Ginny Weasley's thick red hair was caught up in a soft breeze as she inclined her head from her books to the Lake in front of her. It was late April, and an unusually fine day. The cherry blossom tree she was seated under was old enough to have dipped its once graceful, still stately head to form an awning over the red-haired fifth year. Now and again it dripped petals of cerise pink onto Ginny's hair and shoulders, sometimes onto her Arithmancy book so that she had to lean down to brush them away. The O.W.Ls were coming up, and Ginny was reading and re-reading every word she could find on every one of her subjects. Professor Snape had pronounced her Hair-Raising Potion "Not exactly hair-raising." when, after a sip, her hair became so heavy that she had to lean her head on her desk so that her neck wouldn't break.
A clump of blossoms above Ginny's head suddenly released their petals, and they fluttered like moths down onto her book. A sigh escaped Ginny's lips as she brushed the flowers from Gilderoy Lockhart's "Monstrous Magical Multiplication", where every diagram featured Mr. Lockhart in a variety of different poses. One of which, she fancied, was not at all suitable for schoolbooks.
"Are you having trouble with your Arithmancy? Because I can teach you, you know. My father has an Arithmancy section in every edition of the Quibbler."
Luna Lovegood's understatedly singsong voice chirped at Ginny's left side. Without looking up, Ginny answered, "No, thanks." and went on with her reading, but felt a slight vibration in a clump of marigolds next to her as Luna sat down. Ginny looked up and at the Ravenclaw, and through dreamy eyes Luna looked back. She was eating a chocolate frog, and in the other hand held a card of Malcolm The Mauler. (A fifth century Viking wizard who, for a short time, impersonated the famous Merlin in Camelot.) Ginny managed a reluctant smile, and Luna beamed back. For a short while they were alone there, the only accompaniment to their oddball partnership the lake, the tree and the Giant Squid, who regularly raised a tentacle above water.
"Ginny," Luna started, turning the wizard card over and over in her hands, gazing at Malcolm's bulge-eyed grin. "Ginny, do you think I'm strange?"
Ginny almost choked on her own breath and quickly recovered. Trying to keep a straight face, she answered quietly "No, of course not." without looking up.
Luna looked straight at her and let Malcolm flutter to the ground, much to his indignation. Her green-blue eyes had taken on a far seeing sharpness.
"Well." She said, and the corners of her lips took on a slight curve. "Well…"
Ginny tilted her head an inch to glance at Luna, but instead found Luna's lips upon hers. Luna's eyes were closed, and the tenderness with which she kissed her both frightened and consoled Ginny. It was a short kiss, and almost a ridiculously modest one. Ginny had a feeling that it was Luna's first, and Malcolm had suddenly become very quiet indeed.
"Well," Luna said, grinning. "That was the most normal thing that I've done today."