Bring Back The Sun
09. Slight Surprises
It's all for you
You got me where you want
It's all for you
Just stop breaking my heart
-"All For You"
"I think it's adorable how you protect your little sister, Ronald," Luna said from her position on the floor; her wand was now tucked behind an ear and she was gazing placidly at Ron, her fingers laced together in her lap.
Ron looked away from where he'd been staring outside, at the bushes. "Er, thanks."Hermione cleared her throat. "Luna's an only child, aren't you Luna."
"Yes, I am," Luna replied blandly. "I find large families, like Ronald's, fascinating."
Ron's eyebrows narrowed. "Do you."
"I've always wanted to be a part of one."
Ron's mouth dropped open, and he glanced at Hermione to make sure he didn't need his hearing checked; she was giggling behind her hand, but tried to pretend she was coughing.
"Do you want to go for a walk, Luna?" Ron asked, clearing his throat several times because suddenly his voice had become very high pitched.
Luna's face lit up with delight. "Will we be monitoring the bushes to make sure your sister and Harry aren't doing anything indecent?"
Hermione giggled loudly; Ron tugged at the collar of his shirt. "Er, no. I was just thinking we might go for a walk. Just a walk."
Luna nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love that!"
She bounced up off the floor, wrapped her hand around Ron's arm, and dragged him towards the front door.
"Have fun, you two!" Hermione called, stifling her giggles.When Ron returned, his face was so red that he might have been mistaken for a beetroot, and his ears were even more red, making him resemble some sort of angry chipmunk. Luna had a besotted sort of face, and floated around as if walking on air. It didn't take Sherlock Holms to figure out what was going on. But it did take Hermione.
"Finally," she huffed, turning a page in her book.
"Finally what?" Harry asked from the floor, where he'd been reading a book about Quidditch; Ginny was above him in an armchair, a sketchbook in her lap.
"Ron and Luna," Hermione answered obviously, gesturing towards the stairs, where Ron had just disappeared to; Luna was floating around in the kitchen, presumably.
"What about them?" Harry questioned, craning his neck around to get a good look at the staircase.
"Did you notice Ron's red face?"
"No."
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "Boys."
"No kidding. He wouldn't know anything had happened if it hit him in the face," Ginny commented, squinting at her drawing.
"Yes, we see you," Ginny replied evenly, not looking at him.
"Luna and Ron?" Harry repeated blankly, as if he was just catching on.
"Yes!" Ginny and Hermione yelled simultaneously.
Luna appeared in the doorway, then, drinking from a glass. "I'm going to bed," she announced dreamily. "Good night."
"Night," the three of them responded in the same stoic tones.
"Will nothing ever be the same again?" Harry stated, throwing his hands up in the air.
"God, I hope not," Ginny remarked, laughing.