The change in behavior at Hogwarts was noticeable. Neville Longbottom sat at the back of the class everyday, not saying a word, ignoring everyone and everything, just taking notes. Luna Lovegood was no longer skipping in the hallways or wearing a smile on her face. Her locket had been taken off and put away, she had cried while taking it off. Jillian Hunt always had a guilty look on her face, despite being forgiven by Luna. She avoided everyone except Luna, which was only because she sat next to her in almost every class. Ginny Weasley was feeling guilty, as well, giving herself the blame for breaking up her best friends. She did tell Luna to confront him, after all. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were trying to figure out whose side to be on, but they did their fair share of trying to get Neville to talk. Even the students who weren't involved had a different attitude. The other Ravenclaws had always kept their distance from Luna, but now they took turns trying to get her to smile. Draco Malfoy had stopped his bullying and always had a scared expression on his face.
A week passed and Luna had never felt more alone. She was doing homework and twirling her quill, her thoughts far from her Potions essay. She sighed and laid down her quill.
"I'm going for a walk," she whispered, the sixth year next to her nodded in acknowledgement.
"Would you like me to come?" she asked. Luna shook her head and began to go to the portrait hole. She walked quietly through the corridors, fiddling with a strand of hair. She climbed the stairs and kept walking. At last, she reached the topmost floor and walked to the Astronomy tower. As she walked into the tower she heard a noise and hid behind a curtain. It sounded like crying, Luna crept out from her hiding spot and walked over to see who it was. Draco Malfoy stood by the railing, hands clutching to the bar. Luna saw the his body position and, being the observant person she was, knew what he was thinking about.
"I've thought about it too, killing myself, especially in the last week," Luna said quietly. Draco spun around, pulling his wand out. At seeing who it was, he lowered his wand and wiped his eyes.
"What do you want, Lovegood?" he asked.
"To help you," Luna said.
"No one can help me," he said. Luna looked at him closely.
"You don't have to tell me what it is you're afraid to do, just why you're crying," she said. Draco looked at her and sat down. Luna came and sat next to him.
"I'm scared, if I don't do what I have to, I'll be killed and so will my mother," he said, "You're turn." Luna took the blonde boy's hand.
"If you haven't already heard, Neville and I broke up, and he was my other half, and I just don't know what to do without him," Luna wiped at her eyes and looked in her lap.
"So, you love him?"
"Yes, so much," Luna replied.
"I don't know what love feels like or looks like," Draco said.
"What about your parents?"
"I don't think they really loved each other, at least not properly."
"Well, love is simple, yet complicated. It's when your heart beats faster when someone mentions them. And even the smallest of hugs will make you happy. And when all you want to do is be by their side. And when you love them, you can...trust them," Luna stopped after she mentioned trust.
"That's what happened isn't it?" Draco asked, "The trust thing?" Luna nodded. "So, what happened?"
"One of my friend's father died over the summer, and I didn't know about it, since I don't read the obituary. She was upset and after I had gone to bed, she went outside the common room to be by herself. Neville was there, looking for me, but he saw her and hugged her, out of sympathy, I think. A third year saw them from behind and went to tell me, I didn't believe her at first, but she told me that it looked like they've done it before. So the next day I asked Ginny Weasley what she thought, she believed the third year and told me to confront Neville. So I did at lunch. Neville was hurt that I would even think that of him. I was surprised at myself as well. He didn't know if I trusted him, so he started crying and walking away. I called after him, I told him that I loved him. But he didn't say it back like he usually does." Luna had begun crying earlier in her story and Draco had wrapped his arm around her.
"That's it?" he asked. Luna nodded.
"It's all my fault, I believed some silly third year," Luna cried. Draco went back to calming her down. "I think I'm going to go back to my dorm now," she said. Malfoy nodded.
"I'm coming back tomorrow, do you want to join me?" he asked.
"Sure, I'd love to," Luna replied, she turned around and began walking back to the Ravenclaw tower.
"Oh, and Luna, I'm sorry for everything I did to you," Malfoy called after her. Luna smiled softly and kept walking, it was the first smile she had in a week.
_
(A/N this is the next day)
Neville was heartbroken, torn up inside, he felt like he was dying everyday. Even after a week, he talked to no one, he never laughed or smiled, all he did in his free time was read and take care of his plants. He went on many walks around the grounds, but he always avoided the tree by the Black Lake, that was where he first kissed Luna.
He was sitting near the Quidditch pitch, reading a Herbology book, taking various notes on it. Someone approached him and he looked up. Hannah Abbott sat down beside him.
"Hey, Neville, I heard about you and Luna, do you want to talk about it?" she asked. Neville shook his head and went back to reading. "I know it must be hard on you. She thought you cheated on her and all. Personally, I would never have thought that, you're too good of a person. Of course, we're not dating or anything. What are you reading?" Neville flipped to the cover and showed her it.
"Anyway, it was very wrong of her to accuse you of anything like that. We all know that if anyone cheated in your relationship it would be her. In fact, I bet she was. I've seen her looking at other boys, a far off look in her eyes. But she always has that look in her eye." Neville kept reading, trying to get the angry thoughts out of his head
"She probably slept with someone too, I can imagine her as a slut, you know?" Neville had had enough.
"Shut up, Hannah! Luna would never do something like that! You know what? She will always be a better person than you! How dare you even accuse her of something that she would never in her right mind do? That's something you would do, Hannah, not her!" Neville shouted. His voice was hoarse from not talking, but it got the message across.
"Excuse me? You and I are meant for eachother! You don't belong with that bitch!" Hannah yelled back. Neville snapped out his wand.
"Don't ever call the love of my life a bitch!" Neville waved his wand and Hannah was shot backwards. He heard a round of applause and turned around. It seemed like the shouting attracted attention from the student body. Neville stuffed his wand back into his pocket and stormed away, back into the castle.
Lizzie witnessed the shouting match, and immediately knew that she had to tell Luna. She ran after Neville into the castle and ran up the flights of stairs to the Ravenclaw Common Room. Sure enough, Luna was sitting in front of the fire place, gazing into the flames.
"Luna, Luna!" she cried and ran over to her.
"What?" she asked quietly.
"Neville just defended you in front of a crowd against Hannah Abbott and called you the love of his life." Lizzie said.
"I'm not going to believe you again, Lizzie," Luna looked at the girl.
"But it's true! He did! Go get him back!" she said. Luna sighed.
"Lizzie, a relationship isn't like the ones in the books, it's not that easy," Luna explained.
"But I'm telling the truth!" she cried.
"I made a mistake, I'll deal with the consequences, you don't have to interfere," Luna got up and walked over to the stairs to her dorm. Lizzie looked at her sadly.
_
"This is so sad," Ginny said at breakfast the next morning. Hermione looked at her in confusion. A/N Hello, everyone! I always had this feeling that Luna doesn't hold grudges very long. So, she would forgive Malfoy pretty easily... Tallen93- I really love your reviews, a lot. Fortunately, your prediction is not coming true. Instead Neville yelled at Hannah, which is much better! Megagamer1- Hi! Welcome to the story! Thank you very much for adding this story to your alerts and favorites! And also adding me to your alerts and favorites! it means so much to me that you like it!
"What is?" she asked.
"The whole Luna and Neville thing," Ginny sighed.
"Yeah, it is, they're so sad looking," Hermione said. Ginny nodded. Neville walked in and sat next to Ginny.
"Good morning, Neville, we heard about your yelling yesterday afternoon," Hermione said bluntly. Neville looked at her angrily.
"Yeah, so did everyone else," Neville said.
"I don't think Luna did," Ginny pointed out. The group turned to look at her. Luna was sitting at the Ravenclaw table. She had her elbow on the table with her hand on her cheek. She was staring at her plate of eggs. The owl post arrived and still the group watched Luna, a gray owl landed in front of her and she quickly untied the letter. A small smile stretched across her face and she turned slightly to look at someone. Neville sighed unhappily.
"I'm sure she's not moving on," Hermione said as they turned back around.
"Yeah, sure," Neville answered.
"Look, Neville, you broke up with her, you were mad at her, if you want her back, go for it," Ginny told him. Neville nodded.
