Watch out for Nargles! (a Luna Lovegood fanfic)

3

Luna moved past the first four rows of benches, my usual included, and sat down at the very end of the Ravenclaw table. I took a seat next to her, because I didn't want to walk around it, in order to sit opposite her. As always, the tables were ready-laid, and you just had to start eating. Luna reached for a bowl of pumpkin soup (which had been provided, as it was soon Halloween), so I did the same. Usually, I didn't like pumpkin very much, but today, I thought, I'd try it.

And it did taste good actually. Luna ate very slowly and seemed to taste every mouthfull like it was her last meal. This resulted in me being much faster, so I took some meat pie too.

"Hope you liked it. You don't like pumpkin very much, do you?", Luna spoke suddenly. 

Even though it was very strange, that she knew I didn't like pumpkin, it somehow made sense. She had that special aura around her, that made you believe she could do anything.

"Erm, you're right, I usually don't like it. But actually I was surprised at how good it tasted now!", I said, blushing slightly. Seriously, what was wrong with me? I couldn't even think straight anymore.

"Well, I eat it everyday. It's supposed to prevent Aquavirios Maggots to creep into your brain to eat it all up and live there instead."

Ok, so that was some weird comment. Maybe Sara had been right about her, and she was a little bit mad. But right now, I didn't care, she was too intriguing to just discard just yet.

"So you're in third grade right?" She nodded approvingly. "I remember it was so much work already", I sighed. I didn't really know what to talk to her about. She was so special, I couldn't describe it any other way. But special in a good way. A very good way in fact.

"It's ok, really, I need more time than the other kids. You know, I could do it all in under two hours, but sometimes they have taken my books, or my pens, or my ink, and then it takes a long time before I find them again."

She looked at me intensely, just observing, not condemning in any way, or judging. 

"But that's horrible! Why do they do that?", I asked alarmed.

"I don't really mind. They find it fun to tease me. They think I'm mad, you know? Mad in the head. Just because I warn them about Nargles when I see them, but they don't believe me."

"I don't think you're mad, you are a very nice and smart person", I blurted out. The moment it had left my mouth I wanted to choose other words. But they were true.

"That's nice of you to say. I don't want you to feel sorry for me, I don't. But I know you mean what you said, so thank you!", she responded and smiled brightly at me.

I smiled back and my heart warmed a bit. She was so cute and oblivious. It didn't matter to her, what other people thought of her, she was happy with herself. And that was something I envied her of. A lot of kids I knew were not happy with themselves, and then they got mean. Like Sara. She was currently sitting at the table beside us and whispering with her friends, all of whom shot us glances every now and then, giggling behind their glasses full of blackcurrant juice.

Sara had slowly drifted away from me, since we had fought last night. I missed her, but not so much as that I couldn't stand it. I understood, that she had changed and we didn't agree on everything anymore, but it still hurt to have lost her so fast.

"Hey, you ok?", Lunas dreamy voice woke me up from my daydream.

"Yes, just thinking of my friend, we fought last night. Sorry to bother you with it, I really didn't..."

"No, don't worry. I want to help you with your friend. It's never nice to fight, I hate it!"

She flicked her long hair back, because it had fallen in her eyes.

"But I can be your friend!", she then stated and reached with her hand over the table to take mine. I let her. It was so comforting, and my stomach did that strange flip again. These feelings she made me feel were unfamiliar to me, but not bad, so I just let myself feel them and enjoy it while it lasted. And I really did like Luna. And I really wanted her to be my friend. Even though she was a year beneath me, and some people might find it strange. But as she didn't care, I didn't want to care either.

"I'd love to!", I smiled.