Anyone But Me

Chapter Eighty-Nine

Excitement for the summer holiday had spread through the majority of Hogwarts students. There were a handful of solemn stragglers, like herself, who got lost in the revelry. They were easy enough to spot if anyone bothered to look... Most muggleborns couldn't keep up the pretense of shared happiness for the extended time away from the safety of the castle. Others, with less discernible reasons, added their silent scowls.

For the first time, Harry wasn't one of them. He had developed an abnormally optimistic outlook towards the extended break. A transformation that happened to coincide with the beginning of his relationship with Ginny. The recent realization he was weeks from being freed of the Dursleys' abuse bolstered his euphoric disposition to an annoying degree.

Hermione's patience was slowly dwindling for the love-struck couple and she'd begun to see things from Ron's point of view. There was no ill will, but a couple of hours apart would do them both some good. No matter how unlikely that was to happen with exams completed and their month-long separation closing in.

Days...

She had four days left until everything changed...

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"Father said our adventure would have to wait and I will have to make do with the Freshwater Plimpies that live in the stream nearby," Luna explained to a much-too-invested Ron, who had made a point of being exceptionally nice to the witch in the weeks since he had learned of her indifferent feelings toward him. "He is right, of course. Keeping our readers informed is more important..."

"The Gulping Plimpies will always be there," Ron reassured her, dodging around a group of wrestling third years. "You only get one chance to be the voice of truth when people need it."

Luna halted their progress to the courtyard and glared up at the tall wizard, "People have needed to hear the truth for a very long time and my father has provided it, without exception, for a decade."

"Uh... Right, you are!" He glanced around for help that did not come. "I... uhh... meant... he is brave for reportin' on the bad stuff goin' on that the Prophet won't."

Hermione, attempting to cover her amused smirk, turned and used a Protego charm to force the members of the lighthearted quarrel apart, "No fighting. Five points from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. Now shoo, before you get yourselves in more trouble!"

Angry grumbling followed the group of boys as they dispersed back into the castle to become someone else's issue. She turned back to the conversation and found that Ron had managed to be forgiven in the time it had taken for her to handle their shared responsibility. A feat that, undoubtedly, had more to do with Luna's gracious nature than his muddled pacification.

"You have never tried Freshwater Plimpy soup?" Luna asked, aghast at the possibility. "You will have to make time for a visit this summer. Father's friends are constantly after my recipe."

"Yeah... I will be sure to do that..." Ron pretended to retch behind the blonde witch's back when she spun around and proceeded down the well-worn path.

"You are laying it on much too thick," Hermione whispered over her shoulder as she followed behind.

He quickly caught up and whispered back, "I'm not hearin' complaints from her and it's her opinion that matters. I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

She shook her head in exasperation but refrained from the lecture on his lack of tact, "Of course you didn't. None of us mean to. I'm sure I wouldn't have done better if the question would have been between myself, Ginny, and any other girl..."