I am not bashing Ron or Hermione here, I just remember in the movie at least they treated Luna as someone crazy or loony. I'm merely representing their opinion here. Harry is not in the right for what he does and I'm not portraying that as so.

-Lemon Nugget

There was a certain awkwardness that filled the air around Hermione, Harry, Luna, and Ron. Luna was the only one unaffected by it. She'd gone back to sipping on her butterbeer, occasionally glancing over at Harry with a look Harry couldn't place. Hermione and Ron were the ones truly uncomfortable with the silence.

It was Madam Rosmerta who broke it. She came by their table with a floating notepad by her head and a strained smile on her face.

"What'll it be, dears?" She asked with a false sense of calm; Harry could tell she was in a rush by the way she tapped her foot against the floor. She tucked her blonde hair behind her head as Hermione answered for the group.

"Three butterbeers please." Hermione smiled tensely and Madam Rosmerta nodded as the pad scribbled down the order. Madam Rosmerta took off to attend to her million other customers leaving them to wait for their butterbeers to arrive.

"Harry?" Hermione was leaning in real close to Harry and she talked really low.

"Yes, Hermione?" Harry questioned, confused.

"Why are we sitting here?" she nervously asked, trying not to come across as rude. Harry wasn't quite sure what she meant.

"Well, I saw Luna and I wanted to sit here." Harry answered simply. Hermione glared at him.

"No! Gosh! We don't know Luna very well." Hermione pointed out exasperated, she talked so quietly Harry could barely hear her.

"Yeah, mate. She's a bit..." Ron made a cuckoo gesture by circling his finger around his ear. That pissed Harry off, maybe more than it should. Just last year he would've laughed and agreed. Last year Luna wasn't human to him. These days? She'd been the most real part of his life.

Without a sound he stood up, he grabbed Luna by her free hand. She placed her butterbeer down, looking at him with confusion.

"Harry?" He didn't acknowledge Luna as he dragged her out of The Three Broomsticks. He didn't acknowledge his friends either. Not even as they called out for him. He stormed out without even looking behind him.

The winter air greeted them, and a chill went down Harry's back. Reluctantly Harry let go of Luna's hand so she could put on her mittens. As she did so, Harry took the time to take in her outfit choice today. Eccentric as always, but he was growing to love that about her. Little wizard gingerbread men hung from her ears. She was wrapped in two scarves; one was red with little brown polka-dots. The other was thinner and a beautiful deep blue. She had a thick red coat with more wizard gingerbread menand a medium length black skirt she wore over blue leggings. Chunky black boots and a brown hat completed her attire.

"What was that for?" she asked, referring to Harry dragging her from the establishment.

"Didn't you hear them?" Harry could feel his anger returning as he spoke. Luna frowned at him.

"It's nothing I haven't heard before." Luna admitted with a shrug, but she didn't seem light now. In fact, her airiness came crashing down until she was a heavy rock on the ground. She was hurt, that much was obvious. Harry didn't want her to be used to it. The last thing Harry wanted was for anyone he cared about to feel any pain.

"You shouldn't have to hear that shit." Hissed Harry, he could feel his vision pulsating as his rage built up. Magic lurched beneath him. He felt cloth touch his skin and realized it was Luna's mitted hand on his arm.

"It's fine, it really is." But it wasn't fine, Harry couldn't let this shit stand. Deep down he knew he was being illogical. His emotional side was getting the better of him and he didn't know how to stop it.

Harry gently pushed Luna's hand away as he turned himself around, glaring at The Three Broomsticks. As if on cue, Ron and Hermione came strolling out of the place. Ron had the nerve to smile, sipping on his butterbeer. Harry stormed up to them, his vision going completely black as something squishy connected with his fist.

"Oh my god, Harry!" There was a ringing in Harry's ears as he stared down at the now aching fist. Droplets of blood riddled his skin. He still felt that rage, he still felt that fucking emptiness. Harry looked up and stared numbly at Ron who held his bleeding nose. His butterbeer was a mess on the ground. Hermione clung on to him looking at Ron with intense worry.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Ron spat, there was a gathering crowd of concerned passersby. Harry couldn't help but laugh at that question. Lately, there had been a lot wrong with him. A lot that he'd been hiding.

"You've been acting off since Sirius died, which I get Harry I do, but now this? This is mental, Harry." Hermione stated shaking her head. She was a mix of shock and disappointment. Harry stared at her blankly. His blinding fury was leaving him and now all he had was an intense feeling of soul-shattering blankness. He felt nothing at all.

Hermione shook her head at him one last time before dragging Ron away. Harry was left there with a crowd of people watching him, whispering about him. He suddenly couldn't breathe. His heart began to race, despite the cold his body felt hot. He was used to this feeling back at Dursley's, especially when he was younger, and they still shoved him in the closet. He'd sit there for hours clawing at his throat trying to breathe in the enclosed space. His body would shut down and not cooperate with him whatsoever.

Sure, it happened at the Dursley's. But neverat Hogwarts, never in front of people. The people made it worse, so much worse. He was kneeling in the snow now; he wasn't sure how he got there. He was going to start crying, he felt his eyes starting to burn. That's when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't stop his heart from racing, but he did glance upwards to see who it was. Luna stared down at him, she didn't look at him like he was something to be pitied. She looked at him with understanding.

"Let's get out of here." She offered her hand out to him, a slight smile on her face. He took it and she helped him up. Harry leaned on Luna as they walked together out of Hogsmeade and back to Hogwarts. Past the people even as they whispered and snickered. As Harry tried to regain his breath, he ended up inhaling Luna's scent. A strangely calming thing. She smelt like lavender and a summer breeze.

Hogwarts was thankfully abandoned, almost everybody was down at Hogsmeade. Once they went further into the school, Harry stopped walking, causing Luna to come to a halt.

"I-I need a moment." Harry requested and Luna nodded empathically. They stopped in an alcove and Harry sat down on a stone formation that served as a bench. His breathing still sounded like gasps of air. Luna glanced down at his bruised fist and she frowned. She lifted Harry's fist and pulled out her wand.

"Episkey" The malady went away instantly. She pocketed her wand then wiped away the blood with a handkerchief she pulled from another pocket. Who else but Luna would carry a handkerchief?

He was going to cry, fuck he didn't want to, not in front of Luna. But it was either her or risking running into someone else. Tears leaked from his eyes, and he let them fall as he buried his head in his hands. What had he done? His body shook as he sobbed.

He unconsciously leaned on Luna, feeling grounded by her body on his. She gently touched his head holding it as he cried into her. She began to run her hands through his dark hair, and it calmed him. The moment felt so intimate, so raw, so revealed. Even as Harry's sobs turned into shudders and then stopped, he didn't want to let her go. He was scared that if he let her go, he'd float off into the wind. Despite her airy nature, she was his rock right now.

"Harry?" She called his name gently. Harry hummed in response, still resting his head against her.

"Everything's going to be okay." She promised, but Harry couldn't help but doubt her sweet words. How could she know? How could anybody? Things didn't feel okay, not at all. Hell, he might've ruined his oldest friendships.

"How do you know?" Harry mumbled, not intending for Luna to hear, but she heard. He didn't need to look up at her to know she was grinning.

"I don't, but I believe." Harry hoped her belief would mean something. He regretfully pulled away from her, staring up at her with tired eyes. She looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"I hope you're right." He begged Merlin in his head to let Luna be right, just this once. Every other prayer meant nothing. He just wanted to be free, he just wanted to enjoy life again.