A/N: Keep in mind that none of these connect. I just write them down in the same file whenever I have an idea. Once I posted them, I write some in the next. Three this time around.
The Blood of a happy Cowlick
The spring at Hogwarts always came by so fast. Too fast for one of the students. Harry had, just yesterday in fact, built a castle of snow in their transfiguration lesson and today, not 24 hours later, the sun was shining and the meadows glowed in the shine of springs magic, not an ounce of snow in sight.
Harry, wrapped in a warm and heavy winter cloak and his trusty mittens, cursed. "Bugger."
Miffed that he could not finish his creation, Harry turned on the spot and ran into a little first year. Well, little was a bit of a stretch since he himself wasn't exactly tall for his age. Still, the blonde girl with the wide silver eyes was shorter than him. She fell backwards with a squeak of exertion, the pot she carried apparently quite heavy and Harry just so managed to levitate her and the strange plant she carried.
"You okay?" Harry asked the girl that was nearly parallel to the floor, heels still on the ground while her head was but a few inches away from the castle floor.
She giggled. "This is fun!" she said, pushing the pot up. It floated a little before returning to her. She giggled again. "It's like being held by Nargles!"
Confused, Harry pushed her upright again but she just let herself fall forward as well, until the pot touched down and she was softly floating back up again. She laughed, twirling herself in Harry's magic, she performed an impromptu dance for him and the green eyed boy found himself mesmerized by the way her hair floated all around her like a cloud of milky gold. His concentration broke and she touched ground, pouting at him.
"Why would you do that, Harry Potter?" she asked, somewhat upset and dreamy at the same time. "I was having fun!"
"Erm... I'm sorry...?"
She shook her head, hair swishing about like a veil of white gold. "Luna. Luna Lovegood," she introduced herself. "It is quite alright. Though I would be very thankful if you could help me plant this ward." She indicted to the pot she had carried. Harry peered at what most likely a radish. An orange one, but a radish still.
"A dirigible plum," Luna explained, patting the green gently, "You see, the castle has a terrible Nargle infestation. All of my things seem to have been taken by them."
"Your things?" Harry asked, frowning, "They have been taken?"
Luna nodded, still patting the plant as if it were a puppy. "Why yes. Just yesterday all of shoes went missing."
Glancing down, Harry found that her feet were indeed bare. "Socks too?"
"Yes, quite. Mischievous things, these Nargles," Luna said, wriggling her toes.
Harry frowned. Even though it was spring now, the castle was still cold. Just yesterday there had been snow! "Why would they take your stuff?"
Luna shrugged, attempting to lift the pot once more. "It's what Nargles do. Steal your stuff and generally being a nuisance. Hmmgh! Phew..." She looked up at Harry. "Do you mind?"
With a wave of his hand, the pot gently lifted into the air. Luna was still hanging onto it and because the spell intended to lift the object off the ground and Luna was connected to both the pot and the ground, the pot rose higher and higher until it also lifted Luna off the ground. Her expression was absolutely non comical as if she had planned on that all along. She turned her head towards Harry and raised an eyebrow.
Harry resisted the urge to snicker at the picture of having Luna dangle there underneath her pot. "Where to?" he decided to ask.
Luna nodded her head towards the stone construct that stood up up the slope that oversaw Hagrid's hut. Having nothing better to do, Harry walked ahead, levitating the giggling Luna and her pot behind him. Judging by the hole that had obviously been dug there before, Luna was at this for some time now. She let go and skipped over to the hole and pointed excitedly at it.
"Right here! Right here!" she said, giggling a little.
"With the pot?" Harry inquired.
She shook her head vigorously. "Yes! The pot is important! There are runes inside that evokes the ward."
Harry seriously doubted that runes drawn by a first year could have any effect aside from blowing up. Then again, the pot was yet whole so maybe she had learned them beforehand from someone. Levitating the pot into the designated hole under Luna's intense gaze, Harry wondered if they would get into trouble for this. He wasn't sure if there were any rules against setting up wards like that but there surely weren't any that said you could.
As Luna smoothed out the strange looking earth around the plant, she hummed tonelessly to herself. Harry found himself watching how the sun reflected in her blonde locks, how these tiny dimples appeared when she smiled and how her eyes shone with wonder, holding a depth he could probably never understand. She was, he had to admit, quite beautiful for what he assumed to be a fourteen year old. While he studied a little birthmark that was just underneath her left ear, he suddenly found himself face to face with her, noses touching.
His heart stopped for a moment as her big silvery eyes seemed to look right through him, deeply into his very soul. "Y-Yes?" he stammered eventually.
"Cowlick," she stated, probably having said that already while he had been beholding her.
He tilted his head but refused to break skin contact. "Cowlick?" he parroted.
Luna tilted her head as well, also not breaking skin contact. "Yes. The blood of a happy cowlick."
Harry opened his mouth only to close it again. Fuck? "You... I mean... a cowlick... isn't that...?"
She smiled serenely at him. "Bed hair. But I need a cowlick specifically. Yours for example."
His hand went up to smooth his hair down almost automatically and he would have fixed his hair if not for the fact that Luna caught his hand in hers. "Don't!" she chided lightly, "I told you, I need it's blood!"
"I... didn't know hair could bleed," Harry said, moving his hand down with hers still attached to it.
"Oh but it can't, silly!" she giggled, "But a happy cowlick can!"
"Aha." Well, not really a choice aside from accepting it. Right?
"So now, we have to make it happy!"
Harry's brows furrowed. "And... how?" he dared to ask.
She smiled dreamily at him and took a step back, Harry barely kept himself from following after her. "Well, bed hair is always happy when waking up besides someone they love! And a cowlick is happy when you are being held by someone special!" She threw both her hands (and his right) up in the air. "So now we have to find someone special for you! Any ideas?"
"Uhm... I... no?" he stammered. These were some pretty intimate questions. Not that he actually had someone he would be happy being held by. Well... His eyes focused on Luna and wandered up and down. Hm, that could be something to make him happy. Aside from the physical appeal, listening to Luna was strangely calming and he found himself smiling at her.
"Hmm," Luna hummed, "Then we have to find you someone! I'll help. Come on!" And so Harry, still dressed for a snowstorm, was dragged back towards the school to find someone that could make his cow lick bleed.
He shrugged mentally. Stranger things had happened. Still, he wondered if the search might proved fruitless, seeing as he quite liked holding Luna's hand.
Even if it was through his mittens.
Madness
Left. Right. Left. Right. Stop.
"How long?"
A groan. "A minute since the last time you asked! Sit down, dammit!"
Left. Right. Left. Right. Stop.
"How-"
Jumping to his feet, Ron Weasley grabbed his best friend by the shoulders and shoved his nervous ass into the next chair. "I swear to Merlin, if you ask me one more time I will rat you out to Luna and she won't let you hold the baby!"
Harry looked aghast. "You wouldn't!"
"Try me!" Ron spat back, "You are driving me crazy here!"
"You!?" Harry asked in disbelief, "You crazy!? My wife is in there, giving birth to my child for-"
"Three minutes," Ron supplied dryly.
"That is not the point!" Harry countered.
Ron sighed. "Will you calm down already? You faced down a dark lord and you actually spat in his face but can't be calm now?"
"BUT TOM DIDN'T GIVE BIRTH TO MY CHILD!" Harry hollered, his temper rising high.
"Woah man... I would seriously hope so," Ron said, trying to placate his best mate as the disturbing thought tried to take root in his head. "Come one, let's get you something to eat. We both know you can't do anything. It was the same with Hermione."
Harry rolled his eyes and sighed, tying to calm down. "That only works for you, you damn glutton! I can't eat a thing right now!"
Ron slapped his back hard, laughing aloud. "Oh it'll work alright! Let me tell you what you told me: You freaking out isn't going do the child any good. Especially if you suffer a stroke before it is even born."
"God, you're right!" Harry exclaimed, shocked at the revelation, "Quick! A calming draught!" With that, Harry jogged up to the next sister who had been glaring at him ever since they were thrown out of the labor room.
Ron shook his head and massaged his temples. "Oh man... this is madness. Was I that bad when Hugo was born last year?"
Wrackspurt Charms
"Who is going to dance with you, Potter?"
Harry flinched when Professor McGonagall's voice stopped his nervous musings. He looked around the classroom and found himself isolated in the very center of the room. The only other boy who didn't seem to have a dance partner to practice with was Neville.
"I... I don't seem to have one, Professor," Harry admitted, though it was more like stating the obvious.
"So it seems, Mister Potter," his head of house said with a barely audible sigh. She wasn't really surprised. The whole school seemed to have it set in their heads to antagonize Harry as a whole. Therefore it came with no surprise that no one would step up to be his dance partner. "Is there anyone from the other years or houses you can think of?" she asked.
Frowning in thought, Harry asked, "I can invite younger students, too?"
The Professor nodded. "Indeed, mister Potter. Even though only fourth year and above are allowed to attend, if you, as a champion, decide to bring someone from third year we will accept that."
Harry nodded. "Then can I bring Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw?" he asked.
Luna, as it was, had been the only other student to really talk to him since his name had come out of that accursed goblet. He met her by chance as he had been sulking down by the black lake and they just talked for what felt like forever. He even went Nargle hunting with her once and had promised to do so again once Nargle season was upon them again. Which was Christmas, by the way.
And when Luna admitted that her shoes had all vanished, Harry had gotten them back with the summoning spell he became oh so proficient with after the first task. He despised bullies with a vengeance and stealing things from his friend... he wouldn't stand for it. That had also been the first time he had formally challenged someone for a duel, not counting the trophy room incident. Some fifth year Ravenclaw wouldn't give Luna's jackets back so Harry forced him to return them after he throttled that arrogant prick in a duel. Ever since, professor Flitwick had been more on the lookout and had given Harry lessons on dueling. Luna was, of course, happy that her things had been returned to her and reward Harry with a kiss on the cheek. A charm, she had claimed.
That had been about two days prior and ever since, Harry could not get Luna out of his head.
Professor McGonagall smiled knowingly down at Harry. She was not surprised and would have brought the girl here anyways if Harry wouldn't have picked anyone. She and Fillius had gotten quite the wake up call when they found out just how badly Miss Lovegood had been treated.
"Of course," she assured her student, "Miss Lovegood will be here shortly. Wait here while I fetch her."
While Harry waited for Luna, he watched as the other pairs shuffled awkwardly to the music, stepping on toes and hissing in distaste while some girl simply seemed delighted at the opportunity to dance. He wondered if he could make Luna laugh like that. He didn't want to step on her toes, really not, but Harry had never danced before. Hopefully Luna wouldn't be angry at him for calling her in like that. Then again, Luna never was angry. Only ever sad or just... vacant.
"Hello Harry."
He couldn't help but smile when Luna sat down besides him. Her big, silvery eyes watching the others, some of them staring at her in confusion.
"Hey Luna," Harry greeted her, "The Nargles still bothering you?"
She shook er head and smiled. "No, they have been suspiciously quite these days. I think they might be planning a revolt. They wait for their chance on Christmas when all those unsuspecting people unwittingly snog underneath a mistletoe." She brought a hand up to his cheek and Harry blinked in confusion, fighting the warmth that threatened to creep up his face. "I see my anti-Wrackspurt charm worked just fine."
"Did it?" Harry asked carefully, revling in the warmth of her skin against his.
"Why yes," Luna giggled, "your thoughts are far clearer now and focus on what is important to you!"
Harry swallowed. Yeah, focusing on you specifically... he thought. Upon seeing Professor McGonagall look sharply at him form across the room where she tried to explain to Ron why he had to hold his partner's hand, Harry coughed and offered a hand to Luna.
"We... uhm... better practice too," he proposed nervously. He was relived when Luna gladly took his hand and let herself be led to a rather spacious and empty corner of the room. Harry chalked up the vacancy to his presence there but paid it no mind. "Uhm... I don't really know how to dance," he confessed sheepishly to Luna.
"Oh, that is fine," Luna assured him, smiling dreamily, "I can show you." She took one of his hands in hers and moved the other to the small of her back before he could protest. "Now, follow my steps."
Harry nodded nervously and complied. He listened to the gentle sound of the music, watched Luna's hair sway in tact and her head bob ever so slightly with every step they took. He marveled at her delicate hands, so small in his own, marveled at how warm she was against him and once he could do the steps without much thought, he allowed his eyes to close and leaned his head onto Luna's. Maybe dancing wasn't that big of a deal after all...
The clearing of Professor McGonagall's throat brought Harry to notice that the music no longer played. Lifting his head in confusion, he looked around and found just about every other person in the room watching him and Luna, who didn't seem to notice, snuggled up against his chest as she was.
"Mr. Potter," the professor said with thinly veiled mirth in her voice, "We are practicing a classic waltz, not a slow dance."
Harry felt his ears burn as a few students snickered his way while others simply sneered at him. Not that Harry much minded those at the moment. "I'm sorry, Professor," he mumbled, with Luna still not letting go of him.
"I'm sure you are," the professor said, "Now, everyone's dismissed safe Mr. Potter here. There are things to be discussed as an official champion."
The students left in a haste, most of them glad that it was over. Minerva was not surprised that Miss Lovegood had stayed behind. "Mr. Potter," she began, "I have to inform you that you, as a champion, have to open the ball with a formal dance. For said dance, you will have to bring a date." She glanced at Luna, who stood not a step behind Harry, wondrously watching the ceiling in what appeared to be an attempt to conceal that she was listening in on the conversation. "I trust there will be no issue. Now run along, dinner will be served shortly."
A date? Having never been on or having had a date, Harry wasn't too sure how to go about this but, as Professor McGonagall said, there should be no issue. As he and Luna walked down the halls towards the great hall, he kept stealing glances at the girl walking besides him. Oh man... Could he ask her? Better yet, Who else was there to ask? In all honesty, Harry could not think of a single person he would like having with him when he had to stand through yet another event that dumped a lot of attention onto him.
With a deep breath, he abruptly stopped and turned to face Luna, but she had no longer been walking besides him, but was less than a step behind him, observing the way the Wrackspurts were slowly leaving Harry's head. She ran into him when he stopped, giggling a little.
"Yes, Harry?" she asked innocently, as she leaned against his arm.
With yet another deep breath, Harry turned to face her, causing her to turn sideways, eliciting another giggle from her and Harry couldn't help but smile. Grabbing her shoulders, he turned her to face him. She tilted her head, looking at him expectantly with her big, silver eyes.
"Luna," he began quietly, "would you... would you mind going to the yule ball with me?" He was surprised how easily the question left him. Then again, there was only Luna here and he had yet to find something that would have been awkward to tell her.
"Of course not!" she exclaimed and Harry's heart jumped thrice as fast as before, "But there is something I need to do before that."
Harry frowned thoughtfully at her. "And what would that be?"
Without any warning, Luna leaned forward and kissed his cheek, exactly where she had kissed him once before. "Perfect," she said against his skin, "Now the Wrackspurts will leave you alone."
Harry blinked nervously as his cheeks flushed red. He cleared his throat a few times but words failed him. He shook his head once, then leaned forward and returned the gesture, his lips lingering on her soft skin for just over a second.
He had never seen Luna flustered or embarrassed or in any kind of distress so Luna, flushing as if her face was on fire, was definitely new. "Thank you," she squeaked, refusing to meet his eyes. Not that he could have met hers at the moment.
"Uhm... You're welcome," Harry mumbled back. "Did.. did it work?" he asked.
"What?" Luna squeaked again, obviously having been far far away in her own mind. "Oh! I don't know..."
Harry allowed a smile and summoned to the courage to look at her again. "You know... we might have to try again."
Luna got even redder, her ears almost glowing, but she nodded and let her eyes meet his. "We might," she agreed. Then she smiled, her nervousness falling off her gradually. "We will just have to try again and again until we are certain that it works."
"Yeah," Harry agreed with a bright smile of his own. And he was determined to never find out if it actually worked or not. And he was sure that Luna didn't want to find out either.