Chapter 3
"Mr. Potter,"
"Mr. Potter!" Harry's eyes flipped open as Professor McGonagall scowled at him. "Dazing off again, I see,"
He rubbed his eyes and looked at a large silver board, where McGonagall had words appearing constantly. He picked up his glasses, which he had apparently taken off, and put them back on his nosebridge. The room came into focus.
"Now, Mr. Potter, I believe you are well enough to tell me what we are learning this year?" McGonagall peered at him through her spectacles. Harry hated it when she did that.
"Er. . ." Harry looked at Ron, who mouthed a word, and then returned his gaze to McGonagall and said matter-of-factly, "apparating."
"One point to Gryffindor, for Mr. Weasley's attentiveness. Next time, Mr. Potter, I believe we've cleared that you are to pay attention?" Harry nodded in return to this remark.
Professor McGonagall went on for quite a while talking about apparating, but Harry and Ron made good use of it. They played Quidditch with a small crumpled paper which they'd enchanted. They sat in the back, so McGonagall didn't notice. Harry looked around the room, and was suddenly very thankful he was a sixth-year Gryffindor, because Luna was a fifth-year Ravenclaw and had none of the same classes with him until astronomy.
The bell rang for class to end. Hermione waited for them at the door, and the trio walked into the brightly lit hallway. They walked for a moment, and Ron was the first to speak.
"Er, Hermione, you got a letter. . ." Hermione's face brightened.
"From who?"
Ron hesitated, trying to contain himself. "Fr-from. . . from. . ."
But Hermione was growing impatient. "Don't be silly, Ron, just tell me!"
Ron didn't bother to contain himself anymore. "WHO ELSE BUT KRUM!!" He took a different turn, leaving Hermione and Harry alone.
"Sorry," Harry didn't know why, but he felt he had to apologize.
"It's okay, I'm used to it," Hermione sighed. "I just hate it when he talks bad about him,"
Harry couldn't help but think truly what a hypocrit she was. She talked rudely about Luna all the time.
"You know, Hermione, he really can't help it," Harry's voice cracked.
"Of course he can!" Hermione's eyes twinkled in the light. "What would you know about it anyway, you've never been in love or anything,"
Harry was about to speak up when Hermione corrected herself. "Besides Cho Chang, but Harry, that was just a crush!" Harry couldn't help but agree with her on that part. But she didn't know about Luna.
"Maybe, but I've been through a lot of other things,"
". . . which we always helped you with," Hermione meant this with good conscience, but Harry blew his top again.
"I THOUGHT WE CLARIFIED THIS LAST YEAR! WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?! ME! WHO RESCUED GINNY FROM THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS? ME! EVERYTHING WAS DONE BY ME, HERMIONE! THE DEMENTORS, THE TOURNAMENT-- DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE I WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS?! DO YOU?! DO YOU TRULY THINK THAT I WANTED TO WATCH MY OWN GODFATHER DIE?! DO YOU, HERMIONE?!" Harry finally stopped to take a breath, and Hermione looked as if she were about to break out in tears, not unlike the last time Harry had done this.
"H-Harry, I-I didn't think--"
"Yeah, Hermione, you didn't think!" Then, like Ron, Harry marched up the stairway, leaving Hermione's tear-stained face.
***
A knock on the door.
"Go away," Harry mumbled.
"I can tell you're busy, so I guess I'd better leave," It was a crisp, clean, calm voice, none like Hermione's. He walked over to the round door and Hagrid laughed behind him. The door swung open, to reveal Luna, only. . . not Luna.
Hagrid spat out his tea.
Luna was wearing a dark blue hooded cape which blended perfectly with the night. Her eyes looked as if a glitter lied upon them. Her face didn't have a flaw in it, not anywhere. Her skin was perfect and untouched, blushing in a shade of rosy red next to her tan. Her silver-blonde hair had grown out, to her upper mid-back. Harry was speechless, and he stepped aside for her to enter the hut in which he'd been hiding in.
"So, Luna. . ." Hagrid began, but he couldn't speak any longer.
"Hello, Harry," She grinned and showed unmistakenably white teeth. She sat down and made herself a cup of tea, and another of Hagrid. She smiled at Harry's confusion.
"Here's what happened," Luna began (the term "Looney Lovegood" definitely didn't apply anymore), "you see, Neville and I went to visit his grandmother shortly after I saw you. She is a wonderful creator. She did this," She motioned around her body, which had thinned. "She figured you would take it like this, it did for Neville too,"
Harry's anger was growing with deep hatred for Neville Longbottom. He didn't deserve her!
Hagrid was lost. He obviously didn't get how any of this had to do with Harry.
"Admit it, Harry, you're completely taken off your feet by me," Luna looked him in the eye. "You've liked me for a while now, ever since the day in Gryffindor Tower. You're just too afraid, aren't you?"
After a moment, Harry nodded, and Hagrid's laugh bellowed out.
"Harry?! Like Looney Lovegood?! Nonsense!" He chuckled, and Luna's face grew long, and her eyes teary.
"Hagrid," Luna began once again, fighting not to cry, "just because I'm different. . ."
"HARRY AND LOONEY LOVEGOOD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hagrid slapped his knee and laughed even more.
Luna was having a hard time now, and she kissed Harry's cheek and ran out into the moonlight.
Harry glared at Hagrid, who suddenly stopped laughing.
"What have you done?! You--" But he couldn't think of anything else to say, he was too frustrated. He ran out the door to try and catch up with Luna.
He found footprints in the leaves, all of them leading to the Forbidden Forest. "Oh no. . ." He thought.
He ran through the forest, trees batting at him, and strange sounds all around him. Harry soon came to a clearing, where a small pool of water lied. Luna was crumpled up next to it, leaning into a tree trunk covered with moss. She was crying deeply. For the first time in his life, Harry felt sorry for her.
"Luna," Harry whispered, and she looked up at him.
"Why did you follow me?" Her face was touched by trails of silver, her tears. "I didn't want you to."
Harry nodded. "I know you didn't, but I was worried,"
Luna rolled her eyes and fiddled her finger in the puddle. It began to make shapes and Harry was sure that it wasn't good. He grabbed her hand and ran with her deeper into the forest. They reached yet another clearing, there was a circle of trees and the moonlight shining down. Luna and Harry sat down and panted for a moment, then Harry looked into her eyes. They were so innocent. What had she done to anyone to make them hate her so much?
He remembered last year's train ride to Hogwarts. Even he had been annoyed with her. But, why?
"Luna, you know Hagrid, his mind. . . it's just a bag of fluff, really," Harry tried to talk to her.
"No, Harry, it's not. He's right," He could tell she was telling the truth, how she really felt.
"No, no, no! Not at all." Harry hated to see her like this. "I don't think you're strange. You're different, yes, but-" Harry pulled her face towards his so that their noses were exactly touching and he ran his fingers through her hair. "-that's what I love about you."
Luna smiled, and Harry wished that moment could last forever.
"We'd better head back," She whispered. Harry nodded in return, and the two walked hand-in-hand out of the forest, and nothing could stop them.
The doors opened to the Great Hall, and they walked in to everyone eating dinner. Their hands broke apart and Luna walked to the Ravenclaw table, clearing stunning all of the boys in that house permanently. Harry sat next to Hermione and Ron, who whistled. "Who's that girl, and is she single?" Harry began to open his mouth to answer, but Hermione cut him off.
"Luna Lovegood."
"Mr. Potter,"
"Mr. Potter!" Harry's eyes flipped open as Professor McGonagall scowled at him. "Dazing off again, I see,"
He rubbed his eyes and looked at a large silver board, where McGonagall had words appearing constantly. He picked up his glasses, which he had apparently taken off, and put them back on his nosebridge. The room came into focus.
"Now, Mr. Potter, I believe you are well enough to tell me what we are learning this year?" McGonagall peered at him through her spectacles. Harry hated it when she did that.
"Er. . ." Harry looked at Ron, who mouthed a word, and then returned his gaze to McGonagall and said matter-of-factly, "apparating."
"One point to Gryffindor, for Mr. Weasley's attentiveness. Next time, Mr. Potter, I believe we've cleared that you are to pay attention?" Harry nodded in return to this remark.
Professor McGonagall went on for quite a while talking about apparating, but Harry and Ron made good use of it. They played Quidditch with a small crumpled paper which they'd enchanted. They sat in the back, so McGonagall didn't notice. Harry looked around the room, and was suddenly very thankful he was a sixth-year Gryffindor, because Luna was a fifth-year Ravenclaw and had none of the same classes with him until astronomy.
The bell rang for class to end. Hermione waited for them at the door, and the trio walked into the brightly lit hallway. They walked for a moment, and Ron was the first to speak.
"Er, Hermione, you got a letter. . ." Hermione's face brightened.
"From who?"
Ron hesitated, trying to contain himself. "Fr-from. . . from. . ."
But Hermione was growing impatient. "Don't be silly, Ron, just tell me!"
Ron didn't bother to contain himself anymore. "WHO ELSE BUT KRUM!!" He took a different turn, leaving Hermione and Harry alone.
"Sorry," Harry didn't know why, but he felt he had to apologize.
"It's okay, I'm used to it," Hermione sighed. "I just hate it when he talks bad about him,"
Harry couldn't help but think truly what a hypocrit she was. She talked rudely about Luna all the time.
"You know, Hermione, he really can't help it," Harry's voice cracked.
"Of course he can!" Hermione's eyes twinkled in the light. "What would you know about it anyway, you've never been in love or anything,"
Harry was about to speak up when Hermione corrected herself. "Besides Cho Chang, but Harry, that was just a crush!" Harry couldn't help but agree with her on that part. But she didn't know about Luna.
"Maybe, but I've been through a lot of other things,"
". . . which we always helped you with," Hermione meant this with good conscience, but Harry blew his top again.
"I THOUGHT WE CLARIFIED THIS LAST YEAR! WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE?! ME! WHO RESCUED GINNY FROM THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS? ME! EVERYTHING WAS DONE BY ME, HERMIONE! THE DEMENTORS, THE TOURNAMENT-- DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE I WANTED TO DO THOSE THINGS?! DO YOU?! DO YOU TRULY THINK THAT I WANTED TO WATCH MY OWN GODFATHER DIE?! DO YOU, HERMIONE?!" Harry finally stopped to take a breath, and Hermione looked as if she were about to break out in tears, not unlike the last time Harry had done this.
"H-Harry, I-I didn't think--"
"Yeah, Hermione, you didn't think!" Then, like Ron, Harry marched up the stairway, leaving Hermione's tear-stained face.
***
A knock on the door.
"Go away," Harry mumbled.
"I can tell you're busy, so I guess I'd better leave," It was a crisp, clean, calm voice, none like Hermione's. He walked over to the round door and Hagrid laughed behind him. The door swung open, to reveal Luna, only. . . not Luna.
Hagrid spat out his tea.
Luna was wearing a dark blue hooded cape which blended perfectly with the night. Her eyes looked as if a glitter lied upon them. Her face didn't have a flaw in it, not anywhere. Her skin was perfect and untouched, blushing in a shade of rosy red next to her tan. Her silver-blonde hair had grown out, to her upper mid-back. Harry was speechless, and he stepped aside for her to enter the hut in which he'd been hiding in.
"So, Luna. . ." Hagrid began, but he couldn't speak any longer.
"Hello, Harry," She grinned and showed unmistakenably white teeth. She sat down and made herself a cup of tea, and another of Hagrid. She smiled at Harry's confusion.
"Here's what happened," Luna began (the term "Looney Lovegood" definitely didn't apply anymore), "you see, Neville and I went to visit his grandmother shortly after I saw you. She is a wonderful creator. She did this," She motioned around her body, which had thinned. "She figured you would take it like this, it did for Neville too,"
Harry's anger was growing with deep hatred for Neville Longbottom. He didn't deserve her!
Hagrid was lost. He obviously didn't get how any of this had to do with Harry.
"Admit it, Harry, you're completely taken off your feet by me," Luna looked him in the eye. "You've liked me for a while now, ever since the day in Gryffindor Tower. You're just too afraid, aren't you?"
After a moment, Harry nodded, and Hagrid's laugh bellowed out.
"Harry?! Like Looney Lovegood?! Nonsense!" He chuckled, and Luna's face grew long, and her eyes teary.
"Hagrid," Luna began once again, fighting not to cry, "just because I'm different. . ."
"HARRY AND LOONEY LOVEGOOD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hagrid slapped his knee and laughed even more.
Luna was having a hard time now, and she kissed Harry's cheek and ran out into the moonlight.
Harry glared at Hagrid, who suddenly stopped laughing.
"What have you done?! You--" But he couldn't think of anything else to say, he was too frustrated. He ran out the door to try and catch up with Luna.
He found footprints in the leaves, all of them leading to the Forbidden Forest. "Oh no. . ." He thought.
He ran through the forest, trees batting at him, and strange sounds all around him. Harry soon came to a clearing, where a small pool of water lied. Luna was crumpled up next to it, leaning into a tree trunk covered with moss. She was crying deeply. For the first time in his life, Harry felt sorry for her.
"Luna," Harry whispered, and she looked up at him.
"Why did you follow me?" Her face was touched by trails of silver, her tears. "I didn't want you to."
Harry nodded. "I know you didn't, but I was worried,"
Luna rolled her eyes and fiddled her finger in the puddle. It began to make shapes and Harry was sure that it wasn't good. He grabbed her hand and ran with her deeper into the forest. They reached yet another clearing, there was a circle of trees and the moonlight shining down. Luna and Harry sat down and panted for a moment, then Harry looked into her eyes. They were so innocent. What had she done to anyone to make them hate her so much?
He remembered last year's train ride to Hogwarts. Even he had been annoyed with her. But, why?
"Luna, you know Hagrid, his mind. . . it's just a bag of fluff, really," Harry tried to talk to her.
"No, Harry, it's not. He's right," He could tell she was telling the truth, how she really felt.
"No, no, no! Not at all." Harry hated to see her like this. "I don't think you're strange. You're different, yes, but-" Harry pulled her face towards his so that their noses were exactly touching and he ran his fingers through her hair. "-that's what I love about you."
Luna smiled, and Harry wished that moment could last forever.
"We'd better head back," She whispered. Harry nodded in return, and the two walked hand-in-hand out of the forest, and nothing could stop them.
The doors opened to the Great Hall, and they walked in to everyone eating dinner. Their hands broke apart and Luna walked to the Ravenclaw table, clearing stunning all of the boys in that house permanently. Harry sat next to Hermione and Ron, who whistled. "Who's that girl, and is she single?" Harry began to open his mouth to answer, but Hermione cut him off.
"Luna Lovegood."