Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.

Neville knew this day was coming and he knew it was the next big test of his and Luna's rekindled relationship. She was departing on a two month trip to the Canadian Pacific Coast. He felt it somewhat strange that although he knew about her impending departure, he couldn't help but feel some anxiety as the date approached. For her part, Luna had been busy making preparations for her trip and had not had much time to spend with Neville. He couldn't help but feel a little distant due to the relative amount of time they had spent together recently. But Neville had found that, with the wisdom of a couple more years of age under his belt, this was not intentional on Luna's part and in no way reflected her feelings about him. At least, he fervently hoped that it didn't. Luna's keen powers of observation had not diminished over the years and she quickly picked up on Neville's emotions in short order. Hence, Luna made sure to take some time out to reassure him. "It's only two months. I'll be back before you know it."

"I know. I've known for quite some time now. This will just take some getting used to. I've become accustomed to having you around."

"I have to admit, I've gotten used to having you around as well. But just remember, every day I'm gone brings us one day closer to when we'll be together again."

Neville smiled. "No wonder you were in Ravenclaw. So wise and eloquent."

"Why thank you my courageous Gryffindor.", Luna smiled as she leaned in to kiss him.

Neville leaned in to rest his forehead against her's. "I'll miss you. But I'll be alright. We'll be alright."

Luna nodded against his forehead. "We will."

Several Months Later

Neville and Luna's relationship was certainly no faerie tale. They had good times and they had some bad times. Thankfully, the good outnumbered the bad but that did not make them any more pleasant to go through. Much to both their surprise, although they did not realize until afterward, Luna was the first to snap at Neville to initiate a fight. She had returned from a two week excursion to find that he was working nights and he ended up going through a slew of 12 hour days. Luna had been looking forward to spending time with Neville after being away only to find that he was not there for her. She knew in the back of her mind that it was not his fault but she could not help but feel irritated at him for it. Afterwards, they both found that their first fight in their rekindled relationship had caused a bit of anxiety on both their parts. They both knew deep down that the spat had been a minor one and would hardly rupture their bond. However, they could not help but feel a bit rattled by it and their desire to make amends led to them making up quite easily. Much to their relief they found that they could share a smile about it after the tension had subsided. The next one was not quite so easy.

Neville returned home from work to find that Luna had returned as scheduled from a one month outing. He had been looking forward to her return all day to the point that even his co-workers had noticed he was a little distracted. Inspector Chen had decided to give Neville a break and cut him loose little early from the office. Neville entered his flat and noticed Luna's gear on the floor near the sofa. As he set his things down he heard movement coming from the direction of his bedroom. Neville walked into his bedroom intending to welcome his girlfriend back from her travels. "Hi Luna! Have you been back lo-" Neville's words came to an abrupt halt as his eyes took in the sight before him. Luna was in the bathroom, in the process of changing out a bandage wrapped around her arm. An angry looking gash on her arm stood out against her pale skin. Her wide eyes stared up in shock at his unexpected presence. Neville could tell from the look in her eyes that she had intended to be done before he returned. Only his early arrival had prevented that.

"Hello Neville. How was your day?", Luna feebly attempted.

Neville ignored her greeting for the moment. "Are you alright? What happened? How did this happen?"

"I'm fine. It looks worse than it really is. There are no toxins in it and it's actually started to heal."

"Let me help you with that." Neville moved to help her re-wrap her arm as his eyes clearly communicated, "We'll talk later."

A few minutes later found them seated in the kitchen as Neville set a kettle on the stove. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, really I am Neville."

"What happened?"

"A close encounter with a Quenya Lizard a little more than a day ago. He hid under my bag and I surprised him when I picked it up. He jumped onto my arm and used it as a base to leap away. His claws left this cut on my arm."

"It's more than just a cut Luna."

"I'm fine, it will heal. Shouldn't even leave a scar."

"You didn't send word to me about it."

"There wasn't any need to. It wasn't serious."

"And leave me to find out the way that I did?"

"I told you, it wasn't that bad Neville!"

"You still should have told me!"

"Like you told me about your injuries?" The words left Luna's mouth before she realized it. She knew they sounded spiteful but she couldn't quite help it. In the back of her mind, Luna knew this was still a sore point between them.

"That's different.", Neville answered in a flat tone that belied his own irritation.

"I don't see how."

"It is and you know it."

"No I don't, so please explain it to me Neville."

"We weren't together then."

"And that makes it right? Just because we're not sleeping together, you think I don't care?"

"That's not it at all! I didn't want to bother you with it-"

"Bother me with it? Did you ever stop to think that maybe I wouldn't mind being bothered with it? Because I cared about you enough to WANT to be bothered by it? I appreciate your consideration Neville but I am not made out of porcelain."

"I just…I just felt like…I would have been spoiling your happiness somehow. And I wasn't going to get in the way of that."

"Again, very considerate of you Neville but entirely unnecessary. I shudder to think about what would have had to happen for you to tell me something bad had happened. I know our relationship is different now Neville but when you say things like that…it feels as though you don't trust me."

"I do trust you Luna, with all that I am."

"Then we shouldn't be shutting each other out."

"Do you really want to hear all of it? Would you like to know about the nightmares as well?"

"Yes, I might as well since I get to watch you go through them."

Neville found himself brought up short by her words and he paled. "You…you've seen me-"

Luna sighed. "Yes, Neville. You keep secrets well but this is not one of them. I've known for some time now. I've seen you thrash about on the sheets. I've heard you mumble and even shout in your sleep. Those times you have woken up with me wrapped around you? Not all of them were just because I wanted to hold you close. Sometimes your fists ball up until your knuckles turn white. I do what I can to calm you down and keep you from rolling off the bed."

"If you've been witness to those, I'm surprised you're still here."

"I love all of you Neville. Just as you love all of me. You're going to have to do better than that to drive me away." Luna said with a dry smile.

"I'm sorry.", Neville said after a moment. "It's still difficult for me to talk about sometimes."

"I know. You don't have to tell me now. But when you're ready, I'm here. And I want to listen."

"Same for you."

"I know. I'm sorry too. I should have told you as well. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course."

"Even though I broke your heart so long ago?"

"Has that been bothering you all this time?" Luna's expression told Neville quite easily that it had. "It's not your fault. I should have fought harder for us."

"I still think I'm mostly to blame. And there's no way to know if we would have worked out."

"There's no way to know if we wouldn't have worked out."

"That's usually my role to be the optimist." Luna said with a half-smile.

Neville found himself warming to her humor. "We've discussed this before. If we didn't try then we definitely wouldn't be together. That's a chance I was willing to take. That's a chance I had to take. The price would have been too much for me to bear otherwise."

"Neville Longbottom, you really know how to get to a girl don't you?"

"Does that mean you forgive me for keeping you in the dark about my life?"

"Of course. We just need to communicate better."

"We'll get better at this."

"Of course we will.", Luna said with a genuine smile, "We're already well on our way." Neville found himself returning her smile easily and feeling some relief even though they had just been fighting. He was glad to see in Luna's eyes that she felt the same. Eventually, Neville shared with Luna the memories that haunted the deep recesses of his mind. As she pulled the man she loved into her comforting embrace, Luna found herself wondering if Hermione and Ginny had to deal with this for the men they loved as well.

One Month Later

It was rare for Luna to be apprehensive about anything. However, this was one of those occasions that would warrant some anxiety for anyone. "Neville", she began hesitantly, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Neville looked up from his book. "Yes, Luna?"

"I've actually been wanting to ask you this for quite some time now. But I found myself hesitant to do so. You don't have to answer if you don't want to but I really would like for you to answer."

Neville raised his eyebrows in half-surprise and half-curiosity. "You can ask me anything Luna. I promise I'll answer as best I can."

"It's a bit of a sensitive subject." Neville nodded for her to continue and reassured her with a smile. Luna averted her gaze downward for a moment before looking back up to meet Neville's eyes. "Why did you and Hannah break up?", she asked in a quiet voice.

Neville blinked in surprise at the suddenness of her question but he could tell from her expression that this was something that had been on her mind for quite some time. He knew it had taken some courage on her part to broach the subject and chose to answer her honestly. "When it came down to it, we just weren't right for each other. Don't get me wrong, Hannah is kind, caring, and very pretty. Not that you're not any of those things I just mentioned.", Neville added hastily. Luna smiled in amusement and nodded for him to continue. "Eventually I realized that while I enjoyed spending time with her, I was not in love with her. I don't think I ever got over you. I tried to move on. I thought I was supposed to. I thought enough time had passed when I met Hannah. But I found myself continuing to think about you. I realized that I wasn't being fair to Hannah and I told her that I didn't feel strongly enough for her to continue the relationship. I think deep down she knew that I wasn't in love with her. I think that's why she didn't seem too surprised about the break-up. She might have even guessed how I still felt about you. I knew that if we stayed together, I would have been lying to her and to myself."

"I'm sorry I caused you so much heartache. And for causing you and Hannah to break-up."

"Don't be. It was my feelings, my choice. And I'd say things turned out for the better, didn't it? A colleague once told me, 'If you love something, set it free. If it returns to you, then it was meant to be.' I didn't know what it meant back then but I think I have a good understanding of it now."

Luna smiled. "Thank you for not giving up on us."

Neville smiled warmly. "You didn't give up either. Otherwise we wouldn't be here right now." As Luna blushed, Neville mentally debated whether or not to ask her what was on his mind. He figured that since the subject had already been brought up, he should take the opportunity to ask. Even so, Neville took a deep breath before speaking again. "If you don't mind me asking Luna, why did you and Rolf break up?"

It was Luna's turn to blink in surprise but given the past few minutes, she was a little bit better prepared for the question. "I think we weren't right for each other either. We met through our common affinity for magical creatures. That wasn't the only reason I went out with him though. He was kind, sweet, and quite handsome. Not that you're not any of those things.", Luna added with a smile. Neville cracked an amused grin and nodded for her to continue. "We got along quite well and he and Father thought well of each other too. We always seemed to have something to talk about and our conversations were never boring. But it always seemed like everyone expected us to get together. Our fellow naturalists, my father, his parents…everyone seemed to think that just because we both liked magical creatures, that made us a perfect match for each other. But a shared interest does not necessarily mean a romantic relationship. I realized that I did not love him as any more than just a good friend. I had to tell him, to not do so would have been cruel and dishonest." Luna glanced downward. "He took it quite hard. I can't blame him."

"I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him."

"That's rather magnanimous of you."

"I…can't help but empathize. I've been there before." Luna turned a bit redder as she looked down, unable to meet Neville's gaze at the moment. He moved to take a seat next to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blame you or make you feel bad."

"I can't help but still feel responsible sometimes."

"You don't have to. Like I said before, things did work out didn't they? We found our way back to each other."

"How did I manage to find a man like you?"

Neville laughed. "I should be asking how I found a girl like you. I'm just thankful that we're here, like this."

Luna leaned her head against Neville's shoulder. "I am not sure thankful is quite the word I am looking for." Neville turned his head at hearing her words. "More like blessed.", Luna said as she smiled.

One Month Later

"I just knew I interrupted something back then.", Ginny said with a broad smile.

"How long were you going to keep this a secret?", Hermione pressed.

"It didn't start until after the wedding and I wasn't trying to keep it from you two. We've just both been very busy."

"Uh-huh.", Ginny dryly observed.

"Not like that!", Luna protested. "And it hasn't entirely been my fault. Someone has been adjusting to newlywed life and the other is planning her own wedding."

Hermione and Ginny both had the decency to look a bit sheepish before Hermione spoke again.

"My, how we've all grown up. It doesn't seem that long ago we were worrying about OWLS!"

"I know!", Ginny added. "I would say that the boys have matured quite a bit over recent years. It would seem that their training has almost caught them up to us!"

"I think it finally gave Ron a sense of motivation. Otherwise, I don't know when he would have proposed!"

"I know it has certainly given Neville more endurance.", Luna observed. Hermione and Ginny's eyes both widened and their mouths dropped open slightly at that revelation. They both paused to absorb the boldness and the implications of what they thought Luna had to be talking about.

"R-really?", Hermione asked after moment, "That's…great."

Luna nodded, apparently oblivious to Hermione and Ginny's shock. "Apparently he took up fencing while he was at the academy. I guess the Sword of Gryffindor left an impression on him. He doesn't get to do it as often anymore but he still joins in the occasional match. I've watched him a couple of times. He seems to do alright but I have to admit, it's not as lively as quidditch. I also discovered that you're probably not supposed to do commentary at fencing matches."

Hermione and Ginny both let out breaths they did not realize they were holding in. "That's what you meant.", Ginny blurted out.

"Of course. Whatever else could you have thought I meant?", Luna asked.

"Errrm…nothing.", Hermione hastily replied, "How was Sweden?" As Luna began recounting her latest trip, Hermione and Ginny could not help but wonder, "She must be doing that on purpose! How does she do it with a straight face?"

Meanwhile

"Look at them, it's like they're comparing notes.", Ron observed from across the room.

"You do know we're not in school anymore?", Harry answered.

"I know but…I just know they're talking about us."

"In that case, I apologize for setting such high marks for you two to follow.", Harry deadpanned.

Ron rolled his eyes as Neville answered the challenge. "Save the world from an all-powerful dark lord and a fellow never lets you forget it. That was then, what have you done lately?", Neville answered with exaggerated emphasis on the last two syllables. They could not help but chuckle at the old (By now) joke. The three of them recalled that Neville's impression was almost a verbatim quote from Harry's first branch chief right after they completed their probationary year.

"So how is wedding planning going?", Ron asked with a barely repressed grin.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Way to pick at a fresh wound, mate. You've just been waiting all night to drop that one on me haven't you?"

"Misery loves company. It's not that bad is it? I survived it."

"You'll have to share that secret with me. I still don't know how so many shades of a single color can possibly exist. It must be the way expanding charms work. There is always more to something than it looks at first glance. Here's another mystery, who named all these shades?"

"Try not to think about it too much, it'll just make your head hurt."

"Alright, here's a better question then." Harry turned to Neville. "When are you planning on joining us in our trials and tribulations?"

Neville glanced down at his feet for a moment. "Actually, I've been thinking about it for quite some time."

"You're serious?", Ron and Harry blurted out simultaneously.

Neville nodded. "I think I've known for a long time now. I just didn't let myself believe it. But now, I can't imagine life without her. I love her. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving her and making her happy."

"You've got it bad my friend.", Ron said with an amused grin.

Harry clapped Neville on the shoulder. "Luna's a fine lady Nev. Best not to keep her waiting."

"Have you decided on a plan to propose yet?", Ron asked.

"I have absolutely no idea.", Neville said with resounding confidence.

"Agh…Neville…" Both Gryffindor alumni brought their hands to their foreheads in exasperation as Neville took a long pull from his soda.

Author's Note: The Quenya Lizard is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of The Rings saga. Quenya is the main Elven dialect spoken in Middle-Earth.

Fights are a very normal part of relationships. There is such a thing as an excessive amount and it is usually a sign that something is wrong. But you can't expect two people, no matter how much they love each other, to never argue or be annoyed with each other. However, I knew some people who would think they had found the perfect person and then they had their first fight and they would think, "Oh no! We had a fight! That means our love wasn't true! We never meant to be! It's all over." I kid you not, I saw this more times than I care to remember. As I am fond of saying, "Real life isn't a faerie tale." If that's what you are expecting, buckle up because you are in for a very rough ride. Every relationship will encounter challenges, it's what you learn from those trying times that really counts.

I am not quite sure why I like Neville and Luna's characters so much and why I like them together so much. I've mentioned before how I like to speculate on supporting characters. That is something I have done for virtually every TV show, movie, anime I have watched, or book I have read. I really can't explain what it is about Neville and Luna that compelled me to even write a fanfic about them. I just can't put my thumb on what makes me think they make a great couple and it really puzzles me at times. I know I'm not the only one out there that thinks they make a good couple. I mean, there's a song written about them for crying out loud!

Special thanks to Weasley-Ronnie for the review and the compliments. I am very, very grateful for your encouragement. Thank you again to everyone for reading, adding to your favorites / alerts list, and for your patience! I promise this story will continue!