"Ugh! One and a half weeks! That's practically two weeks, Gran!" Neville flopped down on the couch and put his head in his hands.
"I know, darling, you've been saying the same thing since you arrived this morning!" Augusta Longbottom called from the dining room, where she was having her afternoon tea.
"It's so long, though! Why can't holiday break be shorter? I don't like being away from Luna for long periods of time!" Neville groaned again.
"If it really bothers you, invite her to the Christmas party!" she called back.
"Wait, we're having a Christmas party? Since when?" Neville asked.
"Yes, on Christmas Eve, it starts at seven. It will mostly be adults that are friends of mine but if Luna is there I trust you will be entertained if only in the slightest. And as for your other question, I just decided that we are having one."
"Um, okay. Should I owl her?" he asked.
"If you would like, but as of now she is on the invite list," Augusta answered. "Minnie! Can you send the invite list out?" The house elf appeared with a bow and the witch waved her wand, a stack of envelopes appeared, the invitations. Minnie took the stack and hurried from the room to send them with the owls.
Luna heard a tapping on her window and sat up. She was in the middle of reading the Quibbler, so she set it down on her bedside table and walked over to the window. Luna opened it and an owl flew in. She pat the owls head and untied the letter from it's leg. The owl then flew back out of the window. Luna opened the envelope and read the formal looking letter.
Ms. Luna Lovegood,
We are pleased to invite you to a Christmas Eve party, beginning at seven o'clock in the evening and ending at midnight. The dress code is formal and snacks will be served. Kindly respond by the twenty-third of December. We hope to see you there.
Augusta Longbottom and family
Luna smiled, the break wouldn't be so hard without Neville afterall. She rushed down the stairs and found her dad humming to himself while preparing dinner.
"Daddy, can I go to the Longbottom's party on Christmas Eve?" she asked.
"When does it start and end?" Xeno asked.
"It starts at seven in the evening and ends at midnight," Luna answered.
"I don't see why not," he said. Luna grinned and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, Daddy!" She ran back up the stairs to her room and grabbed a piece of parchment, ink, and a quill.
Augusta and Neville-
I would love to attend your party! You can count on me being there!
-Luna Lovegood
"How many people have replied, Gran?" Neville leaned against the doorframe in Augusta's room.
"We got replies from everyone, all fifty people, the only people who can't come is Rachel O'Donnell because her grandson's wedding is two days after that and she is arriving early for Christmas," Augusta answered.
"That's great! So, Luna's coming!" Neville responded happily.
"Yes, dear, she is. Now leave your grandmother alone for a bit!" she snapped. Neville chuckled and turned to walk away.
It was the night of the party and Neville was getting ready in his room. He was wearing a black suit, the attire was formal afterall. While trying to flatten his hair with a comb, a knock was on his door.
"Come in!" he called. Augusta Longbottom walked into the room, wearing a red long-sleeve dress. She sat down on his bed and began to talk.
"Now, Neville, I want you to understand something," she started. "I know you are a teenager and you have your hormones and what not, but when the party is going on, I ask you to behave around Luna. I know that there will be a lot of noise and distraction but I do not want you to bring her up here and do 'that', okay?" Neville blushed deeply and stared at the floor.
"Gran, I know I'm sixteen but I'm not like that," Neville coughed uncomfortably.
"I know you aren't, darling, but I just wanted to tell you that. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable," she rose from her seat and walked out of the door to be ready to greet the first guest. Neville stared at his reflection in the mirror and sighed, his hair wasn't going to be perfect no matter how many times he ran a comb through it. He threw the comb on his bed and followed his grandmother.
Ding-Dong! The guests began to file in, one after another. Minnie took each coat and put them in the hall closet, while Augusta greeted each guest with hug and a kiss on the cheek. Finally, Luna arrived.
"Luna, darling! How are are you, my dear?" Augusta asked as Luna slipped her coat off of her shoulders.
"I'm fine, thank you. Do you know where I would find Neville?" she asked.
"Yes, he's in the dining room," Luna smiled appreciatively and walked in the direction needed. Neville stood by the table, talking to an elderly guest. Luna heard him talking loudly.
"No, the food will come soon, Mr. Jacobs!" Neville half-shouted.
"What did you say?" the man asked.
"I said, the food will come shortly!" the man waved his hand, signaling he heard him, and walked away, leaving Neville muttering about hearing aids and old men.
"Excuse me? Are you one of the hosts?" Luna asked from behind him. Neville turned around and opened his mouth to respond. When he saw who it was, he grinned down at her.
"Luna!" he said. Luna smiled and reached up to hug him.
"Was that man a family friend?" she asked.
"Yeah, he was my grandfather's colleague and he turned into a good friend of ours," Neville answered. Luna nodded.
"You look nice in your suit," Luna rested her hand on his arm and let it slide until it reached his hand, which she then held in her own.
"You look beautiful, Luna," Neville said. And it was true. Her dress was knee length and purple with absolutely no design or pattern on it. The only accessories she wore was her locket and a clip holding her hair away from her face. Luna blushed and smiled.
"Thank you," she replied. "I have another question I wanted to ask you."
"Oooh, another famous Luna question! What is it?" Neville asked.
"Why do people always take compliments as a nice thing?" Luna asked. Neville laughed out loud.
"Because they are saying something nice to them, of course," Neville answered. Luna frowned.
"But if I was to go up to two girls and say that one of their hair looked pretty today, I would be saying something nice to one of them. But the other girl might feel insulted because then she might think that I don't like her hair and only like the other girl's hair," Luna said.
"But isn't that just a girl thing?" Neville asked.
"Well, let's say it was an author. I might see two authors while I'm out walking. They are talking to each other. If I go up and say to one author that I really enjoyed their book, the other author might think that I didn't like their book and would be offended." she offered.
"I guess a compliment does go two ways then," Neville thought out loud. Luna smiled.
"Everything does," Luna said, "It's all about perspective."
Augusta kept an eye on Neville and Luna the entire night. She was watching them talk and laugh and enjoy themselves while she talked to her childhood friend, Fiona.
"That's Neville, isn't it?" she asked.
"Yes," she replied.
"He's grown up to be quite a young man, just look at him. Who's that girl with him?" Fiona asked.
"That's his girlfriend, Luna," Augusta answered.
"Oh, he has a girlfriend. What's she like?"
"She's absolutely lovely, Neville's so happy with her," she said.
"It sure looks like it, I wish we were young again," Fiona sighed.
"I think we all do, Fiona," Augusta responded.
"Just watch, they're going to end up married."
A/N Sorry, I missed my update day but I was on vacation with no wifi :( Happy New Years everyone! On a side note, check the title of last chapter, then compare it to the title of chapter one.
BBC-luva- I wasn't offended at all! That part was meant to be funny :) Wow, I almost made you cry? Sorry!
Tallen93-Yeah, that part came right from the book. I'm glad too :) Drama is fun to write and all but it is so exhausting to have to make sad parts happen...
Tove Braddock- Thank you for ALL of your reviews! Seriously, each one made me smile more :)
Guest- Thanks, I'm really trying with the personalities. So I really appreciate you saying that :)
okay-can-be-0ur-always- Hi! Thanks for adding this story to your favorites! I want to ask you this, though. Is your username a reference to The Fault In Our Stars?
tardis91011- Thanks for your reviewing! It was amazing to get such a nice one like that! Thanks for your concern, I'm all better now! I can promise more frequent updates but as I said before, I was on vacation :)