Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any related characters. As far as writing style goes, this is an experimentation for me. Normally I write longer paragraphs, but I wanted this to be short. Sentences, not chapter lengths, that is. Spoilers alert.

The Girl Who Laughed Last

Luna Lovegood x Viktor Krum

Ginny

Letters From Hell

Changes. That's all that seemed to be happening around her. Changes. It made her feel sad to know that so much was changing. Even the one person she felt she could depend on was changing.

Oh, Luna wasn't changing quickly or much. Just small things. Like how now when she got her Quibbler, she now got a few letters with it. And some of these weren't even from her father.

Some may or may not have been from a Mr. Viktor Krum. As Ginny said, things were changing.

When did these mysterious letters start? How had the two even met? How did she know that they were even from Viktor Krum when dreamy Luna Lovegood was always careful never to let the red-haired Weasley girl see them?

Well George had tried to explain it to her. The looks. How they had disappeared together (or maybe apart, but George was almost certain that they were together) on the night of Fleur's and Bill's wedding.

Romance for Luna. That was odd. Strange. It was a change. Ginny did not want anything about the blonde to change.

The Great Hall was nearly halfway filled with owls at lunch. Nearly halfway, meaning that most of the students had been pulled out of Hogwarts at the beginning of the year. And the fact that some owls were no doubt killed in coming.

No one really stayed at his or her table anymore. In fact, they mostly just kept to the inner two tables, as if the walls would cave in and reveal thousands of Death Eaters who wanted to tear them to pieces.

McGonagall looked old and tired. Most of the professors were still there, if for nothing more than the protection of the castle. Everyone looked weary. But not Luna. No, not the little blonde dreamer. She was the constant through the building. The one who was always willing to talk even when people weren't willing to listen. And although no one really seemed to realize it, they had come to depend on her.

"Hey, Luna," Ginny's voice was weak, but the question in it was apparent. Directly before she had come to sit next to her friend there had been an owl delivery.

"Yes, Ginny," her eyes were still as big and dreamy and odd as always. They always led one to question how much Luna actually understood about the world around her. She had a feeling that the blonde understood way too much.

"Are you… are you dating Viktor Krum?"

More than a few heads turned at that despite the fact that Ginny had fought to keep an extremely low voice.

Confusion passed like lightning through those dreamy eyes, "Dating? You mean, like you and Harry… No."

The girl seemed almost flustered but not actually so. It was more like being caught off guard. Which, again, was odd for Luna. She was never, ever caught off guard. Always the girl had a reply for everything.

"Then… are the two of you exchanging letters?"

It was, after all, a sign of courtship. Even if Luna didn't realize it. A guy like Viktor Krum wouldn't continually send letters to someone he had no interest in.

The frown on the girl's face was so obvious it was almost comical. "Yes, yes we are."

Silence. People began turning back to their food, but Ginny knew that they were keeping an ear on the conversation. None of them were writing letters to famous Quidditch stars, even though Quidditch should have been the last thing on their minds. After all, Harry was out there somewhere trying to take down You-Know-Who.

"What do you write to him about?" Ginny couldn't imagine that they'd have very much in common.

"He doesn't believe in Nargles. Or the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Actually, he doesn't believe in much at all."

"So you have been trying to convince him of the existence of these creatures?"

Luna nodded, "Would you like to read the letter I got today?"

To say that she was shocked would have been an understatement. Quietly Ginny nodded and said, "Sure."

The parchment was slightly wrinkled and the ink slightly blotchy, as if it had been through the rain. It didn't help much that Viktor Krum's handwriting was not the neatest in the world.

Miss Luna Lovegood,

It was a very formal beginning, almost to the point that it was businesslike. But for some reason it made Ginny want to giggle.

Why, you ask, doesn't the Crumple-Horned Snorkack exist? Simply because it doesn't. There is absolutely no proof that there is such a creature. To believe in such would be like pleading insanity.

I believe in things that I can touch, feel, and see. As of now, I have not touched, felt, or seen a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. The article you sent me on the creature didn't so much as provide an actual picture of it. There was absolutely no proof that it exists.

Viktor Krum obviously hasn't known Luna long enough that she doesn't need a picture to believe in things. She just does. Believe, that is.

Furthermore, trying to find one of these creatures is pure insanity. You are of an age where you should realize that there are more important things, more real things, than searching for imaginary creatures.

That is why I must accept your invitation to go on a Crumple-Horned Snorkack in the summer. Who else would be able to keep you from the brink of insanity and teach you which creatures are real. This summer you shall learn what is real and what is not, mark my words.

Victor Krum

Ginny stared at the letter. She touched it. It was real. There was no joke about it.

"You invited him on a Crumple-Horned Snorkack hunt?"

She wasn't sure whether she should be horrified or surprised or just burst into laughter. The fact that he, the Viktor Krum, had accepted the invitation was even wilder.

"Of course," Luna said, "He must be taught that anything is possible and real if you just look hard enough."

She wasn't sure about that, but Viktor Krum would be getting some sort of lesson from Luna. One that he wouldn't soon forget. It almost made Ginny laugh.

She only managed a few soft giggles.