Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or any of the people or places mentioned. I only own the events.
A/N: I really like this fic because I like how I portrayed Luna. It may not be the best portrayal of her. You guys be the judge.
Dean Thomas opened the large door of the Entrance Hall and walked out of the castle. The tall, handsome, black boy trudged dejectedly down the path that led to the lake.
"I can't believe Ginny broke up with me." He thought to himself before letting out a long, sad sigh.
Moments later, as he neared the lake, Dean came upon the strangest sight.
There, hanging upside down from the branch of a tree was Luna Lovegood. With her legs draped over the thick branch, Luna hung facing the lake.
Dean had never really spoken to Luna before, but now he was really curious. He walked up and stood beside the blonde, blue-eyed girl.
"Erm…Hi Luna." He said as he leaned forward, peering at her.
"Hello Dean." She replied in a dreamy voice, her bulbous eyes not blinking, nor moving at all.
'Why doesn't she blink?' he thought to himself. He shook away the thought.
"Um, what…what are you doing?" Dean asked, still watching her.
"I'm quite obviously hanging upside down from a tree." Luna replied serenely.
"Yes, but I mean why are you hanging upside down from a tree?"
She looked at him inquiringly, her hair swinging beneath her. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked, eyebrow raised, well, lowered in this case.
Dean looked at the tree, at the ground, at the lake, and at her (noticing how oddly pretty she was) and, seeing nothing, shook his head. "No."
She sighed as if it were obvious.
"I am warding off the Egyptian Erphlats that are plaguing the school."
"The what?!" Dean exclaimed. Luna sighed again.
"Don't you know? Egyptian Erphlats are small, fuzzy, purple winged creatures that fly up your nose and suck out your brain."
She finally blinked.
Dean, taking in her answer, snorted. Luna's head snapped in Dean's direction when he snorted.
"Did an Erphlat go up your nostril?" she asked in a rushed whisper.
"What? No, um…I…I coughed." For some reason Dean didn't want her to think he didn't believe her.
"Oh, okay." She responded looking back towards the lake.
Dean put his hands in his pocket and looked out across the lake, watching as the sun began to set. Then he looked back at Luna.
"So…um…how does hanging upside down keep, uh…Erphlats from sucking out your brain?" It was his turn to raise an eyebrow.
"Well Dean, it's a common known fact that Egyptian Erphlats cannot fly downwards. So there is no way for them to get to your brain."
"Uh huh." Dean said slowly.
"Well," Luna started as she leaned upwards, took hold of the tree, and lowered herself to the ground. "I must be going. I believe I've warded off all of the Egyptian Erphlats. It was nice talking to you Dean." She said airily, waving at him.
He waved back, still confused, yet intrigued, by her.
As he watching her retreating back, Dean felt the sudden urge to lean more about Egyptian Erphlats…and about Luna.
Dean jogged to catch up with her. "So uh, isn't there a dance you can do to ward Erphlats off so you don't have to hang upside down?"
As she continued to walk, Luna looked at him.
"A dance? No, of course not. That would be silly." She replied, the dreamy tone back.
"Uh, right. That would be silly huh?"
"So tell me about some other creatures." Dean remarked as he looked at Luna.
As Luna rambled on about Peruvian Porlimps and Georgian Gorphams, Dean watched her.
'Maybe it isn't such a bad thing me and Ginny broke up.'
