I wrote this for February 2016's Monthly One Shot Exchange over on the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. This one's dedicated to Anastasia The Goddess of Drama. I hope you like it!
"Well... it's that time of year again..." Luna said.
"No, Luna. No." Neville sat up straighter in the plush arm chair that he had relaxing in, mere moments prior to the dreaded words coming from his wife's mouth.
He'd been enjoying his usual weekend away from Hogwarts in his own home until Luna brought up the dreaded event.
"It's May 17th, Neville!" Luna spoke brightly. "It's the start of registration for the annual International Magizoology Conference!"
"I know that, Luna. I've been dreading the day since you registered for the last one..." Neville muttered. "Something weird always happens there when we go. I wouldn't mind it as much if it didn't..."
"That's the fun of it, Neville!" Luna exclaimed.
Neville could only sigh in exasperation.
He could remember all too well what had happened the last time she had dragged him to one of those conferences.
He loved her, he really did, but those conferences drove him up a wall.
Most of the material in and of itself was quite interesting and he had met many interesting people there, but..
He sighed, taking a sip of tea from the large blue mug that had been sitting on the small table next to the chair and remembered the events of the previous year's conference.
Neville remembered fiddling with his golden watch nervously as he stepped inside the place... the conference centre that had been arranged for the event.
They'd only arrived via a long-distance Portkey in Canada the day before and he remembered still feeling as if he were travelling with it, vertigo and all.
And he'd thought short-distance Portkeys were bad enough...
He stood outside the building that was somewhere in the magical section of Vancouver, watching the other witches and wizards from all around the world go in.
"Isn't this just so exhilarating, Neville? Getting to meet Magizoologists from all around the world, getting to see their genius put on display!" Luna exclaimed, practically bouncing up and down, one of the few times he'd ever seen his wife display extreme emotion of any kind.
"It wasn't exhilarating at all," Neville said, snapping back to present day when his wife perched herself on his lap. "It was actually quite unfortunate..."
"It wasn't so bad, you big baby!" Luna giggled. "It was fun! So what if a few of the animals got loose? They weren't dangerous!"
Neville looked at her incredulously. "They weren't dangerous, Luna? They had no right bringing such things to a conference!"
Luna paused, as if thinking. "Well, some of those creatures may have been a bit... excitable..." she admitted reluctantly. "And perhaps a bit on the loud side as well, but at least they got them under control quickly enough..."
"Opinions may vary on that..." Neville muttered. "At least none of them were over the XXX rating..."
"Oh Neville," Luna kissed him. "that would just be irresponsible of us. We want people to enjoy the creatures and be willing to learn about them. How can we do that if we start them out with the scary stuff?"
Neville gave her an exasperated look. "Those creatures escaping their cages and upsetting displays, lifting people into the air and throwing them about, hurling about random objects and let's not forget the random substances that some of them secrete..."
He shuddered at the memory of a creature he recalled as being from Brazil that had spat up dark purple gunk on his arm that made it red and itchy for days.
None of the herbal remedies he knew of did anything once he'd gotten back to Britain the day after the incident and Harry and Ron could only spare him pitying looks when he ended up having to go to St Mungo's.
The indignity of it all.
Neville huffed.
"Come on, Neville. Please?" Luna took his hand and put it on her belly, the barest hint of a bump visible under her robes now that he looked closer. "It'll be the last one before I'll have to stop long-haul travel altogether. We can make a big trip out of it and everything. We could stay on in Argentina for a whole two weeks at least!"
"I don't know..." Neville looked unsure.
"After last year they put in more safeguards to make sure something like this wouldn't happen again. I got to pitch in a few ideas myself. Plus this year, the conference is going to be in Argentina. You've mentioned wanting to visit there for a while, haven't you...?" Luna played lightly with his hair.
"Yes..." Neville could feel his resistance slipping away.
"And... you've recently picked up learning Spanish as a new hobby. What better way to practice than going to a Spanish speaking country?" Luna whispered in his ear.
"Dammit..." Neville thought.
"Argentina can be our first stop. We have the time and the means... why not go for it?" Luna kissed him again and he felt all his resolve melt away.
She'd won this round.
There were times that he managed to win in situations like this with simple things such as common sense, logic and offering to bake Luna's favourite sweet treats for her, but this time, he'd have to hand the victory over to her.
"I... fine." Neville finally relented.
"Thank you so much, sweetheart!" Luna took his face in her hands and kissed him intensely. "I'll go get some brochures and such about the trip! I know you're still uneasy about it, but to put that aside and agree to go with me anyway... It's up to me to make you feel better about it! And..." Luna gave him a salacious look. "I'll make it up to you later..."
Neville sunk down into his chair as Luna left the room.
She really had him whipped, didn't she?
Damn, she was persuasive when she wanted to be...