097. Midnight
The past few weeks had been spent with Luna Lovegood being covered in a glow of extreme happiness. Nothing could bring her down. No teacher or bully could possibly disturb her mood. She was Fred Weasley's girlfriend and everything was perfect because of that.
Well everything except for her stomach growling in the middle of the night. It was 11 something-o'clock on a Wednesday night and every other girl in her dorm was fast asleep. Luna had been asleep as well, but her stomach had started to clench and growl in hunger and she was now lying awake in bed. She had skipped dinner to study Herbology with Neville (she was still horrible at the subject) and whenever she skipped a meal it always felt like she hadn't eaten in weeks.
Sighing, Luna slipped out of bed and looked for her shoes, but they appeared to be missing. This didn't bother Luna in the least, so she just grabbed a loose cardigan, shrugged it on, and headed out of her dormitory. There was only one place where she could think of to get food so late at night and that was the school kitchen.
Security wasn't very tight around the castle that night and other than a small scare that Hermione Granger's cat was Mrs. Norris, Luna made it to the kitchen just fine. Once she tickled the picture of the pear and entered the kitchen she lit her wand and looked down at her watch. It was minutes till midnight.
There wasn't a single house-elf in sight so Luna poked around the kitchen in search of something to eat. None of the food was prepared though much to Luna's dismay. It was nice to know that all of the food they ate was fresh though. Hoisting herself up on to one of the counters she took a red apple from a fruit bowl and wiped it on her cardigan. Other than the light coming from her wand the kitchen was pitch black. It was a bit spooky and Luna found herself eating her apple much quicker than she would have liked to.
Glancing down at her watch again Luna noticed that midnight was slowly approaching. She had a big Transfiguration exam tomorrow and she needed to get as much sleep as possible. Luna was just about to get off of the counter when the door to the kitchen opened.
"Nox," Luna muttered quickly and the light from her wand instantly went out.
It appeared that she had nothing to worry about though because the person who entered the kitchen was Fred. She was about to light her wand again, but he had turned his own light on her. He didn't look surprised to see her; it was almost as if he knew she was already here.
"What are you doing down here?" Luna asked.
"I was getting a few things from the potions store room when I heard a very familiar squeal," he said as he walked toward her. "Someone thought that Hermione's fat orange cat was Mrs. Norris."
"I saw a shadow of a cat and panicked," Luna defended.
"Yeah, yeah," he said with an eye roll. "Now, what are you doing down here?"
"Hungry," she shrugged as she pointed to the apple core on the counter next to her. "What were you doing in the potions store room at midnight?"
"Getting a few things for some joke shop products," Fred explained. "What are your plans for the Hogsmeade visit this weekend?"
"I thought I was spending it with you," Luna said. "Why do you ask?"
"Well, since we're learning absolutely nothing in Umbridge's class there's going to be a meeting at the Hog's Head to start a group," Fred said. "A Defense group. You interested?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't," Luna said.
"Brilliant," he grinned.
Fred then walked toward her and placed his hands on the edge of the counter on either side of her. Even though Luna was sitting on the counter he was still much taller than her. Now that she thought about it he was a good foot or so taller than her.
"Our height differences intrigue me," Luna said as she placed a hand on the back of his head and the other on one of his forearms.
"So you like it that I'm so tall?" he asked as he brushed his nose against hers and lowered his eyelids.
"Mm," Luna hummed in confirmation, leaning toward him slightly so that their lips were just barely touching.
"Good thing Neville Longbottom's shorter than me, huh?" he mused.
He was just about to kiss her completely when she moved away from him quickly and he kissed the air instead. Opening his eyes Fred looked at Luna quizzically while she just stared at him looking utterly dumbfounded.
"What does Neville have to do with anything?" she asked.
"I was just making a joke," Fred chuckled. "I know you would never like him over me no matter how much he likes you."
"He likes me as a friend," Luna stated. "I like him as a friend. We're friends, Fred."
"That's how you see it," he said.
Luna continued to stare at him confusedly and after a few moments it became obvious to Fred that she had no idea what he was talking about.
"He likes you, Lu," he said. "As much more than a friend, it's bloody obvious."
"You're lying," Luna said quickly as she got off of the counter and walked toward the door.
"No, I'm not," Fred argued.
"Has he directly told you that he's… interested in me?" Luna questioned as she opened the door and stepped into the hallway.
"Well, no, but it's easy to spot," Fred said, following her out into the hall.
"How so?" Luna asked.
"He's always willing to help you with Herbology, the longing glances, the way he danced with you at the Yule Ball," he said.
"The Yule Ball?" Luna asked incredulously. "Fred, that was ages ago!"
"Lower your voice," Fred said hastily. "It's midnight, someone will hear us."
She couldn't have cared less about how loud she was talking. Her head was spinning with what he was telling her. There was no way one of her best friends could like her like Fred liked her.
"I don't believe you," Luna said.
"You should," Fred said. "He wants you, Luna."
Luna felt her face heat instantly. The fact that Fred was saying that someone else wanted her was embarrassing and unsettling at the same time. Her feelings for Neville were strictly friendship only feelings and she couldn't see that changing into something more. Maybe Fred was just being extra cautious. Neville had always looked after her and Fred was just taking it the wrong way. Still, she needed to say something to put his mind at ease; it was obvious that he had been thinking about this for a while.
"I only want you," Luna said, taking one of his hands. "Just you."
"It's not you I'm worried about," he said. "Longbottom isn't exactly the type to go after a girl with or without a boyfriend attached, but what if some other bloke comes along?"
"I highly doubt that, Fred," Luna said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm hardly desirable."
"You don't give yourself nearly enough credit," Fred said shaking his head. "I desire you. Every second of every day I desire you."
He was closing in on her now and Luna felt her heart begin to flutter. It was in times like these that it was so evident of the age gap between them. Of the experience gap. In these situations he always knew the exact thing to say to get her heart racing, while she just stood there feeling ridiculously young and virginal.
"Fred, it's midnight, I need sleep," Luna opposed as she took a large step backwards.
Sighing and running a hand through his short hair, Fred walked toward her and took her hand in his.
"I'll walk you back to Ravenclaw Tower," he offered.
"You don't have to," Luna said as she took her hand out of his and began to walk down the hallway.
After she was a considerable distance in front of him Luna turned back around to see him looking a little offended.
"You can, however, walk me to Gryffindor Tower," she said. "I always sleep better in your bed with you than I do alone in mine."
Luna could just make out the beginnings of a wicked grin as she turned around to continue down the hall. Well, she knew what to say sometimes.
