Outside, soft flakes of white blanketed the window pane, turning the glass an amusing shade of grey. The girl smiled softly at the fog her nose was making, longing to draw bunnies with a finger. But something just then caught her attention and the thought of bunnies was forgotten in her amusement.
In the courtyard below, various children ran along the shoveled path kicking up snow wherever they went. There were mittens and scarves everywhere she looked, hats and boots and all sorts of fun things. But a single boy, she noted with some despair, had fallen – or rather, been pushed – into a high bank, and was having quite a difficult time righting himself. He'd lost his boot somewhere in the cold hill of white.
Luna frowned for poor Neville, deciding to do something nice. She of all people knew shoes and boots and other such things eventually found their owners again, but it was so cold outside the boy couldn't wait. Neville's wool sock surely would get wet.
So she left her third floor corridor and navigated through the winding staircases of Hogwarts, pausing only slightly to enjoy a few green and red sprigs of holly and bells. Christmastime was always her favorite although she never could quite describe why exactly she loved it so. Perhaps magic just seemed that much more special when it came wrapped with snowflakes and warm nights by a fire. And although she had to guard against Nargles, she never minded the mistletoe. The girl smiled at the thought, brushing past a few ornaments hanging near the giant hourglasses of House Points.
Outside in the courtyard, Luna walked past the group of Slytherins responsible for poor Neville's misfortune and paid them little mind, concentrating on the boy sniffling alone further down the path. He'd given up on the mission to find his boot, instead plopping down on the fresh powder to sigh something fierce. Things like this were always happening to him; he should have carried an extra set of boots just in case. Or his wand, always forgetting it up in his room.
"Neville?" A voice interrupted his sorrow.
He quickly wiped his face free of frosty tears, looking rather embarrassed.
"There's snow on your sock."
Luna frowned, bending to brush a few white flakes off his sodden wool sock. It didn't matter however as soon it was covered again. Curious thing, snow.
"There are drier ones inside, I'm sure of it."
Neville almost laughed at good old Luna, always saying something odd. But he shook his head and sighed.
"I lost my boot." He pointed with defeat at the snow bank next to him. "In there, of all places. My foot is really cold and I can't walk on it. Not anymore at least, hurts too much."
With distaste Neville noted the Slytherin group's laughter as they went back inside the doors of Hogwarts, dry and satisfied at what they'd done. Bunch of prats. How he wished he had a wand...
Although only about five o'clock in the evening, the sky had darkened and only Luna and Neville remained outside in the forsaken courtyard, a look of anguish passing the boy's features. He shivered with something he couldn't quite explain and looked up expectantly at his guest.
"Luna, it's okay if you go back inside. I'll understand."
He dropped his head at this, accepting his lowly fate of sitting there gathering snow. Maybe he'd make a decent snowman and maybe someone would be kind enough to put a top hat on him once he froze over. His foot ached a bit more under the tight wet sock. He sighed.
"It's getting really dark and...isn't dinner soon?" He winced, feeling a twinge of hunger stab him from under his robes. Should have grabbed that stack of chocolate frog cards before heading out after all.
He'd kick himself but that might actually hurt.
"Nonsense, Neville. I very much like it out here. This courtyard is awfully pretty in winter."
Luna looked around serenely, smiling at the soft flutter of white dusting her robes. With a warmth all her own, she sat down next to the young man, giving him a trademark smile.
"It'd be a shame to miss, even if it means missing dinner instead." She held onto his arm and squeezed. "Besides, your boot is only missing until you find it."
With that she accio'd Neville's Missing Boot and handed it back to her thoroughly cold companion. As usual, keeping one's wand tucked behind an ear meant having it with you, always.
She smiled again as the boy struggled to get it over his pounding foot, grateful to have a friend in Luna. So, now he had his boot. But...
"Now my foot hurts even worse than before."
He grimaced at the cold wet boot which bit into his equally cold wet foot. Why did Christmas always turn out so badly for him? Last year he'd been sick. The year before that he went to see his mum and dad in the hospital, and after grandma convinced them he was related, they said not to worry about his chubby cheeks; he'd be a very pretty girl when he grew up. And the year before that, a leg-locker from Malfoy. Just didn't seem fair if you thought about it.
Luna seemed to understand and drew out her wand to cast a drying charm.
"Better now, Neville?"
Without much of a pause the boy smiled, turning his foot gingerly where it lay.
"A lot better, thanks Luna!"
Neville couldn't help but smile, so grateful to have such a wonderful friend. He looked at her just long enough to catch a glimpse of something dangling over her head and his heartstrings clenched with something he'd never felt before. Luna looked so different to him now –
"Shall we go inside then, Neville? They'll have turkey and ham and all sorts of good treats."
Neville hesitated, knowing this was his only chance. His friend was making to get up and if she moved just an inch, the magic of this moment would be gone. Luna's big grey eyes crinkled with a smile, not understanding his inner struggle but enjoying it nevertheless. He looked so cute covered in snow.
With a soft nervousness the boy reached over and stilled the girl, hesitating, testing the waters, eventually leaning in to kiss her chastely on the cheek. She looked rather surprised but grateful in any case, and waited patiently until Neville had finished before pulling away just a bit. Luna smiled warmly at the boy who looked like he might shatter.
"Neville, what was that for?"
He nervously licked his lips and searched out that green something hanging over her head.
"Mistletoe," the boy barely managed to get out, "completely Nargle-free, don't worry. I made sure to look first."
She looked up but her smile was hidden from the boy. Every second she stared at that hanging sprig, was every second his mind started to question his actions. The thought stuck him; Luna might be mad. She might not have wanted to –
The girl sweetly cupped his cheek and pulled him closer, searching his eyes with her own.
"Silly," She whispered, her voice the only sound in the freshly powdered courtyard. "That's not how you kiss beneath mistletoe."
And with that her lips touched his and Neville's world seemed to somersault with emotions he'd never felt before. He was dizzy when the beautiful girl released him from her grasp, and smiled a little lopsided and drunk with love. Her nose and cheeks were a bit pink from the cold and she never looked better to him.
"Happy Christmas, Neville." Luna kissed him again, enjoying how he kissed her back this time.
"Happy Christmas, Luna."
The boy smiled and hugged Luna. This year was the best Christmas he'd had so far, and looking down at this wonderful girl, he knew next year would be even better.