go as a pair." Neville took a handful of a grey powder from a small box that was next to the fire-place, he took my hand and we stepped inside the fire place. I'd be a liar if I wasn't disappointed by the lack of butterflies and passion when we held hands, but in the current situation it wasn't on the top of my list of priorities. Neville shouted something, I however wasn't listening, and suddenly we were surrounded by green flames and I could no longer see, or breath (It was more comfortable that apperating though) then we were there. Neville shoved the vile of Felix Felicis down my throat before entering a large, boring building. We walked down long dark empty corridors and after various twists and turned entered a small empty room where a small desk with a quill, some ink and a large length of parchment were placed. Other than this, and a small thin man wearing plum coloured robes stood at the front of the room, the room was bare. No photos, no paintings, the whole room was without a personality. Neville pushed me through the doorway and mouthed 'go on, good luck.' I smiled a weak smile but somewhere in my gut I knew Felix was going to do it's job. Hours and hours after pointless questions, or things I admittedly had heard of, and I finally emerged from the room, hand sore and brain aching. I smiled at Neville who stood up and walked towards me with a relieved look on his face.
"So?" He seemed more nervous that I was.
"Good, I think... Whats left now - just the practical exam?" I was more excited about the practical part of the O.W.Ls, this part, I knew I was going to at least get an Acceptable in. Neville nodded and guided me towards another room, this one slightly bigger, with a sort of battle mannequin placed in the centre, with a target on it's chest. Again, several hours past of me disarming the mannequin, producing a full body patronus and other various charms and spells I left the room, exhausted and really just wanting my bed. Neville who this time looked more bored than concerned looked up to me and smiled a weak but honest smile. I looked up and him and smiled, glad the day was ending. We both headed out of the building and again, hand it hand, travelling back to Diagon Alley using floo powder, we stepped out of the fire place, Neville lowering his head due to his height and I thought as we walked if tonight I should start worrying about the events of the night before, since I no longer had to worry about my O.W.Ls...