Disclaimer: I am trying to show Seamus has an Irish accent. If that is failing miserably, I'm very sorry. It is a really odd pairing, Luna and Seamus, but I felt that it needed to be done. If Luna is a little OOC to you, it's only because I am taking creative liscence and trying to make this work. I think she's in character enough so that it's reasonable. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. There's definitely more to come!

- Ferin

ps: HBP SPOILERS! I have warned you.
pps: I don't own these characters, duh.

Seamus and Dean walked quickly into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Luna following awkwardly behind them.

"I'm sorry, mate. I would have warned you beforehand, but it was a last minute thing!" Dean explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"S'alright! I mean, she was brilliant with Quidditch commentary. Tha's got to count for somethin' I suppose," Seamus responded with a chuckle and picked up what seemed like an ordinary cauldron.

"My friend Lydia had one of those! If you said the right spell, it was supposed to turn the color of the potion you wanted to make. She got caught the second day of class. I remember telling her, 'Lydia, as a Ravenclaw you have the responsibility to be devoted to each of your classes no matter what the circumstances. Besides, that cauldron looks as though a trackledorf curse has been placed upon it!', but she didn't listen. No one ever does," Luna told them and looked at the object with disdain.

"Ravenclaws are never wrong," Dean said, rolling his eyes.

"Not to mention Slughorn wasn't blind," Seamus said with a smirk, "I never did get an invitation to those parties of his. I don't suspect I'll be learnin' about them now."

"Someone I know, who shall remain nameless, got invited to a couple of them. She told me it was rather boring," Dean informed them while staring disappointedly at the pigmy puffs.

"Ginny's liked Harry for ages, it wasn't anything personal. You know, when I went to one of Slughorn's parties with Harry, just as friends, I couldn't hold his attention for a second. He's brilliant though, don't you think? I have a great respect for Gryffindor bravery, but you can't fool the sorting hat, can you? I have so many thoughts that I couldn't be anything but a Ravenclaw," Luna explained, eventually wandering off to look at the large assortment of love potions.

"I had no idea she talked this much. She's always really quiet at Hogwarts," Dean began, but his voice drifted off.

"A typical girl though, righ'? She's o'er there looking at stuff to use on poor unsuspecting fellas like ourselves," Seamus said in a fierce whisper.

"I'd like to have a word with the owners of this shop!" Luna shouted from her position by the window. She wore a look of complete disbelief, which turned into anger as she crossed her arms over her chest and began searching the store wildly with her eyes.

Seamus had a feeling that he was about to see a side of Luna that no one had witnessed before. If looks could kill, any person within her line of sight would be left to rot wherever they fell. Unfortunately, this was not the first time Seamus has seen such a frightening facial expression. His mother often gave him a look or two when he gave her attitude, or when he took his father's side in an argument.

"That would be I, miss. It appears as though you are unhappy with some aspect of my shop," Fred Weasley said politely and smiled hesitantly at the petite girl in front of him.

"I thought I should explain to you that true love has no price. It is a different type of magic entirely. Therefore, there is no possible way you can bottle it and sell it to whomever decides they're struggling with personal relationships. Only a greedy graplenarf would do such a thing!" Luna scolded and stormed out of the shop, her blonde hair billowing out behind her.

"Let her go! I'm certainly not responsible for her insanity!" Dean told Seamus and continued looking through the mysterious products on the shelves.

Seamus felt a knot begin to tie itself in his stomach. It wasn't as if he hadn't been a complete jerk before, but this time it seemed different. Luna seemed different. He knew that Luna wasn't the sort of person that was paid attention to, and being an outcast day after day was probably not an ideal situation. He and Dean were best friends, and it wasn't often Seamus decided that Dean was in the wrong about a particular subject. This time he was sure he had better just follow his instincts. A good Irish boy would never let an upset young lady wander through an alley alone. He found company to be extremely important in times as shady as these. The days of Voldemort's return were, sadly, a completely different world.

"Dean, have a heart, will ye? She's a good person. Look, I'll go an' talk with her awhile and you can stay as long as ye like," Seamus said finally and left Dean to his own devices.

When Seamus found Luna, she was staring blankly at the window of the abandoned Ollivander's wand shop. She had taken off her sweater and had tied it around her waist in an odd fashion. It was considerably hotter than it had been when they first arrived in Diagon Alley, but Seamus didn't feel like revealing his freckled arms. Instead he wiped some sweat from his forehead and pretended as though he hadn't noticed the air had gone stale.

"I think Fred Weasley is in a state of shock ye know. I don' think anyone but his mum talks to him like that," Seamus started in conversation.

"I would have yelled, but it didn't seem necessary at the time. It's not that I hate him or what he's selling, it's just that there is a difference between being funny and . . . lying," Luna's voice rang in his ears.

"Well said, Luna. I guess I can see your point," Seamus responded and stood motionless beside her. He couldn't quite figure out what Luna was staring at, but he figured he might as well try and see things from her point of view for a while. He could hear Dean's footsteps behind them, but he didn't turn around until Dean suggested they get a move on.

"I've got to get my mum's birthday present. Would you mind coming into the candle shop over there?" Dean asked Seamus, who was staring at Luna with an expression of confusion. Seamus broke his gaze and smirked at Dean.

"I don' think I can handle the smell. I already have to put up with me mum's obsession!" he replied with a chuckle. Dean rolled his eyes and hesitated at the door.

Seamus could tell that he was contemplating whether or not he should ask Luna if she wanted to step inside, but he disappeared a moment later. Luna sat on the steps that connected the alley to the neighboring shop.

"Aren't you concerned about blockin' the flow of traffic?" Seamus asked her jokingly. Luna pointed behind her at the boarded up windows, then to Seamus's spot in the middle of the alley as if to say "aren't you?".

Seamus shrugged and slowly sat himself beside her, whistling a random tune. He knew that allowing for silence would be subjecting himself to torture.

"Why don't you play Quidditch?" Luna asked suddenly and turned to look at him. Seamus stopped whistling and tried to avoid her eyes. There was something behind them that frightened him a little, though he wasn't sure what that was.

"I've tried out for the house team, but I suppose I'm no good. Da says I'm all spirit and no coordination," he explained, but couldn't bring himself to smile. It was still hard for him to think about the fact that there might not be a house team to cheer on anymore. Luna made a noise that sounded like "hmmmn" and shielded her eyes against the sun.

"Heard any good jokes lately?" she asked and bobbed her head as if listening to music that only she could hear.

Seamus knew that she was absolutely serious, but he couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't deny he was thankful for the small talk. It seemed to keep his mind of the rising temperature of midday.

"Well, not recently. I can tell ye a good Irish one," Seamus stated and drummed his fingers at his side.

"An Irish joke is as good as any," she replied and waited for him to tell it. Her sense of calm embarrassed Seamus in a strange way. He cleared his throat and stretched leisurely out over the steps.

"In life, there are only two things to worry about. Either you are well or you are sick. If you are well, there is nothing to worry about, but if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about. Either you will get well or you will die. If you get well, there is nothing to worry about, but if you die, there are only two things to worry about. Either you will go to heaven or hell. If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about. And if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends you won't have time to worry," he recited.

Luna's laughter at his side surprised him. It wasn't often that anyone bothered laughing at his corny jokes. He had stopped telling them to the other Gryffindors a long time ago.

"Seamus, you're going to have to tell me another one!" she said excitedly.

He smiled brightly and nodded his head in agreement. He never expected his mood to lighten so significantly due to 'Loony' Luna Lovegood.