Percy Jackson and the Department of Mysteries

40) Laughing, and Laughing, and More Laughing, and Probably More Laughing

Nothing much happened in the time after Ginny magicked the goop away, and I was a little bored of it. We did get snacks from the food trolley, though. That's the one good part of the train ride.

It took nearly an hour for Ron and Hermione to show up, in which time I'd inhaled all of the blue candy in sight. They were accompanied by Crookshanks, who immediately leapt onto Neville's lap like they were good pals, and Pigwidgeon, who was rehearsing lines for Rio.

"I'm starving," Ron said, stashing Pigewidgeon by Hedwig and grabbing one of my chocolate frogs. He ripped it open, bit off the frog's head (rude), and leaned back as if he had had a very exhausting morning.

"Well, there are two fifth year prefects from each House," Hermione sat down, looking a little annoyed. "Boy and girl from each."

"And guess who's a Slytherin prefect?" Ron's eyes were closed, and I was vaguely reminded of when Luke would sit on the couch and 'rest his eyes' after a long day at work.

"Malfoy," Harry said immediately, and I noticed Luna look up from her magazine.

"'Course," Ron said bitterly, but I knew it was all a charade with him. He tended to speak very highly of Draco when we were in private. I guess the quest had changed his views.

"And that complete cow Pansy Parkinson," Hermione said furiously. "How she got to be a prefect when she's thicker than a concussed troll..."

"She's not that dumb," Ron muttered, but only I could really understand it. He and Pansy didn't like each other, but they definitely respected each other. They'd both helped with the whole Draco's dick dad coming to school, and knew the other currently had no intentions of harming Draco without good reason (Ron had to pretend to hate him for Harry's sake).

"Who's Hufflepuff?" Harry asked, probably think Ron's mutters were agreement.

"Hannah Abbot and yours truly," I said, motioning to my smiling face.

"And Anthony Goldstein and Padma Patil for Ravenclaw," Hermione said.

"You went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil," Luna said, peering at Ron over the top of her magazine.

"Yeah, I know I did," Ron spoke after swallowing the second chocolate frog he'd shoved in his mouth.

"She didn't enjoy it very much," Luna told him kindly. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded," she added thoughtfully. "I don't like dancing very much."

Ron gaped at us for a few moments, apparently shocked by Luna's bluntness, but I was trying very hard not to giggle maniacally. Luna was one of the funniest people I knew, and it wasn't even intentional on her part. He shook it off and checked his watch, "We're supposed to patrol the corridors every so often, and we can give out punishments if people are misbehaving." He told Harry and Neville. "I can't wait to get Crabbe and Goyle for something..."

"You're not supposed to abuse your position, Ron!" Said Hermione acutely.

"Yeah, right, because Malfoy won't abuse it at all," Ron rolled his eyes.

Luna stiffened at that, but didn't say anything. Maybe some part of her understood that Ron's words were for show, but I think she mostly just had great self control (I would've flipped).

"So you're going to descend to his level?" Hermione asked, and I grimaced. I knew that, over the years, she'd grown to really dislike Draco. This was no real fault of hers, seeing as she hadn't shared many good moments with him, but it still stung to hear. She knew it was an act, but she didn't know to what extent, and she surely forgot at times.

"No, I'm just going to make sure I get his mates before he gets mine," Ron said, which was honestly fair.

"For heaven's sake, Ron —"

"I'll make Goyle do lines, it'll kill him, he hates writing," Ron said cheerfully. He impressively mimicked Goyle's low grunting voice, and screwed up his face in concentration, miming writing midair. "I... must... not... look... like... a... baboon's... backside..."

Everyone laughed, but no one laughed harder than Luna. She let out a scream of laughter that made Hedwig wake up and Crookshanks leap with a hiss. She laughed so hard that her magazine slipped onto the floor, and I couldn't help but compare her laugh with Draco's (his genuine one, not the weird chuckle he does when around other people). His was more of a wheeze, but they both held their sides in the same way, and her face turned just as red as his would.

"That was funny!"

Her eyes were swimming with happy tears (also quite like Draco) as she gasped for breath. Ron, completely taken aback, was looking to us for some sort of explanation, but now we were laughing at the expression on his face, and the strangely prolonged laughter from Luna, who was now rocking back and forth.

"Are you taking the mickey?" Ron frowned at Luna.

"'Taking the mickey?' What are you, eighty?" I questioned, my cheeks hurting from smiling so much.

My comment resulted in another burst of squeaky laughter from Luna, and she howled, "Eighty! Eighty!"

I freaking love Luna. One of my all time favorite characters. I started reading It again because I last read It in sixth grade and, um, twelve year old me missed one of the fucking greatest comebacks ever. There was this guy, a dickhead, being a dickhead. He told this gay guy, who was wearing this funky I <3 Derry paper hat, that he was going to eat the hat if he didn't take it off, and the guy with the hat just goes, "Oh, hon, I'll give you something better to eat." I mean... preach, dude. Of course, hat guy was later killed, which sucks but. Earlier killed? Idk it was a recap of what happened and I freaking love it. Stephen King's an amazing author. Also, I was productive. I wrote chapters. I did the writing thing. Im so pleased with myself. Nevermind. I forgot about Nugget again. Crap. I can fix it with a randomly inserted line or something.

Anyway, I hope you guys have had a wonderful Monday, and I'll see you on Wednesday. Love ya!

PS. In the last chapter, I accidentally said Sunday instead of Mondays. Sorry for the mistake!