harry potter: TO THE TOWER
Title: To the Tower
Chars/Pairs: Neville/Luna
Rating: PG
Words: 530
Summary: Neville walks Luna back to the Ravenclaw Common Room.
A/N: prompt "hope" at 15pairings
Luna lingers after dinner. Lingering is frowned upon and Neville itches in his skin at the thought of a professor finding them so close to curfew. Luna doesn't seem to mind, as she lazily trails her fingers over the empty benches in the Great Hall. She picks up a cupcake and licks off the frosting. Neville shifts his weight between his feet nervously and glances back at the entrance. They should get going. If they wait much longer, he won't be able to walk her to the Ravenclaw Tower and make it back to the Gryffindor Common Room before the beginning of curfew.
"Luna," he begins, tentatively. "Maybe we should get going."
She looks up from her cupcake and cocks her head to the side.
"I hate being locked in the Common Room, Neville."
He sighs. "I know, but we can't stay out in the hallway, it isn't safe." He reaches for her hand and when she finally relents, her fingers are cool in his. "You can't bring the cupcake with you." She sets it, half-eaten, on the table and together they exit the Great Hall. Neville knows they only have ten minutes and that isn't enough time for a trip to the Tower and back. He knows he wants to take the risk anyway.
"You don't have to walk with me, Neville," she says.
He nods, as if in agreement, but takes her hand. "I know."
The halls are near silent. He thinks he hears footsteps and he pulls at Luna's arm to speed them up. Another flight of steps and they arrive, three minutes before curfew if Neville timed it right. Luna lingers maddeningly at the entrance.
"Just ask for the riddle, solve it, and get inside," Neville almost begs. He worries too much about her, he knows. But after her first detention, where her soft, pale skin was littered with bruises and she recoiled from even his touch, he does all that he can to keep it from happening again.
"I'll be fine," she promises, leaning up on her toes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. Her lips are cold. "I have you." Then she leans in closer and wraps her arms around his neck. "And you have hope, Neville. That's more than anyone could ask for."
He watches, bouncing impatiently on his toes, as she thinks out the riddle the bronze eagle poses. She answers something completely ridiculous but is granted entrance. With a quick look back, she disappears into the safety of her Common Room. Neville sighs in relief and sprints away.
He's a staircase and a turn away from the Common Room when he finally runs out of breath and he has to slow to a walk. His breath echoes off the stone walls and his footsteps are loud enough that he's sure everyone can hear him. Miraculously, he makes it to the Fat Lady without detection. She chastises him quietly as she swings forward and Neville throws himself through the portrait hole, landing in a heap on the carpet.
Still breathing hard, he raises a finger to his cheek where Luna's kiss left a cold, wet spot. Hope, he thinks, smiling.
Chars/Pairs: Neville/Luna
Rating: PG
Words: 530
Summary: Neville walks Luna back to the Ravenclaw Common Room.
A/N: prompt "hope" at 15pairings
Luna lingers after dinner. Lingering is frowned upon and Neville itches in his skin at the thought of a professor finding them so close to curfew. Luna doesn't seem to mind, as she lazily trails her fingers over the empty benches in the Great Hall. She picks up a cupcake and licks off the frosting. Neville shifts his weight between his feet nervously and glances back at the entrance. They should get going. If they wait much longer, he won't be able to walk her to the Ravenclaw Tower and make it back to the Gryffindor Common Room before the beginning of curfew.
"Luna," he begins, tentatively. "Maybe we should get going."
She looks up from her cupcake and cocks her head to the side.
"I hate being locked in the Common Room, Neville."
He sighs. "I know, but we can't stay out in the hallway, it isn't safe." He reaches for her hand and when she finally relents, her fingers are cool in his. "You can't bring the cupcake with you." She sets it, half-eaten, on the table and together they exit the Great Hall. Neville knows they only have ten minutes and that isn't enough time for a trip to the Tower and back. He knows he wants to take the risk anyway.
"You don't have to walk with me, Neville," she says.
He nods, as if in agreement, but takes her hand. "I know."
The halls are near silent. He thinks he hears footsteps and he pulls at Luna's arm to speed them up. Another flight of steps and they arrive, three minutes before curfew if Neville timed it right. Luna lingers maddeningly at the entrance.
"Just ask for the riddle, solve it, and get inside," Neville almost begs. He worries too much about her, he knows. But after her first detention, where her soft, pale skin was littered with bruises and she recoiled from even his touch, he does all that he can to keep it from happening again.
"I'll be fine," she promises, leaning up on her toes to press a soft kiss to his cheek. Her lips are cold. "I have you." Then she leans in closer and wraps her arms around his neck. "And you have hope, Neville. That's more than anyone could ask for."
He watches, bouncing impatiently on his toes, as she thinks out the riddle the bronze eagle poses. She answers something completely ridiculous but is granted entrance. With a quick look back, she disappears into the safety of her Common Room. Neville sighs in relief and sprints away.
He's a staircase and a turn away from the Common Room when he finally runs out of breath and he has to slow to a walk. His breath echoes off the stone walls and his footsteps are loud enough that he's sure everyone can hear him. Miraculously, he makes it to the Fat Lady without detection. She chastises him quietly as she swings forward and Neville throws himself through the portrait hole, landing in a heap on the carpet.
Still breathing hard, he raises a finger to his cheek where Luna's kiss left a cold, wet spot. Hope, he thinks, smiling.