A/N: I wrote this months ago and I still laugh with it. And the text beginning and ending with ~ are his thoughts.
Please let me know what you think!


~Simply Different~


She sat at that window sill for a really long time, just staring out of it. Staring at nothing.

Why he continued to stare at her was really questioning. He knew she thought him not the wittiest.

Well, maybe that part was true.

But still. What was going on?!

He was simply mesmerized by the girl. The quirky oddness. The utter truth of Luna Lovegood.

~Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure!~

Yeah. Right.

"Neville," came a voice behind him. "Are you all right?"

He looked around to see his old crush Hermione
Granger standing behind him.

"I'm fine, 'Mione," he answered.

"All right," Hermione said, though looking she
thought different. "You coming to the feast?"

Tonight was the Leaving Feast.

"Erm - yeah, I'll be there in a minute," he said. "See you."

"'Bye."

Hermione smiled at him, then disappeared down the hall, and Neville turned back to Luna.

He'd been on his way to the Feast when he saw her, just sitting there.

What was she doing on her own when she should be at the Feast?

"How long are you going to stand there, Neville?"

He jumped, startled.

Luna's big-eyed gaze was calmly on him, never blinking.

"Er - I dunno," Neville stammered.

"You should be at the feast," Luna stated, walking away from the window.

"I know," Neville kept stammered. "I'm - I'm just not hungry. What about you? Shouldn't you be with your friends?"

The moment he'd said it he regretted it.

Luna didn't really have friends. Of course Harry, Ron and Hermione had talked to her, but they'd never really included Luna in their group, and of course Ginny spoke to Luna, but
Ginny had her other friends, like her dormmates.

So, naturally, Luna was alone.

"I just put up a notice for my things," Luna said.
Neville blinked. "What?"

"Well - people like to take my things," Luna said. "They do every year. You know, I am Loony Lovegood."

"Sorry," Neville mumbled.

"No, no, it's fine," Luna said airily.

"No it's not," Neville said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I - it's not right at all.

People shouldn't tease you because your different. It's wrong."

She just stared dreamily at him, making him feel like she was looking through him.

"Aren't you angry with them?" Neville asked. "You should stand up for yourself, Luna."

He instantly blushed. He never really talked this confidently. Especially around a girl.

"I'm not angry with them," Luna said, slowly shaking her head. "I pity them. They don't even know me - so quick to judge."

"I - I bet you're - you're wonderful," Neville blurted before he could stop himself.

He blushed even deeper.

"Thank you," Luna said.

He stood awkwardly before her.

Great, his one chance and he had to be a nervous fool!

"Well - I should get going," Luna said, making to sidestep him.

"W-wait," Neville said, grasping her small wrist.

She stared at his hand around her wrist, then up at him, a small smile curling her lips.

"I - I - I just wanted to know," Neville stammered, "if - if you'd like to - to onto the grounds with me?"

For a few beats she just stood there, staring at him.
Then, as he somewhat reluctantly let go of her wrist, she agreed.

"All right," she said. "I'm not much hungry, either."

She began to stride out of the entrance hall, and Neville stumbled after her.

~Okay~ he coached himself. ~Just - just tell her, that's all. Don't get nervous, don't sweat - just - just look away if you have to. But you have to tell her~

"Er - nice night, isn't it?" Neville asked as they strode onto the grassy slope towards the lake.

"It's the first night of Crumple-Horned Snorkack mating season," Luna commented.

"Er -"

Neville shook his head slightly, but nevertheless still walked beside her until they sat at the lake shore.

"So - erm - what d'you plan on doing over the summer?" Neville asked, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

"Nothing much, really," Luna answered, drawing her knees up to her chest. "I really want to relax, actually."

Neville nodded.

"Erm -"

"Neville," Luna asked abruptly. "Are you and Hermione dating?"

Neville blushed again. She was making this so difficult!

"Er - no," he said. "Why would you think that?"

"I just heard her talking to you is all," Luna said serenely.

"Nope," Neville said.

"So no one, eh?"

"No."

Luna brought her gaze to him.

"Have you ever kissed a girl before?"

Neville's eyes widened.

"W-what?"

"It's a simple question," Luna said. "You don't even have to tell me. Unless you're gay, then I'd love to -"

"No - no!" Neville stuttered, shuddering at the thought of kissing any of his mates. "I am most definitely not gay."

"So have you kissed a girl, then?"

Neville blushed deeper.

"Yes," he mumbled, thinking of the kiss he'd shared with Ginny in his fourth year, and then the one just the year before with a rather drunken Parvati Patil. But he didn't like to think about that last one.

"Good," said Luna. "Because I want you to kiss me."

Neville made a startled movement, almost making him roll over.

"W-what?" he asked.

"I want you to kiss me, Neville Longbottom," Luna said. "If you're so interested in me, why not kiss me?"

"W-w-what makes you think I'm interested in you?"

"You're almost as oblivious as Ronald," Luna said with an airy laugh. "I've seen you look at me."

He just stared right back, dumbfounded.

"No ones ever done that before," Luna said dreamily. "It makes me wonder, you know. Wonder if . . . maybe . . . a boy actually likes me."

"I'm sure - I'm sure a boy's liked you before," Neville mumbled.

Luna shook her head.

"Nope, always been shunned out of the way," she said. "Why d'you think I'm fifteen and never been kissed?"

Neville almost bolted right then and there, but her gaze was so endearing.

"So, I want you to kiss me," Luna said. "Right now."
Neville, breaking his gaze away, ran a hand up and down his knee nervously.

"Please?"

Luna was now sitting so close he could feel her breathing on his neck, her soft locks of dirty blonde hair tickling his skin, causing him to involuntarily shudder and get goosebumps.

Neville hesitantly looked at her.

She was giving him a slight, sweet smile, a message for him to go ahead.

Before he knew it, he drew back, a need to say something.

"I can't do this yet," he said. "I - I need to say something first."

She stared, somewhat disappointed at him.

"Luna - you're - you're really different from most girls here," Neville said. "I mean, I've never met a girl like you. . . Nor as pretty," he added shyly. "T-the truth is," he went on after a slight pause, looking at his hands instead of her. "I really do like you, Luna."

Luna took his hands in her own smaller ones and smiled cheekily at him.

"I thought so," she said, her dreamy voice happy. "Now, are you going to kiss me or what?"


~End~