"Ginny, dear, Luna is here." Molly Weasley called to her youngest child and only daughter. "Okay, mum, tell her I'll be right there!"
Molly turned to the small girl sitting at her table. "I suppose you heard Ginny from up there. How are things, dear?"
"Still a bit shaken, I would say. Daddy is still heartbroken." Luna said in a dreamy voice, looking around the small kitchen with piercing silver-blue eyes, taking every single detail in.
"I'm terribly sorry, dear. I know it's been hard. You and your father are welcome over here any time you like." Molly looked at the only Lovegood child. She was still so young, and not only to have her mother die, but watch it happen...
"Oh, hello, Ginny." A still dreamy voice spoke.
The freckled face smiled, "Morning, Luna. Mum, can we go out for ice cream?"
Molly smiled, "Not today, honey." At this, the red head pouted," But, mum! It's so hot out!" Molly held her hand up. "Let me finish. You two are going to go play outside while Percy goes and buys a small thing of ice cream. He's already on his way."
Both girls smiled, thanked her, and proceeded outside, one skipping and the other giggling and helping her up when she fell.
About half an hour later, both girls with enjoying their ice cream under the cool shade of the large tree behind The Burrow. Luna lapped at her dessert as Ginny polished here off. "How do you eat so fast, Gin?"
"I have six brothers. If you don't eat fast, you don't eat." Ginny smiled when Luna laughed at this. She loved Luna's laugh. "And since when do you call me 'Gin'?"
Luna shrugged, "I just came up with it now. It's catchy, isn't it?"
"Catchy like a rash." Luna's face fell. "I'm kidding, Luna! I like it."
Luna's face still remained solemn. She had shifted so that her head was resting on Ginny, who was still sitting, legs crossed, leaned ip against the tree. Her usual dreamy gaze lingered on the hill on which her house stood. Where her father was still mourning. "He's been imagining things, my father. He just goes on about some creatures called Crumple-Horned Snorkaks, saying he'll find them one day." Ginny played with the dirty blonde hair, just thumbing through it. She was just learning how to braid. "I think he's gone mad."
"Luna, when has your father ever been-" Ginny stopped. She knew she went too far. Silver-blue eyes narrowed, blinked, and a single tear ran down pale cheeks. "Luna, I-"
It was too late. Luna was already halfway home, her half eaten ice cream fallen to the ground.
"Luna, about yesterday..."
"Forgive and forget, my mother used to say," Luna gazed into Ginny's sparkling brown eyes. "Besides, you are right. I know you didn't mean it harshly. I forgive you. So you can stop apologizing now; it's all you've said today!" Luna giggled, "I thought you would have commented on my necklace by now."
Ginny shifted and looked around her friend's neck. A piece of yarn with butterbeer corks strung on it. "It's..um.." She paused, not wanting to upset Luna again. "Different."
Luna rolled one of the corks in the fingers. "Daddy helped me make it. He says it will keep away the Nargles."
"Nargles?"
Luna shifted from her position leaning on the tree, to laying in Ginny's lap, much like they had been before Luna stormed off yesterday. "Gin, it's only a couple of years before we start at Hogwarts. Do you think we'll be in the same House?"
Ginny pondered this for a moment before replying, "I don't know, Loon. My brothers have all been in Gryffindor, but Ron may break that tradition this year."
"Oh. Loon?" Luna giggled.
Ginny dropped the bundle of hair she was playing with. "Hey, if you can call me Gin, I can call you Loon."
"More like Loony. Loony Lovegood, with her loony father." Luna laughed.
"I hope you don't plan on introducing yourself to Hogwarts like that. You won't hear the end of it." Ginny grinned and added, "Loony."
Years later, the two girls' fifth year, in fact, the two found themselves in a familiar position. Ginny sitting cross legged, leaning against a tree, with Luna's head in her lap. The same butterbeer cork necklace was around Luna's neck, but now she was sporting what looked like radish earrings.
"Hey, Loony! Any Warkspits 'round my head?" A passerby Slytherin laughed. "You and your girlfriend seem to have a few!"
"Oh, shut up, you lousy git!" Ginny shouted back. "And they're called Wrackspurts!" Ginny reached for her wand, but a smaller hand grabbed her wrist, and she went back to braiding Luna's hair. For a moment, she played with the butterbeer bracelet Luna had given her for Christmas. Luna heard her mumble, "Effing git. I bet he's just jealous that I have a girlfriend and he doesn't. He's just mad I beat his arse yesterday, the bloody-"
"Ginny." Luna started.
"Right," Ginny sighed, "Sorry. Hard growing up with Ron and not cursing a bit."
"A bit?" Luna raised her eyebrows. "Okay, a lot," Ginny corrected herself.
Luna gazed off into the distance. "Do you think they'll ever stop calling me Loony?"
"Old habits die hard, mum used to say."
"Like us sitting like this for almost five years?"
Ginny kissed Luna lightly. "Yeah, a bit like that." Luna laughed. Ginny still loved Luna's laugh.