Loony's Secret
The soft smell of heather wafted on the air as the sun rose over the distinctive horizon of the Scottish Highlands. The day was dawning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, though most do not know of its existence, to those who do it was the heartbeat of the universe itself. Today though was no ordinary spring day. For this was the day of the final quidditch match of the year.
A petite blonde sat lonely at the Ravenclaw table. Not that it bothered her much. Luna was often alone. She had few friends and those she would count among that small number were not in her house. The once strange looking girl, having changed her attire ten times hoping to finally get it through a certain someone's head that she was ready for more than just friendship.
Luna wore a simple denim skirt hiked up to fall two inches above her knees, her soft blue sweater and silver chain with butterbeer caps on it around her neck. Luna had slipped on simple black ballet flats as she left the Ravenclaw girls' dormitory. On her wrist was a plain muggle watch that had once been a gift from the Weasley's. Uncharacteristically putting off the weekends homework to attend the match. It was her strange set of feelings that had begun over the last school year that had her struggling to eat anything. Finally finishing her glass of pumpkin juice, she stood and headed down to the stands. If no one missed her presence once they came down, she should have time to settle her nerves before others were even rising from their beds. The blonde expected that no one would note her absence.
Luna did not often interact with peers. Bullied and taunted by other pureblood children once she started at Hogwarts. As a child Luna had only the younger two Weasley children who lived near enough to play and do their early schooling with. Further down the road was Cedric, but he was older than the lot of them. Other than that, there was no company available aside from her family's owl which delivered the Quibbler.
Upon the death of her mother young Luna had lost feminine guidance spending too much time on her father's journeys to find mythical creatures, and the set of books that she used to study ahead for Hogwarts that had once been her mums. Luna loved Care of Magical Creatures, as animals do not judge you much if you are kind to them. Next was Charms, taught by her head of house and her mother's once mentor Filius Flitwick, it was where Luna found she next most excelled. After that was ruins as she found it fascinating.
The pull had been there since she had first seen him although it was faint enough to ignore at first. Luna would soon find that her brain could not overrule her heart in this matter. She had kept her distance at first, only watching under the vail of her soft honey blonde hair. Her blue eyes quietly watching Harry Potter over at the Gryffindor table and at the occasional quidditch match when she bothered to go it is not as though she had that more than two or three people would notice.
On occasion she would catch his gaze following Cho. Not that it mattered much, of course he would prefer Cho to someone like her. Even her cousin Anthony took part in tormenting her. Often apologizing later quietly so as not to bring any torment upon himself.
Most do not know it, but Luna was top of her year. She did not talk to others, not because she was stuck up, but because she was shy. Luna's greatest fear was making a friend only to lose them. It was not until Potter had to join her and Neville along with Ron and Hermione in one of the last available carriages that their eyes connected. She could not stop herself from responding when she realized Harry and Neville could see the Thestrals as well. Her whimsical voice declaring, "Your just as sane as I am. I can see them too." That was the beginning of her friendship with Harry, and it was now that she hoped that she would begin to get him to see her as much more. It had been Luna who had calmed Harry's rage as much of the school called him a liar, and even three of his friends were quiet. It was Luna who had leveraged her position as daughter of the Quibbler owner to print a piece that she had written herself, interviewing and supporting Harry. Luna had been one of the best students in Dumbledore's Army. She counted it among the best times of her short 14 years of existence. As they spent time in the room of requirement Luna finally felt a part of something important. It helped her confidence too that Harry valued her friendship. That was what made her hopeful that he might be responsive today.
The blonde left an envelope where she knew that Harry would be sitting shortly with a small charm hidden on a gift inside. It was her way of trying to use her gifts to help him should he need her one day and they were apart.
She barely noticed as she approached the pitch. She could hardly care how the match turned out if she did not make a fool out of herself. This was all she hoped for in life. To finish at Hogwarts, marry and start a family, looking at teaching someday or publishing books. That would help sustain her academic nature as she kept a home. Her mind racing with images of a potential future. Luna sat down shaking her head at herself and her inane desires. She had no proof that he returned anything other than friendship. Luna was afraid that if Harry was not receptive, she would lose one of her few friends.
She breathed in the soft scent of the surrounding grounds and slightly damp grass. It was Luna's favorite time of day on the weekends. Time when she could be with just her thoughts and daydream without fear of what might happen. Suddenly, the sound of someone's approach caused Luna to jump.
