-Neville-

Thursday morning dawned bright and early at the Gryffindor common room. I awoke mainly because I was contorted into an armchair. I stretched out reluctantly. "I must have over-revised last night." I mumbled to myself. Piles of books surrounded the tables; several other people were also awaking with equal disgruntlement. I raced up the boys stairs, and woke the other boys. "Seamus, Dean, Harry, Ron wake up!"

"No, Mum, I don't want to wake up!" Ron murmured

"No, Ron, it's not your mum, its Nev, wake up!" I shook him

"Oh, what, okay." He sat up. The others were waking up better than Ron. From the eight years I had lived with Ron I had learned that he was not a morning person. Ah, well at least he was alright in the afternoons, most of the time, sometimes, occasionally. Maybe I need to shut up now. Voice in my head that sounds like Hermione, SHUT UP! There, that's better. I walked slowly to the Great Hall, hoping to pass Luna in the corridor and get the chance to talk to her. Hopefully my next conversation with her wouldn't be anything like the last one. i.e.:

"H-hi l-l-Luna, N-Nice t-to see y-you!" I had stuttered. She had replied kindly with,

"Neville, are you okay? It's okay, I know you're worried about that potions exam, I'll help you revise if you like." So every Sunday afternoon we sat in the library studying for our N.E.W.T.S, not always potions, I would help Luna with her Herbology and we would help each other with more boring subjects like charms and divination. It was fun, occasionally we would talk about the subject, and sometimes we would chat about other stuff. Usually we sat in silence, just enjoying the company.

Luna had confided in me that she completely trusted me because I was her first friend. I guess I like Luna because we were both rejected by society and outcasts as such. I hoped she felt the same.

It had been a couple of hours before I saw a cloud of long, silvery hair.

"Luna, wait up!" I ran to keep up with her.

"Oh, hey Neville, did you know we are twenty minutes late for charms?" she said in an airy tone.

"What? Oh God Flitwick is going to kill me Oh God!" I moaned to myself.

"It's okay, Nev, we'll run!" she reassured before breaking into a sprint. I followed her. An icy voice floated from behind me:

"Mr Longbottom, Miss Lovegood! We do NOT run in the corridors!" Professor McGonagall looked absolutely furious. "You shall serve detention with me immediately!"

"But, Professor, we have charms!" I said, breathless.

"Mr Longbottom, I know for a fact you have a free period, do not play games with me." She said sternly. "Your detention will be in the forbidden forest, collecting Faerie Phlox; I trust you know all about that from Herbology?" We nodded. "Good, you two shall be partners as we need you to help make the offering to the faeries in return for the phlox blossoms. We nodded again. "Follow me then." She led us into to the grounds, covered with a light dusting of snow.

"Oh look, Nev, it's snowing!" Luna said softly

"Yeah, it's beautiful!" I breathed back. We entered the forbidden forest awestruck by the spectacular scenery that lay before us. Deep in the heart of the forest was a small clearing. There lay the Faerie Ring. It was a series of toadstools in a circle.

"Step into the circle children!" McGonagall commanded. We did so. The faeries appeared out of no-where. Glittering lights in the dark skies.

"Where is the gift you promised us in return for the Phlox?" asked a mischievous faerie. McGonagall replied:

"These children will dance for you under the influence of the Phlox!"

"Oooh, the famous love test then?" A song started playing, a beautiful melodious tune drifting into the night sky. We rose up from the floor. I put my arms around Luna and started to dance a waltz. Her hair looked almost ethereal in this light. I gazed into her eyes, watching how they twinkled like stars as we rose up higher into the night sky; the faeries took us high above the ground. I remembered something from Herbology about faery phlox making the person we were requested to dance with go higher if we loved them. Something clicked in my mind. I am hopelessly in love and she loves me back! Pretty, white blossoms floated down from the heavens, Faerie Phlox. Without thinking I leant closer and kissed her. It felt like the most amazing thing ever. She felt tiny and delicate in my arms as I gently pressed my lips against hers. As we broke apart I could see McGonagall smiling and the faeries clap. I only wanted to see Luna right now.

"I love you!"

"I love you too!"