A necklace for Luna
Author's Notes: This was a challenge that I accepted last Friday. It turned out very nicely, if I say so myself… Just a short fluff on two Ravenclaw characters from the Harry Potter series.
Risa, I couldn't resist including myself in this one-shot… Hahaha! I hope you like this. And oh, especially you, Remus. You cannot hate me.
Disclaimer: Characters based from JK Rowling's creation. Anthony's personality based on a community I am part of. This was just for fun.
Luna "Loony" Lovegood was in her usual dreamy state as she walked out of the library. Her long dirty-blonde hair, which was braided then tied to a ponytail, sway almost haphazardly as there was a definite bounce in her steps. She has just read another interesting book describing ancient creatures that most definitely pertain to heliopaths. She has just proven the existence of Fudge's own secret army! She was humming to herself, a wistful smile on her face, and was looking appreciatively at her butterbeer caps necklace that she didn't notice she was already heading towards a fellow student who was busy shuffling through his book bag.
Anthony Goldstein has just come out of Charms class when he felt the need to go to the library. His NEWT Potions class requires a two-feet essay regarding the properties and effects of the Sleep Draught and he thought of getting a book or two to help get him started. He would still need Terry's help at the end, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to have a head start. He was rummaging for his notes on said subject on the way to the library when he made a quick glance just to make sure he wouldn't be crashing into anybody. He saw a mass of blonde hair very close to his face before the parchments on his hand flew and he toppled forward, his hands shooting outward to catch and cushion the head of whomever it was that he had crashed into.
"Oomph!"
A muffled high-pitched shriek and the sound of books, ink bottles, and several miscellaneous things falling followed as Anthony found himself atop a warm and suspiciously soft body of a fellow student. His right arm ached from the impact, but it had effectively softened the blow on the female (and he was positively grinning in his mind at this realization) who was now muttering incoherently against his robes.
Leaning further against his left palm which had prevented him from totally crushing the blonde, he looked down to find a pair of pale eyebrows, and pale and protuberant eyes gazing up at him. Anthony found himself staring down at her, as his mind slowly registered the image into his brain and found a name to match the face.
"Luna," he muttered softly, disbelief creeping into his voice and features as he continued to look down at her.
A few seconds passed before either of them made a sound again.
"Will you please get off of me," Luna asked in her soft, whispery voice.
It seems as if Anthony's senses were moving slowly at the moment as he remained staring at her when she suddenly blinked and spoke again.
"My lungs need more air," she said, a bit louder and a hint of urgency this time.
Finally coming back to his senses, he hastily stood up and forgetting that her head was pillowed on her forearm, it resulted to Luna suddenly hitting her head on the cold floor.
Realizing what he had done, Anthony offered a hand to Luna who had sat down and was rubbing the back of her head in pain. He grimaced with guilt when she looked up at him with a pained expression.
"I now know that I dislike having short of breath and then hitting my head on a cold floor right after," Luna remarked, showing no trace of accusation as her left hand took his right, while her other hand continued to massage the bump on her head.
"Sorry, Luna," Anthony said, as he helped her get up. He flashed her a guilty smile when she was finally on her feet. "My mind was somewhere else." Though where, even he does not exactly know.
"Hmmm…" was all that she said.
Taking it as a sign that she wasn't angry at him, he started collecting the pieces of parchments, books, ink bottles, and whatnots, and putting them either into his bag or on his other hand which was holding Luna's things, when she suddenly gasped out loud.
He turned around quickly to see what was wrong. "What is it?" he asked.
She looked at him forlornly. "My necklace broke," she said, holding up a piece of colorful string with a few butterbeer caps dangling at the end.
Anthony glanced at the string blankly for a few seconds before gracing Luna with one of his winning smiles.
"I'll make you a better one," he said, as he fingered the broken necklace. He really hates seeing a girl sad over something she has lost, even if that girl was the resident loony.
She flashed him a grateful smile as he handed her her things. "Thank you, Anthony."
Giving her another one of his smiles, he saluted her as he went on his way to the library.
Butterbeer caps, eh…?
"What are the butterbeer caps for, Anthony?" Michael Corner asked as he gave one to Anthony.
The Ravenclaw Prefect has been incessantly telling people to save their butterbeer caps every time they drink the beverage and give them to him for days now. No one has really bothered to ask him but as it's the second Hogsmeade weekend and he's still asking for more, one was bound to get curious.
Anthony just flashed him his famous grin and said in a non-committal manner, "It's a project that I'm in no position to reveal."
"Really, Anthony," Padma Patil said as she started to hand three caps. "If I didn't know better, I must say Luna has rubbed off her fondness for those things to you."
The blue-eyed wizard almost didn't catch the caps. "Jealous, Padma?" he teased, his grin in place.
The witch just rolled her eyes at him and turned her back to him to speak with her friends again when Terry Boot tossed him a butterbeer cap.
"How many more do you need, anyway?" Terry asked.
Mentally visualizing the necklace, he answered, "I don't know, really. Just a few more, I think."
Learning some new, simple charms on changing a thing's color was Anthony's best friend for weeks. He has been charming most of the butterbeer caps to another color before placing them on a thin leather strap, with a colored bead in between. He had been transfiguring the almost-done necklace into a quill when he's not adding some more caps so his Housemates won't know what he has been up to.
He's near done already. All he needs to figure out was how to emboss Luna's face into a cap he had stretched big successfully.
Of course, the scenario would tell that Anthony Goldstein had finally fallen… hard… for a girl. Who, in their right mind, would collect butterbeer caps, research books on various charms and spells, and transform them into a necklace worth wearing using those researched magic? No one.
But actually, Anthony wasn't in love. He just couldn't bear the guilt of breaking a special something of anybody when it was his fault. He should have been more careful walking on the hallways. Especially him being a Prefect. And most especially when there's Luna who's constantly in her dream-like state.
So, what better way to make amends but to replace the special something with an even more special thing. And sure, Anthony couldn't resist making another girl feel special.
The most difficult part perhaps, of this whole ordeal would be the giving part. How could he, Anthony Goldstein, sixth-year Ravenclaw Prefect, resident skirt-chaser, give the necklace to Luna Lovegood, fifth-year Ravenclaw, resident loony? It would be a scandal. Not that Anthony was new to scandals as he has been in a few over the last years, but he's keeping a low-profile for the most part of this year. He has to catch her alone, but to be able to do that, he would have to follow her around. And he does not like the sound of it.
He was turning the quill over and over on his palm, mulling over how best to approach Luna, when she appeared on his side.
"It's a special quill," she said matter-of-factly, looking at the quill on his hand.
Almost dropping it, he looked up to see Luna clutching some books.
Grinning, Anthony said, "Yeah… Already done?" he asked, nodding to her books.
"Oh, yes. I actually found a book on how best to take care of orlicks. Gertrude will be in for some pampering when I see her," she answered excitedly, already moving away from him.
"Er, Luna," he called out. Madame Pince gazed at him sternly and he just gave her a sheepish smile. When Luna turned to look at him, he walked over nearer to her and said, "Can you meet me at the… lake? I'll follow you there in a few minutes."
"I'll wait," she said and continued to walk.
He just stared at her retreating back before it registered that she agreed. Glancing around to make sure nobody caught the exchange, he hurriedly went back to get his things and went out of the library.
He found her leaning on a tree, humming to herself, and eyes closed. So it was a surprise when she spoke.
"Are you done with it?" she asked, still with her eyes closed.
He looked at her in disbelief before a grin took its place. Well, there really isn't any other reason for them to meet like this anyway.
Taking out the quill he was holding earlier, he transfigured it back to a necklace and was going to answer yes when he found Luna already staring at it. He held it out for her.
She looked up at him. "May I… Can you…?" She was touching her neck when she said it and he understood.
He nodded and she walked over to him. When she was near enough, she turned to her back and he tied the necklace on her neck.
She was blushing when she turned around and was staring at her new jewelry. Her eyes widened even more than usual when she saw the pendant and she looked at him with wonder and awe.
Shifting on his feet, he shrugged. "I hope that is better than…" he couldn't continue because Luna suddenly kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you," she said simply and dreamily, and then walked away.
Anthony was stunned. He couldn't even watch her go back to the school as he stood rooted on his spot. He touched his cheek gingerly.
"Girls…" he muttered softly, shaking his head. And then he, too, walked back towards the castle.
The End.