DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, nor do I claim to. Claims to own Harry Potter That is exactly the type of thing that I wouldn't do, because I don't own Harry Potter… As far as you know!

Author's Note: Arrgh! This is so much fluffy stuff that it bothers me! Oh well, maybe the new situation will bring some conflict to the story, instead of just being a huge pile of mushy stuff.

Author's Note: As always, PLEASE review. I highly doubt that I'll post chapter 6 until I get at least 2 reviews. Now, 2 reviews really isn't that much, but it lets me know that something is happening. And, just to tease you a bit, I'm going to try very hard to leave something missing at the end of this chapter…

Author's Note: I'm back, after what's probably been at least a few months. In fact, by the time I post this, I have no idea how long it will have been, maybe even a full year, but I'm back and I'm trying to finish this chapter, at least.

Author's Note: Though it may seem otherwise, I really do appreciate it when people read my writing; that's why reviews mean so much to me, they let me know that people really are reading it. There's a lot of really great writers and stories, and so when someone reads one of mine, I truly feel honored. Okay, I'm done being all… yeah. Okay, now read!

Chapter V

Luna Lovegood was amazed when she read Neville's invitation. She had a hard time getting her father to agree; he was extremely overprotective since Luna's mother had passed away. But finally, after reminding him that Neville had been in the Department of Mysteries with her, had fought off numerous Death Eaters when he was only fifteen, and now he was seventeen and of age, and he had his grandmother's permission to go live on his own for a while. She reminded him that Neville was really a good guy, and he wouldn't try to take advantage of her or anything, that if he even tried, Luna wouldn't let him. She promised her father that she would call him every single day and write once a week, and, finally, he agreed.

Luna trusted Neville, and she trusted herself. She knew how hard it would be to not do anything they were going to regret, but she knew that that wasn't the reason why she was going with Neville. It was just so hard to not be around him, and the thought of waiting even longer to see him than she already had was unbearable. Anyway, it was only for a few weeks. Then they would be back at Hogwarts.

Still, Luna couldn't help but be nervous about it. For the very first time, she was going away from home to a place where she was basically free to do as she wished. At home, she was given a certain amount of freedom, perhaps a little more than some other girls her age; she lived in a rather secluded area, where there were more centaurs than humans. Luna loved being outdoors; her father had allowed her to keep any animal she found, especially the strange ones. At the end of her third year, she had asked Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures professor, if she could take home the remaining Blast-Ended Skrewts. As it were, there was only one left, but, being forced by the Ministry of Magic to get rid of the creatures or else face prosecution on the charges of illegal cross-breeding, he allowed her to take it home, and she promptly released it into the forest near her house. She cared for it, tamed it better than Hagrid could, and made it downright peaceful.

But still, her father had limits. She wasn't allowed into the nearest village, and when he went for one reason or another, she stayed home with her animals. He was gone every day, whether he was at the Quibbler office, or out researching some conspiracy. The summer after her fourth year, they went on a trip to find a Crumple Horned Snorkack, but Luna ended up basically staying at the campsite all day while her father went out looking for it. Of course, he never did find one; it found Luna, and her father took that as a blessing that she should always wait in safety, because good things come to those who wait.

Luna was done waiting. She had spent the past sixteen years waiting for something to happen, waiting for a new pet, waiting for her father to come home. And now, finally, something happened. And, realizing that her entire life had been nothing but waiting for one thing or another, Luna wasn't nervous anymore.