The Long Walk Home

by Lady Pyrefly

Author's Note: I've been toying with three story ideas for a long time now, and finally I just gave up and strung them all together. Enjoi.

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It was dark.

Neville was frightened of the dark. Especially now, in such bleak times. One never knew who was coming around the corner, or whether or not you could trust them. They were dark and terrifying times, these days. Neville kept walking and tried not to think about it.

There were streetlights along the curb of Hogsmede, but most of them were out. There was no one around, and a slight breeze rustled paper behind him. Neville was scared. He swallowed and walked a little bit faster.

"Where are you going?"

He jumped nearly five feet in the air, and spun around. Unfortunately, the speaker was directly behind him. Neville's arm hit them, and whoever it was went flying down into a dirty puddle by the roadside. His wand was drawn, pointed shakily at the attacker. "Luna? Is that you?"

Luna stood up, her clothes drenched. "Oh, what a world," she murmured, then laughed. Neville looked at her oddly. "Yes, it's me, Neville. What is your fondest dream?"

"To breed a plant that never dies. What's your favorite color?"

"Lemon merangue purple." Luna sighed and began to wring her skirt dry. "What's the world coming to?"

"Did I hurt you? Are you okay?" Neville helped her up. "Lemme buy you a drink. You came out of nowhere, Luna, scared me to death!"

Luna seemed puzzled. "You look alive to me. Perhaps we're both dead?"

Neville opened his mouth to answer, but decided to let it go. He steered the daydreamy girl into the Hog's Head a half a block down. Maybe it wasn't true, but Neville thought she clung a bit closer to him than usual. City streets at night can be so intimidating.

After they were settled in a booth with warm mugs of butterbeer in front of them, Luna asked, "What are you doing out so late, Neville?"

"I had been with Ginny at an Order meeting."

"You love her."

He nearly choked on his butterbeer. "What? I do not! Who said that?"

Luna shook her head and smiled a bit. "Everyone loves Ginny. She's smart and pretty and strong." Almost to herself, Luna added quietly, "And normal."

Neville attempted anothe sip of his drink. It went down smoother than the last and he said, "Harry loves her."

There was a sad smile playing around Luna's face. And a deepness in her eyes that Neville had never seen before. "I suppose he does." Luna took a breath. "He deserves her."

It was quiet again. The lighting in the Hog's Head was far from satisfactory, and Neville thought for a moment that Luna was crying. But when she next spoke there was no trace of it in her voice.

"But do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Love Ginny."

Neville winced. Tough question. He pondered a moment, then answered. "Sometimes I think I do. But I'm not entirely sure."

The small girl sitting opposite him nodded sagely. "Understandable."

They had finished their drinks by now. Neville paid, Luna gathered her things humming some Muggle tune about a chameleon. He turned back to her. "Luna?"

Luna fixed him with a blank stare. "You're too late. Luna is gone. And she's never ever ever coming back."

It was by far the darkest thing Luna had ever said to Neville. But these were dark times. And outside you could barely see. "Oh, what a world," he said, and laughed.

Neville grabbed her hand, kissed her. And together they began the long walk home.

Author's Note: Oh, metaphors. Why is it that everything I write ends up like that. But there's a reference to The Wizard of Oz movie if you catch it, "Karma Chameleon," by the Culture Club, and "Freak Me Out," by Weezer.