AN- So sorry for the delay, I didn't have my computer all weekend. And this chapter was really hard to write, trying to make Luna seem in character but go with the storyline.

How It Was Supposed To Be

Chapter 8

Luna had left Neville on the train. She knew it was wrong instantly, but it wasn't nearly as wrong as what she had done before that.

Why did I ever listen to Ginny? Now I've lost Neville completely, as a friend and everything more that we could have been. Why couldn't I have realized that I had no feelings for him before we kissed? I really firetrucked this up, now I need to fix it.

She was sure that Neville had overheard her conversation with Ginny and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. She wasn't sure exactly how much had been heard, but one thing was certain. Neville Longbottom was heartbroken, and it was completely her fault.

Well, in all honesty, if any blame was to be placed it should be placed on Ginny. She had told Luna to kiss Neville, had claimed that it would not hurt either party to explore their feelings for each other. Ginny had caused this mess, albeit unintentionally, but Luna would have to be the one to fix it. And fixing it started with talking to Neville.

As she started to ascend the staircase to the boy's dormitories in search of Neville, Luna ran straight into her problem. Neville sat on the fifth stair from the top, fully dressed except for his bare feet. He had very obviously just been crying.

"Go away Luna," Neville said as soon as he heard footsteps on the staircase.

"No Neville, I was the one who made this mess, now I need to be the one to clean it up. Please, I'm so sorry," Luna pleaded hopelessly as she slowly but surely approached Neville.

"That doesn't fix anything! You did this, you admit it, but you still try to apologize? Leave me alone, I don't need or want your goddamn pity!" Neville seethed at Luna, letting out all of his anger and frustrations in one go. It felt good to finally let it all out, but he still had a tiny pang of regret for yelling at Luna like that.

Every time I see her, I get these pains in my chest, and I know it's all her fault, that bitch! Before it was Neville's love… no. It was never love, and it never will be love. I'll never be happy again, all because of her.

"Neville Longbottom, you listen to me! I wasn't talking about you downstairs." This caused Neville to look up at Luna for the first time. However, he wasn't completely convinced.

"Oh, really, that wasn't about me? Then who the bloody hell, Luna, were you talking about to Ginny and Hermione downstairs?"

"Seamus. They… Ginny and Hermione seem to think that I fancy him. Neville please let me make this up to you. Will you please join me in Hogsmeade this weekend?"

"I would love to, Luna. I-I'm sorry, I really overreacted about this." Neville smiled up at Luna before rising from the stair, passionately but quickly kissing her goodnight, and retreating to his dormitory.

Now I've really done it. He needs to hear the truth, and now he's just more in love than he was before. I need to tell him how I really feel when we go to Hogsmeade. I need to end this before it gets too far, before he gets his hopes up too high. After Hogsmeade I will tell Neville, definitely.

"So you're not going to be telling Neville the truth anytime soon, are you Luna?" Ginny asked as she ascended the staircase to meet Luna, who was deep in thought.

"Oh, Ginny, it's you. Well, I can't just tell him… I mean…"

"Bullshit. Luna, if aren't going up to tell him right now, I will. Neville deserves so much more than what you're giving to him."

"Ginny, I just told him that I was talking about Seamus. I can't just go up there and tell him that I've lied, I need to fix this. It's just a little white lie." Luna was desperately searching for some good excuse for her reasoning, but found none. What had happened over break to make me like this? It's like I'm a completely different person now.

"Telling Neville the truth is the only way to fix anything, I promise. The longer you let this lie go on, the worse it's going to get." Luna could not be swayed by Ginny's reasoning, even though it was a thousand times better than her own.

"I'll tell him in Hogsmeade, honestly I will."

"That's not nearly soon enough. Think of it this way, the sooner you tell Neville and the sooner you get this off your chest." Ginny was as persistent as Luna in her beliefs. This argument could go on forever.

"Ginny, I'll tell him when the time is right. Good night," Luna turned to leave, but was blocked by Ginny. The only way to go was up, but going up the stairs meant going towards Neville and the imminent truth that came with seeing him.

"There is no better time than the present for telling people the truth, Luna. Georgia Byng said so." Ginny knew she had obviously misquoted the famous saying, but the altered version fit Luna's unique situation much better than the original did.

"There is no time like the present, Ginny, but good try. Now I have to be going back to Ravenclaw tower before Filch, or worse, Mrs. Norris, catches me in the corridors." Ginny did not let up on her blockage of the stairs, even with knowing very well the consequences of being out of bed after hours.

"Luna, I really don't want to have to resort to extreme measures," Ginny looked rather devious in the low light, her ginger hair flaming while she looked down at her wand and stroking it rather affectionately. "But I will. Go tell Neville the truth-"

"Petrificus totalus! Sorry, Ginny, no other choice, really. Now I have to be going to bed, good night." Luna awkwardly sidestepped around an immobile Ginny. While she couldn't move her body, Ginny was still able to harshly glare at Luna as she passed.