Okay, first off, I am VERY sorry about how weird the last chapter came out, as far as the spacing was concerned! I was in a rush, and due to the spacing errors, some confusion might've come up. I know it's taken me forever to add the next chapter, I'm in lethargic-summer-mode at the moment. But once I really got going, I couldn't stop - so this chapter's a little longer than the previous ones.

Lying in her bed that night, Hermione stared at the hangings around Lavender Brown's bed. She felt guilty. Why had she listened to Harry, anyway? Hermione remembered how desperate Harry had seemed when he had asked her to talk with Ginny, and how much she had not wanted to get involved in these strangled love affairs. But she still had agreed.
Hermione turned over once, twice, three times, and then slowly got out of bed. She gazed out the large window of the dormitory. The many turrets of the magnificent castle seemed to glow with dark blue light, and the moon turned its punctured face toward her. She looked away from it and instead looked at the floor.

Lavender awoke the next morning to find Hermione asleep by the window, the sunlight making her brown hair shine.

Autumn ended quicker than anyone had expected, and before the students of Hogwarts knew it, Christmas had arrived.
This year, however, Harry was not going to The Burrow. Since Ginny could easily vampire-bite him at any time, he decided he be better off not, as he explained to a befuddled Ron.
"So you're staying here, then?" Hermione asked as she gathered her warmest clothing. She and her family were going skiing.
"No, actually," he said. "Luna and I are going to be in London for a few days. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron."
"Sounds fun," Hermione said, but Harry noticed her eyebrows were raised a bit. "Has Luna ever been to London before? Aside from when we went to find Siri - aside from when we went?"
"She said she has," replied Harry, pushing an image of Sirius falling to the back of his mind. "But she last went when she was little. I went when I was ten with the Dursleys, we spent about two weeks there, and I still know my way around, so it'll work out."
"Are you sharing a room?" Ron asked.
Harry saw this coming, and knew what was going to come next. "Yes, but - "
"Oooooooh!" Ron whispered. Hermione smiled a little.
"It's not like we're sharing a bed or anything," Harry said. "It'll be less money this way."
"What do you care about money, you've got loads of gold," Ron muttered, so quietly it was nearly impossible to hear.

Well, it was the day. The day Harry and Luna were leaving for London.
Luna had her bags all packed. Her scarf, hats, coats, blankets, books, two pairs of body-warming earmuffs, two pairs of snow-repelling ski goggles should any mad blizzards arrive, and of course Harry's Christmas present.
She met Harry outside the castle.
"I swapped wizard gold for Muggle money from my friend," she said cheerfully. "So we can visit the Muggle part of the city, too, along with Diagon Alley and whatnot."
"Great," he said, smiling.
"So how are we going to get there? Thestrals? Although I haven't seen any. I could cut myself if you'd like, the blood would attract them."
"Nah," Harry said, laughing a little.
"I don't see what's so funny."
"Never mind. Anyway, we'll be going by broomstick. We should both be able to fit under the Invisibility Cloak."

An hour later, Luna and Harry were still pressed closely together on their brooms on the Invisibility Cloak. The cloak was almost useless due to the blinding snowstorm that whipped up in seconds, taking away the beautiful blue sky.
"HERE!" Luna yelled over to him. "SOME SKI GOGGLES! THEY REPEL SNOW! AND EARMUFFS! BUT THEY DON'T REPEL ANYTHING!"
She managed to yank the goggles over her and then pulled the other pair over Harry's. Then she put on the earmuffs.
A strange but good feeling filled Harry's body. His ears were no longer numb, but neither was the rest of his body. Plus, he could see.
"WHERE'D YOU GET THE EARMUFFS?" he hollered, his mouth receiving a large amount of snow.
"THEY WERE FREE WITH PURCHASE OF THE QUIBBLER!"
"IT'S GETTING WINDY NOW! BE CARE-"
But he never got to tell Luna to be careful, because the wind had blown her away. The cloak whipped up around him. He looked around. He saw her in the distance. She was trying to fly back, but was having little success, being an inexperienced flyer, and she was lightweight and somewhat small.
He flew over to her, the wind pelting against his face. Even though she wasn't coming any closer, she wasn't going any farther away, which would be worse. He reached her and held her tight until they reached their destination.

The city was as big as it was the last time they'd visited, but they were now able to look at it with optimistic eyes instead of scared ones. Big Ben chimed merrily; double-decker buses, red as Luna's radish earrings, whizzed by, carrying tourists; majestic snow-capped buildings loomed above them.
"Should we look around here, or head off to Diagon Alley?" Luna asked.
"I'd say we should stay here," Harry replied. He wasn't in the mood to be mobbed by wizards, asking about the mysterious girl he was walking with.
"I know there's a nice little restaurant round here somewhere. But I did read in The Quibbler of some odd animals popping up there, a kind of cross between a nargle and a cat, created by Mister -"
"Let's go there," Harry said hastily, and off they went.

"I was certain it was on this street," Luna said. Her feet were numb; the earmuffs had lost their effect entirely, and her arm was sore from lugging her suitcase. The shape of her broomstick inside was visible - but no one would ever guess what it was.
"Well, obviously it's not," Harry snapped. "Wait here and see if you can spot it, I'll go in that restaurant and ask the owner in there."
He handed her his luggage and stepped into the Cards and More shop.

The shop was festively decorated with tinsel and smelled like raspberry candles. It was a bright yellow and rather warm inside. The shop owner was nowhere to be seen. Harry felt guilty for leaving Luna out in the cold as he spun racks of cards with animals on them. He turned to go back outside when -
"Excuse me, young man, do you need any help?"
The owner of the shop had appeared at last. She had red-rimmed glasses and very curly brown hair, possibly bushier than Hermione's. Her eyes were kind, but Harry could tell she was a serious businesswoman.
"Have you heard of a restaurant called The Corner Stop?"
"Yes, but that closed last year. I'm assuming you're on holiday?"
"Yeah, I'm with my friend, and we haven't been here in a while."
"Ah, I see. You seem intelligent, you must go to a good school - where do you go?"
Unsure of what to say, Harry yanked a card from a rack with a sleepy dog on it and said, "What a cute dog, how much is it?"
"Four pounds."
"Wow, it's such a nice design, it really should be more than that." He almost laughed. Lies were spurting from his mouth - he needed to keep talking, he noticed she had seen the mark on his forehead and he did not want to discuss that.
He stuffed the card back into the rack with difficulty; it did not want to go back in, and he knocked down three empty envelopes in the process.
"Well, thanks anyway," he said, and turned to leave.

While Harry was in the card shop, Luna noticed something inside his suitcase that was sticking out. Some photograph. Luna knew he'd want it back in, so she unzipped the suitcase.
There were quite a few photos in there.
Maybe he sleeps with them, she thought, like how I sleep with that picture of Robert the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Ah, Robert, with that cute crumpled horn and those crazy little clawed feet...
She shook herself out of her daydream and then studied the pictures. One was what Luna could tell were James Potter and Lily Evans when they were at school. James's arm was slung loosely around Lily's shoulder, and Lily looked fairly happy.
There was another picture. Ron and Hermione. Of course.
And then there was a photo of...her. She and Harry were waving. Luna realized that that was the day when she and Harry had been rather bored a few weeks back, and Ginny had found a camera in Hogsmeade and was taking pictures of absolutely everything.
Luna realized something odd. She looked at the picture of Lily and James, and then once again she looked at the picture of Harry and herself, and noticed that they were shockingly similar. There was something about Lily's face that was like her own; something about how her cheek was bunched up as she was smiling. Luna touched her own cheek and then looked at the pictures. She felt something warm next to her and saw that Harry had left the store and looked extremely angry.

Harry was not hungry anymore. All he felt was disbelief and anger.
"How could you?" he snarled at her. "It's my stuff, you've got no right to go through it -"
"You left the suitcase open," she said calmly. "And the photos were sticking out; I thought you wanted me to see them."
"I didn't, I just take them with me all over!" He couldn't believe how calm she was being, and at the same time, how worked up he was.
"Why?"
Harry looked at her. Her eyes were wider than usual and they looked rather shiny and bright against the pale, cold snow.
He honestly wasn't too sure himself; he just knew he liked to take them with him. On these pictures were what made him happier than any amount of money, possessions or power. On these pictures were the faces of the ones he needed.
But she wouldn't understand. He picked up the suitcase and darted down the street.

She was a lot faster than he'd expected. Luna had caught up with him in seconds, only about eighteen inches behind him now.
Sixteen inches...fourteen... eight...
Before he could stop her Luna had her arms around him and was holding him like an escaped puppy - letting him know he'd done something wrong but it was nothing major.
"Harry, I'm not really sorry. I don't think I did anything wrong. But I think you're making too big of a deal out of this."
They were right outside The Leaky Cauldron now.
"I'm still upset," he said, and immediately he remembered a stubborn Dudley saying these words eleven years ago, when Harry had accidentally made Dudley's large lollipop shatter in his mouth.
"Fine, I'll sleep outside." Luna took all her blankets out from her suitcase and lay them neatly on the ground. Harry wanted to touch one of them but knew that he was supposed to be angry with her.
He looked at her.
"I'm quite comfortable. Really." At that instant an icicle fell down from the roof of the building and hit her nose. "I'm fine."
"Whatever," Harry mumbled, as he stepped inside.

Luna had already been outside for four hours. Harry opened his window and looked outside. She had a little fire next to her, and people were dropping coins next to her.
"No, I'm not poor," she kept saying, "I just had a fight with my boyfriend and I'm not staying in the hotel with him."
The passerby then would take their coins back and give her strange looks.
She looked up and saw Harry. Maybe she was wrong, after all. But Harry had no right to yell at her and have a fit.
"I'm okay!" she lied. "Just fine."
Harry closed his window and Luna felt herself start to cry, and the tears froze painfully on her face.
Then she saw that Harry was coming outside. She pulled the blanket over her cheeks and eyes.
Harry sat down next to her and pulled one of the blankets around him.
She's amazing, he thought, to be able to stay out her for four whole hours.
Luna felt herself dozing off a bit. Stay awake, she told herself.
But before she knew it, she was asleep.

Harry didn't know what to do. Maybe he should bring her into the hotel room...but she wouldn't like that. Or maybe he should stay out her with her.
No. It's her fault. Obviously she wants to be out here, Harry thought, and went inside.

Luna awoke the next day and felt as though someone had drilled holes in her body and left her to bleed.
She could see her hands and realized it had rained last night, and the rain had turned to ice on her body. She glanced at Big Ben in the distance. Already after noon. She lay there for two more hours, until she had the strength to walk.

When Luna stood, her torso felt heavy and difficult for her legs to carry. Once inside the hotel, people noticed how she was walking and offered to help. She casually would reply, "Oh no, I'm quite able to manage. I've got icicles on me, but everything's fine."
She reached Harry's room and knocked on the door. He appeared to have awaked around the same time as Luna and had just been lying around, and he looked like he hadn't slept too well. His hair was more messy than usual and he had circles under his eyes.
"I'm sorry," he said."You were quite rude. But I'll forgive you anyway. And I'm sorry for what I did."
"It's alright." He smiled a little, but his eyes grew wide when he saw the icicles. "How'd you get up here? Did it hurt?"
"Oh, yes. But I managed. You can do anything if you want to do it badly."
He nodded, still rather surprised.

Luna felt the warm water running down her body. One of life's simple pleasures was a hot shower after a cold night. She noticed there was something odd about the soap: it was green. Once she had finished scrubbing her legs, she noticed that they, too, were turning green.
When she was done with her shower and Harry saw her legs, he laughed and said, "You too?"
He raised one of the legs of his pants and Luna noticed a hairy green ankle. She laughed.
"Are you hungry?" she asked him. "I am."
"Yeah. Let's see if we can find a place that's still around, I want to spend as little time in this place as possible - "
"More green soap for them -"
" - We'll see how they like it -"
They chatted about rather unusual and unimportant things as they wandered around the chilly streets. Luna had no idea what came over her, but before she was aware of it she was running, and Harry was running behind her, and they were laughing…
And then they crashed right into a group of boys about Harry's age. They were all rather large. The biggest one sniggered and yelled to Luna, "Nice earrings, slut!"
Harry's jaw dropped. So did the boy's.
"It's..it's..him! RUN!"
The other boys panicked and ran.
"That," Harry said, struggling to hold back laughter, "was one of Dudley's lamest insults ever."
Luna nodded, smiled a little, and was then immediately up on her feet and running after the gang.

She caught up to them quickly once they were in a dark alleyway and tapped Dudley on the shoulder.
"I didn't like your comment," she said calmly. "And I'd like you to apologize."
Dudley looked around. So did Luna. Harry was not in sight; however, Luna still stood tall.
"Apologize?" Dudley said.
"Well, yes," Luna said somewhat nervously as the other boys surrounded her. She grasped her wand in her pocket and whispered, "Accio Robert the Crumple-Horned Snorkack!"
In seconds, Robert was by her side, nipping at their heels. Harry peeked out from his hiding place. Apparently, his surprise attack was unnecessary. It was an odd little thing. It had claws for feet, and was covered in a strange red fur. Its horn, as Harry had assumed, was squashed flat against its head, and its eyes bugged out like a puppet.
The boys shrieked and backed into a corner.
"Apologize," Luna said angrily.
"I'm sorry," Dudley said, "just get that…that thing away from me…"
She scooped up Robert, kissed his forehead and said, "You can go now, Rob!"
And off he went, scurrying through the alleyway for about ten seconds before disappearing with a loud pop.
"Thank you," she said politely.
"You're not going to…hurt us….and use your ma - your power stuff, are you?" one of the boys asked in a shaky voice.
"Unnecessary violence," Luna said, waving a hand. "But I may have to if you report me."
"But I will hurt you," whispered a voice that even made Luna jump.
They looked around the alleyway. Luna noticed one of the trash bins was vibrating and stepped towards it.
"I think I shall open it now," she announced, and opened the lid. She screamed.
"RAWR!" said the thing in it, and she was pulled in.
Dudley and his gang screamed and threw trash at the can.
Luna was having a laughing fit.
"I knew you'd like that," Harry said, grinning.
But her laughing ended when one of the boys kicked the can, his foot hitting Luna's stomach. She gasped and closed her eyes tightly.
"I don't -" Harry muttered furiously, "believe - them -"
He emerged from the can like a frog from a pond, but the boys had already left. Somehow, Luna popped right out beside him.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'll be fine," she panted. She smiled weakly. "Really, it's no big deal. But I think we should go back to the hotel."
After struggling to their hotel room Luna lay down on her bed. Harry sat next to her.
"Let's hope tomorrow's better; I guess not all Christmas Eves are good," she said. "What time is it, anyway?"
"Eight," Harry said. "There's probably some food downstairs."
Harry was a bit afraid that the food he found was poisonous, but he and Luna were still alive and awake four hours later, so they assumed they were okay. Neither could sleep, because of their late wake-up that day. Luna took a copy of The Quibbler out from her suitcase.
"Huh," she said after a few minutes of intense reading. "'The Leaky Cauldron has decided to give green soap to all who stay at the hotel, as a way of remembering their ties to the wizarding world as they wander through the Muggle streets of London.' I think that's a brilliant idea." She rolled up her pant leg past her knee and studied her green leg. Harry looked at it too. And then he rubbed it. He couldn't really help himself. Harry smiled at her and she smiled back. She put her hand in his hair. It certainly was black. She laughed, but she wasn't exactly sure why.
When Harry awoke, he saw that Luna was curled up next to him. They'd both laughed themselves to sleep last night. Which, Harry decided, was not at all a bad way to get yourself to sleep.
It's Christmas, he thought happily. Very carefully, he crept out of bed and out the hotel room. He came back about ten minutes later, a collection of Christmas ornaments in his hands. He put them in her hair. They were such pretty colors.
Luna awoke an hour later. She sat up and heard something jingle.
"Oh, I forgot, it's Christmas," she said in a quiet, sleepy voice.
Harry nodded, trying to hold back his laughter.
"You look beautiful," he said earnestly.
She smiled widely and touched her hair. Her smile faded a bit.
"Feels like there's...some sort of metal in my hair," she said. "Wonder how it got there."
"Look in the mirror."
Luna did, and she laughed.
She really is quite pretty, Harry thought. Her hair was pale, but the little glass baubles made her glow and her blue eyes were as wide and bright as the ornaments, possibly brighter.
She kissed him and Harry took each of the ornaments out of her hair, one by one.
"I got you something," she said, running to her suitcase.
She pulled out an odd little contraption. When Harry held it in his hands it buzzed and whirred. It was made out of wire.
"Put it on your head," she said.
Harry looked confused, but still complied. He yelled as he shot toward the ceiling.
"How do I make it stop?" he shouted.
"Say, 'I would like to come down now!'" Luna replied.
Harry felt like an idiot, but it worked. He tried to be grateful, but it was difficult.
"Oh, and I got your something else." This, however, was much more practical: a book about broomsticks.
Harry gave Luna the chocolate and the mittens he had bought. She seemed very pleased.
"You know," she said, as they headed down for breakfast, "I think this is a very good Christmas vacation."