A/N: I'm attempting another chapter story. I'm not particularly good at these, so we'll see where it goes. I'm going to try my best to finish it (eventually) but if all else fails, it's yet another sample of my writing. This chapter's a bit short and half-ass edited, but I really wanted to get it up. Whoop de doo.

And for the record, I've read all the books. I've seen the movies. I've done my research, and I know how everything ends up. But this is fanfiction. I'm gonna do what I want, and I can and will ignore everyone who says "that didn't happen in the book!" or "that's not the way JKR wanted it to end up!" Haters will be openly mocked, so check yourself before you wreck yourself.

For everyone else, enjoy.

x

Love, Luna

Chapter One: Tea and Chocolate

x

Neville Longbottom had chosen the wrong morning to use his mother's favorite china teacup.

It was an ordinary Saturday at first, a slight January chill creeping over the city of London. There was no part of him that wanted to push back the sheets and crawl out of the warm bed he shared with his longtime girlfriend, Hannah Abbott, but his growling stomach eventually won over him. Shuffling and shivering to the kitchen, he started a pot of tea, rummaging around for a pan in the cabinets. A tap on the apartment window alerted him that his sweet barn owl, Pomona, was delivering the mail, and he let her in with a smile.

"Thank you," he said, kindly ruffling her feathers. She hooted softly before flying to her cage in the corner of the room, settling down for a nice nap. Neville plopped the mail on the table, ignoring it for the time being as he began frying some eggs. He had come to realize over the years in their apartment that he liked the taste of food better without magic, and put some bread in the toaster for when Hannah awoke. Once his eggs were finished, he sat down at the table, thinking about his errands for the day. Hannah would go to work at the Leaky Cauldron, as she did every day, but since Neville still had holiday time off from training for his new position as Professor of Herbology in the fall, he figured he might scrounge the after-Christmas sales in Diagon Alley.

Yes, it was an ordinary Saturday morning, until he finally looked at the mail.

He sipped his chamomile, feeling the warmth spread to his fingers and toes. There was The Daily Prophet, as usual, the electric bill (silly Muggle apartments), the newest issue of Herbologist Monthly, a postcard from Hannah's parents traveling in sunny Australia, and—there.

Neville recognized the pale blue envelope right away, and smiled as he saw the swirly writing on the front bearing his name. He had been wondering and waiting when it would arrive, and eagerly tore open the flap on the back, sliding out a piece of paper in the same color.

Dear Neville,

I hope you had a wonderful holiday! Paris is beautiful at Christmas, and you should absolutely try to see it someday. Rolf and I searched all over for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack (well…I searched, he followed), as it was believed to be last seen here in France, but to no avail. We did see a baby dragon exhibit, though. She was absolutely beautiful, but I do wish I could have set her free. I'll tell you more when I see you.

Speaking of which, Rolf and I have some exciting news to tell you. Are you free this afternoon around four o'clock? Florean Fortescue's son re-opened the parlor in honor of his father, and I heard rumors of an amazing hot chocolate, so if you are indeed free, please send Pomona back with your reply, and Rolf and I will see you there! Hannah is invited too, of course.

Love,

Luna

Neville read the letter over three times, not caring in the slightest that his eggs were getting cold. Luna Lovegood had been his best friend since their Hogwarts days, and they had spent many a time together talking about their secrets, their dreams, and as the days grew darker, what they would do if they survived the war. But since she had started seeing Rolf Scamander about a year ago, she had barely seen Neville at all, and their long talks had been restricted to letters. Not that Neville minded; he loved getting mail, especially from her. Now, however, Luna had spent the holiday in Paris, and they had news to tell him? That could only mean…

CRASH!

The cup of tea he'd been drinking out of had slipped out of his hand and shattered on the white tile floor, spilling tea everywhere. Swearing to himself, he scrambled for his wand to clean up the mess, surprised at his own shaking voice as he muttered the spells. The teacup was as good as new, but he still felt awful as he delicately placed it back in the glass cabinet.

"What was that, dear?"

Neville jumped in surprise, not knowing Hannah had entered the kitchen. Her blonde hair was slightly disheveled, but her eyes were soft, and Neville found himself relaxing.

"Nothing, I just tripped. I hope I didn't wake you."

She yawned and gave a small stretch. "It did, but I wanted to get up anyway. You haven't made me strawberry pancakes in ages." She smiled, and Neville couldn't help but return it. Something about Hannah's soft disposition always found a way to keep him at ease, instead of lapsing into the worrying state of mind he used to have.

"As long as I don't break anything else, I think I can manage," he said, starting to clear off the kitchen table, but Hannah caught sight of the blue envelope before he could brush it away.

"What's this?" she asked, plucking it from the pile curiously.

Neville's face turned pink. His girlfriend was completely understanding of his close friendship with Luna, yet he tried not to mention it too much. Hannah was not the jealous type at all, but he didn't want her feeling as though she had to fight for his attention.

"This? Oh." Neville slid the letter back in the envelope. "Luna and Rolf are back from holiday, and they invited us out this afternoon. She said they have…news."

Hannah's eyebrows arched, her eyes sparkling. "Really? Do you think they…"

"I don't know," Neville interrupted, perhaps a little more harshly than he should have. He sighed upon seeing Hannah's slightly taken aback expression. "Sorry. It just came as a surprise to me, too."

She brushed it off with a shrug. "Okay. If I get out on time, I'll join you. Now…" She planted a kiss on his cheek and smiled. "If you clear off the table, I'll go ahead and take out the skillet, and you can pay me back by making those pancakes."

"Oh, all right. You win." Neville smiled and put the mail in their bedroom. He slipped the letter into a magical hidden drawer in his dresser, taking one last look at the small collection of colorful envelopes. Sighing, and feeling guilty for the umpteenth time in this short morning, he joined Hannah in the kitchen.

Luckily for Neville, the easygoing dynamic he had with Hannah made him forget all about the letter. She turned on the radio and danced around him as he flipped the pancakes, laughing as one splattered on the floor. He replied in kind by attempting to toss smaller strawberries down the shirt of her pajamas, cheering when he succeeded. By the time they finished eating, the kitchen was a complete mess, and both of them had flour and syrup in their hair, but they didn't mind. It was times like this that Neville realized how grateful he was to have Hannah in his life. She made everything so simple, so worthwhile.

For anyone else, there could be nothing more to ask for. But for Neville, someone who had suffered and changed so much in his lifetime, he could only wish that he could give Hannah everything she truly deserved.

After showering, dressing, and a long goodbye kiss, Hannah left for the Leaky Cauldron, and Neville woke up a disgruntled Pomona in her cage.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I just need one thing, okay? Please?"

She complied and emerged from her cage, but not without staring at him blankly for a few moments. He quickly scribbled:

Luna,

Yes, we would love to meet you at Fortescue's later.

Neville

He made a makeshift envelope with another piece of paper and tucked the note inside, writing Luna's name on the front and handing it to his owl. Despite him thanking her, Pomona was still not happy about being woken up from her nap, but left the apartment anyway, out of sight in the high clouds. Neville sighed as he watched her go, wondering what on earth he had just agreed to.

x

It began to snow as Neville made his way through Diagon Alley at a quarter to four, his arms laden with more supplies than he thought he was going to buy. Professor McGonagall, now headmistress, had sent him a list of necessities, and the discounts were too great to pass up. As he shifted textbooks from one arm to the other, he made a mental note to ask his friend Hermione Granger the charm for fitting so many things in a small bag, something he had always marveled at.

Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, since the war, had been reconstructed, with a painting of Florean on the new sign. Neville shivered as he entered, the bell tinkling above his head. It was surprisingly crowded for winter, but if what Luna had said about the hot chocolate was true, then it would make perfect sense. He made his way to a table in the back, big enough for four if Hannah could get a small break to meet them, and waited.

"Can I get you something?" A teenage girl in the most ridiculous pink-and-purple uniform came up to him, smiling. Unprepared, Neville looked at the menu on the table, the wide variety of drinks and desserts overwhelming him.

"Erm. Yeah. I'll have…uh…"

"Hot chocolate?" The girl's pearly whites were gleaming at him. "Seems to be a favorite today. If you haven't visited since the reopening, it's a good place to start."

Neville couldn't help it; he grinned back at her. "Sure. And this pound cake sounds good too, if you wouldn't mind?"

The waitress nodded and jotted down his order, rushing back to the kitchens. Neville settled down and actually looked at the menu. Apart from ice cream, which is what the parlor was originally famous for, the owner's son had added a plethora of warm, sugary snacks, which also explained the crowd. With a cold wintry day like this, they would make a ton of business.

Neville's eyes shot up as he heard the bells above the door ring once more, and he craned his neck to see over the mass of people. And there, amongst the mass of shoppers from Diagon Alley, holding hands and laughing, were Rolf and Luna.

And Merlin's beard, Neville couldn't remember the last time he saw her looking so happy. Her long blonde hair was partially tucked under a blue knit cap, contrasting with her green scarf and pink coat. Over the years, Luna's taste in fashion had calmed considerably, but she still enjoyed anything out of the ordinary. He could see her grey eyes sparkling from across the room as she spotted him, waving frantically.

"Neville!" she squealed as she finally managed to pull Rolf toward the table, throwing her arms around her friend and causing him to stumble backwards. He laughed as her hair tickled his face, smelling faintly of fresh mint, just as it always had.

"It's good to see you," he replied, struggling to stand after her minor attack. Luna was still grinning as she pulled away from him, stuffing her gloves in the pocket of her coat.

"I was hoping we'd even make it to Diagon Alley. The snow is really coming down." She turned her attention to the man standing next to her. "Rolf, you remember Neville, don't you?"

In all the excitement, Neville had nearly forgotten why she had invited him there in the first place, and his heart sunk slightly. He kept his smile, though, as Rolf outstretched a hand.

"Yes, of course," Rolf answered. Neville tried not to react at the firm handshake, which seemed to match Rolf's personality. He was tall and chiseled, with tight brown curls and blue eyes, though they were not as warm as Luna's. They had met several times before, and each time, Neville couldn't help but wonder why in the world Luna had chosen this man.

If she's happy—Neville had to bitterly remind himself—so am I.

The waitress returned with Neville's order, thankfully interrupting what could have been a very awkward situation. Luna ordered a hot chocolate as well, while Rolf stiffly asked for a coffee, black.

Neville sat alone in a chair across from the couple, cutting up his pound cake into small pieces to distract himself. "So…what did you do in Paris?"

Instantly he regretted his question, as Luna giggled, cheeks pink. "Explored the city, mostly, both the Muggle and magical parts. French wizards sure are interesting." She turned to the man next to her and smiled. "Rolf, remember when that one witch tried to convince us she was selling all those 'rare herbs' that turned out to be crushed-up maple leaves in vinegar?"

It came as a slight shock to Neville when Rolf gave a small smile; it reminded him of a stone cracking. "She was quite the character."

Neville forced a laugh. "Sounds like you had a good time."

Luna nodded eagerly. The waitress returned to the table yet again, and Neville thought Luna was going to spill her drink from excitement. To avoid the same fate for himself, he took a long swig of hot chocolate, but in his haste, forgot how hot it actually was, and began coughing at his burning throat.

Great. Now Rolf thinks I'm a klutz and an idiot.

"Are you okay, Neville?" Luna asked, her face apologetic. Rolf said nothing, but arched an eyebrow and took a small sip of his own coffee, which only made Neville's face redden further. He could only nod and swallow a piece of cake to ease his scalding insides.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," he said quietly, clutching his small fork in embarrassment.

Luna gave him a soft smile. "In that case…we have something to tell you." Her eyes flashed to Rolf again. "Do you want to tell him, or should I?"

Neville was irked by Rolf's blank stare back at her, but he said nothing. Rolf shrugged. "Go ahead, dear. I know you've been simply dying to share."

Luna looked back at Neville, overcome with giddiness. She flashed him her left hand, and there it was, the diamond ring.

"We're getting married!"

So. Neville had been right from the moment he read her letter that morning. He had watched Luna fall head over heels for Rolf through the past year, wondering when the day of their engagement would finally come. And now that it had, Neville wanted nothing more than to get up and leave Fortescue's without looking back.

"How could you? How could you marry a man who will never love you the way I do?"

Neville wanted to scream this across the table. But of course, out of respect, and being who he was, he held his tongue.

Instead, he took a gentler sip of his drink, forced a smile, and said, "That's wonderful."

Luna started chattering on about all the details that she'd already planned, but Neville paid little attention. Gods, there was absolutely no way in hell he'd just admitted to himself he loved Luna. He had always felt a deep connection with her, but hardly dared to delve into it. Throughout their years at Hogwarts, they had formed a bond, a sort of quiet understanding, and for a time, he thought—or hoped, rather—that there was chemistry between them. But when she made no further move, Neville pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind, and moved on, as she had. Unfortunately, despite his affection for sweet, kind Hannah, he knew deep down that she deserved better. His heart was, and now forever would be, torn in two.

For once in his life, he was glad Hannah was unable to keep her word and join them, as he couldn't bear the guilt he now felt. Neville went through the rest of the meeting with difficulty, faking laughs and smiles where appropriate, and promising to meet up again soon as they said their good-byes. Diagon Alley was nearly empty now, as the snow was starting to fall even more heavily, and Neville watched Rolf and Luna for a few moments as they strolled down the street, arm in arm, before Apparating out of sight. Despite the cold air and the lack of visibility, Neville stood outside the shop for a few moments, his head whirling.

Over the past few years, Neville had become quite good at hiding his struggling emotions. It seemed all he'd done during this time was fight the mix of anger, sadness, shame, and love that penetrated his mind on a daily basis. The two women he cared about the most, Luna and Hannah, were both worthy of complete and total happiness, yet he was unable to deliver it to either of them. And since he was a good man—he always had been—he would not give up now; he was a Gryffindor, brave and true, and was damn well going to make things right. But even though he knew this was the right thing to do, he could not stop the single tear that slipped from his eye.

Because even though Luna Lovegood had been his best friend since their days at Hogwarts, even though he wanted nothing more for her than the greatest joy imaginable, Neville Longbottom simply could not bear the thought of her walking down the aisle to a man that was not him.

x

"If I don't say this now, I will surely break as I'm leaving the one I want to take. Forget the urgency, but hurry up and wait. My heart has started to separate." - The Fray