Hey all!
This is in response to a 24hour challenge. This is actually my first EVER Neville/Luna fic, so I hope I did the characters justice!
The prompts used were: Neville/Luna, Green, Blue, Red, Wish, Laugh, Hogsmeade, Waterfall, Sunshine, Birthday, Wonderful, and two quotes (We do not remember days, we remember moments - Cesare Pavese; Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive - Elbert Hubbard) - I used the essence of the second quote rather than the words themselves.
Anyway, hope you guys like this little ficlet. Let me know what you think!
-DF
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. All else is property of JKR.
Living Moments
"You smell like sunshine, did you know that?"
"What?" Neville asked bewildered, turning to look at the strange girl next to him.
"A beautiful sunny day, like sunshine," the girl repeated as if she was telling him the most obvious thing on the planet.
"Thank you?" he replied.
"Your welcome!"
Neville turned back to his lunch and tried to remember what he was thinking about before Luna came to sit next to him. It was a lost cause though, his memory was never reliable and frankly, he was still flustered by Luna's random comment. He shot her a nervous glance, but she didn't seem to pay him any mind. She was munching on an apple and idly twirling her hair. The soft clinking of the beads in her hair would have been lost in the cacophony of the Great Hall if she hadn't been sitting so close to him.
"Hey guys!" Ginny said, settling down next to Luna. Within moments, Harry, Hermione and Ron all settled in across from Neville to join him for lunch.
"Neville, did you still want help with your Potions assignment?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, erm, yes, could you look it over for me?"
"Sure! It was such an interesting assignment, don't you think? I mean really, I know Professor Snape only asked for 10 inches, but I just couldn't squeeze it all in there, you know? I ended up with close to 13, he won't mind right?" Hermione enthused.
Harry and Ron groaned in unison.
"He'll mind no matter what you give him, he's Snape," Ron said, as if that explained everything.
"Honestly Ronald, if you spent half as much time on your homework as you did on well, anything else you do, you'd probably be doing better in class."
"Hermione, I think you do enough homework for the rest of us combined."
Harry sniggered. Hermione glared. Neville smiled quietly to himself. His friends were nothing if not predictable. It was a familiar argument, one that had been had many times over the years. Really, it was practically tradition.
Luna chose that moment to zone back in to the discussion. "You know, if you wish on a Cardigo's feather it can give you focus for an entire moon cycle, that might help Ron. Of course it doesn't work if you wish on a green Cardigo's feather, it has to be a blue one. My father always says if it's blue as a waterfall, it's a wish-fall."
"Um, Luna? What's a Cardigo?" Harry asked, not unkindly.
"You've never seen a Cardigo?"
They all shook their heads. Neville didn't think any of them had even heard of a Cardigo let alone seen one.
"Well, they are pretty rare, I guess," Luna said, looking thoughtful. She gave herself a shake. "Anyway, they're like little feathered bunnies. Except they can be a bit hard to find, they usually like to run around in the really tall grasses."
"Oh, well that's pretty neat," Ginny said shooting her friend a smile.
"What are you guys up to this afternoon?" Neville asked, changing the subject from potentially mythical creatures to actually possible events.
"I've got Quidditch practice," Harry said.
"I'm hanging out with Seamus and Dean, you want to come, Neville?" Ron asked.
"Oh, no that's okay, I think I'm going to go work on some homework outside by the lake."
Ron shrugged. "What are you girls doing today?"
"Hermione and I are going to the library, how 'bout you Luna?"
"I might go looking for some Flying Dillycombs by the lake."
Nobody asked what Flying Dillycombs were.
They all dispersed and Neville turned to head toward the front doors. Luna fell into step next to him humming softly to herself. She was strange, there was no question about that. She had a pretty voice though. Not that Neville would say anything, he'd probably just end up putting his foot in his mouth if he tried. Still, it was a pretty little tune.
"Erm, so… where do you look for those Dilly-things?" Neville asked shyly.
"Oh, they like the sand near water, so I'll probably have a good chance if I look by the lake."
"What are you studying for?" Luna asked, turning her gaze toward Neville. Her eyes were surprisingly clear despite her dreamy expression from moments ago. They sparkled, surprisingly warm despite the grey hue they reflected.
Neville stuttered and stumbled awkwardly, nearly colliding with a tree that seemed to have materialized out of thin air. He righted himself with a self-conscious laugh.
"We, uh, we have a quiz coming up in Transfiguration this week."
"I like Transfiguration, but not as much as Charms," Luna said, the dreamy expression coming back as they ambled toward the lake.
"I always figured you would like Care of Magical Creatures best," Neville remarked.
"Oh, I do," Luna replied matter-of-factly. "I just really like Charms too."
"Herbology has always been my favourite."
"That doesn't surprise me, I could imagine you in a huge garden or searching the world for rare plants," Luna said, her eyes glazing over as she imagined Neville's potential future.
"Yeah, assuming I pass Potions and actually graduate," Neville grumbled.
Luna plopped down beside him, pulled off her shoes and socks and wiggled her toes into the sand near the lake. She turned to look at him, almost appraisingly. She wasn't as oblivious to the world as everyone assumed she was. She was just, unconventional. Just because she could see things that others couldn't didn't make her crazy just more perceptive to the unperceivable; and really for a magical community, her peers really should know better. But Neville never treated her like she was crazy. He was sweet like that.
"You'll pass Potions," Luna said with conviction. "And you'll definitely graduate."
"You just say that cause you haven't been in classes with me," Neville said with a shy smile. "I think I'm the only student that has ever made Professor Snape actually turn red with rage."
Luna laughed. Not one of those silly giggling laughs that girls like Lavender laughed, or even a tinkling laugh, but a really laugh. It made him smile and he couldn't help but chuckle a bit too.
When things got hard, Neville would look back at this moment and remember. Remember the happiness and carefree lightness that Luna brought out in him and brought to the world around her. When life became dark and twisted and all the rage and suffering that was inevitable due to the war came crashing down on him, it was moments like these that lifted his spirits and made Neville remember what he was fighting for. The right to live, to just be. The chance for kids to be free and happy, to look forward to Hogsmeade weekends and birthdays and worry about failing classes with mean Professors. The wonderful and inane things of the world.
Someone once said that we do not remember days, we remember moments. For Neville it was moments like this warm afternoon by the lake that made his memories. What could be a happier memory than the joy of a friendship or the start of a new relationship?
He was supposed to have been studying, but instead, Neville spent the rest of his afternoon enjoying the company of the odd little Ravenclaw girl with her toes in the sand and radishes hanging from her ears.
Life was for living, so school could wait, today, Neville would enjoy being alive.
Thanks for reading! Leave a review, Please!