Looking Outside

~one-shot~

Summary: Luna's take on The Deathly Hallows.

Ship: Neville/Luna

Disclaimer-

I'm not Rowling,

So I don't own this

Even though I want to,

Now on with the story!

~Friends~

She sat in her room, feeling incredibly lonely. She was always alone before, and it never bothered her, but this…this was different. She missed her friends. Ginny, who was there for her before anyone else was. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, so loyal, so brave. And Neville…..

She paused to think about what they'd probably all be doing right now.

She was willing to bet that Harry was blaming their safety on himself, while Hermione and Ron assured him that they were going to be with him all the way, and Hermione planned their "quest" as Luna preferred to call it, in detail.

Ginny was probably worried about them. Especially Harry…. Luna knew that she still wasn't over Harry. She hoped, at least for Ginny's sake, that Harry would finish this war alive, to spare Ginny the pain.

Neville. Luna smiled at his name. He was probably staring at his DA galleon, remembering fifth year. She had to admit to herself, she had fond thoughts about fifth year, as well. She had always been considered the odd one out until then, and even with the loathsome Professor Umbridge, it was hands-down the best year of schooling. She had finally gotten the one thing she wanted- friends.

Luna had a sudden stroke of genius. She smiled and climbed up to the attic, fetching five white canvases and a paint pallet. She set up one of the canvases and started her project- to draw portraits of her first real friends.

She started with Harry. She drew his face, and filled it in with his startling green eyes, his mouth that didn't smile but didn't frown either, and a thin, mildly noticeable lightning-bolt scar, his trademark feature. After she finished his untamable raven-black hair, Luna moved on to the next portrait- Ron.

She drew his carrot-colored hair, the many small freckles that dotted his cheeks, his sky blue eyes….

Luna had a slightly difficult time with Hermione's thick, bushy hair, but managed. By the time she was finished with the portrait, Hermione's intelligent brown eyes smiled out at her with welcome.

Ginny looked beautiful in the portrait- her hair was the same red it always was, but just a shade deeper, with a lighting effect. Ginny's brown eyes looked out at her, and the corners of her mouth were upturned.

Luna watched the portraits as they dried, marveling at the likeness of the people on the canvases. She was proud of her workmanship.

She had saved the best for last, though. The last canvas was for Neville. Luna took even more caution into making it look just right, performing each stroke of paint with care and consideration. She made sure he was smiling, so she could see the dimples she was so fond of, and remembered to add that twinkle to his eyes with precision.

Luna admired the finished product of all five portraits on her wall. Only one thought was on her mind, and she smiled. Friends.

~Dancing With No One~

She arrived at the wedding, beaming and sucking on her finger. Ouch, that gnome-bite really did hurt. She searched through the crowd and her eyes landed on a red-haired boy that she knew was really Harry- he had that particular look in his eyes that only Harry had.

"Hello, Harry!" she said.

"Err- My name's Barney." Harry said, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh, have you changed that too?" Luna asked, referring to his appearance.

"How did you know-?"

"Oh, just your expression." Luna said. She had a point, though. Anyone who knew Harry would see it was him right away, if they paid enough attention. She had made the connection considerably fast.

Her father, who was right next to her, said good-bye to the wizard he had been talking to and turned to her. She held her bitten finger up for him to see. "Daddy, look- one of the gnomes actually bit me!"

He exclaimed about her possibly being gifted by the gnomes, and she talked with Harry for a moment before going off to find her father.

They watched the wedding service politely. Luna was happy for the newlyweds. When she got married, it would be lovely. She'd have a beautiful white dress, and have the wedding out in a field somewhere. But what really mattered was who would be there, who she would be married to. Her thoughts wandered off for a moment, but eventually her father interrupted them by saying. "I'm going to go give them the wedding present." And then he had promptly left.

Not long after, Harry, Ron, and Hermione came and sat at her almost-empty table. The band started playing, and Luna swayed along to the music. "I like this song," she said. "I'm going to go dance."

Seeing no objection, Luna walked onto the dance floor, closed her eyes, and pretended to be dancing with her special someone.

~Keeping Company~

One the first day in the dungeon of Malfoy Manor, Luna had sobbed into her hands. She was afraid, and she was worried for her father and her friends, especially Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the moment. She knew that her father would do anything to get her back- and that included trading Harry in to the Dark Lord.

On the second day, Luna paid more attention to her surroundings. She passed her time by talking to Ollivander, Dean, and Griphook.

"Maybe they'll come and rescue us," Luna suggested on a particularly unpleasant day. They were all swapping stories in boredom, and Griphook had just finished his tale about his training to work at Gringotts.

"Unlikely," Dean said hopelessly, drawing pictures in the grime on the floor with his finger just for something to do.

"Don't lose hope so soon, Dean." Ollivander told him. "Hope is all we have."

"I guess so…."

~Free~

Luna was so happy to finally be out of Malfoy Manor. She knew Harry and the others would rescue her in the long run. And they did.

Now, she just had to focus on healing. It shouldn't be too difficult- and she had complete faith that Harry and the others would defeat Voldemort soon. All was well.

~The End~