A/N: Sorry for the delay. Expect them, as I do have a life outside of the internet. I had fun writing this exhausting, unbeta'd chapter, though, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

x

Love, Luna

Chapter Two: Forget-Me-Not

x

Even when everything else seemed to go wrong, Neville had always found comfort in spring. Back at Hogwarts, it was the time when many new plants begin to grow, and he'd spend hours in the greenhouses with special permission from Professor Sprout, poring over new leaves and flowers, a stack of five or six library books in his hand. If he'd endured a bout of teasing from the Slytherins, was thinking about his parents or Luna, or simply wanted an escape from the world, it was spring that saved him. It had always been his second chance, the opportunity to start over again.

But now, as he watched winter slowly melt into spring through his tiny apartment window, Neville felt absolutely miserable.

With preparation classes for the fall and so many errands to take care of, he barely had a moment's peace. Hannah was gone more often as well, since the Leaky Cauldron always became more popular in the warmer weather, and so their dwelling was empty more often than not. Neville felt like a ghost when he meandered through the rooms at night, unable to stop himself from wondering. Wondering what to do in his little spare time, wondering when Hannah would come home, wondering when he would finally stop feeling the urge to vomit when he kept seeing the wedding invitation on the refrigerator door.

Luna A. Lovegood

and

Rolf N. Scamander

joyfully invite you to share in their happiness

as they unite in marriage

on Saturday, 26th June at two o'clock

R.S.V.P. Regrets Only

He'd read it so many times that he'd memorized every line, every carefully sketched letter. Accepting that Luna had moved on from their Hogwarts days and found the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with was a tough reality for Neville, but damn it, he didn't have a choice in the matter. Well—he frequently thought to himself bitterly—he did, but telling Luna what he really thought would break her heart, and that was absolutely not an option.

So, Neville simply continued to do what he did best: keep his thoughts to himself, and fight his battles on the inside.

If Hannah knew what was going on inside Neville's head, she certainly didn't show it, and he was grateful for this. Were he going through the turmoil alone, he wasn't sure how he would handle it. But even if Hannah crawled in bed at three in the morning, she still pressed her warm body to him in comfort, and he relished her presence. He could only hope that once June 26th came and went, he would finally sort out his mind for good.

x

It was, without a doubt, the most perfect day imaginable for a wedding. The early summer breeze ruffled the new green leaves, standing out against the cloudless cerulean sky. Behind an enormous white reception hall—paid in full by Rolf's wealthy family—stood a small gazebo, with about a hundred white chairs in rows facing it. Each blade of grass looked as though it had been individually trimmed, and the aisle had been strewn with soft white rose petals. As people found their way towards a seat, chattering happily, there seemed to be absolutely nothing out of place, nothing missing. It was simply…perfect.

And yet, as Neville overlooked the setup from inside the reception hall, he wanted nothing more than to turn and run as fast as he could.

He fidgeted with his bow tie in the bathroom mirror for the umpteenth time, waiting as long as he could before he had to head downstairs to the ceremony. Hannah was waiting patiently for him in the lobby, but he was finding it difficult to unglue his feet from the tile floor. He took deep breaths, but his attempts to relax were in vain. A knock at the door startled him, and he wiped his sweaty hands on his pants.

"Be out in a minute," he called out, his voice shaking more than he realized. Whoever was on the other side of the door took no notice, however, and barged right through the door that Neville had forgotten to lock.

"Ginny! What the—this is the men's room—"

"Oh, be quiet Neville. At least your pants are on."

Ginny Weasley stood in front of him, her wand pointed at the now-open door, and a mixed look of anger and curiosity upon her face. Despite her hidden exhaustion in the small circles under her eyes and the magically altered black-and-white dress over her very pregnant belly, she was still as fierce as she had been in their school days. She tucked her wand in the bouquet of lilacs that had been given to the rest of the bridesmaids, and put her hands on her hips.

"Would you like to tell me what on earth you're doing in the bathroom? The ceremony starts in ten minutes." Her eyebrows were narrowed, but she wasn't shouting…yet.

Neville shrugged. "I could ask you the same question."

She held her firm expression, ignoring his retaliation. "You can't hide up here forever, you know."

A spark of guilt ignited within him again, but he pushed it aside, averting his eyes from Ginny's. "What happens if I do, Gin? What happens if I decide that I can't do this? What if—?"

She held up a hand, silencing him. Her face relaxed and her tone quieted, but it didn't make him feel any more at ease. "Listen to me. You're her best friend. You were there for her at a time when no one else was, and for that, she has been loving and loyal to you, and will continue to be for as long as she lives. You have to be happy for her, Neville. If you truly love her the way I know you do…you'll let her go."

He stood dumbstruck for a moment, and even though he hated to admit it to himself, he knew she was right. He had bonded with Ginny during their times in the DA, and she had been the first one he told of his affections for Luna so many years ago. She had encouraged him tremendously, but he never found the willpower to tell Luna how he felt. Ginny was one of the few people who could see right through Neville, and whether he liked it or not, she had the ability to see what was best for him, even if he couldn't. And now, as he ran a hand through his hair and sighed, he knew he had to oblige.

"I don't want to lose her," he was finally able to stammer in reply.

"I know. And so long as you respect her wishes, you won't."

Neville just nodded, his heart heavy. Ginny gave him a small, apologetic smile. "Come on. This is a wedding! It's supposed to be fun. And I heard Rolf's father is hilarious when drunk, so at least we will have something to laugh at later." She gave his shoulder an affectionate squeeze and quickly fixed his tie. "I'll see you down there, okay?"

Regardless of the distraught feelings in the pit of his stomach, Neville managed to crack a small smile. "Okay."

Ginny left to join the bridesmaids, leaving Neville to ponder everything she had just said. With one last deep breath, Neville hurried down the stairs to find Hannah standing by the back door of the hall, peering out at the setup. She was absolutely ravishing in a mint green strapless dress, flowing gently in the soft wind. Her hair fell in loose waves around her face, her eyes sparkling.

"There you are!" she exclaimed. "I was beginning to worry about you."

Neville couldn't help but let his smile grow wider at her sweet concern. "Shall we?" he stated, proffering his arm to her. Hannah giggled and took his elbow as they headed down the aisle together, looking for a seat. He tried his best to let the dozens of staring faces blend together and instead focused on his gorgeous, wonderful, lovely Hannah.

There were still a few empty chairs in the third row, behind their good friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Neville had attended both of their weddings in the past few years, and since both their wives were in the wedding party, the two were acting in their usual goofy manners. Harry was laughing at something Ron had said, and slapped the redhead on the back in return. Neville felt his nerves ease little by little.

Maybe I can do this.

"Hey, Neville!" Harry greeted him as the two of them sat down. "Hannah, good to see you. Glad you could make it."

Ron nodded in agreement. "We haven't seen you both since—when, Harry? My birthday? Three months too long, mate."

Neville laughed. "I'm surprised you even remember, Ron. You had far too much firewhiskey for your own good."

Ron shrugged. "What can I say? A man deserves to have a bit of freedom every now and then."

"You got that right," Harry chimed in. "Do you know how many food transformation spells I've had to do at four in the morning? If this baby eats as much as Ginny does, I'm going to run out of stuff to Transfigure—"

Harry's statement was cut short as the small band next to the gazebo began playing the soft march, and the entire company hushed immediately. Neville turned his head around to the doorway, where he could see the silhouettes of the party lined up in the darkness.

The wedding had begun.

x

Beautiful.

That was the one word, the only word, the perfect word Neville could think of when he saw Luna.

After the four bridesmaids and groomsmen emerged from the hall and took their place on either side of the gazebo, Luna stepped out with her hand on her father's arm. She had strayed from tradition and donned a light purple gown with a long train. Strands of her hair had been intertwined with small white flowers, tumbling down her back like golden waves. Her face was partially covered by a white birdcage veil, but her smile was radiant beneath it. Were he standing, Neville's knees might have buckled underneath him. He heard Hannah's small gasp of amazement next to him, and felt her fingers squeeze his own.

Neville watched with mixed emotions as Luna's father walked her down the aisle, kissing her on the cheek before taking his seat in the first row. Yet again, it was odd for Neville to see Rolf smile, but the groom-to-be seemed nothing but happy as he helped Luna into the gazebo. The minister took his place behind the couple and began the standard greetings.

"Dearly beloved," he began, pleasantly looking out at the audience. "We have gathered here today to celebrate this man and this woman as they join together in holy matrimony."

And so he continued, telling Luna and Rolf of their duties and pleasures that came along with marriage, but Neville hardly paid any attention. He felt as though he had heard these statements numerous times in the past few years, attending the weddings of so many of his Hogwarts friends. And yet, here he was with his girlfriend, having no plans for the future other than becoming a professor. He was lucky for having achieved his dream at so young. But as he looked around, seeing all his friends who were happily married, some of whom had children already, he couldn't help but wonder whether he was truly achieving everything he ever wanted.

His eyes flickered to Hannah. This wasn't fair to her in the slightest. Yes, he cared for her deeply, as though she were his own family. But as Neville saw all of his married friends—the way Ron and Harry stared at their wives in their beautiful gowns, the connection between Rolf and Luna—he knew that it wasn't enough, and it never would be.

Neville's attention turned back to the newlyweds as they exchanged their "I dos," the undeniable love between them radiating through the entire audience. When the minister announced their husband and wife status, Rolf bent Luna down and kissed her, the company roaring in applause. Hannah let go of Neville's hand to clap wildly along with everyone else, and Neville only did the same out of respect, though his heart was breaking.

In a near trance-like state, Neville stood and followed Hannah down the aisle once the wedding party had cleared. He let out a deep breath; the hardest part was over, and hopefully the reception would fly by so he could just collapse in his warm bed at home and pretend like the day never happened.

The beautiful reception hall had been decorated with the same purple and white colors that had been displayed at the ceremony. A small band was busy tuning in the corner, and caterers were buzzing around, offering people strange hors d'oeuvres on shiny silver platters. It was all so strange to Neville, and as he meandered around, meeting various members of the couple's family, he felt as though he were in a movie, in an alternate reality.

After two hours of mindless chatter and eating rather interesting, albeit delicious, plates of food, the dance floor opened. It was the longest seven minutes of Neville's life, watching Luna share her first dance with Rolf and then with her father, but with the three glasses of champagne he'd already finished, he managed to hold himself together. Once the band struck up a few faster tunes, he was able to let go, dancing with Hannah, the Potters, and the Weasleys, along with a few other Hogwarts friends. It was fun, he had to admit to himself, and since Luna was so busy entertaining the multitude of guests, he didn't have the visual reminder of why he was really there.

Midway through the party, the band began playing a much slower song, and Neville was taken aback at the low, rumbling voice of the lead singer echoing through the room.

"All right, folks, time to slow things down. This one is for all you lovers on the dance floor."

Merlin's beard, he'd hoped to avoid this at all costs. But as Hannah sweetly grabbed his hand and brought him to the center of the dance floor, he found it impossible to say no.

"I love this song. Don't you?" she said quietly as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her face merely inches away from his.

Neville just nodded, forcing himself to keep his eyes on his girlfriend, and not at the swirling lilac dress to his left. He put his hands on Hannah's hips and responded, "Umm. Yeah. I haven't heard it in some time, though."

She moved closer to him as they swayed to the beat of the cheesy couple's song, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. "What a beautiful wedding," Hannah murmured. "I hope to have one like this someday."

Neville found it difficult to ignore her subtle hints. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry and Ginny together, giggling as they were attempting to find a way to dance with their unborn child in the way. Ginny couldn't even reach her arms to Harry's shoulders, and so Harry held her from the side, Ginny's head resting in the crook of his neck. Neville had lived with Harry for six years in Hogwarts, and he knew from early on that he and Ginny were a perfect match. He remembered his own early crush on the Weasley girl; she was kind but fierce, understanding, determined. They made a great pair, and Neville envied it. As his gaze flickered back to Harry and Ginny, and Rolf and Luna, Hannah's presence on his body suddenly felt like a giant weight, and couldn't help but wonder what would become of them.

When the song ended, Hannah looked up at him and smiled. "I'm going to order another drink," she said. "Would you like one?"

Neville shook his head, but her gentle offering did not go unnoticed. She was so good to him, and he didn't deserve her.

As he watched Hannah walk away, almost floating in her soft dress, Neville felt a tap on his shoulder as the faster dance music resumed. He turned around to see Luna, having broken away from her husband, and was beckoning for Neville to follow her. Confused but intrigued, he wormed his way through the dance floor and found her outside in the growing twilight, sitting on a white marble bench.

"Luna?" he questioned, but she did not turn her head to look at him.

"The venue is magnificent, isn't it?" she mused, her gaze fixated on the shimmering lake.

Neville sat beside Luna, looking at her with one eyebrow raised. "I don't understand," he said. "Don't you want to go back to the wedding?"

Luna shrugged, finally turning to look at him. Her face was soft, but not entirely content. "If it's my wedding, am I not allowed to do what I want?"

"I suppose…" he responded slowly. They sat in the silence for about a minute, before she finally smiled and broke it.

"I'm really glad you came, Neville," she said quietly.

Neville couldn't help but give a small laugh. "Of course I would. You're my best friend. I'm…I'm so happy for you. I hope you have a wonderful life together. You deserve it. You're the most amazing girl—woman—I've ever known." He noticed he was rambling, and stopped short, embarrassed.

"You're too kind." She turned her head back to the lake, and Neville could only pray that she didn't hear how difficult it was for him to say those words. Luna watched the fireflies dance in front of her, not turning back to look at him when she spoke again.

"I want you to promise me something."

He was taken aback for a moment, but he would give Luna the world if she asked for it. "Anything."

It took Luna a moment before answering, as though she was struggling to find the right words. "Don't stop writing to me. Don't forget me."

Neville just stared at her, surprised. "Luna, what—"

"I'm leaving," she interrupted him, finally able to look directly in his eyes. "After the honeymoon. We're traveling the world for about a year before we settle down. I haven't told anyone yet."

He had certainly not been expecting this, and it took all of his control to stop his mouth from falling open, dumbstruck. "I don't believe it…" he said quietly. "Just like that? You're leaving? I'm not going to see you for a whole year?"

She did not answer this, but instead reminded him of the promise he had made. "I love your letters, Neville," Luna replied. "I'm going to be homesick, so I want to know everything that's going on, okay?"

Neville wanted so badly to say no, to beg her to stay, to hold her and be with her and keep her by his side. And even though it was hard to admit, he knew that her fate did not entirely reside with him anymore. She had found the man of her dreams, the way she wanted to spend the rest of her life. Ginny had been right; Neville was going to have to sacrifice what he felt in order to ensure Luna's happiness. With a long sigh, he put his hand on hers, squeezing it, and she smiled.

"Okay."

x

After the party ended at half-past eleven, Neville and Hannah said goodbye to all their friends, congratulated Luna and Rolf one more time, and headed home, exhausted. While Hannah immediately changed into her pajamas and got ready for bed, Neville headed into the kitchen to make a cup of tea, but he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that he wouldn't be able to sleep either way.

Less than ten minutes after they'd arrived home, Hannah padded into the kitchen, yawning. "Aren't you coming to bed?" she asked, noticing he was still fully dressed in his suit.

"I will soon," he answered.

She gave a small stretch, which Neville had to admit was rather cute, and kissed him on the forehead. "M'kay. I'll probably be asleep when you come in, so goodnight."

"Night, Hannah." His soft tone surprised him as she left, his own fatigue taking over. As he waited for his cup of green tea to cool, he stared out the window at the nighttime cityscape. Regardless of the dozens of lights shining from streetlamps, from cars and bridges, and the warm body awaiting him in the bedroom, he felt extremely alone.

Once he'd taken a few sips, feeling only slightly calmer, he went to the bedroom. Hannah was already in a deep slumber, her messy curls spread across their two pillows. Neville just shook his head in slight amusement, and lit a small lamp on his desk so as not to disturb her. Upon the desk was a long piece of parchment and a quill, as he'd been meaning to make a list of the things he still needed to accomplish between now and late August, but he'd kept putting it off. With another long draught of tea, he picked up the quill in his hand, dipped it in the ink, and began writing.

Dear Luna…

Neville wasn't one to break his promises. Throughout his years at Hogwarts, and fighting in the war, he'd learned so much more than just spells and potions. Looking back, he'd changed so much from the shy first-year boy who constantly lost his toad into a true hero, according to what McGonagall had said to him on his final day of school. A true soldier, he'd realized, fought not because he hated what was in front of him, but because he loved what was behind him. And even now, with the war over, Neville was still a soldier, fighting to maintain what was right and what was real. If this was the way life was going to be, then so be it. There was nothing he wouldn't do for the people he loved, for the people he fought for…for Luna.

Nearly an hour and a foot of parchment later, Neville signed the parchment and folded it into an envelope, sealing the back. But instead of bringing it to the kitchen table for Pomona to take when she returned, he thought better of it, and slipped it into the hidden desk drawer. He had a strange feeling about him that the right time would come to send it, but for now, it could be safe in the back of his mind.

After blowing out the lamp and undressing, Neville slipped in bed next to Hannah, holding her sleeping body close to his, and within a few minutes, drifted off, his cup of tea forgotten on the desk.

x

"'Cause I don't want to lose you now. I'm looking right at the other half of me. The vacancy that sat in my heart is a space that now you hold." –Justin Timberlake