Title: Starry Eyed Wonder
Author: Rachel (aka AGoddessofAwesome)
Rated: M- Contains certain material.
Summary: "There's something different about her. She seems strange, but somebody I could really get into." Hermione falls head over heels for the blonde who's mind is up in space. What will come of this?
Characters: Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANYTHING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH IT!
A/N: This is my second story ever and my second AU for Harry Potter. I'm going to try my hand at a Hermione and Luna pairing. Seeing as how Hermione is so logical and Luna is perfectly "sane", so to speak. Haha. I'm trying to follow the flow of the fifth book/movie in this one. They may be in their fifth year, but try to see them older. Like not 15, but like 16 or 17. There will be lines that were used in this story too. But yeah! Without any further delay, here it is! Enjoy!
Starry Eyed Wonder
Chapter One
Hermione had lead the way for her and her friends through the Hogwarts Express to find an empty cab. Every single compartment had people thrown about it, all of them chattering, mindlessly, about their summer adventures, lovers and flings, and just all around fun. Grazing their bodies across close walls and people going the opposite way, they had found a car with an empty compartment.
Without hesitation, the group pushed themselves in, their carry-on luggage being thrown above their heads before the three collapsed into the plush red seats. They were exhausted! From all the hype prior to the beginning of school, to now, the trio had become physically, mentally, and emotionally fatigued. Not being able to contact Harry, his almost expulsion from school, and his demeanor changing, drastically, were some of things that tired and frustrated the brunette witch.
Hermione glanced over towards the window before skimming across the wood paneled backing and down to the red bench seats. A smile appeared on her tired face. She thought back to her first year at the school. Her dark brown eyes fluttered up to Harry and Ron who were thrown about the bench across from her. She smiled bigger as remembered when they first met and how they became friends. The brunette then felt a warm sensation spread through her chest. She grabbed her heart as she stared, lovingly, at the two boys.
Gods. Time sure does fly. The girl sighed.
"So-sorry to interrupt, b-but everywhere e-else is full." A stuttering male voice had ended Hermione's reminiscing.
She turned her head towards her right to see the, constantly, nervous and stutter ridden Neville Longbottom poking his head in the sliding door.
"Th-that is if y-you have room f-for two more." He added, as Hermione stopped her nodding at his request.
"Yes, Neville. That's fine." The brunette said as she sat up and corrected herself. She leaned forward and slapped the other two on the knee, gesturing that they sit up and make room.
The brunette then stared at Neville and back to her two companions. Her heart spread even more warmth, through her chest.
The trio had now begin their fifth year at Hogwarts. After battling a three-headed dog, dementors, the Whomping Willow, and many other things, they could only be even more surprised as to what was going to happen this year. Things weren't going well so far, only God knows what else could be thrown at them. Hermione deeply sighed at the thought before seeing the person, slowly, creeping in behind Neville.
Hermione gazed at the girl. The girl was a fourth year Ravenclaw. It showed on her tie and insignia on her robes, plus, the blue interior of the wrapping black cloak. She had long and flowing ivory hair that fell atop her shoulders and ended at the middle of her back. Deep, royal blue eyes set widely, brazing the surface of the brunette's retinas. She stood just a few inches taller than Hermione, but with more of a scrawny build. However, it fit the mousy look the girl had dawned. With her cute little nose and thin pink lips, the girl looked, absolutely, adorable in Hermione's eyes.
Adorable? Yes, adorable to the curly and bushy haired girl. It wasn't a lie nor a secret that Hermione Jean Granger was a lesbian. The whole school knew. No one ever questioned her about it. Though, she did end up in a different house common room some nights, she wasn't a whore amongst the populous. However, her fall out with the blonde French Veela Fleur Delacour at the beginning of the summer had made the brunette want to lunge at anything that caught her attention.
"Hello. I'm Luna Lovegood." The blonde piped up after making herself comfortable beside Hermione.
Very cute indeed. There's something different about her. She seems strange, but someone I could get into. Hermione had begun to muse her thoughts as she started to fall asleep against the window.
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"Hermione? Wake up. We've arrived." A small voice reached the brunette's eardrums.
"Huh?" Was all Hermione could utter out. She hadn't realized she had slept the whole ride. She yawned and stretched her bones as she heard the small voice again.
"We're at the school." The voice now being recognized as Luna's.
Hermione glanced up at the girl and simply smiled widely. She got up and retrieved her belongings from above her head, sliding the small glass door open and proceeded down the hall. She made her way down to the exit and jumped off the last step onto the platform, as she did every year she had been here.
She laughed as she Luna step down, one at a time. She gestured the girl to walk with her as she turned towards the crowd of people just in time to see Harry being pulled back by Ron out of Draco Malfoy's face. Instinctively, Hermione sprinted over to her friends just as Malfoy disappeared over the top of the ridge towards the carriages.
"What happened?" Hermione asked, breathlessly.
"Malfoy's a git. Bloke, said something and Harry told him to piss off." Ron still had firm hand on his angry friend.
"He'll get his, Harry. Don't worry about him." Hermione said, placing her reassuring hand on the raven haired boy's arm.
Harry had, finally, eased back on his aggravation before continuing on in the direction the Slytherin had took.
Hermione had stayed back. She watched her scar headed friend march up the slight hill, anger fueling every stride. She held her head in her hand as she began to worry over Harry.
"Don't worry, 'Mione. Lollilops will catch up with Malfoy." Luna had caught the girl mouthing "lollilops" as she placed a warm smile on her face and skipped merrily up the hill.
She's, definitely, strange. However... Let's see what happens. I just hope Harry is alright, though. Hermione's mind had once again gone into a mental fight. Thoughts against feelings. The same fighting that occurred the entire time over the summer.
With a deep breath, the brunette had begun her ascent up the hill to the other side. As she approached the carriage, she had seen Harry standing there gawking at nothing in front of the wooden mode of transportation
"What are you doing, Harry?" Hermione asked as she piled her and her belongings into the back before sliding into the seat that sat beside the blonde.
Hermione looked up at the girl who had pulled out a comic book of sorts, however, was reading it...
Upside down? Luna? Try Loony. Hermione then, mentally, smacked herself for saying something so mean about the girl, though she did find the blonde's awkwardness to be quite stirring.
"Do you all see that?" Harry asked, climbing aboard the carriage, emerald eyes still fixed on the front end.
"See what?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow at his friend.
"Those. Those... Those things pulling the carriage." Harry then pointed. Still nothing was visible to Hermione and the rest.
"Harry, there's nothing there. They're pulled by magic like always. You know that." Hermione had a concerned looked set on her face. The wrinkling of her forehead pushed a strand of hair into her face. She tucked it behind her and out if the corner of her eye, she seen Luna lower her book.
"I see them too, Harry. They're called Thestrals. You're as, perfectly, sane as I am." Luna smiled a nonchalant smile before burying her face back to the obscure book.
The others just stared at the girl who seemed to be oblivious to the penetrating eyes of the trio. All with the look of confusion etched into their faces. The carriage, slowly, began to move towards the castle, slight bumps having them leaping into the air a couple of inches. Night had fallen upon the grounds, swamping everything in black. The moon and the lanterns fastened to the carriage were the only lights to help guide the carriage through the nothingness.
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"That's so much pink!" Ginny's mouth fell open in a whisper at the sight of their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Dolores Umbridge, a senior Ministry official appointed to the school by the Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge.
"Something tells me that Hogwarts just took a turn for the worse." Ron lowered his head to rest on his arms that he had set on the table during the beginning of the year lecture.
"The Ministry is trying to take over the school. Assigning officials for teacher's roles? Something isn't right." Hermione had a furrowing in her brow as she focused her attention on the headmaster.
However, her attention was half stolen by an ivory haired girl who stuck out from everyone else around her. The brunette couldn't seem to stop staring at the girl. There was something about the strange Ravenclaw that had Hermione wanting to get to know Luna better.
"What do you think, 'Mione?" Harry had startled Hermione. Her face tinting dark red for she was embarrassed for missing her friend's question.
"What do I think about what?" She asked, shaking her head to get the blonde out her thoughts.
"With Umbridge here, this school is in for some shit. What do you think?" Ron had repeated Harry's question for him, only being a bit more vulgar with the vocabulary.
"I'm afraid so. Who knows what will happen while she's here." Hermione then focused her full attention back up front.
This isn't going to be good. Hermione concern ridden, watched the pink puff of a professor sit high in her chair, a somewhat unnoticeable disgusted look painted on her lips.
About 45 minutes after the beginning of the year speech and the hearty feast that came right after, the students were dismissed to the dormitories to settle in and prepare for classes the next day.
A wave of black robes flowed out of the giant, dark, oak, wood doors towards the ever changing staircases. The black mass poured itself upwards, winding with the stairs before breaking apart to different floors.
"What in the world-" Hermione pushed through the Fat Lady to come up on raised voices standing around the common room. One voice belong to Harry while the other belonged to Seamus Finnigan.
"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar." Harry had risen voice higher than Seamus.
The Irish wizard glared at Harry before Ron stepped in between the two, taking Harry's side as he threw up verbal defenses to protect his friend.
Harry and Ron then turned towards the boy's dorm room stairs followed by a bang of the door slamming.
Hermione shot daggers at Seamus who had sat back down at the table he had risen up from during the verbal confrontation with Harry. She scoffed in his direction as she headed towards the girl's half of the area.
The brunette had dressed down and back up with her pajamas on and nestled herself into the thick pillowy softness of her bed. She gazed out the window at the blackness, slowly, drifting off to sleep, her mind wrapped up in upcoming things and dilemmas the year had in store. Oddly, she also found herself thinking of the blonde haired Ravenclaw right before she had hit the deep sleep stage of her cycle.
A/N: Hey you all! Thanks for taking the time to read this! I'll update as soon as I can! Tell me how I did. Review, please! If you do review (whether it be good or bad,) I will credit you in the future chapters to come! Thanks again! ^.^