In a popular series such as Harry Potter, there are always fans who ship the canon couples (such as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley) and those who desperately wish that non-canon couples (such as Draco and Hermione) had fallen in love by the time J.K. Rowling hit the seventh book.

I was disappointed when J.K. Rowling announced that Neville Longbottom wound up marrying Hannah Abbott instead of Luna Lovegood. I am a devout Harry and Luna shipper, but my second favorite ship was always Neville and Luna. To me, Luna and Neville would have been the awesome quirky couple that everyone in the magical world envies because they have a healthy relationship and never seem to quarrel. That’s why I wrote up the following list of the 15 reasons why I truly believe that Neville should have fallen head-over-heels in love with Luna after they graduated from Hogwarts.

15 They Are Incredibly Brave

Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood fought bravely against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the battle of Hogwarts. They did not have to take part in the fight and could have stayed behind in order to help the younger students escape from Hogwarts. However, both of them risked their lives in order to bring down Lord Voldemort. Heck, Neville even defied Lord Voldemort himself and took down the giant snake, Nagini, in order to make sure that the last Horcrux was destroyed. He didn’t have to do that—he could have obeyed Lord Voldemort’s orders to stand down, but instead he risked his life in order to make sure that the Dark Lord was destroyed once and for all. Even Luna risked her life to make sure that the Death Eaters were brought down for good.

14 Luna Can Empathize With Neville's Loss

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Luna was incredibly understanding and sympathetic towards Harry after the death of Sirius Black. Despite the fact that he was in mourning, Luna’s kind words helped to soothe Harry’s grief. Although Neville’s parents are technically still alive, they were tortured into insanity by the Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, and Neville grew up under the care of his domineering grandmother. Even if he goes and visits his parents at St. Mungo’s, it’s not like he can sit down and have a conversation with them about how his day is going. Some people would either make fun of Neville’s parents or placate him with platitudes, but not Luna. Luna has a good deal of compassion and she would be able to empathize with Neville’s loss.

13 They Are Both Outcasts

Both Neville and Luna were outcasts while growing up, which would give them ample bonding material. Most of the Slytherins made fun of Neville because he was a shy, awkward, and forgetful boy. In the first Harry Potter book, Draco Malfoy actually stole Neville’s Remembrall and made fun of him for owning one. Meanwhile, Luna was mocked because she has a unique sense of fashion and everyone thought she was “crazy” because her father Xenophilius Lovegood was the publisher for The Quibbler, which is basically the magical equivalent of the National Enquirer. Both characters were mocked endlessly while growing up, so I could see the two of them bonding over how hard it was being a teenager while everyone made fun of them because they were “different.”

12 Neville And Luna Are Both Introverts

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There is an old saying that “like attracts like” in terms of looking for a romantic partner. While that is not always the case for couples, I’ve found that it rings true with my relationship with my boyfriend—we’re both HUGE nerds who geek out over the Arrowverse and DC Comics movies; as well as major animal lovers who squeal over cute dogs and cats. I personally feel that Neville should have fallen in love with Luna because they were both quiet teenagers in the beginning of the series who didn't have many friends at first. Even though they became more outgoing by the end of the series, Neville and Luna are definitely introverts at heart. I can't see them being happy with a significant other who wanted to be the center of attention or constantly go out all of the time.

11 Neville Would Appreciate Luna's Quirks

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Let’s face it, there were a LOT of Hogwarts students who thought Luna Lovegood was an oddball because she had a very unique sense of fashion and believed in all sorts of things that the average witch or wizard felt was outlandish. However, while Neville definitely seemed skeptical of Luna’s ideas when he first met her, it is clear in the Harry Potter movies that by the time they fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, he learned to appreciate Luna’s quirks. Neville never struck me as the type of person who would have tried to change his significant other, which is what some other guys probably would have done because they’d be uncomfortable by Luna's eccentric ways. Thankfully, Neville isn’t like “other guys” and it’s truly a shame they never got married, because he would have truly loved Luna, weird quirks and all.

10 He Would Be Willing To Go On Expeditions With Luna

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Neville is a very patient man, and I believe that he’d be willing to go on whatever bizarre expedition Luna comes up with. Whether it is a hunt for Nargles or the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, Neville would join in with enthusiasm because he knows that it would make Luna happy to have a boyfriend who shares her interests. I also think that Neville would be careful to join in on her hunts for mythical creatures because he knows how important it is to her and he wouldn’t want to hurt her feelings. After all, Neville is a sensitive soul due to his parents’ disabilities and the trauma he received from being bullied while at Hogwarts. He knows how important it is to have someone believe in their dreams.

9 Luna Would Have Listened Patiently As He Talked About Herbology

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Throughout the Harry Potter series, readers saw that Luna Lovegood was the dreamy, quiet type who did not endlessly chatter away with her friends. Neville also seems to be fairly quiet, but at heart he is still a Gryffindor and I could see him waxing poetic things about the virtue of Herbology for hours. While other people might get sick of his ramblings about Herbology, Luna is the kind of person who would patiently listen to her boyfriend talk about his passions and perhaps even ask him a few questions about some of the plants, too. Given Luna’s eccentric behavior, it is easy to forget that she is a Ravenclaw and that House is known for its thirst for knowledge. I can easily imagine Luna picking Neville’s brain for new information whenever he mentions a cool plant during one of their endless Herbology discussions.

8 They Can See Thestrals

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I know that J.K. Rowling revealed that Neville went on to marry Hannah Abbott and taught Herbology at Hogwarts after he graduated. While Hannah certainly seems like a kind soul and I give her credit for participating in the Battle of Hogwarts, I still feel that Rowling should have had Neville and Luna get married instead. Hannah certainly had to have been traumatized by the loss of her mother in her sixth year, but both Luna and Neville carry the scars of witnessing someone die right in front of their eyes. These scars translate into being able to see Thestrels, and I’m not sure if Hannah would ever be able to fully understand that kind of trauma. I imagine if Neville woke up from having a nightmare about watching his grandfather pass away in front of him, Luna would be far more sympathetic and understanding because she witnessed the exact same thing as a young child.

7 Luna Would Patiently Tutor Neville In Charms

Even though Neville managed to score high marks in Herbology, he often struggled with his other classes because he had anxiety and self-esteem issues due to the fact that he was constantly bullied. I, myself, was bullied in school and I know that I still have the scars, so it is reasonable to assume that Neville still struggles with moderately difficult charms. Unlike some of the other Ravenclaws who would probably sneer at his atrocious wand work, Luna is a kind-hearted soul and I can easily see her tutoring Neville in charms long after they have graduated Hogwarts. Heck, maybe one night Luna helps Neville improve his knowledge of charms before he takes the test to become an Auror and the next night, Neville would teach Luna about a cool plant that he read about in one of his Herbology books.

6 They Had Great Chemistry In The Movies

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One of the many reasons why I personally feel that Neville and Luna should have fallen in love is due to the fact that Matthew Lewis and Evanna Lynch had great chemistry in the Harry Potter films. I got a big kick out of the scene when Neville told Harry that he wanted to confess his love to Luna because “they would be dead by morning” because Lewis’s delivery and his expression was HILARIOUS. My inner teenager also squealed with delight at the end of the film when Neville and Luna were sitting together. The shy, hopeful smile Luna gave to Neville was absolutely adorable. It is such a shame that Luna and Neville didn’t get married in canon because I would have loved it if the films included glimpses of the future and showed a glimpse of their wedding.

5 They Would Be The Cutest Unconventional Couple Ever

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If we go by the casting for the Harry Potter movies, then Matthew Lewis’s Neville turned out to be a hunk and Evanna Lynch’s Luna, for all her eccentricities in terms of fashion, is actually quite pretty. There’s something striking about seeing a guy who is the epitome of the “tall, dark, and handsome” stereotype walking hand-in-hand with a tiny petite woman whose pale blonde hair and blue eyes give her an almost ethereal look. Physically speaking, Luna and Neville are opposites. Personally, I think it’s cute as hell when I see a tall guy with dark hair dating a petite woman with blonde hair, and that is one of the many reasons why I ship Luna and Neville. They definitely would have been the cutest Harry Potter couple, hands down!

4 Neville Protected Luna From Being Crushed

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As a die-hard Neville/Luna shipper, I squealed with glee when Neville grabbed Luna after Ginny performed the Reducto curse inside of the Department of Mysteries towards the end of the Order of the Phoenix film. I love that Neville’s first instinct wasn’t to run so that the thousands of glass orbs containing prophecies would not crush him, but to get Luna out of harm’s way. To me, that spoke volumes about his feelings for Luna. It wasn’t just heroics either. By that time, Dumbledore’s Army was already in full swing and he had already gotten to know Luna. If we go by film canon where Neville had a crush on Luna by the time the Battle of Hogwarts rolled around, then it is possible that his romantic interest started after he got to know her once they joined Dumbledore’s Army.

3 Both Neville And Luna Are Utter Sweethearts

If I had to name two of the kindest characters in the Harry Potter series, Neville and Luna would be on the top of that list. Neville, for all his shyness in his early teenaged years, has a heart of gold. He gave Harry Dumbledore’s collectible card from the chocolate frogs in his first year after the Boy-Who-Lived cheered him up. And he stood up to the Carrows in his seventh year because he refused to torture other students. Luna comforted her friend Harry after his godfather, Sirius Black, died in the battle of the Department of Mysteries, and she also convinced her father to run an interview with the Boy-Who-Lived in order to prove to the wizarding world that Lord Voldemort really had returned to power. Given the fact that both characters are such caring and thoughtful individuals, I think it would’ve been so sweet if Neville and Luna had gotten married at the end of the series.

2 Neville Would Challenge Luna's Views

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While I don’t think that Neville would be the type to make a condescending remark about Luna’s rather odd beliefs, I do think he would enjoy a good intellectual debate. I can easily picture Luna rambling on about the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, and Neville gently pointing out the more illogical aspects about the creatures she believes in. Of course, this would lead to a great discussion about magical creatures and the nature of belief. Since Luna is so confident, I think she would enjoy the fact that Neville gently challenges her beliefs in a debate because it allows her to hone her argument that creatures like he Crumple-Horned Snorkack or Nargles DO exist. Plus, Luna is a Ravenclaw and I’m sure she would jump at any opportunity to participate in a rousing intellectual discussion.

1 Luna Would Help Neville Break Out Of His Shell

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Even though her fellow Ravenclaws used to make fun of Luna and hide her belongings, Luna is very confidant and she is not afraid to be herself. Neville, on the other hand, suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and severe anxiety due to the constant bullying he received at the hands of the Slytherins while growing up. Even though Neville gained more confidence in his seventh year, I know from experience that the scars from being bullied never leave us. I can easily imagine Luna helping Neville manage his anxiety and aiding him in his quest to “come out of his shell.” Perhaps Luna’s gentle guidance is part of the reason why he went from being a timid teenager to a brave Gryffindor, ready to stand up against any form of injustice in his seventh year.

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