Written for #SSC. Join us on facebook: Hogwarts - Great Hall

Prompt: Astronomy Tower

"Harry?" Luna called out to the figure standing by the railings who immediately turned around like a child caught with one too many cookies right before bedtime.

"Oh, hey, Luna," he said, spluttering, feeling a little sheepish that he'd drawn his wand. "What brings you here? It's late," he asked as he quickly replaced it in his pocket.

The blonde was looking behind him as she approached, he observed.

"Just finishing an astronomy assignment," she answered as she sat on the space to his left, her star chart and few rolls of parchments tucked in one arm and then laid on her lap.

"The Nargles hid my star chart again. It's surprising I found them just behind my desk after dinner. I wish they didn't do it when there's homework, but I guess they're drawn by the twines of mistletoe I placed on the borders."

"Maybe you should remove the mistletoe," he suggested, sitting down as he felt compelled to follow the lead of the Ravenclaw.

"Maybe," she replied noncommittally as she grabbed her quill and started working on her homework.

They were quiet for a few minutes. Just the sound of the forest breathing and the constant scratching of quill on parchment. Harry relished in it, closing his eyes as he tried to absorb the peace of his surroundings. Nothing of the future, the impending war. Just the present. He didn't want to think about anything else for a moment, but like a twig snapping in a quiet forest, the absence of the sound of quill against parchment pulled him from his reverie.

He looked at Luna, disoriented by the sudden awakening.

"Erm, yes?"

"I was asking if you were alright," she repeated slowly.

"Are you alright, Harry?"

He didn't immediately answer because he didn't really know how to answer the simple question.

'It's just yes or no, Harry,' his mind quipped, but he didn't really… he just… he just did what had to be done. Never really thought about being alright. It was a strange place to be in, not knowing.

'There are worse things to be,' he rebuked himself.

"I don't know," he finally answered, realizing he hadn't actually said anything, hands holding on to the cold metal railings. "I… I guess never really thought about it."

"That's alright," Luna replied, picking up her quill again.

"My mum once said that if even the sun rises and sets, why shouldn't we? We're all made of stars."