Disclaimer: As usual the characters are not mine :).
Summary:
A/N: This is the story about how two different people became friends for life.
Hope you enjoy it.
The words of a friend
By: She-Elfgirl
She was sitting alone near a tree in the fields. Groups of People who passed her by pointed at her and laughed; others merely murmured things she couldn't hear and chuckled under their breaths; and then there were the ones who just ignored her presence as if she didn't exist. But no one, not even once, smiled to her or said hello.
She hid her face behind her magazine letting a couple of tears run freely down her cheeks. Everyone thought that she didn't know or didn't care about what they said about her… that she was nothing but a Loony. But she cared and it tore her heart apart not having a single friend in the whole school, not even a single friend in her school house. She had always been alone, never in her life had she met a person who liked her, she had never had a friend and she had learned to deal with it. She had accepted her loneliness but it still hurt her every time people made fun of her. She didn't know why people didn't like her, she just acted like herself all the time, was there something wrong with it? Well, whether they would like it or not, she would never change, no one would ever like her anyway so why worry in changing her attitude. From the corner of her eye she saw a girl walking towards her and discretely dried her tears. She knew that girl from her Herbology class. She had many brothers and she was in Gryffindor. Why was she heading in her direction? She had never spoken to her. Probably the girl just wanted to make fun of her like everyone else so she braced herself for the worse.
Ginny Weasley was gazing at the unconscious body of one of her best friends. Luna Lovegood laid immobilized in a bed at St. Mungus with an eerie expression in her pale features. The Mediwizards alleged that she would never wake up from her unconsciousness. Luna had been another victim of the war, the war that they had won… but at what cost? Voldemort was dead; Harry, Ron and Hermione had found and destroyed all Horcruxes. Harry had defeated the dark lord but many good people had perished.
As Ginny scanned her friend's face in search of any sign that she would be alright, she started playing with a golden ring while trying desperately to hold back her tears. The door of the room creaked and she heard the light footsteps approaching her. When Ginny felt someone caressing her shoulders she looked up to meet Harry's eyes.
"Come on sweetie, it's time to go." he said in a whisper but she shook her head and lowered her gaze to the ruby in the ring as if her very life depended on it.
"Let me stay with her just a little bit more." she asked as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Harry lifted her chin to look straight into the depths of her eyes while he caressed her face tenderly.
"Don't worry Gin. Soon she'll wake up, you'll see." he said reassuringly after looking sadly at Luna "She is a brave girl and she knows we're missing her." Ginny merely nodded and with a sob she lifted her eyes to him.
"Please Harry… just a few minutes."
"Alright, stay with her as long as you need" he whispered with a worried expression "I'll be outside waiting for you" Harry kissed her softly on the lips and with a last tormented look in Luna's direction he left the room.
Ginny sat in a chair next to her friend's bed, she didn't know what to do or say. It was so depressing to see Luna like that. She couldn't accept that she would never wake up again; it was such an unbearable idea. Sadness was taking hold of her and Ginny knew she had to say something; she had to talk to her friend even though it was unlikely that she would hear her.
"Remember when we met Luna?" said Ginny loud enough when she couldn't take the silence any longer "We had an odd conversation of course, that's one of your biggest qualities, you say the oddest things and yet you're so funny." Ginny made a brief pause determined to tell Luna the story of how they had become friends. She took a deep breath and started to tell her story in a tremulous voice.
It was a warm morning of May. It was Saturday and Ginny had taken the chance to walk a bit in the fields alone. She was thinking about her life, it was only her third year at Hogwarts, and so many things had happened to her. Yet she had only one thing in her mind, Harry Potter, the boy who had never noticed her, not even after saving her life in the chamber of secrets. He was so infuriating, why couldn't he understand her feelings towards him? She felt guilty for thinking about Harry, after all she had started dating Michael Corner; but the fact was that she still liked her brother's friend. Hermione had told her to date other boys because that would make Harry notice her and Ginny was trying her best but he fancied Cho Chang even though she was dating Cedric Diggory.
As she walked through the fields, lost in thoughts, Ginny saw a group of Sytherin students making fun of a girl with long dirty blond hair that was sitting alone near a tree. She knew the girl from her Herbology class; it was Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw. Everybody called her Loony and in fact she was a little strange but, although she had never actually talked to the girl, seeing her there so alone made Ginny feel sorry for her. Now that she thought about it she had never seen Luna in company of anyone, she was always alone.
Feeling bad for never have talked to Luna, Ginny decided to give her an opportunity. She glared at the group of students and made her way towards the girl. When she was close Ginny cleared her throat to make her presence noticed.
"Hello!" she said feeling weird for talking to someone that she didn't know. The girl lifted her protuberant grey eyes from the magazine that she was reading with a surprised look and she smiled uncertainly.
"Hello" she said simply and returned her gaze to her magazine, which she was strangely reading upside down. Although she was feeling extremely awkward, Ginny decided to keep going. She was determined to talk to Luna and she wouldn't give up that easily.
"It's a wonderful day, isn't it?" she stated. The girl looked at her oddly and what she said then made Ginny feel very bad.
"Why are you talking to me today, you never talked to me before?" Luna had a strange smile and Ginny shifted her feet nervously in the ground, unable to find a response to that comment.
"That's true." she said finally with a guilty expression on her face "You know, you never talked to me either." she remarked with an embarrassed smile. Luna studied Ginny as if trying to figure out if she was making fun of her or not.
"I guess you're right, yet it's strange because no one ever talks to me so I don't know why you are here." she said returning to her magazine and leaving Ginny at a loss for words.
"Well, actually I never realized that. I was just walking, saw you here and decided to talk to you but if you don't want my company I'll just go" snapped Ginny, starting to feel annoyed by the girl's honesty and she turned her back to leave.
"Wait!" said Luna hastily "You're Ginny Weasley, right?"
"Yes, and you are Luna Lovegood" she said with a light chuckle.
"You seem to be a nice person Ginny Weasley" stated Luna with an open smile.
"Well… I like to think that I am" remarked Ginny laughing brightly. "and call me just Ginny, please.
"Ok Ginny, do you want some chocolate?" Luna had already started searching her bag for a bar of chocolate.
"Sure, thanks" Ginny sat next to her feeling, all of a sudden, very well with herself. She was talking to someone that everybody despised and she knew that she was doing the right thing. Actually she didn't know why people didn't like her; Luna seemed to be a very nice girl! "So what are you reading?" she asked while savouring her chocolate.
"Oh, this is The Quibbler, my dad's the editor." explained Luna proudly, and she tucked her straggly hair behind her ears where she had her wand.
"Ah, sorry to ask but… why are you reading it like this… I mean… er… upside down." Ginny couldn't stop herself from laughing and to her surprise Luna accompanied her with a guttural laugh of her own. Ginny was feeling a bit startled at Luna's sudden fit of laughter, unaware of what she had said that was so funny.
"You see, I'm reading the answers to a test" explained Luna, still chuckling and drying her tears. Ginny laughed at her own idiocy.
"Oh, I'm sorry Luna. She said feeling a bit silly "why else would you be reading a magazine upside down. That was very stupid of me."
"Why do you say that" interrupted Luna with a very serious expression "How could you have guessed"
"Well I… nevermind…" Ginny shrugged and smiled at Luna. Can I borrow The Quibbler, when you finish it?"
"Of course, I have finished it already"
After a while of talking and reading the magazine, both girls were laughing and commenting the articles and some people started gawking strangely at them; that fact annoyed Ginny to no end.
"I don't know why people don't talk to you Luna, you are very nice." she said while glaring at a group of Ravenclaw girls, who were pointing at Luna, sitting on the grass nearby.
"Do you think so?" asked Luna distractedly "Well, usually people think that I'm strange just because I use a necklace of butterbear corks and radishes for earrings. They also find it weird the fact that I believe in Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and Wrackspurts. Ginny laughed lightly as Luna shook her head in utter disbelief.
"Well, I think you should use whatever you like, although… why do you use those anyway?" she asked curiously pointing at her strange items of jewellery.
"Because I like them…" said Luna simply "…Would you like to have one?" she asked after a brief pause and Ginny could have fainted in shock with the mere suggestion.
"No, thanks" she answered hastily and both girls laughed again. Ginny decided to ignore all the staring from the other people on the fields. She couldn't care less about their opinion, Luna was revealing to be a lot of fun to talk to and that was all that mattered "Well, as I was saying… about those creatures… I don't believe in them either, but I still think you're cool." Luna didn't say anything to that; she remained in silence for a long while, playing with a ring that she had taken from her pocket. Ginny was starting to feel uncomfortable again when she noticed the stone in the ring.
"What's that?" she gasped surveying the stone. "Oh my, is that a ruby?"
"Yes, it is." answered Luna casually as if it was nothing special to own a ruby "This was a ring that belonged to my mother, she died a while ago" Luna's eyes darkened with sadness and Ginny felt a lump forming in her throat. She couldn't imagine what her life would be without her mother; she would die if something would happen to her.
"I'm so sorry" she said sadly.
"This was her favourite ring, her engagement ring actually, she and my father loved each other so much." said Luna as if she hadn't heard Ginny. "I keep it always in my pocket… it's for luck, you know?" Luna's eyes were misty and Ginny was sure that she couldn't see her; Luna had certainly forgotten that she was there. "She always told me that I was special… of course I'm not but she and my father were the only ones who always believe that I was worthy.
"Oh, Luna… you really miss her, don't you?" said Ginny in a whisper, not sure if Luna could hear her.
"Very, very much" she answered with tears shinning in her eyes "Although I know I'll see her again" she finished with a brief smile. Ginny didn't comment that, she felt so bad that she wanted to run away but she couldn't leave Luna alone, she had to cheer her up somehow.
"Well you're lucky, you know? I've never touched a ruby before, let's just say that my family is not rich." she chuckled lightly but Luna didn't even smile which made Ginny feel awkward once again.
"Would you like to be my friend, Ginny?"
"What…er… well?" Ginny wasn't expecting that and she honestly didn't know what to say but she smiled anyway. "Well, I guess…"
"That's very nice of you" interrupted Luna smiling openly as if Ginny had agreed "You're my first friend ever and I suppose you'll be the only one" Ginny was feeling all the more uncomfortable. She thought that Luna was cool but her honesty was so unnerving most of the time.
"Well I…" she started but Luna didn't let her finish.
"Do you want me to lend you my ring?" she asked all of a sudden.
"What?" Ginny was completely astounded.
"You see, now that you are my friend I would like you to keep it for a while… as a symbol of our friendship."
"Oh no, Luna… I can't accept that, what if I lose it?"
"Don't be silly" said Luna laughing "Of course you won't lose it"
"But… but you keep it for luck…"
"You know, I don't think it's working for me." she said with a serious expression. "Maybe it gives you more luck than it gave me. Besides friendship means sharing the good and the bad, right? Let's make a deal I want you to keep the ring until the day you think I need it back, ok?
"Well… well I… alright" said Ginny uncertainly, staring astonished at the beautiful ring that Luna had handed her. "Thanks, that's really, really nice of you…" she didn't know what else to do or say after that kind gesture.
"It's almost lunch time; we better get going" interrupted Luna smiling nonchalantly"
"Yeah, I agree." said Ginny relieved. Luna was very nice but so strange at the same time; Ginny needed some time to get used to her presence. She smiled to herself as they walked together to the castle; Ginny was starting to imagine what Michael would say when she told him that she had become friends with Luna Lovegood from his house.
"See you later then." said Ginny with a smile when they reached the Great Hall.
"Ok" Luna smiled and continued "You can keep the Quibbler I don't need it anymore." Ginny watched as her new friend walked to a lonely place in the Ravenclaw table, with a mixture of pity and sympathy. She really was odd but Ginny was determined to give Luna a chance.
When she finished her story Ginny dried her tears. You know Luna, that day I found a new and loyal friend. Of course I found you unusual at the beginning and I wouldn't have ever guessed that we would become such good friends. How could I guess that in the year after that you would reveal yourself to be one of the bravest girls I've ever met by joining us in a fight against Death Eaters? How would I know that you would help us again when they attacked Hogwarts… how would I guess that you would fall fighting against them during the war?" she finished in a shaky voice.
I want you to keep the ring until the day you think I need it back.
Ginny recalled Luna's words and with hope guiding her will she put the ring in her friend's finger.
"You need it now." she said with a loud sob "I hope it gives you more luck than it gave me." Ginny stood a little while watching Luna intently, hoping against hope that her friend woke up now that she had the ring. But nothing happened, she remained there… unconscious and Ginny sighed in disappointment.
The fact was that the tiny piece of jewellery had never brought luck to any of them but it meant more than anybody would ever know. It was the symbol of their friendship. Ginny had found in Luna one of the best friends a person could get, even though everybody thought that she was a loony. That ring meant freedom for Ginny… the freedom she had to choose her friends no matter how strange they were to other people; freedom to fight for what she wanted, for what she believed; freedom to be herself no matter what. Luna had taught her that, she had never changed her attitude not even when people made fun of her… she had always been and would always be Luna Lovegood, no matter what.
"We miss you Luna. Please wake up soon." pleaded Ginny with a sobbing sigh before she stood up to leave the room at last.
"Thanks Ginny." the throaty voice startled her and she froze with her hand in the door knob. Slowly she looked back at her friend feeling completely thunderstruck.
"Luna?" She asked softly, not believing in what her eyes were seeing. Her friend was gradually starting to move.
"I'm awake" she retorted weakly.
"You… you… I… how did that happened… was it… the ring?" asked Ginny in disbelief.
"The ring?" Luna gazed at her hands with her eyes squinted because of the light "You gave it back to me?"
"I thought it would…" Luna chuckled and Ginny stopped talking, feeling a little embarrassed now because of her stupid idea.
"That was really nice Ginny but… it wasn't the ring that brought me back."
"I know that." retorted Ginny who was still feeling a mixture of shock and embarrassment.
"I heard your story and I followed your voice." explained Luna with a faint smile.
"But, how…"
"You know, I was having this dream… I was alone again, in the dark. I didn't know who I was or where to go, I was completely lost. But when I heard you I started to remember." Ginny laughed nervously.
"I can't believe it… I'm so glad you're awake, Luna" she said hugging her friend "You just wait until Harry finds out, he's going to be so happy…" Ginny was feeling light-headed for the first time in months. "I just don't understand one thing Luna… the Mediwizards did everything in their power to bring you back and you never woke up…why now?"
"Why?" Luna smiled thoughtfully "Tell me Ginny… Would you ignore the words of a friend?" Ginny smiled.
"No, I wouldn't." Luna smiled back.
"There's your answer. Oh, and take the ring back… I don't need it anymore" Luna meant to take off the ring but Ginny stopped her.
"No Luna… let's make a deal you'll keep the ring until the day you think I need it back." Luna smiled and nodded her agreement as they heard Harry's voice approaching from the other side of the door.
"Ginny… thanks."
"You don't need to thank me, you were the one who struggled for life, I just…"
"No, Ginny… thanks for being my friend."
The girl sitting near a tree wasn't alone anymore, people still pointed at her and laughed but someone in the crowd had smiled to her. She had found a friend at last, someone who accepted her for what she was and for once in her life she felt free to laugh and to talk, free to cry and rejoice, free to be… herself.
A/N So what do you think about it. This is my first story about friendship. I hope you have njoyed it and please let me know your opinion in a review :)