"I can't believe this is finally all over," Hermione said. She was sitting next to Ron, his arm around her. Harry sat next to Ginny, directly across from Luna. Neville sat right next to Luna, but they were pointedly not touching. George Weasley was sitting on the other side of her. Everyone who was left at Hogwarts after the battle was sitting in the Great Hall, eating a delicious breakfast. Even though they were from different houses, everyone was sitting at every table with their families and their peers. Parvati was sitting next to Professor Trelawney and her twin, Padma, at the Ravenclaw table. The heads of houses were sitting with their students, and a rumpled McGonagall was squashed in between Arthur Weasley and Hagrid, who kept randomly mumbling about what a great wizard Harry was and patting him, Ron, and Hermione, on the back so hard that their faces were sent soaring into their plates.
Luna forced a smile. "Neither can I, Hermione," she said sweetly. She took a shaky breath and speared a sausage on her fork, but did not eat it. Even though most other families and friends were talking enthusiastically, no doubt glad to be alive, this group was finding it hard to speak. The Order of the Phoenix had lost many loved members, including Remus, Tonks, and Fred Weasley. George Weasley was comforting a silently sobbing Mrs. Weasley, but he looked no more stable than her. It seemed that everyone was touched by the events of the battle, but now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was gone, a sense of calamity spread like a blanket over the wizarding world despite the losses.
"I heard that we'll have the option to be sent home on the Hogwarts Express if our families aren't already here," Ginny said in an attempt for conversation, "after the memorial service."
"Oh, really?" asked Hermione, catching on.
"Yeah," Neville added. "Though I'd much rather be here than go back to Gran."
They all laughed, something that felt so odd and foreign. But it felt good.
"Daddy always says that I can invite my friends to our new house, once we build one. He would be positively delighted to meet you all," Luna said, regardless of the fact that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the ones who had destroyed it. She took note of the way it felt to use the word "friends" sincerely. Harry seemed to notice this; he winked at her. Ron, however, snorted into his cereal and began to choke and splutter. Ginny shot him a dirty look and Hermione looked at him apprehensively. Seeing this, Ron hastily added, "That sounds... er... nice, Luna."
Ginny rolled her eyes as Ron avoided catching Harry's eye. He shoved another heaping spoonful of cereal into his mouth.
"Careful," Hermione said, "you'll choke again."
"You guys are so nice together," Luna commented in her light and dreamy voice.
"Thanks, Luna," mumbled Ron, averting his gaze, clearly worried about Harry's reaction. However, Harry started up a conversation with Ginny as if he hadn't heard anything; he was still getting used to the fact that his two best friends had started going out with each other. He was perfectly okay with it, having read the signs over the past year-and-a-half, but always felt awkward whenever someone mentioned the fact that they were now "together."
Since everyone was absorbed in their own little worlds, Neville turned to Luna.
"Would you like to sit next to me on the train home?" he asked. Luna placed her hand on top of his on the bench.
"Of course," she said, "But you know we were going to anyway?"
"Well, yeah, but I just wanted to know if you thought this was too awkward or something..." He busied himself in taking a large gulp of his pumpkin juice.
"Things are only awkward if you make them that way, Neville," she said simply. With a sigh, she added, "It's too bad they don't serve pudding at breakfast, don't you think?" And without waiting for a reply, she stood up and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "I think I'm going to go pack now!"
Neville watched, bewildered, the spot on his cheek prickling in the best way, as Luna skipped out into the Entrance Hall. He shook his head, disbelievingly, and turned back to his food, vaguely wondering why Luna was packing so early.
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Not In The Ways We Expect - A Neville and Luna Story
FanfictionAs the Battle Of Hogwarts ends, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood express their feelings for each other. However, Neville is a year older than Luna. She wants to finish her education at Hogwarts with Ginny, and that means that their time together...