This chapter was harder to write. JK Rowling never writes about Luna's relationship with her husband Newt Scamander. So, really, I have nothing to go on for the romance stuff. I'm hoping I didn't write her out of character, but I also feel like she would change as a result of a romantic relationship. Am I right? I mean, how am I supposed to write Luna flirting? We're not exactly into the flirting for this chapter, but I'd love some advice for future chapters!

Thanks for the reviews so far, and thanks also to my editors YourPrincess and HermioneGrangerisME.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I forgot the disclaimer in my last chapter, but it still applies.

Happy reading…

Chapter 5

Corridors After Dark

Neville trudged along the corridor, his shoes scraping on the stone floor. It was late, past curfew. Of course, Snape had kept him until the last possible minute. Detention had been horrid. There were dirty cauldrons, alright. And plenty of them! Snape had handed Neville cleaning supplies and gloves and took his wand in return. No spells to get him through this detention. Then his least favourite professor had left him to listen to Slughorn talk endlessly about the tragedy of the Draught of Living Death, the subject of the essays he was marking. Snape had definitely smirked as he left. Spending time with Slughorn was apparently part of his punishment. Neville had never been happier to see his Defence Against the Dark Arts professor as when Snape had come to retrieve him.

Every fibre of him ached for his warm bed in Gryffindor Tower. Neville almost believed he could fall asleep on his way there…

"Neville!" the sound of his name startled him out of his sleepy state and his head snapped up. He knew that voice…

"Luna," Neville turned to greet her, shocked, yet pleased to see her. "Shouldn't you be in the Ravenclaw Tower?"

"Well, I was looking for you, and Peeves said… well, he said I could find you here." Luna finished and took a long breath. Neville noticed her face was flushed. From running. To find him?

"Yeah, stupid poltergeist harassed me as I was trying to get back from detention." Neville said with a look of distaste. The two fell into step beside each other. "Did you find someone else to help you?"

"Hmm?" Luna's eyes met Neville's, confused.

"You said you needed my help with something?"

"Oh right! Yes, I did get someone else to help me," she answered flustered as a blush rose to her cheeks at the lie. "How was detention?" she asked, taking on a note of sympathy.

"Oh, you know horrible. It was with Snape. So…Horrible."

"Harry never said why you got detention."

Neville cleared his throat before answering, "I, uh, fell asleep in his class." Luna couldn't help but laugh.

"Sorry. That you're not sleeping well, I mean. That's why you fell asleep, right?"

"Actually, I've been staying up late. I was reading that book you recommended."

"Were you?" Luna asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling. Sure, she'd thrust all those book towards him. But she hadn't been sure that he'd actually read them.

"I believe it was Unlikely Magical Beasts. It was interesting." He said honestly.

"That's wonderful! I'm glad you like it." Luna was beaming now.

In truth, he found the book to be a bit odd. He was not convinced of the existence of half of the creatures described. But Neville found that strange magical creatures weren't all that different from magical plants. Reading the book had been much like reading his Herbology textbook.

The conversation stopped as the two realized they were standing in front of the portrait of the fat lady. Neville wasn't in a hurry to get to his bed anymore. "How about I walk you to Ravenclaw Tower?" Though it was located on the other side of the castle, Neville didn't mind the walk.

Luna smiled. "I'd like that."

They talked more about Luna's reading list on the way there. Talking to Luna was so effortless, Neville realized. She had interesting things to say. And she was honest. She wouldn't tell you something you wanted to hear if it wasn't the truth. That was one of the things Neville liked best about her. That, and the fact that she really seemed to care. She really was interested in what Neville had to say. If it was about Herbology or the weather, she always had time to listen.

Neville interrupted Luna when he heard footsteps. He put his arm out to stop her. "Shh. I hear someone."

"Filch?" Luna whispered.

"Maybe." The sound was coming from down the corridor. As they waited in silence, the glow of a lantern became steadily brighter from around the corner. Neville grabbed Luna's hand and turned, sprinting in the opposite direction. They dove into the nearest classroom, shutting the door softly. Crouching on his heals beneath the window of the door, Neville faced Luna.

Luna's heart raced and she stared into Neville's eyes, recognizing the panic there. It was silly, really. The most Filch could do was alert their heads of house. They would probably lose 50 points each, at the most, for being caught out of bed. But it was exciting, to be hiding in a classroom after hours. Luna had never done this kind of thing before. She suspected Neville hadn't either. Well, okay. There was the whole breaking into the ministry thing last year. But that had been a matter of life and death.

Neville braced his hands on the floor, keeping his balance. His eyes traced Luna's moonlit outline in the near dark. Her hair shone with a blue tint in this light and her eyes were rimmed with silver. She was pretty, he realized. He held his breath as the footsteps got closer. Then the soft padding of furry feet. It was Filtch, alright. And his bloody annoying cat, too.

Luna's eyes widened when she heard the cat stop as it approached the door. The feline dragged a clawed paw down the front of the door and let out a quiet meow. "Whatcha got there, love?" Luna and Neville heard him approach the door after the cat. The misty glow of the lantern filled the room as Filtch lifted it to the window to see into the classroom. Luna swore Filtch must have heard her beating heart. It sounded so loudly in her ears. As the caretaker found nothing amiss, the light slowly abated. "Come now, Mrs Norris."

Neville breathed a sigh of relief and saw Luna do the same. They waited while Filtch's footsteps faded, grinning all the while. "That was close," Luna whispered. They were only a foot away from each other.

"Very close," Neville agreed. Sitting on the floor of the classroom, they waited another five minutes to be sure the corridor would be clear. "I think we can leave now." But, even after he said it, neither made a move to rise from the floor.

After a few more seconds of silence Luna whispered, "Yes, I really should be getting to bed now."

They slowed as they approached the entrance to Ravenclaw tower. Luna took a few steps until she was standing in front of Neville, facing him.

"Thanks, Neville. You're a great person to talk to."

Neville blushed slightly and stammered, "uh, no trouble." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Goodnight," Luna said cheerfully. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, Luna," Neville said, smiling.

The door to the dormitories creaked open as Luna pushed it and entered. She flopped down onto her bed and let out a sigh. It was lucky she had caught up with Neville. She was glad she had gotten to talk to him tonight. Yes, they could have talked the next day, at breakfast perhaps. But Luna sensed it wouldn't have been the same. Neville seemed more ready to be himself when he and Luna were alone. Did that mean he trusted her? She liked that idea.

Oh! She had forgotten to tell him about her encounter with the Room of Requirement! Bullocks! Her encounter with Peeves and then the excitement of meeting Neville had pushed that to the back of her mind. She would have to tell him another time.

Yawning, she got off her bed to change into her bed clothes. Nestling into the warm blankets, she silently wished for dreams of Hippogriffs.

The next morning at breakfast, Luna sat at the Ravenclaw table drinking pumpkin juice and reading the Daily Prophet. Really, it was all rubbish. Still, she felt she ought to be informed on exactly what kind of rubbish the ministry was spouting. She looked up when she saw Neville enter the Great Hall. She watched him walk to the Gryffindor table, wondering if he would turn to look at her. He sat down, and sure enough, his eyes scanned the Ravenclaw table. Spotting her, Neville smiled and waved. She smiled back. After a moment he looked away to pour a glass of pumpkin juice for himself. Luna watched as he chatted with Seamus Finnigan. There was a strange feeling in her chest. Her heart had leapt when he waved to her. It was such a small gesture, but it meant a lot to Luna. It made her feel like she belonged.

Neville was having a hard time concentrating on his conversation with Seamus. The other Gryffindor was telling him a story of an explosion in Potions the other day. Neville wondered if the cauldrons he cleaned yesterday had been involved… It certainly looked like it. After that, he had only nodded as Seamus continued to tell the tale with expressive hand gestures.

Neville was considering the look he had seen on Luna's face. He wasn't really sure what had crossed her face. Her eyes had softened. And she looked almost… grateful. Neville pondered Luna's reaction for the rest of the morning. He had never considered how deeply his actions could affect others.

That afternoon, Luna was once again sitting in the astronomy tower. The sun inched closer to the western horizon, creating long shadows across the grounds. She liked to watch the sun set in autumn. It was her favourite season. She loved the crunch of dried leaves under her feet. Hogwarts was truly beautiful in autumn. The grounds were littered with leaves pulled from their branches. And the colours! Crimson and yellow painted the entire school. If she took a brush and painted it herself, she could not have made it more beautiful. Never were the trees so many colours at once. She even loved the brown of everything. Like the colour of a chocolate gateau baked just right, or the thick brown of the mud-covered grounds after a rain storm.

She had not gone down to dinner yet. The great hall would be filled with students now, but she was content to stay and watch the sun set. She leaned her head against the glass, the warmth of the sun heating her skin. She wished she could pause this moment and keep it forever.

Footsteps startled her out of her reverie. "Oh, Luna", Neville looked surprised to see her there. "You're not coming down for dinner?"

"I'm not very hungry." She replied. Then silence. Neville seemed embarrassed. "Did you come to get something?"

Remembering why he came, Neville said, "Oh, right. Left my books here." Luna watched as he crossed the room to retrieve his book bag. Why was his book bag in the astronomy tower? Luna didn't think that Neville was taking Astronomy this year.

"Neville, do you come here often?" Luna asked suddenly. Neville stopped as he was about to pick up the bag. He straightened and turned to look at Luna.

Scratching the back of his head in a nervous kind of way, he responded, "Well… kind of. Yeah, I guess I do. It's just a nice place to think."

"I think so too," Luna said smiling. "I love this view," she said indicating the landscape below. Neville walked to the window seat where she sat.

"It is beautiful," he said looking out at the grounds. There was a comfortable silence as they both took in the sight of the last rays of sunlight filter across the grass.

Neville broke the silence a minute later. "I was going to head down to the library to finish some homework, but… is it alright, I mean… do you mind if I hang out here?"

"I'd like that, actually," Luna said, keeping eye contact. She slid over on the seat to make room and pulled out her own books as well. "I've got some things to finish too."

Neville smiled. A glow from the fading sun lit Luna's hair. It would make a good photo, he realized. Luna and the setting sun behind her. He realized that he was staring and picked up his books again.

Neville finally settled down on the window seat. Luna looked up from her book and gave him a small smile. She was glad he had stayed.

Thanks for reading! Please review, tell me what you think. Till next time!