'Are you sweet on Ginny?'

Neville's quill paused at Luna's words, but he didn't look up from his parchment. His Grandmother said that, 'sweet on', quite an old saying really.

The more he thought about her question, he realised that no, he wasn't.

'No, I'm not,'

'But you took her to the Yule Ball,'

'Because I needed a date and she's a good friend of mine,'

'Were you sweet on her then?'

'I don't know.'

They paused, sitting cross-legged in silence under the tree, surrounded by books and parchment. It was a warm day and they were both catching up on work after being released from the Hospital Wing. Their confrontation with the Death Eaters was a few days ago and had brought the two of them closer than ever.

'Do you think she's pretty?'

'Luna!'

'I'm simply curious, Daddy tells me to exercise my curiosity,' she said matter-of-factly.

Neville sighed exasperated, and put his quill down.

'Look, I don't have those kind of feelings for her. She's been an incredible friend to me, and considering she's currently going out with Michael Corner and I'm fairly sure her and Harry are meant to be, it would be rather stupid of me to think of her like that anyway.' He picked up his quill and continued writing, indicating that the conversation was over. Luna was silent.

'So you've noticed then?' She sad quietly.

'Noticed what?'

'That Harry and Ginny are going to end up together,'

Neville shrugged.

'Yeah.'

Once again they were silent. Luna tilted her head slightly to the side, surveying him.

'I think I'm sweet on you, Neville,' she didn't even blink. As Neville's face blushed profusely, Luna didn't look the tiniest bit embarrassed about her admission.

'Really?' he croaked, finally remembering how to speak. He couldn't look at her.

'Oh yes.' She could have been talking about the weather she said it so simply. Neville didn't know what to do he was so overcome with disbelief.

He was useless. He couldn't do magic properly, he was clumsy, goofy, chubby, and a coward. Luna was beautiful. She made him feel so happy and relaxed; she was so graceful she practically floated. She knew where to find light in the darkest of times and believed that the impossible was possible.

No. This enchanting girl could never like him.

But she'd just said she did, and if there was anything Luna wasn't it was cruel.

He looked up for the first time.

'Really?' He said again.

'Really,'

She smiled, leaned down, and brushed her lips against his. It was brief, but enough to make Neville want to explode with joy. She sat back again, grinning at his face which was alight with elation yet disbelief.

And then Neville did the bravest thing he'd ever done. Braver than standing up to Harry, Ron and Hermione in his first year, braver than going with the others to the Department of Mysteries that fateful night.

He leaned forward and pulled Luna towards him, pressing their bodies together as they lost themselves in the kiss. Neville never thought he'd experience anything like this. The showing that someone cared about you, not just as a friend, or as a brother, but as someone a girl wants to be with, to kiss and to hold.

And it was Luna; beautiful, crazy, wonderful Luna.

The feelings for her he'd had to previously push aside he could now finally follow through.

Neville Longbottom no longer thought himself a coward.