Author's Note: Short and plotless, but fun to write. Luna deserves so much love, so this drabble is simultaneously a Luna appreciation fic and character study. Tell me what you think! I own nothing!
The first thing you noticed about her was her eyes: grey eyes, always wide, as if she saw so much that others couldn't, she needed to open her eyes to their fullest extent in order to take it all in.
Her eyes drew your attention in other ways besides their immediate appearance. She looked at you with her light grey eyes frankly and honestly, like she had no reason to hide. Perhaps she didn't.
Luna Lovegood walked around the Black Lake on the weekends, her blonde hair loose and messy. She seemed oblivious to her long locks as it blew all around, the only sign she noticed it being her hand coming up to brush the hair out of her face occasionally. Sometimes she read a book as she walked, and people giggled when she had to swerve so as not to run into a tree. On warm days, Luna would sit by the side of the lake, looking at the flowers that lined the water's edge. The prettiest flowers she'd use to decorate her hair, covering her blonde locks with the things so that their perfume floated around her wherever she went.
She was the easiest bullying target at Hogwarts, but despite the fact that she was constantly harangued and insulted and picked on by other students for her outlandish ideas and air of oddness, she remained as carefree and happy as ever. At least on the outside. Not many cared enough to wonder what she may be thinking or feeling, though. Her strength could not be denied by even her most consistent harassers, for she never let anything bother her.
If they saw her cry they might stop making fun of her, but her grey eyes remained resolutely dry, like she was used to the abuse and it couldn't hurt her anymore.
One day, when Luna had settled herself at the base of a tree on Hogwarts grounds with a quill, parchment, and ink, a group of her loyal hecklers approached to disturb her peace.
"Writing about the Nargles, Loony?"
Luna looked up at the fifth year Ravenclaw girl. "No, Kathryn. I did that yesterday." She said, and then began sketching on the parchment.
Kathryn and her friends laughed. "I see. Your outfit is really nice." Kathryn said, gesturing to Luna's purple polka-dotted pants and bright green blouse.
"Thank-you." Luna said, unconcernedly continuing to sketch.
"Yeah, it looks like a blind Muggle with the fashion sense of a seven-year-old picked it out."
Kathryn's fellow hecklers, who had looked concerned when Kathryn had seemingly complimented Luna, burst out laughing at Kathryn's words.
Luna's expression didn't change; she looked completely placid.
Without a sign of weakness, the Ravenclaw girls began to lose interest. Once they had had a few more laughs at Luna's expense, the Ravenclaw girls cleared off. Before Kathryn could leave, Luna called her back with a "Just a moment."
"Yeah, Loony?" Kathryn turned back.
"This is for you." Luna held out the parchment she had been embellishing. Kathryn took it; it had a sketch of Kathryn on it, a perfect likeness of the girl laughing uproariously at Luna.
Kathryn looked speechless.
"Keep it, I want you to remember this moment." Luna said, her eyes looking more focused than usual, like she had abandoned her constant vagueness.
Kathryn dropped the parchment, letting it float down to the ground. "Freak." She muttered, and walked away to join her friends.
Luna had her admirers as well as her bullies. Students and professors alike were openly awed by Luna's courage to be herself at all times. The only problem was that Luna's admirers weren't as outspoken as her bullies. Though many Hogwarts students wanted to be as free to express themselves as Luna was, they still stood by and watched as Hogwartians of all ages, from every House, pelted Luna in the corridors with crumpled up parchment, attempted to hex her, and insulted her.
Luna proceeded amiably through it all, her wand behind her ear, a Butterbeer cork necklace around her neck, and acceptance in her large grey eyes.