"Some people say I'm not intelligent enough to be in Ravenclaw."

"Some people say I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, but it doesn't bother me. Much, at least. Well, actually it kind of does, but, you don't let those things bother you." Neville had started out strong, but then fell to mumbling. He told her his true thoughts because she would have told him what he was thinking anyway. It was an interesting, almost unnatural thing about her. Luna smiled and cocked her head.
"I never said it bothered me. It was simply a statement."

"Ah."

"I believe I am very intelligent, more than enough to be in the house I am. It simply is a far different intelligence than what others have. Would you like to know what it is?" She leaned in close, as though she was telling a secret. Neville too leaned in, and felt tingly at the closeness.

"Yes." He had spoken without thinking, and now that he was thinking, he found he did want to know what she thought of herself. She was not shy, and did not let humility get in the way of her opinions. It was yet another thing about her that fascinated the meek boy.

"You notice that I notice things. You see that I see the joy in a soap bubble, the comfort in a bit of yarn, the sadness in a fallen leaf. It's not to escape all of our pending dooms. It's not because I'm stupid or silly. It's because it's all true." Neville was transfixed. It was all he could do to nod and lick his lips nervously. Her face was full of a serious determination, and her eyes were hard, yet not unkind.

The brunette boy did not at all understand where this fascination with Luna had come from. He had simply seen her in the right light at the right time in the right place. She was on his mind more often than anything else he could remember doing the same. It was a new, odd thing in his world that he didn't mind. Luna smiled ever so lightly at him. She slowly raised her hand, hesitated for a moment, then fiercely closed it and brought it to the (scarily small) space between them. In her delicate hands were a large dandelion seed and a tiny, velvety purple leaf.

"Do you see what I see Neville?"

"I don't think a seed and a leaf is what you see."

"Right you are. I see a whole new life, a new story to be told. And the chapter of one life, passed on to be told to others. In these dark times, we must take comfort in the little things." Luna sat back staring curiously into her cupped palm as Neville did the same. He stared for a few more moments until an idea fell into his head. He gently grabbed the two things out of Luna's slight hand and set to work. He didn't think Luna would approve of putting a hole in the leaf, so he used a few strands of a spider's web. It didn't seem to mind, as it quickly re-wove its home back into place. He turned back to Luna. The dandelion was spider's-web-attached to the leaf, like a sail on a boat. He gently set the boat into the lake, where it softly blew away. He turned back to Luna again.

"Now they can share their story together, and be not two separate, but one whole." He smiled at her.

"Hm. I never thought of it that way," she appraised. Their hands intertwined.

"I'm surprised."

Neither one noticed the little boat shiver and sink into the deep black water.

A.N. I was in the mood for a bleak ending, and as my first… bleh. Constructive criticism accepted. Oh, and Guest? Please come back. I was initially dazed because you were my first concrit, but now I realize I NEED concrit. I've improved just a bit, but I'm nowhere near goodness. Oh, and if this is too whiny? Go ahead. Tell me.

Seriously, ANOTHER long A.N.? I keep meaning to keep them short but I never do—OHMYGOSH, did you guys see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1? SO. AMAZING. SO. DETAILED. SO. BOOK-LIKE. SO. PERFECT.