"I think Cedric Diggory stands a good chance," Luna said, whilst wiping a smear of chocolate from the corner of her mouth.
Neville nodded in agreement. "He's a master at spells, I'll bet he'll do really well in the first task tomorrow."
"Any skill would come in handy, wouldn't it?" Luna smiled as she took another bite of her iced bun.
"I can't believe Cedric's in the seventh year. I can't even imagine getting any further through fourth."
Luna shook her head. "Don't be silly, Neville. Of course you'll get through!"
Neville shrugged. If it wasn't for his excellent grade in Herbology, his first term assessment was going to be sent home in disgrace. It seemed that Potions classes had become harder than ever, and Neville suspected that Professor Snape had upped the workload so Harry Potter would be distracted from working out the first task of the Triwizard Tournament.
"But there are O.W.L.s next year," Neville moaned. Not even chocolate iced buns could help him pass eleven different subjects with an Acceptable.
"I can always help you in Care of Magical Creatures classes," Luna said kindly. She'd already read up to the fifth year textbooks in that subject and was very accomplished at recognizing the difference between a Horsnack and a Hinkipunk.
"Thanks, Luna," Neville grinned at his best friend. He wished that other people wouldn't be so judgmental of her slightly eclectic demeanor. Luna was always willing to help a friend in need.
Clyde came over with a dishrag to clean up their empty plates. "Did you enjoy your desserts, Master Longbottom and Miss Lovegood?"
"They were excellent, Clyde," Luna said, nodding her head in gratitude.
"Top notch," Neville added. Clyde had been overjoyed to see the two of them back to the kitchens that he had stacked their plates with more buns that usual.
"We elves made more this evening, hoping we could tempt you down here," Clyde grinned that his master plan had worked. "We didn't think anyone would be wondering the corridors at night this year."
"Why is that, Clyde?" Luna asked, her curious nature kicking in.
"Well, with the threat of Sirius Black last year, the house elves didn't think it beyond belief that the You Know Who or his other followers would make an appearance."
Luna gasped and Neville shivered. Any mention of the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters was enough to make anyone cower with fear. Thinking of the inherent evil of Who Know Who's followers always lit a fire within Neville, who hoped to seek revenge for the acts of Bellatrix Lestrange on his parents, but knew that that would take immense bravery and courage, qualities that he didn't currently possess.
"There's no need to fear," Neville said, surprising himself, "what with two other magical schools here, the security surrounding Hogwarts has been ramped up unimaginably."
He took Luna's hand, which was mildly shaking on the table next to his.
"You're probably right, Master Longbottom," Clyde said. "I didn't mean to worry you, Miss."
"It's alright, Clyde." Luna bit her lip. "After the attack on Ginny Weasley in my first year, I kind of guessed that something wicked was afoot."
"Once evil has begun to arise, the smoke will not clear for a while," Clyde said proverbially. "Anyway, I did not mean to ruin your evening. Please, take these toffee creams before you go."
He placed a handful of sweets in Neville and Luna's free hands before they departed the kitchens.
"Neville," Luna said once they'd ascended the stairs towards the Gryffindor Common, careful to tiptoe so not to wake a sleeping Peeves on the floor below.
"Yes, Luna?"
"You don't think something evil is in the castle, like Sirius Black last year, do you?"
Neville gulped. "Of course not," he said, but he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "Still, hurry back to your room, just in case."
They parted with a fleeting hug, then returned to their dormitories, to wonder through the night whether the other had returned safely.
"Dragons?!" Luna cried as she and Neville took their seats at the top of the Hufflepuff Quidditch pitch seats. Hufflepuff were placed in between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor so it was less likely that anyone would see the two of them together.
Neville shivered. Dragons scared him. They were so wild and uncontrollable.
"I think it would be much better if they were left in their natural habitat. It seems inhumane to force them to be part of the Tournament," Luna said, rubbing her hands together in the cool November breeze.
Neville couldn't help but agree. "Do you still think Cedric stands much of a chance?"
Luna's eyes averted to the floor. "I hope Harry gets on alright," she said.
Neville took her gloved hand and placed it in his. He offered her his Gryffindor scarf to wear as well as her Ravenclaw one, which she graciously accepted. With the scarf around her nose, she could smell grass and honeysuckle. What a delightful scent.
Still cold, Luna shuffled closer to Neville until their thighs were touching. Neville smiled nervously as he stretched his arm around her shoulders, while Luna didn't hesitate to lean her head against Neville's arm.
The two looked very comfortable together, like any other couple at Hogwarts, though Neville doubted anyone would think it was himself and Luna Lovegood that would be so cuddled up. He grinned, trying to hide how happy he was from his best friend. It felt completely right for Luna to be sat next to him, so natural, as if this was how they were always meant to be.
Luna extracted some binoculars out of her patchwork bag, that she passed back and forth so Neville could get an equally good view of the action. Despite the dragon's roars and the responding roars from the crowd, Neville couldn't keep his eyes off Luna. He loved how involved she was with the event, how she would lean forward slightly whenever it looked like something dangerous was going to happen. But still, she remained cuddled next to him, demonstrating no desire to ever move from their peaceful position.
Once Victor Krum had fought the dragon, to which Luna had booed because the dragon had looked frightened of the Bulgarian Quidditch player (and Luna could sympathize with anything from a carnivorous dragon to a fuzzy rabbit), Harry Potter took to the pitch. Luna paid equally close attention to Harry, but when he went swooping off out of the arena, with his dragon following close behind, she took the opportunity to reach into her bag and pull out a flower.
"This is for you," she said sheepishly, handing it to Neville. It was a Watercress Rose, a plant that she'd discovered when she was dipping her toes into the Black Lake. She realized that the Black Lake didn't hold the same appeal without Neville there to hold her hand as they danced over the slippery rocks, but she wanted to find something he'd treasure.
Neville took the flower that Luna had placed in a tiny terracotta pot. It was beautiful, and very rare.
"How did you find it?" Neville asked in awe, staring at the flower with delight.
"I know where special things are hidden," she said. "Maybe I'll tell you someday." She bumped his side and he smiled. "Do you know that flowers have a language of their own?"
"Do they?" Neville looked at Luna with a very content expression. He loved how she understood his love for Herbology and didn't think of it as a 'pathetic subject', a direct quote from Seamus Finnigan.
"Yes," she said. "The Watercress Rose doesn't have a meaning though, so maybe we should give it one?"
"That sounds like a good idea," Neville said. "How about…?"
"You're my very best friend, Neville Longbottom," she said.
A light blush appeared on his cheeks. "You're my very best friend, Luna Lovegood."
"So this is a flower of very best friendship," Luna declared, giving Neville a light kiss on the cheek.
Neville's blush reddened as his grin widened, hoping that very best friendship would blossom into love.