Work Text:
Neville walked along the narrow path that snaked its way through the overgrown greenhouse, Luna's chatter in his ear all the while. It was strangely comforting to have her with him, to hear her voice amidst the green darkness, even if he didn't listen to her most of the time. Luna didn't seem to mind. She continued telling him about wrackspurts and Billywigs, about the times when she had flown to the stars while her body lay sound asleep in her bed at home, about potion ingredients that couldn't be found in any textbooks, much less in any known potions. Neville let her voice wash over him, catching a phrase or two every now and then.
"You know that feeling, too, don't you, Neville?"
Luna never asked any questions. Hearing the sound of his own name made Neville stop dead in his tracks, causing Luna to run into him.
"Whoops! Sorry, Neville." Neville could hear her smile. He himself was dumbstruck. He didn't know what to do and so just stayed frozen to the spot.
After the war, Neville had pulled away from everyone, keeping to himself. He hadn't talked to anyone so people had stopped talking to him. Everyone except for Luna, who until now had just told him things, never including him in the conversations. And Neville had liked it that way. But something inside him had stirred as she said his name, and Neville didn't know what to do.
He wished he was somewhere else when he felt Luna's arms circle his waist. But he stayed put. He didn't move as he felt her body press into his, heard her whisper, "Neville" into his shoulder blade. He wasn't sure if it was just in his head or if he really whispered her name in reply, and it took him a while to realise that he was crying as Luna continued to hold him close.
People had said that he was out of his mind. And maybe they'd been right, because right now, Neville felt as if he was back in his mind for the first time since the war had ended.