Ginny found Luna exactly where she always found her when something seemed to be wrong with her.
"What's been bothering you? Luna you can't fool me something has been bugging you since the start of the year."
Luna sighed. She wanted to cry. She wanted to tell Ginny everything but she wasn't sure how she would react. When Ginny sat next to her Luna rested her head on Ginny's shoulder. "How did you know you loved Harry?"
"Well," Ginny started "I don't know it was just a feeling. I wanted to be with him all the time and I was scared when he was away or hurt." Ginny shrugged. "I can't explain it Luna. Why do you ask?" Ginny immediately thought of Katie. She knew that the two had been together but she was unsure how long or if they were still together or if Luna was thinking of someone totally different. "Is this about Katie?"
Luna frowned a little. "She wrote me a lovely letter the other day. I was quite happy at first."
"What happened?"
"I'm not in love with Katie. I tried to love her." Luna said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"I'm sorry Luna. Did you tell her?"
"I wrote her back as soon as I realized but I wish I hadn't led her down this path. I never wanted to hurt her or anything." Luna sighed.
"It'll be alright mate. Katie has got pretty thick skin." Ginny said putting her arm around Luna's shoulder. "So is that all that's been bothering you?"
"No." Luna sighed again. "But I would rather try to work things out for myself on this one if that's alright?"
"Of course that's fine. I'm always here for you though Luna."
Luna nodded. They sat like that for awhile longer. Luna was the one that broke the silence. "I imagine we ought to be going soon. Prefects will be doing rounds no doubt."
"Luna have you ever been caught out past curfew before?"
"No. But there is a first time for everything."
The parted ways with a hug like normal only Ginny's hug did little to comfort Luna.
Instead of heading to her common room Luna decided she wanted to go back up to the astronomy tower. She sat there for quite some time just thinking about everything. Her first thoughts were of Katie and how she'd probably broken her heart. She felt bad about it. Luna had never meant to hurt anyone but she knew that if things had continued on then the pain would've been worse for both of them. Then she thought of Hermione. She thought of the way her hair had looked in the fading sunlight and how content she'd looked reading. Luna thought of the joy she'd felt when Hermione had called her a good friend and of the ache she'd felt when she'd got mad at Ginny for calling their time at the lake a date. She was so wrapped up in thoughts of Hermione that when Hermione was in front of her she thought she was dreaming.
"What are you still doing up here Luna?" Hermione asked curiously. She had watched Luna for awhile and had even wondered if the girl was even awake what with how she'd been so still.
"Hermione?" she said softly unsure.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked holding out her hand to the younger girl to help her up.
"I'm fine. What are you doing up here?"
"I'm patrolling. You shouldn't be out right now. Come on let me walk you back to your common room so you don't get in trouble."
Luna nodded. "It's quite nice up here don't you think. I came up here all the time when you were gone. I rather like it."
"It's against the rules."
"Oh I know but I've never been caught. Well that's not all true. Dumbledore used to find me up here all the time but he would never be upset with me. He said he also liked it up here."
Hermione didn't respond until she had nearly walked Luna the entire way. "If he never said anything about it I suppose I won't either. Though I do wish you would try to be a bit more careful." Hermione wrapped Luna in a hug. "I wouldn't want you to get in trouble and you won't always be so fortunate."
She felt the cold hit her hard when Hermione let her go but she smiled regardless "Thank you for your concern Hermione."