AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, when I say "Harr" it's really supposed to sound like
"hair" and be short for Harry. The letter referenced in this chapter can be
found in chapter 8. Let me know what you think of the new formatting so I
can decide whether or not to stick with it.
The last few days before Christmas passed quickly for the most part, but sometimes Harry would suddenly miss Luna. He'd just suddenly need to talk to her. Crave her odd advice. Or even just want to see her. Wow, this was weird.
He wasn't as nervous around Luna as he had always been around Cho when he'd liked her. He couldn't explain this anymore than he could explain his missing Luna. She was certainly intriguing. When was term starting again?
* * * * * * *
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!" the dormitory doors burst open and Hermione bounced in, practically skipping.
"Ugh. Herms, we were asleep, you know," said Harry, groggily reaching for his glasses automatically.
"Well, now you're not!" she said brightly.
"We're awake anyway, Harry, let's open our presents." Ron scrambled to the end of his bed on his knees.
Harry too began to open his presents.
"Herms, nobody saw you come in, right?"
"Of course not. Remember, Harry loaned me his invisibility cloak."
"Oh. Right," said Ron. "Happy Chri-"
Harry looked up to see what had stopped Ron's words. Ron couldn't say anything because his mouth was otherwise occupied at the moment. Hermione stopped kissing him, blushed, and went to sit on the Neville's bed to open her presents. She tossed Harry's silvery invisibility cloak to him.
"You've been quiet the last few days. We want the truth, Harry. What's going on with you and Luna?"
"Truth, Harry, do you fancy her?"
"Of course not! At least, I don't think so." He didn't sound to sure of himself.
"Hey, Harr, who sent you those brownies?"
"I dunno. They look good though." Harry picked up the package of brownies he hadn't noticed before and opened them. "Smell great too. You want some?" He shared them out between the three of them and went back to opening presents.
"Maybe Luna sent them to you," teased Hermione.
"She doesn't really strike me as the sort who likes to hang around the kitchen all day." Harry opened the usual package from Mrs. Weasley and some Honeyduke's chocolate and stoat sandwiches from Hagrid. He immediately threw the stoat sandwiches away. Hermione had gotten him a book on various flying creatures of the north.
"Harry, what's that letter?"
"I dunno." Harry hadn't noticed it but he opened it now. "It's Lupin's reply."
"You wrote to Lupin without telling us?"
"Yes."
"What did you write about?"
Harry meant to tell them it was nothing important, but those weren't the words that came out. "This summer I found a letter Sirius wrote. A letter he wrote to me. It was from the day . . ." his voice choked for a moment but he went on. "The day we went to the Department of Mysterious. I- it wasn't finished. The letter, I mean. He talked about a lot of stuff. About himself and my dad. He mentioned my and said that she knew more than I thought about us and our world but I never found out what it was. I thought Lupin might know what Sirius was going to write. So I asked."
"You didn't have to tell us this."
"I wasn't planning to until I'd read Lupin's response. But when you asked me I didn't feel like I had a choice."
They were all silent for a moment before shouting in unison, "The brownies!"
Hermione snatched the last one. "I'll test this later. But my guess is that there was some sort of truth potion inside these. Who would do something like that?"
"You know, I thought it was strange that Malfoy decided to stay here over the holidays. He was here in the fourth year and second year but he went home the other three."
"But whoever sent this could have just mailed it from somewhere else."
Harry grimaced. "Not if the person who sent it wanted to watch the 'fun' a truth potion would cause."
Ron got a wicked grin on his face and it seemed Harry was able to read his mind (in the Muggle sense of the word) and Harry knew just what he was thinking. "Ron, don't you dare . . ."
"Ron dared. He grinned. "Harry, what do you really think about Lu-"
"Silencio!" Harry pointed his wand at Ron, who was no longer able to finish his question. Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione was able to speak and did.
"Accio wand! Harry, how do you really feel about Luna Lovegood?"
Harry grouned. He was doomed. Utterly doomed. "The truth is . . ."
* * * * * * *
Aren't cliffhangers FUN? (FUN stands for Furiously Umbridge-like [a]Nnoyance) *ducks from flying rotten tomatoes* But don't worry,, the next chapter will be posted either tonight or tomorrow so I'm not going to bother with a preview . . .
The last few days before Christmas passed quickly for the most part, but sometimes Harry would suddenly miss Luna. He'd just suddenly need to talk to her. Crave her odd advice. Or even just want to see her. Wow, this was weird.
He wasn't as nervous around Luna as he had always been around Cho when he'd liked her. He couldn't explain this anymore than he could explain his missing Luna. She was certainly intriguing. When was term starting again?
* * * * * * *
"HAPPY CHRISTMAS!" the dormitory doors burst open and Hermione bounced in, practically skipping.
"Ugh. Herms, we were asleep, you know," said Harry, groggily reaching for his glasses automatically.
"Well, now you're not!" she said brightly.
"We're awake anyway, Harry, let's open our presents." Ron scrambled to the end of his bed on his knees.
Harry too began to open his presents.
"Herms, nobody saw you come in, right?"
"Of course not. Remember, Harry loaned me his invisibility cloak."
"Oh. Right," said Ron. "Happy Chri-"
Harry looked up to see what had stopped Ron's words. Ron couldn't say anything because his mouth was otherwise occupied at the moment. Hermione stopped kissing him, blushed, and went to sit on the Neville's bed to open her presents. She tossed Harry's silvery invisibility cloak to him.
"You've been quiet the last few days. We want the truth, Harry. What's going on with you and Luna?"
"Truth, Harry, do you fancy her?"
"Of course not! At least, I don't think so." He didn't sound to sure of himself.
"Hey, Harr, who sent you those brownies?"
"I dunno. They look good though." Harry picked up the package of brownies he hadn't noticed before and opened them. "Smell great too. You want some?" He shared them out between the three of them and went back to opening presents.
"Maybe Luna sent them to you," teased Hermione.
"She doesn't really strike me as the sort who likes to hang around the kitchen all day." Harry opened the usual package from Mrs. Weasley and some Honeyduke's chocolate and stoat sandwiches from Hagrid. He immediately threw the stoat sandwiches away. Hermione had gotten him a book on various flying creatures of the north.
"Harry, what's that letter?"
"I dunno." Harry hadn't noticed it but he opened it now. "It's Lupin's reply."
"You wrote to Lupin without telling us?"
"Yes."
"What did you write about?"
Harry meant to tell them it was nothing important, but those weren't the words that came out. "This summer I found a letter Sirius wrote. A letter he wrote to me. It was from the day . . ." his voice choked for a moment but he went on. "The day we went to the Department of Mysterious. I- it wasn't finished. The letter, I mean. He talked about a lot of stuff. About himself and my dad. He mentioned my and said that she knew more than I thought about us and our world but I never found out what it was. I thought Lupin might know what Sirius was going to write. So I asked."
"You didn't have to tell us this."
"I wasn't planning to until I'd read Lupin's response. But when you asked me I didn't feel like I had a choice."
They were all silent for a moment before shouting in unison, "The brownies!"
Hermione snatched the last one. "I'll test this later. But my guess is that there was some sort of truth potion inside these. Who would do something like that?"
"You know, I thought it was strange that Malfoy decided to stay here over the holidays. He was here in the fourth year and second year but he went home the other three."
"But whoever sent this could have just mailed it from somewhere else."
Harry grimaced. "Not if the person who sent it wanted to watch the 'fun' a truth potion would cause."
Ron got a wicked grin on his face and it seemed Harry was able to read his mind (in the Muggle sense of the word) and Harry knew just what he was thinking. "Ron, don't you dare . . ."
"Ron dared. He grinned. "Harry, what do you really think about Lu-"
"Silencio!" Harry pointed his wand at Ron, who was no longer able to finish his question. Unfortunately for Harry, Hermione was able to speak and did.
"Accio wand! Harry, how do you really feel about Luna Lovegood?"
Harry grouned. He was doomed. Utterly doomed. "The truth is . . ."
* * * * * * *
Aren't cliffhangers FUN? (FUN stands for Furiously Umbridge-like [a]Nnoyance) *ducks from flying rotten tomatoes* But don't worry,, the next chapter will be posted either tonight or tomorrow so I'm not going to bother with a preview . . .