Hey guys! I know, I know, the SAW chapter is due. Past due, really. I'm just a little stumped. *sigh* It will come, I swear! But in the meantime, this one-shot!
My friend, cloudslikethis, is making me a playlist and I asked if I could write something for her in return. She requested something about Luna. So, on the basis of that, I present this little ficlet! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I DO own Wittingkins, Tripskis, and Michaelivian Brownies. Otherwise... not so much...
To most students, repeating a year at school would be the horror of all horrors. But, after the war, teenagers seemed more than content to sink back into the sheltered bubble that existed before darkness had gotten in the way. And perhaps there was nothing different about the sixth year girl with long, pale gold hair skipping merrily through the halls of Hogwarts. However, Ginny Weasley sincerely doubted it.
"Luna!" she called out, smiling as wide grey eyes turned to her. Radishes swung from pale shells of ears and butterbeer corks wound around her slender neck.
Lips parted to release the lollypop she'd been vigorously sucking on. "Ginny. Its very good to see you." Her smile was a dreamy wisp. "I was just searching for Wittingkins."
Ginny had to bite down on her lower lip to keep from smiling in relief. Same old Luna. "Wittingkins?"
The other girl nodded solemnly. "Beings that inhabit buildings that have recently been renovated. They despise the smell of cherry." She twirled the stem of her lolly. "I'm warding them off with this. Otherwise, they'll attempt to eat your socks."
"Oh? If you have another, I'll walk with you." Linking their arms, Ginny tried not to notice how much smaller Luna was. Captivity in Malfoy Manor was still taking its toll.
Grey eyes blinked at her. "Its been a while since I've seen you. My father took me out of country for a while."
"I know." At the mention of Xenophilis Lovegood, Ginny's jaw clenched. "How are things... between you?"
For a moment, the young girl seemed to age beyond her years. Her smile was rueful as she replied, "I was a little disappointed, but it was a tough decision. And he loves me, so."
Luna's gaze drifted away out the window and Ginny wondered where her mind had gone. It seemed like the Lovegood girl had gravitated even further away from the real world, as if in defense against the harsh reality she'd been subjected to.
"Lovegood!" The voice was not unfamiliar, but certainly unwelcome. But much to the red haired girl's surprise, Luna turned around to greet the newcomer with a normal, dreamy look on her face.
"Malfoy. I didn't know you were coming back to school Would you like to join us in searching for Wittingkins?"
"I'll pass." He seemed more unsure, more gentle, when interacting with Luna. He kept shooting Ginny suspicious glances though. "I just wanted to ask how you were doing."
Starry eyes regarded him fondly as long fingers played with the obscure earrings. "I'm doing quite well, thank you. And thank you for your kindness during the time I was imprisoned. I have added you to my wall of friends."
Flustered, Malfoy nodded. "I'm, uh, glad to hear that. I'll see you around." He hurried off, reuniting with Blaise Zabini a little ways down the hall way. Ginny's eyes widened in surprise as Zabini nodded at her friend, who responded with a fluttery wave.
"I'm not sure I've ever seen the ferret so... human," Ginny murmured, staring at Luna's peaceful expression. "I didn't realize he'd helped."
"When he's not giving into all the pressures and expectations put on him by his family and their... situation, he can actually be a fairly decent person." Bright yellow laces swung as Luna resumed her skipping. "You guys would probably get along."
Sometimes, Ginny thought, Looney Lovegood almost fit.
Odd it might be, but Neville always knew where Luna would be if she wanted to talk to him. It was a reasonable place, because he did love Herbology, but sometimes he had to wonder at the wisdom of sitting under a table covered with Devil's Snare.
"'Lo Luna!" He poked his head down, noticing she was wearing the whirly glasses again while munching on a wad of very red gum.
Smiling, she blew a large bubble before popping it with a snap. "I thought you'd gone off to become an Auror."
"I have." He extended a hand, pulling her out from underneath the table. "I got permission to stop by today and help check the students."
"Is Harry here? Ginny's going out with him, you know." Her owlish expression didn't change as she prodded the Devil's Snare with her wand.
Neville grinned, reassured that all was alright here. "Yeah. You called it. You notice the most random things sometimes Luna."
The gum had dyed her lips redder than usual. "Oh, I don't know," she murmured. "There aren't any Wittingkins in here, but you should keep an eye out. Guard your socks."
"'Course I will. You take care this year, Luna. I'll write. DA forever, right?" He patted her awkwardly on the back. No matter how close they got, hugging her still felt slightly taboo.
A coin flashed as she pulled out the old summoning device from her pocket. "I look forward to your letters, Neville. Keep safe. Tell me if you see any Crumple Horned Snorkacks."
"Sure." He smiled as she skipped away. "Sure."
The old tree by the lake was a popular grouping spot, but Blaise Zabini wasn't sure anyone had ever used it quite like this before.
The girl was hanging upside down, holding onto the branch above her by only her knees. A school-distributed, black, pleated skirt had been replaced with loose, holey jeans that dwarfed her tiny frame. Her wispy, pale gold hair was so lengthly that it nearly touched the ground.
"It's almost dinner," he called, not sure why he was even talking to her. They had little in common and were less than friends. But he couldn't help noticing her. "Shouldn't you be heading into the castle?"
"I fear I've picked up a Tripski." Her voice was wistful while stating the absurd. "They wrap around your forehead and make one adverse to social contact. The only way to rid them is by hanging upside down. I'll be in once its gone."
He didn't know whether or not to laugh. "Isn't that just feeling antisocial?"
She swiveled her head to look at him and he smirked at how red her face was. "Yes. Its what Tripskis do."
There was no reasoning with the girl. But still, he tried. "Your name's Luna, right?"
"Yes. And you're Blaise Zabini." Holding out a hand, she smiled. "Nice to meet you."
Somehow, shaking hands with someone dangling from a tree was not the oddest thing Blaise had ever done. But it was probably close. "Er... Yeah, sure. Look, your friends will worry if you don't go in- And what is that thing behind your ear?"
Blinking, she reached back to pull out a lollypop. "Its cherry flavored. To ward off Wittingkins. Want it?"
"Wittingkins?"
"They eat socks."
This could not really be his life. Where had the days gone when girls like this would stammer when trying to address him? But then, Luna had never been like normal girls. "Right. That's good to know, I guess." For lack of anything better to do, he took the lolly.
"Yes. It is." There was a sudden rustling of leaves as she pulled herself up so she was sitting on the bench. "I think I've lost the Tripski. Do you want to help me check the Slytherin Common Room for Wittingkins?"
Utterly bemused, he shook his head. "I promised Draco I'd meet him for dinner."
She shrugged, hopping down from the tree with a bounce. "Alright then," she said peaceably. Without further ado, she was skipping off, pausing only to pluck a small daisy to weave in her hair.
Blaise watched her go with an odd feeling of loss. For reasons he did not know, he called after her, "It was nice talking to you, Luna!"
That gleaming white smile was worth it.
Luna bit her tongue as she entered the Slytherin Common Room, still a little spooked by the confining stone walls. But there were much scarier things in the world, like Heliopaths, and walls were really no big deal, so long as they didn't house any Michaelivian Brownies. She patted her bag of protective talismans for reassurance as she donned a pair of green tinted glasses.
"The Crumple Horned Snorhack is hiding his horn, hiding his horn," she sang under her breath in a vaguely tuneless voice while peering up at the cracked ceiling. Perhaps there was a Whackspurt around, for her brain was fuzzy with thoughts not at all pertaining to her Wittingkin investigation. Thinking about people, places, events that had to do with the outside world, not Hogwarts or Blibbering Humdingers. But, she supposed, that was the price of loving people. Nargles rather fell to the wayside.
I hope you enjoyed this! I think its kinda cute, personally and I hope you agree. I'll work on SAW, for all you followers. Thank you for reading and please review!