"I won't be afraid just as long as you stand by me." -Stand By Me by Ben E King
I woke up early on Christmas day and headed downstairs. Dad was already in the kitchen, making breakfast.
"Good morning Luna darling," he said cheerfully.
"Good morning, dad," I answered, sitting down at the table. Every Christmas dad and I always ate breakfast together before opening our gifts. I pulled my feet up onto my chair and rested my chin on my knees. "What's for breakfast?"
"Eggs, bacon and toast," my dad answered. My dad loved making eggs and. He always said how healthy they were, especially Snorkack eggs, but since we hadn't found any Snorckacks yet, we didn't have any of their eggs.
"It smells good," I said.
"Yes," he nodded. "Would you mind getting the milk out of the fridge?"
I stood up to get the milk and poured some into two glasses; one for each of us.
My dad glanced at me. "So what time is Neville coming to bring you to St. Mungo's?"
"Noon," I answered. I had told my dad last night about going with Neville to visit his parents and he had agreed. He still seemed a little awkward about the fact that I now had a boyfriend.
My dad nodded. "I see. What exactly happened to his parents that they're in St. Mungo's?"
I decided that it was best to not tell him. It wasn't my place to tell the story, even if it was my father asking. It was a rather personal story and I think Neville should be the one to tell who he wants when he's ready to tell them. "I think Neville should tell you if and when he is ready to share it."
"Okay," my father said, nodding again. "It sounds like something terrible."
"It is," I answered quietly.
My dad cleared his throat and put the plates on the table. "Breakfast is ready," he said with a small smile.
I smiled and sat down in my usual chair. My dad sat across from me. The chair between us had been my mother's chair. I glanced at it and thought of my mother, like I always did every day no matter what. I always thought of her especially on Christmas. It had been her favorite holiday. She always wished for it to snow on Christmas. If it wasn't actually snowing, she was always saddened, even if the snow was already on the ground. She liked to watch the snow actually fall on Christmas Day.
My dad saw me looking at my mother's chair but what he said next took me by surprise. "What am I going to do when you leave me?"
"Leave you?" I asked, blinking. I hardly noticed half of the eggs fall off my fork.
He nodded. "You aren't going to live with me forever. You're going to graduate school, get married, and get a job. What am I going to do all alone here?"
"You won't be alone," I said. "I'll come visit you all the time and I don't even have to leave. I can-,"
"No," he shook his head. "I want you to grow and have a good life with everything you've ever hoped for, but I just think it'll be awfully lonely once you're gone. You're my daughter and we've had some memorable times together."
"We have," I agreed. "And we can keep having memorable times. Just because I leave home doesn't mean I leave you. Anyway, I'm only fourteen. I still have three and a half more years of school. It's a long way away."
"Time flies, Luna dear," he said with a sigh.
I didn't answer that. I didn't know how. I just continued eating my eggs. I wondered if I should stay home today after all, but when I brought it up to dad, he shook his head and urged me to go. He seemed happy that I had someone like Neville in my life.
After we washed dishes together, we headed into the living room. My gifts were on the left side of the tree, and my dad's were on the right. I knelt down beside my pile and looked at my dad. "You open one first," I said.
He agreed and picked up a gift from the top of the pile. He looked at the tag. It was from an old friend from school. My dad ripped open the paper. It was a book on Muggle animals.
"I wonder how he managed to get his hands on a Muggle book," my dad said incredulously. "This is fascinating!"
I stood and walked over to him, looking at the book over his shoulder. He opened to a random page. There was a picture of a strange animal. It was brown and white, and very tall with a long neck and long, skinny legs. The word at the top of the page said "giraffe."
"G-raffy," my dad said, trying to pronounce it. "Gear-affay."
"I think it is pronounced giraffe, dad," I said, pronouncing it correctly.
"How do you know?" he asked.
I shrugged. "I think I heard someone at school talking about one once."
"Such funny looking creatures," my dad said. "Maybe sometime we can go looking for Muggle animals! We can extend our Sweden trip. After we search for Snorkacks, we can go looking for the Muggle animals in this book! Especially the G-raffy. I like this animal."
"Sure dad," I giggled. "We can do that."
He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. "You're always so open to new things."
I sat back down and started opening my own gifts. I saw a gift from Neville and smiled, planning to open that one last. I was also relieved that I had run out yesterday morning to buy him a gift as well. I had sent him a new plant to take care of and some food to go with it. The plant was called a Flos Noctis and instead of needing sunlight to grow, it needed moonlight.
I opened a new winter coat from my grandparents. It was light blue and very warm looking. I received a necklace from Ginny with a radish on it. I had taught her how to make jewelrey last year and she had written in her note that she thought the necklace would go with my earrings. I opened a scarf and mittens from Hermione, who had most likely knitted them herself. They were really well done, though. Harry gave me a sketchbook. I wondered how he knew I liked to draw. Ginny must have told him. I even got a small package of assorted candy from Ron. I had never gotten gifts from friends before besides Ginny, but that was probably because I didn't have any friends other than Ginny until now.
I reached for the gift from my dad next. He had given me a set of paints and a variety of paintbrushes. He knew I loved to paint as well as draw. I paint the walls of my room myself whenever I feel like I need a change. So far, in my fourteen years of living here, my room had gone from lavender to yellow to sky blue. I was thinking of doing a coral pink next.
"Thank you dad," I said, holding up the paints and paintbrushes.
"It was no trouble, Luna dear," he smiled, "and thank you for the new camera. This is better than my old one. I can get clearer pictures on it. I'll bring it on our Sweden trip."
"That's what I hoped you'd want to do," I said with a grin.
Finally, I picked up Neville's gift. I gently shook it, wondering what could possibly be inside. It was a small box, and it rattled slightly when I shook it.
I untied the purple bow and slowly slid my finger under the edge of the wrapping paper. For some reason, I didn't want to rip the paper on Neville's gift.
Under the wrapping paper, there was a square, white box. I took the lid off and gasped quietly. It was a new pair of earrings, similar to my radish ones, but instead of radishes, there was mistletoe dangling from them.
"From Neville?" my dad asked.
I nodded. "Yes, from Neville."
"Go put them on. Let's see how they look on you."
I ran up the stairs to my room. Standing in front of my mirror, I took out my radish earrings and gently put them away. One by one, I put on the mistletoe earrings. I shook my head slightly and watched the earrings dangle back and forth. They were beautiful.
"Oh how lovely," my dad said when I returned to the living room. "They look very nice on you."
"Thanks," I answered, lightly touching one of the earrings and smiling.
At ten minutes to noon, I was sitting at the window seat in my room, absentmindedly twirling a piece of hair in my fingers and anxiously waiting for Neville and his grandmother. My window looked over the backyard, so I wouldn't be able to see him when he got here. I'd just have to wait for them to knock on the door.
When the knock finally came, I stood up, smoothed my shirt, and headed downstairs. When I got there, I saw my dad happily greeting Neville and his grandmother and offering them tea.
"No, thank you. If Luna's ready then we really must be going," Neville's grandmother said.
"She's just upstairs. I can get her."
"No, I'm here," I said with a smile, stepping into the room. Neville grinned at me. I walked over and took his hand.
"Alright, well stay safe Luna dear, and I'll see you when you get back." I could tell he had almost told me to enjoy myself but then thought better of it. Visiting St. Mungo's was usually never enjoyable.
We apparated with Neville's grandmother and appeared just down the street from the hospital. His grandmother led the way while Neville and I walked along behind her, holding hands.
"The earrings look wonderful on you," Neville whispered.
"You noticed that I'm wearing them," I said with a smile.
"Of course," he answered.
"Thank you, by the way. I've always loved earrings and I especially like ones that are interesting and unique."
"That's what I thought," Neville said. "Plus, the mistletoe kind of means something." He blushed and I kissed his cheek, making him blush even more.
"Thank you," I said again.
"And thank you for the plant. Where did you ever find it?"
"A friend of my family grows rare and unusual plants," I replied. "I thought you would appreciate it the most."
"I do appreciate it," Neville answered. "I'm going to think of you every time I have to water it and take care of it. Mostly because you gave it to me but also because it needs moonlight to grow and-,"
"My name means moon," I finished for him.
"Yeah," he said, blushing again. "I think it suits you, your name."
"Do you? My mum had that instinct as well. Even though I was obviously just a baby when she named me, she took one look and claimed that I was a Luna. My dad agreed." I gave him a small smile
Neville traced circles on my hand with his thumb. We had reached the entrance to St. Mungo's and we stepped inside.
We went to the gift shop and picked out flowers to bring upstairs to Neville's parents. I helped to pick out a lovely red poinsettia and Neville carried it in the hand that wasn't holding mine.
"My mum loved Christmas," Neville said quietly as we headed for the elevator.
"My mum too," I answered in a whisper. I don't know why I felt the need to whisper, but it just felt appropriate at the moment.
"At least you still have your dad," Neville mumbled, sounding slightly upset.
I stopped and pulled his hand, making him face me. "Neville, listen. I know it's hard for you, and today even more so, but you have your grandmother. She loves you so much."
"I know that, but at least your mother is probably watching over you. My parents can't even do that. They're physically stuck here while they're minds are gone. And you got nine happy years with your family. I got one."
"Neville, I know there are things you've gone through and are still going through that I will never understand. But I understand partly and I promise that I will always be there to help anytime you need me."
He squeezed my hand. "Thank you. And I'm sorry."
"For what?" I asked as we caught up to his grandmother inside the elevator. She pressed the button for the sixth floor.
"For implying that what happened to your family isn't as bad as what happened to mine. It's terrible about your mum, it really is."
"I didn't get that implication at all," I said, half smiling.
Neville nodded and seemed slightly relieved.
We reached the door to the ward where the mentally altered and mentally ill patients were.
"Now, before we go in," Neville's grandmother said, turning to face us at the doors. "Luna, I'd just like to warn you that Alice and Frank, well, they're very dependent on others, I guess is the best way to put it. They have basically reverted back to childhood mannerisms. They can't comprehend or understand much, if anything at all."
I glanced at Neville. "I understand."
"I've seen other of our relatives lose patience with them," she continued. "It's frustrating for them to see Alice and Frank like this."
"I understand," I said again. "It must be difficult."
She nodded and pushed open the door. Neville and I followed her to the other end of the ward, where there were curtains set up, most likely for our privacy. Neville's grandmother pushed aside the curtains. I couldn't see over her shoulder, but I heard her address Neville's parents.
"Hello, Frank, Alice," she said cheerily. It sounded like she was using every ounce of strength to sound happy. "Merry Christmas. Neville and I brought you a little something."
His grandmother moved out of the way and Neville dropped my hand and stepped forward. I followed him and my heart almost broke when I saw Neville place the poinsettia on the bedside table between two beds, then bend down and kiss first his mum, then his dad on the cheek.
Neville's mum smiled and began swatting at the plant leaves while his dad stared at the ceiling, his face blank.
I hardly noticed Neville return to my side. He took my hand and led me to the chairs in between the beds. His grandmother took a seat at the end of Mr. Longbottom's bed.
"Mum," Neville said, touching her knee. She stared at him and smiled vacantly. "This is Luna; she's my girlfriend."
I leaned forward in my seat. "Hello, Mrs. Longbottom," I said with a smile.
"I think it helps to talk to them," Neville whispered to me. "The nurses seem to think they can understand bits and pieces of things. Not everything, and they can't always respond, but they think they can sometimes understand."
I smiled before turning my attention back to his mum. "It's lovely to meet you. You have a wonderful son. His grandmother's doing an excellent job of raising him." I gently reached out and after a brief hesitation, patted her knee.
She looked at me vacantly. She was biting her lip and looking nervous. It was probably because I was an unfamiliar face. Even though she and her husband couldn't recognize Neville anymore, he visited regularly, and they probably managed to recognize him from his visits.
Suddenly, Neville's mother smiled. She leaned over and opened the bedside table drawer. She rummaged through it and pulled out a small, gold Christmas ornament. The shiny, round ornament glittered in the fluorescent lights. She held it out to me happily.
"Where did you get that, Alice dear?" Neville's grandmother asked.
Neville's mother turned her head towards the curtains and stared as if she were looking through them.
"The Christmas tree in the corner of the ward," Neville said. "I noticed it when we came in."
"Ah, well maybe we should put it back, Alice, don't you think?" Neville's grandmother plastered a smile onto her face.
Neville's mother turned back to me and held out the ornament once again. I hesitantly took it. "Thank you," I said quietly.
"You can put it back on the tree when we leave," Neville whispered.
"If you don't mind, I think I'm going to keep it," I whispered back, sticking the ornament in my pocket. "I think it's a sign that your mother likes me, even if she doesn't quite understand completely who I am."
Neville beamed at me and rested his forehead against mine. "You're amazing," he whispered.
I closed my eyes and sighed with happiness.
Neville took me over to his dad's bed next. His dad tore his eyes away from the ceiling to stare at me.
"Hello," I said quietly. "I'm Luna Lovegood, your son's girlfriend. It's lovetly to meet you." Neville's dad picked up a piece of my hair and stared at it with a vague smile. He held it by the end and wiggled it up and down. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and I let out a small giggle. Neville let out a small laugh as well.
"He likes you too," Neville whispered.
"I'm glad," I answered.
We stayed with Neville's parents for another hour before his grandmother announced that it was time to go.
As we walked around the curtains, Neville stopped walking for a split second. I saw why a moment later. Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting by a bed that was occupied by Gilderoy Lockhart. He had taught at Hogwarts during my first year, but I had heard his own memory charm backfired. I wasn't sure why they were visiting him though. I never got the imperession that they liked him all that much, at least Harry and Ron anyway.
"I'm not ready to talk to them," Neville hissed in my ear. "They don't know about my parents and they're going to ask questions."
I opened my mouth to answer, but we had already been spotted. I bit my lip, wondering what was going to happen and how Neville was going to handle it.