Were Neville's feelings for Luna foreshadowed earlier?
During the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 after his run from the shattered footbridge, an adrenaline-struck Neville Longbottom runs up the stairs where he meets Harry:
Harry: Neville, you're alright?
Neville: Never better! I feel like I could spit fire. You haven't seen Luna, have you?...I'm mad for her! I think it's about time I told her since we'll probably both be dead by dawn!
Which always came totally out of nothing for me, as I hadn't picked up any vibes suggesting this before.1 Now I see that the movies probably can't take as much time for all those side characters, especially since Luna wasn't introduced before the Order of the Phoenix at all, I think. But is there any chance that Neville's feelings for Luna have indeed been foreshadowed earlier in any of the movies and I just missed it or was that really such a surprise for everyone. Or maybe it even was a total surprise at this point in the book, too (if the movie was even true to it in this regard)?
1) I even remember both of them standing as a couple at the train station at the end, which seemed a bit too forced to me (well that whole ending did, but nevermind). But after rechecking I can't find them and might have just imagined this.
Best Answer
I don’t think so.
I left this a few weeks to see if anybody would come up with an example that I missed, but to no avail.
I am not aware of any scene preceding this which hinted at any romantic attraction between the two. They were very close friends, and helped maintain Dumbledore’s Army in Harry’s absence during the events of Deathly Hallows, but there was no romance.
There’s also nothing between them in the books. J.K. Rowling has discussed what happens to them in interviews. Neville marries Hannah Abbott and lives above the Three Broomsticks in Hogshead, and Luna marries Rolf Scamander, son of the famed magical zoologist Newt Scamander (and protagonist of the forthcoming Fantastic Beasts film).
The only bit of commentary from cast or crew I can find about it is this snippet from a Deathly Hallows press conference in 2011 (summary):
Matt [Lewis, who plays Neville] thought maybe Neville and Luna could have a summer fling or something before marrying Hannah Abbott. Said Luna is scarier for Voldemort.
But nothing about foreshadowing or the like.
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Answer 2
They did grab each other's hands a couple times during the Battle of the Dept. of Mysteries in Order of the Phoenix.
Answer 3
You were not that wrong with your memory them standing next to each other. After the battle of Hogwards has been won, Harry is wandering through Hogwards. So while he is wandering around, there is a scene where Neville and Luna sit next to each other smiling. They were not directly smiling at each other, but I thought they were a couple until I read this question. So there were at least hints suggesting what Matt (actor of Neville) said.
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