He had woken up with a shock. Panting, he looked around for his wand and cast a freshening charm. He was soaked in sweat, and his heart was pounding, as was his head. This had to stop. After the checking the calender, Neville stared in disbelief at the date it showed. Thursday. What had happened to Tuesday and Wednesday? He had an appointment with Ginny on Tuesday, and he remembered hearing a medi-witch tell him that he had an appointment, and that he left Mungo's, but after that... nothing.

It was early, but Neville hoped Ginny was in her office. This was getting serious. He himself had documented cases of people so absorbed into something, they would forget to eat, drink, and sleep. They would forget days at a time, but something told him this wasn't the case. The only other option was Imperio, but had checked himself, and it came back negative.

Heartened by the fact that the door was open, he called out.

"Ginny? You here?"

"Nev?" Pushing back from her desk, Ginny rose. "In my office," she called out to him.

He made his way back to her office and stopped in the doorway.

"Hi, Gin," he said with a small grin.

"Nev," she said again, with an eyebrow raised. "I don't believe you had an appointment. Don't you know that's how we work around here?" She smiled with her words, unable to keep it from pulling at her lips.

Rubbing a hand over his face, he laughed. "After the times I've had, joking like that is bad for my health."

Her smile faltered. "Did you realize why you'd owled?"

He looked at her strangely. "What are you talking about? Of course I know why I owled. I only did it the other day."

Ginny frowned. "You owled me on Monday and came in here on Tuesday." Her eyes grew more worried. "Nev," she took a step towards him, "seriously. Are you feeling alright?"

"That's why I owled," Neville said with wide eyes. "I'm blacking out, I can't remember things, things are moved that I didn't move. Something is wrong."

"Sit down," Ginny said, grabbing his hand and leading him towards the little couch. She stood in front of him, pulling her wand from her robes and holding it in front of his eyes. Muttering a 'lumos' charm, she peered into his face. "Symptoms."

Neville sat still, acknowledging that her healer tendencies were taking over. "Blackouts, memory loss, constant exhaustion, disorientation, constant headaches."

"Any changes in diet or exercise? Any increased stress? New potion regimens?"

"Half the time I can't remember eating," Neville confessed. "But I'm never hungry, and I've gained a lot of weight, and lost my muscle tone. As far as stress or potions go, I haven't changed."

Ginny pulled back, pressing her fingertips on either side of his neck, pushing against his lymph nodes to check for swelling. "You don't remember anything from the times you're blacking out?"

Neville shook his head. "There are fuzzy blurs at Mungo's, but once I leave to go home, I hardly remember anything."

Frown deepening on her face, Ginny grabbed Neville's wrist, counting in her head.

"I feel like I'm going insane, Ginny. I've studied this before, but I've tried everything I know what to do, and nothing is working."

"Studied what before, Neville? What do you think is going on?"

He sighed. "Blackouts, confusion, all the other symptoms... it points to mind control. Common in Imperio or other body controlling potions. I've done the tests, and everything is negative."

"You think someone's casting an unforgiveable on you?" She stood. "Why did you come here? You should go to the Ministry! Go tell Harry! Neville! I'm just a healer! You need to talk to the MLE!"

"I told you I already ran the tests, Ginny. It'd be pointless to go and waste time of the MLE."

"Well, I'm your bloody healer and if I say you're going to the MLE, you're going to the MLE!" She crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't like this. She didn't like his thoughts, his assumptions and concern... everything about this seemed wrong. Neville was one of the most put together people she knew. If something was wrong with him, something was wrong.

Neville stood up and glared at her. "And say what, Ginny? That I think I've had Imperio cast on me, but it doesn't show up on detection spells, and the very fact that I think I've been cast on proves that I haven't."

"I don't know," Ginny shouted. "But you're making me really worried, and if you're worried, then I'm more worried and you know how I get when I'm worried!" Her glare softened. "Neville, what do you want me to say? If you're worried, I'm worried, and I want to help."

Neville sighed. "Sorry, Ginny. I know what I'm doing here, and yes, I'm a bit worried, but... if it's still going on in a few days, I'll go see the MLE. Happy?"

"Not entirely," Ginny said with a scowl. "If this gets worse, promise me you'll go to Harry."

"I said I would, and I will. Thanks for the help though. You're a good friend, and I hate that the only interaction we get is if one of our lives are exploding."

"The real question is if that's the only reason we see each other, why you're not glued to my hip, Neville Longbottom."

Neville grinned and gave Ginny a hug. "I can't risk having my heart broken. I'm afraid you'd choose Malfoy over me. I couldn't take the blow to the ego."

"And I couldn't take the blow Mac would throw at my face," she answered as she hugged him. "Let me know if anything gets worse. Owl me, right away. I'll come find you."

As he pulled back, Neville nodded. "Deal. I'll owl. Thanks for checking though, Ginny."

She smacked him lightly on the arse as he exited her office, grinning at him as he looked over his shoulder at her in shock. She shrugged, turning back to her desk. As soon as she heard the front door close and felt the hum of the wards, the frown returned to Ginny's face. She was worried. Worried worried. Blackouts. Gaps in memory. Headaches. None of these things were good. At all.

[Summary]: Neville goes to see Ginny, and they both worry over what's happening to him.