A Nuna Fan-fiction: After the Battle

Chapter 10: Remembering, Forgetting, and Staying

Luna's POV

We went into Honeydukes and purchased mounds of candy to stock up on for the rest of the year.

"So..." Neville said as we walked back to the Hog's Head Inn.

"So...what?" I asked. We walked slower than before, our pockets sagging with candy and savoring every moment together until we got back to school.

"So what are we?" He said awkwardly. What were we? Were we dating, or was that just a one time thing?

"What do you want us to be?"

"I want us to be us," He answered as he took my hand. That was enough of a recognition for me. I giggled and we entered the Inn.

"Not dating huh?" Aberforth asked, eyeing our inter-linked hands.

"Word spreads quickly doesn't it, sir," Neville chuckled as he looked over at me and blushed.

"Nope, I knew this was going to happen," Aberforth explained. Both Neville and I exchanged a glance. Had it really been that obvious that we liked each other? Wow, we are really both oblivious.

"Well sir, we were going to go back to Hogwarts, if that's okay," I said quickly. I was done being stuck in this uncomfortable silence.

"Oh sure," he answered as he looked over at Ariana. She smiled lightly and nodded, opening a secret tunnel to Hogwarts. Neville and I thanked Aberforth before climbing into the hole. Neville led the way, never releasing his hand from mine as we went back to the school.

We reappeared in the Room of Requirement, and I almost instantly have flash backs of when I came back from the Malfoy Manor. I start to feel light headed as the scene comes rushing to me. If the wall hadn't been behind me, the damages would've been more severe from when I fainted.

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I don't have a clear memory of how I got back to my father's house. All I remember is him rushing to me as he embraces me into a warm hug.

"I thought you were gone," he continually whispers in my ear as he leads me inside our home. "You've been receiving many letters from a certain boy," he had told me once he sat me down at the dining room. "He's been wondering where you are." He then threw me a stack of papers all written in the same font, and signed by the same writer.

Where are you?

Are you safe?

Please tell me you are okay

Come back to Hogwarts

All signed with the same name, Neville Longbottom.

"You're going back aren't you?" Dad asked me once I finished reading the letters. I didn't need to tell him, he already knew. He stood and pulled me into another hug. "Be safe this time." He then helped me pack my things.

"He sent me a separate letter, telling me not to show it to you until you knew you were going to return to Hogwarts. I really love you Luna, and please, come back to me alive," he finished as he sent me off to Hogsmeade. He handed the letter, so I knew my way. I took one last look over my shoulder before departing from my father. He did care about me, even if he didn't show it very well.

"Luna!" I heard a shout as I exited out of the portrait hole. I was immediately wrapped into a warm, strong hug. I knew who it was, I didn't even have to look at his face.

"Let everyone else have a turn," Ginny said as she pushed Neville out of the way and pulled me into a hug of her own. "He hasn't shut up about you since he heard you were coming back," she informed me while we were still hugging.

"Luna!" Lavender Brown, Cho Chang, and Hannah Abbott all chorused as they pulled us all into a group hug. I could not find the words to express how much I love these people. Everyone started talking at once, trying to catch me up on everything that had happened while I was away. Finally, Neville's voice raised above them all.

"Hey! Leave her alone for now. She must be very tired. Give her a chance to rest," he told everyone. They all immediately seemed to back off and returned to their own tasks. "Come with me," he said as he led the way to a four poster bed. "This is my bed, but you can use it for now. Most have been here all year. I know this is a lot to take in, so why don't you just get some rest for now. We'll talk when you get up." He started to leave, but when he turned, I noticed a deep scar on his neck.

"Neville," I started, stopping him. "What happened?"

"Don't worry about it," he tried to encourage, "get some rest." He then walked away, leaving me to get comfortable in the bed. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.

My slumber didn't last long. Four hours later the war began. This room reminded me of everyone I had lost, and right now, that was too much for me to handle.

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"You must really love her," said the painting on the wall. I didn't recognize the voice, but I figured it must have been Ariana.

"Yeah," Neville answered. My vision was blurry, and my head throbbed, but I could see him sitting on the edge of the bed I was lying in, speaking with Ariana.

"You should have taken her to the hospital wing," Ariana tried to urge him.

"I wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade."

"What does that have to do with being in here?"

"They're going to wonder why we came back here."

"Then make up a lie."

"I don't lie."

"If you weren't supposed to go to Hogsmeade, then why did you?"

"I wanted to see her happy. This place hold too many grieving, tough memories. She's going to miss her friends, grieve for the people that died. I wanted to see her happy again."

"And did you?"

"Yeah I did."

"I knew you liked her from the moment she walked into this room."

"Was it really that obvious?"

"Hate to be the one to tell you, but yes."

"Then why didn't she know?"

"She didn't pay attention."

"Neither did I?"

"Precisely."

"Thank you."

"Do you love her?"

"Very much so."

"Good because she loves you too."

"Good." They were then silent for a while, causing me to fall back asleep, happy and smiling.