It's a nice day. I don't mean the weather. It's raining, and the sky is as grey as the castle walls. But the aura of the day feels good. It's just a feeling. We just had Herbology, which was pretty bad as we had to pick pairs and I didn't get chosen. I ended up working with Professor Sprout. I'm used to it though, so it wasn't as bad as it would've been for more popular people.

I'm just walking in the grounds now. Like I said, it's a nice day, and it's good to be away from other people who don't understand me. The rain's quite pretty, actually, and it's at least cool. My hair's gone all straggly, but what do I care? And, of course, my necklace is soaking. I'll have to make a new one... but no matter. When we next go to Hogsmeade I can ask Madame Rosmerta for the corks... she thinks I'm strange, but everyone does, so what do I care?

Oh. Oh.

Look who it is. Ronald Weasley. I'm trying hard not to feel sour towards him, but it's so hard. Okay, I'm admitting it. When he started going out with Hermione, it upset me. Big deal. It's weird... first time in ages I've seen him away from her. And he doesn't exactly look happy. Maybe they've argued... but it won't be anything big. It never is, just petty arguments, forgiven the next day.

"Hi..."

Now he's looking at me, in the way most people do; the look that says, 'I don't know you'. He said my commentary was good for the game though, before. He said... Oh, great. I'm doing it again.

"Hi, Loon... Luna."

Wonderful. He still thinks of me as 'Loony'. Just perfect.

"Are you okay?"

Why? Why am I talking to him, when it'll just upset me more?

"Well..." He's looking uncomfortable, shifting from foot to foot. Does he know? Did Ginny tell him? She swore she wouldn't.

"I've broken up with Hermione," he says finally.

This is so much the least thing I'd expected that my mouth falls open, and it's a few seconds before I remember to close it. Even though I'm weird, even though I know he doesn't like me, not like that at least, I almost threw my arms around him. Instead, I looked behind him.

"There's a Blibbering Humdinger behind your left ear." I said it without thinking. It was hovering behind him, pulling faces. I nearly started giggling - though part of that was nerves. He gave me a very strange look but turned. You could tell he hadn't seen anything.

There was a long pause, in which he was probably wondering just how crazy I was, and I was wishing I hadn't mentioned it. But eventually, I said, "Nice day, isn't it?"

Since it was pouring down with rain, this was about the stupidest comment I could possibly have made - but it actually turns out to have been the best, as we both burst out laughing.

"Do you really see all those creatures?" he asks, in an eager tone of voice. "The one's you're always on about?"

I hesitate. Will he just give me a weird look, or start laughing again? But I nod. He looks at me in a kind of wonder, then shakes his head and starts to walk off. Oh well. At least I talked to him.

I turn and begin to walk back to the castle, humming slightly and earning several alarmed looks from other students, and some whispers as well. But what do I care?

I'm used to being the odd one out.