All You Gave To Me: A Linny Fanfic

Chapter Seven

What was going on with Luna? The girl had been nothing but honest and straightforward, nothing confusing or sad about her. But the past week, she had been all but the opposite of who she had been for so many years. Ginny was almost angry that night, storming back to the Gryffindor tower, fuming at how goddamned complicated Luna had to be. Why the hell was she like this? Ginny couldn't take it. She couldn't do it. She needed to talk to her, but she couldn't. Finally it had been perfect. They just found what they were looking for. But now Luna... no. Ginny stopped. This would not be the end. This would not make her, Ginevra Weasley, give up. She would get through this. They would get through this. Tomorrow. She would do it tomorrow, she would confront Luna on everything, and tomorrow they would become stronger than ever. Her eyelids started drooping as she murmured the password and toppled through the entrance into the common room.

"Ginny. Ginny, wake up!" Hermione nudged her, attempting to awaken the exhausted Ginny from her deep slumber. "Huh? Iwasntasleepyouwereee..." Ginny mumbled. "Ginny, really. Get up! Do you want all of Gryffindor to see you here?" Ginny finally opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep in one of the chairs by the fire, her body sprawled across the arms. She vaguely recalled stumbling into the common room, and tripping over some books into the furniture. Being tired enough as it was, the fading warmth from the fire and the soft seat had easily lulled her into a slumber to rival Sleeping Beauty. Now, as the few early risers tripped into the Gryffindor common room, she hastily gathered herself and rushed to the girls' rooms to prepare herself for the day.
Staring at herself in the mirror of the bathroom, Ginny tried to compose herself and form a complete thought. How could she tell Luna what she needed to say?! And why was she, Ginny Weasley, so nervous?
Get it together.
She could do this. Just confront Luna. Privately, but honestly. She could do it.

Luna walked past the Great Hall that day, past all her classes, through the entire school, until she came to the entrance to the school. The perplexingly beautiful carvings had fascinated her since that fateful day of arriving at Hogwarts, her very first year. She stopped and stared there. Luna smiled wistfully. She needed to come here. Maybe, if she came to the place where it all began, she might be able to find out what to say to Ginny. How to get back to her.
So Luna waited. She closed her eyes and sat for hours and hours. Missing all her classes, though nobody really noticed, except Ginny and the Golden Trio. She sat and waited, missing breakfast, lunch and dinner, her stomach rumbling, but still she waited. By the end of the day, Luna was starving, frustrated, and exhausted. She had listed every moment at Hogwarts in her mind, but nothing revealed what she searched for. What could she do?! Why was this so complicated?
She wanted to give up. She couldn't. She wanted to tell Ginny how sorry and lonely she was. She didn't even know what she felt. How? How could she tell that girl everything?
Why did everyone have to articulate every single word, never offend anyone, never say anything anyone doesn't like? It was pointless! And it made everything harder.
It was too much. It was enough. She had to leave. She wanted to stay with Ginny, but she had to get out.
So Luna Lovegood left.