Neville was supposed to have been off the entire day, as payment for having to stay an extra 12 hours on a shift, but he had been called in that morning. He really needed to talk to his supervisor about hiring more mind healers because if he continued on this path his body was going to rebel and completely shut down. As it was, he had been released of duty around noon and had promptly gone home and into bed. Around 8, his alarm went off, and he couldn't for the life of him remember why. It wasn't until he looked in his planner that he realized he had promised to see Mac tonight.

He changed into a loose pair of jeans and a simple blue and white striped button down shirt. He was just going to the Three Broomsticks, so he wasn't going to get dressed up, but this was pretty comfortable. Taking in account that it was a Saturday night, Neville didn't want to floo and run into someone on the way out of the gate, so he decided to apparate to Hogsmeade and walk the rest of the way.

Upon entering, he reared back at the amount of noise. He had not expected to see this many people. Looking around, he saw a man getting up from his spot at the bar, and he shamelessly used his height and size to get to the stool first. He looked down the bar and saw Mac refilling someone's glass.

"Oi! What does it take to get some service?!"

Someone was about to get a bottle to the face for hollering at her like that. Then she looked up and saw Neville Longbottom squeezed in at the bar.

"Neville!"

She handed the bottle of firewhisky she'd been pouring to the wizard she'd been pouring it for then rushed down to where Neville was.

"What can I do ya for?"

"Something tame," he said with a grin. "Give me a water. I don't want to be the drunk that has the Aurors called on him, because my luck would be it would be someone I knew." He looked around. "It's a busy night. I didn't know the Three Broomsticks got this crowded."

Mac smiled. "I'd never call the Aurors on ya. I'd carry ya up to m'room and let ya sleep it off."

She turned and grabbed him a cold water. She cracked it open and set it before him.

"Weekends get a bit crowded, aye." She leaned across the bar towards him, smiling like a loony. She was also pleased she'd worn her red corset tonight.

He nearly choked when he saw her outfit. Maybe she was trying out some Halloween costume early?

"How late is this place open?"

"On a Saturday, mostly midnight, but I can leave after I play iffen ya have somethin' else in mind. M'brother hired some extra help, but I tend the bar most of the time because I like it. I've to play, but then I can cut out iffen it's too noisy in here."

"I don't want to take you away from your job or anything. I was just wondering." He took another gulp of his water. "What time are you going to play? I hope it quiets down because it's so noisy. I'd hate to miss your playing."

"You want it now?"

He blinked at her. Mac grabbed her violin from under the bar, chuckling.

"Dinna worry, Nev. You'll not miss a thing."

That said, she came around the bar. At the first note, the regulars immediately stopped talking. Those that didn't know were shushed by those that did. She loved that. Mac danced a bit between the tables as she played, her boots stomping the wooden floor. She loved the energy of music.

Neville just closed his eyes and leaned against the bar. He was loving it when she played. He always did like music, all sorts. His Gran made sure he was a well-rounded child, and the violin was his favorite instrument before the cello.

People started clapping, which made him grin. His foot was tapping the side of the stool. He decided he was going to have to come a lot more just to hear her play.

Mac turned about to see if he was watching her. What he was doing was so much better. He was lost in the music. Merlin, Morrigan, and Mab, she was getting him out of this din after she finished. Anyone who liked music so well, she wanted to herself for a bit. Mac let out a bit of a call and danced some more. The crowd was shouting and clapping. She loved it.

She finished her bit not a breath from the man she had her eyes set for. Her brother was watching warily, but when she ended the song, he clapped. Brody always clapped. People cheered and held up their glasses, bottles, and mugs. She took a few bows.

Neville grinned when she finished her song. He clapped with all the other patrons and gave a little shout when she bowed in his direction. When she came back to the bar, he smiled at her.

"I think I'm going to have to come here every Saturday night just to hear you play. You were magnificent."

"Thank you," Mac said slowly. She liked the idea of him coming to hear her. Every Saturday though? Could she stand it?

"Come," she grabbed his hand roughly and dragged him through the kitchen and out back before he could think of protesting. She realized how hot it had been in Broomsticks once they were out in the night air. "Now ya dinna have to share me wit the whole bar... and I dinna have to share ya."

She leaned against the back of the building and folded her arm across her chest.

He was surprised when Mac grabbed his hand and pulled him out the back.

"Share me?" He laughed. "Share me with who?"

"Anyone else, mon. I like us alone, aye? Just you and I. No drunks to mess wit us." Mac grinned widely. "Och, we can head back inside after a bit. I just wanted to... talk to ya alone for a spell, aye? Humor me?"

He hadn't known he had made that much of an impression, but he was all for just having a conversation away from people. He had dealt with people enough in the past week, and being alone for a one-on-one conversation was nice.

"I'll humor you. So, what's been going on since I saw you last? Any more drunks?"

"No' many. They're gettin' too scared of the bouncer to cause much trouble."

"Bouncer?"

"Me."

Neville snickered. "I'd be scared of you as well. I think that mostly may be from the fact that I knew your brothers, and they taught me to fight, so I'm sure you picked up a lot of fighting tips from them. That and those boots look like they'd hurt."

"Bro and Con taught ya to fight?" Mac asked, moving closer. Now she wanted to wrestle with him. The idea intrigued her greatly. "Iffen I took m'boots off, mayhap we could have a bit of a wrestle sometime, aye? I'd be curious as to what ya know."

Neville mimicked her pose of leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. "When I was first introduced into the Order, they were there. Mostly I was just in it for the plants and healing and things, but our camp was attacked once. I barely made it out alive. Connor is the one who saved me. After that, they both took me under their wing and made sure I could protect myself physically. I was fine with a wand because of Harry teaching us in the DA at school, but without a wand I could throw a plant at a Death Eater and that was it."

He smiled and stared into the dark alley. "I didn't know Brody had bought this place, otherwise I would have come much sooner and said hello."

He was special now. She had seen it before, but now she knew why. Mac was a firm believer in fate. Connor had saved him. He likely didn't know why at the time other than he probably liked Neville, but Mac knew now. If it weren't for her eldest brother, she would never have met Neville Longbottom. Her brother had saved him for her.

"But yer here now," Mac said, putting a hand on his arm. Could she stay out back with him forever? She didn't know about Connor and him. Brody had never mentioned it. That fact made her want him safe even though she was certain he could handle himself.

Neville shook himself and grinned at Mac. "That I am, and with a much harder head than before. Damn head butts. I fall for the 'I have a secret to tell you, Longbottom' every time, and then 'BAM'. Instant headache."

Mac laughed so hard, she snorted. That trick of her brothers' never failed to amuse her. They used to do it back home all the time just to hear her laugh. She used the same tactic at times, but not for head butts. She decided to mess with him a bit.

"I've a secret to tell ya, Nev."

"Oh no. I'm not falling for that."

Mac nudged a small crate over with her boot and stood on it, so she was eye level with him. "It's no' a head butt, swear. I have a different thing I do. Now... I've a secret to tell ya, Nev."

She wiggled a finger at him to come closer. Neville looked wary, but leaned towards her. Mac leaned around and pressed a lingering kiss to the spot of skin behind his ear.

They stayed close together; neither of them moved an inch.

"I have to say I like your secrets a hell of a lot better than your brother's, but don't tell him I said that, because then I'd have to explain. I like my fingers and toes where they are, thanks."

He couldn't help but nuzzle her cheek before pulling back.

She had butterflies in her belly. She had not had that since she was fifteen. He touched her softly. That was a bit foreign to her. She almost didn't want to allow it. She could take rough treatment. He'd seen she was a bit of a brawler, yet he still touched her like that.

"I wouldna let him hurt ya," Mac whispered.

She didn't know if she wanted to throw herself at him, literally, or keep talking.

"What on earth are ya doin'?"

They both turned to see Brody standing there.

"No' near as much as I'd like," Mac snapped in the same tone her brother had used with her. "But I have been tellin' Nev secrets."

"What did I say about fingers and toes?" he hissed before turning to Brody. "I was telling her about how you and Connor taught me to fight. Also about how you always would claim you needed to tell me a secret and then crash your skull into mine. Thanks for all that, by the way."

All the while he was speaking, Neville's inner voice was really saying 'Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me.'

Brody was glaring.

Mac put her hands on her hips. "I'm no wearin' any knickers tonight."

Her brother shouted, covered his ears, and rushed back into the pub.

Mac chuckled. "Bro's no' good wit me naked. He doesna handle that news well a'tall."

Neville had this look.

She slapped lightly at his chest. "Och mon, I'm wearin' knickers. I always wear knickers... except for when I dinna."

He was so very confused. "Wait, what? That made no sense. Now I'm having thoughts about your knickers."

Neville's eyes widened and he quickly looked around for her angry brother.

"Oh, I'm going to die. He's going to kill me, I just know it. It was nice knowing you, Mac."

"And I've told ya already, I willna allow him to hurt ya. No' at all, Nev. Ya go on and think on m'knickers all ya like. Ya can think about what's in them as well. I dinna mind tha a'tall."

His eyes were wide again.

"I say what I mean, and I mean what I say."

"That's what I'm worried about. And thinking about. At the same time. Damn. Did you spike my water or something?"

"Yer worried bout what's in m'knickers? It's all fairly norm for a lass, I assure ya. I havna had any complaints a'fore. And iffen I had spiked yer water, you'd be in m'knickers already - no' just talkin' bout them. 'Sides, I would never do tha' to ya. What good is havin' a man you've to cheat to get? No, any lass worth her salt wants one who wants her. All of her bad habits an' all."

Neville laughed a bit hysterically. "I'm not worried about your knickers or what's in them. I'm worried that I'm thinking about what's in them. Oh Merlin, your brother is going to kill me. Yes, I know, you won't let him hurt me," he interrupted her.

"Never," she said hopping off the crate to head back inside. "But iffen ya ever want to see iffen reality matches yer thoughts, you'll let me know, aye? I'm quite bendable. It could be one of m'no' wearing knickers days."

Neville walked into the wall next to the door.

"Ow. Damn wall."

She needed to take better care that he wasn't walking when she said stuff like that to him. This was the second time a comment like that had caused him to walk into something. She grabbed a hold of his hand and pulled him inside.

"Iffen I lead, ya willna walk into nothin' else, aye? Sorry bout tha'. I canna control m'self much in yer presence."

"Not your problem," Neville said. "Walls like to jump out at me."

When they walked back in, the noise overpowered them.

"It's rather busy. Why don't I let you get back to work, and I'll owl you sometime this week. Maybe we can have dinner? Do you work most nights?"

Mac grinned. "I'd like tha'. I'm always free for ya. Owl me."

She took a handful of his shirt and pulled him down and bit so she could press a quick kiss to his lips. Then she practically skipped back behind the bar. Brody was glaring at her. Mac hardly noticed. She was watching Neville with a grin still on her face. He wanted to take her to dinner. No one ever wanted that from her.

Neville grinned back at her until he caught Brody's death glare. He quickly gulped and headed outside, pulling his wand out of his pocket and apparating to his flat.


{SUMMARY} Neville drops in to see Mac. She tell him secrets.