DISCLAIMER:I OWN NOTHING EXCEPT THE PLOT AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS PURELY THE PRODUCT OF MY OVERACTIVE IMAGINATION.

A/N; Before you say anything, yes i know-crap title i'll try and think of a cooler one soon. This is my first ever story on here so be gentle. Please.

Outcasts no more

I was spinning.

'Neville what on earth are you doing? Stop that incessant spinning you're making me dizzy'

I'm Neville, in case you were wondering. I wonder who I am sometimes but then my grandmother shouts my name at me so I can never doubt that I'm Neville longbottom for more than fifteen minutes at a time. No Gran will never let me forget that I'm a boy with no parents, few friends and little else. Not that she says anything it's the fact that she doesn't say anything that makes me feel so alone. She prefers to shout.

Anyway back to my spinning. The reason I was spinning was because I was trying to see if I would break anything. I know that sounds stupid but there is a theory behind it; I'm really clumsy when I'm fully in control of my body so I wanted to see if I would still break anything if I wasn't. See what I mean?

'Neville!'

I stopped only to find that I could still knock over a plant stand in my disorientated state. I broke a terracotta pot, a fuchsia plant and the remembrall I'd left on it. Spinning doesn't make me less clumsy but it was fun if a little painful.

'See what you've done. Go upstairs and get ready to go to diagon alley. Come on hurry up' she said poking me with her cane.

Ten minutes later I was being shoved down a fireplace to the leaky cauldron. I barely had to orientate myself before Gran had appeared and had taken a firm hold on my arm and was dragging me through the wall and into Diagon alley. I beheld the glittering shop-windows surrounded by little kids marvelling at the latest broom or a diamond encrusted cauldron or something else equally droll. Naturally I couldn't stop and look at whatever it was that they were looking at as Gran was dragging me into flourish and Blotts. It wouldn't have been quite so bad if there weren't a crowd of slytherins (thankfully not Malloy and co.) in there leering at me whenever Gran turned her back.

'Neville show me your list' she wasn't looking at me, just barking commands as if I was too stupid to understand anything else.

I honestly don't know why she trusts me at all she knows I'll just forget. Maybe she likes showing me just how useless I am. She knew I didn't have it, I knew I didn't have it so why did she ask? I'll tell you why, because she wants to rub in the fact that I'll never amount to more then dad did.

'I don't have it' I don't think that she heard me, I said it pretty quietly.

'What's that?'

I didn't reply

She rolled her eyes and got out the auxiliary letter. She always makes a copy of my list and gives me the original one for some reason. She read it out to a little old man with white hair who I could only presume was the shop assistant as he was scurrying around fetching all the books that Gran was asking for. Finally she clapped her hands and we left. Naturally I was carrying all the books. She could have quite easily charmed them somehow so I would have to carry them but she didn't and I didn't ask.

'You'll need some more potions supplies. Try not to break anything in there.' the last sentence stung. She said it as if I was a child and not an almost-fifteen-year-old wizard

I muttered something along the lines of 'yes Gran' and traipsed along behind her trying to peer over the pile of books that I was carrying.

I hate buying potions supplies; it always reminds me of professor Snape's dungeon, something I never want to be reminded of. I don't know why I'm so scared of him I've had other teachers who I haven't gotten on with but they've never affected me quite so much. He's so intimidating. I actually like potions. Before I went to Hogwarts I used to make potions from books to help my plants grow. But the minute I see Snape my hands tremble and I know that it's only a matter of time before he sneers at me like he always does. Just being in the same room as him means that my potion will turn out rubbish. At least if I'm sitting near Hermione Granger she usually helps me a bit.

I used to like her a lot but everybody knows that she really loves Ron; hopefully they'll know it soon. Dean and Seamus even have a bet going as to when they'll get together. Actually a lot of people have bets going about that. Except Harry and me. Harry doesn't appear to know yet or if he does he doesn't say anything

Gran doesn't let me gamble so I didn't join in. she'd know if I did; she's a Legimens. She doesn't know that I know but my great uncle Algie told me last year on his annul visit. He usually comes during the summer holidays for my birthday. Last year he brought me some Chinese blue dragon fertilizer, which is hard to get hold of in England. The year before that he got me a Flooper feather quill. This year he's been hinting in his letters that he got a good value second hand invisibility cloak. I doubt that I'd had much use for one, unless I wore it between lessons so nobody would see me, but they're really rare so I wouldn't complain. Uncle Algie is really rich. He's a retired Auror, so was great aunt Edith, his wife. Gran and me are quite well off too, mum and dad left me loads and Grandad worked for the department of mysteries before he died a few years ago. I was with him when he died. He was poisoned, we never did find out who did it, we never got that closure.

'Neville stop dallying, I've got everything. After we get quills and parchment then we'll go home'

Thank god.

'That reminds me what do you want for your birthday?' she said stiffly but smiling slightly.

This surprised me. Usually she just got me whatever she thought I needed: new cloak, socks, remembrall (she's brought me nine in the last four years) or perhaps if I'm lucky a new cauldron (I've gone through six since I started at hog warts).

There wasn't really anything that I really wanted so I said something vague.

'Could I have something to do with herbology' I whispered it. Gran had always been quite puzzled by my interest in herbology, she didn't think it was something to 'waste ones time with'.

She told me to go wait in Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlour so she could go buy my present. I had to pay for my own ice cream but I was still pleasantly surprised by Grans newfound thoughtfulness.

She came back twenty minutes later with something in her hand. She'd put an invisibility charm on it so I wouldn't know what it was but by the way she was holding it I could tell it was a book. My face fell it was probably something to do with transfiguration, she's always hoped that I'd be good at it.

She'd also gone to gringorts to get me some money. I hate it how we always do all the shopping needed for September in July. I'd only got back from school the day before; Gran likes to do things well in advance.

I was still getting over what had happened at school during the last week of term. Cedric Diggory had died at the hands of he-who-must-not-be-named; Harry had won the triwizard tournament, our defence against the dark arts teacher had turned out to be a death eater, as had durmstrangs head teacher and of course the return of the most evil wizard alive. Of course not everyone believed this, most people thought that Harry and Dumbledore are either mad or imaginative liars. Gran and me believe them, we'd always known that he'd come back one day. Denying that he's back won't make the problem go away. I just hope that the ministry won't pretend that he's not back too.

Gran had told me once that mum and dad were part of a group called the order of the phoenix that tried to thwart he-who-must-not-be-named and his followers. From what I've heard Dumbledore was their leader and lots of people like the potters and some of the teachers were in it. I wonder if it's reformed? I hope it has for the sake of muggleborns and muggles everywhere.

After we went to buy a new quill and a bale of parchment we went to Bartleby's & co. wizarding supplies to get some floo powder. We stayed there for a while because Gran wanted to talk to Errol Bartleby, the owner who she's known for years. One half an hour conversation and a lot of thumb twiddling later we finally left through the fireplace there. I came hurtling out of the kitchen fireplace thankfully not breaking anything.

I ran up to my room with my stuff before Gran arrived, that way I wouldn't have to talk to her.

Gran had moved my bedroom up to the attic while I was away during my first year so she could make my room into a second drawing room. The attic room is cold, has no carpet and smells of damp but I love it; Grans room is two floors down so she doesn't notice if I keep my lamp on so I can read at night. And she can't get up the ladder that leads up here so I can do what I like with the room. She didn't let me put up posters in my old room but she'll never know if I put them up in the attic, which is a good thing because I've covered it in quidditch posters, some quirky muggle posters that don't move, photos of mum and dad and lots of pictures of magical plants. Gran'd throw a fit if she came up here.

She'd also be annoyed at the lack of furniture; Gran likes every corner of a room to be filled with expensive furniture and interesting, rare artifacts. My room however is furnished only with a bed, wardrobe, bookshelf and my trunk. Of course it's hard to see the furniture under all the books, clothes and other paraphernalia.

Trevor, my trusty toad was sleeping soundly in his pen. I made him a pen to live in while I was out because no matter what I do he keeps trying to run away, but he doesn't usually make it very far, he often gets stuck in the pantry or in the drainpipe outside my window. His new pen was made of some wood I found in the shed and some plants and thing also from the garden. He seems to like it but he still tries to escape sometimes.

There's not really a lot to do in my room once I've watered and fed my plants and thrown my clothes down the laundry chute. It's generally always like this on Saturday afternoons, just after lunch at around 2:25p.m. when there's nothing on the radio, the newspapers are having a slow news days and you've already taken all the baths you can sensibly take in one day. That's when the choking feeling of futility starts to kick in and you realise that the best thing to do would just be to go to sleep. Then when you sit in bed on top of the covers staring up at the gaping hole in the ceiling you remember every single stupid thing you've ever done simply because you're very bored and you can't sleep. Then to take your mind off things and basically to stop you thinking you go for a walk. That's pretty much how my Saturday afternoons go.

I quietly snuck out through the back door trying desperately not to wake Gran who was taking her usual mid-afternoon nap in the parlour. I didn't really know where I was going I just wandered out the gates that led out of the front garden into the path that led down to the forest at the bottom of the valley.

Not many people go there mainly because somebody apparently died in the lake at the centre of the forest. The villagers also seem to think that they hear wailing when they go to deep in the forest. Gran dismisses it as trivial gossip and she says she's never heard anything, but I'm not so sure. Once when I was by the lake skipping rocks across it I heard faint crying coming from the little island in the middle of it. The lake's about 250m wide and the island that's roughly in the centre of it is about 20m wide and is covered in trees. I couldn't imagine how anyone could have got to it without a boat unless they swam but considering the rumours about the lake I doubt that anyone would do that. I wanted to run but my legs wouldn't move. Without knowing quite what I was doing I shouted 'hello', the moment I said that the crying stopped and a moment later I saw what looked like a broom shoot out of the trees, I didn't see who was on it but I did see a witches hat, I wish I'd seen her hair maybe I'd have been able to tell who it was. That was last summer. I still wonder who it was, the only other wizarding family who lives around here are the Weaselys, but when I asked Ginny about it at the Yule ball she said she didn't know about the lake.

The Yule ball was the first ball I ever went to and enjoyed. I went with Ginny and although it looked as if she'd rather be there with someone else we still had fun. Not that I can dance, but I forgot that for a while and I ignored whatever anybody said about anything. For a while I actually considered asking her out but then I saw her hanging out with Michael corner so I forgot about that. Well I've tried to forget anyway.

It was a 20-minute walk to the edge of forest, I wished that I'd thought to change out of my wizard robes; they're quite hot once you've been walking for a while, especially since they're dark green but it was ok once I'd taken off my cloak and hat and left them by a tree for me to pick up on my way back. After a while I found my way to the lake. I decided to take advantage of the opportunity and look for some moss that I could use for Trevor's pen.

I was stooped by the lake plucking some moss from a rock when I heard singing coming from the island. It sounded like a girl rather then a woman. I couldn't hear the words but she sounded sad. It was a song of such terrible beauty that it made the hairs on my arms stand up. Her bewitching voice entranced me. I had lost the control of my legs when I just started walking into the water and going thoroughly against my better judgement I started swimming.100m away from the bank I realised just how deep the lake was, I stared down into the dark murky depths but I was still to preoccupied with her song to realise that before that day I'd never leant to swim. It was only when I finally got to the bank when I realised that that was the first time I'd ever swam in my life.

The heat was unbearable. Even the coolness of the lake couldn't cool me down. Without thinking I took off my soaking wet robes, I almost took off my trousers but then I remembered that I couldn't really walk around in my boxers. My hair was going into eyes but I couldn't be bothered to take it out.

I'd walked into a clearing, at first I didn't notice her sitting in a tree but when I looked around looking for where the singing was coming from I saw her reclining in a branch with her broom resting at the bottom of the tree. She didn't notice and just kept on singing with a serene expression on her pale face that was lightly dusted with freckles. Her waist length dirty blonde hair was spread out around her and it fell down from her head that was dangling off the branch.

I walked very slowly and quietly towards her but as I was approaching her I stepped on a twig. Her silvery blue eyes darted swiftly towards me and a look of fear flashed across her face. I must have looked awful; I was wet, half naked and sweaty. The moment she stopped singing I regretted going there, what was I thinking?

What on earth? Merlin, there appears to be a half naked wet boy standing by my tree. I hope he doesn't take my broom; I won't be able to get home. He does look odd though doesn't he? He's wearing trousers but nothing else. How very strange. Oh look he's got a wand. Darn.

Naturally I took my wand from behind my ear but I didn't hold it out in front of me obviously because I didn't want him to know I was a witch. But then I remembered that he would have seen my broom and I pointed it at him. He seemed too surprised to react so I didn't do anything.

'Who are you?' I said it more sternly then I meant to but I was scared.

'Neville longbottom. You?' I relaxed a bit but I didn't put down my wand. My mum knew his parents before..well she knew them before they were attacked by bellatrix lestrange

'What are you doing here?' I said it more curiously then sternly this time. I didn't know anybody actually went there.

'I was picking moss when I heard your singing' he was blushing. I wonder why people blush? It's such an odd thing to do

I always went down to the lake on my broom. There's nobody around to see me fly so dad said I could go wherever I want so long as I take my wand. I live about a mile away from the lake and the forest but there isn't anywhere as isolated nearer to where I live.

I jumped off the tree in what was supposed to be a graceful move but ended up getting my shoe stuck on a lower branch so I fell headfirst into a pile of leaves. He walked over to me to help me up but I refused his help and did it on my own.

'What are you doing here?' this time he was asking me

'I come here when I'm sad' I didn't see any point in lying, not like I'll ever see him again

'Why are you sad?' oddly enough he actually sounded genuinely concerned.

'Who knows, perhaps schmirshnigals live in my roof they invoke despair' I explained. I hope that there aren't any in my roof I hear that they can lay their eggs behind your ears.

'Right' he said uncertainly' I'm afraid I don't know who you are'

For some strange reason quite unknown to myself I didn't want him to know my name.

'Nobody' I answered simply

'Nobody?'

'And everybody'

'You are aware that you're a lunatic'

'So close yet so far'

He furrowed his brow questioningly

'Look to LUNAcy' I said it placing particular emphasis on the Luna bit, if he doesn't get that then he is a fool.

'Luna. Got a surname?'

'Yes but only the worthy can know it. Translate and ye shall know- amorebonne. A literal translation if yen care to know'

If he doesn't speak French then he'll never know. Oh I feel so delightfully wicked

'Lovegood' he said uncertainly

Foiled.

'Doesn't your dad edit the quibbler?'

Brethren, I'm impressed.

I nodded 'you read it?'

'I dabble'

'I take it you swam here.' I said looking pointedly at his wet trousers.

'Yeah. I've only just realised that I can swim'

'How are you gonna get back?'

What an odd fellow, he swam here and now he probably won't be able to get back.

'Well I'll just try and swim'

'Do you want to share my broom?' I really don't know why I said it; I suppose I just didn't want him to drown.

Oh god what do I say?

'Ok, if you don't mind. Do you go to Hogwarts?

What a stupid question of course she does.

'Um yes I'm in ravenclaw; I think I've glanced you at the gryffindor table. Am I correct?'

'Yeah I'm gonna be in the fifth year. You?'

'Fourth'

Her hair moved as she spoke, catching the sunlight in the highlights. If I weren't such a wimp I'd reach out and touch it. Once again I stood entranced by her beauty. I'd never seen anyone so captivating. I even found myself listening to what she said.

We didn't say anything for a while, just stared waiting for the other to say something.

'Where do you live?' I only asked it to fill the silence, but I actually found myself caring.

She stopped for a while as if considering whether to tell me.

'Bout a mile from here, near rosewood copse in a small cottage called The Warren. Where do you live?'

I answered without hesitation.

'Mulberry cottage, just up the road.'

The rest of the afternoon passed in pleasant conversation. Well relatively pleasant, I found her a bit odd but she was nice enough. I actually liked her.

He's a strange boy but he seems to have a quiet potency to him as if he's never seen the person he can be. I like him we ought to hang out more often.

'It's getting dark, we should go' I said thinking whether dad would mind if I invited him round for tea.

After a moment I conceded that he'd probably be happy that I made a friend. Something I haven't done since mum died. 'D'ya wanna come over to mine for tea. Then you can floo back to your house'

He looked a little shocked but then said that he'd love to. I was glad, so glad that I was even prepared to cook my specialty- apple and turnip pie (and odd combination I discovered when using the products of my vegetable patch)

'Are you sure we'll fit on your broom?' he asked uncertainly eyeing my broom with unease.

'Well I've never tried it but I imagine we will, it's just like a really fat person getting on it'

'I suppose.' he decided 'wait I left my shirt and robe back there' he pointed through the now dark trees.

Before he had the chance to say anything I shot through the trees and fetched his now dry garments from the tree where he left them. Without letting him see me I also picked up a small oval picture frame that I'd dropped there earlier.

'Alright get on the broom' I said when I returned

That was the best broom ride I've ever had, the sun still hadn't set and the sky was tinged purple with fuzzy orange clouds streaked across it. The sun was in front of us as it slowly sank down into the horizon and disappeared behind the rolling green fields. The full moon was also changing becoming brighter and brighter as the sunlight grew dimmer and dimmer.

Flying swiftly over a mile of forests and fields the world suddenly seemed so small. This is my world I thought. During the holidays I never left the valley and only rarely left the village to visit the lake. After a while the small slate roofed cottage I called my own came into view. Eos, the white duck mum had bought me three years ago was frolicking in the darkening lawn outside my house, I'd called her Eos after my mother, who was called aurora which was the roman name for the goddess of the dawn, Eos is simply the Greek name for their goddess of the dawn. Such a fitting name for her, she brought light and warmth where there had been none. Some of my favourite moments in life had taken place at dawn.

I pushed the handle of my broom down as we approached my house and we descended feeling our hair whip across our faces and feeling the cool breeze pass by us. The broom swept down into the back garden. I'd never been very good at landing and I was no better that day. I was trying to land on the patio but I ended up hurtling into the apple tree that grew in the middle of the vegetable patch an action that thoroughly disturbed silvanus, the plump tortiose shell cat that used to be mum's but passed down to my sister after she died.

'Welcome to my sanctum' I said dramatically pointing to my humble abode.

'Who else do you live with?'

'My older sister Selene, my dad, and my cousins Sorrel and Finn. My dad's sister Vesta moved in a while ago but she left in May to visit relatives in Norway.'

'Is she Norwegian?' Neville asked interestedly.

'My whole family is. Except my grandad on my dad's side, hence the English name.' I explained.

My dad had his nose pressed up against the window waiting for me. The moment he spotted us he came out to greet me.

'Luna! I was worried. Who's your friend?' he said looking him up and down before his eyes settled on his face.

'dad this is Neville, he was loitering up by the copse so I invited him round for tea.' I know I lied about where I met him but I didn't want him to know where I'd been.

'Neville. You must be from around here. Do you by any chance know what a hare is?'

Great, dad must think he's a muggle. I thought exasperated at his lack of subtlety.

'Dad he's a wizard. Augusta longbottom's grandson.'

'Ah, hello Neville I'm Demritri Lovegood. Nice to meet you.' he held out his hand to shake Neville's.

'Good evening Mr Lovegood.' Neville said nervously

Dad led us into the house through the back door into the kitchen. He'd already started on dinner so at least I wouldn't have to cook. The kitchen was filled with various paraphernalia that told me that someone had been making ice cream. I suspected that sorrel had been cooking since she was the only one who left lots of mess behind when she cooks, well not only when she cooks; she always leaves the smouldering ruins of destruction in her wake. She's quite clumsy, her room is full of things she's broken recently making her also very messy.

'shall I make you some sandwiches?' dad said eagerly.

Half an hour later we were finishing our sandwiches now dad had finally left us in peace. It was nice of him to try and help but he did get very annoying after a while.

Her dad is probably the strangest human being I've ever met except perhaps Dumbledore. He is constantly following us about and saying things like 'I'm so happy you came' to me all the time. Don't get me wrong he's really nice but he's just very odd.

'Luna. My Gran doesn't know I left and she'll probably have noticed by now.' I said worriedly

'ok use the fireplace. Um d'ya wanna do something some other time?' she actually sounded kind of shy.

'sure. Why don't you come to my house tomorrow. We could go for a walk or something'

'ok but will your grandmother mind?'

'I don't think so but then she doesn't have to know' I thought it might not be sensible to let Gran interrogate her like she does everybody else. ' I also don't think it would be a good idea to just turn up in the fireplace, she doesn't know I left after all'

'oh ok. I'll take you home on my broom then. Come on let's go'

It was getting cold on the way home, as it was very dark by then. The full moon glowed iridescently over us illuminating Luna's face giving her a ghostly, ethereal appearance. It illuminated her soft features and her hair making her shine like gold contrasting with her silvery blue eyes. She looked like a dear caught in headlights, any moment now I was expecting her to disappear in a puff of mist leaving me alone and longing for her shining presence.

We were flying over the forest. She was the one actually flying I was just behind her watching her expressions change as we moved. Feeling her body so close to mine gave me an uncontrollable feeling sheer bliss, I never wanted to release my arms that were clasped around her thin waist.

We landed painfully (she crashed into a bin)

'i had fun today luna'

'Me too,let's hope tomorrow is as fun'

'I'm glad I went down to the lake today' i stepped closer to her. she didn't take a step back which i saw as a good sign.

her face exuded an aura of such content serenity that it took all the self control i possess to prevent myself from taking her face in my hands and drawing my lips to hers. actually considered it for a brief moment but as i raised my head to look at her, she disappeared. I looked around frantically searching for her when i caught a glimpse of a of her blonde hair flying away above me.

Her scent stayed there longer then she did. The balmy fragrance of her lingered with me long after she'd gone. It still stays with me.

Oh Merlin what in the name of lichiven the poggle did I almost do?

I had just come tantalizingly close to making lip-to-lip contact, but had seen sense and gone before before I'd done anything silly. Ordinarily I wouldn't have found anything silly about kissing it's just that i'd only known him for less then six hours.

I didn't particulary feel like going home quite yet so I decided to do something very sneaky. I spied on neville. Making a u-turn in the air I sped down to his house, hovering outside every window to see if he's in there. Eventually I found him lying in his bed looking up at the sky. Before I could continue I had to preform a disallusionment charm on myself (i'd borrowed dad's wand (the ministry had loads of loopholes in their underage magic law) so he wouldn't see me. I left my broom in the gutter and climbed up the roof so my head was just peeping over the edge of the skylight. He looked so cute lying on his bed (fully clothed i hasten to add). He sighed thoughtfully and to my surprise he said my name. I panicked thinking that he somehow knew that I was there though it seemed as if he was just saying it to himself or that he was talking about the moon in latin or both. I was tempted to reveal myself but I didn't particulary want him to think that I was a stalker (which I'm not; I have yet to make stalking a habit) so I

just watched him for a while until eventually his eyelids grew heavy and he drifted into slumber. The expressions that flickered across his face brought a smile to my face.

I finally realised that dad must be wondering where I am when I heard the grandfather clock somewhere in Neville' house strike ten o'cloak. Reluctantly I lifted the charm, slid down the roof tiles and toof off on my broom into the night.

Dad beamed at me the moment i stepped through the door. I beamed back at him.

'Are you going to see your friend again soon?'

Frankly I didn't really think it was any of his business. But I answered all the same.

'Actually i'm going to his house tomorrow.'

'Oh good. Um luna. Answer me honestly, are you going out with him?'

'Daddy I am not but why on earth would you want to know?' I was puzzled by his sudden interest in my non-existant love life.

'I just like to know what's going on. your only fourteen after all.'

'can I go now?'

'oh yes of course. your sister' looking for you.'

I left the kitchen somewhat moodily but still nothing could damper my happiness. Not even the werebadgers of dorset couldn't make me any less content.

A/N: Phew, glad i got that off my chest. please review. if i don't get any i'll still do another chapter but i'm not so sure if i'd write anymore. I need feedback!