A/N: Written for the Houses competition, round 9

House: Slytherin

Year: Four

Category: Drabble

Prompt [Speech] "Couldn't you accept a compliment just this once?"

Word count: 521

Beta: DaronwyK

Seventh year was a nightmare. Snape was headmaster; two known Death Eaters, the Carrows, were assigned as disciplinarians and the dark arts were used with free range all around the school. Nobody knew where Harry Potter was, or even if he was alive, and there was little to hope for.

In the middle of all that, Neville Longbottom was blessed with the ability to find beauty in the darkest places. That had helped him cope with his parent's horrific situation and now, it was helping him through this horrible year. The greenhouses were his favorite refuge, as plants always provided beauty to look at, but he would also take a minute to look at one of the portraits or admire the beautiful Scottish landscape from a window.

One evening he had just brought an order of dittany and other plant-based ingredients from the greenhouses to the Potions classroom and was walking down the cold hallway when he heard it. The beautiful musical notes filled the air and he followed them towards an abandoned music room near the Slytherin dungeons.

Pansy Parkinson was sitting at an old grand piano, playing a sad, melancholic song. The moonlight illuminated her and Neville felt strangely mesmerized. She looked beautiful. Her posture was perfect; her usually hardened face was soft and open in a sad expression. At that moment, a shiny tear rolled down her cheek. He stepped closer and said,

"That is beautiful. I didn't know you played."

She looked at him, startled. All she managed to say was,

"Go mock someone else, Longbottom."

"Couldn't you accept a compliment just this once?" he said and turned his back to leave

"Longbottom wait," she said and when he turned around she gestured for him to come close.

"Sit here with me. Please."

He sat on the piano bench, next to her, and she played some more. He closed his eyes, letting the notes fill his brain, taking him away from the horrors that had become their daily life. When she was done, she turned her face to look at him and he gave her a sweet smile. She reached for his face and hovered her fingers over his cheek, where a deep cut blemished his handsome features. She'd seen it happen. Alecto Carrow had done it when he put himself between her and a first-year boy that the monstrous witch intended to punish. Neville had stood his ground and the evil professor had turned her fury on him, sparing the little boy. It had been an act of amazing courage. Courage that she did not have. But at least she could make it a little bit better, so she offered

"Do you want me to heal that for you?"

He nodded and she performed a flawless healing spell. When she was done only a pink line was left, it probably wouldn't leave a scar. She reached out again and this time dared to touch his face. He leaned into the touch, allowing his cheek to rest in the cup of her hand. In this time of horror, beauty was found in the strangest of places.