Courage | Hermione Granger Lesbian Story

Luna Lovegood

We rush around, packing last minute things, getting dressed, eating breakfast, all as fast as we can. Several people crash into each other in the hurry, including a very disgruntled George and Ron, who proceeded to yell before parting ways as though nothing had happened.

Groggily, I shove a random hoodie over a random dress, then tie the laces of random trainers. Glancing in the mirror, I take pride in the fact I somehow managed to make the colours match. I quickly plait my hair in a side braid before dashing out of the room.

Meanwhile, our adventures are accompanied with the tune of Mrs Weasley screaming at Fred and George - they had tried to use magic to get their trunks down the stairs, but had ended up knocking Ginny down two flights. Ginny keeps passing them and grumbling 'Mum, I'm fine', but the yelling continues. Mrs Black joins in too - 'filthy half breeds, blood traitors, mudbloods, scum, creatures of dirt'.

Everybody too busy to assist him, I stop what I'm doing and roughly help Sirius close the curtains of her portrait. She seems to be putting up more of a struggle today, an energy that matches Mrs Weasley, and we eventually give up. Annoyed, I poke her face with my wand, only to have 'vile, impure' and various other forms of degradation yelled at me. I roll my eyes and walk to the door, where we're all being shimmied out in groups every ten minutes.

We filter out in rushes of three or so people, speed walking the twenty minutes to Kings Cross Station. Discreetly passing through the platform wall, we're caught up in friends greeting each other and families parting. A cluster of nervous first years knock over my trunk, running away before I can react.

With four minutes left to board, we pile onto the train - the twins go off to find Lee, Hermione and Ron go to the Prefect carriage, and Harry and I end up sitting with Neville, Ginny and a blonde girl reading a magazine upside down that I don't know.

We're introduced to Luna Lovegood, and I instantly like her. She's... different, but she's really nice. I also sort of want to read the Quibbler, even if it's so beyond incorrect. I remember last year Ginny told me I remind her of Luna, so I'm taking it as a compliment.

Eventually, Hermione and Ron return, but before anything of particular interest can happen (other than Luna's uproarious laughter at Ron's joke, and telling him she wouldn't have minded going to the ball with him), Malfoy enters our carriage.

Everyone seems to let out a collective sigh of disappointment - the ride was going so well.

"What?" Harry says aggressively, before Draco can open his mouth.

Here we go.

"Manners Potter, or I'll have to give you detention," he drawls, "You see I, unlike you, have been made a Prefect, which means that I, unlike you, have the power to hand out punishments."

"Yeah," Harry says, "But you, unlike me, are a git, so get out and leave us alone."

We laugh, causing Malfoy's lip to curl nastily, and I just know he's going to purposely set someone off if he keeps talking.

"Remember last year, where I slammed a compartment door in your face, Malfoy? Should we do that again." He turns to me, as though he didn't realise I was there.

"You're not a Prefect, are you?" He taunts silkily.

"Nope, I'm a Quidditch Captain." He looks taken aback and seems to take a moment to rack his brain for an insult.

"Taken Diggory's space as the Captain of the school's worst team."

Wow. Even weaker than usual.

"I don't think it's considered the worst team if we beat you, Malfoy, so why don't you go practice instead of mocking us. We all know you bought your way onto your team, so how about you actually try and win with some talent."

"You have no idea what's coming to you Fern. Filthy little half-blood."

"Yeah, yeah that's real original Malfoy. You only use that one like what, four times a week?"

"You just watch yourself," he scans our group, "I'll be dogging your footsteps in case you step out of line."

Hermione then kicks him out and the three of us exchange worried glances. Ron and Ginny don't seem to notice anything, and we can't talk freely in front of Neville and Luna. It could just be a coincidence of course, but 'dogging' doesn't seem like a random word someone would use.

Maybe it was irresponsible to bring Sirius with us...

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Now in Hogwarts robes, I sit in an outside carriage with Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Harry and Luna. Neville had gotten seperated from us somewhere in the crowd.

The cold rushes through us as the carts move, and everyone consciously pulls their robes tighter across them. I wouldn't want to be the first years crossing the lake right now, especially as I'm pretty sure I heard one fall in while we pulled away.

Harry is trying to tell us about something drawing the carriages, but we all frown - nothing's there. The carriages have always been pulled by magic, not the black, bony horses he's describing.

"Don't worry, I can see them too," Luna says dreamily, "You're just as sane as I am."

Everyone exchanges worried glances, not quite consoled by that news.

"There's nothing there mate." Ron says.

"You said that about the Basilisk when I heard it through the pipe, and my Mum's screams when there were Dementors at Hogwarts."

"I don't- yeah ok, fair enough."

A look of realisation dawns on Hermione's face as she puts out her hand and feels the air in front of our carriage.

"Lupin said something about these in our third year, didn't he? Something about Hagrid having a trained pack in the woods. You can only see if them if you've seen death. What are they called?"

"Thestrals." Luna notes, looking up from her upside down magazine, "They're quite gentle creatures actually, but people are often put off by... the death."

Relieved Harry isn't having hallucinations on top of everything else, we all settle back down. After a while though, we're all subtly glancing at Luna, our thoughts boiling down to one question - when had she seen death?

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I'm sorry we have a shorter chapter but so much happens from here that if I carry on it'll end up 8000 words long 😂.

Also, I included Hermione remembering what the Thestrals are cos it seems crazy to me that she wouldn't know.

Hope you're enjoying 😊!