Springfic: "A Friend in Need" for downjune
Title: A Friend in Need
Author/Artist: purple_ladybug1
Recipient: downjune
Character(s): Luna, Ginny, Draco, Hermione
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 1452
Warnings (highlight to view): None
Summary: Luna had always been perceptive.
Author's Notes (if any): Luna's quotation comes from Percy Shelley. Major thanks to my beta for helping me out on such short notice!!!
Betas: mollywheezy
A Friend in Need
Third Year
“You fancy him, don't you?”
A dreamy voice interrupted Ginny's reverie. Her face warmed in embarrassment as she looked up from her doodling. Two large blue eyes peered back at her.
“Or perhaps you're suffering from an infestation of wrackspurts,” the blonde girl continued thoughtfully. “I've heard that the effect can be quite similar to being lovesick.”
Ginny wasn't entirely sure what to make of this comment. “Luna, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't fancy anyone, and well, I'm not sure what a wrackspurt is, but I don't think I need to worry about an infestation.”
Luna put her bag down and sat in the chair next to Ginny. She glanced at the parchment that was supposed to be Ginny's potions essay. “Mrs. Harry Potter?”
Quickly Ginny crumpled up the parchment, blushing even more. “It's nothing,” she muttered.
Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. “He fancies Cho Chang, you know.” Ginny nodded miserably. “Boys are a bit thick sometimes,” she added, with a sympathetic pat on Ginny's arm. “But there's no point in waiting around for him. My mum used to tell me to make my own destiny.”
Ginny had never heard Luna sound so... normal. Her advice was actually... good. “How do I do that?”
Luna shrugged. “Are you interested in rare creatures? My destiny is to find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I spend my free time researching them so I can find one someday with Daddy.”
Ginny laughed in surprise, earning her a “Shhh!” and a glare from Madam Pince. “I'm not sure what my destiny is, Luna, but I think I'd like to start by spending more time with you. We were good friends once, when we were little. Do you think we can be good friends again?”
Luna nodded enthusiastically. “We can even make matching necklaces! I'm collecting butterbeer caps right now to make a new one.”
Ginny tried not to laugh. “I think we can be friends without matching necklaces.”
“Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“I will, I promise,” Ginny smiled, and Luna smiled happily back at her.
Fifth Year
“This is a girls' bathroom, you know.”
Draco rubbed at his eyes furiously, trying to cover up their bloodshot appearance, but only making them worse. “Who's there?” he shouted.
Luna Lovegood walked into the bathroom, seemingly unafraid of him. Stupid girl. She had no idea how dangerous he could be... but he didn't have the time or energy to waste his talents on the likes of her. “Loony Lovegood,” he sneered. “Go away. I'm busy.”
“You shouldn't be in here,” she admonished him.
He laughed bitterly. “There are many things I shouldn't be doing,” he said, “but no one's stopped me yet, and a little girl like you won't either.”
“Have you been crying?” Luna asked, looking at him with those bizarrely wide eyes of hers.
Draco tried not to react, but he felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. “Don't be ridiculous!” he sputtered. “I have allergies! This castle is filthy, full of mold and who knows what else.”
“You miss your father,” she continued, as though he hadn't just yelled at her. “He wasn't very nice, but I suppose he was nice to you? I miss my mother too. Of course, she's dead, not in Azkaban. I'm not sure which is worse. What do you think?”
It was a question Draco himself had asked several times. Would it be better if his father had died, nobly, with honour, or was it better that he was alive, but disgraced? Draco hated himself for allowing these thoughts to happen, and now he hated this girl for reminding him. A cold rage consumed him. Slowly, deliberately, he pointed his wand at her. “Go,” he said quietly. “And never speak to me again.”
Luna finally recognized him as a threat and slowly walked away from him. But before she stepped into the corridor, she made one last remark. “As much as I love her, sometimes I get angry at my mother for dying. Daddy told me that's okay.” She slipped out the door before Draco could reply.
He fell to his knees, overcome with exhaustion. Crabbe and Goyle were good for bossing around, but somehow this crazy Ravenclaw had figured out what he was thinking. Worse, what he was feeling. And he was just so tired of pretending all the time.
Maybe, one day, if they both survived the war, he would talk to her again and ask her about her mother.
Seventh Year
“Hermione!”
Her concentration broken, Hermione looked up with a scowl. Ginny knew how many NEWTs the older girl was taking and how much work was involved. Why was she shouting at her from the entrance to the common room?
“Hermione!” Ginny yelled again. “It's Luna. We have to get to the Room of Requirement immediately!”
Hermione instantly forgot about her charms essay. Ginny sounded worried. Hermione immediately thought back to the year before, her pulse quickening with dread. Had Luna been taken again? There were still Death Eaters at large, and even with Voldemort gone, most wizards and witches still feared for their loved ones.
A moment later, Ginny and Hermione were racing down the corridors to the Room of Requirement. The tapestry of Barnabas had a few scorch marks from the Fiendfyre, but was otherwise intact. Hermione knew that some magical repair work had been done to the Room of Requirement after the Last Battle, but she was unsure if all its magical properties had been restored.
The two girls paced back and forth three times, thinking of Luna. After what felt like ages, but was actually not even a minute, the door opened to let in Hermione and Ginny. Hermione was completely taken aback by the scene in front of her.
The room was small, about half the size of the Gryffindor common room. A cheery fire was blazing, with a small sofa and two squashy chairs arranged in front of it. Sobbing into the couch cushions was Luna, with a mess of crumpled up tissues and candy wrappers on the ground.
Hermione and Ginny quietly approached their friend. “Luna?” Hermione asked tentatively, wordlessly banishing the mess on the floor. “Ginny and I are here. Do you want to tell us what happened, or would you rather we just sit here with you?”
Luna sniffled loudly, turning to face the two Gryffindors. “I suppose this is what it means to have friends,” she said with mild interest.
“Oh, Luna!” Ginny said, sitting down and putting her arms around her. “You always seem so surprised by us.” Hermione joined them on the couch, taking Luna's hand within her own. The three of them sat together quietly, Luna taking comfort in their companionship. As her tears subsided, she spoke up.
“I feel silly, being this emotional, after everything that's happened. I didn't even cry when my house was destroyed. But...” she trailed off, her voice trembling. “Dean and I broke up. It's not like I expected us to be together for forever. But I rather liked having a boy fancy me and listen to me without laughing and write me letters while I'm at school and snog me when I'm not.” She sighed. “I'm really going to miss the snogging.”
“I know it hurts now,” Ginny said softly, “but I promise it will get better. Dean's a nice bloke, and a decent boyfriend, but I know there's someone better out there for you.” She lightly nudged Luna in the side. “I found someone better, didn't I? And you will too.”
Hermione nodded in agreement. “You're an adventurer, Luna. Dean's an artist. You need someone who can keep up with you. It was hard when I broke up with Victor, but he and I were just too different. Ginny's right. You'll find someone else, someone even better.”
Luna looked at her friends hopefully. “The pain goes away?” They nodded. “You really think I'll find someone else who won't think I'm weird?”
Ginny smiled. “He'll want to look for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks with you.”
“That sounds nice,” Luna sighed happily. She pulled Hermione and Ginny even closer to her, linking her arm through Hermione's and resting her head on Ginny's shoulder. “It is a sweet thing, friendship, a dear balm, a happy and auspicious bird of calm.”
Ginny giggled. “We love you too, Luna.”
Author/Artist: purple_ladybug1
Recipient: downjune
Character(s): Luna, Ginny, Draco, Hermione
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 1452
Warnings (highlight to view): None
Summary: Luna had always been perceptive.
Author's Notes (if any): Luna's quotation comes from Percy Shelley. Major thanks to my beta for helping me out on such short notice!!!
Betas: mollywheezy
A Friend in Need
Third Year
“You fancy him, don't you?”
A dreamy voice interrupted Ginny's reverie. Her face warmed in embarrassment as she looked up from her doodling. Two large blue eyes peered back at her.
“Or perhaps you're suffering from an infestation of wrackspurts,” the blonde girl continued thoughtfully. “I've heard that the effect can be quite similar to being lovesick.”
Ginny wasn't entirely sure what to make of this comment. “Luna, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't fancy anyone, and well, I'm not sure what a wrackspurt is, but I don't think I need to worry about an infestation.”
Luna put her bag down and sat in the chair next to Ginny. She glanced at the parchment that was supposed to be Ginny's potions essay. “Mrs. Harry Potter?”
Quickly Ginny crumpled up the parchment, blushing even more. “It's nothing,” she muttered.
Luna tilted her head thoughtfully. “He fancies Cho Chang, you know.” Ginny nodded miserably. “Boys are a bit thick sometimes,” she added, with a sympathetic pat on Ginny's arm. “But there's no point in waiting around for him. My mum used to tell me to make my own destiny.”
Ginny had never heard Luna sound so... normal. Her advice was actually... good. “How do I do that?”
Luna shrugged. “Are you interested in rare creatures? My destiny is to find a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. I spend my free time researching them so I can find one someday with Daddy.”
Ginny laughed in surprise, earning her a “Shhh!” and a glare from Madam Pince. “I'm not sure what my destiny is, Luna, but I think I'd like to start by spending more time with you. We were good friends once, when we were little. Do you think we can be good friends again?”
Luna nodded enthusiastically. “We can even make matching necklaces! I'm collecting butterbeer caps right now to make a new one.”
Ginny tried not to laugh. “I think we can be friends without matching necklaces.”
“Well, if you ever change your mind, let me know.”
“I will, I promise,” Ginny smiled, and Luna smiled happily back at her.
Fifth Year
“This is a girls' bathroom, you know.”
Draco rubbed at his eyes furiously, trying to cover up their bloodshot appearance, but only making them worse. “Who's there?” he shouted.
Luna Lovegood walked into the bathroom, seemingly unafraid of him. Stupid girl. She had no idea how dangerous he could be... but he didn't have the time or energy to waste his talents on the likes of her. “Loony Lovegood,” he sneered. “Go away. I'm busy.”
“You shouldn't be in here,” she admonished him.
He laughed bitterly. “There are many things I shouldn't be doing,” he said, “but no one's stopped me yet, and a little girl like you won't either.”
“Have you been crying?” Luna asked, looking at him with those bizarrely wide eyes of hers.
Draco tried not to react, but he felt as though someone had kicked him in the stomach. “Don't be ridiculous!” he sputtered. “I have allergies! This castle is filthy, full of mold and who knows what else.”
“You miss your father,” she continued, as though he hadn't just yelled at her. “He wasn't very nice, but I suppose he was nice to you? I miss my mother too. Of course, she's dead, not in Azkaban. I'm not sure which is worse. What do you think?”
It was a question Draco himself had asked several times. Would it be better if his father had died, nobly, with honour, or was it better that he was alive, but disgraced? Draco hated himself for allowing these thoughts to happen, and now he hated this girl for reminding him. A cold rage consumed him. Slowly, deliberately, he pointed his wand at her. “Go,” he said quietly. “And never speak to me again.”
Luna finally recognized him as a threat and slowly walked away from him. But before she stepped into the corridor, she made one last remark. “As much as I love her, sometimes I get angry at my mother for dying. Daddy told me that's okay.” She slipped out the door before Draco could reply.
He fell to his knees, overcome with exhaustion. Crabbe and Goyle were good for bossing around, but somehow this crazy Ravenclaw had figured out what he was thinking. Worse, what he was feeling. And he was just so tired of pretending all the time.
Maybe, one day, if they both survived the war, he would talk to her again and ask her about her mother.
Seventh Year
“Hermione!”
Her concentration broken, Hermione looked up with a scowl. Ginny knew how many NEWTs the older girl was taking and how much work was involved. Why was she shouting at her from the entrance to the common room?
“Hermione!” Ginny yelled again. “It's Luna. We have to get to the Room of Requirement immediately!”
Hermione instantly forgot about her charms essay. Ginny sounded worried. Hermione immediately thought back to the year before, her pulse quickening with dread. Had Luna been taken again? There were still Death Eaters at large, and even with Voldemort gone, most wizards and witches still feared for their loved ones.
A moment later, Ginny and Hermione were racing down the corridors to the Room of Requirement. The tapestry of Barnabas had a few scorch marks from the Fiendfyre, but was otherwise intact. Hermione knew that some magical repair work had been done to the Room of Requirement after the Last Battle, but she was unsure if all its magical properties had been restored.
The two girls paced back and forth three times, thinking of Luna. After what felt like ages, but was actually not even a minute, the door opened to let in Hermione and Ginny. Hermione was completely taken aback by the scene in front of her.
The room was small, about half the size of the Gryffindor common room. A cheery fire was blazing, with a small sofa and two squashy chairs arranged in front of it. Sobbing into the couch cushions was Luna, with a mess of crumpled up tissues and candy wrappers on the ground.
Hermione and Ginny quietly approached their friend. “Luna?” Hermione asked tentatively, wordlessly banishing the mess on the floor. “Ginny and I are here. Do you want to tell us what happened, or would you rather we just sit here with you?”
Luna sniffled loudly, turning to face the two Gryffindors. “I suppose this is what it means to have friends,” she said with mild interest.
“Oh, Luna!” Ginny said, sitting down and putting her arms around her. “You always seem so surprised by us.” Hermione joined them on the couch, taking Luna's hand within her own. The three of them sat together quietly, Luna taking comfort in their companionship. As her tears subsided, she spoke up.
“I feel silly, being this emotional, after everything that's happened. I didn't even cry when my house was destroyed. But...” she trailed off, her voice trembling. “Dean and I broke up. It's not like I expected us to be together for forever. But I rather liked having a boy fancy me and listen to me without laughing and write me letters while I'm at school and snog me when I'm not.” She sighed. “I'm really going to miss the snogging.”
“I know it hurts now,” Ginny said softly, “but I promise it will get better. Dean's a nice bloke, and a decent boyfriend, but I know there's someone better out there for you.” She lightly nudged Luna in the side. “I found someone better, didn't I? And you will too.”
Hermione nodded in agreement. “You're an adventurer, Luna. Dean's an artist. You need someone who can keep up with you. It was hard when I broke up with Victor, but he and I were just too different. Ginny's right. You'll find someone else, someone even better.”
Luna looked at her friends hopefully. “The pain goes away?” They nodded. “You really think I'll find someone else who won't think I'm weird?”
Ginny smiled. “He'll want to look for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks with you.”
“That sounds nice,” Luna sighed happily. She pulled Hermione and Ginny even closer to her, linking her arm through Hermione's and resting her head on Ginny's shoulder. “It is a sweet thing, friendship, a dear balm, a happy and auspicious bird of calm.”
Ginny giggled. “We love you too, Luna.”