She stands in the rain
The first rainy day of the year
Neville was in the greenhouses, picking Fortuna berries which could only be picked during thunderstorms. It was hot work, and he was sweating into the shirt that he was wearing but he was still happier there than he would have been in the baking heat of the common room, reminded starkly once again that he was not the same as the rest of them.
There was Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Golden Trio, so close that nobody ever came close. Then there were Parvati and Lavender, silly girls, but the closest pair of girlfriends he had ever met, and both of them despised him. Dean and Seamus regarded him as a casual acquaintance; he would never be cool enough to fit in with their crowd of friends from other houses. Even Ginny had stopped talking to him once the boys had started to gather. He could understand. He cramped their style, he wasn't cool enough, clever enough, brave enough, interesting enough. That didn't mean it didn't hurt though.
And the rain was falling heavily outside, and then he saw her.
Blonde hair loose down her back and bare feet, Luna Lovegood was crossing the grounds, smiling into the rain, with her eyes open and her head thrown back, catching the rain. Neville blinked, checking that he'd actually seen right. What was she doing now? But then he sighed. He could understand. Luna was alone as well. She'd probably been locked out of Ravenclaw Tower again and chosen this as a form of defiance, letting them see that she wasn't going to hide inside and wait for them to open the tower for her. And there was nowhere more public than here.
Well, if Luna could make a stand, could stand when the rain was slamming down on her and smile and welcome it, then maybe he could go back to his house and try again with Ginny. She wasn't too bad when she wasn't with some boy. Or maybe he could talk to Colin Creevey for a while. Or Dennis, or maybe Hermione wouldn't be too busy and could help him with his Potions...
And with these ideas running through his head, and the girl outside forgotten, Neville pulled on his cloak and hurried back to his common room, resolute and ready to solve his problem.
XxXxXx
The second rainy day of the year
Hermione was sitting at one of the tables in the library, trying to concentrate on her Charms but underneath fuming and hurt. How could Ron go near that Lavender? How could he do that? Could he not see how shallow she was? How unsuitable they were as a couple? Lavender, she believed what Trelawney said, she was that gullible. She was nothing compared to Ron, and yet he seemed to be attached to her by the lip.
Hermione slammed her charms book closed, earning a sharp look from Madam Pince, and looked out of the window instead, knowing that she wouldn't be able to do any work in this state. And really, why would she be in this state about Ron? What did he matter to her? She was so confused, and she hated it.
And the rain was falling heavily outside, and then she saw her.
That Loony Lovegood had taken it into her head to go for a walk, outside, in this. Hermione rolled her eyes. She was probably looking for Follywobblers or some other kind of fictional creature. But she didn't look to be looking for anything. In fact, she had her eyes closed and she had her arms above her head, catching the droplets of rain that fell onto her.
Her hair was plastered onto her head and the wind was whipping her clothes around her. She must want something very badly to have gone out there in this. Hermione found her natural curiosity getting the better of her as she watched the girl. It was interesting to watch her going through so much for something she seemed to want so badly.
And then it hit Hermione. She wanted Ron. That was why she hated how he was with Lavender. That's why she wasn't interested in any of the other boys she met. Even Viktor had fizzled out after a while, though he was still a close friend. It was all because she'd wanted Ron all along.
And with these ideas running through her head, and the girl outside forgotten, Hermione shoved her Charms back into her bag and turned to go...somewhere and do...something with this newfound knowledge.
XxXxXx
The third rainy day of the year
Ginny was standing outside the Ravenclaw common room, waiting for Micheal Corner again. It seemed that she spent half her life waiting for him in endless corridors or back rooms or secret passageways. And she knew that that was what a relationship entailed, sacrifice and compromise on both sides, and she knew that he'd surprised her after Transfiguration that time, and that he couldn't very well come to Gryffindor and risk her brothers finding out about him, but still, she was bored of this waiting. It felt like she was wasting her life when she could be doing so many more worthwhile things.
Sighing, she crossed to the window and looked out, watching the rain rolling over the rooves of the buildings lower than Ravenclaw Tower. She watched as the leaves of the Forbidden Forest dripped sullenly onto the ground and the rain spattered against Hagrid's Hut. She sighed and made to turn back to knock on the door to the tower again and ask if anyone had seen Micheal but something stopped her and she remained.
And the rain was falling heavily outside, and then she saw her.
Luna stood outside, looking up to the sky, her hair running out freely behind her and clad only in her summer robes which streamed behind her with her hair. She was reaching out and catching the raindrops with an expression of childish pleasure on her face. Her bare feet splashed through the rapidly forming puddles in the grass on the lawn as she spun and twirled, dancing to the rhythm of the weather and the rain ricocheting off the castle and paths around. She turned to face the castle for a brief moment and her expression was dazzling, rapturous and blissful. Ginny felt a sudden stab of jealously. Luna looked so free in that moment, with nothing tying her to the Earth, nothing at all. She looked almost divine, and that made Ginny incredibly envious of the other girl. She wanted to be free, to do as she pleased, when she pleased. She wanted to be able to do what she wanted without having to fear what people might think, what people might say, that she would lose people who loved her because of the opinion of others.
And then she realised that she could do that. She could be free. She could do as she wished, without losing the people who she truly loved. And if she loved someone, then she should be free to do that, no sanctions or secrets. She and Micheal should tell her brothers about what they were doing. He could come to Gryffindor Tower. They could be a proper couple. Her brothers would have to deal with it.
And with these ideas running through her head, and the girl outside forgotten, Ginny crossed determinedly to the Ravenclaw door and demanded of a passing Third Year to go and drag Micheal Corner out to come speak to her. They had some important business to discuss.
XxXxXx
The fourth rainy day of the year:
The rain was falling outside the window of Harry's bedroom in Gryffindor Tower, heavy and oppressive. It rattled against the window as he stared out into the bleak grounds, empty because of the rain. He watched as the heavy droplets splashed into the lake, hammering into it and sending plumes of water back into the air again. He sighed, trying not to think, not to remember the hole that seemed to have been torn through him since Sirius had...since Sirius.
He leaned his head against the window, wishing that his godfather was there to tell him what to do now, to tell him how to fix all his problems, to act like the parent that he'd never had. He hated himself for thinking it, but it was true. Shivering, he pulled back as the ferocious wind whipped through the window, sending shivers down his back.
And the rain was falling heavily outside, and then he saw her.
Luna was outside, walking in the rain through the muddy grounds. Her hair was tied up in a loose plait and she was wearing a cloak, probably in reference to the bitter cold wind that was slicing through the air outside. She was shivering, but still she strode onwards in the rain, looking purposeful, like she knew what she was doing and where she was going.
And Harry thought of Sirius. He had lived his life in the way she was walking. He had been determined and sure of himself, and no matter what had happened, or how much he had been hurt, he had never given up. He had braved great perils and dangers and battled bravely against many foes. And though his loss still hurt, perhaps it had not been Harry's fault, since he had chosen to be outside in the rain, as it were, instead of inside the warm castle.
Harry could practically see Sirius choosing to go out flying on a day like this, and smiled at the image. He would do as his godfather would have done. He would walk in the rain. He was going to have to battle Voldemort, to put himself in danger, and no matter how tough it got, he would not allow himself to be deterred by pain or by fear. He would do his godfather proud.
And with these ideas running through his head, and the girl outside forgotten, Harry pulled the curtains and began considering spells that he might need to use in the fight against Voldemort, and skills that he would need to learn.
XxXxXx
The fifth rainy day of the year
Luna Lovegood sat in the Hospital Wing, staring out of the window as the rain pelted the ground and wishing that she could be there to feel the power of it, to bask in the glory of something so much more powerful than herself. It made her feel as if she was safe, as if the powerful forces in the universe would swirl and continue swirling whatever she did. The rain seemed to protect her, and hold her away from her life in a safe, all consuming storm of senses for a small amount of time, not to mention she was always alone in the rain, nobody dared to follow her out into the storm to taunt her, they just left her alone for once.
But today she had been injured by a charm cast on her by a rogue classmate. It was supposed to turn her hair green, a nasty prank, but instead it had caused some severe burning to the right hand side of her face. Madam Pomfrey said that it would heal, but she had to remain in the Hospital Wing for a few days, and couldn't go out and feel the healing rain on her face.
And the rain was falling heavily outside, but nobody saw her.
She was alone indoors, away from the powerful friend that she had come to rely on where nobody else cared. She knew they saw her, they must, and yet nobody had ever asked her why she stood in the rain every time it rained. They must all have had better things to worry about.
And with these ideas running through her head, and the forgotten girl watched the outside, the only protective influence that she had in this school.
XxXxXx
A/N- I know, it's been ages since I posted, but I gave up HP slash for Lent, so I didn't think I could trust myself anywhere near this fandom without breaking it. However, as you'll have seen, there's not even a pairing here, so I don't think that this can count as breaking that resolution. I don't know when I'll next post, sorry.
Reviews are appreciated.