When the holiday break ended, the classrooms were once again filled with students all around. Ron and Hermione, Luna noticed had not spoken for the longest of time. Ron was now spending more time with Lavender than the rest of his friends ever since winning the Quidditch match. As she passed by the girl's bathroom,she heard crying and went in to investigate, thinking it was Moaning Myrtle. To her surprise, she saw Hermione, rubbing her eyes with tears streaming down her face. Luna went over and wrapped her arms around her, having a feeling that she knew what was behind it. Harry came around the corner and dropped off her stuff.
"Everything alright?" Harry asked awkwardly, looking over his shoulders nervously. Hermione doesn't speak, but her expression had turned to anger.
"Clearly, he's too busy with his girlfriend and no longer cares about his friends at the people who actually care about him," Hermione said coldly. She snatched up her books and ran out before either of them could respond. Staring after her, Harry and Luna followed her and parted ways once they got outside. As Luna walked off to Transfiguration, she spotted Neville down the hall and called out to him
"Neville!" she shouted. Neville stopped for a split second, then sped up and disappeared around the corner. Confused, Luna hurried after him, but he had already gone into the classroom by the time she caught up. He had taken a seat next to Hanna Abott, who was whispering something into his ear.
"Luna, over here!" To her surprise, she spotted Rolf in the very corner of the room and with a reluctant glance at Neville, went to sit next to him.
"Oh, did you transfer to this class?" Luna asked him serenely.
"Yes, I asked Mrs.Sprout if I could still change my schedule. Usually I can't, but since I am one of her top students in herbology, she made an exception."
"Ah I see," Luna replies, taking out quills, papers, and books. The rest of the class for the two of them was quiet. Rolf kept asking her questions about what magical creatures she wanted to study, but she wasn't really paying attention to them. After class, she hurriedly gathered her things, but Neville was already disappearing out the door. She ran, nearly knocking over Rolf as she ran out the door. When she was close enough behind him, Neville stops abruptly.
"Luna, I know you're there...shouldn't you go to your next class?" asked Neville, turning around halfway.
"We haven't spoken in a while. How about we walk to the dining hall together?" Luna asked.
Neville shakes his head "I've just been stressed out lately...just the thought of all those death eaters out there scares me...especially-" He stops, suddenly dropping his gaze to the ground. Luna steps forward and takes his hands gently.
"Whatever is out there, we can face it together.. We'll have our friends with us, we're never alone." Luna urged. Neville finally raises his face to look at her.
"Sorry Luna, but I just need time to think things over alone." He pulls his hands out of her grasp and runs off, leaving Luna staring after her. During lunch, she tells Ginny what happened.
"So you think he's been avoiding you? Could this be involved in what happened during the Christmas party?" Ginny suggested.
"But surely he knows that I don't feel that way about Harry...I mean you know that right?" Luna pointed out. Ginny's face turned red.
"Why should I know? I mean...I'm with Dean...and," She stops as Luna gives her a meaningful look.
"Neville...maybe he doesn't understand why Harry asked you..I mean most people invite the person they like to a party, right?" Ginny implied.
"Yes, Harry likes me as a friend. Doesn't that count?" Luna said pointedly.
"Most people don't think that way," Ginny replied. "If he was upset about the party, it doesn't make much sense for him to mention death eaters unless he was trying to make up excuses. You should know Neville is a particulary sensitive person, ever since he was younger. "
"He did mention death eaters, but he seemed to be stressed about one particular death eater, but he stopped speaking before he mentioned their name," Luna puzzled.
"One death eater? But there are so many..."Ginny murmured. Luna thought hard about the death eaters they had met last summer.
"Maybe it's Bellatrix," Luna said suddenly. Ginny stared at her.
"Yes, my dad wrote about how she and the rest of the death eaters broke free from Azkaban last year during You-know-who's return. Of course nobody believed us since they were too busy reading the Prophet," She let out a small huff.
"You think Bellatrix has something to do with Neville?" Ginny wondered.
"Yes...but how do I find out more?"Luna sighed.
"Well, it's best not to force it out of him. Whatever he went through must be really personal if he doesn't tell even us,"Ginny stops as Harry approaches along with Ron.
"Where's Hermione?" Ginny asked, peering behind them. Ron shrugs absently and sits down while Harry casts him an uncomfortable look before sitting down next to him. Ginny looks at them suspiciously but doesn't say anything. Luna flips through her books and concentrates on her homework while fiddling around with her hair. Then Lavender approaches and flings her arms around Ron, giving him kisses on the face and neck. Ginny nudges Luna and indicates with her head towards the hall entrance while casting glares over at Ron. She nods, picks up her books and hurries after Ginny.
"Why Lavender out of all the girls in Gryffindor? I can't believe my brother can be so blind..."Ginny muttered angrily. Luna casts a sideways glance at her, almost unsure of what she meant. As she walked, she nearly collided with two girls nearby.
"Watch it," The girl muttered angrily before turning to whisper something in her friend's ears. They both snickered, glanced back at her before hurrying away. Ginny shot them a fierce glare as they walked away. Neville rounded around the corner and Luna and Ginny made their way over to him.
"Hey, do you want to join me at Hogsmeades?" Neville asked.
"Isn't it closed temporarily? Didn't you hear what happened to Katie Bell?" Ginny responded.
"Hang on!"Luna said suddenly. "We were there...we were all there..I overheard Katie talking with her friend Leah. She was complaining about something Katie was holding and how it could be dangerous."
"I didn't notice," Neville said, surprised.
"I saw Malfoy there as well..."Luna added. "He was behind the stairs, but he disappeared the second our eyes met so I wasn't too sure."
"What other blond boy could be lurking around like that?" Ginny said, disgusted."Anyways, perhaps you should tell Professor McGonagall. Hermione told me that Harry told her that it was Malfoy who gave Katie that cursed necklace, but Professor Snape interfered, saying he had no proof. You are a witness!"
"She would never believe me though. Why would she single out Malfoy as the one who did it when there were so many other people in Honeydukes? She doesn't know his personality, not like we do."Luna said firmly.
"Let's go somewhere else then. I'd rather not bad-mouth Malfoy especially if Professor Snape overhears," Neville said nervously, looking around his shoulders.
"Like I'm scared of him!" Ginny muttered, but follows Neville anyways.
"If we're not going to Hogsmeade, then where do we go?"Luna asked. Ginny shrugged.
"The Room of Requirement?" Neville suggested.
"Why would we need to go there?" Luna asked, surprised.
"I dunno..I guess it just brings back old memories." Neville replied.
"The room needs more of a reason to show itself than just 'old memories', Neville," Ginny says amused.
"But, there really isn't anywhere else to go. Unless you want to go to the library like Hermione," Luna teased.
"I don't see why not," Ginny huffed. She headed up the stairs, then stopped, turning back towards them.
"You two can go along and do whatever you want. I just remembered I need to write up an essay for one of my classes," She hurried away so fast that Luna barely saw the grin on her face. Trying to feel brave, Luna turns towards Neville.
"Where do you want to go? Maybe to the lake? Or we can go back to the forest," Luna suggested.
"What if Malfoy is there again?" Neville asked nervously.
"We'll make sure to avoid him," Luna assured him.
"But what if he's with his gang?"
"You've fought against more dangerous people before,"Luna said, sounding surprisingly fierce but reassuring at the same time. "Malfoy is just one person. Goyle and Crabbe are just his minions. What are they compared to the death eaters we fought last summer?" Neville looked at her, his eyes wide, then a thoughtful looked passed his face.
"You're right Luna. I guess I've been picked on by them for so long I've never thought to stand up to them," Neville smiles. Luna smiles back.
Luna took a deep breath and stepped a bit closer to him, looping her arm with his, aware of the tension in her every muscle as she did so.
"We can go wherever you want,"Luna said, feeling heat creep up her face once more like it did every time she saw Neville. He leans closer to her and Luna felt as if her heart had stopped.
"Of course, but isn't it fair to let the lady choose?" He says in a teasing voice.
"I choose that turning over the decision to you is better," Luna says firmly.
"Alright, whatever you say," Neville says They walk side by side, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm.
Note from Author:
Chapters may take longer than usual to go up each week. Even though its the summer, I've been busy studying and doing summer reading.I'll try to get at least 2 chapters up a week. I hope you've been having a nice summer!