Moon Shines In The Darkness

Luna Lovegood looked around, and sighed deeply. "Where is he?" she asked herself. Glancing around, she saw only the rain from the heavens piercing through the stormy grey clouds and pummeling the Earth. She raised her arm trying to block the rain from stinging her eyes, but it was no use; he was not coming and she knew it. Lowering her head in defeat, she made her way towards the castle.

Upon entering, she saw none other that Ginny Weasley walking with Harry Potter, arms locked. Luna's dirty blonde hair, matted with water, made her look more like a Slytherin than the Ravenclaw she really was.

"Umm..." she managed to get out, causing Harry and Ginny to stop and stare at her with nothing but annoyance in their eyes. They were clearly annoyed that someone had the nerve to interrupt their walk.

"What is it, Snake?" Harry demanded, evidently not realizing that it was Luna, and not a Slytherin.

Luna opened her eyes in a more surprised gaze than usual. With a quick motion of her hand she brushed aside the damp strands of hair hiding her wide eyes, revealing a face that was a little red from the stinging rain outside.

"Harry... could you... umm..." Luna hesitated, and noticed Ginny impatiently pulling on Harry's sleeve. "No, forget it," she spoke, and hastily ran off.

Luna's footsteps echoed through the hall as she ran until she was sure Harry and Ginny were far behind her. She then stopped to catch her breath and mutter the spell that would dry her hair. It was still damp, but not so much that Filch would notice and ask if she had been outside. With her head hung low, she walked miserably through the halls and into the library. She browsed the shelves for minute before choosing a book about fire-breathing snakes and then settling into a soft armchair in the corner to read. After a few minutes she realized that she was far too upset to concentrate on the book, and decided to return it to its place on the shelf. Just as she had closed the cover and prepared to rise from the chair, a faint whisper reached her ear.

"What about that Lovegood girl?"

Curious, Luna left the book on a nearby table and hid behind the bookshelf where, on the other side, a group of students was having a whispered conversation.

"I sent her an anonymous letter, telling her to meet me by the greenhouses today during her break. I wouldn't doubt it if she spent the entire period there waiting," a second voice emitted.

A third voice entered.

"That's a little mean, you know. There is someone in this school that wouldn't pull a trick like that, since they like her."

The first voice piped up, "Who?"

The second one spoke, "Whoever it is needs their brain examined. They are a bit loony if they like Loony Lovegood!"

Feeling quite rejected, Luna walked slowly away. She was a little surprised that someone would actually like her, yet disappointed that most people would rather have her vanish. "Nobody would notice if I were missing," she thought. She had wizard blood in her, however, and would not allow the teasing of others to affect her.

The next day brought sun to the school of Hogwarts, and another day of the same thing to Luna: more insults in her direction. She opened her eyes, and ran her hand through her hair, in an effort to make it a little less messy. She spoke to nobody in particular, but she was aware there were other people in the room.

"Who would ever like me?"

A fellow Ravenclaw sat on Luna's bed. She spoke, "I heard Potter does. Call me nosy, but I think he broke up with Ginny."

Luna's eyes opened widely. Harry's not with Ginny anymore? She may actually have a chance! The look of surprise in her eyes returned to its normal level, and she put on her clothing, brushed her hair, washed her face, and put on her earrings.

Luna headed for the Great Hall, and breakfast along with mail. Several changes had recently been made to Hogwarts' owl post system. All incoming post had been thoroughly checked to detect any dark magic in letters, and now the heads of houses handed out the mail in order to protect the students in case one somehow slipped through. Interschool letters were still allowed, of course. The teachers passed by Luna without even a word, handing letters and other mail to the students around her, and she felt quite alone. She felt a tiny push on her back, and turned around to see who it was. Nobody was behind her, but on the ground there was a letter addressed to 'Luna Lovegood.'

Luna opened it, and read:

Dear Luna,

You seem to be so sad all the time, and disrespected. I have a way to cheer you up. At the next Hogsmeade weekend, meet me in the Hogshead. I promise you won't be disappointed, unlike the last time you got a letter. It wasn't me who wrote it, by the way. It was someone else.

Sincerely,

A Lion who likes the Raven...

Luna had to catch her breath. A letter for her, and from a Gryffindor, no less! "Who sent it?" she wondered. "Why, of all people, did they send it to me?"