Creator's Notes: This was written for the HP Potions Competition.

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This is a submission for the Erumpent Potion. Hope you all enjoy, this is a one-shot. Review as always, cats and kittens.

Neville Longbottom spent his life being overlooked. Walking along the wide hallways of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry he often found himself lost in thought, thoughts that were so heavy he wouldn't be surprised if the soles of his shoes left an imprint into the carpet.

In comparison to the other Gryffindors, Neville was often forgotten. He was quite average looking, having finally grown into his front teeth and broad shoulders. His grades were exceedingly ordinary except for Herbology which seemed to be his only strong suit. Most of Neville Longbottom seemed to be exceedingly regular.

Perhaps Neville was selling himself short but as he walked around those crowded hallways of Hogwarts his shoulders were occasionally knocked and he could feel himself becoming irritated. Mister Longbottom prided himself on not being an angry man, his father had been mild mannered and Neville enjoyed the fact that he was molded after that same magic. His mother had been the one with the flashy emotions and a brilliant smile to go along with it. He stood lost in thoughts, consumed by the memories of his parents.

When Neville looked up again he was standing in the middle of one of the many elaborate hallways that intertwined throughout the school, he was alone which left him to assume that he was in fact late for whichever class it was that he was supposed to be attending which he had suddenly forgotten… A small smile came over him as he recalled the Remembrall that his Gran had sent him his first year at Hogwarts, something that had caused him more grief than it was worth; as he could never remember what it was he had forgotten. He had lost the Remembrall rather easily but that had been for the best. These memories were fonder than the ones of his parents.

He should've put more thought into the class he was missing but he was distracted as the door in front of him did not look familiar, had he ever seen this before? Another thing he had forgotten, even with his older age Neville Longbottom had never been able to shed the terrible habit of forgetfulness. With a curiosity that often got him into trouble he reached out and the door was suddenly opening and without much forethought he was walking inside. One thing that he could credit to his friendship with the famous Harry Potter is that he had learned to always follow his curiosity whether it brought good or bad upon his well-meaning life.

Neville did not realize that he had stumbled upon the Room of Requirement. There was a large circular couch in the center of the measly looking room. A fireplace was roaring, reflecting in the mirrors that lined every wall. As Neville gazed around him, a small noise alerted him. Miss Luna Lovegood was sitting cross legged and barefoot on the couch with an open textbook in her lap. Her satchel was lying at her hip and Neville could see her Spectrespecs poking out of its hiding place. She seemed surprised to see him there but her smile was as distant and warm as it always had been. He looked for the door to make a quick exit but it seemed to have vanished.

"Neville." Her lovely voice floated heavily in the air. "What a surprise."

"I am sorry Luna; I did not mean to interrupt you." Luna's laugh filled his lungs and he was smiling with her.

"I was merely reading. " She paused and stared earnestly at him. "Oh Neville, you seem distressed." She reached into her bag and put on the odd looking glasses. "There are many wrackspurts floating around in your brain." Neville blushed and he wondered if that was something he should be embarrassed about. Luna patted the couch next to her and he hesitantly sat, with the brief thought of how cute her bare toes looked.

"Neville." He couldn't look at her when she was this close to him so he simply stared ahead at the mirrored image reflecting back at them.

"What is on your mind?" Neville Longbottom sighed and that heaviness came back over him. Luna sat patiently, as silence never bothered her. It gave her time to sort out her thoughts which were usually scattered amongst the wrackspurt that had taken up residence between her ears.

Neville could not take his eyes off of the mirrors' reflection of himself. This was the day, and the time that Neville Longbottom felt brave. Gryffindors had become famous for their acclaimed bravery but Neville had felt left out of that blessing. He had always felt exceedingly average.

Luna had lost her train of thought when a loud shattering startled her, which was saying something because Luna Lovegood had a hard time being startled. It seemed that the average Longbottom had punched the poorly placed mirrors. There he stood looking at his broken reflection with a shocked expression. Perhaps he hadn't even noticed that he had stood. Luna stood to approach him but his voice stopped her. He kept his eyes on the broken mirror; a tall Gryffindor was staring back at him as was the pretty blonde Ravenclaw who kept quiet as he began to speak about his parents.

His mother was gorgeous and the pictures of her around his Gran's house had always smiled brightly at him, while his father looked rather proud to have his arm around his wife. Neville had spent his childhood smiling back at them, wondering what they would say when they sent him off to Hogwarts during his First Year.

Neville's voice darkened as he spoke about his Gran's concern that he would never be enough, that he would disgrace the parents that didn't even know him, who barely knew each other. At the mention of Bellatrix Lestrange, Neville's spin stiffened and he felt that anger flowing through him once again. This kind of anger tingled his nerves and felt rather invigorating.

Neville became animated as he spoke to Luna, pacing around the room and gesturing as he told about wild tales of attempted magic when he was a child. Bringing a small smile to his face he recounted the first spell that he had performed, and how proud he thought his mother might be. Memories flooded through his mind and out of his mouth as the highs and lows of his life brought up smiles and balled fists.

So there the two friends stayed, Luna Lovegood the rather distant girl listened intently as her dear friend ranted about the emotions that had never seen the light of day before. His words were free and loose, filling the room with hot air and hopeful dreams of what he had always wanted most in the world. Luna laughed with him and mourned with him as his words danced around their ankles. Neville stopped suddenly and stared at Miss Lovegood who blinked softly at him in her quirky way.

"Luna… There has been something I have always wanted to do." It wasn't a question but he presented it like one. During his ranting he had drawn close to her and suddenly the air between them was significantly different than what it was a few mere seconds ago. Neville had changed throughout those last heated moments and a new man stood before Looney Luna. Within the few seconds that followed both students would realize just how much he had changed.

Neville, heated and excited from his first experience with ranting did something that he had never imagined would ever happen. Neville grabbed the barefoot girl in his arms, and before he allowed himself to think he pressed his lips hard against hers.

Both Longbottom and Lovegood stood there with their mouths touching before Neville pulled away. He seemed to find himself again and suddenly he was the First Year that had been anxious to enter Hogwarts. He let her go and mumbled his apologies to her, her absent smile made him much more embarrassed. The door had appeared again and Neville fled from the room.

Luna had never been kissed but this had certainly not been an unpleasant experience. She touched her bottom lip and noted that the wrackspurts in her brain had made it very fuzzy while Neville kissed her. Without another thought Luna Lovegood sat on that couch again and continued reading her book barefoot as Neville Longbottom ran through the hallways of Hogwarts feeling thoroughly embarrassed but more alive than he had ever felt.

Creator's Notes: Hope everyone enjoyed! Review as always. Let me know what you thought!