She Cuts Her Own Fringe

She Cuts Her Own Fringe

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"Welcome back, everyone, to another year of DA meetings." I'm amazed that nearly everyone is back from last year. Marietta is the only one not to show, but nobody seems to be missing her. Cho is even back. I didn't think she would be, not after the way we parted company last year. And then there's the fact that she's a seventh year now, and that means she'll be taking her N.E.W.T. exams. Still, if she's got the time, more power to her. And, without the prospect of getting expelled, this year should go a lot more smoothly than the last one. I'm glad Dumbledore allowed us to continue meeting. At least we've got a proper Defense teacher this year. I always did like Kingsley Shacklebolt. I've got the group working on their Patronus charms at the moment. With the dementors out of Ministry control, we could all do with more practice on them. Everyone seems to be doing pretty well. I still can't get over how much better Neville has gotten. And his toad Patronus is really coming along. Oh, there's Cho, and she's coming right at me. Too late to get away, I'll have to talk to her.

"Hey, Cho, how are you?" Well she's not crying, so that's something. She still looks pretty, although she seems like she's had a hard time of it lately. I can't help but feel guilty that I'm partly responsible for that. I'm glad that there is a lot of noise around us, nobody heard me gasp. Cho just apologized to me, and asked if I'd like to try and give us another go. My first reaction was elation, this is what I've always wanted, isn't it? I very nearly said yes right away, and she certainly seemed like she expected me to, but, instead, I told her I needed to think about it. This seemed to amaze her. She never did get her swan Patronus quite right afterwards. Why did I say that? What did I need to think about? Last year I would have dropped to my knees and begged her to take me back. As it is, there seems to be a little voice in my head telling me no. That little voice has saved my life in the past, so maybe I had better take its advice. I wonder what it means, though. Is there someone else I'd rather be with?

I need to look at this logically, that's what Hermione would tell me. For the last two years, I've had unresolved feelings for Cho. I find her attractive, and she can be really nice; as long as she's not crying, or having a go at me about Hermione. How had things gone wrong between us? It wasn't just because she didn't like Hermione; there was more to it than that. I guess we never really had anything in common; there was never really a connection between us. I may not know much about women but I do know that no matter how attractive they are, if there's nothing there on a deeper level, it isn't going to work. No, Cho was an infatuation, not a soul mate. Who could be? Who do I have the most in common with? And what the hell is Luna's Patronus supposed to be?

I should have known. I always wondered what a Crumple Horned Snorkack would look like. I'm not sure that it would do much against a dementor, but I wouldn't half fancy one chasing after Dudley. I wonder what Uncle Vernon would think of Luna? He already thinks that all magic folk are crackpots. I wish she could have visited me over the summer. I certainly couldn't have a heart to heart talk with any of the Dursleys. I never had any kind of meaningful conversations with Cho, either. It was just so easy to talk to Luna last year. She'd lost her mother as well, and she could hear those voices beyond the veil. Even Hermione couldn't hear them, nor could she see the thestrals. Wait, my god, she's the one I have the most in common with! How the hell did this happen? Am I in love with her? What does she feel for me? What am I going to do?

I need some other opinions. Hermione and Ron! They're my best friends, they'll steer me right. Ok, maybe not. Ron is currently bent double, laughing, and Hermione is looking at me like I've got a third eye growing out of my forehead. I guess I can assume they don't agree with the idea. Should this settle it? I can guess how everyone else would react to this; Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood, The-Boy-Who-Lived and The-Girl-Who-Wore-Radish-Earrings. This would make Krum and Hermione seem normal. When did I start caring about what other people thought? No, I've made up my mind. I need to tell Luna how I feel.

Just my luck, Luna is currently partnering with Cho. That's just great. Maybe this is a good thing, though; I can kill two birds with one stone. Or, more likely, I can embarrass myself to everyone at the same time. 'Luna, I have to tell you something. I don't know how you feel about me, and until recently I didn't really know how I felt about you. I do now, however, and I have to tell you before I lose my nerve. Luna, I love you. I don't expect you to say anything back, but I know I couldn't keep it inside anymore."

I'm not sure whose reaction was the most interesting. Cho went from shock to anger in an instant. Luna, on the other hand, seemed to react as if I had told her that today was Friday, and we were having fish and chips for lunch.

"What?!? You're passing me over for...Loony Lovegood? Are you off your trolley? I think that battle in the Ministry must have given you brain damage, Harry. You had better think about this. With me, you can have everything you could ever want, and I do mean everything. Or, you could slum it with Loony here and be the laughingstock of the whole school." Cho stood with her hands on her hips, looking at me intently. "So, what's it going to be, everything...or nothing?"

Well, the whole room is looking at me now. I never was good in front of an audience, and now I'm supposed to talk about my feelings? I wish I could Apparate back to my room. I could probably hang myself before anyone found me. If only there was a way to explain my feelings for her. Sirius once told me that my father was able to finally get my mother to go out with him after he serenaded her one night. I wish there was a guitar in here. Oh, look, there's one now. Not that it makes any difference; I don't know how to play. Hey, it's playing by itself. Man, this room is really something. Well, it worked for my dad, so here goes nothing.

She's in a league of her own

She wears cotton wool under her headphones

She keeps her shoes in the fridge

She ways to swear at dogs is a sacrilege

And maybe I'm just a sucker for a girl who

Puts pictures of soap over the bathroom door

So she knows when to buy some more

She cuts her own fringe

And sometimes her sleeve is singed

From cooking her dinner

Dressed in her Saturday things

She cuts her own fringe

She keeps her phone in a tin

So that the ringer sounds like an alien

Taught her canary to sing "Ace of Spades"

And then to trash it's cage

She's the kind of girl you would suffer for

As long as she kept making as she slept

That strange little claw that she hooks up

Around her jaw

She cuts her own fringe

And sometimes her sleeve is singed

From cooking her dinner

Dressed in her Saturday things

She cuts her own fringe

I gave her my heart

She likes it a lot

Says it's the best one she's got

She cuts her own fringe

And sometimes the cuttings cling onto her

Eyebrows and end up afloat in her drink

It's enough to send all those Anonymous

Addicts back on the binge

She cuts her own fringe

Well, it may not have been a normal love song, but I don't think "normal" would really suit Luna. Everybody is laughing at me, at both of us really. Even Ron and Hermione are gasping for breath. I don't care, though; I have to be true with myself and my feelings. Wait, one person isn't laughing; Luna.

"Oh, Harry. I accept your heart, and offer mine in return. I wasn't sure you were ready to be in a real relationship, but after being brave enough to sing in front of everyone about how you feel about me, I know that you really are." With that said, Luna leaned into me, giving me the kiss that dissolved all of my feelings of embarrassment and anxiety I had. That stopped people from laughing. Of course, it may have also had something to do with what she said next.

"And you know, Harry. The stairs to the Ravenclaw girl's dorms don't have any anti-boy jinx on them at all." With that, the two of us made our exit, leaving behind us a room full of perplexed faces.