I'm so very extremely and totally new to this site, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. I'm trying my best though, and I'm definitley open to new ideas, advice and criticism, because I'm know I'm not the best of writers. Thank you!
Set about half way through the Order of the Phoenix.
The sun shone bright on Friday afternoon and finally all classes had finished for the week. Most students were in the library, studying for their last few OWLs, but Neville didn't want to waste the weather as it was a sign for the maturing of the Flutterby Bushes down by the Black Lake. He made his way down to the grounds with his bag and Herbology textbook and lay down, forgetting about the Flutterby Bushes and his impending OWLS for a few quiet minutes of serenity.
THUD.
His Herbology book flew out of the air and slammed into his stomach.
"What are you doing down here on, Longbottom?" smirked Draco Malfoy. "Shouldn't you be with Potter and the rest of the crack-pots somewhere, plotting against the school?"
He pulled the Herbology book from Neville's hands, and threw it straight into the middle of the lake where it sunk, as Neville watched in silent despair.
"Teach you to be lurking around the grounds again! Say something, you absolute nitwit."
Neville couldn't find the words to say anything at all, half shocked and half winded from the impact of the blow to his stomach. Malfoy and his posse turned and left, sniggering, probably going to find some unfortunate first year to terrorise.
Why was it always him? It just wasn't fair, what had he done to deserve this? All of it. Was he just unlucky, or was there something dreadfully wrong with him?
You see, Neville Longbottom was often the butt of everyone's jokes. Always picked on, always underestimated, always put down. It was always Neville, and if it wasn't Neville, then it was Luna Lovegood, though she never seemed bothered in the slightest, a trait which Neville desired greatly.
"Hello Neville Longbottom."
That was weird.
But then again, Luna and weird went hand in hand, so perhaps it was merely ordinary.
"Hi Luna." Neville replied, sighing.
"Y'know, whenever I have a bad day, I come down here and look into the water."
Neville stared at her. How did she know? Was it really that obvious how terrible he was feeling?
"It's peaceful here, and if it's peaceful on the outside, it's peaceful on the inside.' She said, tapping his head gently.
"Luna, d'you ever feel, like, no matter how hard you try, people just aren't gonna be okay with you?"
She stared dreamily into the lake and there was a short silence.
"Why d'you want them to be okay with you?" she asked, curiosity etched in her face.
"Well, they make me feel, like, like, I don't matter,"
"Opinions aren't facts, Neville." She simply said.
"I know Luna." Maybe it's different for her, he thought.
"I feel the same sometimes," She crossed her legs and smiled at him.
"But then I come here, and then I realise, I'm only one person in this world. And only a few people really know me. The opinions of those who really know me, are the only ones that matter, don't you think?"
Neville had never thought this way before. Perhaps it was utterly mad, but maybe it made sense. She was incredibly different, Luna; an entity unlike any other. The way in which she was herself, and the way she behaved, and she was loyal to herself and her beliefs. She was very different to most. But it didn't seem to be a bad thing. Not in the slightest.
"Oh, Neville, I have something for you!" Her silvery eyes lit up in the most magnificent way as she rummaged in through her bag, and eventually pulled out a small plant.
"It's a-"
"Puffapod, yeah!" he grinned to himself.
"I thought it was pretty, and it fights off dimplybumps when they flower."
"Thank you Luna."
"Have a lovely evening Neville." She stood, picked up her bag, and skipped back up the grounds, her dirty blonde, waist length, straggly hair swinging madly behind her. It was funny, he thought, how her presence alone seemed to brighten up his worst days. Her words were the only words that made sense to him when he felt like this. Her attitude to everything and everybody around her was as admirable as it was delusional. Perhaps if he became more like her, less caring, oblivious to the opinions of others, perhaps then he would finally feel accepted.
Strange girl, that Luna but she was often the only light in his darkest days.
Maybe she wasn't strange. Just different.
Neville was different too.