Thank you for all the interest in this Neville and Luna pairing. There are mature themes involved. I don't own any characters
Dinner
The evening started out well. Neville and his parents had gone over to the house next door and were greeted by Luna at the front door. She looked radiant, her hair in soft curls tumbling over her shoulders, and she was dressed in a cotton dress of emerald green, a purple sweater over it and boots. Neville wanted to smile, every time he saw her she was dressed in colors that looked like they might clash yet seemed to fit her very well.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom. Dad says to come in and head out to the back. I set the table out on the patio."
They went through, his mom greeting her, his dad quiet. Neville wanted to shake his father, wake him up. He looked at Luna who tilted her head to look at him, a small smile on her face. She reached out and tucked her hand into his arm and Neville shuddered with a little wave of pleasure as they followed.
Mr. Lovegood had set up a nice meal and was interested in serving different wines with dinner. He gave a glass to Neville and proposed a toast.
"To very good neighbors. I'm glad Neville that you took care of my daughter that night of the storm. And Luna tells me that you've been showing her around town, introducing her to people.
"No quite Mr. Lovegood. Luna is so popular, she met everyone on her own."
"Well, I'm sure she felt much more comfortable being with you."
Neville's mother beamed. His father had nothing to say, only asking if he could have a harder drink. Mr. Lovegood set out glasses, pouring some scotch out for himself, Neville's dad and Neville, giving him a questioning look. Neville nodded. It was going to be a difficult night he could tell already.
But it started out really nicely, with Luna's dad talking about the magazine he edited in the city, making Neville's mom laugh when he told stories about different people on their travels. Luna sometimes interjecting, correcting him about something but always with a smile. Mr. Lovegood brought out a camera, showing them a few pictures of Luna on a trip with him and took a picture of Neville and Luna, saying he would send a copy out to them soon.
Then as the dinner was coming to a close, Mr. Lovegood started talking about how difficult it was for him to let go of Luna, to realize that she was growing up.
"Dad, I'm not a child, I'm 23."
"I know, but I'm concerned that you haven't figured out what you want exactly in life."
"Just to be happy. Isn't that what everyone wants?"
"I'm worried that Luna is a little indecisive, not sure of what she wants." Mr. Lovegood said, directing his words to Neville's parents. "Just look at the different courses she's been taking at the college, literature, biology, psychology. It took her forever to find a major in English not that she plans on doing anything with it. I'm glad that she was able to concentrate enough to pass her driver's test at least. " Mr. Lovegood sounded exasperated, but his face belied his affection for his daughter.
"Dad." Luna said, beaming at him.
"Well it's true. You should have more focus at this stage in life."
"Luna is just trying to figure out what she wants to do in life. She's young, both of our children are still young." Mrs. Longbottom said indulgently.
"Well Alice, I wish that she were more like your son here. Mature. Knows what he wants to do and goes and does it."
Neville was listening to the conversation, looking at Luna and didn't notice his father push his chair from the table, until he heard his voice, a little slurred, a little bitterness coming through his words.
"Mature. Right, well mature would be if he helped to take care of his family."
Neville tensed up, knowing what was coming next. He wanted to shake his father, wanted to pull Luna out of the room. He didn't want her to see what was happening, didn't want her to see what his family was like. He unconsciously started to rub the scars on his chest, not noticing Luna watching him.
"Mature would be if he didn't go to college to study some crazy thing like plants and actually worked and helped his father rebuild what he had started with his grandfather. Took over the family business so that there would be less pressure on me."
No one said anything. Everyone was staring at him, waiting.
"But then, you don't know the meaning of hard work do you? Of building something from nothing and then losing it, losing control, losing everything. Right Neville? You don't know about losing anything."
"Dad."
"Don't talk to me Neville, you're leaving again, going back to that damn college. You're a fool, coward…"
He threw his napkin down, started to get up, reach across for Neville. Neville braced himself, waiting for his anger to get the best of him. Luna flinched a little, not wanting to see Neville get hurt as his mother spoke up.
"Frank, now is not the time to be like this. We are enjoying dinner with Xeno and Luna, in their house. And Neville is leaving tomorrow, he's doing well."
His mother was pleading with him and Mr. Lovegood was trying to diffuse the situation by opening a new bottle of brandy, hoping that if he drank enough, Mr. Longbottom would pass out or fall asleep.
"Here Frank, try this, it's very good. I received it from a client…Everyone, have a little bit."
He poured some for all of them, anxiously watching Neville's dad, who nodded his head a little. Neville exhaled, not aware he was holding his breath and accepted a glass from Mr. Lovegood, avoiding his eyes, just taking the glass and holding it with a shaking hand to his lips.
Neville took a few deep breaths. His father settled himself back down, still glaring at him, at his mother, at the plate in front of him. But calm now, not going to start anything.
Neville took a few sips of his drink, feeling the glass clatter against his teeth. He wanted another one badly, but one of the reasons he didn't drink that much was he didn't want to lose control, like his father said, lose anything, become his father. Didn't want to let loose any of his emotions.
He felt movement on his thigh. He looked down and saw Luna's hand there, pressing gently, telling him she understood. He reached down and took her hand, squeezing gently. Trying not to lose his temper. Trying to not show his fear of his father. Luna let him, wishing she could say something.
The dinner ended not long afterwards, with his parents going back home and Mr. Lovegood saying he had to run back out to the city to take care of last minute details of the magazine. Luna and Neville cleared the table going into the kitchen to take care of the dishes. Luna was washing and passing them to Neville who dried them while thinking of a way to talk about what had happened.
"I don't mind washing dishes, do you Neville?"
"No, it's nice to see a task finished you know?"
Luna smiled, handing him a glass. Neville dried and laid it gently on the counter, than stopped what he was doing, letting go of the towel. He braced his arms against the table and faced her.
"I'm sorry you had to see that Luna."
"It's all right Neville."
"No, it's not. I'm not sure I can explain."
"You don't have to, I can tell that it's not something that your father can control. He has thoughts in his head too, like me. "
Luna moved from the sink to stand next to him and rested her head against his arm, still talking. Neville didn't want the evening to end, didn't want to leave Luna. Being near her made him feel better, for she calmed him down.
"So I guess I'll see you in a month or two. I come back to visit my mom every once in a while." He said, avoiding her eyes, picking up the glassware, stacking up the plates.
"That's nice Neville. I'm sure she appreciates it." Luna went back to the sink, continued to wash the final pans.
"You won't be lonely. Harry is a good guy, he will make sure that you're busy, you know." Neville wasn't sure why he brought up Harry's name just then.
Luna looked at him, then down at her hands in the sink. "If that's what you want."
"Sure, right. I mean, you liked him right? He's a great guy." Neville didn't look at her while he was saying these words. He didn't want her with someone else, didn't want her with Harry. But he couldn't be with her. He was leaving. And look at what she had witnessed tonight. His family was a mess. He was a coward, afraid.
"He seems very nice." Luna finished up, wiping her hands on the towel Neville had left, brushing them off like she'd come to a big decision.
"Well, goodbye then Neville. Thank you for keeping me company this summer, I know that it took up a lot of your time." She held out her hand to him, business-like. Like two friends.
He took the hand she offered, marveling at how soft it was, how smooth. He unthinkingly ran a thumb down her palm, gently tracing her lifeline. Luna took a quick breath.
Neville pulled her to him, holding her awkwardly for a moment. He wanted her to remember him, think of him from time to time. He didn't want her to be with Harry or anyone else for that matter. But she couldn't be with him. He was unable to open up to her, afraid of showing too much. But he couldn't help but want her, she smelled like roses, her hair very soft, silky. He placed a hand on her neck and dropped a kiss onto her temple, like a relative would kiss someone.
Luna pulled back, searching his face. Neville took her chin for a second, then let go.
She leaned upward, placing a kiss on the corner of his mouth, gently and Neville bent his head down moving his lips over hers. It took every ounce of strength in him not to grab Luna and spread her on the table, rip off her clothes and touch every inch of her. He wanted to fuck her, wanted to open her legs, wanted to put his hands on her, inside her. He wanted to see her coming, himself deep inside, screaming out his name loud enough for everyone to hear. He could actually picture this in his mind, as he felt her lips move under his.
His mouth continued to explore hers, neither of them moving, neither of them wanting it to end. It was chaste, just their lips touching. But it was the most intimate moment of Neville's life, this kiss.
Finally Neville pulled away, breathing heavily. Luna stood there, flushed. He wanted nothing more than to pull her upstairs, to her room, lie down next to her, wake up every day next to her.
He turned around and walked out the back door.