A short thin dark-haired boy walked out onto the grounds that surrounded an ancient stone castle in the highlands of Scotland. As he approached the edge of the forest he pulled out a couple of apples from his robe pocket and waited as slowly and hesitantly the threstals approached him. He began to feed them calmly and allowed himself a chance to relax and stroke the foal that nudged his hand as he came to the end of the apple. He had come out here to avoid the stream of girls who were only expressing interest now that he was no longer a social pariah. Most of them were hoping for an invite to the Christmas Slug Club Party. This was not something Harry was accustomed to dealing with.
He should have expected it after all the ministry was finally acknowledging that Voldemort had returned and in the midst of the Death Eater attacks, he had been proclaimed the "Chosen One" by the Daily Prophet. This had led him dealing with advances from witches many of whom he didn't know. He had even witches attempting to lace his food and drink or various sweets sent to him compulsion charms and love potions. Thankfully, Hermione had taken to checking his food and drink before he was allowed to indulge himself.
It was a cold late November Saturday, and he was content to keep pulling out apples to feed to the skeletal horses and stroke them. He turned as suddenly here heard the sound of crunching leaves signaling that another person was now present. The petite fairylike blond smiled at him, "Hello, Harry Potter." The bespeckled boy smiled, "Hi Luna! How are the nargles behaving?" The blond girl smiled, "about the same as always."
He had gotten to know Luna over the last year as she was one of the few who believed him last year. Even Hermione had thought that he had lost some of his sanity when he first saw the threstals pulling the school carriages. The bushy haired girls had responded quite skeptically, "There's nothing there Harry. They're pulling themselves just like always." It had been Luna who had cut in, "Your just as sane as I am. I can see them too." Harry who had never met the fairylike girl was incidentally introduced to her as Looney…Luna Lovegood." The girl had slowly become one of his few friends and he found her quieter, more creative and rational tendencies and manner refreshing.
Over the course of the previous year, he had come to realize that some of the crazier seeming things that Luna and her father discussed and talked about were actually codes to try and keep from bringing down more trouble on themselves. Luna was made fun of and bullied from the time that she was little refusing to exchange the truth that was magically and morally consistent for the politics of the time. It was as her parents had taught her to be. Much like Harry's family the Lovegood family had paid a heavy price in the last war and had resorted to code ever since. This led to even the other Ravenclaws thinking her crazy and occasionally bullying her. He had seen her frequently missing items such as her shoes or her barrettes, even on one occasion a necklace she had ordered to protect her from compulsions. Her mother had been a brilliant witch who had died in a spell-creation accident. Gifted in charms she had pursuit a career in the fields where she felt she could benefit wizard kind. Luna preferred charms and magizoology as those were her greatest strengths and interest.
They stayed quiet for a while enjoying the peace that came with the beauty of the forest and surrounding grounds. Harry finished feeding the foals and asked, "Do you have any plans for the holidays?" The fairylike girls smiled, "no, not really then again it's just dad and me. So, we do the Yule ritual and enjoy the pleasant peaceful evening." Harry smiled, "would you be willing to stay around long enough to attend Professor Slughorn's party with me." The grin that shone on Luna's face could easily rival the glow of a full moon. She was beyond happy to be invited to anything. She smiled, "I really enjoy spending time with you. It's like having a friend." The raven-haired boy paused as they turned to head back to castle, "I am your friend Luna. That is if you'll allow it. Not everyone showed up to go to the ministry and supported me last year after all." The blond smiled, "I'd like that and look forward to the party. "
The pair moved towards the ancient castle as the sun began to sink below the horizon. Luna veritably dancing her way back to the castle making Harry lengthen his strides to stay with her.
The day of the party slowly approached, and Harry found himself feeling more than a little protective of the fairylike girl. Even finding himself hexing several of the students from Ravenclaw that he caught bullying her and correcting students on her name when they called her "Looney." He eventually found that it was so pervasive that he couldn't take care of the bullying by himself. This was made apparent as he came across Luna one day in the corridor by the transfiguration classroom and noticed someone had performed a cutting hex that had left a long cut along Luna's beautiful high cheekbones. He performed a gentle healing spell and intoned, "episkey." Moving his wand gently along the cut.
So, he approached Professor Flitwick one day after charms. The tiny man was Luna's head of house and so needed to be made aware. Clearing his throat so the half-goblin would know that he was there, "Sir, can I have a word with you?" The tiny professor said, "go right ahead Mr. Potter. You are welcome anytime you want to ask me questions. Your mother was one of my favorite students. Even though I know that we are not supposed to have favorites. She was a real talent I see a fair amount of her in you." Harry couldn't help smiling at the mention of his mum. Then he went on, "Sir, it has been made apparent to me there is a member of your house that is being bullied and harassed even by her own housemates. They take her clothing and hair things and destroy her homework and cast hexes at her." Flitwick raised an eyebrow in question of this. So, Harry continued to explain, "It's Luna sir, Luna Lovegood. She is my friend, and I can't be there inside of the house to help protect her and she won't stand up for herself. She's too nice."
The day of the party arrived, and Harry went to meet Luna just outside of the Ravenclaw common room. She stepped out of the door and Harry lost his breath. She looked like a fairy princess in a silver A-line dress that shimmered in the candlelight. Her silver chain and dainty silver and cute little silver radish earrings. She looked absolutely adorable.
As they entered the party Slughorn pulled them from one famous alumnus to the next and it was hard to find peace and quiet in the midst of the crowd. The food was excellent, and he was at least impressed to meet Gwenog Jones, who played for the Holyhead Harpies. As the evening started to wind down there was a mild disruption as Malfoy made an unannounced appearance with Filch much to the apparent displeasure of many of those in attendance.
Hermione at one point pulled them to a more secluded area behind a tapestry as she had been trying to hide from her own date. That also ended in disaster as Cormac did find her and she had to run away. That left Harry and Luna alone for the first time all evening.
Harry carefully conjured mistletoe above their heads and lifted her beautiful fairylike face up to look at him, "thank you so much Luna for being willing to come with me to this." She smiled as the pad of Harry's thumb gently caressed her cheek. He leaned in and took her lower lip sucked it into his mouth and then pressed his lips onto both of her lips. Her lips were soft and tender as they slowly responded and tasted faintly of strawberry. Her soft vanilla and mint scent gently drawing him in. He hands gently beginning to run along her arms and then moving to her hips.
Luna stared up him her eyes glowing the stars. Harry smiled, "Happy Christmas Luna. If you are all right with it, I'd like to take you out to Hogsmeade as soon as the next one arrives?" The fairylike girl smiled, "Of course, Harry Potter. Of course." Her answer came out the wisp of a breath hardly audible, but Harry heard it less.