Happily NEVER After

Luneville – Late

Written for the Happily NEVER After challenge on the HPFC forum.

Neville's palms were sweaty and he swore that muggle deodorant was the best invention on the planet. Sure, charms worked great for perspiration, but the muggle stuff worked wonders. Wiping his palms on his pants, he glanced at the clock at the back of the church.

Late. She was incredibly late. Harry had put it down to bride's nerves, but Neville couldn't help but be nervous. Ron had told him it was "just Luna being Luna," but Neville worried all the same.

He and Luna had been together for years, seven by his count. They had been happy. Even when she was off in Switzerland searching for her creatures, he kept up with her. Sure, long distance hadn't been fun, but they made it work.

Now, a steady income from his job as Hogwarts herbology professor had allowed him to finally propose six months ago. She had said yes. And yet, she was late.

Half an hour. That's how long had passed since the scheduled time. He should have been married by now. Or at least, that's what his Gran had informed him when she walked up to him about five minutes prior.

"Just Luna being Luna," Neville muttered to himself. The priest's look of pity had begun ten minutes prior. Thankfully, Harry and Ron were still being supportive.

The guests had begun to mill about after about forty-five minutes had passed. Neville stood firm. His heart soared when the doors at the end of the aisle finally swung open. It fell again when Ginny (heavily pregnant) was the only one who rushed down toward him.

"Harry, come out here to the commons with me," she said quickly, grabbing her husband's arm and dragging him out of the church. Neville's worry began to skyrocket.

An hour. Many guests were growing antsy and asking whether it was worth their time to stay. Many were hungry, and many were bored. Quite a few of Luna's more distant relatives had already made their way out, only to come back with fast food from down the street. An hour waiting at the altar.

The second time the doors swung open, two people entered the church. Harry and Ginny rushed toward Neville and, each taking one of his hands, dragged him into the back groom's quarters.

"What the bloody hell, mate?" Neville yelled at Harry, who cringed. "I'm being dragged away from the altar at my own wedding?"

"Nev, it's been an hour…" Ginny said cautiously. "Maybe you should… think the worst…"

Neville shook his head vehemently. "Never. She'll come."

Ginny guided Neville to sit in a chair and knelt to eye level with him. The man felt like a child being told a grandparent had died.

"She did come, Neville," said Ginny carefully. "In fact, she was here early putting on her dress…"

"Then why didn't she come out an hour ago?" asked Neville frantically, making to get up. Harry put a hand on his shoulder.

"You may want to sit for the answer to that question, Nev," said Harry gently. Ginny gave her husband a look of evident appreciation.

"One of Luna's friend's from Switzerland showed up in the bride's suite, a male friend of hers. I didn't catch his name, but I was helping her with her dress and he just burst into the room and proclaimed undying love." Ginny cringed.

Paling, Neville stayed sitting upright. "She… she turned him down… right?" Neville felt Harry's hand tighten on his shoulder as the other wizard's wife dealt the final blow.

"Well, she asked me to return this to you… and… and left…" Ginny stammered out, handing Neville Luna's engagement ring.

"We're going to give you some time alone, Neville," said Harry sympathetically.

"Would you like us to send home the congregation?" asked Ginny.

Neville shrugged and stared blankly at the ring in his hand. It had been his mother's ring, a family heirloom. The inside of the ring had the word "always" engraved into it.

Proposing to her had been harder on Neville than standing up to Lord Voldemort himself. At that moment, he wished she had just said no.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Two weeks later

Neville was packing up the pictures, the letters, anything that reminded him of her, and putting them in the attic. He had painstakingly brought them all with him when he got his teaching job and it was just as painful packing them up. He had resolved to put them in the Room of Requirement, in the place where hidden things are placed.

Hoisting up the three boxes of things at once, Neville headed for the door. About to open it, he heard a flutter of wings and a tap at the glass of his window. Putting down the boxes, he opened the window and let in a very familiar owl.

Hermes, Luna's owl, extended his leg. Hands shaking, Neville took the letter from the owl's leg. With a hoot and a slight nuzzle of the hand, Hermes took off. Neville looked between the open window, the boxes, and the fireplace. He could open the letter, read her explanation… or he could be done.

Deciding once and for all that he would always be second rate, Neville threw her letter, unopened, into the fireplace.