"I-can't-do-it!" cried Neville, frustrated.
"I'll help you, Neville," came a voice from behind him. It was Luna Lovegood, a 4th year Ravenclaw Neville had a crush on.
"Th-thanks, Luna," replied Neville. He always got nervous around Luna. She was so beautiful and perfect. Neville was afraid that if he said something wrong, Luna would hate him forever.
"Here, like this. Expelliarmus!" she demonstrated.
"Expelliarmus!" Neville tried. It didn't work.
"Your wand movement is incorrect, it's like this," she said, and took hold of his arm. She waved his arm in a certain way. Nevillie got goosebumps. Luna was actually touching his arm!
"E- Expelliarmus!" he said. The practice dummy's "wand" flew out of its "hand" and it rolled backwards. Neville's spell was a success, with Luna's help! Neville loved going to the DA meetings. Sure, they were very sporadic, but he go to see Luna at every meeting. The most he got to see her face in a week was two days, and he loved every minute of them. Most of the reason that Neville wasn't good at spells was that he was too focused on Luna. Aguamentiwas especially hard, where you could only focus on the charm, and nothing else whatsoever.
The first time that Neville realized he loved Luna was at their very first DA meeting in Hogsmeade. Luna had simply risen from her seat, moved her white-blond hair away from her face, and signed her name on the DA list. Neville hadn't known what it was about Luna that made him fall in love with her. He had seen other girls write, of course, but somehow Luna was different. Her fingernails were not polished like everyone else's. Her smooth fingers swiftly signed her name on the paper. She had turned around and smiled, seeming to be happy with herself. Her smile was gorgeous; it was soft and not forced, and she had perfect teeth. She had chosen to sit next to Neville after signing her name, and Neville had gotten goosebumps all over.
Harry interrupted Neville's thoughts. "Thanks for coming, everyone! You all did really well today. We'll let you know when the next meeting will be!" he announced, meaning it was time to leave. People started filing out of the Room of Requirement.
"B-Bye, Luna," stammered Neville.
"Goodbye, Neville Longbottom," she answered calmly.
Neville left the room silently, thinking about Luna. Did she like him back? Neville hoped so. Valentine's Day was coming up. Could he gather up the courage to ask her to go to Hogsmeade with him that day? He'd have to ask her at the next DA meeting.
It soon came. It was the day before Valentine's Day, and many people were asking others out. This slightly gave Neville courage. Others did it, why couldn't he? He approached Luna. She was practicing a spell and didn't notice him right away. "Um, uh... h-hi L-Luna," Neville stuttered.
"Oh, hello, Neville," answered Luna.
"Um, I was wondering if... y-you w-wanted to g-go with m-me to H-Hogsmeade tomorrow?"
"As friends?" asked Luna.
Neville's mood level dropped to an all-time low. As friends? No... "Um, yeah," he said, as if this was fine with him.
"How fun!" said Luna. "Where should we meet? I rather like Madam Puddifoot's."
"Th-That's fine then," said Neville. "Meet you there."
The next day, when Neville walked in to Madam Puddifoot's, he found Luna casually waiting by the door. She must have been early. The place was decorated with pink, which Neville tried to ignore. He and Luna walked over to a table in the corner and ordered coffee.
"I-I'll buy it," Neville stammered.
"Oh, okay," said Luna. "Are you stuttering because of the Wrackspurts? They fly around your head and make your brain go all fuzzy."
"Um, no, I-I don't th-think so," replied Neville.
"Oh," said Luna. "May I asked what it is?"
"Um... well, um..."
"Oh, I see that it was rude of me to ask. I won't talk about it."
"W-Well I'm st-st-stuttering b-because I... I... I... I l-like you."
"Yes, that's why we're friends," said Luna.
"Um, sure," said Neville, blushing.
"Are we not friends?" asked Luna.
"W-We are," answered Neville. "I just-"
"Good. Oh, what were you going to say?"
"I, um... w-well, I h-have a crush on y-you."
Luna's eyes widened. "Is that so? Why, I feel the same way. For the longest time, I had a crush on you also, but I managed not to show it. You, however, stutter around me." She smiled.
"Y-Yeah," said Neville.
"You're very handsome, you know," said Luna. She leaned forward and lightly kissed Neville on the nose.
Neville turned bright red and smiled at Luna, the amazing and perfect girl of his now real-life dreams.
