This fic is for the second practice for the Bats on the QL forum, and my task was to write a friendship story for Harry/Luna.
Prompts-
(word) fashion
(quote) 'Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia.' –John Green
The Game is On: Hounds of Baskerville (write about Fang or Fluffy)
…..
Many people together make up who you are. Your friends, your family, your enemies, your lovers. Every single person you meet, even a stranger you only talked to once, makes a small difference to who you are. And some people, well, they make a much bigger difference.
Harry was who he was because of his best friends, Ron and Hermione, who were always there for him and went along with his ideas, but told him if he was being an idiot. He was who he was because of his girlfriend, Ginny, whom he loved with all his heart. He was who he was because of his parents, even if he had never met them. He was who he was because of his teachers, McGonagall who was strict but looked after him, Moody who taught him 'constant vigilance', Dumbledore who taught him to be wise, Sirius who taught him to be brave, Remus who taught him about not judging someone because of something they have no control over. He was who he was because of people who looked after him, Hagrid who would always invite him around for un-eatable cakes and biscuits, Molly who made delicious cakes and biscuits. He was who he was because of people who tried to kill him; Voldemort and the death eaters had made him grow up. He was who he was because of the people who had supported and believed in him, like Neville.
But he thought, in some weird way, one of the people who had changed him the most was Luna Lovegood. She made him see the world in a different fashion. Yes, often this weird fashion got you strange looks and stares, but he loved the way she saw the world. Anything could be possible, simply because, why shouldn't it be?
After the war, Luna and Harry had become close friends. He found himself going to her for a laugh (she could always make him laugh), for a chat (she would never give him weird looks or doubt him), for advice (she didn't exactly always know what to say, but somehow she always said the right thing to cheer him up) or for comfort (she had lost a parent at a young age, and many people in the war, so she understood).
He found himself growing a kind of admiration or respect for Luna, and he found them becoming very good friends. He eventually found himself going to her almost every week.
…
"Luna!"
"Hi, Harry! How did Ginny's match go?"
"You mean she hasn't started gloating about it to you yet? They won, of course."
"Well, tell her that she was right for me."
"She said she'd win?"
"No, she said the Falcon's beater had a crush on you."
"What? Listen, Luna, can you help me with something?"
"Is it the nargles again? They are looking very suspicious."
"No, you fixed them for me last time. I was wondering if you could help me with a Christmas present for Ginny. You know her better than anyone."
"Presents? Ginny loves presents! Last year I got her that necklace, remember that one she wears all the time?"
"The purple one?"
"No, the purple one is the one that Dean gave her. The one from me is the invisible one that has a little pouch full of gnome feed in it so that she can look after the ones at her mum's house properly. And it's ever such a pretty necklace."
"The one she wears all the time is from Dean? Dean Thomas?"
"And also, the necklace really matches with the anklet I bought her for her 18th birthday!"
"…I'm sure. I don't know much about jewellery. Anyway, did you hear about the Falcon's beater? Apparently, during the game she was hurt so badly that she won't be able to play for the rest of the season, and the spectators said…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry! When did you get a dog?"
"He isn't mine. His name's Fang. He belonged to Hagrid."
"Oh, are you looking after him? Didn't Rubeus come back as a ghost? I was rather expecting him to, so that he could look after his animals."
"Oh, well, no, I don't think so. But, you see, Hagrid told me that when he went, he wanted me to give Fang to someone who knew a lot about animals and loved them almost as much as he did…"
"Who did you choose?"
"Luna, he asked me to give Fang to you! It won't be that hard, will it? Rolf's moving in in a few weeks, and he's an expert with animals, right?"
"Me? Oh, I'm honoured!"
"Oh, thank Merlin! He tried chewing up my sofa yesterday, and you know how Ginny is about that bleeding sofa. And then, on Thursday, he tried to…"
…
"Luna?"
"Yes, Harry?"
"I haven't really told anyone else about this yet, but I was thinking about… well… maybe proposing to Ginny? What do you think?"
"It's about time. She has been complaining to me for ages; she thinks you'll never get around to it."
"She wants me to? She would say yes? Definitely?"
"Why wouldn't she?"
"Well…"
"Did you do something?"
"No! I just… you never know exactly what is going to happen, do you?"
"The future is a lot less predictable than people. But this isn't just about the future, it is about you and Ginny, and I can predict that she would love to marry you."
"The future is completely unpredictable! I don't even know what I'm going to have for dinner, never mind what Ginny will say, or whether I'll get married soon, or have kids."
"Don't think too hard. The fates will have chosen your future already, and you couldn't change it even if you tried."
"Imagining the future is a kind of nostalgia, isn't it? I imagine Ginny saying yes and us getting married…"
"She won't say no. Ginny is OH LOOK, ITS A SNORCACK! Not the rare kind, but I haven't seen in one in months! I thought they had started traveling east!"
"Isn't that a hedgehog?"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry! I thought you were Rolf. He's going to propose to me this week, but he keeps forgetting."
"Rolf is going to propose? Congratulations!"
"Do come through the fireplace, Harry. I don't like just seeing your head. It makes me think you've been beheaded and that is not a cheery thought."
"Have you got tea on?"
"No. I'm ready to leave if Rolf comes, you see."
"No tea? Well, I'll come around for a little bit then! I was hoping to talk to you about…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry! Oh, it's good to see you. I've been rather bored lately. Rolf is trying so hard to get back, but I mean he can't exactly just leave a massive hippogriff rampaging around Manchester, can he? And when he told everyone that it was harmless, they all thought he was mad, because just the other day it tried to…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry!"
"How is he?"
"Not well, I am afraid… Rolf thinks that he will get better, but the nargles are already surrounding him. I mean, surely that is a bit premature isn't it? He only turned down his food, and that is unlike him, but he won't die surely!"
"Luna, Fang will get better soon. He's an old dog. He'll be fighting fit in a few days, and you won't even remember that he was ill."
"I do hope you are right, Harry. Rolf says…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry? What is it? You look terrible! The nargles are… well…"
"Listen, there some men chasing me, and everyone knows I live in Grimmauld Place, and I know about the security charms and everything, but what if they are waiting outside? And what if they hurt James, or Ginny? She's pregnant, for Merlin's sake. Basically, I need somewhere to stay. Just for a few nights."
"Oh, I often forget you are an auror. I'm sure I have said many times that you should be a seer. I think you have a gift for it. Right, well, I'm thinking that Ron and Hermione's would be too obvious, best friends and all… Neville's is the best inn in the country, so they might expect you there… Ooh, I have a great idea! You could stay here, if you want to."
"That's what I… never mind. Thank you, Luna."
"We have a spare room on the second floor, but you need to go to St Mungo's first and get yourself healed!"
"Um, Luna. There are people looking for me. I am hiding."
"Oh, right. Well, I'll owl Padma; she is the best healer in the emergency ward, so you probably would have had her anyway! I'm sure she won't be busy on Saturday, her husband has just left for Miami and I hear…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry! The nargles told me you were coming, so I put on some tea!"
"Oh. Er, actually Luna, I can't stay long. Ginny's going out, and I can't leave James and Al by themselves."
"But I thought you wanted to talk to me? And I thought that Ginny was on strict orders not to leave the house after James crashed into her on his broom."
"Yes. Um. Well, er, I just came to say that I need to talk to you about something, but I can't talk now, so could you meet me tomorrow in Diagon Alley?"
"Why not talk now? I've got time."
"Well, I guess… maybe for a couple of minutes I could just… you know…"
"And I have too much tea for one person."
"Well, I think Diagon Alley is better, because we could go and see Neville! Or go to Fortescue's and…"
…
"Luna!"
"Harry! I haven't seen you in a while! Who's this?"
"Luna, meet Lily Luna Potter!"
"Aw, she's adorable! Hey Lily!"
"I haven't been able to stop her crying! I thought that you would want to meet her, but she started crying on the way here!"
"Pass her here. Hey, little one!"
"Goo goo, gaga."
"I know, but your daddy doesn't mean to. He's really very nice."
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Stop her crying! I have been trying to stop her for the last ten minutes but she is like a constant drone!"
"He doesn't mean it, little one, I'm sure…"