AN: Some spin-off one-shots of Neville & Luna's relationship as it develops throughout Relief from Nightmares. This chapter fits in nicely at the end of chapter 22 for Relief from Nightmares.
You don't HAVE to have read the main story for this series, Relief from Nightmares, to understand this ficlet, but this may contain spoilers if you haven't.
Neville was sitting in the library, he was supposed to be studying for his Herbology essay but his thoughts were split between two other topics.
One part of his mind was on Harry and what he was doing tonight, he was currently in the Room of Requirement testing his new version of Wolfsbane on Professor Lupin. Neville really hoped it would go well. His friend needed a win and Neville was excited to see this work. Zabini, Blaise, Neville reminded himself, was right about the ramifications this could have for the werewolf community and the wizarding one too. Luna had been serenely smug during their shared break between lessons when they had spoken about it together.
Thinking about the female marauder led Neville to the other thoughts that occupied his brain and constantly derailed him from his studies. Luna. She was captivating. So warm and happy all the time, but not in an overt giggly way like most girls Neville had experience with. She was a bright light in his life. A gentle warmth like the spring sun, and he felt incredibly lucky every moment he was in her presence.
Neville knew he had feelings for her. Feelings that ran deeper than the small crush he'd harboured for Ginny in his fourth year. Ginny was a great friend at times, but she had a far too fiery disposition for him to be entirely comfortable around in boyfriendly way.
He inhaled deeply through his nose, he wanted to ask Luna to Hogsmeade but he wasn't sure that she would be receptive to him like that. He knew he wasn't the type of wizard that witches lined up for. He was too quiet, too shy, and he wasn't overly interested in 'cool' things like Quidditch. He loved his plants and the peaceful moments in the greenhouses, he loved the outdoors and exploring new areas looking for rare and unusual plants. He was content to while away his evenings in front of a roaring fire with an interesting book in one hand and a pleasant drink in the other.
He sighed, idly pondering if he would ever work up the courage to ask her on a date and turned a page in the book in front of him. Blinking hard at the images and realising he had no idea what he was reading. He turned back the page and frowned when he couldn't remember reading those passages either.
A shadow fell over his table and he looked up to see the very witch that had been occupying his thoughts. She smiled knowingly at him, and he flushed, wondering if she knew what he had been thinking about.
Luna moved around the table and plonked herself comfortably in his lap. Neville's eyes went wide, it wasn't that they had never been so close before, Luna often snuggled into his side when they shared a couch or leant against his legs if she was sitting on the floor. But this was the first time she had been so forward about it, and certainly the first time she had sat directly in his lap. He swallowed hard hoping to keep his body from reacting to the feeling of her pert bottom perched on his leg.
"Neville," she began, her voice like sweet music in his ears, "You need to stop worrying so much. Of course I want you to take me to Hogsmeade on a date. I would be very, very happy to be your girlfriend."
Neville's jaw dropped, and he could feel it working, trying to form words that wouldn't come to mind in his shock.
Luna leaned forward and kissed him softly on the corner of his mouth. "Now, where are we going to go?" she asked.
The kiss seemed to bolster something inside of him and he relaxed, a happy, sappy smile forming on his lips. This was exactly like Luna, and he wouldn't have her any other way.
"Anywhere you want," he said. Her bright smile was all he needed to know that he would follow her to the ends of the earth if she asked.
AN: Hope you guys enjoyed this little insight to Neville! :D