Chapter 2-

I step into the room of requirement still holding Luna's hand. I see the Patil twins glance over at us and giggle; I just walk on and smile. Everyone forms a clump of green when Harry blows his whistle. When we're all silent he begins the lesson.

"Hi, everyone, today we're going to be learning how to cast a patronus. This is a hard spell, but as long as you try you will master it." He turns to face an empty area and draws his wand. "To cast a patronus, you must think of the happiest thought you can, prepare yourself and when ready say 'expecto patronum!'" With a flick, a large glowing stag erupts from his wand and leaps around the room. The room fills with shocked gasps as jaws drop and eyes follow the silver beast.

Harry turns back to us and the stag bursts into thin air.

"Ok, now the rest of you have a go. If you need any help just call." His eyes linger on Cho for a moment, slight pain in his eyes, before he walks over to Hermione and Ron. The class splits and begins to practice.

Luna and I find a spot to the left of the room. She steps to the side and raises her wand; I can't help but stare into her eyes as they fill with hope and a smile tugs at her lips.

"Expecto patronum." Her voice echoes through my mind soft and beautiful, a disfigured animal glows on the end of her wand as though it's trying to burst free, then it disappears. She sighs and turns to me

"Your turn," she says. I smile back and turn to away I raise my wand.

I bring forward the memory of a few hours ago, when I was alone in this same room and I had the most beautiful girl in my arms, and a strong feeling swells in my chest

"Expecto patronum!" As small wisp of shining blue gas crawls from my wand but then it disappears, I sigh sadly and turn to Luna who's smiling at me; she turns away and begins to hum a soft tune. She raises her wand.

"Expecto patronum." A silver hare erupts from her wand and bounds across the room it mixes with the other animals, popping up everywhere. The room is filled with laughter as people bring forth happy memories and stare agape at the glowing patronuses that fill the room.

As I watch Luna's hare I see the door open. A young boy runs into the room he walks up to Harry and they begin a whispered conversation, a few people notice and their animals disappear. Soon we're all staring at Harry and the boy. Harry opens his mouth and his words echoes around the room, making each person gasp as they slowly realise what will happen.

"Marietta blabbed."

Other than gasping no one really does anything for a few moments, then all hell breaks loose everyone is running for the door. A few of Harry's closer friends just stand immobile as Harry starts shouting orders. I turn to Luna and hold her in my arms, then together we run for the doors as they rest burst into life. As soon as I'm out of the room I know we're too late; Dumbledore's Army is falling as the inquisitors club cats spells laughing like idiots. I try to protect Luna, but something wraps around my legs and I hit the floor.

Soon everyone is caught. Harry, Hermione and Ron are taken to Dumbledore's office and the rest of us are taken to the hall. They have the list so they know everyone who was in the 'Army'. We all sit and wait. We wait there for about an hour, not knowing what will happen. No one speaks; the only sound I hear is Luna's soft breathing as she leans against my chest. Umbridge walks into the room our eyes move to her, and we all know there's really bad news as we see that horrible smug on her toad-like face.

"Dumbledore has left and I am your new headmistress. You will all report to detention in the great hall every night at 6pm sharp for the next two weeks; I will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. You may go now." She exits the room. We all slowly get up and head to our common rooms. No one knows what to say so we say nothing at all.

I say goodnight to Luna and return to Gryffindor tower. I return to my bedroom, Seamus and Dean beside me, we all go to our beds. Ron and Harry are already asleep, or pretending. I lie there a while and have a small cry. For once in my life something amazing was happening, I had felt welcome in there and I was becoming so much better at magic, but now my new headmistress had taken it all away. I fall asleep with the thought of her being slowly killed by many bowtruckles drifting through my mind.

I blearily open my eyes and stare at the sun shining through the window. I recall over yesterday's events, slightly smiling at my thoughts of Luna, until it's overcome by the sadness of the ending of Dumbledore's Army. My eyes roll up to the clock ticking on my bedside table; 8:30. I should probably get up, it's Saturday and I'm going to Hogsmead but I have some homework I've got to do first.

I drag myself out of bed and go over to my clothes I grab a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt. Then I head down to the showers, I mainly think about Luna but also about what to do about Umbridge; we can't just let her take over the school we have to do something, but what…

When I've finished my shower I head down to the great hall for breakfast, I see Harry and Ron and go sit with them. It's a silent meal of bacon and eggs. By the end I am feeling even more depressed than when I started, so I decide to find Luna. I head out of the hall after looking over to her table. I walk through the corridors almost getting lost twice until I find the ravenclaw common room. Cho Chang steps out.

"Have you seen Luna?" I ask still angry about her 'friend's' betrayal.

"I think she was going for a walk around the ground"

"Thank you" I turn and walk away.

I hurry through the school, and am just about to walk out, when I see Crabbe and Goyle mulling about a few meters away from me.

"Oi, Longbottom! What are you doing?" Crabbe sneers as he crosses his arms, making them flex. "Didn't we teach you enough of a lesson yesterday? Or you back for another beating?" He and Goyle just stand there laughing. I ignore them and keep walking but they begin to follow me shouting cruel things

"Where ya going you little git?"

"Trying to find Loony? Your little girlfriend"

"Come talk to us, come on Longbottom"

I reach the entrance hall, I'm about to walk out the door when a spell flashes past my ear

"Oi! You faggot, turn around and talk to us!" I can't take it any more so I turn around tears springing to my eyes
"Just leave me alone!" Fear runs through me as I realise what I did.
"How dare you shout at me!" Goyle shouts back "Flipendo!" I manage to jump out of the way and run of into the distance, I hear a loud crash behind me but I keep running.

I keep running until I'm on the edge of the forbidden forest. I look around and see a thestral fly through the air. I take a deep breath and follow the animal into the forest; I used to be afraid of them but I'm not anymore. I walk a few meters until I see a group of them and with them… is Luna.

"There you are," I say sighing in relief. I go over and kiss her on the cheek, and she smiles at my touch.

"Hello, Neville, are you going to Hogsmead?" I stare into her eyes and almost forget to answer, but then I nod and ask.

"Are you?" She nods and turns back to the thestrals.

We stand in the forest together and talk, and laugh. All too soon it's 10 o'clock so we head back up to the front of the school and join the Hogsmead gang. We all turn and walk out the gate, and I see Ron, Harry and Hermione. I walk over to them and start talking; Harry doesn't talk much.

As we reach Hogsmead we go in our different directions. Luna and I head off to Honeydukes together. As we walk in I turn to her and ask.

"What are we going to do now that Dumbledore's Army is over?"

"I don't know. We have to do something. We can't just let Umbridge take over again." I sigh; I want to agree with her but instead I say.

"I think for the moment we should just get ready for our exams, they're next week and we want to be ready." She looks at me in surprise for a second but then she sighs.

"I guess you're right, but when the exams are over we get the gang together and fight against her and Fudge."

"Ok, agreed." I lean in and kiss her on the cheek. She blushes, and then I walk over to a pot of mice pops and pick out a green one. As I walk to the counter Luna steps next to me with a box of Tooth-Splintering Strongmints. I smile at her as we give the lady our sweets. I pass her the money for both of us Luna begins to complain.

We have a little argument but we soon get bored of it so I just kiss her softly and she falls silent and stares into the distance. I smile, take her hand and lead her into a small tea shop called madam Paddifoot's. It's a romantic sort of place and I hope Luna likes it. As we step inside Luna's eyes pan around the room she giggles a bit, but I don't ask why.

I guide her to a table and order two cups of tea. I sit across from Luna and try to look into her eyes but she's looking around the room with a shocked, dazed expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" I ask her.

"It's so pink; I didn't know a place could be so pink." She giggles. I smile as lady places our tea down, and I can't help but think how insane my girlfriend is. I smile at the word… girlfriend… I've never been able to use it before and now I can. I take a sip of my tea, Luna does the same.

"Are you prepared for your exams?" Luna asks trying not to look at the pink.

"Me, ready for something, like that'll ever happen." I laugh. "Are you ready?"

"Nearly, at least mine are just normal exams owls are quite important." She gives me a motherly look, I just laugh.

"I'll be fine." Brushing it off, we laugh and begin to talk about trivial things.

A few hours later we're walking back through to the castle, Luna's hand in one of mine and our sweets in the other. As we step inside the castle I see Snape and McGonagall standing together. They see me and stare for a few seconds, Snape glaring and McGonagall looking worried.

"Longbottom, would you come here a moment?" McGonagall calls.

"Coming." I call. I turn to Luna. "See you at dinner." She looks kind of worried, but nods and walks inside.

I walk over to the two teachers

"Yes?" I ask quietly.

"Come with us, Longbottom." Snape sneers. He turns and heads through the castle, with McGonagall and myself in tow. We soon arrive at McGonagall office. Once the door is shut Snape turns on me.

"We heard about your incident this morning Longbottom, young Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe informed me, it was a disgusting thing to do breaking an expensive school statue and you shall be punished severely"

Then McGonagall speaks up.

"Excuse me Severus, but perhaps we would like to hear this from Longbottom's point of view?" Snape glares at her but nods slightly. "Go on Longbottom." I turn to McGonagall

"I was walking down to go for a walk outside the castle when Crab and Goyle started following me and shouting things, and after a while one of them shot a spell at me so I jumped out of the way and it must of hit the statue

McGonagall smiles at me, but Snape continues to glare

"We have no proof that this is true" Snape sneers "we had to witnesses that say it was you, so you shall be punished as I see fit."

"Severus. You must be forgetting that Longbottom is MY student, and he will be punished as I see fit, as he was provoked he will serve three night detention. That is all; you may both now leave my office."

I hurry out the door and head to Gryffindor tower. I rush through the halls and reach the painting of the fat lady.

"Password?"

"Hatchwork." The painting swings back revealing a hole. I climb through into the Gryffindor common room. It's nice and warm inside with the fire blazing in the fire place, student scattered around doing different things. I look up at the clock on the wall; 5:00. I climb the staircase as I decide I better study. I grab my books and head back to the common room.

"Hey, Neville, come sit over here." I walk over to Harry and Ron; they're at a table with books spread everywhere looking about as stressed as a penguin in Hawaii. I plop down with them and open my books.

"So… Neville," I look at Ron wiggling his eyebrows. "What did you and Luna get up to today?" He grins creepily at me.

"We just went to Madam Paddifoot's…" I whisper, blushing slightly, Harry laughs kind of awkwardly

"I went there with Cho, interesting place"

"Yeah, very pink." We're all laughing when a large book slams down on the table.

"I thought you two were doing homework!" I look up at Hermione glaring down at us

"We are. We are." Harry mutters.

We put our heads down and finally begin to study.

Hope you enjoy! If you have any poblems or advice please tell me. Reaview!