DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

CHAPTER 27

After that, they had an uneventful month. Studying, practicing quidditch and reading the 'Know your mind' book in preparation for Snape's lesson in Occlumency. They had been reading quietly in the library when Luna Lovegood, whom Harry had become good friends with, came floating in.

Even Draco liked her, but could sometimes not get over her weirdness. "Harry, Draco." she said and sat down beside Harry. She pulled out a parchment from her bag and gave it to Harry. It was a petition to save the endangered Crumple Horned Snorkack.

"Do not worry about it Harry, if you do not want to. I will not extort a signature out of you if you didn't want to do it."

Harry smiled and thought "What the heck!" Taking out a quill he signed it with a flourish giving the parchment to Draco, who looked a bit blue In the face from holding back his laughter.

"You may laugh now, Draco Malfoy, but this is very important to me."

Sobering up a bit, he took the quill from Harry and added a minuscule signature to the list making it a grand total of two. Thanking them, she carefully rolled up the parchment and put it into her bag. Then picking up a book from the shelf she sat down again and began reading.

An hour had passed, when she caught the sleeve of Harry's shirt and said "There is something I wish to speak to you about Ginevera Weasley."

"Why? What happened to her?" Harry asked startled.

"I have been friends with her for a month now Harry and it's been very strange. In the beginning she was wonderful to be with, very witty and funny, but, suddenly she has become dull, depressed and snaps a lot. She has lost many friends that way Harry."

"Luna did you tell Ron?"

"Ronald Weasley, does not pay any attention to me Harry." she said complacently "Every time, I try talking to him he starts sniggering in this very amused manner. The only one who agrees with me is Neville."

Harry said he'd look into the matter for sure and help their mutual friend, 'probably pining for Darren' he thought. Really sometimes Darren could be quite thick. Maybe he could enlist Cho's and Hermione's help. The two girls had become good friends over mutual admiration for Lockhart and hung out together a lot more.

"Luna you have to tell Ron to stop laughing at you. Don't you get angry? Do you want me to help?"

"Oh it's quite alright Harry," she said "Ron is not the only one. Most of the people I know here do it. Don't worry; I can take care of myself. Anyway, it all probably started on the day that I introduced myself in the great hall."

"Why did you do that Luna?" Draco asked leaning forward.

"Well I was sitting in the train carriage minding my own business when, a boy called Marcus Flint a senior from Slytherin was ragging a couple of first years. I went to help them naturally so, he made me a promise that If I made a spectacle of myself in the great hall he'd let them go. So I did." She finished calmly.

Harry looked at her admiringly and even Draco wore a grudging look of respect. Marcus was a big boy with scary shark like teeth for the little wispy witch to stand up to him was very courageous.

Harry decided that the he'd talk to the two girls to get them to look after Ginny in the dorms and see if anything was bothering her after he had spoken to her first. "Ginny hey," He said softly, sitting down beside the girl in the library "is everything alright? You look a bit tired."

The last bit was true; she had dark circles underneath her eyes and her normally chocolaty brown eyes looked dull and kept darting around as if she was afraid of something. "No Harry I'm fine" She said tersely, "seriously the next person who asks me that, is going to get hexed."

Harry kept quiet after that, continuing to sit beside her "I'm really okay Harry" she said rubbing her eyes "the work is kind of getting to me and I suppose you already figured out that I like Darren and he won't even look at me" she said softly.

Moving uncomfortably in his seat Harry asked Ginny if he should talk to Darren, not mentioning her name of course. Suddenly she turned to him and Harry swore he saw a red glint in her eyes, but when he searched for it again he saw nothing. "You talk to that foul brother of yours," she said in a harsh voice unlike her own, "he doesn't notice people beneath him Harry, he'll stomp on us, as if we were dust. The idiot!" she cried out.

Harry looked shocked, Ginny was many things but not cruel, not vengeful and was stronger than most girls her age. But here she was behaving so uncharacteristically rude and unfair. Not saying anything he continued to look at her.

Her face changed suddenly, she looked contrite and pleaded as if frightened, "Leave me please" she begged Harry "I have someone to talk to, don't worry I'm never alone" she said. And Harry saw tears in her eyes as she shoved her books into her bag and fled the room. Turning around she looked at him and smiled sadly "Thanks Harry, you're a really good person."

Harry was worried for her. Luna had been right. The girl, who had been as bright as his brother had lost all friends and was angry and unreachable he would definitely have to keep an eye on her.