A/N: This was written for the Train Ride Challenge from HPFC forum.
. . .
Ginny Weasley looked around platform 9 3/4, her bright red hair bouncing a bit. She couldn't believe it. Year after year, seeing her brothers get onto the scarlet steam engine to be whisked away to Hogwarts, it was finally her turn. She turned to her mother, brown eyes sparkling and said goodbye, hurrying onto the train, barely containing her excitement.
"Hey Ginny, wanna. . ." Fred started.
". . .Come sit with us?" George finished his twin's sentence when they bumped into their little sister.
"No thanks. I'll find a compartment, don't worry" Ginny said as she began searching for a compartment once again. She had bumped into Percy while he was, umm, occupied with what she assumed was his girlfriend, and had also met a Gryffindor boy named Neville, and even helped him find his toad.
Finally, the red head came across a compartment that was nearly empty. "Excuse me, mind if I sit here?" She asked the only occupant. A girl with dirty blonde hair and large, silvery grey eyes looked up from her magazine at her and remained silent for a while before nodding, returning to the depths of her magazine.
Ginny walked in and sat down across from the girl. She found her a little odd, looking at her butterbeer cork necklace, but also found her unique and different. She noticed that she was reading the Quibbler and decided to start some conversation.
"Is it good?" She asked, motioning to the magazine. The girl looked up and spoke in a dream-like voice, soft and melodic. "Yes, it's quite good. My father's the editor you know"
"That's cool" Ginny replied, smiling. "My name's Ginevra. Ginevra Weasley, but call me Ginny, everyone does"
The girl looked at her and smiled. "My name's Luna Lovegood. It's nice to meet you Ginny" She said, introducing herself. Ginny decided to continue the conversation.
"First year at Hogwarts too?" Luna nodded. "What House are you hoping to be sorted into?"
"I would like to be in Ravenclaw, like my mother. What about you?"
"I'd like to be in Gryffindor. My entire family's been in Gryffindor, but Ravenclaw wouldn't be bad" She replied.
Ginny continued to talk with Luna. Sure, she was different, a little weird, and believed in crazy imaginary animals(she discovered that when Luna began telling her about Nargles), but she was unique, kind, and interesting.
Even after the train ride, the Sorting, classes, and their different schedules, Luna and Ginny made time for each other. They also sat in the same compartment that they had sat in on their first train ride, honoring the friendship they had made when they were just two first years, excited for the world of Hogwarts.