Barefoot & Beautiful

Just when Luna thought that his self-esteem was fine, that his self-doubt was gone, she found him easing into habits that he didn't have since the beginning of his fifth year at Hogwarts.

In moments where he thought Luna wasn't watching, Neville would try to breathe in sharply but slow enough so as to not cause attention, sucking in what he called his 'gut'. Luna thought it was endearing, that he didn't need to lose weight at all.

She said nothing as he would eat only part of his dinner and not even touch his dessert. He would claim that he was full, that he didn't need anything, but Luna knew that he was trying to own up to the image that he thought he should be.

He would then scurry off in the direction of his garden, and Luna knew that in his mind he was 'punishing' himself for what he considered to be his many weaknesses. Leaning against the doorway, watching him, she would wonder when he would realize how handsome he really was. Being clean and in a new shirt was all well and good but there was something about him with his sleeves rolled up, hands and arms covered in earth and brow slightly sweating from concentration made Luna a bit weak in the knees.

Coming back in from his usual three-hour stay, no mention would be made about his red eyes as he cleaned up. A cup of tea and quiet discussion would follow during which Luna tried to get him to understand how amazing he was. Neville would shrug it off, staring into the depths of his teacup and offer to do her fortune in an attempt to change the subject.

She turned down the bed sheets, snuggled against him, and once again racked her brain for way to get him to understand.

Neville came down for breakfast the next morning finding Luna already in the middle of poking at a bit of watermelon with her wand.

"Luna?"

"Hm?"

"Have you seen my socks?" He raised his already too short pant leg to show a bare ankle. "I know I lose things but I couldn't have lost all of my socks, right?" There was a slight raise in his voice, as if maybe, he actually had misplaced all of them.

Giving the melon something of a ferocious stab, she shrugged, "Maybe you're trying to tell yourself something?"

Neville thought this over, "I have lost that Remembrall a good few times. But that doesn't make sense…what am I trying to…"

Luna tilted her head to the side; maybe her plan wasn't working as well as she thought, maybe she had to prod him along in the right direction. "What's been on your mind lately?"

"Those stack of essays I have to grade, my Mimbus seems to not take any water lately…"

Scraping the red fruit off its hard shell, she picked up her spoon, "There's more than that."

"No, no that's everything." Always a horrible liar, he fidgeted slightly, a sure giveaway that he wasn't telling the truth.

Luna sighed slightly, seeing that her plan hadn't gone very well. "You're thinking that you need to lose weight, and that all in all you are a failure even after all that you have done in the past years. You killed Voldemort's snake. You helped rally the students of Hogwarts against those horrible people; you became the Gryffindor that you were born to be. And even if you are a professor of your favorite subject that it really isn't that important. Oh and that I'm slightly more crazy than usually for marrying you."

Neville's voice was quiet but strong, "You're not crazy. I don't think that, Luna."

"I put away your socks. I thought that maybe you would see your bare feet and understand that you are perfect. And that I wouldn't have you any other way."

A moment of silence greeted this in which Luna returned to her melon and Neville slightly turned the color of it. He came up behind her and placed his arms around her waist, burying his face in her hair. "I love you, Luna."

"Naturally. I feel quite loving towards you too, Neville."

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Neville turned to the blackboard, certain that the two girls in the front of the greenhouse were wondering about his lack of socks. He, of course, said nothing but let the smile grow. He was fine, more than fine really. He was himself, why he had ever gone back to his old ways was beyond him. If he ever felt that way again, he knew that the least he would have to do was to look down at his bare feet and know that all was right with the world. And that Luna was beside him no matter what.

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Author's Note: Thank you for reading!