"Oh. Hermione?" Luna was muted, but not shocked. "Harry's friend," she added.
She was dressed lightly. A wide silken hood flapped lightly on her head hiding her face partly now and again. Her feet were bare as usual, and covered in mud and grass seed. Instead of her usual skirt she was wearing a pair of oddly ordinary black shorts, long to the knee and tight around the rear.
Hermione knew Luna could be a little weird, maybe a bit shy, often focussed on other things. Luna's hair was roughly plaited into two bunches and she was chewing the ends of one plait like a nervous girl.
"Did I surprise you?" said Hermione. "I'm sorry, Luna. First, I thought it'd be alright. But then I got a bit worried." She knew she was rambling.
"You're always welcome, Hermione," said Luna. Hermione was surprised, but relieved.
"Were you out?" Hermione asked. She felt stupid straight away. Obviously, Luna had just got back.
"Hmm?" Luna mumbled. "Just a little run. Yes." She rummaged in a basket on one of the shelves. It contained small, shiny fruit like apples.
"I like your jacket," said Luna. "You can take it off if you're staying. I'll light the fire."
"I'm a bit chilly inside," said Hermione. She remembered again why she had run from Hogwarts. "I'll keep it on for now. Thanks. I'll stay for a bit."
"Cold? Would you like a tea?" Luna smiled sadly, but in an encouraging way.
Hermione decided she had to say something. "I think he put something in my head." That was not quite what she wanted to say, but that was all that came out. She felt some embarrassment, like heat building across her cheeks.
"Who?" said Luna. She did not turn, but bit into one of the tiny apples. Juice dripped a little from her lower lip and sparkled. She looked at the static books on a higher shelf, probably already thinking about something else.
Hermione paused. "Snape," she hissed.
Luna wiped her lips with her fingers, then rubbed the fingers on the waist of her shorts. "You still do Dark Arts? I thought Snape had taken a break from that. He made you stop too."
Hermione felt a slight heat burning her cheeks. It had all been so embarrassing. "No. I moved to private reading. But he found out. And he wasn't happy. Kept frowning at me in the corridors. Doing his muttering thing."
"Is it a spell? I'm not sure what I can do about spells."
"Worse," said Hermione. She sat down onto a cushion-topped stool. "Just words. Just frowns. My parents never approved. That was their way. Disappointment." She leaned forward and cupped her hands over her face. There were no tears, but she did not want Luna to see her face.
Luna nodded and looked around the desk with the papers. The little figure of the paperweight was carelessly pawing the ground. "Fears," she said quietly. Then to herself, "I have so many myself."