Chapter 21: Illogical Loony Lovegood
Hermione sat outside in the backyard, sitting on a fallen tree, staring at the long grass as it swayed in the chilly December air. It was very nearly close to Christmas now and the clouds were looking like they just might give off the first snowfall of the season.
The fight with Adalie and Hermione's confession was still fresh in everyone's mind. Harry and Ron had tried to talk to Hermione but every time they mentioned the word "witch" or "magic", she'd immediately shut down.
Hermione was still cross with Ron about the whole Adalie situation. Even now, as Ron is starting to try and compliment her more and making her feel wonderful, she can't get Adalie's voice out of her head. "Who was there when he was nursing his broken heart?" She didn't know how much longer she could last like this. More and more each day, Hermione would sink deeper and deeper into a dark depression that would envelope her entire being. Sometimes she could hardly remember how to smile. She just wanted things to go back to the way they were before any of this happened. She didn't want to feel this way anymore. She didn't want to be alone.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" said someone behind her. Hermione turned and saw Luna standing there, staring at her pleasantly. Hermione, for once, was glad it was Luna and not anyone else. Ever since that day, everyone has been acting so happy around her, it felt fake to her. Even Ginny, who had hardly made eye contact, realizing her mistake of not telling Hermione about Ron's decisions to not continue with school, let alone talked with Hermione, seemed so out of character.
Hermione realized how long she was staring at Luna without answering her. She shook her head lightly, pushing her bangs out of her eyes.
"Sure. Sorry Luna. I lost my train of thought." Hermione apologized softly. Luna sat down beside her, staring out at the grass too.
"No, that's quite alright. Did the Wrackspurts get to you?" Luna asked her. Hermione turned to stare at the side of her face.
"…I'm sorry, the what?"
"Wrackspurts. They're invisible creatures that float around your brain and make your mind go fuzzy. I thought you would've known what they were, seeing as you read so many different books." Said Luna dreamily, still gazing out at the grass. Hermione bit her lip, feeling unnatural. She felt…normal. Not uncomfortable, like she usually felt these days. She even felt a bit of her old, know-it-all self return for a moment.
"…That sounds utterly ridiculous." Hermione said, her voice turning slightly sharper. Luna didn't seem to notice the difference in tones.
"I don't think so. I think it sounds illogical." Luna said quietly.
"Exactly," she turned in her seat to face her a little more as Luna continued to stare at the swaying field of grass. "If it's so illogical, why do you say things like that?" She inquired curiously. Luna sighed, as though this was going to take a long time to explain to her. Luna turned to look at Hermione with a calm expression on her face.
"Why do you not like illogical thoughts?" Luna asked back.
"It's not that I don't like them. It's that I think they're a waste of a thought." Hermione told her. Luna didn't answer her for a moment. Instead, she stared out at the field again, her long silvery blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze.
"…Do you think that flowers are illogical?" Luna inquired. Hermione was confused.
"No? Why would I think such a thing?" Hermione asked.
"Because flowers are as illogical as they come. Think about it. They start out as a seed, correct?" Luna said.
"Yes."
"And they grow, without being told, without needing instruction. Am I right?" She asked. Hermione nodded.
"Yes."
"And in the winter, they wilt and die. Right?" Luna said. Again, Hermione nodded.
"Then what else do I need to say about flowers being illogical?" Luna inquired, looking at her. Hermione's eyebrows raised in further confusion.
"…I don't get it." she said simply. Luna sighed again, as though she was having such a hard time getting her to understand something so simple.
"Hermione, can you explain, in a logical way, why the rain falls?" Luna asked.
"Er…no. I can't." she answered truthfully.
"So, does that mean the rain is illogical?" Luna said quietly. Hermione looked at her, incredulous.
"No? Why would the rain be illogical?" Hermione asked, so confused.
"Because it can't be explained." Said Luna simply. "It's like…liking chocolate. You like chocolate, I assume?"
"Yes, very much so. Who doesn't like chocolate?"
"That's irrelevant," Luna stated. "Why do you like chocolate?"
"Because it's… tasty?" Hermione said, still not sure where she was getting at, but getting closer.
"Yes, but why is it tasty?" Luna asked.
"Well, it's made up of some of my favorite things." Hermione said.
"And why do you like those favorite things that are in chocolate?" She asked.
"…Because…they're tasty." She said, so dizzy with confusion. Luna nodded.
"And why are they tasty?" Luna asked.
"…Because…" Hermione couldn't finish the sentence. Luna nodded, as though she was getting somewhere.
"Exactly. You see, you don't know why you like chocolate because it cannot be explained. You don't know why the rain falls when it does because it cannot be explained by a logical mind. Sometimes, Hermione, you just have to like things for what they are and you don't have to look into it like a science experiment." Luna said knowledgably.
"But…how does chocolate and rain and flowers have to do with whether Wrackspurts are real or not?" Hermione asked slowly.
"Can you tell me that Wrackspurts aren't real? Can you tell me that they don't exist? Do you have proof that they are a myth?" Luna inquired. Hermione looked at her shrewdly.
"Of course not! But why should I prove that? Do you expect me to go around with a fishnet, looking for something that's invisible?" Déjà vu. Hermione remembered having this argument with Luna's father a while ago. She closed her mouth.
"Hermione, just try to imagine something. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for illogical things. No one can explain how a human is made. I mean, sure, they can try to explain how the sperm and egg meet," Luna added when she saw Hermione's face. "But you can't explain how the sperm knows how to find the egg. You just can't. It's not possible. So, why try?" Luna asked. Hermione thought about that for a moment.
"…To find out how it works." Hermione said quietly.
"And what do you gain from that?" Luna asked.
"…Knowledge." Hermione said simply. Luna nodded.
"So, you're saying that you want to learn everything about the world and gain all the knowledge about everything and everyone?" Luna said for clarification. Hermione looked at her with big eyes.
"I want to learn all I can in the time I have, yes. I know I'll never learn everything-,"
"Hermione, some things aren't meant to be figured out," Luna told her softly, her face kind, gentle. "Some things are meant to be left out of the picture. It's okay that you don't know why but that's what makes life sparkle. The unknown is so comforting. Haven't you ever heard the saying "Ignorance is bliss"?" Luna asked her. Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "Don't you think it's better to not know some things? Don't you think you can do without knowing why for every situation?" She inquired. It finally clicked. Hermione finally understood.
"…Yes." Was all she said. Luna smiled, seeing the light in her eyes.
"You see? Being illogical isn't so hard." Luna said lightly. Hermione felt a smile come to her face. She looked at Luna and laughed slightly, not able to believe that she was actually having this conversation with someone like Luna Lovegood and that she wasn't blowing up at her.
Hermione's smile and laughter faded as quickly as it had appeared. She was back to thinking about Ron and Adalie again. Luna saw her eyes, seeing how troubled she was.
"…I don't know what to do." Hermione said quietly, looking out at the grass again, feeling the cool air against her cheek. "…I feel like I'm losing him." At that moment, Hermione didn't care that she didn't make any sense and, to Luna, it didn't matter. She understood perfectly.
"Hermione, life is too short to worry about losing someone. You need to show them how much they actually matter to you. If fate is smiling on you and Ron, it'll work out…if it doesn't…well, at least you'll know that it wasn't meant to be and that there's someone else waiting for you out there." Luna told her, smiling. Hermione looked at her, interested in that.
"How do you know that?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Greek mythology states that it was said that people were first made with four arms, four legs and two heads but Zeus, fearing their power over him, split them in half and condemning them to live the rest of their lives trying to find their other half. I strongly believe this is true." Luna smiled. Hermione smiled back. She was suddenly filled with inspiration. What was she thinking? This wasn't just about a crush or whether Ron was hers or not. This was about finding her other half. If Ron was destined to be hers, then he would be.
"Thanks Luna. You helped more than you know." She leaned down and hugged her tightly before running inside. She saw Ron sitting in the living room, polishing his broom with a special type of oil his mother got him for Christmas. He heard the door close behind her and looked up. Any trace of a smile was gone from his lips. He looked at her and tried a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Hermione. What're you doing?" Ron asked. He'd noticed how odd her face looked.
Hermione strode over to Ron, taking his cloth and broomstick away rom him. She set it on the table and pulled him up. Without a word, she kissed him full on, right on the lips, letting the passion leak into the steamy kiss.
In the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was washing dishes. She heard her son say Hermione's name and then nothing else. She peeked out of the kitchen and saw them snogging in her living room. A smile lit her face as she stood there for a moment, then ducked back inside to give them the privacy they deserved.
After a moment, Hermione pulled back, just an inch, to look Ron in the eye. He looked shocked and, frankly, quite happier than he'd been all week.
"I'm sorry Ron," Hermione whispered. "…I'm sorry I didn't trust you. I'm sorry I didn't trust your judgement. From now on, I'll think before blowing up on you like that, okay? I'm sorry." She apologized. It was heartfelt and Ron could sense that. "If you'll let me…I'd love to try again. I promise I won't be as wound tight as I normally am. I just…I realized that I don't want to lose you because of my pride." Hermione said. Ron looked at how sincere she was and smiled brightly. He kissed her forehead.
"I'm sorry too, Mione. But I promise something. I promise that I'll stay as true to you as ever, okay? Adalie is just a stupid girl. Like Lavender. I don't care about her." Ron told her honestly. Hermione beamed at him.
"I love you." she kissed him for a moment.
"I love you too." Ron returned it, smiling.
The door opened. Harry and Ginny walked in, hand in hand. They stopped to look when they saw Hermione and Ron in one another's arms. They grinned at one another.
Hermione turned around and ran to Ginny, hugging her tightly.
"I'm sorry I was such a complete nutter." She said as she hugged Ginny. Ginny burst out laughing, embracing her back.
"I'm sorry for being such a horrible friend." She apologized back, a smile on her face. Harry watched them with a grin on his face. He gave a subtle thumbs up to Ron before Hermione flung herself on him too, apologizing.
"I'm sorry, Harry. I shouldn't have treated you that way. It was stupid of me. Completely ridiculous, in fact." Hermione said. She pulled back and gave them a smile.
"Don't worry about it," Harry told her with the grin still implanted on his face. Hermione pulled back to look at them all
"I'm sorry. I promise I'll try to be more open minded about things and not jump to conclusions as much." Hermione vowed.
"Blimey Harry, the world's coming to an end again." Ron said, clapping Harry on the back as he laughed loudly.
Mrs. Weasley walked in the room, pretending not to have heard it at all. She smiled at them.
"Well, this seems like a happy bunch! Did we work things out?" She asked, like she didn't already know. Hermione beamed.
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley, we did." She said as Ron came over and out an arm around her.
"Well, that's wonderful, my dear! I'm so happy you're all mature enough to handle all of this without adult help." She said.
"Mum, we basically are adults." Ron added, looking at her sheepishly. Mrs. Weasley came forward and kissed her son, having to reach on tip toe to do so.
"I know dear, but you'll always be my little Ronald." She said in a silky sweet motherly way. Ron permitted her to pinch his cheeks and then she turned around to look at Luna and Neville, who just came through the door, holding hands and smiling. "Oh, there you are! Thanks so much for coming, both of you."
Hermione's eyes narrowed slightly. "You mean...you got Luna to come?" she asked. Mrs. Weasley smiled at Hermione mischievously and gave a "who needs to know?" shrug before turning back into the kitchen.
Ron took Hermione's hand and led her upstairs to her room. As soon as the door was closed, Hermione's lips were on his, kissing him passionately. Ron seemed to have no objections or complaints. He kissed her back, pulling her close. When they pulled away, he stroked her cheek.
"Promise me you'll never do that to me." Ron said. Hermione raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Never do what to you?" She inquired. Ron grinned and pinched Hermione's cheeks gently. She giggled, blushing.
"Become my mother. That's what." Said Ron through chuckles. Hermione sighed and ran her hand through his orange hair.
"I promise. We're very different people." Hermione stated. Ron gave her a shrug.
"I've noticed some similarities between the two of you. Like, when you're angry at me, you always say "Ronald!" the same way she does. Or how you get this look on your face every time I'm goofing off." Ron said. Hermione slapped his arm, trying to look as serious as possible before her expression broke into a smile and she laughed.
"Seriously! I will not turn into your mother! It's never going to happen." Hermione said strongly. Ron grinned at her.
"Never say never." He stated simply. Hermione smirked.
"Oh, just kiss me already." She said with a cute smile on her face. Ron obliged her order willingly, pulling her close and kissing her softly as the wind blew through the open window into their room, signaling the beginning of a winter chill in the soft fall air.