Flitterblooms and Firewhiskey

Part 4: Lions and Eagles and Beetles, Oh My!

Luna sedately stirred her Gillywater with her onion on a stick, staring at the various patrons coming in and leaving the bustling Three Broomsticks Inn. Hermione had not yet arrived, but it was still early, judging from the old wooden clock on the wall. She'd decided to arrive well in advance, just in case. Keeping appointments was such a hassle, especially when one didn't possess a watch, but now that she was here, all she had left to do was wait. And waiting was something she was very good at.

She took a tentative sip; not quite enough onion juice, she decided, as she resumed serenely mixing her drink.

She thought back to her initial meeting with Hermione a few days before. It was very odd, how the Gryffindor had suddenly transformed her opinion of The Quibbler. At first, Luna had been uncharacteristically suspicious, though where her father was concerned, Luna made exceptions to her normally unfettered philosophy. As it had turned out, Hermione had been sincere in her self-admonition, of that Luna was absolutely convinced.

She liked Hermione, she'd decided. She had the brains for Ravenclaw, certainly, but more importantly, her loyalty to Harry and her other friends was obviously unshakeable. Luna greatly admired that. She concluded that it was all right to put her trust in Hermione Granger.

Who had, incidentally, just walked in through the door, knocking the snow from her boots and unwrapping her long Gryffindor scarf as she scanned the crowded room. Luna waited for Hermione's gaze to turn to her corner of the inn before waving.

Hermione smiled and gave a quick wave in return before striding through the inn towards Luna's table. Draping her scarf and cloak over the back of a chair, she sat down in the seat next to the younger girl. "I just heard back from the reporter this morning," she said darkly. "Can you imagine if she hadn't written back by now? But no matter, she'll be here. Harry might be bringing Cho Chang with him when he arrives."

Luna gazed at Hermione while sucking on her cocktail onion; Madame Rosmerta was currently occupied serving a table at the far side of the room, though she nodded towards Hermione to at least indicate she'd seen her arrive.

"I saw them sitting together at Madam Puddifoot's, actually," aired Luna out of the blue, having resumed the stirring of her drink. "They didn't seem to be getting on very well though."

"Oh, dear," Hermione moaned, her face falling. "I hope they'll be okay. And there's the reporter," she finished, looking towards the door as a disheveled, rather disgruntled-looking woman crossed the threshold. Hermione waved her arm in the air until the woman spotted their table and headed towards it.

"All right, Little Miss Perfect, I'm here," she snapped, dropping herself into a chair. "Now what do you want?"

"Luna Lovegood, meet Rita Skeeter."

"Hello," said Luna dreamily before taking to sucking on her cocktail onion once again, staring at the former Daily Prophet correspondent with her enormous, slightly mad eyes.

Rita gaped at Luna and then looked back to Hermione.

"You brought me here to meet...that?" she exclaimed incredulously.

"No," said Hermione in a dignified voice that dripped with annoyance. "I brought you here to see Harry Potter. He'll be arriving at noon."

Madam Rosmerta had just arrived at their table. "What can I get you ladies?"

Rita looked expectantly at Hermione.

"Don't worry, I'm buying. Order away."

"I'll have a firewhiskey."

"Right away. And you, Miss?"

"I'll have a cherry soda."

"Why in the name of Janus Thickey would you want me to meet with Harry Potter?" demanded Rita after Madam Rosmerta left to make their drinks.

"You'll find out when he gets here. And when he gets here, you are to mind your manners with him."

Luna plunked her onion back into her drink and resumed stirring, never taking her eyes off Rita Skeeter.

"What are you looking at?" snapped Rita as the huge form of Hagrid rose from a table at the far side of the inn and made his way outside.

"Daddy says firewhiskey addles the mind, you know," said Luna serenely.

The unemployed reporter ogled Luna before turned to Hermione with a disbelieving expression. "You want me to meet with Harry Potter, and you bring this along??"

"Speaking of Harry," interrupted Luna, "he's here. See?"

She pointed to a small table in the far corner, where Harry was seated by himself and looking rather despondent.

Hermione turned her head so fast in the direction of Luna's pointing that she nearly cricked her neck. She spotted Harry and then turned back to Rita.

"That's right, you're here to see Harry, and Luna and I," she placed a distinct emphasis on the Ravenclaw's name, "are here to supervise the meeting," she finished, aiming a withering glare at Rita. She stood up, turned towards the table where Luna had just pointed out Harry, and waved her arm in the air. "Harry! Harry, over here!"