Anyone who didn't know her avoided her. Even people who knew her might cross the street rather than chance an encounter.
George Weasley was one such a person, and if he hadn't been caught up in the idea of a flatulent jelly bean, he would have run for the hills. As it was, he ran right into her.
Luna squeaked and fell back several steps. George was by no means a small man.
"Oh, pardon me, dreadfully- Luna Lovegood." His eyes widened and darted from side to side, searching for an escape.
Her soft blue eyes blinked at him owlishly. "Oh, hello, Mister Weasley. So good to see you. I would greet you by your first name, but I would so hate to be wrong. But-" She paused to look him up and down, "do you mind if I guess?"
George gaped at her like a fish out of water. Luna took his bewilderment as a yes.
She leaned back and narrowed her eyes. She circled him, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "You are George," she pronounced.
George closed his mouth and clinked. "Well, yes. How did you guess?"
Luna pointed at his ear. "You have a freckle on your left ear lobe. Fred doesn't have any ear freckles. It's not very distinct, but I find such details essential in case you're ever taken over by Skrulls."
George continued to blink in bewilderment. "Skrulls? What? Where?"
"You haven't heard?" Luna sounded scandalized at the possibility.
George flapped his arms helplessly. "I don't get out much," he jabbered.
Luna reached into her robe and pulled out a colorful magazine. "It''s the most fascinating story from the Americas about people who seem to be exclusively specialized wizards. Their leader can read minds. I haven't heard of someone doing that since-"
George clapped a hand over her mouth. "Luna, that's a comic book."
The witch nodded eagerly, eyes bright. "Mm-mmfmmng?"
George lifted his hand. "What?"
Luna beamed. "I said, isn't it fascinating?"
"You do know it's fiction, right?"
Her gaze turned hard and she snatched back the comic book. "Of course I do. I'm not as crazy as the lot of you seem to think. I had high hopes that you might've grown up a bit in the last ten years, but you're as hopeless as ever, George Weasley." She whirled away in a colorful swirl of fabric.
George briefly pondered a spell that would tattoo the word "heel" across his forhead. He reached out to grasp a handful of robe. "Wait! Luna, wait."
The woman peered at him over her shoulder, eyes narrowed in irritation. "Yes?"
George's shoulders drooped. "I'm – I'm sorry. That was uncalled for." He ran a hand through already mussed hair. "Listen, let me buy you a butter beer, it's the least I can do."
Luna sniffed haughtily. "I suppose it couldn't hurt."
Her back hit the wall with a thump. She couldn't suppress a giggle, which was quickly muffled with a hot and demanding kiss. Luna whimpered at the rising heat in her limbs, hands buried wrist deep in unruly red hair. She pushed up on her toes and hooked a knee around his hip, pushing herself closer to what she wanted.
"This is probably a very bad idea," George panted.
Luna's fists tightened in his hair. "Probably, but if you stop I may have to kill you."
George didn't stop.