Chapter 2
"Don't forget to ward off the Nargles!" Luna called as she and Neville went their separate ways to their quarters. Neville laughed at her strange good night ritual, watching as she waved her arms about her in an oddly endearing way.
He opened his door with some difficulty, keys had never really been his thing, and made his way to bed thinking about the day ahead of him, his first day as a teacher at Hogwarts.
Neville woke to the sound of his Ringing Chorin, as small, fluffy animal that chirped at 7:30 every morning; it had been a gift from Luna.
He got dressed and went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
By now all of the other teachers had arrived and were conversing easily about the teacher's table. Neville hesitated to go in. He didn't know many of the teachers and wasn't good at him making conversation with new people, Besides, Neville thought to himself, Luna isn't even here; I'll eat breakfast in my own room.
He was just turning around when he bumped into Luna. "I'm sorry!" Luna said, hurriedly, "You just looked like you were thinking and I didn't want to disturb you!" Her light, airy voice made it seem almost normal that she had been standing behind Neville for what had now probably been 5 minutes.
Neville chuckled nervously, "Th-that's all r-right, Luna, d-do you, ummm..." he stuttered, taking a minute to compose himself. "Do you want to go eat dinner in Hogsmeade or something?" he asked before he lost his bravery. He misread the look on her face. "W-we d-don't have t-to, we could j-just eat h-here or…" he rambled as a bright flush overtook his face.
"Sure!" Luna said. "I like Hogsmeade!" she added, almost as an afterthought.
Luna laughed in her breezy manner the whole night and Neville couldn't help thinking that this was kind of his first real date, except when Ginny had gone with him to the Yule Ball, but he didn't think that counted, she didn't really want to go with him, while Luna did.
When he went home later that night, Neville was trying to go over his notes for his first classes tomorrow morning but couldn't stop smiling thinking about Luna.
A/N So this is moving REALLY slowly, ideas, people? I was thinking I would make this the year James Potter (Harry's son) comes to Hogwarts as a first year. Any thoughts? Please comment and tell me what you want to happen!
