Luna's Birthday

Harry held the door open for Luna as they emerged from the relative darkness of the theatre and stepped out into the cool night air, a pleasant autumn breeze washing across Harry's face and playing through Luna's long dishevelled hair. There wasn't even a single cloud to be seen overhead, the sky painting a picture of myriad twinkling stars in its endless canopy. It was a perfect night.

They'd been the very last to leave, Luna having remained rooted to her seat all the way through to the very end of the lengthy credits, though Harry hadn't minded. In fact, he was curiously awaiting to hear her verdict, as she hadn't uttered so much as a word throughout the entire three and a quarter hours they'd been sitting in the cinema, seemingly transfixed by the unfolding spectacle up on the screen. In fact, Harry wondered if she'd even so much as blinked through the entire showing.

Even now, walking at his side as they strolled slowly down the street, her hand in his, she was still staring straight ahead, wide_eyed and with her mouth slightly open as though still in the middle of the presentation. Harry waited patiently as they walked on slowly, passing by a small clothing boutique with an old Victorian wrought_iron sign hanging over its old green door. Harry glanced inside; it was dark and deserted and clearly closed, hardly surprising really, considering the hour.

He looking over at his companion and smiled at her apparently self_imposed trance. Granted, the film had been an undeniably spectacular masterpiece by any measure, but he still found it amusing to see how Luna had been affected by it. While she was familiar with many aspects of Muggle technology, having recounted to Harry how as a young girl she'd occasionally go watch televisions through stores windows while wandering about Ottery St. Catchpole, tonight had been the very first time she'd actually set foot inside a Muggle movie theatre.

Harry took another step, suddenly realizing that Luna had come to an abrupt stop on the cobblestone sidewalk as he felt his arm stretch back to maintain his gentle hold on her hand. He took a step back and turned to face her.

"Luna?" he asked. "You okay?"

Her eyes finally emerged from their reverie and focused on him. She seemed unusually animated.

"Harry," she said breathlessly, "could we go back?"

"Huh?" said Harry. "What, you mean back in the theatre?"

She nodded vigorously, her long, straggly blonde hair bouncing excitedly.

"Uh, well, if you want to, sure," said Harry uncertainly. "Why, did you forget something in there?"

"No," said Luna in a whisper before suddenly lifting Harry's hand up and clasping it between hers as though pleading.

"Oh please, Harry?" she asked earnestly, her eyes widening with unexpected eagerness. "Could we? Just this once? It's not that late yet, is it? If we hurry, we could make the second showing, couldn't we? Oh, I'd really love to - "

"Okay, whoa," said Harry, his words intermingled with laughter. "Sure we can go, Luna, if that's what you want to do. It's your birthday after all!"

The young Ravenclaw suddenly became quite still.

"I'm doing it," she said softly, "aren't I?"

"Eh?" said Harry, now confused. "I don't follow...you're doing what?"

Luna lowered her hands, Harry's following by default, sandwiched as it was between hers.

"I'm taking advantage of my birthday, aren't I?" she said slowly, shaking her head. "I shouldn't do that. You've been so sweet, Harry, but I really shouldn't abuse - "

"Okay, hold it right there," said Harry firmly, squeezing Luna's hand in his. "You're not abusing anything! Don't forget, we're celebrating today. And if we don't do what you want, I'm going to be really ticked!"

Luna stared at him blankly for several long moments. Harry returned her gaze unfailingly, determined that she should choose what to do on her birthday. Harry had been looking forward to treating her on this day for weeks, after all.

Finally Luna slowly nodded, a slight smile forming on her face.

"I believe you," she whispered.

"Well good," said Harry, smiling. "That's settled then. You still want to go back, right?"

Luna's smile brightened by an order of magnitude, her eyes widening. She nodded excitedly.

"All right then," said Harry, unable to keep from grinning at her poorly_contained enthusiasm. "Well let's head back; don't worry though, there's always fifteen minutes or so between screenings, we still have plenty of time."

Luna fell into step beside him, swinging her arms excitedly back and forth as she walked, Harry's hand going along for the ride. "Oh Harry," she said happily, "this has really been such an enjoyable evening, you know. I'm really glad you suggested that movie, it really was quite fascinating. And now I'll get to see what happens to Frodo and Aragorn and that rather nasty Saruman fellow, not to mention the - "

It was Harry's turn to stop in his tracks. "Uh, hang on," he said as Luna looked at him curiously, "I think maybe you misinterpreted what I meant when I said 'trilogy'."

She blinked. "It means three, doesn't it?" she said. "You did mention it was the first of three films, after all, which made sense."

Harry felt a strong urge to laugh. "Uh, yeah, it does mean that," he admitted. "But...the second screening doesn't show the second film, though. I should've explained it better."

"It doesn't?" she asked, looking quite surprised. "Which one does it show?"

"Well, they just show the first one again."

Luna frowned. "That's rather odd, don't you think?" she asked. "Why would anyone go to the second screening to see the first film? I think it would make much more sense to have the second screening show the second film, don't you?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah, that would make perfect sense," he said encouragingly. "Only that the second movie won't be out for another year or so."

Luna looked positively horror_struck, an extremely rare sight for the usually serene girl. "They wouldn't really do that," she said, aghast, "would they?"

Harry was finding it increasingly difficult to keep from laughing out loud. "Well, yeah, they would," he replied. "See, they're coming out with the second and third movies a year apart too."

"Truly?" asked Luna.

"Truly," nodded Harry solemnly.

Luna looked disappointed.

"Oh..."

"Yeah," said Harry, squeezing her hand consolingly. "It takes them a while to make these things, you know."

"Well, I suppose so," said Luna thoughtfully. "At least we know Gandalf will come back though, so it's not like we won't see him again, is it?"

"Eh?" said Harry, stunned. "How'd you know that? I thought you said you hadn't read the books."

She looked at him blankly. "Well, I just have a feeling. I can't explain it, really," she said sagely. "But I know he'll come back, in the end."

Harry looked at her. She'd said something like this once before, though he wondered if Luna grasped the significance...

"Anyway, it's so odd that they don't believe in magic," she continued. "Especially when they go to so much trouble to show it in these movies of theirs. Muggles are rather peculiar folk, aren't they, Harry?"

"Oh yeah, that they are," agreed Harry. "But nothing's stopping us from watching the first movie again, if that's what you'd like."

"Well...no, it wouldn't really make much sense to, would it?" she said. "We already know that part of the story now already, after all."

"That's true," said Harry. "Some people do that, though. They'll watch the same movie over and over again."

Luna looked at him blankly. "Why?"

Harry chuckled. As much as he'd learned from Luna over the last couple of years, it felt different to be the one doing the enlightening for once. Fun, of course, as all things he did with Luna were, but different. Of course, having lived half his life in a strictly Muggle world had given Harry an insight that Luna had never had to anywhere near the same degree.

"Um, well I think they want to see all the stuff they missed the first time around," he answered after considering her question, while taking notice of a small café across the street, obviously still open as there were patrons sitting at several of the small tables outside.

Luna slowly shook her head. "Oh come on," she said. "How could anyone be so distracted watching such a marvellous story?"

"Well, it's not really distractions," corrected Harry. "It's just that there's so much to see, there's no way to take in everything at one sitting."

"Sure there is," countered Luna. "You remember everything that happened, don't you?"

Harry thought. It had been a very long movie, and to remember every detail -

"Um, yeah," said Harry, "well, mostly anyway..."

"You remember the first thing Boromir said to Gandalf, right?"

Harry concentrated. It had taken place at that meeting with the Elves, he recalled. But what had he said, exactly?

"Um...'Hi'?" he ventured.

Luna's eyes widened as she shook her head. "You weren't paying attention!" she accused.

Harry gave her an exaggerated pained look. "Moi? Sure I was, but it's just that I can't remember every tiny bit of - "

Luna took a step closer, looking up at Harry with her large, shimmering silver eyes, a soft smile forming on her face. "You weren't," she said softly, "otherwise you'd remember what he said."

"But it was just a few words, in all of that - "

She tilted her head slightly. "Were you distracted, Harry?"

"No, no," said Harry hastily. "I was following right along - "

Luna's smile grew brighter as she moved in even closer, pressing her palm to Harry's chest. "I think you were distracted," she said knowingly.

Harry smiled. "Well...maybe just a little..."

"Would you like to share with me what was distracting you, Harry?" aired Luna, her eyes sparkling with the reflections of the antique street lights shining above.

Harry's smiled brightened as he drew one arm around Luna's waist and nodded towards one of the unoccupied tables at the café across the street.

"Come on, I'll explain it to you..."