Harry went down to dinner that night, still very confused over the
whole situation with Luna. What was he going to do? He wasn't sure he was
comfortable continuing lessons with Luna. It might be awkward. Besides
that, did he really want her in his mind anymore than she already was?
On the other hand, Legilimency would be useful. It was something he certainly needed.
What was he going to do? He'd have to talk to Luna, no matter how much he wanted to avoid her right now. But most of the students would be leaving for the holidays tomorrow morning.
"Gin?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Do you know if Luna is staying over here over Christmas?"
"I'm not sure. Why?" Her voice was casual but there was laughter in her eyes.
"I need to talk to her."
"About what?"
"About today."
"Sorry, I don't know if she's staying. You could try to catch her before she leaves here tonight."
"You're a big help," he said sarcastically.
Ginny just grinned.
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Harry left the table early and waited by the stairs for Luna to come by.
Finally-it seemed almost every single other person had already come and gone-Luna came.
Her usual dazed expression was on her face. "I told you I'd see you again today."
Harry realized she was right. She had said that. "We need to talk."
"I know. But I can't stay long. I have to pack. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Why?"
"The Christmas holidays start tomorrow."
"Right." How had he forgotten that?
"What did you want to talk about?" She sat down on the bottom stair.
Harry sat down next to her, but not too close. "Today. Why did you . . .?"
"Why did I kiss you? I'd think the answer would be obvious."
"But, er, you knew it wasn't a date today."
"So?" she stared at him placidly.
"So, then why?"
"You're a very interesting person, Harry Potter. But I don't think I'm going to answer your question."
"Why not?"
"You're cute when you argue."
By now, Harry was positively stupefied. "Cute when I argue?"
"The rest of the time too, actually." She gave a little smile and brushed imaginary dust off her robes. "Happy Christmas, Harry. I've got to go."
Harry sat there still, moments after she had disappeared from sight, trying to figure out what had happened.
Okay, he thought. Let's think logically about this. He laughed. There was nothing logical about Luna Lovegood. Okay, so he waited here for her so she could explain why she'd kissed him earlier. She'd said the answer was obvious, so she wasn't going to tell him. She knew today was not a date (though he was beginning to doubt it). She said he was an interesting person but she wasn't going to answer his question. Then she said he was cute when he was arguing, no, she'd said he was always cute.
What was up with that? Nobody had ever called him cute before. Cho hadn't even called him cute. Ginny hadn't ever called him cute. At least, not within his hearing.
Then she just got up and left! He was even more confused now than he was earlier. And he wasn't going to see her for another couple weeks. Wait a minute, was he IsadI about not being able to see her? That couldn't be right. He went back to the common room and found Hermione. Ron was nowhere in sight.
"Here, Hermione. This is for you." He gave her the book and card.
"How sweet! What's this for? Christmas isn't for another few days."
"This isn't your Christmas present. This is a thank you for all the help you've given me over the past six years. If it weren't for you I would have flunked out of Hogwarts ages ago. And I'd probably have been dead."
"That's what friends are for."
"Then, I guess what I mean is, thanks for being my friend."
She opened the book. "I love this! You remembered I wanted it?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, Harry." She gave him a hug.
"You're welcome, Herms."
"Try to be quiet when you go upstairs, Ron said he was going to sleep early."
"I'm not going yet. I've got a question."
"Okay."
"What would you say if somebody told you that you looked cute when you argue?"
"Me, Harry?"
"Somebody said it to me and . . ."
"Luna, right? Ginny said you were going to talk to her."
"Well I asked her about today and she didn't really give me any answers." Harry relayed the conversation to her. "Are you seeing anything in this that I'm not?"
She smiled. "Luna likes you."
"Luna does?"
"Well, even if she doesn't fancy you she does think you're a good person and she finds you attractive."
"Really?" He was rather surprised.
"Don't be stupid, Harry. You Iare/I attractive. I've got no interest in dating you and Ginny doesn't either anymore, but still . . ." She smiled and shrugged. "You're just not Imy/I type."
He blinked. This was certainly surprising.
"Don't tell, Ron. This isn't the sort of thing you usually tell a guy."
"I understand." He was still dumb-founded.
She laughed softly. "No you don't. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. Neville's awfully cute too."
"But . . .I thought . . .Ron?" he asked.
"Harry, there's a difference between loving someone and thinking somebody is attractive. Look around you at the other people here. I'm sure you find at least a few of the girls pretty."
He looked around at the crowded common room and had to admit she was right.
"But you don't necessarily fancy all of them, or even any of them, right?"
"Right."
"But you still won't tell Ron this, right? I doubt he'd understand."
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm not sure I understand."
"A lot of guys don't really. But one day you'll fall in love and understand it."
"In love?" Love was a hard concept for him. He'd lost so many people he cared about. His parents before he ever got to know them, his godfather who was the closest thing he'd ever had to a father. Love was definitely a hard concept for him, he wasn't even sure that he ever could fall in love. "You're in love with Ron?"
"For some time now actually. I just got sick of waiting for him. I can't imagine life without him."
"Does he know you love him?"
"I haven't said it yet, at least not aloud where he could hear me. Don't you dare tell him!"
"I won't. I promise. I'm going upstairs now."
"Don't wake him."
"I won't." This was all a little mind-blowing. He had some serious thinking to do.
Harry entered the dorm and heard a voice out of the darkness.
"We've got a bone to pick with you, Harry."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Why didn't you tell us about you and your new girlfriend!" They began to clobber Harry.
With pillows.
Harry gasped for breath and tried to find his own pillow to start hitting them back. "What," he panted, "are . . .you . . . talking . . .about?"
"You and Luna, idiot!"
"Yeah, you didn't tell us! We had to hear it from Lavender and Parvati."
"So just what did they tell you?"
"That you were on a date with Looney today."
"And that you kissed her."
Harry turned scarlet and the other boys laughed. "Tell us about it!"
"I didn't kiss her!"
"Sure," Ron said sarcastically. "Lavender heard you admit it."
"No! She kissed me."
"Lavender kissed you?" asked Neville.
"No, ILunaI kissed him, numbskull." Seamus hit Neville with the pillow.
"So? Tell us."
"Well, there's not really much to tell. I was walking with her in Hogsmeade and she just kissed me."
"Really?"
"Yeah," said Harry.
"Cho's a better kisser, right, Harry?" asked Ron. "There's no way Looney would be. Look at her."
"I don't know. At least Luna wasn't crying when I kissed her."
Dean asked, "When did he kiss Cho?"
Seamus said, "You forget, they did date last year. But, Harry, were you so bad at kissing that you made Cho cry?"
"No!"
The other boys started laughing again.
Dean said, "Looks like Harry's a Romeo."
"Romeo?" asked Ron.
Harry answered before Dean could, "He was a character from a Muggle story about 400 years ago."
Seamus asked, "Didn't he die?"
"What?" asked Ron.
"Romeo. He killed himself 'cause he thought Juliet was dead. Then, Juliet saw that Romeo was dead and killed herself."
Harry had gotten into his pajamas while Seamus talked. "Goodnight, everybody."
"We're going to talk to tomorrow," said Neville.
Harry yawned, "No you won't. All of you 'cept Ron are going home for the holidays."
Seamus swore. "He's right."
Harry fell asleep.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so what did you think? Am I getting too mushy? If I am, it'll pass, it's getting near my anniversary so I guess I'm a little mushy right now (anniversary for dating a certain wonderful guy, I'm not married I'm still in high school!). Anyway please review and I'll give you a preview. *
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"Harry, look up," she said, a note of wryness in her voice.
Harry looked up, past her face, above her head, until he saw something hanging on the lantern pole. Harry saw what was above his head, there was only one thing he could possibly do. So he did the only the he possibly could.
On the other hand, Legilimency would be useful. It was something he certainly needed.
What was he going to do? He'd have to talk to Luna, no matter how much he wanted to avoid her right now. But most of the students would be leaving for the holidays tomorrow morning.
"Gin?"
"Yeah, Harry?"
"Do you know if Luna is staying over here over Christmas?"
"I'm not sure. Why?" Her voice was casual but there was laughter in her eyes.
"I need to talk to her."
"About what?"
"About today."
"Sorry, I don't know if she's staying. You could try to catch her before she leaves here tonight."
"You're a big help," he said sarcastically.
Ginny just grinned.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harry left the table early and waited by the stairs for Luna to come by.
Finally-it seemed almost every single other person had already come and gone-Luna came.
Her usual dazed expression was on her face. "I told you I'd see you again today."
Harry realized she was right. She had said that. "We need to talk."
"I know. But I can't stay long. I have to pack. I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Why?"
"The Christmas holidays start tomorrow."
"Right." How had he forgotten that?
"What did you want to talk about?" She sat down on the bottom stair.
Harry sat down next to her, but not too close. "Today. Why did you . . .?"
"Why did I kiss you? I'd think the answer would be obvious."
"But, er, you knew it wasn't a date today."
"So?" she stared at him placidly.
"So, then why?"
"You're a very interesting person, Harry Potter. But I don't think I'm going to answer your question."
"Why not?"
"You're cute when you argue."
By now, Harry was positively stupefied. "Cute when I argue?"
"The rest of the time too, actually." She gave a little smile and brushed imaginary dust off her robes. "Happy Christmas, Harry. I've got to go."
Harry sat there still, moments after she had disappeared from sight, trying to figure out what had happened.
Okay, he thought. Let's think logically about this. He laughed. There was nothing logical about Luna Lovegood. Okay, so he waited here for her so she could explain why she'd kissed him earlier. She'd said the answer was obvious, so she wasn't going to tell him. She knew today was not a date (though he was beginning to doubt it). She said he was an interesting person but she wasn't going to answer his question. Then she said he was cute when he was arguing, no, she'd said he was always cute.
What was up with that? Nobody had ever called him cute before. Cho hadn't even called him cute. Ginny hadn't ever called him cute. At least, not within his hearing.
Then she just got up and left! He was even more confused now than he was earlier. And he wasn't going to see her for another couple weeks. Wait a minute, was he IsadI about not being able to see her? That couldn't be right. He went back to the common room and found Hermione. Ron was nowhere in sight.
"Here, Hermione. This is for you." He gave her the book and card.
"How sweet! What's this for? Christmas isn't for another few days."
"This isn't your Christmas present. This is a thank you for all the help you've given me over the past six years. If it weren't for you I would have flunked out of Hogwarts ages ago. And I'd probably have been dead."
"That's what friends are for."
"Then, I guess what I mean is, thanks for being my friend."
She opened the book. "I love this! You remembered I wanted it?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, Harry." She gave him a hug.
"You're welcome, Herms."
"Try to be quiet when you go upstairs, Ron said he was going to sleep early."
"I'm not going yet. I've got a question."
"Okay."
"What would you say if somebody told you that you looked cute when you argue?"
"Me, Harry?"
"Somebody said it to me and . . ."
"Luna, right? Ginny said you were going to talk to her."
"Well I asked her about today and she didn't really give me any answers." Harry relayed the conversation to her. "Are you seeing anything in this that I'm not?"
She smiled. "Luna likes you."
"Luna does?"
"Well, even if she doesn't fancy you she does think you're a good person and she finds you attractive."
"Really?" He was rather surprised.
"Don't be stupid, Harry. You Iare/I attractive. I've got no interest in dating you and Ginny doesn't either anymore, but still . . ." She smiled and shrugged. "You're just not Imy/I type."
He blinked. This was certainly surprising.
"Don't tell, Ron. This isn't the sort of thing you usually tell a guy."
"I understand." He was still dumb-founded.
She laughed softly. "No you don't. I don't even know why I'm telling you this. Neville's awfully cute too."
"But . . .I thought . . .Ron?" he asked.
"Harry, there's a difference between loving someone and thinking somebody is attractive. Look around you at the other people here. I'm sure you find at least a few of the girls pretty."
He looked around at the crowded common room and had to admit she was right.
"But you don't necessarily fancy all of them, or even any of them, right?"
"Right."
"But you still won't tell Ron this, right? I doubt he'd understand."
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm not sure I understand."
"A lot of guys don't really. But one day you'll fall in love and understand it."
"In love?" Love was a hard concept for him. He'd lost so many people he cared about. His parents before he ever got to know them, his godfather who was the closest thing he'd ever had to a father. Love was definitely a hard concept for him, he wasn't even sure that he ever could fall in love. "You're in love with Ron?"
"For some time now actually. I just got sick of waiting for him. I can't imagine life without him."
"Does he know you love him?"
"I haven't said it yet, at least not aloud where he could hear me. Don't you dare tell him!"
"I won't. I promise. I'm going upstairs now."
"Don't wake him."
"I won't." This was all a little mind-blowing. He had some serious thinking to do.
Harry entered the dorm and heard a voice out of the darkness.
"We've got a bone to pick with you, Harry."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Why didn't you tell us about you and your new girlfriend!" They began to clobber Harry.
With pillows.
Harry gasped for breath and tried to find his own pillow to start hitting them back. "What," he panted, "are . . .you . . . talking . . .about?"
"You and Luna, idiot!"
"Yeah, you didn't tell us! We had to hear it from Lavender and Parvati."
"So just what did they tell you?"
"That you were on a date with Looney today."
"And that you kissed her."
Harry turned scarlet and the other boys laughed. "Tell us about it!"
"I didn't kiss her!"
"Sure," Ron said sarcastically. "Lavender heard you admit it."
"No! She kissed me."
"Lavender kissed you?" asked Neville.
"No, ILunaI kissed him, numbskull." Seamus hit Neville with the pillow.
"So? Tell us."
"Well, there's not really much to tell. I was walking with her in Hogsmeade and she just kissed me."
"Really?"
"Yeah," said Harry.
"Cho's a better kisser, right, Harry?" asked Ron. "There's no way Looney would be. Look at her."
"I don't know. At least Luna wasn't crying when I kissed her."
Dean asked, "When did he kiss Cho?"
Seamus said, "You forget, they did date last year. But, Harry, were you so bad at kissing that you made Cho cry?"
"No!"
The other boys started laughing again.
Dean said, "Looks like Harry's a Romeo."
"Romeo?" asked Ron.
Harry answered before Dean could, "He was a character from a Muggle story about 400 years ago."
Seamus asked, "Didn't he die?"
"What?" asked Ron.
"Romeo. He killed himself 'cause he thought Juliet was dead. Then, Juliet saw that Romeo was dead and killed herself."
Harry had gotten into his pajamas while Seamus talked. "Goodnight, everybody."
"We're going to talk to tomorrow," said Neville.
Harry yawned, "No you won't. All of you 'cept Ron are going home for the holidays."
Seamus swore. "He's right."
Harry fell asleep.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so what did you think? Am I getting too mushy? If I am, it'll pass, it's getting near my anniversary so I guess I'm a little mushy right now (anniversary for dating a certain wonderful guy, I'm not married I'm still in high school!). Anyway please review and I'll give you a preview. *
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For *
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"Harry, look up," she said, a note of wryness in her voice.
Harry looked up, past her face, above her head, until he saw something hanging on the lantern pole. Harry saw what was above his head, there was only one thing he could possibly do. So he did the only the he possibly could.