Moonlit Courage

Chapter Three

It had been exactly two weeks since Neville had resolved to speak with Ginny, and he hadn't done a thing. Classes were keeping him fairly busy, but he also made sure that he was far too preoccupied with homework to see Ginny. McGonagall had let him take Transfigurations this year, although he was in the sixth year group so that he could keep up. He was pleased to take the subject, despite the fact he was with a group of students younger than him. He had also signed up to take Care of Magical Creatures again, in hopes of being in Luna's class and seeing her reactions to common wizarding creatures.

But even with all the classes and work, Neville really didn't have an excuse not to talk to Ginny. In fact, he saw her more than almost any other student, Luna included. As Ginny had mentioned on the Hogwarts Express, she was training herself, much like the D.A. Neville usually tagged along with her to the Room of Requirements, helping her practice spells and occasionally being used as a target. He didn't mind; he liked being able to practice Defense Against the Dark Arts. There wasn't a teacher at all this year, so the class wasn't even an option. But being in the Room meant having access to books with all sorts of information, so Neville got his spells from there.

On one occasion, a black raven was waiting for them in the room, carrying a scrap of paper. They had no idea how the bird had gotten in; they could only assume it was the work of Hermione. The paper was simply signed with H.J.P, R.B.W, H.J.G, and someone had drawn a little heart at the bottom. Neither Neville nor Ginny knew what to make of it, except that the trio was still alive.

It was on one of the days in the Room of Requirements that Neville finally decided to say something. He was waiting outside of the Room for Ginny, not sure of what he would say. He was rather hoping that the incentive that had taken over him on the first day of term would come back and guide him through this.

Ginny approached slowly, her 'game face' on, as Harry liked to describe it. Any bravery that Neville might have had fled at the look on her face. That was not a look to be messed with. He waited until they were in the Room and Ginny had thrown a few spells at a table. Let her get her frustration out first.

"Um, Ginny-"

"Stupefy!" she cried, whipping around and stunning Neville. A second later, though, she brought him back to consciousness before Neville could actually register he'd been stunned.

"You're getting really fast," he said mildly, pushing himself into a sitting position. Ginny knelt down quickly and brushed off his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, Neville, did you want something? I'm just- I'm sorry, I was hoping for another raven again and when I didn't see one, I was really disappointed..."

"No problem," Neville said, but didn't stand up. "Ginny, I was- I was wondering if I could maybe talk to you..." He let his voice trail off.

"You're not going to ask me to the Yule Ball again, are you?" Ginny teased. She peered into his eyes. "No, this is something different... it's about Luna, isn't it?"

Neville pulled back, shocked. Was he really that readable? "Yeah, it... it is. Sort of. But first, Ginny, tell me- does everyone know that I... that I..."

"That you what?"

"You know."

"Say it, Neville. If you don't say it, if you don't get it out in the open, then nothing can happen. Ever."

"Fine. Does everyone know that I fancy Luna?" Neville said it in a defensive tone, more aggressively than he meant.

"Only those who know you," Ginny said kindly. Neville let his head flop backwards before pulling himself together.

"Ginny, I really do fancy her," Neville said, twisting his hands awkwardly. "But... there's a problem. I kind of told her that I couldn't talk to her anymore..."

"And you've been avoiding her," Ginny finished. Neville looked at her in surprise.

"Neville, if you think she hasn't noticed or is unaffected by it, then you've been thinking wrong," Ginny told him. She looked Neville straight in the eye. "I don't think you made a very good choice here. She misses you."

Neville sat up straight. Luna missed his company? Was there hope for him after all? Then it hit him- this was the farthest thing from hope he could imagine. It was even worse. He slouched more than ever and looked dolefully at Ginny.

"That's really not good."

"Why is it not good, Neville?" Ginny asked him in a patient, patronizing tone, her arms around her legs. Neville considered his answer.

"Did Harry ever tell you about a certain prophecy, Ginny?"

Ginny's eyes darkened, then went wide. "Ohhh... yeah, yeah he did. Over the summer, right before... right before he left. Is this what this is all about? How it could have been you?"

"Yeah."

"But Neville, you're not in any danger! It's over; Voldemort went after Harry, and what's happened has happened!"

Neville sighed and laid completely on his back, staring up at the ceiling. "It's not over, Ginny. For me, it's just started."

"I don't think I'm following you, Neville..." Ginny said slowly.

"Well, it started with my Gran telling me about the prophecy," Neville began.

"Oh, Neville, there was no need for her to do that! She shouldn't have scared you," Ginny interrupted.

"Dumbledore wanted her to," Neville said shortly. Ginny fell silent. "She told me how Voldemort might come after me next. To see if maybe he should have come after me first. To see if killing me will accomplish anything."

"It won't-"

"You never know!" Neville said loudly. "And if he's wrong- oh well! One less person to worry about."

"I see what you're doing," Ginny said suddenly. She sounded furious. "You're pulling the same stuff as Harry!"

Neville waited silently. Ginny's head suddenly appeared in Neville's line of vision, obstructing his view of the cracks in the ceiling.

"Neville," she said firmly. "Not being near Luna, not talking to her, is not going to do anything. You can't just kill off what you feel for her all of a sudden! It's not like bringing your foot down on an ant and totally obliterating it. No matter what you force yourself to think, it's still there." She waited for Neville's response, but getting nothing, went on. "This is the same thing that Harry did, and is it helping any? No! Just because he's not 'with' me doesn't mean I'm not in any less danger! He still loves me and has feelings for me, like you for Luna! And why are you still friends with me? Aren't you worried about my safety?"

"It's different in your case," Neville grumbled. "I know you can protect yourself. You don't need guarding."

"Exactly!" Ginny said triumphantly. "Harry knows that, but he won't hear of it. And look how it's left me: miserable. Don't do that to Luna. You can't just forget."

"But you can help me!" Neville said, sitting up quickly and narrowly avoiding knocking heads with Ginny. "Couldn't you perform a spell, or, or a potion, or something? To make me not love Luna?" He paused- he had just admitted that he loved -not fancied, not admired, but loved Luna.

"No, I can't," Ginny said, though her tone had softened. "I won't hurt Luna like that. She's my friend. And if you were a good friend, you wouldn't keep hurting her."

Neville made a sort of noise to indicate his frustration and confusion. He sat up and looked over at Ginny. "Does she really like me?"

"You go find out," she said sternly, then smiled. "But I think you're the best friend she ever had."

"What about you?" Neville asked, standing up and extending a hand to help Ginny up. She shrugged.

"I talk to her, and walk with her to class, and generally have a good time with her," she said slowly. "But you understand her."

"No, I don't," said Neville, looking at Ginny in a confused way.

"More than anyone else does," Ginny told him seriously. "And the way things are going, you'll probably understand her even more."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Neville asked, his heart beating quickly.

"Go find out," Ginny repeated, winking. "Now, I've got to practice my Shield Charm." Neville raised his wand awkwardly, but she shoved him towards the door. "Go find Luna. This is not a subject that needs waiting. You're more like Harry than you know. Now, I'm going to defend myself from those cushions over there."

Neville glanced towards the cushions lying innocently on the floor and wished them the best of luck against Ginny's power. Then he turned to Ginny, saying, "Thanks, I might not have ever figured out how-"

But Ginny ignored him and began charming the cushions to move about. Neville hesitated for a minute, then strode to the door briskly and exited the Room of Requirements.

Neville paused at the entrance to the Great Hall. He actually made eye contact with Luna, who was sitting cross-legged on her chair, before turning away and practically running to Gryffindor Tower. Despite what Ginny had said about not waiting, Neville was definitely not ready to talk to Luna. Not yet. One big talk a day, he told himself. And speaking with Ginny certainly counted for at least another week.

He changed into his pajamas and got into bed, not caring that he hadn't eaten anything. There was no one in the dormitory to badger him- Harry and Ron were off, Seamus's mother had taken him out for good, and Dean was probably still at dinner. He wasn't expecting Dean to come back for another good hour, so it was a surprise to him when he heard the dormitory door open.

"What are you doing in here?" came a loud and angry voice, one that he had just heard in the Room of Requirements.

"I could ask you the same thing!" Neville squeaked, pulling the covers higher over him and glaring at Ginny. "And what if Dean comes in? He's never been too happy since you dumped him."

"Never mind him," Ginny said impatiently. "I thought you were going to talk to Luna!"

"I... am," Neville said uncomfortably.

"You had better go talk to her right now!" Ginny fumed. "Do you know what she's been doing all through dinner?"

"No," Neville said.

Ginny sat on the bed that used to be Harry's. "I went up to her just to talk, and she looked right at me and told me she was angry. I asked her at whom, and she said she didn't know. I asked what caused her anger, and she said whatever caused yours."

"Mine?"

"Yours. Apparently, she saw you before you came up here and it seemed to her like you were angry. And she figures that anything that makes you angry would make her angry too. So now she's been telling anyone who tries to talk to her not to, because she is livid."

"I caused that?"

"You caused that."

Neville fiddled with his sheets. This was not something he was proud of, but he couldn't help feeling a bit happy about Luna's reactions. She must really like him.

"Neville, are you even listening to me?"

Neville sighed. "Yeah. But do you know how hard it is for me to go and even just say hello to her?"

Ginny leaned against the pillow on what used to be Harry's bed. "Love is hard, Neville."

Neville stared. How much had Ginny been through? Denied love, love that she never thought she would have, and then she got it, only to have it taken away from her again. She had no idea if the one she loved was safe, or hurt, or anything. And Neville couldn't even talk to his fancied one.

He sighed again, and looked over at Ginny. "Will you help me?"

"This isn't something I can help with," she said with a small smile. "But I can tell you that you're going to go talk to her soon."

Neville raised an eyebrow at her, wondering if she would physically make him go. Ginny slid from Harry's bed and left, shutting the door behind her with a small click. She probably expected him to go talk to Luna in an hour or so. Neville gulped. This just wasn't something he could think about tonight. Tomorrow night for definite, he told himself, before turning over and falling into a fitful sleep.