Sadly, There Is More Than Us

{5} A Thoughtful Friend

I was first out of the class, leaving that beautiful girl alone and confused. Without looking where I'm going I bump into a familiar face.

"Oh my, Y/N" she says, "You really are quite muddled today"

"Luna! oh I'm sorry" I reply, picking up her books which I'd knocked on the floor.

"Oh that's quite alright" she says, "no harm done." Luna smiles at me and I return a teary smile trying my best to conceal how I'm really feeling. I used to be good at that. She frowns at me, puzzled. Everyone is leaving the classroom now so I wipe a tear that's fallen down my cheek and force a more chipper demeaner.

"What are you doing here Luna?" I say in a voice that is supposed to be cheery but results in a high pitch voice crack.

"ummmm I wanted to walk you to your next class." She says, examining my face with her eyes. "The castle is big and I would hate to learn that you had lost your way."

Hermione leaves potions and walks past me. I watch her walk away and my eyes water again. I am not weak. I am not usually like this. Luna puts her hand on my shoulder, bringing my mind back to my thoughtful, new friend.

"Y/N, do tell what's happened. I am quite the good listener. I talk to the fairies every night and they have a lot of problems. I'm sure you're well aware of the situation between Hagrid and the fairies right now. Nasty stuff. I'm sure I can handle whatever this is." Luna says.

Luna being Luna causes me to genuinely smile as we walk towards defence against the darks class.

"I believe, that when there is great upset over a person you either love them or you hate them. They are the only things powerful enough to cause such emotion. " Luna says. She smiles along as if she said something as simple as riding a broom but her words mean so much more. They effect me so much more. We are both walking at a slow pace as to extend our conversation. Luna always walks, moving her head, looking at everything around her, curious, as if it is the first time she has seen it all. It's endearing.

"umm I guess so Luna." I say, "But that doesn't mean I can't love Hermione platonically", that came out more defensively than I had hoped.

"I wasn't suggesting any different Y/N" Luna says dreamly. She looks at me. "But perhaps I should have been, now that you are."

"I didn't mean tha-"

"So you are in love with Hermione. What's the problem?"

I pull Luna by the arm to an empty small archway. I put my hand over your mouth.

"Watch what you're saying Luna. You are out of line" I shout at her.

She slowly and calmly takes my hand off of her mouth and looks at me. "I didn't mean to offend you, Y/N."

I turn my back to her and walk away.

"There's nothing wrong with it!", She yells after me still standing in the archway.

I keep walking.

"And frankly Y/N, I'm quite offended that you think there is!"

I keep walking.

"And you are going the wrong way!"

I stop and turn back to her. Luna raises her eyebrows at me. As I walk back to her she smiles and then links my arm. We continue to walk to DADA together.

" I've liked Ginny Weasley since the day I've met her" Luna tells me. "...Neville Longbottom too."

I smile at her and she giggles.

When I reach DADA class I was a bit late but thankfully so was the professor. I walk into the class and everyone was chattering. Ron and Harry are sitting together in the second row. Ron gives me wave and I smile and nod to him. I scan the classroom and there's not a single available seat except in front of the pair. With nonother than Hermione Granger to sit next to. She gives me a smug grin as I reluctantly walk up to the group.

I chatted with the boys until the Professor showed up. Ron was complaining about not being allowed to put his name in the Goblet of Fire. Apparently while I was late to the great hall on my first day, I missed the announcement. Hogwarts is holding the Triwizard tournament.

"I'd give bloody anything to put my name in" Ron says.

"I'll pass" Harry and I say in unison and laugh.

"I'm excited to learn about the wizarding schools across the world" Hermione says. There is an unspoken promise to ignore our fighting in front of the boys. I'm thankful she feels that too. " There'll be schools from France and Bulgaria here tomorrow." she says excitedly and Ron rolls his eyes.

When the Professor shows up he was twenty minutes late. He tells us his name is Professor Moody. I recognise him. He's an auror. I've seen him before. He looks directly into my eyes. I'm nervous. But he looks excited to see me, almost proud. Not a reaction I'd expect from him, but from what I was told the man's gone mad so how am I to know right?

During class Hermione and I don't speak. She put's the note I gave her on our desk and looks at me. Once she has my attention, she quietly rips it and places the torn pieces of parchment onto my book.

"I don't need your apology" she whispers into my ear.

"Ms Le-, L/N.. Ms L/N. " Professor Moody says. No one seems to notice his slight stutter around my name but I feel my heart sink to my stomach. " I presume your home-schooling has kept you proficient in my subject cause I will not be going over spells with you" he says sternly.

"...Of course sir" I reply, confused.

He smiles at me creepily and then dismisses the class.