luna, my love

chapter III

'Hullo, hat,' Luna thought, smiling with anticipation. 'What house will I be? My father was a Ravenclaw, but I wouldn't mind a different house. My father says I'm smart, because I take precautions against Nargles. Is that enough to be a Ravenclaw?'

She practically buzzed with excitement and energy. She had waited 11 years for this moment. This moment would be her favorite memory from all her time at Hogwarts.

On the train, people had looked at her strangely, but she didn't know why yet. Now, she was innocent and ecstatic.

In just a minute, a large voice filled the hall from just above her head: 'RAVENCLAW!' and Luna ran to the table, smiling the widest grin she ever had.

She watched every Sorting, knowing that every boy and girl was just as excited as she was to be sorted.

"POTTER, HARRY!" the teacher called. A thin boy with messy black hair and crisp robes walked up to the stool and put on the hat.

It wasn't long before the hat yelled out, 'GRYFFINDOR!' and the boy walked to the Gryffindor's table to eat.

Even Luna knew who that boy was. He was the Boy Who Lived, who had temporarily defeated Voldemort.

After several sorts, the teacher called out yet again: 'SCAMANDER, ROLF!' and a different boy walked to the stool, smiling a stupid smile, and the hat yelled out "HUFFLEPUFF!'

Eventually, everyone had been Sorted, and Luna was happy to tuck into the feast before her.

"As friends?" Luna questioned.

"Uh, yeah, just as friends," Harry answered.

"Yes, that would be lovely," Luna replied, and smiled.

Professor Slughorn was holding a Christmas party for his favorite students. Apparently, they each had a plus-one, and Harry invited Luna to come along.

Luna knew it was true. She wasn't doing well in Slughorn's class, and it was a party for his favorites. She would probably not be appreciated. She figured it would just be a few people, Slughorn and some students, but if it were many people she would be able to blend in.

Not that blending in came naturally to Luna. But she could try.

The year was inching towards a close, and the ground was littered with white specks of snow. Luna loved Christmas, even without her mother. Everyone was happy, and the whole school had cheer. Things were better in winter, except for the weather and, apparently, Harry's eyebrow, which had turned bright yellow.

They walked back to Ravenclaw tower without talk. Harry dropped her off and went on his way to the Gryffindor common room.

When she was at her trunk, Luna looked inside to see if she had anything suitable for a party. She had no idea what the dress code was, but she decided a fancy dress would be best.

She would love to wear a pair of pretty diamond earrings, but she couldn't risk not wearing her radish ones. Her beetlewing earrings would have been perfect, but she had lost one of the pair.

She found a dress she had forgotten about. She pulled it out, and examined it. Good condition, as she hadn't worn it before. She had waited for the best occasion to wear it. The diamond earrings would go great with it, but you had to be very wary of Nargles. Her careful nature when dealing with Nargles is part of how she got into Ravenclaw, anyway.

Was she overthinking this? It was just a party, thrown by a teacher whose class she wasn't doing well in, and she was going there with Harry as 'just friends'.

She realized that was a bad thing. Did she want to be more than friends with Harry?

No, she decided. Like she had said to Ginny, he had been rude to her in general. She had absolutely no reason to feel like there should be anything more. Rolf was her special other, Harry was her friend, and that felt like it should be concrete.

It isn't, isn't it, she thought.