The Funny Thing About Hope

Characters: Luna L. & Ginny W.

Genres: Friendship & Angst

This is just an idea I had while chilling in my room yesterday. It happens sometime in the Deathly Hallows before Christmas. This is a one-shot where Luna and Ginny have a bit of girl-time where Ginny releases a bit of her thoughts. Enjoy!

Flashes of dark, damp stone swum through her vision. A black-haired boy with vivid green eyes - Harry. But his features shifted and once again she was gazing into Tom's smiling face, his lips drawn into a cold smile.

"And so we meet again, Ginny." he said silkily, sending unpleasent shivers down her spine. "It has been far too long."

"I'm not afraid of you anymore, Tom." she sneered, hoping she sounded braver than she felt.

"I can't believe you Ginny." The black-haired teen gasped, an expression of faux hurt clouding his pale and handsome face. He stepped closer, close enough to touch her. "How could you simply dismiss me, when I'll be a part of you forever, and you a part of me?" He encircled his arms around her and she struggled violently, but he only tightened his grip.

"Don't you see, Ginny?" he asked, his mouth curving into an icy smile, his eyes glittering darkly. "It's all your fault."

And he was gone, but a thick, black snake took his place, squeezing her tighter and tighter.

"Let me go!" she yelled into the darkness, but the snake only squeezed more, causing her to gasp for breath.

Tom materialized feet away from her, grinning evilly.

"Let's just take a look at what's happened and what might be..." he said, and her vision was overwhelmed with multiple images of her family members lying on the ground, their eyes lifeless and their skin cold. Scenes where those closest to her were tortured and she could hear the screams, but say nothing. She saw Luna, Neville, Colin, Dennis, Dean, Hermione, everyone she had ever counted as a friend staring lifelessly at her, begging her for mercy. And then she saw him, his glasses askew, blood running down his forehead and his once vivid emerald eyes dull and unseeing. Harry.

"No!" she screamed, sitting bolt upright in the red and gold hammock that had become her bed. Tears streamed down her pale face as she tried and failed to get her breathing under control.

She let out a broken sob just as someone peered around the corner into her "room", really just three walls that gave her a bit of privacy. Neville slept like a log whenever he had returned to the room after detention, so it had to be Luna.

"Ginny?"

She had been correct. The blonde-haired girl's protuberant gray-blue eyes were filled with understanding. Ginny made no answer, but tried and failed once again to repress a sob.

"Muffliato."

Luna's whispered word hung in the air for a moment before she swept over to Ginny, pulling her off the precarious balance of the hammock and onto the ground. Once they were situated, the copper-haired girl still attempting to take deep breaths, Luna put her thin arms around the redhead's shoulders and embraced her in a soft hug.

Ginny struggled, trying to escape; seeing not her blonde-haired friend, but an image of the young Tom Riddle. She pushed against Luna's arms, furious tears falling from her eyes.

"Shhh." Luna whispered, rubbing her back while holding her firmly. "It's alright, you're safe here."

Ginny blinked suddenly and realized there was no man, there was no diary. Just a pale, blonde-haired girl trying to comfort her. Instead of fighting she clung to her friend for dear life, relapsing into fresh sobs; holding nothing back.

"Relax Ginny. It's okay. It's alright. You're safe here." Luna whispered, even though they both knew it wasn't true. There was of course an illusion of safety, but it was only an illusion. Blown away at the slightest puff of wind. The cuts and bruises on their faces reminded them of the lack of safety. The screams that echoed through the halls during hours when detentions were being held blew the covering from their eyes.

Eventually her sobs were replaced by hiccups, which were replaced by ragged breathing, as though she had run for miles.

"Better?" Luna asked, her shining eyes knowing the answer.

Ginny nodded, lying. "A bit. Thanks Luna." she mumbled, embarrassed.

"No problem." she said sympathetically. "But you do know that you can tell me anything, right?"

Her voice was not forceful. Not expecting or condescending. Just there. Someone who wouldn't judge, no matter what she truly felt.

Ginny took a deep breath, trying to come up with the words. "I..." She tried again, swallowing. "I'm just..." There was a long pause.

"I'm just so worried about Harry." she said finally, a few more tears sliding down her face. I'm worried that he or Ron or Hermione will... will..." she lapsed into fresh sobs again. Luna just sat, rubbing her back comfortingly, letting the tears and anguish and fear flow from her best friend. Letting the emotions flow in an unhindered flow.

Ginny continued once she had her breathing under control again. "And I'm worried about mum and dad and Bill and Charlie and Fred and George and Percy, even if he isn't speaking to us..." She looked desperately into Luna's calm face. "I just can't help but feel as if there's no way for us to all get out of this a-alive." She hugged her legs tightly into her chest, staring at the opposite wall.

"They'll be alright." Luna said, with an air of such conviction that Ginny looked up, startled.

"B-but how do you-"

"Oh, a Dingle For-Lurcher just told me." she said off-handedly. "And they are nearly always correct in their assumptions."

Despite herself, Ginny let out a watery chuckle. She could always trust Luna to make her feel better.

She sobered up almost instantly.

"But what if they aren't?" She could hear the pleading in her own voice, the desperation that only answers could satisfy. "What happens then?"

Luna was silent, her eyes unfocused and staring through the wall in front of her as though seeing through it to the mountains that lay outside the walls of the castle.

Just as Ginny was about to repeat the question Luna stood up, starling her to silence once more.

"That's the funny thing about hope." she said, gazing at the blank stone wall as if it were the most interesting piece of art she had ever seen. "You never feel as though it's good enough, but sometimes it's all you have to go on. Even if you try the best you can to believe it's true, the Wrackspurts always seems to be able to convince you otherwise.

"As to your question- what would happen?- you would keep living for them, for all the things they wouldn't be able to see you do, for everything you want them to know. You could talk to them. They listen of course, they are always listening. And eventually, when your time comes," She paused, her eyes overbright. "you join them."

And she walked out of the dark room; leaving Ginny feeling, if not better, at least a bit more hopeful.

A/N:

So, tell me what you think of it! I really liked the idea, but I want to know other people's thoughts! :)