Neville walked through the large, crowed feeling awkward as complete strangers wished him a Happy Birthday, shaking his hands, and slapping him on the back joyfully. It was his second birthday since the Battle of Hogwarts, his first had fallen in a time of morning, after all it had taken place two months after they had lost so much. No body had been in the mood for celebrating when they still had bodies to burry and a civilisation to rebuild. This year however was different; fourteen months had passed since Voldemort's demise, the school had reopened, the ministry had reformed under the guidance of the new Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt. The Wizarding World still mourned their losses, but time had slowly begun to heel their broken hearts and they'd begun to celebrate the new world they had started to build. Instead of funerals they held celebrations, weddings, christenings, birthdays.
Neville had agreed to a joint party for his and Harry's 19th birthday, after all Harry was only a day younger than he was and they had many mutual friends. He'd been under the impression that it would be a small gathering, his grandmother and Mrs Weasley had assured him it would be. Why then did it seem that all of Wizarding Brittan were currently inside Longbottom Manor? All he'd wanted were a few drinks, a homecooked meal and a night spent with his closest friends, instead he was surrounded by strangers many of whom had already asked him to recount how he had beheaded Nagini's head. None of these people were here for him, they were here to gawp at him, Harry and the other hero's that had fought in the final battle.
How had the guest list got so out of hand? Neville felt hot, shaky, there were far too many people around him, the ball room was stifling as he pushed his way through the crowed, his eyes locked firmly on the exit.
"Neville," someone called his name, but he continued, he had to get out of this room, away from all these people. He broke through the crowed and pushed open the glass door that led out into the darkened grounds, descending the stone steps quickly he followed a pebbled path round the exterior of the property, the loud music growing quitter as he moved further and further away.
When he could no longer hear the party, Neville stopped, and left the pebbled path to sit beneath an ancient giant oak tree. He sat there for a moment, his eyes closed, finally he was at peace, he could hear his own thoughts again.
"Neville, a gentle voice called in the night air, the sound of light crunching footsteps sounded as the person made their way down the pebbled path. Neville didn't bother to open his eyes as the person diverted off the path, making their way to stand in front of him. Neville breathed in deeply through his nose, catching the scent of wildflowers and sunshine, his whole body relaxing as he opened his eyes to stare into her icy blue irises.
"Hello Luna," he smiled gesturing for her to take a seat next to him in the grass, she smiled, tucking her long blonde braid over her shoulder as she took her seat beside him. She was dressed in a yellow sundress, and had a sunflower tucked behind her left ear.
"Are you okay," she asked him quietly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"Yeah, I just wanted a quiet day with friend's," he whispered.
"I think the Nargle's are responsible for the party," she told him seriously.
"I thought Nargle's were attracted to Mistletoe, he asked her bemused.
"They are but they can still make people's heads fuzzy at other times of the year," she replied.
"I don't want to go back inside," he confessed.
"Then you don't have too," she told him, connecting her hand with his, she turned her head, studying him with wide eyes, her teeth nervously chewing at her lower lip, Neville's eyes were drawn to this action and Luna smiled; "Neville," she whispered.
"Yes," he breathed nervously.
"Happy Birthday," she told him leaning in, her lips connecting with his for the first time. Surrounded by the scent of Wildflowers and Sunshine, with the sweet taste of honey on his tongue, Neville thought to himself that this might just be the best birthday ever as he continued to kiss Luna under the old oak tree.