Okay, I finally got around to writing this chapter… I wasn't really sure where to go with this one, or rather… I had trouble deciding which way to go. Lucid03days gave me an idea to go with, but I wasn't sure how to use it, or really if I should use it… Which of course gave way to alternate ways, slight differences on her idea, and completely different ideas… anywho, If your reading this that means that I did in fact finally decide on what to do, and wrote about it. Either that or you are some archeologist from a futuristic civilization that has recovered my computer and you just found this file, and have translated it into whatever language you read (surely the worldwide language will be elvish by then) Anyways, I just felt like rambling, and you apparently read it all, CONGRADULATIONS! I'll try to refrain from such ramblingishness in the future. :P,

Shantazzar


Chapter Two/Part Two: Confused

I let loose a sigh of relief when Luna's attention was off of me. I suppose she forgot he was in the same room as us, and I almost burst out laughing when Luna asked, "Where did you come from?"

"Why are you turning me into Hermione?" demanded Luna out of the blue, cutting my thoughts apart right where they stood. I just sat there, waiting for Luna's features to show some sign of sarcasm or a joke of some sort. But no such trace was to be found on her face.

"Excuse me?" asked Hermione in response to Luna's strange question, which was even strange for Luna.

At this, I couldn't help but smile. I knew I shouldn't laugh at Luna, but with two such random and seemingly incoherent questions, followed by Hermione's indignant response, no one in the car could hold back a laugh, with the exception of Luna and Hermione.

"If you don't mind, that question was directed at Neville, not you." Luna exclaimed when the laughing subsided, "Neville?"

I had no idea what to say. I didn't really even understand what the question was, much less how to answer it.

"Umm, Sorry?" I said, hoping that was what she was looking for. But, my mind just had to ask more, "How am I making you think like Hermione anyway?"

"I'm not sure. That's obviously why I'm upset at this moment!" Came her response. Such a response left me speechless. How could she ask me a question that even she did not understand, and then expect me to? I started trying to think of what she could mean by saying that, when Ginny stood up.

"Luna, can I speak with you momentarily?" Ginny asked.

"Sure." Luna responded. It seemed to take her several moments to realize that Ginny wanted to talk to her outside in the hall of the train, and she excused herself when she did.

When they left, Harry, Ron, and Hermione resumed their conversation. It seemed they were talking about Fred and George.

Hermione resumed the conversation by stating, "I just don't understand how they could leave their studying for a joke shop…"

"How can you say that Hermione?" exclaimed Ron, as he pulled out a bag from his suitcase, "Look at this stuff they made, no average wizard could have made things like these!"

"Well, I admit some of them are particularly clever, but it seems such a waste of their skills to make headless hats and all this other stuff." Hermione replied

"Hey, what's this thing?" I asked Ron

"OH, those are brilliant!" Replied Ron, "Extendable ears! You can hear perfectly from the opposite side of them!"

"Wow, how did they do that?" I asked

"Oh I dunno." Ron slurred as he pulled one out, quickly saying, "Here, try one out, they work great!"

"Umm, I couldn't really test it now, there's nothing in here that I can't hear normally."

Ron looked down for a moment thinking, but after a moment, his eyes slowly shifted to the door.

"Here, try this" Said Ron as he quietly went over to the door with a grin on his face, slipping one end just barely under the door, then handed the other end to me.

With the fake ear in mine, I was able to hear Ginny's voice outside, "Wait a moment, I don't think you understand what I'm saying."

Which was then followed by Luna's, "I don't think I do either."

"I'm going to tell you something and you're going to have to pay close attention to me, okay?"

I was about to comment to Ron on the effectiveness of the extendable ears, when something just happened to catch in my ear…

"I think you fancy Neville."

Time paused for a moment. I was glad I wasn't facing towards Ron, Harry, or Hermione, because I was sure my face had gone completely white. My whole perspective on life flip-flopped for a moment, and it was interrupted by Luna's response.

"WHAT?"

Somehow some part of me was a little disappointed with this, although I didn't really understand why.

"It's the way you act around him," Ginny quickly added, "It's just not like you."

"That's only because he's trying to turn me into Hermione." Luna replied, and I almost started laughing again.

"You've got it bad," said Ginny

"Hey Neville, what're they talking about?" asked Ron, probably wanting to make sure the ear was working right.

"Umm" I replied, as my mind scrambled, "Herbology" I said, knowing that Ron would have no further interest in this.

"Really? What about it?" questioned Hermione

Shoot, I forgot Hermione was in the car.

"And why couldn't they talk in front of us?"

"I don't know, I didn't hear it all!" I said a bit defensively as I stood up and took the ear out from under the door, then sat down again.

I just sat there thinking for a minute, how much my world had turned upside down… or perhaps it had been upside down all my life, and it was just now right side up…

Ginny walked in shortly after, gathering both hers and Luna's school robes, then walked out. I was a bit surprised by this, not sure of what I should think.

I sat by the window and just stared out for the last part of the trip. I wasn't really thinking about anything at all. After a while I finally got around to thinking again, wondering what I would do or say the next time I saw Luna.

The train finally came to a stop, and I everyone else left the train in the direction of the carriages. I looked around, but I couldn't see Luna. I felt kind of relieved, but also a little disappointed. The whole ritual seemed normal to me now, watching the first years cross in the boats.

I glanced around again, and didn't see Luna in any of the nearby carriages either. We made our way into the Great Hall, sitting down at the Gryffindor table. After a while of watching, I spotted Luna as she walked in with the last few people. She hurried to her seat as Dumbledore stood up to speak. While watching her I noticed she didn't look like she was hearing a word Dumbledore said.

I spent most of the time either glancing at her, or thinking about her… not really sure what I should think. I knew that I kinda liked talking to her and all… but I didn't know if I LIKED her, It's not like its really the kind of thing you can define. Besides, its not like I could just walk up and say, "Hey I like you" and just live happily ever after.

I didn't see Luna for the rest of the night, and that night I had trouble sleeping. First because of all the commotion from it being the first night at Hogwarts, which included all the noise from all the goodies that had been purchased from the Weasely brothers' store. It seemed they had become almost legendary after the previous year's happenings. But also, every time I closed my eyes, I saw her face, crystal clear, just looking at me.


To our reviewers: (Shantazzar's responses)

New England Shopper: Glad you liked my last chapter, I hope you enjoyed this one, and ones to come.

BelatrixyKrueger: (yes, I know you were replying to Lucid03days' chapter, but still) Yes, I'm not surprised you like Lucid's stuff more, I think I mentioned early on that I've never written anything like this before, I usually stick to humor. But Lucid writes this stuff all the time, and she's really good at it (compare her stories to my stories, her's are harry potter and trigun romantic ones, mine are LOTR, and Harry Potter parodies)

CrazyNut: I hope you liked this update! But make sure to get your sleep, and eat food as well, I'd hate to lose a good fan!

Maria0ctavia: Yes, of course there will be an adventure, don't you know? See, in the next chapter Neville will be wandering a dark hallway, and he will find a magic ring, that makes him invisible when he puts it on. Then Hermione will see it and ask if it is Voldemort's lost ring from when he was in Hogwarts. Then Neville and Luna will have to travel to the only place that the ring can be destroyed: The Barbeque pit in Voldemort's backyard (on voldy's backyard deck, kinda near his swingset)


Lucid-03-days' responses to Shantazzar's responses:

IGNORE ANYTHING HE SAYS! He's crazy...a 17 (almost 18) year-old boy!