AN: Written for QLFC Round 5 Chaser 2 for Magpies Main Prompt: Jealousy Additional prompts: Object- Pocket watch, Dialogue- "I wouldn't blame you if you hated me." Place-Flourish and Blotts
Luna Lovegood was not your ordinary witch. She was eccentric, had strange ways, and some would even call her crazy. In fact, the students at Hogwarts called her Loony.
Luna didn't mind. She was used to it. Her dad was just as strange. He taught her all he knew about Crumplehorned Snorkacks and Wrackspurts. She loved him. He was devoted to her.
Her mom had passed when she was nine and she missed her every day. She would have loved being here at Flourish and Blotts helping her shop for new books. Her mum loved to read and book shopping was one of their favorite things to do together.
Hogwarts was starting next week and everyone was scrambling to buy supplies. Luna was lost in a stack of books and looking at her silver pocket watch. One side of it had a picture of her and her mother in it. She was smiling and waving up at her. She smiled down at her and whispered, "I miss you."
Her head snapped up as she heard voices. She moved towards them as one sounded very familiar.
"Bloody hell. That woman doesn't know how to let anyone have any fun," Ron said, scowling
Luna frowned, as she tried to figure out who he was talking about.
"Ron, stop. She's your mum and she's worried," Hermione scolded. She looked to Harry for help. He just looked down at his feet, his neck going red.
"She may be our mum, Hermione but she's still a killjoy," Ginny said coming up to them. Her face set with annoyance.
"Too right," Fred and George added as they too joined the group.
Luna stayed hidden, listening to them and getting angrier and angrier. Her chest was tight and her hands were clenched.
"Good thing she doesn't know about what we get up to." Fred said, his hands in the pockets of his trousers and a devilish grin on his face.
"And what exactly is that?" Ginny quipped.
"None of your concern, little sister," George said with an impish grin.
The group began to laugh, even Hermione, though at least she looked as if she felt bad about it.
"Even still, Mrs. Weasley is your mum. She's only worried about you. All of you. She only—"
"Oh please, Hermione! Give it a rest. We know she cares. But does she have to ruin any fun we have?" Ron snapped.
Luna closed her pocket watch and stepped around the corner. Her eyes narrowed and her face flushed.
"Do you lot have any idea what I would do to have a mum to worry about me? Do you know how badly I want my mum to be here to keep me safe?" She glared at them all. Their shocked expressions made her smirk a little. "My mum is dead. Just like Harry's. It kills me when I see a mother and her child together. To see her smiling, happy to clean dirt from their face, or kiss their scraped knee? To watch as she waves goodbye at the station. It makes me so jealous of what other people have."
Luna's usually bright, silvery-blue eyes were now cold and full of anger. Her hand was clenched around her pocket watch so tightly that her knuckles were white. "You're all standing here, complaining about your mother and how she ruins your fun. Well you know what, I would give anything to have my mother here to ruin my fun. To have her tell me to study or to write me letters at school. To care enough to send a howler if I did something dangerous and stupid. So how dare you take your mum for granted?! How dare you complain about how much she loves you?!" Her face crumpled as she deflated. All the anger that had kept her going through her tirade had suddenly evaporated. She felt tired and completely worn out. "Shame on you." She took a deep breath as the tears finally spilled over, "Shame on all of you." Luna took one last look at the group and then she ran out the door and down the street a little ways.
Luna found a quiet corner and sobbed. She clutched the pocket watch to her chest and rocked back and forth. She could hear footsteps and then someone, Hermione, softly said her name.
She felt two sets of arms wrap around her and she smiled. Looking up, she saw Hermione and Ginny. The boys stood back, giving her space. She was grateful for that. She wasn't upset that she had said what she did, but she did feel bad for being so abrupt.
After a moment, Fred walked over and stooped down to her level as he looked her in the eye. "I'm really sorry, Luna. Sometimes we forget that not everyone has what we have. Are you alright?"
She smiled at him and nodded. "I'm sorry, too. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me. Especially after that outburst."
"We don't hate you, Luna," Ron said kindly.
"Of course not. You're our friend," Ginny smiled warmly, hugging her a little tighter.
"Thank you, Ginny."
Ginny stood, pulling Luna up with her. "Why don't we go and finish getting our books. Maybe then we can go for a sundae at Fortescue's?"
"That sounds nice. Thank you." Luna smiled. Her usual brightness still subdued but coming back bit by bit.
"Uh, Luna?" Harry said, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. Luna turned to him with a soft smile. Her radish earrings swung as her head turned.
"Yes, Harry?"
"Could I talk to you a moment?"
"Yes."
"You guys go on ahead. We'll catch up in a minute," he told the others.
Ginny, Hermione, and her brothers walked away and left Harry and Luna alone. He gave her a smile and rubbed the back of his neck. He was unsure of what to say. He knew he didn't like talking about his parents but sometimes it helped to talk and he wanted to offer that to Luna.
"Luna, I— I know it's hard to talk about her, but erm, if you ever do, you know, want to talk, I'm here. I don't really remember my mum, but I know what it's like to be without one when most everyone else doesn't."
"Thank you, Harry." She smiled, her eyes taking on their normal dreamy state.
"You're welcome, Luna." He smiled at her. Clearly glad that this conversation was behind them. It's always awkward talking to Luna but this was something else. Something personal. He turned to walk away but noticed she wasn't following him. He stopped and turned back around with an inviting smile.
"Let's go get an ice cream," he said.
She gave him her best dreamy smile and started walking. "Have I told you that father has discovered a new breed of Nargules?"