Watch out for Nargles! (a Luna Lovegood fanfic)

7

I was supposed to meet Luna in the Hall and by the time we got there I was super nervous. Sara wished me a fun time and disappeared in the croud to search for her friends. It was already full in the Great Hall and more and more students made their way in. The Beauxbaton and Durmstrang students had already arrived and were surrounded by a huge crowd. It would be exciting to see who they were, and everyone seemed to want to talk to them. 

I felt a bit out of place standing around all alone, while everyone came in pairs. However, after a few minutes of nervous stomachache, Luna emerged from a nearby stairwell. She looked absolutely gorgeous. Her hair was tied up in a loose knot and the rest fell in waves over her shoulders. In it she had placed small flowers, that made her look like a fairy. She wore a light-rose dress, with golden embroidery on it and ruffles on the sleeves and neckline. 

My heart made a little hop at the sight of her and in my stomach I felt more than just some nervousity. But not bad nervousity, more like butterflies. This made me puzzled, because weren't butterflies what you were supposed to feel for a boy someday. Luna interrupted my anxious thoughts.

"Hi, you are very cute in that dress", she told me, straightforward as always. 

"Thanks, you are also very beautiful", I answered and entered a cute little smile from her. "Let's get going then?"

We walked side by side into the ballroom. It was packed with people, as I'd already feared. The ceiling was dark and lit up by candles, that gave the place a charming shimmer. Everywhere were balloons and banners with parols like: Welcome fellow Wizards and Witches! or Welcome to Hogwarts! or Triwizard Tournament 1994!. The general atmosphere was cheerful and lively.

"Dear students! Dear professors! Dear guests from the schools of Beauxbaton and Durmstrang! Will you give me your attention for just a few minutes!", a loud voice was heard from the teachers table (the other tables had been removed to provide more space). I recognised it as the Headmaster Dumbledores.

"I want to welcome our guests from the magic schools in other places of Europe! We have all gathered her today to give you the most enjoyable welcome there is: a party! Please don't be careful with the glasses, that will be provided soon, but other than that, I just want to say: Have fun and enjoy the evening!"

A huge applause errupted and Dumbledore smiled at the crowd. He looked very happy, and as a house elf came with glasses of Champagne for the teachers and of age students, he cheerfully took one and toasted with Professor McGonagall. This promised a good evening.

I smiled happily at Luna, who was shining and looking back at me.

"Isn't this fun?", she shouted over the noise at me and I shouted back:

"Absolutely!"

Now music arised in the whole Hall. It seemed to be a string quartett, but they didn't play classical, but rock songs transcribed for string instruments. I stood on my toes to find the souorce of it, and then I saw where the music came from. On a podium in the middle of the Hall were four ghosts, each holding their respective ghost instrument. They were lightened with spotlights in all colours of the rainbow, and because the players were transluscent, it looked like they consisted of light. This idea outweighed every other party so far held at Hogwarts!

"You wanna dance?", Luna asked over the music. She was swaying with the groove and I felt myself doing the same, so...

"Yeah, sure!"

She took my hands and we danced giddily around other dancing pairs. There was absolute joy in the air, and everyone seemed to feel it and breathe it. I felt my nervousness drifting away and was just enjoying myself. Somewhere in the distance I spotted Sara, who stood and talked to her friends. She didn't dance though, and it seemed like she felt a bit awkward, but I guessed she was fine. I mean, she did have friends to talk to and if she didn't want to dance it was totally okay. You could enjoy yourself even without dancing. 

Throughout the evening I lost all restraint I had set for myself. I don't remember anything else than having danced with Luna and looked in her eyes, that were full of happiness and something else I couldn't set my finger upon. But I knew my eyes did look exactly the same, because I felt the same. Happiness and something more I couldn't identify. But something that felt really good!