Author's note: It's me again! Who, you might ask? Scarlet September, that's who! A special thanks to Indigo March, for the idea for this chapter's name. Thanks, Indy!

Oh, and Bloodsucker94, Neville really turns into a man in this chapter!

Speaking of my next chapter, here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7:

Nulk! (Neville the Hulk)

It had been a week since Neville and Luna had gone to Hogsmeade together. They had gone back to writing letters and notes, which Neville found much less nerve-wrecking.

One day, Neville picked up a letter from Luna that read:

Dear Neville,

You know, I think we should meet by the lake on Friday after the last class of the day. I haven't got that much homework that day, and, well, frankly, I just want to see you. Do I really have to have a reason to meet you? I didn't think so.

See you then,

-Luna

Neville smiled. He'd gotten a lot better about talking to Luna in person. And, this proved to be a perfect opportunity. It wasn't a date, Neville had learned to accept that word after a while, and it wasn't just talking to her over notes. It was a chance to just hang out without any of that dating pressure.

He quickly scribbled down his response on a spare bit of parchment:

Dear Luna,

Sure. I'd love to meet you by the lake. It'll be fun. I don't think I have that much homework either.

Oh, and, you most definitely don't need an excuse to see me.

-Neville

Neville hurried to the Gryffindor common room. It was nearly time for curfew. Tomorrow was Friday and he was perfectly ready for his meeting by the lake with Luna. He hoped.

When Neville reached the common room, he darted to the staircases and up to his dormitory. In there, he found Harry and Ron in the middle of a conversation. They stopped as soon as Neville stepped in the room.

Harry smiled. "Hey, Neville."

Before he could respond, Ron looked at him and said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? A certain, person, hmm? A person who escorted a very pretty girl to Hogsmeade last weekend and didn't tell us? No, it could never be Neville Longbottom; he would never break the guy code and not tell us about his accompanying of a certain girl!"

Neville rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly uncomfortable. "Uh… I—I didn't know I had to tell you."

Ron crossed his arms. "Well, you did have to tell us and you didn't."

Neville crossed his arms, too, now angry. "Ok, so, where is this sacred Guy Code, huh? I've never heard of such a book. Shoot, I bet you Hermione Granger, who has read almost every book on the bloody planet, has never even heard of that book!"

Ron pretended to wipe some dirt of his robes. "Well, of course she has never heard of it, it's the guy code."

Neville gave Ron a cross look. "Well then, show me this 'guy code.'"

Ron gave him a look like Neville had just said the dumbest thing in the world. "Well, I can't show it to you because—"

"Because what?!" Neville interrupted angrily. "Because it doesn't exist?!"

"No!" said Ron, clearly insulted, "because… some… wizard guy… buried it… a… a really long time ago, ok?"

Neville snorted. "Yeah, great excuse Ron. Now, I'm going to bed."

Neville stomped over to his bed, feeling cranky. Ron marched out of the room and into the common room, slamming the door behind him.

Harry gave him an apologetic look. "Sorry," he said, once Ron's angry footsteps faded in the distance. "Ron's just jealous you have a date to Hogsmeade."

Neville smiled. Wait, people thought he and Luna were a couple? Ok, even though he was ready to use the word date, that sure didn't mean he was ready to have a girlfriend. The thought of the word girlfriend made Neville lightheaded.

After Harry turned around and left, Neville picked up the letter from Luna that was in his pocket. He read it to himself again, and suddenly felt better.

* * *

The next day, Neville couldn't sit still. He had been waiting for the last class of the day, when the glorious words, "You're dismissed" came out of the teacher's mouth.

By lunch he would have killed for it to be the afternoon. He decided to stop by the tree to see if Luna had responded yet.

There it was, a letter pushed into the tree. Neville carefully removed it and read:

Dear Neville,

Ok, so I guess I'll see you today. Unless, you know, you don't come across to picking this up until tomorrow…in which case… HAPPY SATURDAY!

See you… whenever I see you,

-Luna

Neville laughed at the note, which earned him a funny stare from two passing Slytherin first years. He didn't care. Luna was just so sincere.

He stuck the note carefully in his pocket. He couldn't wait until the end of the day.

* * *

Finally, Neville sat in History of Magic, the last class that day. Neville drummed his fingers impatiently against his desk, mentally urging Professor Binns to dismiss them. He barely paid attention as Professor Binns went on and on about goblin rebellions.

Neville thought goblin rebellions were pretty pointless compared to the fact that A LIVING, BREATHING, PRETTY GIRL was waiting for him after class. And his Gran said it would never happen….

And after what seemed like a century waiting for this ghost professor to finish his stupid lesson, he finally looked up and said in a very dull voice, that Neville thought sounded nothing like Luna dreamy voice, which was full of life, "Class dismissed."

Neville nearly ran over Hermione in his hurry to get out of that bloody classroom.

Hermione turned to Neville, "Are you ok, Neville? Why such a hurry?"

Neville looked around to make sure that Ron wasn't around: Ron had long since darted out of the classroom.

"I'm meeting Luna by the lake right after the last class of the day."

Hermione looked at him with wide eyes. "Merlin, that's now! Go Neville! Run to her! I'll move out of the way for you."

Neville smiled at her. "Thanks."

As he ran out of the classroom, he heard Hermione yell after him, "Good luck!"

He grinned to himself and kept running.

* * *

When Neville finally made it to the lake, he saw Luna, leaned against a tree, her bag at her feet. He smiled. She looked so beautiful, just standing there, without a single care in the world, her long, blond hair over one shoulder.

He walked up to the tree and set his bag down on the ground next to her's.

"Hey, Luna."

He had been standing at an angle where she couldn't see him when he said it, so it took her a little by surprise.

"Neville!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him. Neville stood there, too shocked to move.

When Luna pulled away, dropping her hands back down to her sides, she smiled at him.

"It's so great to see you."

Neville forced his mouth to form words. "I-It's really great to see you, too, Luna."

She grinned and looked off to the lake. The sun was slightly setting behind it, creating a beautiful orange color, reflecting against the water. "Isn't it amazing?"

Neville nodded. "It sure is."

Luna looked at him and said, "So, how's your day been?"

Neville was going to answer, before they both heard a noise behind them.

There, headed their way, was none other than Justin Finch-Fletchley, with his Hufflepuff friends by his side. They walked over to where Neville and Luna stood at the tree, as if they owned the lake.

Justin marched right up to Luna. He crossed his arms and smiled smugly.

"Hello, Loony."

Luna looked down and pretended not to hear a thing. Neville felt hate churning in the pit of his gut. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides.

Justin didn't seem to see the obvious signs that Neville was really angry. He kept going. "Loony Lovegood! Off to catch some, was-zits or Rangles?"

Neville faintly heard Luna said, "They're Nargles."

Neville couldn't just stand there and do nothing. Maybe Luna could block out Justin's smack-talk, but Neville heard every word of it.

Justin and his friends laughed. The little booger. "What'd you say, Loony? Can't understand your crazy talk!"

Neville couldn't take it anymore. "She said they're called Nargles, not Rangles. And, you can just back off and leave her alone."

Luna looked up and grabbed Neville's arm. "Neville," she whispered, "it's ok, really. You don't have to do this."

Neville leaned down and whispered back, "He's got no right to call you Loony."

Even though Luan was immensely faltered, she whispered, "Neville, really. They go away after a while. You don't—"

Justin looked at Neville and snorted. "Oh, so now you're sticking up for loons, Longbottom? I never thought you could stoop so low."

Neville gave him a menacing look, daring him to continue. "She's not a loon, Fletchley. So you can shut-up now and walk away."

Luan looked at Neville, surprised. No one had ever stuck-up for her like that.

Justin looked taken aback for only a second before he said, "Oh yeah, what are you going to do if I don't leave? Huh?" He turned to Luna and spat, "Loony…."

That's it.

Neville whipped out his wand and pointed it at Justin. "Don't… call… her… Loony."

Justin sneered at Neville. "What are you going to do about it? I can call her Loony if I want to. See? Loony, Loony, Loony, Loo—"

Neville had heard enough. "Impedimenta!"

Justin was shot backwards off his feet. He landed with a thud on the ground, six feet away from them.

By now, all of the students that were around the lake and some bystanders surrounding were Neville and Justin were having their little brawl, began to watch to fight in anticipation. Some of those onlookers included Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Hermione and Ginny ripped past the crowds to stand by Luna's side. Luan was frantic. She stood there, trying to calm Neville down, saying, "It's ok, Neville, really. People call me Loony all the time."

Neville kept casting countless spells and jinxes, and roared out of his fury for Justin, "Not around me, they don't! And not anymore!"

Justin barely had time to cast even one spell, which Neville blocked and it rebounded on Justin. So poor Justin, who had cast Expelliarmus, stood there, helpless and without a wand, almost literally begging for mercy.

Hermione and Ginny stood at Luna side, comforting her and telling her that everything would be alright, as Luna watched the fight, looking as afraid as Luna Lovegood has ever looked.

Ron turned to Harry. The two had been watching ever since Neville had cast Impedimenta. "What's his problem?"

"Its love Ron," Harry said, looking at a poor, defenseless Justin, who had just gotten a leg-lock curse put on him. "Can make a man do crazy things, like count his armpit hairs."

Ron gave Harry a confused look. "Do you count your armpit hairs, Harry?"

"No," Harry said, "but I've seen George do it."

Just as Harry finish that sentence, Justin appeared next to Ron's shoulder, being suspended by his ankle, upside down.

Ron jumped back a little. "How'd you get there?"

Justin looked off into the distance. "I don't know."

After a while of Neville continually cursing and jinxing Justin, and the crowds had condensed, he lowered his wand. But, just then, he marched right up to Justin, grabbed a handful of his hair, and dragged him over to where Luna stood with Hermione and Ginny.

"Hey Hermione. Hey Ginny," Neville said blankly then brought Justin up to his eye level. He stared him down and growled, "Apologize!"

Justin stammered, "I-I'm sorry!"

"Not to me, to Luna!" Neville shoved Justin's face a foot away from Luna's.

Luna pulled back a little and blinked rapidly. Neville was being very assertive….

"I'm sorry!" Justin yelled again.

"For what?!" Neville snarled. He pulled Justin's hair.

"For calling you Loony!"

"Is that all?!" Neville bellowed. He pulled his hair harder.

"No! No it's not! I'm sorry I called you a loon! I didn't mean it! I promise I'll never do it again!"

Neville let go of his hair and threw him to the ground. "You're damn right you won't call her Loony! Now go! Go before I unleash my fury on you, Justin Finch-Fletchley!"

Justin, looking terrified, ran away with his friends.

Neville stood there, taking deep, shallow breaths.

Hermione gave him a wide-eyed stare and said, "Neville, that little show there reminded me of the Hulk."

Neville gave her a confused look. "What's the Hulk?"

"It's this Muggle… you know what… never mind." She turned to Luna and said, "Are you ok?"

But Luna just stared at Neville with wider eyes than usual. She walked slowly away from Ginny and Hermione and up to Neville.

The look on her face told Neville she might punch him. But instead, she hugged him.

Again Neville stood there, feeling like a block of wood: stiff and brainless. After a while, Luna drew away and grinned at him.

"Thank you."

Neville rubbed the back of his neck. "I-It was no problem. I'm just glad that punk won't be calling you Loony anymore."

"Really, Neville," she said, smiling brighter, "no one's every stuck-up for me like that. I mean, Ginny stops kids from calling me Loony, but she doesn't nearly kill them."

Neville blushed. "Yeah, I don't know what came over me."

Ginny tugged on Hermione's arm. "Come on," she whispered. "We should go now."

Hermione, who had been watching the two like a really good soap opera, having never seen Neville and Luna together in person, sadly ripped her eyes away from them. "Fine…," she mumbled, walking away with Ginny.

Right then, if you would have told Neville, "Hermione and Ginny just left," he probably would have answered, "Who's Hermione and Ginny?"

Luna wrapped her arms around Neville's neck and rested her head on his chest. "Thank you, Neville. Thank you…."

Neville was blushing so hard, he wasn't surprised if his face stayed permanently red. "I… um, uh… your welcome, I guess."

Luna laughed and looked up at him. "You always know just what to say, don't you?"

Before he could answer, she stood on her tip-toes and kissed him on the cheek.

After she kissed him, she let her arms snake back down to her side. She smiled at him for one last time, turned around, and ran back to the castle.

Neville watched her the whole way down. He had just noticed that she kissed him on the same cheek as last weekend.

Neville silently promised never to wash that cheek again.

And after that day, no one ever called Luna "Loony" again.