The Potter Twins and the Half-Blood Prince {6}

18. Dreams Are Sweet

"Dreams are sweet, until they're not. Men are kind, until they aren't. Flowers bloom until they rot and fall apart. Is anybody listening? I open my mouth and nothing comes out." - Flowers, Hadestown

Both Harry and Ron leave the hospital wing first thing in Monday morning, resorted to full health by the ministrations of Madam Pomfrey and now able to enjoy the benefits of having been knocked out and poisoned, the best of which is that Hermione is friends with Ron again. Hermione even escorts us down to breakfast, bringing with her the news that Ginny has argued with Dean.

"What did they row about?" Harry asks, clearly trying his best to sound casual as we turn onto a seventh-floor corridor that is deserted but for a very small girl who had been examining a tapestry of trolls in tutus. She looks terrified at the sight of approaching sixth years and drops the heavy brass scales she's carrying.

"It's all right!" Hermione says kindly, hurrying forward to help her. "Here..."

She taps the broken scales with her wand and says, "Reparo."

The girl does not say thank you, but remains rooted to the spot as we pass and watches us out of sight; Ron glances back.

"I swear they're getting smaller," he says.

"Never mind her," Harry says, a little impatiently. "What did Ginny and Dean argue about, Hermione?"

"Oh, Dean was laughing about McLaggen hitting that Bludger at you," says Hermione.

"It must've looked funny," says Ron reasonably.

"It didn't look funny at all!" I say hotly. "It made my heart stop, and if Coote hadn't have caught you, you could have been badly hurt."

"Well, it turned out okay, didn't it?" he says, putting an arm around my shoulders. "And there was no need for Ginny and Dean to split up over it," he adds, still trying to sound casual. "Or are they still together?"

"Yes, they are -- but why are you so interested?" I ask, arching an eyebrow.

"I just don't want my Quidditch team messed up again!" he says hastily, but I continue to look at him suspiciously. He seems relieved when a voice calls, "Harry!" from behind, giving him an excuse to turn away from me.

"Oh, hi, Luna."

"I went to the hospital wing to find you," she says, rummaging in her bag. "But they said you'd left..."

She thrusts what appears to be a green onion, a large spotted toadstool, and a considerable amount of what looks like cat litter into Ron's hands, finally pulling out a rather grubby scroll or parchment which she hands to Harry.

"...I've been told to give you this."

It is a small roll of parchment, which I recognise at once as another invitation to a lesson with Dumbledore.

"Tonight," he tells us, once he's unrolled it.

"Nice commentary last match!" Ron says to Luna as she takes back her assortment of items from him.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" she says. "Everyone says I was dreadful."

"No, I'm serious!" Ron sats earnestly. "I can't remember enjoying commentary more! What is this, by the way?" he adds, holding the onionlike object up to eye level.

"Oh, it's a Gurdyroot," she says, stuffing the cat litter and toadstool back into her bag. "You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies."

And she walks away, leaving Ron chortling, still clutching the Gurdyroot.

"You know, she's grown on me, Luna," he says, as we set off again for the Great Hall. "I know she's insane, but it's in a good --"