Hello my lovelies! I am exceptionally sorry about my absence for the last two months or so, and I just got a bit distracted! But it happens to the best of us, right? So here goes. And this one is just gonna be in Neville's fourth year, Luna's third.

Where Neville had been, Luna didn't know, but she accepted the fact that he had come when he could have just ignored her. She smiled happily at the sight of him stumbling clumsily down the tall, steep hill. He waved at her and blushed.

Luna's smile stretched even wider. He blushed. She didn't know exactly why, but if you asked her, she would admit casually that she did, in fact, like Neville. As more than friends. She'd been hoping for days that Neville would ask her to the Yule Ball, but there had been no such luck.

Luna assumed that he was waiting for the perfect time to sweep her off her feet and ask her. Which was rather unrealistic, as was the notion that they would ride of into the sunset afterwards on a unicorn. But she had been dreaming all her life, why stop now?

She pulled her knees close to her chest and sighed happily. Maybe this was the day. Maybe-

"Hi, Luna," said Neville merrily. He sat next to her on the chilled grass, watching the trees sway in the wind. "Hello, Neville," Luna answered in an unusually dreamy voice. Her hands instantly tugged at her hair, wringing it like it was soaking wet.

Neville blushed again and smiled shyly. He liked it when she was obviously self-conscious. It made him feel like she wasn't perfect for once. "So are you going to the Yule Ball?" Luna asked trying to sound casual.

Unfortunately, she failed miserably and ended up sounding like she was about to throw up. Which she was about to do because she was nervous. Neville shrugged,"I don't think anyone will go with me."

To Luna, this was a complete lie. Maybe if they'd look closer, they would see what she saw in him, instead of seeing his bashful, clumsy, and slightly clueless exterior. If they looked closer, they'd see a wonderful person worth all the time in the world.

"That's not true, Neville!" Luna exclaimed, rubbing his back lovingly. "Any girl would be lucky to have you! They know that!"

Neville shrugged. "They have a funny way of showing it," he said, feeling dejected. He had been planning on telling his Gran that he had a good time and the girl he went with was gorgeous, without actually going to the Ball.

Of course, Luna was making him doubt himself for that. Maybe he could ask her if she-

"You need to find a date!" Luna squealed. "Do you have anyone in mind? Parvati Patil, or maybe Padma? Hermione? Ginny?"

"Well I was thinking of asking-" Neville started, put stopped himself mid-sentence. Luna wouldn't want to go with him. He didn't even know if she wanted to go period. He could never figure out what people were thinking. And maybe it was better if he didn't.

"Who?" Luna asked innocently, her eyes glittering passionately. Neville scratched his head nervously,"It's nothing.."

Luna shrugged as if she wasn't interested and she went on to something else. This was one of the reasons he liked her. She never asked questions if you seemed uncomfortable.

After two hours of talking about nothing in particular, Luna swung around to the Yule Ball again. "What were you going to say earlier?" she asked, staring deep into his eyes.

"I was wondering," Neville paused. "If you wanted to go to the Ball with me... But it's stupid. I'll ask someone else..."

Luna couldn't express the happiness she felt, so she just pounced on him and said,"Yes! A billion times yes!"