The Flowers that No One Wanted

"The moon matches your eyes."

Ron Weasley blinked and looked up. Not that he needed to, he would have known that dreamy voice anywhere. There was only one person that sounded like that. Still, he was slightly confused, having been pulled from the trance-like state he'd been in while reading his Quidditch Illustrated. The Chudley Cannons were dead last again.

His ocean blue eyes travelled to his right, where he saw Luna Lovegood standing and staring off into space. "It's the middle of the day, Luna," he replied, slightly bewildered as to what had brought on that statement. Luna often spoke randomly... but that still didn't stop him from being surprised every time she did it.

The blonde girl gave a little shrug of her shoulders. Her big glassy eyes looked misted over as always and she was staring off into the distance, from what Ron could tell, at nothing in particular.

The bright rays of the sun beat down mercilessly upon them and baked Ron's skin into a dark tan that made his freckles standout in a sharp contrast. He noted that Luna was turning into a lobster... it should have been a painful reminder that it was indeed daytime... but he supposed that would never stop her from speaking her thoughts as they came... then again that was something that intrigued him.

"Is it?" she asked absently as though she didn't realise this, and could have cared less anyway. "Crumple Horned Snorcacks like chasing butterflies," she added firmly, her eyes following one such little butterfly as it flew across the yard. "Do you like the rain, Ronald?"

Ron folded his magazine shut and set it down beside him before placing both hands, palm down, onto the dry grass and pushing himself up from his place on the ground. He swiftly and absently dusted the knees and rear of his trousers with his hands before turning to face the Ravenclaw. One of his long gangly arms moved up to his face and wiped a few sticky beads of sweat from his brow before moving to rake his red hair. "I'd love the rain if it came right now," he said wryly. "It's sodding hot, Merlin's beard, it's a wonder we haven't been fried yet."

Luna just smiled at him. Her large mouth tipped upwards looked rather goofy. "Come here, Ronald," she commanded as she bent over and plucked a daisy from the grass.

Inwardly, Ron groaned. He supposed she was going to want him to go flower picking with her now... picking bouquets was always one of her favourite pastimes after all. Nonetheless, he did her bidding and walked to within an arm's length distance from her. Luna glided across the distance and stood on her tip toes as she rested her elbows on his chest and reached up with her hands to place the flower behind his left ear. As she stood back and admired her handy work she said absently, "We could make flower necklaces. They are rather easy... I could teach you." She smiled. "It would look pretty on you."

The tips of Ron's ears turned hot red and his face quickly became pink at her comment. He was never any good at taking compliments. Especially from girls. And especially since he'd never been told that things looked pretty on him, before.

Feeling very self-conscious, Ron swivelled his head around to make sure that none of his brothers nor Ginny were anywhere near hearing distance. He was rather embarrassed. Mustering a smile he answered with a slight stutter, "Er... I suppose... I suppose we could..." The red of his ears turned darker. He was crossing his fingers in hopes that the twins were happily in Hogsmeade at their joke shop... if they got wind of this he would never live it down.

Luna bounded away from their spot with a happy skip and it was all he could do to keep up with her. He raised his eyebrow when she picked two more flowers. Those two, however, were not perfect like the one in his ear. Instead, one was missing a petal and the other had a small hole where an insect most likely had eaten through. He watched curiously as she picked a few more like those, before swooping down on one by his feet. It was probably the ugliest flower he had ever seen. The sun had turned two of the petals brown, and one was missing a chunk. He threw it down.

"Ronald!" he heard his name called out in a near scolding tone and was startled to realise it was Luna who had said it.

"Er...?" was all he had to offer, having no idea why she would be upset with him. He watched as the blue of her sundress grazed across the grass with ever step she took toward him.

"Ronald... that one was perfect..." she bent and retrieved the fallen flower.

His confusion and frown both deepened when he realised that she had skipped all of the good flowers and had only the torn and ugly ones in her hands. He didn't understand why she would want any them. "Luna," he began, determined to find out what was going on. "Those flowers are ruined and ugly."

He was a little unnerved when she looked at him directly in the eye, her own still as glazed and dreamy looking as ever. Still... she was staring at him.

"I want them because no one else does," she said simply, as though this were the most obvious and logical explanation in the world.

Ron smirked. He was confidant she would see it his way once he pointed out the reasons why no one wanted them. "Well, there is a very good reason why. Look at them! They don't look very pretty and there are so many so many perfect ones we could use. It's not like they are the only ones left."

Luna just grinned at him. "Well Ronald... I want them because no one else does. I should give them a home because everyone else will pick the others first."

"Not unless we do," he insisted, still not at all seeing her attachment or liking of the flawed ones.

She shrugged and continued holding them in her hands as if they were very precious indeed. "All those other ones look the same... these ones are each different and unique. Just because they aren't 'perfect' doesn't make them any less beautiful. Every flower in its own right is wonderful... but I suppose most people prefer whatever is eye catching or whatever everyone else likes. These deserve to have a home too. And I think they are pretty, even if no one else does."

Ron just stared at her like she was crazy. He would never understand her... she was so different. Unique, even. But that was what made her such a wonderful and interesting person. He thought it a pity that most people just looked at her and turned away because of the way she looked and the odd habits she had.

He stared at her back for a few moments as she picked up a few more of tarnished flowers. Then Ron blinked and felt like a ton of bricks hit him. "Luna," he called after her.

She stopped what she was doing and stood up straight, turning her head a bit so she could see him.

"I think you're pretty, even if no one else does," he said simply. Luna grinned.

And Ron picked up more flowers. Flowers that no one wanted.