This chapter is a little hectic, with all that's being said and done at the same time, so I hope you'll all be able to understand it… Luna has always been my favorite character to read, but now I'm realizing that she's also my favorite character to write! She's just so fun and random! Maybe once I'm done with this story, I'll write one about Luna.

"Alwyn, Patricia."

"Which house do you think you'll be sorted into?" Colin asked, leaning over and whispering to Ginny.

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Well, my whole family's been in Gryffindor, so I suppose that's where I'll end up…" she replied. "Usually families end up getting sorted into the same houses, you see. Gryffindor is for the brave of heart."

"Ayson, Tyler."

"My daddy says that they shouldn't really be depending on a hat to sort us into our houses," Luna said, not taking her eyes off of the Sorting Hat. "He says scarves are much more reliable… It has a nicer sound to it, too. The Sorting Scarf. It's a poetic device, the alliteration…"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"I still don't see Harry anywhere… do you think something happened to him?" Colin whispered, scanning the Gryffindor table with his camera at the ready.

"Banks, Adam."

"If he's with Ron, then yes, I'm sure they both got into trouble somehow," Ginny muttered. "I just hope Harry's not hurt."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"…and then there's the onomatopoeia. That's a nice word, don't you think? Onomatopoeia. Aw-noe-mah-toe-pee-ah," Luna murmured, rambling on about poetic devices.

"Calland, Cassandra."

"How does the Sorting Hat know which house to put you into?" Colin asked, getting nervous as McGonagall drew closer to his name.

"I said, Calland Cassandra."

"I don't know, it was charmed a really long time ago," Ginny whispered in reply as a ditzy young girl stumbled up to the Sorting Hat. She was starting to become annoyed by all of Colin's questions, but he was a Muggleborn, after all. He couldn't be expected to know these things.

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Metaphor. Met-a-for. Hmm…" Luna murmured dreamily.

"Creevey, Colin."

The name rang throughout the Great Hall for a second, and Colin stepped forward, anxious to get his Sorting over with. Then he felt a tugging at his robes, and turned around to see Ginny standing there.

"Your camera, Colin!" she hissed.

"Oh, yeah," he said, and a thousand nervous butterflies blossomed in his stomach as he handed it over to Ginny. He heard a few titters from the other first years, and he blushed a light shade of pink, hurrying up to the stool, where he sat down and waited.

When the Sorting Hat dropped over his eyes, everything went dark, and eerily quiet. It was as if the Sorting Hat had simply sucked all of the light and sound out of the air, replacing it with the malodorous smell of ancient, leathery fabric.

Hmmm, you'll be any easy one to sort, croaked an old voice that seemed to come from everywhere. Hardworking, and very persistent as well. You, my boy, are a perfect specimen of Hufflepuff. So, in that case,-

"No!" Colin shouted, then he realized that he'd said it out loud. The whole Great Hall could hear him. Trying his best not to think about the giggles from the crowd, mostly because he doubted his face could go any pinker without exploding, he repeated silently, No. Ginny's words echoed in his head…"Well, my whole family's been in Gryffindor, so I suppose that's where I'll end up…Gryffindor is for the brave of heart…"

Er, what about Gryffindor? he asked the Sorting Hat.

Gryffindor? the hat croaked. Hmm, you are determined… yes, you could be in Gryffindor, but I believe Hufflepuff is a better fit-

Colin interrupted, I'd like to be in Gryffindor, please. Then he fell silent, leaving the rest for the Sorting Hat to decide.

…Well, you do have potential in Gryffindor… the Sorting Hat mused, mulling it over for a few seconds. Well, I suppose if it's your preference.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Grinning from ear to ear (whether it was from relief or pride, even he couldn't tell; maybe a mixture of both) Colin retrieved his camera from a smiling Ginny, hurried down the steps, and plopped down at the Gryffindor table as "Dunham, Robert"made his way up to the stool.

And as soon as he sat down, he whipped out his camera and snapped a photo of the Sorting Hat.

Yes, I know the romance part is moving very slowly, don't worry, it'll pick up in the next chapter. But don't be expecting too much drama in the romance department. Remember, this is just a crush story, which is why you'll notice that I labeled the first Genre as Friendship and the second Genre as Romance.

Please, Please, review! Constructive criticism is very much appreciated, as always.

Chapter Three will probably be up in a week or so. Until then, Colin says goodbye. :)