Title: Different, Yet the Same.
Summary: Neville's meeting Luna at the airport after over a year of separation.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the idea.
Author's Notes: This was a challenge set down by searching4romeo to write a fic about Neville and Luna after Hogwarts.
It was twelve months, three days, and fifteen hours since he last saw her. Twelve months, three days, and fifteen hours since she walked out of his life and onto a plane to Australia to find the Stingless Jellyfish.
He regretted the words he'd spoken. 'Good bye'. Just that. No 'I love you'. No 'I'll see you soon'. Not even a 'good luck'! He was supposed to support her!
She'd supported him. When he told her he was looking for a cure for the Cruciatus Curse, not only had she supported him, she'd looked up innumerable amounts of information for him…not all of it useful, but it was the thought that counts.
He was only here today because Ginny sent him an owl informing him of the time her plane got in.
His back stiffened. There she was, stepping off the plane now. She looked very different. Her skin was bronzed from the brighter sun, hair paler than ever. Her eyes seemed brighter, less dreamy, and instead of bottle-caps there were shells strung around her neck. Her legs looked longer in the denim skirt, and the top she wore had to be held up by magic, there was no other explanation for it.
He sighed, shoulders slumping. He didn't deserve her. He hadn't deserved her before…and now…
He would have left, but she saw him, and ran over. "Neville! What are you doing here!" Her voice had a gentle Australian twang overriding the lilting Yorkshire English.
Neville shrugged. "I…I came to meet you. You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course not. I missed you."
Neville found himself with an arm full of coconut-scented woman. His arms tightened reflexively.
"I'm glad you came. How've you been?"
"Not bad, you?" He answered quickly, trying not to let the softness of his girlfriend distract him.
"Great! I had so much fun. I found the lake almost the minute I got there, muggle Australians know about it, can you imagine? Oh, Nev, it's so magical, you wouldn't believe, and not in the wands and spells sense, but in the nature sense. Lakes are called billabongs in Australia, did you know that…"
Neville let Luna's words rush over him. He shouldn't have worried. She was different, yes, but still the same old Luna Lovegood.
End