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TITLE: Crazy Little Things
SERIES: Harry Potter
AUTHOR:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dreiser
EMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Hermione/Luna.
SUMMARY: Little by little, in her own unusual way, Luna Lovegood begins to romance Hermione Granger.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my Roller Derby ripped tights.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Su Li is someone whose name appeared in the draft of the classlist for Harry's year that JKR displayed during the "Harry Potter and Me" TV interview. Which means she's technically not made up by me and is somewhat canon. I'm not sure why but I have an adverse reaction to having too many original characters in fanfic. Perhaps because it hints at an emerging Mary Sue situation. lol.
Click here to see what a Sherwani is. I promise that will make sense after you read the chapter. So... maybe click on that after you've read it. lol. All right. I'm done prattling. Enjoy the chapter and let me know if there's something to be fixed.
Crazy Little Things
By: Dreiser
She wasn’t sure what reaction she would receive from Ron when she told him of the new purpose she had for her education. But Hermione certainly didn’t think it would be one of subtle mockery and almost nonexistent interest. A dark look formed on her features that Ron didn’t take note of as his back was to her while he searched her cupboard for anything edible. “You aren’t taking me the slightest bit seriously, are you?” questioned Hermione, her voice a combination of anger and bitterness. “I tell you I think I’ve finally found a focus for my studies, a plan for my future, and you aren’t paying it any attention at all. You’re acting as if I’ve given you the latest score on a Chudley Cannons match. No,” Hermione spoke with definite bitterness now, “that probably would have received more attention than what I’ve been given.”
“Hermione,” Ron spoke her name wearily, his expression reflecting a quiet type of exasperation. “We’ve had this conversation so many times. I visit you and you talk of nothing but your studies and ideas of what you could do with them and in the end nothing comes of it.” Giving up on his search for food, he looked at her plaintively. “What do you want me to say?” he asked almost desperately. “It’s a grand idea if you go through with it but if you don’t… we’ll be right back where we started and you’ll be yelling at me again.”
“I’m not yelling,” said Hermione, her eyes narrowing. “I’m speaking quite calmly. Especially considering how you’ve been ignoring me.”
Sighing heavily, Ron pushed back a lock of red hair from his eyes, avoiding her gaze as he spoke. “I’m not ignoring you. I told you, I’m just not sure what you would like me to say.”
“Congratulations? Spot of good luck? Tell me more? Huzzah?” Hermione suggested one after another quickly, annoyance appearing more and more clearly on her face. “Something that shows you care the slightest bit about me would be nice, Ronald!”
“You’re yelling now,” Ron muttered under his breath, lifting his eyes up to watch as Hermione huffed and walked away from him. She sat at her desk and began scribbling a letter furiously and for some reason the action filled him with a strange sort of dread. “Who are you writing?”
“Luna,” said Hermione primly, her writing slowing from scribbles to the naturally elegant action it usually was.
“Luna Lovegood?” repeated Ron, frowning. “Why are you writing her? Last time we saw her she was still as barmy as—“
“She suggested the idea of pursuing research and writing at the University to me,” Hermione interrupted in supremely cool tones that told Ron not to even attempt to finish his earlier statement. “I thought I might thank her for it since it is such a very good one. Although you don’t seem to agree.” She finished the letter with a few easy strokes of her quill then looked to Ron with lidded eyes. “Can I borrow Pigwidgeon to send it?”
“Of course,” said Ron with some surprise, his voice tinged with hurt. “You needn’t even ask. Hermione,” he said her name rather pleading, his hands opened out to her as he took a step forward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be discouraging, I just wasn’t sure of what to say, is all. I’m glad you’ve found something to be this excited over.”
Tying the letter around Pigwidgeon’s tiny leg, Hermione’s voice was hushed as she said, “Really?”
“Really and truly,” Ron murmured gently, placing his hands on her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her tenderly on the top of her curly head of hair.
Instead of replying, Hermione smiled and released Pigwidgeon who flew out the window with a series of eager hoots. She turned to look up at Ron who was curling his fingers around her neck and she reached her lips up to his for a kiss but as they did, her lips meeting his again and again, she found her mind drifting away. Thoughts of white blonde hair and warm blue eyes that sparkled playfully invaded her and Hermione broke away from Ron with a gasp, turning away from him as she blushed darkly. Ron didn’t appear to notice her odd reaction and walked back towards the kitchen, listing off various things they might have for dinner, while Hermione remained where she was, blushing and trembling as she lifted her fingers up to her lips, touching them softly, knowing it was Ron who had kissed her but for whatever reason feeling as if had been someone entirely else.
They had just finished eating dinner when Pigwidgeon returned, full of bluster, wearing the same look of satisfaction he would get whenever anyone offered him a particularly tasty snack. Hermione hurried over to him, leaving Ron to complain about having to clean the dishes while she read Luna’s reply.
Hermione,
Silly! There isn’t anything to thank me for. All I did was say what I was thinking. Usually that’s something which tends to make people cross with me so it’s a rather nice surprise it hasn’t done the same with you.
I hope you don’t mind but I’ve fed Ron’s owl some leftover mincemeat pie. He seemed to enjoy it and I’m afraid he had a most upset face when I was eating it while writing and not offering him any. About writing… your letter, the shape of your words was angry at the start but then it became happier. Is it because you were happy to be writing me? I wonder how red your cheeks are from blushing now.
Ha! I can imagine you scowling quite clearly because I’ve written that. It is adorable.
I’m afraid I must return to my studies and stop teasing you. Although I would far prefer to spend my time doing the latter. Oh yes, I hope you’ve not encountered the green grackenpuff because you’ll need your knowledge for an interview I’ve arranged this coming Monday. Oh don’t scowl again, it has to do with the research and writing I’ve suggested to you.
Professor Ipson, I believe I’ve mentioned him to you, is doing just such a study and I thought perhaps you would like the experience of working with him on his book before you begin a project of your own. He mentioned the idea that if your work with him was satisfactory, and I’m sure it will be all that and more, he would recommend you a place at the University in the Magical Research department. Wouldn’t that be lovely? You would have a place all your own.
Monday at 10 o’clock, Evernbach Hall, don’t be late! That’s the morning, not night in case you were wondering.
Yours,
Luna Lovegood
Smiling despite herself, Hermione traced her fingers over the signature and wondered exactly how the blonde had known when she was blushing and scowling. A place of her own, could she finally have such a thing? After so much confusion and feeling so very lost? Would it really be this easy to find it? Gently rolling up the parchment and tucking it safely into the pockets of her robe, Hermione wished it was true.
---
Monday at 10’clock, morning not night, Hermione was waiting outside Evernbach Hall for Professor Ipson’s lecture to end. She had just sighed and taken another look at her watch when she heard her name called out from a distance. Lifting her gaze, Hermione caught sight of Luna skipping her way, light green robes billowing behind her, a wide smile lighting her features.
It was odd, really it was, skipping would look utterly ridiculous if she did it but somehow it seemed completely natural for Luna. Terribly charming in a way. Shaking her head as if to rid herself of such thoughts, Hermione greeted the other girl on her arrival. “Luna,” she said with a nod.
“Hermione,” Luna returned, tilting her head and gazing thoughtfully at the brunette. “You aren’t still embarrassed at me knowing when you would blush and scowl, are you?”
Predictably doing a combination of both, Hermione averted her gaze, gritting her teeth as she exclaimed, “Of course not! Why would I be embarrassed over a trivial thing like that?”
“Oh?” Luna hummed and she held her hands behind her back as she skipped to the other side of Hermione, ducking her head down so their eyes could meet. Hermione scowled deeper on seeing twinkling blue eyes and Luna chuckled, reaching up to tap her nose lightly. “Don’t make that face,” she murmured, a tender look in her eyes, her finger replaced with her hand as she cupped Hermione’s cheek gently, her thumb rubbing slowly and softly, making Hermione want to sigh. “I meant it when I said I thought it was adorable.”
Before Hermione could formulate a reply, the doors to Evernbach Hall opened with a loud bang, the old oak wood striking the large stone walls with enough power to reverberate as a sea of students emptied the lecture hall. Luna pulled away from Hermione, standing on the tips of her toes to peer over the crowd and into the hall itself.
“Ah!” Luna gave a triumphant cry, shading her eyes with right hand and beaming brightly. “I can see the Professor and he doesn’t look to be busy with students.” Turning to Hermione, her smile never wavering, she took the brunette’s hand and led her into the lecture hall. “Lets begin our interview, shall we?”
“Our interview?” echoed Hermione, frowning as she followed Luna who easily wound them through the throng of students. “What do you mean by saying our interview, Luna?”
“Just that,” said Luna easily, continuing to walk forward as she spoke. “I’ll be interviewing with you today to become a research assistant.” Luna paused before she said, more to herself than Hermione, “I did mention there were two positions open, didn’t I?”
Sighing deeply, Hermione was debating on whether or not to answer Luna’s not so silent question to herself when Professor Ipson cheerfully greeted them. The Professor was a short man and the best way to describe him would be to say he was very round. Everything about him, from his face, to his stomach, and even his glasses were round and while it might not be the most attractive way to look there was something about him that was altogether pleasant and comforting. He shook Hermione’s hand excitedly and began gathering up his satchel and tweed hat, leading them out of the lecture hall, through the University corridors and into his office.
“Forgive the mess,” Ipson said, placing his tweed hat on a pile of books that was stacked precariously high, and setting his satchel at the side of his desk as he sank into a large and rather worn leather chair. “I’m afraid my office is something of a disaster area. My wife would have fits over it if she saw how bad its become but it’s to my luck that she hasn’t visited me in here in quite some time.” Hermione and Luna remained standing, inspecting the tiny office which consisted of mostly books, a few pictures on the walls, a cluttered desk, chair, and small sofa. “Please,” he smiled warmly and gestured to the equally worn leather sofa, “sit.”
Moving in synchronization, Hermione and Luna sat down on the sofa, their legs brushing against one another as they did. Hermione felt her cheeks redden at the contact and tightening her jaw, she told herself not to pay it any attention. It only happened because it was such a tiny sofa and it wasn’t like Luna had noticed, now was it? But when she lifted her gaze she found luminous blue eyes fixed on her and Luna wore a soft reassuring look on her features. One that made Hermione wonder if perhaps the blonde had felt it too. When Professor Ipson ducked his head, muttering absently to himself as he searched for their application parchments, Luna suddenly darted forward, her hands grasping Hermione’s, squeezing them as her body pressed close enough that Hermione could detect the faint scent of raspberries and chocolate that clung to the other girl.
“This is my first interview,” confessed Luna, whispering in Hermione’s ear, her breath hot and sweet against the brunette’s skin. “I’m rather nervous. It’s as if the nargles had stolen all my wits.”
Choosing not to comment on the nargles, Hermione looked at Luna in something akin to disbelief and said, “But you don’t look the least bit nervous.”
“Because Hermione is with me,” Luna explained, displaying her talent for being exceedingly matter of fact.
It wasn’t until Hermione heard this that she realized just how nervous she herself had been and how that feeling had all but disappeared because of Luna. Part of her wondered if the blonde had really ever been nervous at all. If it had all been kindness on her part, saying that to make Hermione relax and feel not quite so alone.
“Ah! I’ve finally found it,” Ipson declared proudly, waving several scrolls of parchment in the air. “I was afraid I’d thrown it out with the rubbish.” He smoothed out the parchments and rested them on his desk next to a cup of cold tea and several family photographs. “I suppose the best way to begin is to tell you precisely what you would be helping me research. After all,” his eyes crinkled around the edges as he smiled, “there’s no point in pursuing anything further if you find you don’t favor the research topic, is there?” When both girls nodded their heads in agreement, he chuckled and continued, “For the past twenty years my focus has been on Pediatric Potions which has also been my main point for lecturing at the University. I’m sorry to say that few have followed in my footsteps to make pediatrics a focus of their healing studies.” Professor Ipson paused to adjust his round wire rim glasses. “We have always treated children with lower doses of the same spells and potions we use for adults. The difference in the anatomy of an adult versus a child should be reason enough to explore a new methodology for magical medical treatment in pediatrics. It’s my belief that the effectiveness of any healing session would increase at least by half if they consisted of treatments created with children in mind. That will be the lofty goal of my book, to create a simple but detailed text filled with new spells and potions meant to treat children specifically.”
“How do you plan on testing out these new spells and potions?” asked Hermione. “Surely you don’t mean to experiment on animals?”
“Goodness, no!” exclaimed Ipson, appalled at the idea. “We have spells for that.”
“Resumo Effingo, isn’t it?” Luna questioned, tilting her head to one side, wearing a thoughtful expression. “My mother was always using that spell in her studies. Terribly useful, it was. Allowed her to use a store dummy that could copy all the human reactions to disease but never feel any of the pain that came from it.”
“Exactly!” Ipson beamed widely at Luna, clapping his hands together. “We use Resumo Effingo to mimic the effects of illness on an inanimate object then study the effect our treatment has on it. That way research can be done safely without harming any living creatures.”
“Fascinating,” Hermione breathed, her eyes shining. “It allows for limitless research with no after effects.”
“We do need actual patients for the final taste tests,” said Ipson with a happy chuckle. “Right, Luna?”
“Right!” agreed Luna brightly. “The best potion is a tasty potion that can still do its job.”
“It seems both of you are still interested even after hearing my dull explanation of the project?” said Ipson playfully, smiling widely as both girls eagerly voiced their continued interest. “I must confess I consider myself entirely hopeless when it comes to interviews so I thought it far easier to simply give you a small test of your skills. A mini research project if you will.” Leaning forward with a slight groan, he offered them each a piece of parchment which had a detailed ingredient list for the potion remedy for vanishing disease and an explanation why everything on the list was needed to treat the disease. “I would like you both to work together and see if you might come upon a more successful, pediatric oriented, version of this potion and then return it to me in the following format. Would one week from today be enough time?” When Luna and Hermione looked at him with wide and nervous eyes, Ipson laughed and waved his hands dismissively. “Don’t worry! I’m not expecting you to have a final potion at that time. Merely the research elements and suggestions for us to begin working on one. After all,” he leaned back in his chair, the leather squeaking and his eyes twinkling. “That is what you will be doing for me.”
They remained in the Professor’s office for several minutes longer, discussing the latest in campus politics and what appeared to be the endless construction on the north lawn before taking note of the time, all of them realizing they had three different places to be and in very little time at that. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem but apparating was frowned upon at the University. Not that it was made impossible by enchantments as at Hogwarts but it simply wasn’t the approved mode of transportation if you had to go somewhere on the campus grounds. It was encouraged by the University that people use their feet and they had to get theirs moving very quickly if they were to make it to their separate lectures on time.
Hermione and Luna said their goodbyes to Professor Ipson and hurried down the corridor, headed in the same general direction for their lectures. As they walked they turned to each other several times and each time they did their mouths also opened and it seemed as if one girl was going to speak and then, just as suddenly, their mouths would snap shut and they would look away.
Finally, their irrational shyness began to drive Hermione slightly mad and she released a noise of frustration, vowing to simply get over this feeling, whatever it was. Adjusting her satchel over her shoulder, she kept her eyes fixed ahead as she said, “Would you like to come over to my flat this evening to begin work on the project?”
When Hermione forced herself to look at Luna it almost felt as if her heart stopped beating. The blonde was wearing such a sincere expression of gratitude that it made her feel sick in a way. That a small gesture like that could effect Luna so greatly didn’t speak well of how the other girl had been treated in her dealings with people in the past. At least, not in Hermione’s opinion. And in that moment, that was something she vowed to change.
“I’d like that very much,” Luna beamed. “What time should I arrive?”
“I’m not sure,” murmured Hermione, considering it for a moment. “I’m in lectures until six. And you?”
“Healers Herbology is self study from four onwards. I have quite a bit to do, if you want I could stay on campus and finish my studies for the day, perhaps get an early start on our research as I wait for you,” offered Luna.
“Shall I meet you in the library then?” asked Hermione, adjusting her satchel again as they paused at corridor intersection where they had to part ways in order to continue towards their lecture halls. “We can disapparate to my flat from there.”
“I’ll be at the skinny rust colored table in the purple upholstered chair that’s perpendicular to the Magical Creatures section,” Luna replied. Hermione assumed she formed a curious expression on hearing this very detailed location description because Luna smiled winsomely before informing her in sage tones, “It’s where the silencing charm is strongest. You can hardly hear a thing if you study there.”
“Right,” said Hermione with a chuckle, shaking her head. “I’ll see you there.”
“Yes!” Luna answered cheerfully and unable to stop herself, Hermione looked back to the blonde, smiling and chuckling again as she watched her skip down the corridor. Then she recalled she had five minutes to get to her lecture and promptly turned on her heel and took off in a run.
Because, as she thought earlier, not everyone was naturally made to skip along like Luna.
---
Towards the end of the lecture, Hermione felt her attention drifting and she found herself wondering how Luna was doing with her research in the library. Working on this project wouldn’t be the easiest thing while attending University and while Ipson hadn’t mentioned the length of it Hermione was fairly certain it would take more than a year at the very least. Although she was terribly excited about the idea of being involved with such an important study it was a bit daunting to think she would be devoting so much of her life to one thing for so long.
It was like getting married in a way.
Or at least that was how Hermione imagined it. There was a commitment needed and a resolution of feeling. You had to be sure you wouldn’t tire of the subject after a few weeks and want to move onto something else much like you had to be sure of such a thing if you were to get married to another person. Honestly, it worried Hermione a bit. She always felt that part of the reason she couldn’t pick a major was the fact that she couldn’t quite decide what was her favorite subject. There were so many things she loved learning about and the idea of choosing one that was the very best, the most interesting, the most important, was almost unfathomable to her. Still, worries or not, working on this project really was the best way to find out if research and writing was something that suited her and not just another educational whimsy as Ron liked to say and not just a fear of commitment.
Ron had taken to making jokes that she had a phobia of commitment when they spent time with Harry and Ginny. For months he had been first hinting then suggesting and finally outright asking if she would move in with him and every time she avoided the subject or put it off and it was becoming something of a sore point for them. One that often came up around Harry and Ginny, Harry and Ginny who had just gotten engaged and had been living together ever since Ginny graduated from Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny whom Ron held up as an ideal couple, feeling that he and Hermione should follow in their footsteps.
The idea of living with Ron was too daunting, it felt strangely suffocating and nerve wracking at the same time and Hermione felt that surely that wasn’t the normal reaction. When she asked Ginny how she felt when Harry asked her to move into his flat Ginny’s eyes had sparkled and shone and she had looked more like a girl in love than Hermione had ever seen her. She was irrationally jealous of the redhead when she had seen her reaction just because Hermione knew she had never looked that way.
Sometimes she thought she simply couldn’t look that way, that it wasn’t in her ability. That she was too logical, too precise, and controlled to be in love like Ginny was and that was the reason she couldn’t act with Ron the way Ginny did with Harry. The jokes Ron made about commitment, they stung her because of this, and she always snapped at him when he made them and she knew Ron thought it was just her being upset that he had said something stupid but it was more than that. It was the fact he was speaking the truth without realizing it.
Perhaps things would change with this project though. Hermione had secretly held onto the superstition that she wouldn’t be able to truly move on in her relationship with Ron while her plans for the future and her education were so uncertain. If her work with Professor Ipson finally led her on a clear path for her work perhaps her personal life would follow suit and she could broach the topic of moving in with Ron without a feeling of dread seizing her.
She was pulled from her ruminations by her classmate, Su Li, who gave her shoulder a small shake while saying her name. Hermione blinked and stared up at the other girl as she said, “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
“Honestly, Hermione,” said Su in wry tones, giving a hearty laugh. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. I didn’t think you were even capable of daydreaming and here you do it in the middle of Professor Meedlemeier’s lecture on wizarding warlords.” Hermione just stared blankly up at the other girl and Su shook her head. “I was just telling you class was over. Weren’t you saying you had to meet someone in the library? Or was that nothing more than a flimsy excuse to get out of spending time with your mates at the pub yet again?”
“You sound like Ron,” Hermione accused in a playful huff, standing up and putting her satchel over her shoulder. “I really am meeting someone in the library. Another graduate of Hogwarts, in fact.”
“Oh?” inquired Su with interest. “Anyone I know?”
“I’d hope so,” replied Hermione, trying to hold back her impatience at the slow pace of the students in front of them. “She was in your house, after all.” She turned to look at the pretty Asian who wore a look of definite impatience and chuckling, Hermione said, “It’s Luna Lovegood.”
“Loony Lovegood got into the world renowned University of Magical Studies and Theory?” Su said in clear disbelief. Shaking her head, she drawled humorously, “What’s her major? Imaginary things and fabricated fairy tales?”
The other girl then began relating some story about Luna’s pursuit of the Blibbering Humdinger in the Ravenclaw dormitory which went on for most of Su’s fifth year at Hogwarts. As she spoke, the frown that first formed on Hermione’s face when Su referred to Luna as Loony grew until it became a quite powerful scowl. She thought of the discussion she had with Harry so long ago about how the blonde’s possessions were hidden from her and before she knew it, Hermione found herself saying, her voice soft and dangerous, “Did you ever help hide her things?”
“What?” Su paused in her story, her eyes going wide at the scowl on Hermione’s face. “You look so scary. Is anything the matter?”
“Did you ever help hide her things?” Hermione repeated stiffly. The two girls were now outside the lecture hall, standing in the emptying corridor as their classmates went their separate ways for the day. “I heard that it often happened to Luna in the Ravenclaw house. People stealing her things and hiding them from her as some sort of lark, thinking it was funny instead of plainly cruel. Were you one of the people who did that?”
Appearing afraid to answer but perhaps compelled by the grim expression on Hermione’s features, Su offered lamely, “It wasn’t just me. Everyone in the house did it. Hermione,” Su gave a nervous laugh as she tried to explain. “We were only children and you know how children tease and Loony, well, she made an easy target. It was all in good fun, she must have known that, she never complained.”
In that moment, Hermione wished that she was in her fifth year again because if she was she knew she would be able to slap Su and not feel the slightest bit guilty or immature about it. But now she was in her second year at University and almost twenty one years of age and she just couldn’t do it. So instead she said, her voice hushed but powerful in its solemnity, “Her name is Luna, not Loony, and the reason she never complained is she, for whatever reason, always thinks the best of people. Even the ones who hurt her for no apparent reason at all.” Hearing this, Su looked remorseful and opened her mouth to speak, maybe to apologize, but Hermione didn’t want to hear it. Especially since she was not the one Su needed to apologize to and she interrupted quietly, “And just so you know, Luna is in the Student Healer program. One of their highest ranked pupils, as I understand it. She’s going to be working with me on a research project for Professor Ipson and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Before Su could reply, Hermione turned on her heel and started an angry walk towards the library, leaving her friend behind and hoping that the cool night air and the speed of her pace would help to calm her down. It had been some time since she had been this upset and the feeling was disconcerting. She wasn’t sure why, but it bothered her tremendously to hear that Su, someone that she liked quite a bit, had been one of the people in Ravenclaw who bullied Luna.
Was it because it spoke ill of her decisions in choosing friends? That she was able to feel close to someone who could be so heartless? Then again, Su was right in a way, they had been children and children, despite all the claims they were pureness and light, could also be cruel at times. Unrelenting and harsh in their teasing of things they found to be different and Luna was definitely different. Maybe she was upset at herself because what she had done today had been too little, too late, and it made no real difference in how Luna’s life at Hogwarts had been. It wasn’t like she was that much better than Su. She never teased Luna and stole her things but she hadn’t been terribly kind to her in their years together. Hermione couldn’t even count the amount of times she casually dismissed whatever the blonde said with a sneer and disdain in her voice. Certainly the things that had been said were ridiculous but still… that didn’t mean she had to be so mean about discounting Luna’s beliefs.
Though she did think that it was too little, too late, Hermione promised herself she would change on this. That how she acted towards Luna simply wasn’t right and she would use their time together working on this project to fix her behavior. To try and make it up to the younger girl whether she realized this or not.
But fulfilling this promise was rather difficult if she couldn’t manage to locate the other girl, thought Hermione as she stepped into the impressive University library. She estimated on her first visit it had to be at least fifteen times larger than the one at Hogwarts. While she had considered Luna’s earlier description of her location to be unnecessary and humorous in its extreme detail she now found herself grateful for the information as she walked through the enormous stacks, ducking under a whizzing line of books, some of which were dancing a jig, as they flew towards the check out desk. Because even as familiar as Hermione was with the library it was intimidating in its size and quite easy to get lost inside. To be honest, that was one of her favorite pastimes, to simply dawdle and explore the library to find new sections and the brunette had spent hours on end wandering through the shelves and Hermione still thought she hadn’t gone through even half of the stacks yet. And besides that, she was in something of a hurry. They only had so much time to work on the project and it was after six so they would presumably have to stop to eat dinner as well. Unless she could convince Luna to eat and work at the same time. Something that Ron rather hated and had been banned when he visited her flat for meals.
Making a sharp right at Muggle Studies, Hermione grinned as she caught sight of Luna sitting at what was indeed a very skinny rust colored table in the most atrocious looking purple upholstered chair. Studying the stacks of the Magical Creatures section as she walked over to the blonde, Hermione said in way of a greeting, “The table is perfectly perpendicular, isn’t it? I never noticed.”
“The stacks form congruent adjacent angles,” Luna smiled, shutting the large text on exotic herbs she had been reading. She rose to her feet and began organizing the pile of books on the table. “Those are the very best angles, you know. They’re the angles preferred by Wrackspurts.”
“Really?” questioned Hermione warmly, fully aware as she said this of her promise to not immediately discount Luna’s beliefs just because they were a bit strange. She couldn’t, however, keep the fondness from her voice when she spoke. Maybe it was age having mellowed her or the conversation she just had with Su but Hermione was starting to find Luna’s oddities more charming than irritating. Although she was sure at some point she would get irritated with her again. Becoming annoyed with others because she was unable to understand their actions or point of view was a regrettable part of her personality she was uncomfortably aware of. One that she had tried to rid herself of in the past but had failed rather miserably in the attempt. “Why is that?”
Studying Hermione blankly for a moment, as if wondering why the other girl was bothering to ask her such a thing, Luna finally replied, “Their favorite Muggle subject is geometry.”
“I always liked science over mathematics when I was in primary school,” Hermione informed, picking up a stack of books and wincing under the weight before she gave up and simply decided to cast a floating spell and have them follow behind her. Luna, for whatever reason, felt it proper to place her books on the top of her head in a tremendously tall and wavering stack that made Hermione entirely nervous.
“That’s right,” said Luna thoughtfully, her tower of books leaning to the left as she looked to Hermione while they walked through the Foreign Magic section. “Your parents are Muggles, aren’t they? Your first studies were at a Muggle school as a child.” Hermione immediately tensed, whenever her bloodline was brought up it was usually anything but pleasant and though she didn’t expect the other girl to say anything derogatory she still lay in wait of it. But instead, Luna smiled gently and asked, “Which do you find more fun? Muggle or Wizarding education?”
Blinking at this, Hermione stopped to truly consider it then said, “For me, it would have to be Wizarding simply because I grew up as Muggle. I think anyone who has the experience of suddenly discovering magic is real when you’ve spent your entire life believing it to be merely a fanciful thing cannot help find the learning of it terribly fun. Also,” Hermione paused, considering if she really wanted to continue, then she looked to Luna and saw the genuine interest and soft acceptance in her blue eyes and knew it was safe to do so. “I never managed to fit in when I was at the Muggle primary school. It was only after I began attending Hogwarts that I was able to make friends.”
“It was the same for me,” remarked Luna serenely, a wisp of a smile on her pale features. They exited the Transfiguration section and she noticed the brunette was headed towards the check out desk. “No, it’s all right,” Luna murmured, reaching out for Hermione’s hand. When the other girl looked to her, she tilted her head, making the books stacked on top of it to shake and lean forward, causing several people nearby to stare and Hermione to feel quite nervous for fear of them falling onto her. “I’ve already checked out all of the books. We just need to disapparate to your flat with them and then we can start straight away on our research.”
“Why didn’t you say this earlier?” asked Hermione, slightly annoyed at Luna but mostly irritated with herself for already feeling that way. But honestly, they had just wasted how much time strolling through the library when they could have just disapparated to her flat at the very beginning.
Luna stared at Hermione with wide luminous eyes that slowly moved away from the brunette as she said vaguely, “I found it relaxing. The walking and talking…”
“Is that all?” asked Hermione who was definitely fighting annoyance.
“It rather felt as if we were friends, I suppose I wanted it to continue,” Luna revealed, her gaze focused off into the distance, looking at nothing in particular. Her eyes returned to Hermione once again, a sad smile tugging at her lips as she said, “You always seem so tense. It isn’t at all good for you. There have been cases where wizards have tied themselves up into actual knots because their magic has caused their stress to emerge physically. I would hate to see you become a pretzel, Hermione. I do not believe even you could make that a pretty look.”
The annoyance, the irritation with herself, perhaps even the stress left Hermione on hearing Luna’s words and a guilty flush covering her features, Hermione reached out for the other girl, surprised when the blonde allowed her to take her hand. “I’m sorry,” said Hermione, her voice low and filled with regret, thinking herself to be far worse than Su or anyone who had ever teased Luna at Hogwarts. “But please don’t say it felt like we were friends, Luna, because that’s a lie. We are friends, truly. Or at least, we are if you want us to be.” Hermione formed a sardonic smile and gave a barking sort of laugh before she continued, “I can understand if you want to decline. I’ve been awful to you, I realize. A horribly awful person since I’ve only now just figured it out.”
Silence except for the bustling of the other library patrons and Hermione felt a gentle tug of her hand as Luna slipped out of her hold. Then a feather light touch emerged at her chin, making her lift her gaze to look into lidded blue eyes which held a look of indefinable quiet knowing and a small smile played on Luna’s lips. “Yes,” she breathed, tilting her head to one side and leaning the books forward on the stack although they had yet to succumb to the dangers of gravity. “You can be awful at times, Hermione. But I can be just as awful, I do suppose that everyone can. In any case,” Luna’s small smile grew into one much larger and far more beautiful. “I still think us to be friends. Especially since you’re beginning to feel the same.”
“The same?” Hermione echoed with confusion.
“Shall we disapparate now?” inquired Luna, ignoring the brunette’s question as she reluctantly pulled her hand from Hermione’s chin which she had been cupping gently and raised it up to help balance the stack of books on her head that was teetering dangerously to the right. “We seem to be gathering an audience, although for what reason, I’m not entirely sure.”
Noticing the stares of several nearby students who were all fixated on the tower of books on top of Luna’s head, Hermione didn’t reply and instead took the blonde’s free hand. “We’ll side long disapparate,” Hermione said. “Since you’ve never been to my flat before.”
“Don’t forget your books,” reminded Luna cheerfully. “I’m quite excited to see your flat, you know. I just hope you don’t have any Vesper Boggits hiding in your underpants drawer. That is their chosen breeding ground.”
Blushing as she suddenly had the image of Luna searching through her underpants drawer for Vesper Boggits, whatever they might be, Hermione squeezed the blonde’s hand then with a flick of her wand and a small audible pop, they were standing in the tiny living room of her flat. As she observed Luna taking in her surroundings with that lidded and all knowing gaze Hermione suddenly became very aware that her flat wasn’t at its neatest. Stacking the pile of floating books down on her coffee table she tried to hide her wand behind her back as she cast some silent cleaning spells that would hopefully put things in better order without Luna noticing.
“It’s lovely, not messy in the least,” said Luna her tones dreamy as she reached for the precarious pile of books on her head and placed them next to Hermione’s on the coffee table. Hermione sighed as she realized her attempts at covert cleaning had failed miserably and Luna walked over to the built in bookcase that took up the far right wall, her fingertips dancing across the spines of the books. “Not at all like my father’s. He becomes so caught up with his work that he can’t seem to keep the house tidy.”
“I don’t know,” offered Hermione kindly, “it wasn’t that bad when I visited.”
“That’s right,” Luna said, her attention still fixed on Hermione’s very crowded bookcase. “You were there during the war.” She turned to Hermione, a veiled but sad look in her eyes as she murmured, “I don’t think I ever did apologize to you, Harry, and Ron for what my father did that day. It wasn’t very kind nor brave of him, was it?”
“You don’t have to apologize for that,” said Hermione quickly, walking over to the blonde. “Things were bad for everyone at that time and your father… he was so frightened for you, Luna. We all were.”
“You were frightened for me,” said Luna slowly, mulling this over as her gaze drifted away from Hermione. If she was going to say anything more, her response was interrupted by the rumblings of her stomach. Luna touched her midsection and as she did so, the motion of her hand tugged up the material of her plaid t-shirt to reveal creamy white skin and a toned abdomen. The sight of which caused Hermione to blush and avert her eyes. “I’ve just been told I’m quite hungry. Would you mind terribly if we ate while we worked?”
“Not at all,” Hermione replied, keeping her gaze well aware from Luna’s stomach and feeling very pleased the other girl didn’t share Ron’s opposition to eating and working at the same time. She started to head into the kitchen but paused as she recalled Ron’s food scavenging from the previous day and how it had not produced good results. Turning around and doing her best not to feel embarrassed, Hermione said, “I don’t have much by the way of food though. Is it all right if we ordered out?”
A mischievous twinkle emerged in Luna’s blue eyes and she drawled, “If I’m allowed to pick the meal.”
“All right,” said Hermione slowly, already wondering if this was a wise decision. “What are we having?”
“It’s a surprise,” Luna informed playfully, hopping towards the brunette, her hands laced behind her back. “Though I do need to know what flavors you prefer. Spicy, sweet, sour, salty?”
“Sweet, I suppose,” murmured Hermione, beginning to truly worry about what she had gotten herself into. “Although not too sweet. Does sweet but also sour make any sense at all?” she asked rather pathetically.
“Perfect sense,” said Luna with a warm smile. She looked to Pigwidgeon who was eyeing Crookshanks cautiously from his perch above the window. Shortly after they began dating the tiny owl had taken a liking to Hermione and often preferred spending time with her over Ron. The brunette believed this wasn’t anything against Ron but more a testament to the fact she had a ready supply of owl snacks that she gave to the bird quite freely while Ron could be a bit stingy with handing out rewards to his pet. That didn’t mean the owl was entirely comfortable with the constant presence of one very large and predatory orange tabby cat in Hermione’s flat. “Can I ask you to send a message for me?” Luna questioned and it took Hermione a moment to realize that the blonde was speaking directly to Pigwidgeon whose wide yellow eyes regarded her speculatively. “I promise to share some of the food with you if you do and I especially promise the food will be tasty.” The tiny owl twisted its neck for a moment then fluttered his wings as he hooted eagerly. Luna smiled widely at this, clapping her hands as she said, “Splendid!” Luna quickly scribbled a letter with what Hermione presumed was their food order on it but paused in her writing to look at Hermione with a sudden look of concern. “It should cost two galleons and nine sickles. That’s not too much, is it?”
“Not at all,” Hermione assured, shaking her head. “We’ll simply split it even. You do need my address for the delivery, don’t you? It’s 13 Savile Row, Flat 4, Westminster, London.”
Pigwidgeon hopped about on his perch, ready to eat the promised food, and the moment Luna tied the letter to his tiny leg he was waiting at the window for her to open it. Watching as he flew hurriedly out in the night sky, Luna said, a smile in her voice, “He is an impatient little thing, isn’t he? It’s quite adorable. Almost as much as your blush I’d wager.” When she turned around, Hermione was demonstrating said adorable blush and Luna chuckled. “Ah, there it is. I was wondering how long I would have to wait before I could see it.”
“We should get to work!” Hermione said briskly, doing her best to get rid of the blush and the confusing feelings that were stirring in her. She never acted this way around Ron, getting embarrassed when he said the smallest little thing about her looks, so why did she around Luna? It didn’t make any sense in the slightest.
A half an hour later, they were in the process of reviewing the benefits of using hopping root and cinder weed when a loud knock sounded along with several excited hoots. Hermione went to answer the door with Luna following close behind her and when she pulled it open, she was greeted by an enthusiastic Pigwidgeon who went whizzing past her head. Releasing a yelp, Hermione ducked down and scowled a bit, soon freezing in this position when she felt the warmth of Luna’s hand resting at the small of her back.
Still stuck in this pose, Hermione peered up and was met with the sight of a handsome Indian wizard dressed in a beautifully embroidered and sequined all black Sherwani holding four wooden boxes filled with food. The man raised an amused eyebrow at Hermione before looking to Luna and remarking, “We hadn’t heard from you in so long we were fearing you had forgotten us, Miss Lovegood. Travel cannot be the issue, for we are wizards, are we not?”
“I’ve been busy with my studies but I do want to visit you and the others in Bangalore again,” Luna said, her hand easily sliding down Hermione’s back and her arm soon wrapped around her waist as she tenderly raised the brunette up to her height, causing Hermione to lean against her. Luna wore a dreamy smile as she took the food from the Indian wizard and said, “I nearly discovered the Krodha Swinging Lizard there.” Balancing the boxes of food with her free hand, she looked to Hermione, her eyes going wide as she said, “I’ve been rude, haven’t I? Hermione this is my good friend, Bheru Jaspal, he’s a wonderful chef from Bangalore, India. He was also my guide in the search for the rare Krodha Swinging Lizard when I visited the region.”
“Sadly it was never discovered,” Bheru murmured, looking regretful as he said this. A buzzing sound filled the air and he frowned as he pulled out a silver pocket watch and flipped it open. Giving a soft sigh, he looked to Luna with dark eyes and said, “I must take my leave. I’ve another order and I must change before I return to the kitchen.”
“Formal wear is best for deliveries but not for adding spices,” agreed Luna wisely. “Two galleons and nine sickles is it?” When Bheru dipped his head as a sign of agreement, Luna smiled and handed him the payment.
Bowing low as he accepted the money, Bheru looked up with smiling dark eyes and said, “You must agree to visit us soon. The next time we shall find the Krodha Swinging Lizard. I swear it upon my ancestors.” Rising up to his full height, he tilted his head at Hermione, observing her for a moment before he said, “It was a pleasure to have met you, Miss Hermione. I hope that I will also see you again soon.” Hermione returned the sentiment a bit shyly and he smiled again then took his leave with another low bow and an audible pop from the disapparation.
Out of habit more than a sense of awareness, Hermione shut the front door, watching Luna hum and skip into the kitchen with their food. “Luna,” said Hermione slowly as she tried to wrap her mind around the conversation that had just gone on and what it implied. “You ordered our food from a restaurant in Bangalore, India?”
“Yes,” said Luna cheerfully, her expression faltering when she saw Hermione’s disbelieving expression. “I promise you that it’s quite tasty. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it.”
“Pigwidgeon surely didn’t fly all that way in such a short amount of time,” Hermione appeared to be saying this aloud for her own benefit. As if hearing it come from her own lips would reassure her that the reasoning was sound.
“Of course not!” Luna exclaimed with a laugh, removing the lid from the first box and filling the flat with a sweet scent that suddenly made Hermione very hungry. “I sent him to the international wizarding delivery post. They have a little man there, Williwog or Ogdoddler or something or other who is in charge of food deliveries. He apparates to whichever restaurant you want around the world and gets the food for you. Though it seems Bheru wanted to deliver our order in person when he noticed it was from me. I haven’t seen him in several months.”
“When were you in Bangalore?” asked Hermione, drawn to Luna’s side, eyeing the sizable amount of food the blonde ordered. She blinked when Luna opened the last box which had a large bowl filled with what looked to be freshly sliced papayas and several other ingredients. “Is that really papayas in the salad?”
“Papayas, peanuts, long beans, tart tomatoes,” Luna ignored Hermione’s first question in favor of the second and immediately reached into the bowl and retrieved a slice of papaya and tomato, offering them up to Hermione with a sweet smile. “They call it Som Tam. Have a taste?”
For some strange reason Hermione had the nagging feeling that Luna was trying to feed her by hand and the idea didn’t disturb her as much as she thought it should. Which is perhaps why she took the papaya and tomato from the blonde and put them into her own mouth, soon forming a smile at the delicious taste of the food. “It’s wonderful,” she said.
“Bheru is a marvelous chef,” said Luna, stacking up the now empty food boxes and with a flick of her wand they disappeared, most likely returned to their home restaurant. She picked up one of the perfectly round balls that was grilled a handsome brown and looked over her shoulder at Pigwidgeon who was back on his perch, his gaze torn between watching Crookshanks and eyeing the feast they had before them. “Little friend,” she called out, beaming when his focus turned to her and he hooted eagerly. “Here’s your treat,” Luna announced happily as she threw the ball in the air, causing Crookshanks to try and intercept the treat, but failing as Pigwidgeon risked certain danger to intercept the food. “Oh my,” her eyes went wide. “Competitive, aren’t they?”
“Sometimes I wonder if Ron feeds him at all,” said Hermione sardonically, retrieving the plates and silverware. She took a seat and looked expectantly at Luna. “Well? What did you order for me?”
“Tomato Perugu Pachadi,” answered Luna serenely, picking up a bowl filled with something that, to Hermione, looked similar to soup but with a thicker consistency. It was cooked a lovely golden brown and was topped with red seasoning and smelled absolutely delectable. “Bheru served it to me the first time I had dinner with his family. It’s a classic chutney where red tomatoes are sautéed in seasonings and combined with beaten curd. I thought you might enjoy it since it has a bit of a sweet and sour taste to it.”
Hermione was very much aware of Luna’s gaze being focused on her as she lowered her spoon into the bowl and took her first sip. A few moments passed as she let the texture wash over her tongue then a smile spread across her features, causing Luna to bounce happily in her seat and clap her hands on seeing it. Chuckling at this reaction, Hermione said, “You’re right, Bheru is a marvelous chef, and you’re equally marvelous for being able to get me to immediately like a new dish. That’s a rarity, I can promise you. I usually tend to be rather dull in what I eat. Ron complains of it sometimes, says I should try different things.”
“Different is similar to those who have already experienced it,” Luna murmured as her gaze drifted away from Hermione and towards Pigwidgeon as she threw another treat to him but only after handing one to the disgruntled Crookshanks who was now sitting by Hermione’s feet at the table. “It’s entirely relied on perspective.”
“True,” said Hermione thoughtfully, taking another sip of the pachadi before she spoke again. Shaking her head as Crookshanks purred and rubbed up to Luna in hopes of getting more food, she said, “What are you feeding them?”
“Chicken Masala Balls,” said Luna, scrunching her nose up in a charming manner. “Horrid name but a yummy treat, nevertheless. I ordered vegetarian for our meals but I rather thought they would prefer meat.”
“I think you chose well,” replied Hermione humorously, watching as her cat gobbled up more of the food in record speed. “Honestly, Crookshanks,” she sighed. “You’re going to be big as a house someday. I’ll have to invent a spell for you to lose weight at this rate.”
“Perhaps that can be your first research study. There must be some wizards and witches who would find good use for a method of magical feline weight reduction,” Luna said, sounding quite serious. “Fat cats are horribly common.”
Shaking her head at the idea of such a study, Hermione said dryly, “Perhaps I should send him over to Ron’s. The poor thing would be sure to lose weight if he stayed there if the way Pigwidgeon begs for food is anything to judge.”
“I’m sure Ron feeds him,” said Luna gently as she threw another treat to the small owl. “But boys can’t really spoil as well as girls and that leaves our little friend wanting.” Hermione opened her mouth to reply but Luna reached for a nearby textbook on exotic mushrooms of the magical marshlands and said, “Shall we continue our work? I do think your idea of using cinder weed was a fine one but perhaps it would work better with the incendiary reaction caused by galloping black mushrooms. Though they are a rare find so maybe we should discount that option.”
Just like that their wandering conversation on food and overweight felines was over and they were once again at work on the project given to them by Professor Ipson. It was what they were there for, after all, so it was hardly surprising to Hermione but the feeling of disappointment she had was. She was sad to see their fun little chat come to an end and for once in her life she found herself wanting to do something other than study.
And it was all because of Luna Lovegood.
To be continued...
SERIES: Harry Potter
AUTHOR:
dreiserEMAIL: dreiser7@yahoo.com
YAHOO ID: dreiser7
MY WEBSITE: http://www.dreiser.org/
CONTENT: F/F romance. Hermione/Luna.
SUMMARY: Little by little, in her own unusual way, Luna Lovegood begins to romance Hermione Granger.
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but my Roller Derby ripped tights.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Su Li is someone whose name appeared in the draft of the classlist for Harry's year that JKR displayed during the "Harry Potter and Me" TV interview. Which means she's technically not made up by me and is somewhat canon. I'm not sure why but I have an adverse reaction to having too many original characters in fanfic. Perhaps because it hints at an emerging Mary Sue situation. lol.
Click here to see what a Sherwani is. I promise that will make sense after you read the chapter. So... maybe click on that after you've read it. lol. All right. I'm done prattling. Enjoy the chapter and let me know if there's something to be fixed.
Crazy Little Things
By: Dreiser
She wasn’t sure what reaction she would receive from Ron when she told him of the new purpose she had for her education. But Hermione certainly didn’t think it would be one of subtle mockery and almost nonexistent interest. A dark look formed on her features that Ron didn’t take note of as his back was to her while he searched her cupboard for anything edible. “You aren’t taking me the slightest bit seriously, are you?” questioned Hermione, her voice a combination of anger and bitterness. “I tell you I think I’ve finally found a focus for my studies, a plan for my future, and you aren’t paying it any attention at all. You’re acting as if I’ve given you the latest score on a Chudley Cannons match. No,” Hermione spoke with definite bitterness now, “that probably would have received more attention than what I’ve been given.”
“Hermione,” Ron spoke her name wearily, his expression reflecting a quiet type of exasperation. “We’ve had this conversation so many times. I visit you and you talk of nothing but your studies and ideas of what you could do with them and in the end nothing comes of it.” Giving up on his search for food, he looked at her plaintively. “What do you want me to say?” he asked almost desperately. “It’s a grand idea if you go through with it but if you don’t… we’ll be right back where we started and you’ll be yelling at me again.”
“I’m not yelling,” said Hermione, her eyes narrowing. “I’m speaking quite calmly. Especially considering how you’ve been ignoring me.”
Sighing heavily, Ron pushed back a lock of red hair from his eyes, avoiding her gaze as he spoke. “I’m not ignoring you. I told you, I’m just not sure what you would like me to say.”
“Congratulations? Spot of good luck? Tell me more? Huzzah?” Hermione suggested one after another quickly, annoyance appearing more and more clearly on her face. “Something that shows you care the slightest bit about me would be nice, Ronald!”
“You’re yelling now,” Ron muttered under his breath, lifting his eyes up to watch as Hermione huffed and walked away from him. She sat at her desk and began scribbling a letter furiously and for some reason the action filled him with a strange sort of dread. “Who are you writing?”
“Luna,” said Hermione primly, her writing slowing from scribbles to the naturally elegant action it usually was.
“Luna Lovegood?” repeated Ron, frowning. “Why are you writing her? Last time we saw her she was still as barmy as—“
“She suggested the idea of pursuing research and writing at the University to me,” Hermione interrupted in supremely cool tones that told Ron not to even attempt to finish his earlier statement. “I thought I might thank her for it since it is such a very good one. Although you don’t seem to agree.” She finished the letter with a few easy strokes of her quill then looked to Ron with lidded eyes. “Can I borrow Pigwidgeon to send it?”
“Of course,” said Ron with some surprise, his voice tinged with hurt. “You needn’t even ask. Hermione,” he said her name rather pleading, his hands opened out to her as he took a step forward. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be discouraging, I just wasn’t sure of what to say, is all. I’m glad you’ve found something to be this excited over.”
Tying the letter around Pigwidgeon’s tiny leg, Hermione’s voice was hushed as she said, “Really?”
“Really and truly,” Ron murmured gently, placing his hands on her shoulder, leaning down to kiss her tenderly on the top of her curly head of hair.
Instead of replying, Hermione smiled and released Pigwidgeon who flew out the window with a series of eager hoots. She turned to look up at Ron who was curling his fingers around her neck and she reached her lips up to his for a kiss but as they did, her lips meeting his again and again, she found her mind drifting away. Thoughts of white blonde hair and warm blue eyes that sparkled playfully invaded her and Hermione broke away from Ron with a gasp, turning away from him as she blushed darkly. Ron didn’t appear to notice her odd reaction and walked back towards the kitchen, listing off various things they might have for dinner, while Hermione remained where she was, blushing and trembling as she lifted her fingers up to her lips, touching them softly, knowing it was Ron who had kissed her but for whatever reason feeling as if had been someone entirely else.
They had just finished eating dinner when Pigwidgeon returned, full of bluster, wearing the same look of satisfaction he would get whenever anyone offered him a particularly tasty snack. Hermione hurried over to him, leaving Ron to complain about having to clean the dishes while she read Luna’s reply.
Hermione,
Silly! There isn’t anything to thank me for. All I did was say what I was thinking. Usually that’s something which tends to make people cross with me so it’s a rather nice surprise it hasn’t done the same with you.
I hope you don’t mind but I’ve fed Ron’s owl some leftover mincemeat pie. He seemed to enjoy it and I’m afraid he had a most upset face when I was eating it while writing and not offering him any. About writing… your letter, the shape of your words was angry at the start but then it became happier. Is it because you were happy to be writing me? I wonder how red your cheeks are from blushing now.
Ha! I can imagine you scowling quite clearly because I’ve written that. It is adorable.
I’m afraid I must return to my studies and stop teasing you. Although I would far prefer to spend my time doing the latter. Oh yes, I hope you’ve not encountered the green grackenpuff because you’ll need your knowledge for an interview I’ve arranged this coming Monday. Oh don’t scowl again, it has to do with the research and writing I’ve suggested to you.
Professor Ipson, I believe I’ve mentioned him to you, is doing just such a study and I thought perhaps you would like the experience of working with him on his book before you begin a project of your own. He mentioned the idea that if your work with him was satisfactory, and I’m sure it will be all that and more, he would recommend you a place at the University in the Magical Research department. Wouldn’t that be lovely? You would have a place all your own.
Monday at 10 o’clock, Evernbach Hall, don’t be late! That’s the morning, not night in case you were wondering.
Yours,
Luna Lovegood
Smiling despite herself, Hermione traced her fingers over the signature and wondered exactly how the blonde had known when she was blushing and scowling. A place of her own, could she finally have such a thing? After so much confusion and feeling so very lost? Would it really be this easy to find it? Gently rolling up the parchment and tucking it safely into the pockets of her robe, Hermione wished it was true.
---
Monday at 10’clock, morning not night, Hermione was waiting outside Evernbach Hall for Professor Ipson’s lecture to end. She had just sighed and taken another look at her watch when she heard her name called out from a distance. Lifting her gaze, Hermione caught sight of Luna skipping her way, light green robes billowing behind her, a wide smile lighting her features.
It was odd, really it was, skipping would look utterly ridiculous if she did it but somehow it seemed completely natural for Luna. Terribly charming in a way. Shaking her head as if to rid herself of such thoughts, Hermione greeted the other girl on her arrival. “Luna,” she said with a nod.
“Hermione,” Luna returned, tilting her head and gazing thoughtfully at the brunette. “You aren’t still embarrassed at me knowing when you would blush and scowl, are you?”
Predictably doing a combination of both, Hermione averted her gaze, gritting her teeth as she exclaimed, “Of course not! Why would I be embarrassed over a trivial thing like that?”
“Oh?” Luna hummed and she held her hands behind her back as she skipped to the other side of Hermione, ducking her head down so their eyes could meet. Hermione scowled deeper on seeing twinkling blue eyes and Luna chuckled, reaching up to tap her nose lightly. “Don’t make that face,” she murmured, a tender look in her eyes, her finger replaced with her hand as she cupped Hermione’s cheek gently, her thumb rubbing slowly and softly, making Hermione want to sigh. “I meant it when I said I thought it was adorable.”
Before Hermione could formulate a reply, the doors to Evernbach Hall opened with a loud bang, the old oak wood striking the large stone walls with enough power to reverberate as a sea of students emptied the lecture hall. Luna pulled away from Hermione, standing on the tips of her toes to peer over the crowd and into the hall itself.
“Ah!” Luna gave a triumphant cry, shading her eyes with right hand and beaming brightly. “I can see the Professor and he doesn’t look to be busy with students.” Turning to Hermione, her smile never wavering, she took the brunette’s hand and led her into the lecture hall. “Lets begin our interview, shall we?”
“Our interview?” echoed Hermione, frowning as she followed Luna who easily wound them through the throng of students. “What do you mean by saying our interview, Luna?”
“Just that,” said Luna easily, continuing to walk forward as she spoke. “I’ll be interviewing with you today to become a research assistant.” Luna paused before she said, more to herself than Hermione, “I did mention there were two positions open, didn’t I?”
Sighing deeply, Hermione was debating on whether or not to answer Luna’s not so silent question to herself when Professor Ipson cheerfully greeted them. The Professor was a short man and the best way to describe him would be to say he was very round. Everything about him, from his face, to his stomach, and even his glasses were round and while it might not be the most attractive way to look there was something about him that was altogether pleasant and comforting. He shook Hermione’s hand excitedly and began gathering up his satchel and tweed hat, leading them out of the lecture hall, through the University corridors and into his office.
“Forgive the mess,” Ipson said, placing his tweed hat on a pile of books that was stacked precariously high, and setting his satchel at the side of his desk as he sank into a large and rather worn leather chair. “I’m afraid my office is something of a disaster area. My wife would have fits over it if she saw how bad its become but it’s to my luck that she hasn’t visited me in here in quite some time.” Hermione and Luna remained standing, inspecting the tiny office which consisted of mostly books, a few pictures on the walls, a cluttered desk, chair, and small sofa. “Please,” he smiled warmly and gestured to the equally worn leather sofa, “sit.”
Moving in synchronization, Hermione and Luna sat down on the sofa, their legs brushing against one another as they did. Hermione felt her cheeks redden at the contact and tightening her jaw, she told herself not to pay it any attention. It only happened because it was such a tiny sofa and it wasn’t like Luna had noticed, now was it? But when she lifted her gaze she found luminous blue eyes fixed on her and Luna wore a soft reassuring look on her features. One that made Hermione wonder if perhaps the blonde had felt it too. When Professor Ipson ducked his head, muttering absently to himself as he searched for their application parchments, Luna suddenly darted forward, her hands grasping Hermione’s, squeezing them as her body pressed close enough that Hermione could detect the faint scent of raspberries and chocolate that clung to the other girl.
“This is my first interview,” confessed Luna, whispering in Hermione’s ear, her breath hot and sweet against the brunette’s skin. “I’m rather nervous. It’s as if the nargles had stolen all my wits.”
Choosing not to comment on the nargles, Hermione looked at Luna in something akin to disbelief and said, “But you don’t look the least bit nervous.”
“Because Hermione is with me,” Luna explained, displaying her talent for being exceedingly matter of fact.
It wasn’t until Hermione heard this that she realized just how nervous she herself had been and how that feeling had all but disappeared because of Luna. Part of her wondered if the blonde had really ever been nervous at all. If it had all been kindness on her part, saying that to make Hermione relax and feel not quite so alone.
“Ah! I’ve finally found it,” Ipson declared proudly, waving several scrolls of parchment in the air. “I was afraid I’d thrown it out with the rubbish.” He smoothed out the parchments and rested them on his desk next to a cup of cold tea and several family photographs. “I suppose the best way to begin is to tell you precisely what you would be helping me research. After all,” his eyes crinkled around the edges as he smiled, “there’s no point in pursuing anything further if you find you don’t favor the research topic, is there?” When both girls nodded their heads in agreement, he chuckled and continued, “For the past twenty years my focus has been on Pediatric Potions which has also been my main point for lecturing at the University. I’m sorry to say that few have followed in my footsteps to make pediatrics a focus of their healing studies.” Professor Ipson paused to adjust his round wire rim glasses. “We have always treated children with lower doses of the same spells and potions we use for adults. The difference in the anatomy of an adult versus a child should be reason enough to explore a new methodology for magical medical treatment in pediatrics. It’s my belief that the effectiveness of any healing session would increase at least by half if they consisted of treatments created with children in mind. That will be the lofty goal of my book, to create a simple but detailed text filled with new spells and potions meant to treat children specifically.”
“How do you plan on testing out these new spells and potions?” asked Hermione. “Surely you don’t mean to experiment on animals?”
“Goodness, no!” exclaimed Ipson, appalled at the idea. “We have spells for that.”
“Resumo Effingo, isn’t it?” Luna questioned, tilting her head to one side, wearing a thoughtful expression. “My mother was always using that spell in her studies. Terribly useful, it was. Allowed her to use a store dummy that could copy all the human reactions to disease but never feel any of the pain that came from it.”
“Exactly!” Ipson beamed widely at Luna, clapping his hands together. “We use Resumo Effingo to mimic the effects of illness on an inanimate object then study the effect our treatment has on it. That way research can be done safely without harming any living creatures.”
“Fascinating,” Hermione breathed, her eyes shining. “It allows for limitless research with no after effects.”
“We do need actual patients for the final taste tests,” said Ipson with a happy chuckle. “Right, Luna?”
“Right!” agreed Luna brightly. “The best potion is a tasty potion that can still do its job.”
“It seems both of you are still interested even after hearing my dull explanation of the project?” said Ipson playfully, smiling widely as both girls eagerly voiced their continued interest. “I must confess I consider myself entirely hopeless when it comes to interviews so I thought it far easier to simply give you a small test of your skills. A mini research project if you will.” Leaning forward with a slight groan, he offered them each a piece of parchment which had a detailed ingredient list for the potion remedy for vanishing disease and an explanation why everything on the list was needed to treat the disease. “I would like you both to work together and see if you might come upon a more successful, pediatric oriented, version of this potion and then return it to me in the following format. Would one week from today be enough time?” When Luna and Hermione looked at him with wide and nervous eyes, Ipson laughed and waved his hands dismissively. “Don’t worry! I’m not expecting you to have a final potion at that time. Merely the research elements and suggestions for us to begin working on one. After all,” he leaned back in his chair, the leather squeaking and his eyes twinkling. “That is what you will be doing for me.”
They remained in the Professor’s office for several minutes longer, discussing the latest in campus politics and what appeared to be the endless construction on the north lawn before taking note of the time, all of them realizing they had three different places to be and in very little time at that. Normally it wouldn’t be a problem but apparating was frowned upon at the University. Not that it was made impossible by enchantments as at Hogwarts but it simply wasn’t the approved mode of transportation if you had to go somewhere on the campus grounds. It was encouraged by the University that people use their feet and they had to get theirs moving very quickly if they were to make it to their separate lectures on time.
Hermione and Luna said their goodbyes to Professor Ipson and hurried down the corridor, headed in the same general direction for their lectures. As they walked they turned to each other several times and each time they did their mouths also opened and it seemed as if one girl was going to speak and then, just as suddenly, their mouths would snap shut and they would look away.
Finally, their irrational shyness began to drive Hermione slightly mad and she released a noise of frustration, vowing to simply get over this feeling, whatever it was. Adjusting her satchel over her shoulder, she kept her eyes fixed ahead as she said, “Would you like to come over to my flat this evening to begin work on the project?”
When Hermione forced herself to look at Luna it almost felt as if her heart stopped beating. The blonde was wearing such a sincere expression of gratitude that it made her feel sick in a way. That a small gesture like that could effect Luna so greatly didn’t speak well of how the other girl had been treated in her dealings with people in the past. At least, not in Hermione’s opinion. And in that moment, that was something she vowed to change.
“I’d like that very much,” Luna beamed. “What time should I arrive?”
“I’m not sure,” murmured Hermione, considering it for a moment. “I’m in lectures until six. And you?”
“Healers Herbology is self study from four onwards. I have quite a bit to do, if you want I could stay on campus and finish my studies for the day, perhaps get an early start on our research as I wait for you,” offered Luna.
“Shall I meet you in the library then?” asked Hermione, adjusting her satchel again as they paused at corridor intersection where they had to part ways in order to continue towards their lecture halls. “We can disapparate to my flat from there.”
“I’ll be at the skinny rust colored table in the purple upholstered chair that’s perpendicular to the Magical Creatures section,” Luna replied. Hermione assumed she formed a curious expression on hearing this very detailed location description because Luna smiled winsomely before informing her in sage tones, “It’s where the silencing charm is strongest. You can hardly hear a thing if you study there.”
“Right,” said Hermione with a chuckle, shaking her head. “I’ll see you there.”
“Yes!” Luna answered cheerfully and unable to stop herself, Hermione looked back to the blonde, smiling and chuckling again as she watched her skip down the corridor. Then she recalled she had five minutes to get to her lecture and promptly turned on her heel and took off in a run.
Because, as she thought earlier, not everyone was naturally made to skip along like Luna.
---
Towards the end of the lecture, Hermione felt her attention drifting and she found herself wondering how Luna was doing with her research in the library. Working on this project wouldn’t be the easiest thing while attending University and while Ipson hadn’t mentioned the length of it Hermione was fairly certain it would take more than a year at the very least. Although she was terribly excited about the idea of being involved with such an important study it was a bit daunting to think she would be devoting so much of her life to one thing for so long.
It was like getting married in a way.
Or at least that was how Hermione imagined it. There was a commitment needed and a resolution of feeling. You had to be sure you wouldn’t tire of the subject after a few weeks and want to move onto something else much like you had to be sure of such a thing if you were to get married to another person. Honestly, it worried Hermione a bit. She always felt that part of the reason she couldn’t pick a major was the fact that she couldn’t quite decide what was her favorite subject. There were so many things she loved learning about and the idea of choosing one that was the very best, the most interesting, the most important, was almost unfathomable to her. Still, worries or not, working on this project really was the best way to find out if research and writing was something that suited her and not just another educational whimsy as Ron liked to say and not just a fear of commitment.
Ron had taken to making jokes that she had a phobia of commitment when they spent time with Harry and Ginny. For months he had been first hinting then suggesting and finally outright asking if she would move in with him and every time she avoided the subject or put it off and it was becoming something of a sore point for them. One that often came up around Harry and Ginny, Harry and Ginny who had just gotten engaged and had been living together ever since Ginny graduated from Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny whom Ron held up as an ideal couple, feeling that he and Hermione should follow in their footsteps.
The idea of living with Ron was too daunting, it felt strangely suffocating and nerve wracking at the same time and Hermione felt that surely that wasn’t the normal reaction. When she asked Ginny how she felt when Harry asked her to move into his flat Ginny’s eyes had sparkled and shone and she had looked more like a girl in love than Hermione had ever seen her. She was irrationally jealous of the redhead when she had seen her reaction just because Hermione knew she had never looked that way.
Sometimes she thought she simply couldn’t look that way, that it wasn’t in her ability. That she was too logical, too precise, and controlled to be in love like Ginny was and that was the reason she couldn’t act with Ron the way Ginny did with Harry. The jokes Ron made about commitment, they stung her because of this, and she always snapped at him when he made them and she knew Ron thought it was just her being upset that he had said something stupid but it was more than that. It was the fact he was speaking the truth without realizing it.
Perhaps things would change with this project though. Hermione had secretly held onto the superstition that she wouldn’t be able to truly move on in her relationship with Ron while her plans for the future and her education were so uncertain. If her work with Professor Ipson finally led her on a clear path for her work perhaps her personal life would follow suit and she could broach the topic of moving in with Ron without a feeling of dread seizing her.
She was pulled from her ruminations by her classmate, Su Li, who gave her shoulder a small shake while saying her name. Hermione blinked and stared up at the other girl as she said, “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”
“Honestly, Hermione,” said Su in wry tones, giving a hearty laugh. “I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. I didn’t think you were even capable of daydreaming and here you do it in the middle of Professor Meedlemeier’s lecture on wizarding warlords.” Hermione just stared blankly up at the other girl and Su shook her head. “I was just telling you class was over. Weren’t you saying you had to meet someone in the library? Or was that nothing more than a flimsy excuse to get out of spending time with your mates at the pub yet again?”
“You sound like Ron,” Hermione accused in a playful huff, standing up and putting her satchel over her shoulder. “I really am meeting someone in the library. Another graduate of Hogwarts, in fact.”
“Oh?” inquired Su with interest. “Anyone I know?”
“I’d hope so,” replied Hermione, trying to hold back her impatience at the slow pace of the students in front of them. “She was in your house, after all.” She turned to look at the pretty Asian who wore a look of definite impatience and chuckling, Hermione said, “It’s Luna Lovegood.”
“Loony Lovegood got into the world renowned University of Magical Studies and Theory?” Su said in clear disbelief. Shaking her head, she drawled humorously, “What’s her major? Imaginary things and fabricated fairy tales?”
The other girl then began relating some story about Luna’s pursuit of the Blibbering Humdinger in the Ravenclaw dormitory which went on for most of Su’s fifth year at Hogwarts. As she spoke, the frown that first formed on Hermione’s face when Su referred to Luna as Loony grew until it became a quite powerful scowl. She thought of the discussion she had with Harry so long ago about how the blonde’s possessions were hidden from her and before she knew it, Hermione found herself saying, her voice soft and dangerous, “Did you ever help hide her things?”
“What?” Su paused in her story, her eyes going wide at the scowl on Hermione’s face. “You look so scary. Is anything the matter?”
“Did you ever help hide her things?” Hermione repeated stiffly. The two girls were now outside the lecture hall, standing in the emptying corridor as their classmates went their separate ways for the day. “I heard that it often happened to Luna in the Ravenclaw house. People stealing her things and hiding them from her as some sort of lark, thinking it was funny instead of plainly cruel. Were you one of the people who did that?”
Appearing afraid to answer but perhaps compelled by the grim expression on Hermione’s features, Su offered lamely, “It wasn’t just me. Everyone in the house did it. Hermione,” Su gave a nervous laugh as she tried to explain. “We were only children and you know how children tease and Loony, well, she made an easy target. It was all in good fun, she must have known that, she never complained.”
In that moment, Hermione wished that she was in her fifth year again because if she was she knew she would be able to slap Su and not feel the slightest bit guilty or immature about it. But now she was in her second year at University and almost twenty one years of age and she just couldn’t do it. So instead she said, her voice hushed but powerful in its solemnity, “Her name is Luna, not Loony, and the reason she never complained is she, for whatever reason, always thinks the best of people. Even the ones who hurt her for no apparent reason at all.” Hearing this, Su looked remorseful and opened her mouth to speak, maybe to apologize, but Hermione didn’t want to hear it. Especially since she was not the one Su needed to apologize to and she interrupted quietly, “And just so you know, Luna is in the Student Healer program. One of their highest ranked pupils, as I understand it. She’s going to be working with me on a research project for Professor Ipson and I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Before Su could reply, Hermione turned on her heel and started an angry walk towards the library, leaving her friend behind and hoping that the cool night air and the speed of her pace would help to calm her down. It had been some time since she had been this upset and the feeling was disconcerting. She wasn’t sure why, but it bothered her tremendously to hear that Su, someone that she liked quite a bit, had been one of the people in Ravenclaw who bullied Luna.
Was it because it spoke ill of her decisions in choosing friends? That she was able to feel close to someone who could be so heartless? Then again, Su was right in a way, they had been children and children, despite all the claims they were pureness and light, could also be cruel at times. Unrelenting and harsh in their teasing of things they found to be different and Luna was definitely different. Maybe she was upset at herself because what she had done today had been too little, too late, and it made no real difference in how Luna’s life at Hogwarts had been. It wasn’t like she was that much better than Su. She never teased Luna and stole her things but she hadn’t been terribly kind to her in their years together. Hermione couldn’t even count the amount of times she casually dismissed whatever the blonde said with a sneer and disdain in her voice. Certainly the things that had been said were ridiculous but still… that didn’t mean she had to be so mean about discounting Luna’s beliefs.
Though she did think that it was too little, too late, Hermione promised herself she would change on this. That how she acted towards Luna simply wasn’t right and she would use their time together working on this project to fix her behavior. To try and make it up to the younger girl whether she realized this or not.
But fulfilling this promise was rather difficult if she couldn’t manage to locate the other girl, thought Hermione as she stepped into the impressive University library. She estimated on her first visit it had to be at least fifteen times larger than the one at Hogwarts. While she had considered Luna’s earlier description of her location to be unnecessary and humorous in its extreme detail she now found herself grateful for the information as she walked through the enormous stacks, ducking under a whizzing line of books, some of which were dancing a jig, as they flew towards the check out desk. Because even as familiar as Hermione was with the library it was intimidating in its size and quite easy to get lost inside. To be honest, that was one of her favorite pastimes, to simply dawdle and explore the library to find new sections and the brunette had spent hours on end wandering through the shelves and Hermione still thought she hadn’t gone through even half of the stacks yet. And besides that, she was in something of a hurry. They only had so much time to work on the project and it was after six so they would presumably have to stop to eat dinner as well. Unless she could convince Luna to eat and work at the same time. Something that Ron rather hated and had been banned when he visited her flat for meals.
Making a sharp right at Muggle Studies, Hermione grinned as she caught sight of Luna sitting at what was indeed a very skinny rust colored table in the most atrocious looking purple upholstered chair. Studying the stacks of the Magical Creatures section as she walked over to the blonde, Hermione said in way of a greeting, “The table is perfectly perpendicular, isn’t it? I never noticed.”
“The stacks form congruent adjacent angles,” Luna smiled, shutting the large text on exotic herbs she had been reading. She rose to her feet and began organizing the pile of books on the table. “Those are the very best angles, you know. They’re the angles preferred by Wrackspurts.”
“Really?” questioned Hermione warmly, fully aware as she said this of her promise to not immediately discount Luna’s beliefs just because they were a bit strange. She couldn’t, however, keep the fondness from her voice when she spoke. Maybe it was age having mellowed her or the conversation she just had with Su but Hermione was starting to find Luna’s oddities more charming than irritating. Although she was sure at some point she would get irritated with her again. Becoming annoyed with others because she was unable to understand their actions or point of view was a regrettable part of her personality she was uncomfortably aware of. One that she had tried to rid herself of in the past but had failed rather miserably in the attempt. “Why is that?”
Studying Hermione blankly for a moment, as if wondering why the other girl was bothering to ask her such a thing, Luna finally replied, “Their favorite Muggle subject is geometry.”
“I always liked science over mathematics when I was in primary school,” Hermione informed, picking up a stack of books and wincing under the weight before she gave up and simply decided to cast a floating spell and have them follow behind her. Luna, for whatever reason, felt it proper to place her books on the top of her head in a tremendously tall and wavering stack that made Hermione entirely nervous.
“That’s right,” said Luna thoughtfully, her tower of books leaning to the left as she looked to Hermione while they walked through the Foreign Magic section. “Your parents are Muggles, aren’t they? Your first studies were at a Muggle school as a child.” Hermione immediately tensed, whenever her bloodline was brought up it was usually anything but pleasant and though she didn’t expect the other girl to say anything derogatory she still lay in wait of it. But instead, Luna smiled gently and asked, “Which do you find more fun? Muggle or Wizarding education?”
Blinking at this, Hermione stopped to truly consider it then said, “For me, it would have to be Wizarding simply because I grew up as Muggle. I think anyone who has the experience of suddenly discovering magic is real when you’ve spent your entire life believing it to be merely a fanciful thing cannot help find the learning of it terribly fun. Also,” Hermione paused, considering if she really wanted to continue, then she looked to Luna and saw the genuine interest and soft acceptance in her blue eyes and knew it was safe to do so. “I never managed to fit in when I was at the Muggle primary school. It was only after I began attending Hogwarts that I was able to make friends.”
“It was the same for me,” remarked Luna serenely, a wisp of a smile on her pale features. They exited the Transfiguration section and she noticed the brunette was headed towards the check out desk. “No, it’s all right,” Luna murmured, reaching out for Hermione’s hand. When the other girl looked to her, she tilted her head, making the books stacked on top of it to shake and lean forward, causing several people nearby to stare and Hermione to feel quite nervous for fear of them falling onto her. “I’ve already checked out all of the books. We just need to disapparate to your flat with them and then we can start straight away on our research.”
“Why didn’t you say this earlier?” asked Hermione, slightly annoyed at Luna but mostly irritated with herself for already feeling that way. But honestly, they had just wasted how much time strolling through the library when they could have just disapparated to her flat at the very beginning.
Luna stared at Hermione with wide luminous eyes that slowly moved away from the brunette as she said vaguely, “I found it relaxing. The walking and talking…”
“Is that all?” asked Hermione who was definitely fighting annoyance.
“It rather felt as if we were friends, I suppose I wanted it to continue,” Luna revealed, her gaze focused off into the distance, looking at nothing in particular. Her eyes returned to Hermione once again, a sad smile tugging at her lips as she said, “You always seem so tense. It isn’t at all good for you. There have been cases where wizards have tied themselves up into actual knots because their magic has caused their stress to emerge physically. I would hate to see you become a pretzel, Hermione. I do not believe even you could make that a pretty look.”
The annoyance, the irritation with herself, perhaps even the stress left Hermione on hearing Luna’s words and a guilty flush covering her features, Hermione reached out for the other girl, surprised when the blonde allowed her to take her hand. “I’m sorry,” said Hermione, her voice low and filled with regret, thinking herself to be far worse than Su or anyone who had ever teased Luna at Hogwarts. “But please don’t say it felt like we were friends, Luna, because that’s a lie. We are friends, truly. Or at least, we are if you want us to be.” Hermione formed a sardonic smile and gave a barking sort of laugh before she continued, “I can understand if you want to decline. I’ve been awful to you, I realize. A horribly awful person since I’ve only now just figured it out.”
Silence except for the bustling of the other library patrons and Hermione felt a gentle tug of her hand as Luna slipped out of her hold. Then a feather light touch emerged at her chin, making her lift her gaze to look into lidded blue eyes which held a look of indefinable quiet knowing and a small smile played on Luna’s lips. “Yes,” she breathed, tilting her head to one side and leaning the books forward on the stack although they had yet to succumb to the dangers of gravity. “You can be awful at times, Hermione. But I can be just as awful, I do suppose that everyone can. In any case,” Luna’s small smile grew into one much larger and far more beautiful. “I still think us to be friends. Especially since you’re beginning to feel the same.”
“The same?” Hermione echoed with confusion.
“Shall we disapparate now?” inquired Luna, ignoring the brunette’s question as she reluctantly pulled her hand from Hermione’s chin which she had been cupping gently and raised it up to help balance the stack of books on her head that was teetering dangerously to the right. “We seem to be gathering an audience, although for what reason, I’m not entirely sure.”
Noticing the stares of several nearby students who were all fixated on the tower of books on top of Luna’s head, Hermione didn’t reply and instead took the blonde’s free hand. “We’ll side long disapparate,” Hermione said. “Since you’ve never been to my flat before.”
“Don’t forget your books,” reminded Luna cheerfully. “I’m quite excited to see your flat, you know. I just hope you don’t have any Vesper Boggits hiding in your underpants drawer. That is their chosen breeding ground.”
Blushing as she suddenly had the image of Luna searching through her underpants drawer for Vesper Boggits, whatever they might be, Hermione squeezed the blonde’s hand then with a flick of her wand and a small audible pop, they were standing in the tiny living room of her flat. As she observed Luna taking in her surroundings with that lidded and all knowing gaze Hermione suddenly became very aware that her flat wasn’t at its neatest. Stacking the pile of floating books down on her coffee table she tried to hide her wand behind her back as she cast some silent cleaning spells that would hopefully put things in better order without Luna noticing.
“It’s lovely, not messy in the least,” said Luna her tones dreamy as she reached for the precarious pile of books on her head and placed them next to Hermione’s on the coffee table. Hermione sighed as she realized her attempts at covert cleaning had failed miserably and Luna walked over to the built in bookcase that took up the far right wall, her fingertips dancing across the spines of the books. “Not at all like my father’s. He becomes so caught up with his work that he can’t seem to keep the house tidy.”
“I don’t know,” offered Hermione kindly, “it wasn’t that bad when I visited.”
“That’s right,” Luna said, her attention still fixed on Hermione’s very crowded bookcase. “You were there during the war.” She turned to Hermione, a veiled but sad look in her eyes as she murmured, “I don’t think I ever did apologize to you, Harry, and Ron for what my father did that day. It wasn’t very kind nor brave of him, was it?”
“You don’t have to apologize for that,” said Hermione quickly, walking over to the blonde. “Things were bad for everyone at that time and your father… he was so frightened for you, Luna. We all were.”
“You were frightened for me,” said Luna slowly, mulling this over as her gaze drifted away from Hermione. If she was going to say anything more, her response was interrupted by the rumblings of her stomach. Luna touched her midsection and as she did so, the motion of her hand tugged up the material of her plaid t-shirt to reveal creamy white skin and a toned abdomen. The sight of which caused Hermione to blush and avert her eyes. “I’ve just been told I’m quite hungry. Would you mind terribly if we ate while we worked?”
“Not at all,” Hermione replied, keeping her gaze well aware from Luna’s stomach and feeling very pleased the other girl didn’t share Ron’s opposition to eating and working at the same time. She started to head into the kitchen but paused as she recalled Ron’s food scavenging from the previous day and how it had not produced good results. Turning around and doing her best not to feel embarrassed, Hermione said, “I don’t have much by the way of food though. Is it all right if we ordered out?”
A mischievous twinkle emerged in Luna’s blue eyes and she drawled, “If I’m allowed to pick the meal.”
“All right,” said Hermione slowly, already wondering if this was a wise decision. “What are we having?”
“It’s a surprise,” Luna informed playfully, hopping towards the brunette, her hands laced behind her back. “Though I do need to know what flavors you prefer. Spicy, sweet, sour, salty?”
“Sweet, I suppose,” murmured Hermione, beginning to truly worry about what she had gotten herself into. “Although not too sweet. Does sweet but also sour make any sense at all?” she asked rather pathetically.
“Perfect sense,” said Luna with a warm smile. She looked to Pigwidgeon who was eyeing Crookshanks cautiously from his perch above the window. Shortly after they began dating the tiny owl had taken a liking to Hermione and often preferred spending time with her over Ron. The brunette believed this wasn’t anything against Ron but more a testament to the fact she had a ready supply of owl snacks that she gave to the bird quite freely while Ron could be a bit stingy with handing out rewards to his pet. That didn’t mean the owl was entirely comfortable with the constant presence of one very large and predatory orange tabby cat in Hermione’s flat. “Can I ask you to send a message for me?” Luna questioned and it took Hermione a moment to realize that the blonde was speaking directly to Pigwidgeon whose wide yellow eyes regarded her speculatively. “I promise to share some of the food with you if you do and I especially promise the food will be tasty.” The tiny owl twisted its neck for a moment then fluttered his wings as he hooted eagerly. Luna smiled widely at this, clapping her hands as she said, “Splendid!” Luna quickly scribbled a letter with what Hermione presumed was their food order on it but paused in her writing to look at Hermione with a sudden look of concern. “It should cost two galleons and nine sickles. That’s not too much, is it?”
“Not at all,” Hermione assured, shaking her head. “We’ll simply split it even. You do need my address for the delivery, don’t you? It’s 13 Savile Row, Flat 4, Westminster, London.”
Pigwidgeon hopped about on his perch, ready to eat the promised food, and the moment Luna tied the letter to his tiny leg he was waiting at the window for her to open it. Watching as he flew hurriedly out in the night sky, Luna said, a smile in her voice, “He is an impatient little thing, isn’t he? It’s quite adorable. Almost as much as your blush I’d wager.” When she turned around, Hermione was demonstrating said adorable blush and Luna chuckled. “Ah, there it is. I was wondering how long I would have to wait before I could see it.”
“We should get to work!” Hermione said briskly, doing her best to get rid of the blush and the confusing feelings that were stirring in her. She never acted this way around Ron, getting embarrassed when he said the smallest little thing about her looks, so why did she around Luna? It didn’t make any sense in the slightest.
A half an hour later, they were in the process of reviewing the benefits of using hopping root and cinder weed when a loud knock sounded along with several excited hoots. Hermione went to answer the door with Luna following close behind her and when she pulled it open, she was greeted by an enthusiastic Pigwidgeon who went whizzing past her head. Releasing a yelp, Hermione ducked down and scowled a bit, soon freezing in this position when she felt the warmth of Luna’s hand resting at the small of her back.
Still stuck in this pose, Hermione peered up and was met with the sight of a handsome Indian wizard dressed in a beautifully embroidered and sequined all black Sherwani holding four wooden boxes filled with food. The man raised an amused eyebrow at Hermione before looking to Luna and remarking, “We hadn’t heard from you in so long we were fearing you had forgotten us, Miss Lovegood. Travel cannot be the issue, for we are wizards, are we not?”
“I’ve been busy with my studies but I do want to visit you and the others in Bangalore again,” Luna said, her hand easily sliding down Hermione’s back and her arm soon wrapped around her waist as she tenderly raised the brunette up to her height, causing Hermione to lean against her. Luna wore a dreamy smile as she took the food from the Indian wizard and said, “I nearly discovered the Krodha Swinging Lizard there.” Balancing the boxes of food with her free hand, she looked to Hermione, her eyes going wide as she said, “I’ve been rude, haven’t I? Hermione this is my good friend, Bheru Jaspal, he’s a wonderful chef from Bangalore, India. He was also my guide in the search for the rare Krodha Swinging Lizard when I visited the region.”
“Sadly it was never discovered,” Bheru murmured, looking regretful as he said this. A buzzing sound filled the air and he frowned as he pulled out a silver pocket watch and flipped it open. Giving a soft sigh, he looked to Luna with dark eyes and said, “I must take my leave. I’ve another order and I must change before I return to the kitchen.”
“Formal wear is best for deliveries but not for adding spices,” agreed Luna wisely. “Two galleons and nine sickles is it?” When Bheru dipped his head as a sign of agreement, Luna smiled and handed him the payment.
Bowing low as he accepted the money, Bheru looked up with smiling dark eyes and said, “You must agree to visit us soon. The next time we shall find the Krodha Swinging Lizard. I swear it upon my ancestors.” Rising up to his full height, he tilted his head at Hermione, observing her for a moment before he said, “It was a pleasure to have met you, Miss Hermione. I hope that I will also see you again soon.” Hermione returned the sentiment a bit shyly and he smiled again then took his leave with another low bow and an audible pop from the disapparation.
Out of habit more than a sense of awareness, Hermione shut the front door, watching Luna hum and skip into the kitchen with their food. “Luna,” said Hermione slowly as she tried to wrap her mind around the conversation that had just gone on and what it implied. “You ordered our food from a restaurant in Bangalore, India?”
“Yes,” said Luna cheerfully, her expression faltering when she saw Hermione’s disbelieving expression. “I promise you that it’s quite tasty. I’m sure that you’ll enjoy it.”
“Pigwidgeon surely didn’t fly all that way in such a short amount of time,” Hermione appeared to be saying this aloud for her own benefit. As if hearing it come from her own lips would reassure her that the reasoning was sound.
“Of course not!” Luna exclaimed with a laugh, removing the lid from the first box and filling the flat with a sweet scent that suddenly made Hermione very hungry. “I sent him to the international wizarding delivery post. They have a little man there, Williwog or Ogdoddler or something or other who is in charge of food deliveries. He apparates to whichever restaurant you want around the world and gets the food for you. Though it seems Bheru wanted to deliver our order in person when he noticed it was from me. I haven’t seen him in several months.”
“When were you in Bangalore?” asked Hermione, drawn to Luna’s side, eyeing the sizable amount of food the blonde ordered. She blinked when Luna opened the last box which had a large bowl filled with what looked to be freshly sliced papayas and several other ingredients. “Is that really papayas in the salad?”
“Papayas, peanuts, long beans, tart tomatoes,” Luna ignored Hermione’s first question in favor of the second and immediately reached into the bowl and retrieved a slice of papaya and tomato, offering them up to Hermione with a sweet smile. “They call it Som Tam. Have a taste?”
For some strange reason Hermione had the nagging feeling that Luna was trying to feed her by hand and the idea didn’t disturb her as much as she thought it should. Which is perhaps why she took the papaya and tomato from the blonde and put them into her own mouth, soon forming a smile at the delicious taste of the food. “It’s wonderful,” she said.
“Bheru is a marvelous chef,” said Luna, stacking up the now empty food boxes and with a flick of her wand they disappeared, most likely returned to their home restaurant. She picked up one of the perfectly round balls that was grilled a handsome brown and looked over her shoulder at Pigwidgeon who was back on his perch, his gaze torn between watching Crookshanks and eyeing the feast they had before them. “Little friend,” she called out, beaming when his focus turned to her and he hooted eagerly. “Here’s your treat,” Luna announced happily as she threw the ball in the air, causing Crookshanks to try and intercept the treat, but failing as Pigwidgeon risked certain danger to intercept the food. “Oh my,” her eyes went wide. “Competitive, aren’t they?”
“Sometimes I wonder if Ron feeds him at all,” said Hermione sardonically, retrieving the plates and silverware. She took a seat and looked expectantly at Luna. “Well? What did you order for me?”
“Tomato Perugu Pachadi,” answered Luna serenely, picking up a bowl filled with something that, to Hermione, looked similar to soup but with a thicker consistency. It was cooked a lovely golden brown and was topped with red seasoning and smelled absolutely delectable. “Bheru served it to me the first time I had dinner with his family. It’s a classic chutney where red tomatoes are sautéed in seasonings and combined with beaten curd. I thought you might enjoy it since it has a bit of a sweet and sour taste to it.”
Hermione was very much aware of Luna’s gaze being focused on her as she lowered her spoon into the bowl and took her first sip. A few moments passed as she let the texture wash over her tongue then a smile spread across her features, causing Luna to bounce happily in her seat and clap her hands on seeing it. Chuckling at this reaction, Hermione said, “You’re right, Bheru is a marvelous chef, and you’re equally marvelous for being able to get me to immediately like a new dish. That’s a rarity, I can promise you. I usually tend to be rather dull in what I eat. Ron complains of it sometimes, says I should try different things.”
“Different is similar to those who have already experienced it,” Luna murmured as her gaze drifted away from Hermione and towards Pigwidgeon as she threw another treat to him but only after handing one to the disgruntled Crookshanks who was now sitting by Hermione’s feet at the table. “It’s entirely relied on perspective.”
“True,” said Hermione thoughtfully, taking another sip of the pachadi before she spoke again. Shaking her head as Crookshanks purred and rubbed up to Luna in hopes of getting more food, she said, “What are you feeding them?”
“Chicken Masala Balls,” said Luna, scrunching her nose up in a charming manner. “Horrid name but a yummy treat, nevertheless. I ordered vegetarian for our meals but I rather thought they would prefer meat.”
“I think you chose well,” replied Hermione humorously, watching as her cat gobbled up more of the food in record speed. “Honestly, Crookshanks,” she sighed. “You’re going to be big as a house someday. I’ll have to invent a spell for you to lose weight at this rate.”
“Perhaps that can be your first research study. There must be some wizards and witches who would find good use for a method of magical feline weight reduction,” Luna said, sounding quite serious. “Fat cats are horribly common.”
Shaking her head at the idea of such a study, Hermione said dryly, “Perhaps I should send him over to Ron’s. The poor thing would be sure to lose weight if he stayed there if the way Pigwidgeon begs for food is anything to judge.”
“I’m sure Ron feeds him,” said Luna gently as she threw another treat to the small owl. “But boys can’t really spoil as well as girls and that leaves our little friend wanting.” Hermione opened her mouth to reply but Luna reached for a nearby textbook on exotic mushrooms of the magical marshlands and said, “Shall we continue our work? I do think your idea of using cinder weed was a fine one but perhaps it would work better with the incendiary reaction caused by galloping black mushrooms. Though they are a rare find so maybe we should discount that option.”
Just like that their wandering conversation on food and overweight felines was over and they were once again at work on the project given to them by Professor Ipson. It was what they were there for, after all, so it was hardly surprising to Hermione but the feeling of disappointment she had was. She was sad to see their fun little chat come to an end and for once in her life she found herself wanting to do something other than study.
And it was all because of Luna Lovegood.
To be continued...
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