AN: This was written for my friend's 16th birthday, she turned 17 last month. Oops. PURE FLUFFINESS!
HAPPY EXTREMELY BELATED BIRTHDAY, MAX!
Luna sat in the Great Hall at the Ravenclaw table, pretending to eat her breakfast but really only pushing it around her plate. She was only a couple of hours into her day and it was already turning into one of the worst birthdays of her life. Not only did she wake up late, get stuck on a moving staircase and have to go the long way to breakfast, trip over twice when people stuck their legs out in front of her and break her favourite Butterbeer cork necklace, it also seemed that nobody had remembered to wish her a happy birthday. Luna sighed and stood up from her seat.
'Perhaps Daddy has sent me something by owl,' she thought to herself. Luna skipped off to the Owlery to check, only to find that there was nothing there for her at all. Not even a simple card. 'Everyone has forgotten about me. And on my birthday, too!' she thought, trying not to cry as tears filled her eyes.
"Hi, Luna," a familiar voice called from the doorway.
She quickly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and turned around to face the boy behind her.
"Hello, Neville," she greeted him.
"How are- Have you been crying?" he asked, sounding slightly worried.
"Oh. I was trying not to, but yes, a little bit." She replied.
"Why?"
"Well, today's my birthday, and I should be happy about that. But, no one remembered..." she sighed.
"Rubbish. I'm sure someone must've at least said happy birthday to you."
Luna said nothing but shook her head sadly in reply.
"Oh. I'm sorry, Luna."
"Thank you, Neville. I suppose the Wrackspurts have made everyone forget. They're particularly nasty this time of year, you know."
"Uhh… right." he replied, completely baffled. He watched her turn and skip away, despite the fact that she'd been crying no more than 5 minutes earlier.
"Hey, Luna," he shouted after her, an idea suddenly springing to mind.
"Yes?" the blonde-haired girl asked, looking back at him over her shoulder.
"I was just wondering…" he began nervously, "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me today? I mean, there's a trip planned and everything and it is your birthday so I just- but, you don't have to come if you don't want to, it's completely up to-"
"That sounds lovely, Neville." she interrupted his babbling, smiling serenely.
"Great! So… should I meet you at the front door?"
Luna simply nodded before turning away once again and making her way back to the castle, leaving behind a very nervous boy to over-analyse their conversation, trying to determine whether the trip to Hogsmeade could be considered a date or not.
***
"Nargles got your tongue?" Luna asked as they walked along the road that led to Hogsmeade.
"What?" Neville answered; a look of complete confusion on his face.
"I said 'Nargles got your tongue?' you haven't said a word since we started walking…"
"Oh, yeah, I was just thinking."
"About what?" she asked curiously.
"Umm… It's nothing."
"You can't be thinking of nothing, Neville. That's impossible."
"Well, it wasn't anything important."
They walked in silence until they arrived in Hogsmeade.
"So where are we going first, birthday girl?" he asked, a smile plastered across his face.
Luna gave a very uncharacteristic giggle before she answered. "I think I might like a Butterbeer. Shall we go to the Three Broomsticks?"
"Sounds good to me."
They headed toward the Wizarding pub and ordered two Butterbeers at the counter then found themselves a table for two in a quiet corner. Although both of them were noticeably nervous they soon fell into an easy conversation, talking about everything from DA meetings to Wrackspurts to what had happened to each of their parents. Luna had never talked to anyone about her mother's death before, not even her father. It made her rather sad talking about her; she wished she could've been here to celebrate her birthday. It was okay though, Neville was a good listener. She was glad to have someone she could finally talk to about it, someone who understood what it was like to lose a parent. She opened her mouth to express her thoughts to him and thank him for being so kind to her on her birthday when everyone else had abandoned her when a dark shadow fell over their table.
"Well, isn't this cute," a voice spat at the couple, "finally found someone who can stand to be around you, Loony?"
Neville glanced at the girl and, seeing her eyes fill with tears, glared at the pale, ferrety-looking boy standing in front of them.
"Leave her alone, Malfoy," he said quietly.
An ugly sneer formed on the blond's face. He wasn't used to being challenged, especially not by weak Gryffindors who didn't deserve to be called Purebloods.
"What are you gonna do about it, Longbottom, duel me? I'd like to see you try. You'd be on the floor in seconds. Besides, that stupid girl is hardly worth a week in the Hospital Wing."
That was it. Neville snapped. He didn't care how much Draco Malfoy taunted him but insulting Luna, one of the kindest, most lovely girls he'd ever met, was going too far. Without a moment's hesitation he drew his wand and pointed it at the arrogant prat.
"STUPEFY!" he yelled.
Luna watched in awe as a jet of bright red light hit Malfoy squarely in the chest and hurled him across the pub where he landed on a table occupied by several important looking wizards who appeared to be from the Ministry of Magic. Glasses fell to the ground and shattered, forming a pool of Fire Whiskey and Butterbeer under the table. The scene had started a commotion from the surrounding tables, people were complaining loudly that all they wanted to do was enjoy their drinks and they should not have to deal with under trained Hogwarts students, who were clearly not disciplined at the school, running rampant in Hogsmeade. The bartender stormed over, cleared very angry that someone was causing trouble in his pub and wanting to kick someone out.
The Ministry workers stared at the unconscious boy on their table in bewilderment.
"RUN!" Neville cried out to Luna who was still seated at the table, frozen in shock.
She quickly stood up and followed him out of the pub, leaving a couple of Sickles on the table as her little way of apologizing for the mess they had caused. Once outside, Neville grabbed her hand to drag her around a corner, checking behind them every so often as they ran. When he was sure they weren't being chased, he pulled her to a stop. They stood together panting, still holding onto each other.
"Well, that was fun," Luna announced, "Do you think Draco will get into trouble for what happened?"
"Who cares?" Neville laughed in between breaths.
"Thank you, Neville," she said quietly, "no one's ever stood up for me like that before."
She reached up suddenly and kissed him on the cheek, beaming at the furious blush that creeped up his neck.
"We should go swimming," she said unexpectedly, snapping Neville out of the thousands of thoughts running through his head.
"Swimming?" he repeated. He was sure he had heard her wrong; it was almost winter, after all.
"Yes, at the lake," she said "you don't like to swim?"
"No, I do. It's just that I don't have my swimming trunks…"
"Well, you can just swim in your clothes, silly," Luna insisted, "that's what I always do!"
Neville relented, letting her lead him to the lake by the hand that was still intertwined with her own.
When they arrived, Luna removed her hand from his and waded into the cool water straight away, fully dressed. Neville laughed as he saw that she hadn't even bothered to stop and take off her shoes. He quickly removed his own, not wanting them to be ruined then watched her absentmindedly spinning in the water for a while before joining her in the shimmering blue water.
Luna turned onto her back, floating on the surface of the lake with her eyes closed. She sighed happily.
"You know, I think this might be one of the best birthdays I've ever had."
Neville smiled, pleased that he had managed to cheer her up. He had been surprised that morning when Luna agreed to spend her birthday with him and now wondered if maybe, hopefully, it meant that she returned the feelings that he had for her.
He wanted to know whether she got butterflies in her stomach when she saw him.
Whether her heart started to beat faster when he was around.
Whether a blush crept across her cheeks when he happened to cross her mind.
Or whether it was just him.
I guess there's only one way to find out for sure. He gulped nervously and tried to summon the courage that Gryffindors are supposed to be known for. He took a few deep breaths and slowly stepped towards her.
She was still floating, completely oblivious to what was going on around her and lost in her own little world. Before he could lose his nerve, Neville leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers.
Luna's eyes sprang open in surprise. She had completely forgotten where she was. As realisation hit her, her eyes fluttered closed again and she kissed him back. Her feet found the bottom of the lake and her arms found their way around his neck. He still tasted of Butterbeer, making their kiss a sweet one.
Eventually, when both teenagers were desperate for air, they reluctantly pulled apart.
Luna stood on her tip toes and put her mouth to Neville's ear.
"You know what I said earlier about how this might be one of the best birthdays I've ever had? I lied. It's definitely the best birthday ever," she murmured happily
"Happy birthday, Luna." he whispered back, smiling as she rested her head on his chest contentedly.