Neville had been wandering around the grounds for quite some time before he finally spotted her, standing alone by the Greenhouse 3, waiting to go into her Herbology lesson. He was about to walk up to her but he suddenly found that his legs didn't work properly. He was practically shaking with nerves.

What if she rejects me? What if I lose a wonderful friend because it makes things awkward between us?

Just go up to her and ask her. You won't see her again until after Christmas and you'll regret it if you don't ask her now. If you never ask, you'll never know anyway.

Neville pushed the negative thoughts out of his mind and walked up to her determinedly.

"Hey, Luna?"

The blonde girl turned around, her cherry earrings swinging from side to side.

"Oh, hello Neville," she said cheerily.

Neville hesitated, her radiant beauty leaving him dumbstruck for a moment. She had such rosy cheeks. Grey eyes that sparkled in a way that he didn't think eyes could. Her voice did something to him, something no other voice did; her beautiful Irish accent, the way she sounded so happy and full of life despite the drizzly rain that was pouring down on them as they spoke. Lune really was gorgeous...

"Uh-oh. Let me guess: wrackspurt?" she asked, snapping him out of his day dream.

"Wha-? Oh, yeah," mumbled Neville, looking away, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"That's ok. Take your time. Wrackspurts can be tricky to get rid of," Luna said knowingly.

Neville laughed nervously as he tried to remember what it was he was going to say. He'd planned it all out, what he was going to say, how he was going to ask her; but the words seemed to have been jumbled in his brain, like someone had shaken his head vigorously, and now he was worried he would be unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Um... I was just wondering... if you wanted to... well, you don't have to obviously, it's totally up to you..." Neville stumbled over the words, speaking so fast he wondered if Luna could even understand him. She didn't laugh - she merely watched him, smiling encouragingly. "Well, there's a Hogsmeade trip this weekend and I was wondering if you'd like to, er, come with me? Just, you know, go into the shops, get a drink, whatever."

No turning back now.

"Oh, yes please! I don't usually have any friends to go with!" cried Luna happily.

She thinks I mean as friends. She thinks I mean as friends! What do I do?

"Ok. So I'll meet you in the entrance hall. Um, is 11:00 good for you?" he asked, trying not to let his disappointment show.

"Yes, that's fine," she replied.

"Fifth years, in you come please!" called Professor Sprout to the class waiting outside.

"I have to go. See you on Saturday!" Luna said, heading into the greenhouse.

"Enjoy your lesson," Neville called to her. For a few moments, he just stood in the rain, feeling as if his heart was slowly breaking apart.

"Longbottom! I believe you have a lesson now?" barked Professor Snape from the entrance hall.

"Yes, sorry Professor," mumbled Neville, heading towards the astronomy tower, angrily brushing away the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes.