A/N: I decided to make a sequel so here it is. It's set right after the scene in the library. Enjoy!

Bickering, Listening, Shining

Harry Potter had returned from the library on a clear, warm evening and was sitting in the Gryffindor common room working on a chart for Slughorn. The assignment was to look up antidotes and write down what they protect against and how powerful they are. Harry was doing this chart at a table by the fire so he was near his two best friends Ron and Hermione. Now he was starting to wish he had stayed in the library to work.

Tonight's quarrel was about homework. Harry tried to tune them out but it was hard because of their boisterous tones.

"It's not even a big deal Hermione! I don't understand why you get so bloody worked up about it!"

"Because I don't want you failing class! If you don't develop good study habits now imagine how much trouble you'd be in once the N.E.W.T.s roll around!"

"That's not 'til next year! All I'm asking is for you to tell me the answer to one question. I don't understand why that's so hard."

"It's not about it being hard, Ronald. It's about being responsible!" with that Hermione collected her bag and her books and left he common room, the portrait slamming shut after her.

Ron moaned and groaned, huffed and puffed. This was normally Harry's cue to start being sympathetic but the raven haired boy continued to copy notes from A Guide to All Antidotes without even acknowledging his freckled friend. He was almost done with his chart and he congratulated himself for being so focused.

"You know," Ron started when he realized Harry wasn't going to pick up his cue, "you've been real quiet lately ever since you came back from the hospital wing."

Harry had suffered a concussion from a Bludger during a Quidditch match against Slytherin. Because of Goyle he had been unconscious for eight days. Sometimes when he slept wrong, that side of his head throbbed.

"And you've been hanging with Loony, what's up with that?" Ron pressed.

"What is it a crime to talk to Luna?" Harry said his tongue slicing with sarcasm. He still didn't look over at him.

"Well, what is it that you can tell Loony and not me, eh?"

"Nothing you don't already know." Harry ended his notes on his chart and snapped his book shut.

"Then what's going on?"

"I'm really tired, see you in the morning."

Harry ignored Ron's annoyed stare and took all of his stuff upstairs. He was, thankfully, the only one in his dormitory because he didn't feel like speaking to anyone. Well except maybe Luna Lovegood. Harry didn't know what it was, but when he was with her there was no pressure, no fight to be cool. Maybe because everyone thought she was dotty, he didn't feel as if anything he said could be weirder than all the magical animals she claimed existed.

Chortling a bit at some of the odd conversations he had, had with her in the past, he changed into his pajamas and climbed into bed. As soon as his head nestled into his extra fluffy pillow, his brilliant green eyes fluttered closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

-:-

Orange and yellow burned through Harry's eyelids. He opened his eyes a tiny bit incase he would instantly go blind from the light. Harry opened them wider as they adjusted to the blazing sun's rays shining through the open window.

Harry rolled over to face his night table. He shoved on his glasses to see the time on the clock: 12:38. Harry threw off the covers and took a quick shower. Then he dressed at top speed and sprinted to the Great Hall just in time for lunch.

"Good to see you've woken up," Ron said flatly when he sat down across from him.

Ron had been chatting with Seamus, Neville and Dean before Harry joined him. Just as he was reaching for the pitcher of pumpkin juice he realized Hermione was not among them.

"Where's Hermione?" he asked.

"Down at the other end with Ginny."

"Oh."

Harry figured Hermione was still sour from last night.

"God, I can't believe I slept so late," Harry said trying to have a normal conversation with Ron.

"Why don't you tell that to Loony then?"

Harry stopped mid-chew.

"Would you stop calling her that? Her name is Luna."

"Aren't you defensive?" Ron said sarcastically.

Neville, Seamus and Dean stared back and forth at Harry and Ron as if watching a tennis match.

"Her name isn't Loony," Harry said firmly.

"Right. Can't insult Luna, she's Harry new best friend," Ron glared at Harry with what seemed like malice.

"What are you talking about? You're supposed to be my best friend. You and Hermione," Harry had stopped eating by now and was nearly shaking with rage.

"Yeah, supposed to be. Not since you can't tell us even the simplest of things."

"Well it's kinda hard to talk to you two because you're both always bloody bickering!" Harry shot at him. His blood was boiling and he could feel his temper rising. "I mean honestly get a clue and bloody admit to yourselves that you like each other."

Ron looked like a tomato, a sour one at that, but before Ron could yell at him, he got up and left the Great Hall.

He couldn't believe Ron has said all those things. It wasn't like he was replacing Ron and Hermione with Luna. They simply talked, but judging by all of Ron's comments it wasn't simple.

Harry hurried through the entrance hall, weaving through students and was finally calm again as he breathed in the fresh air of the Hogwarts grounds. He strolled along the lake, passing Hagrid's hut and where in his fourth year he saw the dragons for the Triwizard Tournament's first task.

He stopped when he came to a grassy field with wildflowers dotting here and there. He saw a dirty blonde haired someone leaning against an oak tree stroking something small and furry. Before Harry could even really see the girl he knew that it was Luna. She was rather easy to recognize, for no one at Hogwarts dressed like her.

Soon he was standing right next to her, but she hadn't spoken yet. She just smiled her Luna Smile and continued stroking the small animal in her hand. It was a tiny black kitten with yellow eyes.

"Most people think black cats are bad omens but that's a load of rubbish. They're actually very sweet." She scratched behind the kitten's ears and he purred like a motor.

Harry was surprised, he was sure with all her curious beliefs she would surely be a bit superstitious.

"But," Luna continued, "I assume that's not why you're here. Something is bothering you. You look tense."

Harry shifted wondering how Luna could understand people so well.

"Ron and I had a fight," he said after a moment, looking back in the direction of Hogwarts.

"What was it about?"

"Er…you…He said that I talk to you more than I talk to him and Hermione."

Luna was quiet for a minute. He could almost feel her thinking. He looked back at her and her cloudy gray eyes focused in on the black kitten. Still looking at it she said, "Maybe you should speak with them."

"I hardly can! Him and Hermione are constantly bickering!" After a moment, "Besides, they don't understand like you."

Luna looked at him and smiled that Luna Smile again.

To break the awkward silence Harry asked, "How's the heliopath trap going?"

Luna's cloudy eyes widened in excitement. "Oh it's going very well. I'm learning how to conjure fire, because heliopaths are really attracted to it, because it looks like them. They like to investigate."

Harry found himself interested, maybe it was the excitement in Luna's voice that caught him but he nodded for her to explain further.

"Once I have that down I can go back to where I sighted the heliopath and try to lure it. I learned this nifty spell over the summer that creates and invisible bubble around any object you choose. Then I can show it to you!"

"That sounds great," Harry smiled. He liked seeing Luna so excited. It was contagious almost.

Just then the little kitten crawled up Luna's left arm, onto her shoulder and reached a paw out to Harry's. After all he wasn't standing that far away. Once the kitten decided Harry was okay, he crawled across Luna and onto Harry. He began sniffing at him, his little nose felt cold in his ear. Then he began licking it. Harry, squirming at the feeling, put up a hand to take the little guy off his shoulder and into his grasp. He looked at Harry with his big yellow eyes.

"I think he likes you, Harry."

-:-

For the next couple of days Ron ignored Harry. In class he wouldn't sit next to him, so Hermione was stuck in the middle of them trying fruitlessly to get them to speak. At meals he would sit on the opposite side of the table dragging a confused Neville with him.

It felt like fourth year all over again. But Harry wasn't completely alone. Luna was still there, always giving him updates on her progress with the heliopath.

Wednesday night in the common room Hermione and Harry were sitting at the table by the fire doing homework. Ron, who was ignoring Hermione too, was on the other side of the common room flirting with Lavender Brown.

Every couple or so moments, Hermione would glare in their direction as if she was trying to burn a hole in the back of Ron's head.

"Why isn't he talking to you now?" Harry asked.

"He's all in a bundle about Viktor Krum. Completely ridiculous but…." Hermione trailed bitterly.

"Well it looks like he's having fun with his new best friends," Harry scowled with the same bitterness.

But now Hermione's expression faded form bitter to forlorn. She had been so upset since she had heard about their argument on Sunday. Even though she was scowling upon him for trying to pick up Lavender, she wanted so badly for him and Harry to talk again.

"You know, he's really more hurt than angry, Harry," she said in a soft, mother-like tone.

"Oh yeah he looks like he's in real pain over there," he replied acidly.

She rolled her eyes, all motherliness lost as she said in a very teenagery tone, "You know how you boys are, always holding in your emotions. Anyway he's just hurt that you won't talk to him anymore. He keeps saying all you ever talk to is Luna."

"Don't tell me you're angry too!" Harry exclaimed looking at her wide eyed.

Hermione backed down and shook her head, no. When she did Harry looked back down at his diagram in Transfiguring Your Pet. It was a bit grotesque but he had to memorize the anatomy of the elephant in order to transfigure something into one properly.

After awhile he started to tire of watching Ron have fun, and he went up to bed.

-:-

Thursday dawned as bright and sunny as the day before and Harry longed to be outside as he sat drifting off in Charms. Ron seemed to be wide awake, fooling with Lavender, while Hermione looked determinedly at her notes. Harry felt bad for his bushy haired friend. Ron was being such a bloody arse and Hermione definitely didn't deserve to have to watch them flirt all over the place in the halls.

Finally the bell rang, making Harry jump. He trudged out of the room with his other eager classmates. As he walked up to Gryffindor tower to drop of his stuff before dinner, it was on the third floor that Harry saw Luna sprinting toward him, her face ablaze. She was running so fast that Harry had to grab hold of her arms to slow down her momentum.

"What's going on?"

"Harry…I…." she panted, "I….caught it!"

"Really?"

"Yes! You it!"

Before Harry could say anything Luna was pulling him down three floors, onto the grounds and into the Forbidden Forest. She led him into a small clearing and there in the middle of it was a flickering flame dancing along in midair. It was quite an amazing sight. It produced such a large amount of light that it glowed on his and Luna's faces.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Luna said mesmerized.

"I can't believe you caught it so quickly."

"Me either. But I had my hope."

They sat on the ground positively captivated by the sight before them. Harry peeled his eyes off of the heliopath and looked at Luna who was already staring at him.

"I'm glad you came to see it Harry."

"Of course. I mean you were so excited," Harry said honestly.

They looked at each other for a long time. Harry felt completely at ease. The thought of Ron and Hermione left his brain, his focus was on the extraordinary girl before him. A girl who would always be there for him, a girl who stood for her beliefs and wanted to share them with the world. And Harry would always be there to hear them.

Before he could stop himself he leaned in placing a kiss on Luna's lips. He felt an odd sort of tingle run through him and he didn't want the feeling to go away.

-:-

When Harry came back to the common room after a late dinner, Ron and Hermione were sitting on the couch in what seemed to be a deep discussion. They looked up when Harry walked by. He was heading for the dormitories but it seemed they had something else in mind.

"Harry," Hermione said. "Sit with us."

Just because he was feeling nice he decided to join them. They were quiet at first and then Ron said, "Hermione and I have been talking and I'm sorry for being a jerk…about Luna. I mean you can talk to whoever you want."

Harry looked at him and Ron grinned sheepishly. He grinned back in a kind of acceptance in Ron's apology.

"There was never a problem with you talking to Luna, really, we're also sorry for bickering so much. I'm sure it gets tiring…" Hermione said looking into her lap. But Harry could still see the red spreading in her cheeks.

"Have you figured out the problem?" Harry grinned even wider.

Ron flushed as well.

"Well…" Hermione started, "I suppose we've been fighting because we're stressed…"

"Uh huh."

"Yeah okay," Harry said his green eyes tinkling with amusement.

The Gryffindor trio talked well into the night. Harry felt good again. He had missed them and Ron and Hermione went the entire conversation without getting into a raving fight. This pleased Harry very much.

Around 11:00 they said good night and Ron and Harry went up to the boy's dormitories where everyone else was asleep. They changed and got into bed muttering sleepy good nights.

Under the covers and staring outside into the cloudy night, Harry got that tingly feeling again from when he had kissed Luna. Those clouds with the moon shining on them made the memory come flooding back, as he remembered her shining eyes before he closed his own.