Daisies in her Hair

Part Nine - Dreams

"Ronald?" Luna's voice came out of now ehre and it surprised Ron. Jerking slightly, he turned to see her at the corner of his eyes, hands behind her back and a large hat of her head.

"Yeah Luna?" Ron was careful to leave a safe distance between them, as she flopped down beside on the grass, a lopsided smile of her pale face. Luna was in no mind for this, she shifted over till their thighs rested against one another, lightly, Ron still shivered. Luna appeared not to notice.

"Did you dream last night Ronald?" As usual her gaze focused directly at him, but her eyes remained a mystery. Wide and strong, so ready to believe and believe like no other. Luna certainly at her convictions however abnormal it was to others. It was like Hermione in some ways, Ron mused, but very different.

Looking at her Ron was brought to a start as he remembered the question. He had dreamt last night. But these were not going to be shared with Luna, a person had to have some privacy. Ron anyway, really didn't want to share his dreams with object of them.

So Ron lied, "Er, I dreamt I was being chased by... um," his mind raced for something, "Door knobs." Ron mentally castrated himself.

Luna nodded wisely, in agreement. "Yes, knobs can be very scary can't they? I had an intense fascination of them, some years ago."

Choking and blushing, Ron turned his head away.

"Did you dream of anything else, Ronald?" Luna pressed, her eyes intent of the clouds and the sky.

"I dreamt..." Ron started, then stopped looking warily at her. He really didn't want to embarrass himself again, once was enough.

Luna smiled again, "Go on Ron," her voice was soft.

"My dream was on the Quidditch pitch, I was wearing the oddest clothes, something Muggle I think, it was just that crazy."

"Wearing a lovely yellow dress."

"What? No!" Ron yelped, backing away from Luna with shocked eyes and an open mouth left gaping in the wind for all the world to see.

"I was, Ronald," and she giggled, a girly giggle. "In my different dream."

Looking at the smiling Luna, Ron thought what coudl be strange that Luna would point it out to him.

"With daffodils, which I would have not have chosen," her tone clearly expressed her disapproval for them, "Oh and some basil." She continued.

He blinked, "Basil?"

"Yes, in my dream it went quite nicely with the daffodils." Luna slowly turned her head as a bird swooped past. It landed on a narrow branch, wings out spread before falling. Just before it hit the ground it regained it's balance and flew off to another branch. Luna and Ron watched it go.

Thinking, Ron wondered what exactly was so different that Luna suggested it was. Something...

Then Ron turned away from the bird and his thoughts, "Um, I'm sure that basil would look nice. But wouldn't you rather like," Ron searched his mind for flowers, "Roses? Roses are nice. Or daisies..."

Thinking, Ron wondered what exactly was so different that Luna suggested it was. Something...

She turned blandly at him and shook her head, "Roses are vessels for Hinkley Finknies. I could never wear them! They are very dangerous," Luna added knowingly.

Blinking quickly, Ron looked down at his tightly clenched hands, as he pondered the decidedly strange Luna Lovegood. "Oh... I didn't know."

"I was sure I had told you. It's not a very known secret, that they inhabit roses, but my father told me so." She shrugged at his slow perplexed nodding. "I like daisies," Luna said encouragingly.

Clutching at his pocket where once the daisy had been placed, Ron thought back to the Gryffindor Tower and under his bed where he had placed it. He then nodded stiffly. "Yeah," Ron muttered awkwardly.

"Ronald?"

Standing up, Ron looked at her introspective face, her eyes as usual a mystery, "Luna?"

"You have grass all over you." She stated blandly, looking at him with some amusement, the tips of her lips crinkling up at him.

"Er," Ron looked her seriously this time, "I have to leave."

"Ronald? Ronald?" Her voice rose.

He left quickly, his hands shoved deep into the murky depth's of his pockets, his hand bowed and with the tops of his ear burning a deep pink.

Luna... Ron thought with a twist of his lips, was bonkers.