Emerald Moon

Chapter 10 - Expecto Patronum

"And then he kissed her! I don't think I've ever seen Ginny this happy." Luna couldn't stop the smile on her face. She had known about Ginny's feelings for Harry before her friend even told her about it. And last year, during the DA meetings, she had seen their connection. It seemed that something must have happened in the summer because now she often saw Harry staring at Ginny. Luna doubted Ron would be very happy about it, but when she had seen the tall boy, he had seemed very relaxed. He had always argued about Ginny's other boyfriends, much to her friends' annoyance. Now she hoped both Ron and Hermione would have talk.

Thankfully Ron and Lavender Brown had broken up and he and Hermione were friends again. There was a much better mood around them. And Luna valued peace between her friends.

She looked sideways at Blaise, who was sitting beside her. He looked slightly uncomfortable. She couldn't quite understand why. But she did understand, quite suddenly, that talking about anyone kissing, with him, resulted in a flurry of butterflies swirling in her stomach. Could his look mean he was possibly feeling the same swirling as she did? But then that would mean he was thinking about kissing her. And as the thoughts of them kissing during a Common Room celebration entered her mind, her eyes flicked to his lips. They looked full and smooth. No, they would never kiss. They wouldn't even be at the same Common Room party. And he wanted to be friends, and she didn't want to kiss any of her other friends. So, why, did she feeling this urge to be closer?

She frowned at herself and tore her eyes back up and was shocked to see him staring back at her with those dark intense eyes that made her skin prickle whenever he looked at her. She felt her cheeks flush as his eyes flicked down for a fraction of a second before meeting hers again. Then he cleared his throat and leaned back on the forest ground, supporting himself on his forearms.

They were sitting in the Forbidden Forest, surrounded by the Thestral herd. Luna had brought a buffet of different cuts of meat that the foals were devouring eagerly. They were growing at a rapid pace. No longer the delicate spindly things, but stronger and more elegant like the rest. Nor were they skittish. They recognised both her and Blaise and were quite happy to come close.

One of the young ones had taken the opportunity of Blaise's movement to position itself beside him, nestling its reptilian like head in his lap. Unconsciously, Blaise started to stroke its mane. Luna was quite sure it was one of the female foals. They tended to be drawn to him, rather like how unicorns were more comfortable around women. Females in general appeared to enjoy Blaise's attention. She had noticed this in the Great Hall or the Hogwarts hallways. Mostly Slytherin's, who were the only ones' brave enough to try and get past his haughty exterior. But now that she was aware of him, she had even caught conversations in her own Common Room and dormitory about him. Ones that always dissolved into giggles. He had apparently looked a bit too often at the Ravenclaw house table.

Luna couldn't help but be amused at this. She could see his reactions to the extra attention. He was either oblivious or wilfully ignored it. She doubted her giggling dorm mates would even believe her if she told them that he was her friend. She doubted it. But she would never ask. Blaise had made her promise to keep their friendship a secret and Luna was far too rational to feel hurt by it. No, she understood. With her father's letters, Blaise's mother's trip abroad and her conversations with Tonks, Luna had a rather good idea about how divided the Wizarding World was becoming. She doubted her own friends and family would be welcoming to Blaise. It was better this way for both parties. Maybe own day it would be different. But that also meant that any thoughts of kissing him needed to leave her mind.

"You care a lot about your friends." His simple statement brought her out of her thoughts that had started to turn back to dangerous territory. She blinked.