Someone Who Understands
Harry swerved and dived around the Quidditch pitch looking for the Golden Snitch. As he flew over the stands he could hear Luna's oversized lion hat roaring at him. He smiled. Harry had grown used to Luna's odd beliefs but she was always there to support him; at the Ministry, when Sirius died and now during all of his Quidditch games (except against Ravenclaw, her own house).
He surveyed the pitch hoping for some glint of gold. He needed to find it! Slytherin 60-50. Then he saw it. The fluttering walnut sized ball and Malfoy speeding after it. Harry leaned forward on his Firebolt and like a bullet shot after the Snitch. Just as he was catching Malfoy's tail he heard a rush of wind. Then a Bludger came whizzing out of nowhere and collided with the side of his head and before he passed out he heard the cheers of Slytherins….
-:-
Harry felt something cool and wet on his forehead. His eyes fluttered open to Luna Lovegood smiling down at him.
"Hello, harry. It's good to see you've woken up."
She removed the wet cloth from his forehead and sat in the chair next to his bed.
Harry felt on his head bandages
"What happened?" he asked Luna. Her protuberant eyes were wide with concern
"Well…you were chasing after Malfoy – for the Snitch – you were really close too. Then that Goyle hit you with a Bludger. You fell off you're broom but Madame Hooch slowed you down and sent you here. She was furious with Goyle. People were getting really worried, Harry, you've been unconscious for eight days."
Harry tried to sit up but his head hurt too much. He gasped and closed his eyes.
"Just relax, Harry." She paused. "You're really lucky there aren't any wrackspurts in the room, you'd be out of it for a month."
"Uhhuh."
Harry sank into his pillows. He turned toward Luna (slowly thought, his head felt heavy) his eyes still closed and said, "I'm surprised Madame Pomfrey let you stay."
"I told her that I was keeping you company and she tried to convince me its no use sitting with an unconscious person. I told her that if you were conscious you would probably want company and it's possible you would wake up."
Harry opened his eyes and looked at Luna then. She smiled softly at him. Harry's heart held a space for Luna Lovegood. She knew what it was like to lose someone and he didn't mind her talking about Sirius. It was like…they understood each other. And to be honest Harry enjoyed her company.
"Thank you," he said awkwardly.
"You're welcome."
Harry could feel himself drifting. He was hovering between waking and sleeping. He had never hovered in that state so long…
He heard Luna rise from her chair. He felt her squeeze his shoulder and heard her footsteps leave the infirmary.
-:-
In the next couple of days he was starting to feel stronger and he could sit up. Madame Pomfrey took the bandages off his head and gave him a potion that eased away the ache in his head.
As he was downing the potion Madame Pomfrey suggested Ron, Hermione and Ginny came in.
"Oh Harry!" Hermione gasped. "When Luna told us you woke up we tried to come sneak down here and see you but we got caught! Oh Harry!"
"Calm down, Hermione!" Ron said, looking annoyed.
"I was worried!" she snapped angrily.
Ginny rolled her eyes.
"So how come Loony came to see you?" Ron asked.
Ginny flashed him a Mrs. Weasley-like glare.
Hermione said, "Don't be insensitive Ron! She obviously came to make sure Harry was okay."
"We came so many times but you were still unconscious. We badgered Pomfrey, demanding when you would wake up but she didn't know," Ginny said.
"Everyone was worried mate."
"Well," Harry spoke for the first time, "I can come back on Saturday."
"Oh good, the team didn't like me giving orders. Said they'd only listen to you," Ginny said sounding relieved.
Harry managed to laugh.
"Well of course no one listened to you Ginny…"
"And why is that Ron?"
"You two!" Hermione exclaimed. Ron folded his arms across his chest and Ginny was still scowling at him.
"Anyway Ha-'' Hermione started but was cut off by Madame Pomfrey.
"Visiting hours are over! He needs some rest! Out you get," she yelled shooing them out of the hospital wing.
"See ya," they called to him.
Madame Pomfrey turned back to Harry.
"You dear ought to try and relax. You're going to be quite sore when you leave Saturday." She walked back to her office muttering something about expelling ruckus-causing Beaters.
-:-
On Saturday Harry got dressed and decided to join the rest of the school for breakfast. Just as he was entering the Great Hall, Ginny caught up to him.
"Harry!" she said a huge smile on her face. "Good to see you back."
"Thanks. Did Ron and Hermione come down yet?"
"They had, er, sort of a row and Hermione headed for the library but I think Ron's here."
The tow of them approached the Gryffindor table and the entire Quidditch team erupted in cheers. Harry felt his face turn particularly red as he said, "Shut up…"
"We knew you'd come around, mate!" George said.
"Yeah, we wouldn't have to listen to Ginny forever," Fred beamed.
But Ginny was even around to glower at them, she was in a heated argument with Ron.
"You are so insensitive Ron! Do you ever think before you speak?" Ginny yelled.
"Well at least I was being honest! She was the one who was lying – she knows she and McLaggen didn't have an ounce of fun."
"When are you going to wake up Ron?"
"Who needs to wake up? Hermione needs to stop being bloody ridiculous," Ron said grabbing a biscuit.
Ginny threw her hands up in exasperation and headed further down the table to talk to Dean. Ron stared after her muttering incomprehensibly. Before Ron could complain to him, Harry walked out of the Hall munching on a piece of toast. He headed towards the library to check on Hermione.
Just as he was about to reach out for the handle Luna came out.
"Harry Potter."
"Hi Luna. How's Hermione? I heard about the fight."
"She'll be okay I suppose. Ron cane be a bit harsh sometimes. And that Slug Club party was months ago. I mean the corndusts have come out of hibernation!"
Harry didn't even bother asking what a "corndust" was. They sort of stood there. Luna fiddled with her bottle cap necklace her grey eyes looking observant. She merely looked at Harry. He was so used to her staring at people that he didn't mind anymore. At first he used to think it was creepy. But now he figured that when she gazed at you like that she was showing you that she understood you. And surprisingly she really did understand people. Having in her head a certain knowledge of the way the world works.
"Let's walk," Harry finally said.
"Okay."
As they walked through the corridors they were silent but it wasn't as awkward as it could have been.
Then a group of Slytherins crossed their path. Unfortunately Malfoy was leading the way.
"Finally out of the hospital wing Potter?" We were all betting on your death…Thought you'd be joining your godfather," the last part he said in a whisper, so the others couldn't hear.
Harry drew his wand, quick as a blink and was pointing it at Malfoy's face. He was shaking with rage. Malfoy was NO ONE to talk about his godfather. NO ONE.
"Say another word, ferret, because you might as well be in Azkaban. Wasting away with your damned pathetic father!"
A disgusting look formed on Malfoy's face as he glared at Harry. Harry looked back at him with equal – maybe even more – malice.
"Goyle," Malfoy said still glaring at Harry, "Next time I suggest you hit that Bludger a little harder so Potter can join the rest of his family."
The group swiftly moved toward the dungeons before Harry could retaliate. Luna gripped his arm and led him onto the grounds. The weather was the complete opposite of his mood.
Luna steered him toward the beech tree by the lake and let go of his arm. Harry could feel himself losing control of his anger. He huffed, stamping around and kicking the ground.
"Malfoy is a bloody arse!" was the most non-obscene thing he could think of to say. "What does he know!" he shouted at Luna.
"Malfoy had no right to say that about Sirius," Luna said calmly.
Harry breathed deeply. Then he started yelling in rage. He was having a full out tantrum and Luna never flinched. Not even when he threw a rather large rock into the lake making a large enough splash to reach her. She muttered a drying spell and let Harry continue his ranting. When he almost cursed a first year for looking in his direction was when Luna stepped in. She put her hand of his. He was grasping his wand to tight that his skin seemed to rip. Luna lowered his wand hand and looked at him. It was the understanding look.
"Harry."
When she didn't say anything else he figured she was just saying his name.
She still had hold of his hand, her touch was light and friendly. Like letting him know she was there.
"I'm sorry you feel this way."
Harry didn't say anything. He liked that Luna's hand was over his. He felt as though he was connected to the world somehow. Then she hugged him. A warm friend hug. He hugged her back feeling more than grateful that she understood him.
-:-
When Harry came into the common room Ron and Hermione were fighting. There was no way he could concentrate with that racket. He had just come from seeing all of the teachers for his assignments. Deciding to do his work in the quiet of his dormitory he went upstairs without making his presence known.
He was in the middle of Astronomy – something about the planet's characteristics – when Ron came in looking like a raging bull. Harry thought he saw smoke blowing from his nostrils.
"I really do not understand that girl! Yelling at me for snogging in public – she's one to talk!" Ron threw himself on his bed.
"Well we didn't see her snog Krum, so that makes it different from you and Lavender," Harry knew that wouldn't make Ron feel better but it was true.
"Anyway, where were you today?" Ron said ignoring Harry's comment.
"I was getting my assignments."
"I know that. I mean during breakfast, you were only there for about a second."
"Oh, I ran into Luna and we talked," Harry said scribbling something down about Saturn.
"What is it with you? Always talking to Loony."
"She's not 'loony'," Harry defended. What he wanted to do was shout: SHE UNDERSTANDS!
"Not Loony, eh? What's all the garbage about nargles and heliopaths? And honestly, what's with that bottle cap necklace?"
Harry didn't answer. He concentrated as hard as possible on Astronomy.
-:-
The next morning Harry had to resort to the library to look up more antidotes for Slughorn. He was looking through a row of dusty books in a narrow aisle. A Guide to All Antidotes looked promising. He pulled the book from its spot and was surprised to see Luna on the other side.
"Luna?"
She looked up. "Harry," she smiled.
He walked over to her side of the bookcase. She looked at him as if knowing he wanted to say something. The longer she looked at him, unblinkingly, the harder he found it to speak.
"I…er, Luna…"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to listen to me yell and all."
"It's okay Harry. I can understand that you're angry. And I'm here for you."
She clutched his shoulder the same way she did in the infirmary – light and friendly. She smiled warmly at him then said, "I have to go. I'm building a trap for heliopaths. Harry, I think I found one!" She skipped down the aisle, her dirty blonde hair flowing behind her.