A/N- I have actually had this chapter up at Checkmated.com for some time
now...but somehow forgot to post it here! Sorry about that! Also, I noticed
some concerns in my reviews and I would like to address those now:
Making Luna "hot" is cliché- hmm...if this were a Ron and Hermione fic I would say yes. However I felt that since there was not a lot of Neville/Luna interaction in OotP, that she had to draw his attention in some manner. What better way then to have tremendous...assets. Neville will begin to like her for her personality in this chapter, but I needed a way to "light the torch" so to speak. Plus I've always liked the idea of Luna having a very attractive body, well...attractive in the conventional sense of the word that is. I just imagine her as having no clue that she's a "hot" and funny situations arising from that ignorance...
Luna is Ooc: Err...I don't think so. I'm rather proud of my portrayal of Luna and Neville, thank you very much.
Too much dialogue: Well, let's chalk it up to my style. I like the humor that comes with dialogue.
Regarding the next chapter, I had written the entire thing based on a shopping trip involving several very interesting pairs of knickers. However the plot was apparently on vacation...so I may throw it out or rewrite it. I don't know yet.
One last thing, I promise. Thanks so much to Dragonsbane1611, who I consider to be the god of Neville/Luna fics, for reviewing my story! I could not be happier! On with the show!
Nevvie-poo and Moonbeam
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Get out!" Ron yelled.
"This is not what it looks like!" Hermione said as she pulled her shirt over her head to cover her exposed bra.
Neville trained his attention at the floor. "Sorry 'bout that. Come on Luna..." He said as he pulled the Ravenclaw by the elbow.
"Did someone put a love potion in your juice as well? Is this the type of side effect you were talking about Neville?"
"I...what? Luna, let's just go find an empty class room, okay?"
"This is really quite interesting." Luna began rummaging through her bag. "Do you mind if I take some notes?"
"Yes!" the two lovers screamed in unison.
"Oh, I see. Quite understandable really. Exactly how much potion did you ingest?"
"Out!" Ron insisted now approximately the color of pickled beets.
"Right. Luna, I think now would be a good time to go." Neville continued to tug on her arm.
"Alright, just one more question. How far did you get before we--"
"Graaaaahhh!" Ron slammed the door in Luna's face.
"Well, that was very unnecessary, don't you think?"
"No, I think it was well deserved. Can we go please?"
"Fine" Luna said, rather briskly. "I just don't see why they--"
Neville waited for several seconds for her to finish her thought. "Luna?" His first reaction was to pull her away from whatever shiny object might be distracting her, however when he finally noticed Luna's crumpled form on the floor any irritation immediately slipped from his mind. "Luna are you hurt?" Neville leaned down to shake her when he noticed exactly what had stopped Luna in her tracks; Ron had slammed her cloak in the door. He had just reached for his wand to cast 'enervate' when he noticed a large pool of blood stemming from the back of Luna's head. "Shite"
Neville managed to remove the cloak from the door only after chewing on the hem for what seemed like hours. He began to make his way to the infirmary while carrying Luna in his arms, both of their bags on his back and continually trying to ebb the flow of blood. He had just resigned himself to having to leave their bags behind when he heard a voice from down the hall.
"Neville! What happened to Luna?"
"Harry? Where are you?"
"I'm right here, hold on!" Harry instantly appeared just a few paces away, causing Neville to emit a small yelp. "Oh, sorry to frighten you, it's my invisibility cloak. Here, let me take her—"
"No!...err...I mean, no. It would be easier for me to just keep her, you can take the bags though." He handed Harry the two bags.
"How did this happen? Did someone attack her?" Harry asked again rather urgently.
"Well, it's all a bit strange really...see, we...umm accidentally walked in on Ron and Hermione, and Ron became more than a little upset. Well, you know how Luna is, so finally Ron slammed the door on her and I guess her robe was caught and it caused her to trip or something like that, so—"
"Wait, you 'walked in' on Ron and Hermione? What do you mean 'walked in'?" Harry suddenly looked very serious.
"Well, you know...they were doing...stuff. I tried to just shut the door but..." Neville began to process just what was going on. "You didn't know about them did you?"
"No, I didn't." Harry's expression was unreadable. "Why don't we just keep this as our little secret for now, okay? They don't have to know that I know just yet."
"Well...I..." Fortunately Neville didn't have to finish his sentence because he had reached the infirmary. He quickly laid Luna down on the nearest bed while Harry ran to fetch Madam Pomfrey.
"Oh my! That is a nasty cut!" Madam Pomfrey said as she applied various potions to the back of Luna's head.
"Will she be okay?" Neville asked.
"Oh, she should be right as rain by tomorrow afternoon. She might have a slight concussion though, so I would like to have her stay here overnight." The nurse said with a smile. "Now you two should be going back to your dormitories, it's past curfew." Neville noticed that although she had warned them to go to bed, she had also left the room at that point, as if to give the boys a few more moments alone with Luna.
"Err...you go ahead Harry. I'm going to stay here for a while longer."
"Okay, I'll be in the common room when you get back. Oh, and you can take this." Harry reached into Neville's bag and brought out the invisibility cloak, which he had stored there earlier.
"Won't you need it?"
"Nah, I have a few other tricks up my sleeve." With a half-smile Harry sauntered out of the infirmary.
Neville didn't really know why he had stayed; he just felt it was the right thing to do. He watched her eyes move back and fourth beneath her eye lids, and noticed that her nose twitched when she slept.
"Are you having good dreams?" Neville whispered to the sleeping figure. "You're dreaming about me aren't you?" Luna's nose gave a particularly defined twitch. "I'll take that as a yes. I bet you're dreaming about holding me down and shagging me senseless, right?" Luna gave a small snort, then the words "purple" and "emu" escaped her lips. "Or, you could be dreaming about purple emus."
Just before Neville left, he ever so gently touched Luna's hair. It reminded him of moonbeams.
Just as Neville entered the common room, he began to wish that he had slipped on the invisibility cloak before he had come in.
"Oi! Neville! Over here!" Harry yelled from the couch on the other side of the common room.
As Neville approached he noticed hat Harry was sitting between Ron and Hermione, and neither looked very happy about it.
"Neville, help me convince Ron to go on a double date with Paravati and Lavender this Friday."
"Oh, I don't think--" Neville caught Hermione and Ron's intense gazes. The meaning of which was very plain; 'Don't tell Harry!'
"Oh, why not? Lavender even said she has a thing for ginger hair..."
"Harry, I already told you that I'm not interested." Ron folded his arms across his chest.
"Yeah, but you haven't told me why not!"
"Well...she's...she's just not my type."
"Come on! You have to admit that she is very pretty."
"I know she is!" This earned an icy stare from Hermione. Ron looked at her with a sheepish grin.
"Oh! I get it!" Harry looked rapidly between the two, both of whom looked very nervous tat he had discovered their secret. "You don't want Hermione to be alone! Well in that case, Parvati told me that Ernie Macmillan did seem to fancy her, maybe it could be a triple date?"
Hermione looked terrified. "No Harry, I don't--"
"Okay, maybe not Ernie. What about Neville?"
"Well, off to bed!" Neville excused himself in a hurry.
"No, Neville stay. I'm sure it's nothing personal." Neville could see that Harry was having a very hard time concealing his smirk. "As a matter of fact, I know exactly what the problem is." Ron and Hermione again exchanged nervous glances. "Parvati thought this was the case, but I knew I should give you the benefit of the doubt. Hermione, I know you are in love with me."
"What! Harry, I--"
"No, Hermione, you don't have to hide it any longer. I know you must be infatuated with 'the boy who lived', but I want a girl who can love me for who I am."
"Harry, I think there is something we should tell you. You see, Hermione doesn't fancy you, the problem is...well the problem is me really, I--"
"Oh, Merlin!" Harry looked between his two best friends, apparently stunned. "I can't believe I never saw it before!" Both Hermione and Ron looked very relieved. "I want you both to know that I support you, no matter what lifestyle you choose. I'm sure that someday you will each find a life partner that loves you very much and--"
"What!" Ron bellowed, as Hermione buried her face in her hands, having realized the joke.
"Ron, he knows. He's set us up! It's all been a joke!" Hermione said as calmly as possible, trying very hard to control her own laughter.
"I'll have you know that I never fancied boys, thank you very much and I...what? It was a joke?
Harry shook uncontrollably as he nodded his head. "I can barely stand Parvati!"
"Oh! Well that's...if you would have...I wish you would just..." Ron's face cracked into a smile. "Actually that was bloody brilliant! When did you have time to come up with that?"
The next morning Harry and Neville returned to the infirmary, as well as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. There were a few uncomfortable moments after Ron had apologized for slamming Luna's cloak in the door, but other than that the six friends seemed to have a wonderful time recounting Harry's prank the previous night. However breakfast time was getting near and the continuous grumbling of Ron's stomach reminded them that they had to eat before lessons.
"Neville, would you stay just a few more minutes?" Luna asked.
"Sure" Neville waved goodbye to the rest of his friends as he felt the heat rise up his cheeks. "Do you need something, Luna?"
"Madame Pomfrey said that you carried me all the way here, is that true?"
"Err...I didn't have much of a choice really..."
"Thank you Neville" Luna stared deeply into his eyes, Neville had the impression that he had never been thanked so deeply in all his life.
"Uh...you're welcome."
"Why did you steal my pumpkin juice?"
Neville considered banging his head against the stone windowsill. "Because there were large amounts of undiluted love potion it and it would have caused some very unpleasant side effects--"
"Such as?"
"Well, you could be very easily...taken advantage of..."
"But I thought love potions were illegal at Hogwarts?"
"Just one of the perks of being in Advanced Potions I guess."
"Ah, I see. So, you have love potion? May I see it?"
"Uhh...sure." Neville reached into his bag for his own vial. "Here you go, just don't—Luna! No!" Luna had swallowed the vial in one gulp. "Why on earth did you do that?"
"I was curious. I have to know what you saved me from so that I could fully appreciate how you saved me, don't I?"
"What? You realize I have to observe you for the next week right? I have to watch the effects of the potion."
"Oh, goody! That means I'll have someone to go to the first Hogsmede trip with!" Luna actually giggled, which was a very un-Luna like thing to do. "Ooh! Did you ever learn how to read the bubble gum wrappers?"
"No, Luna. I haven't had the time."
"Oh, well you should really keep working at it. They are very useful, you know. If you want, I could help you with them." She gave a very loud hiccup.
"Sure, we're going to be spending some time together as it is. You should really get some rest now. I have to get to class" Neville smiled softly. He looked over to notice that Luna was lost in the reflection on a glass of water. He began to silently make his way to the door.
"Have a good day Nevvie-poo" Luna said, never taking her eyes off of the glass.
"Err...you too...uhh...moonbeam"
Making Luna "hot" is cliché- hmm...if this were a Ron and Hermione fic I would say yes. However I felt that since there was not a lot of Neville/Luna interaction in OotP, that she had to draw his attention in some manner. What better way then to have tremendous...assets. Neville will begin to like her for her personality in this chapter, but I needed a way to "light the torch" so to speak. Plus I've always liked the idea of Luna having a very attractive body, well...attractive in the conventional sense of the word that is. I just imagine her as having no clue that she's a "hot" and funny situations arising from that ignorance...
Luna is Ooc: Err...I don't think so. I'm rather proud of my portrayal of Luna and Neville, thank you very much.
Too much dialogue: Well, let's chalk it up to my style. I like the humor that comes with dialogue.
Regarding the next chapter, I had written the entire thing based on a shopping trip involving several very interesting pairs of knickers. However the plot was apparently on vacation...so I may throw it out or rewrite it. I don't know yet.
One last thing, I promise. Thanks so much to Dragonsbane1611, who I consider to be the god of Neville/Luna fics, for reviewing my story! I could not be happier! On with the show!
Nevvie-poo and Moonbeam
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? Get out!" Ron yelled.
"This is not what it looks like!" Hermione said as she pulled her shirt over her head to cover her exposed bra.
Neville trained his attention at the floor. "Sorry 'bout that. Come on Luna..." He said as he pulled the Ravenclaw by the elbow.
"Did someone put a love potion in your juice as well? Is this the type of side effect you were talking about Neville?"
"I...what? Luna, let's just go find an empty class room, okay?"
"This is really quite interesting." Luna began rummaging through her bag. "Do you mind if I take some notes?"
"Yes!" the two lovers screamed in unison.
"Oh, I see. Quite understandable really. Exactly how much potion did you ingest?"
"Out!" Ron insisted now approximately the color of pickled beets.
"Right. Luna, I think now would be a good time to go." Neville continued to tug on her arm.
"Alright, just one more question. How far did you get before we--"
"Graaaaahhh!" Ron slammed the door in Luna's face.
"Well, that was very unnecessary, don't you think?"
"No, I think it was well deserved. Can we go please?"
"Fine" Luna said, rather briskly. "I just don't see why they--"
Neville waited for several seconds for her to finish her thought. "Luna?" His first reaction was to pull her away from whatever shiny object might be distracting her, however when he finally noticed Luna's crumpled form on the floor any irritation immediately slipped from his mind. "Luna are you hurt?" Neville leaned down to shake her when he noticed exactly what had stopped Luna in her tracks; Ron had slammed her cloak in the door. He had just reached for his wand to cast 'enervate' when he noticed a large pool of blood stemming from the back of Luna's head. "Shite"
Neville managed to remove the cloak from the door only after chewing on the hem for what seemed like hours. He began to make his way to the infirmary while carrying Luna in his arms, both of their bags on his back and continually trying to ebb the flow of blood. He had just resigned himself to having to leave their bags behind when he heard a voice from down the hall.
"Neville! What happened to Luna?"
"Harry? Where are you?"
"I'm right here, hold on!" Harry instantly appeared just a few paces away, causing Neville to emit a small yelp. "Oh, sorry to frighten you, it's my invisibility cloak. Here, let me take her—"
"No!...err...I mean, no. It would be easier for me to just keep her, you can take the bags though." He handed Harry the two bags.
"How did this happen? Did someone attack her?" Harry asked again rather urgently.
"Well, it's all a bit strange really...see, we...umm accidentally walked in on Ron and Hermione, and Ron became more than a little upset. Well, you know how Luna is, so finally Ron slammed the door on her and I guess her robe was caught and it caused her to trip or something like that, so—"
"Wait, you 'walked in' on Ron and Hermione? What do you mean 'walked in'?" Harry suddenly looked very serious.
"Well, you know...they were doing...stuff. I tried to just shut the door but..." Neville began to process just what was going on. "You didn't know about them did you?"
"No, I didn't." Harry's expression was unreadable. "Why don't we just keep this as our little secret for now, okay? They don't have to know that I know just yet."
"Well...I..." Fortunately Neville didn't have to finish his sentence because he had reached the infirmary. He quickly laid Luna down on the nearest bed while Harry ran to fetch Madam Pomfrey.
"Oh my! That is a nasty cut!" Madam Pomfrey said as she applied various potions to the back of Luna's head.
"Will she be okay?" Neville asked.
"Oh, she should be right as rain by tomorrow afternoon. She might have a slight concussion though, so I would like to have her stay here overnight." The nurse said with a smile. "Now you two should be going back to your dormitories, it's past curfew." Neville noticed that although she had warned them to go to bed, she had also left the room at that point, as if to give the boys a few more moments alone with Luna.
"Err...you go ahead Harry. I'm going to stay here for a while longer."
"Okay, I'll be in the common room when you get back. Oh, and you can take this." Harry reached into Neville's bag and brought out the invisibility cloak, which he had stored there earlier.
"Won't you need it?"
"Nah, I have a few other tricks up my sleeve." With a half-smile Harry sauntered out of the infirmary.
Neville didn't really know why he had stayed; he just felt it was the right thing to do. He watched her eyes move back and fourth beneath her eye lids, and noticed that her nose twitched when she slept.
"Are you having good dreams?" Neville whispered to the sleeping figure. "You're dreaming about me aren't you?" Luna's nose gave a particularly defined twitch. "I'll take that as a yes. I bet you're dreaming about holding me down and shagging me senseless, right?" Luna gave a small snort, then the words "purple" and "emu" escaped her lips. "Or, you could be dreaming about purple emus."
Just before Neville left, he ever so gently touched Luna's hair. It reminded him of moonbeams.
Just as Neville entered the common room, he began to wish that he had slipped on the invisibility cloak before he had come in.
"Oi! Neville! Over here!" Harry yelled from the couch on the other side of the common room.
As Neville approached he noticed hat Harry was sitting between Ron and Hermione, and neither looked very happy about it.
"Neville, help me convince Ron to go on a double date with Paravati and Lavender this Friday."
"Oh, I don't think--" Neville caught Hermione and Ron's intense gazes. The meaning of which was very plain; 'Don't tell Harry!'
"Oh, why not? Lavender even said she has a thing for ginger hair..."
"Harry, I already told you that I'm not interested." Ron folded his arms across his chest.
"Yeah, but you haven't told me why not!"
"Well...she's...she's just not my type."
"Come on! You have to admit that she is very pretty."
"I know she is!" This earned an icy stare from Hermione. Ron looked at her with a sheepish grin.
"Oh! I get it!" Harry looked rapidly between the two, both of whom looked very nervous tat he had discovered their secret. "You don't want Hermione to be alone! Well in that case, Parvati told me that Ernie Macmillan did seem to fancy her, maybe it could be a triple date?"
Hermione looked terrified. "No Harry, I don't--"
"Okay, maybe not Ernie. What about Neville?"
"Well, off to bed!" Neville excused himself in a hurry.
"No, Neville stay. I'm sure it's nothing personal." Neville could see that Harry was having a very hard time concealing his smirk. "As a matter of fact, I know exactly what the problem is." Ron and Hermione again exchanged nervous glances. "Parvati thought this was the case, but I knew I should give you the benefit of the doubt. Hermione, I know you are in love with me."
"What! Harry, I--"
"No, Hermione, you don't have to hide it any longer. I know you must be infatuated with 'the boy who lived', but I want a girl who can love me for who I am."
"Harry, I think there is something we should tell you. You see, Hermione doesn't fancy you, the problem is...well the problem is me really, I--"
"Oh, Merlin!" Harry looked between his two best friends, apparently stunned. "I can't believe I never saw it before!" Both Hermione and Ron looked very relieved. "I want you both to know that I support you, no matter what lifestyle you choose. I'm sure that someday you will each find a life partner that loves you very much and--"
"What!" Ron bellowed, as Hermione buried her face in her hands, having realized the joke.
"Ron, he knows. He's set us up! It's all been a joke!" Hermione said as calmly as possible, trying very hard to control her own laughter.
"I'll have you know that I never fancied boys, thank you very much and I...what? It was a joke?
Harry shook uncontrollably as he nodded his head. "I can barely stand Parvati!"
"Oh! Well that's...if you would have...I wish you would just..." Ron's face cracked into a smile. "Actually that was bloody brilliant! When did you have time to come up with that?"
The next morning Harry and Neville returned to the infirmary, as well as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. There were a few uncomfortable moments after Ron had apologized for slamming Luna's cloak in the door, but other than that the six friends seemed to have a wonderful time recounting Harry's prank the previous night. However breakfast time was getting near and the continuous grumbling of Ron's stomach reminded them that they had to eat before lessons.
"Neville, would you stay just a few more minutes?" Luna asked.
"Sure" Neville waved goodbye to the rest of his friends as he felt the heat rise up his cheeks. "Do you need something, Luna?"
"Madame Pomfrey said that you carried me all the way here, is that true?"
"Err...I didn't have much of a choice really..."
"Thank you Neville" Luna stared deeply into his eyes, Neville had the impression that he had never been thanked so deeply in all his life.
"Uh...you're welcome."
"Why did you steal my pumpkin juice?"
Neville considered banging his head against the stone windowsill. "Because there were large amounts of undiluted love potion it and it would have caused some very unpleasant side effects--"
"Such as?"
"Well, you could be very easily...taken advantage of..."
"But I thought love potions were illegal at Hogwarts?"
"Just one of the perks of being in Advanced Potions I guess."
"Ah, I see. So, you have love potion? May I see it?"
"Uhh...sure." Neville reached into his bag for his own vial. "Here you go, just don't—Luna! No!" Luna had swallowed the vial in one gulp. "Why on earth did you do that?"
"I was curious. I have to know what you saved me from so that I could fully appreciate how you saved me, don't I?"
"What? You realize I have to observe you for the next week right? I have to watch the effects of the potion."
"Oh, goody! That means I'll have someone to go to the first Hogsmede trip with!" Luna actually giggled, which was a very un-Luna like thing to do. "Ooh! Did you ever learn how to read the bubble gum wrappers?"
"No, Luna. I haven't had the time."
"Oh, well you should really keep working at it. They are very useful, you know. If you want, I could help you with them." She gave a very loud hiccup.
"Sure, we're going to be spending some time together as it is. You should really get some rest now. I have to get to class" Neville smiled softly. He looked over to notice that Luna was lost in the reflection on a glass of water. He began to silently make his way to the door.
"Have a good day Nevvie-poo" Luna said, never taking her eyes off of the glass.
"Err...you too...uhh...moonbeam"