Flyaway
Luna ran down the corridors, her usual straggly blonde hair flying out of its unusually perfect bun atop her head. The runaway strands whipped around her face making the tears unseeable to anyone but herself.
"There goes Loony… probably seen a new species of Nargle or something like that"
She heard the comment but couldn't bring herself to talk, instead she carried on down the corridors, her feet barely touching the floor. She flew into the Ravenclaw Common Room and went straight up to her room banging the door shut and muttering the locking spell behind her. She ripped off her dress and was left standing in front of the mirror in her underwear.
"Why am I not normal enough" she whispered remembering the events before.
Neville had asked if she wanted to go to Madame Pussifoots with him this weekend on the trip to Hogsmeade. Luna had liked Neville as soon as he had talked to her during herbology in her third year and they had been friends for years before he had plucked up the courage and asked her out the term after what happened in the Ministry. Luna had said yes and warned him to pick up a few daffodils on the way there in case there was an attack of scrimply dooks, he had simply smiled and said he would. He walked away after giving her a small kiss on the cheek and blushed furiously, humming to himself as he went. Luna had only walked a few steps before Ginny and Hermione took her arms and dragged her along with them.
"We heard that you're going to Hogsmeade with Neville this weekend" Ginny said giving Hermione a knowing smile
"And we were wondering if you wanted us to help you get ready for your date" Hermione said kindly
"Were doing it anyway whether you let us or not because your hairs amazing"
Luna sighed she knew they were just bored and she wanted to make them happy.
"As long as it's nothing ridiculous"
"Of course it won't be" Ginny and Hermione said sweetly in unison
They walked away their heads bent between each other muttering something about top knots and feathers.
Luna dawdled up to her common room trailing her feet behind her when she ran into a tall blonde boy and knocked both of them over, the books he had in his hands sprawled all over the floor. She sat on her knees and started picking them up when a pale hand shoved hers out the way.
"I don't need your help Lovegood"
She looked up and matched the deep voice with Draco Malfoy. His eyes red and puffy and his hair was sticking up all over the place rather than its usual slicked back style.
"What are you looking at Loony" Draco growled
"I simply thought that perhaps the Striking Motheranians had got you as they tend to ruffle some people's feathers"
She smiled dreamily and tucked a strand of hair back from his face behind his ear and llokedinto his stormy eyes, full of turmoil.
He leaned forward as if about to kiss her but stopped centimetres before her lips and whispered menacingly.
"You know nothing about me Lovegood" and stormed off in the opposite direction. Luna's eyes were drawn to the red leather bound book lying on the stone floor.
"Draco! You forgot your…" But he was already too far away to hear her. She weighed the book in her hands, it was light and popped open the gold button, looking at the detailed drawing of Professor Dumbledore's withered hand and the scrawling script beneath it. She flicked through the pages stopping at a beautiful portrait of her with another illegible paragraph surrounding it. She tucked the book under her arm and strolled back to the Ravenclaw common room telling herself she would give it back to him tomorrow.
When she woke up the next morning the book had all but vanished from her memory, probably because Ginny had woken her up by straddling her and loudly singing the wedding march with Hermione standing at the edge of the room smiling gently and shaking her head.
"Ginny, why on earth are you so hyper? Do you have any turnips in your room, they tend to attract..."
"Luna, you know we love you but I really don't care about snickerdoodles or whatever, it's time for your miraculous makeover"!
Her maniacal smile made Luna sigh resignedly; reluctantly letting them pull her from the warm comfort of her duvet and push her into the shower. It all passed in a bit of a sleep hazed blur, really, full of brushes and colours and hands, orders thrown along with clothes and bristles . The end result was quite pretty though, she supposed, the lavender blue of the dress was floaty and soft, her eyes wider and rimmed in a soft white and rose pink, her hair wavy and pinned up with small violet feathers intertwined in the cloud of blonde hair. She smiled at her reflection, then at Hermione and Ginny, both standing, arms crossed, with proud (smug on Ginny's features) expressions, like parents on their child's first day of school.
"Perfect"
Ginny kissed her fingers, exclaiming that her work here was done and she was a genius while dancing out the room.
"You really do look lovely Luna"
Hermione smiled gently and followed Ginny
"Oh, and have a good time on your date, Neville's jaw will just drop"
She said with a laugh, the sound following her down the hallway. Luna studied herself in the mirror, happy with how she looked, she did love dressing up but usually just didn't have enough time. Luna liked what she wore normally better however, bright colours and patterns were more her thing but this was alright, and she liked making people happy so she slipped on the shoes Ginny had lent her, they sparkled in the light, changing from blue to green to violet, and went out the Ravenclaw common room, she didn't pass anyone: most people were at Hogsmeade although when passing a wall she thought she heard a bird singing but on closer inspection there were no rooms about, it must have been the scrimply dooks messing with her again, she must put one of the daffodils from Neville behind her ear as a precaution. She came to Madame Pussifoots without much bother, a few surprised stares and raised eyebrows, a wink from George Weasley as well that seemed to be aimed her way. She waited outside for a few minutes before looking in the wide window decorated with enchanted roses, just in case she had missed Neville. She found him at a table with Tabitha, a girl from her dorm. She frowned and was about to step inside when Tabitha saw her, smiled and grabbed Neville, kissing him hard on the mouth. Luna stepped back, shocked when she saw Neville's hand snake up around the back of Tabitha's perfectly styled straight auburn hair and tangle in the tendrils. Luna walked backwards and turned to run back to the castle but was faced with Hazel, another of Luna's roommates and Tabitha's friend.
"Whats wrong Loony"
Hazel sneered and glanced at Neville and Tabitha's embrace, registering Luna's hurt expression
"Oops, wasn't Neville meant to be on a date with you? He must have found someone more… normal"
Hazel laughed and asked if she had found her necklace yet then shoved past her into the café. Luna turned and fled down the pathway to Hogwarts. She thought she heard George Weasley shout her name but she ignored it, he probably just wanted to tease her anyway, like everyone else always did.