A Glimpse of Harry and Luna

As the crowds slowly wound out of the stadium and Madame Hooch replaced the Quiddich balls in their box, the Gryffindor team members congratulated one another on their third straight victory this year. Harry, Ron and Ginny were jubilantly praising one another when a voice called out across the stadium.

"Harry!" Luna Lovegood was hurrying across the Quiddich pitch toward them.

"Well, see you later Harry," Ron said animatedly. He and Ginny hastened after the rest of the Gryffindor team, heading back to the common room to celebrate.

"Harry, that was incredible! Oh, and the look on Malfoy's face," she said happily as they walked toward a secluded part of the stands.

"It was a good game," said Harry. "By the way, I love the hat."

Luna had made some improvements to the Gryffindor hat she had worn to the Gryffindor/Slytherin game the previous year. Then, it was a giant Lion head that would roar on command. Since then, Luna had not only made the hat even bigger, but had also added the snake being eaten that she hadn't had time to add last year. Luna looked particularly pleased by Harry's compliment.

Madame Hooch had now left the pitch and the last of the spectators had now filed out of the stadium, leaving the two of them alone.

"Er, so..." Harry began unsteadily.

"Oh, for goodness sake," said Luna, "you boys don't know the first thing about attraction, do you?"

"Er..."

Luna laughed lightly and, Harry thought, a bit mockingly. He smiled at her.

"Come on," said Luna.

She led him out of the stadium, the two of them holding hands and chatting animatedly about the highlights of the game, especially Harry's tricking of Malfoy into diving headfirst into the ground, thinking Harry had seen the Snitch.

Harry and Luna had become close over the summer between his fifth and sixth years at Hogwarts, when Luna had invited Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville, all of the DA members who entered the Department of Mysteries on the night Sirius was killed, to her home over the summer, from where they would depart on an expedition with her father to look for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. Then, anyone who wanted to stay for the rest of the summer was welcome. Harry, desperate to get away from the Dursleys after a month of living with them, would have done just about anything to get away from them, and a search for creatures he was convinced didn't exist was fine by his standards. He sent Hedwig with an acceptance message, and Hedwig returned with Luna's response that she and her father would be happy to provide transportation in just a few days.

Harry waited anxiously over the next three days for his escape. On the fourth night, just after midnight, he heard the beating of wings outside his window. Startled, he looked up to see the snout of Buckbeak frosting the window panes.

Luna and her father, Alec Lovegood, had adopted Buckbeak and were using him for transportation. Harry had hurriedly secured his trunk with rope to Buckbeak, and, when Mr. Lovegood had used a levitation spell on it, they were off.

Luna explained in her usual dreamy tones as they flew that no one else had been able to accept her invitation. Neville was visiting the Mediterranean with his grandmother, Ron and Ginny were unable to come because their mother needed them at home, and Hermione had responded with a simple note saying that she was sorry, but was unable to attend. She had given no reason.

Harry was dismayed and alarmed, at first, to be spending the entire rest of the summer with the editor of the Quibbler and his daughter, and without any of his other friends. Nevertheless, he was happy to be away from the Dursleys, and, he thought cynically, they would no doubt be pleasantly surprised to wake to find him gone.

Though the three of them found no Crumple-Horned Snorkacks that summer, Luna and Harry found themselves enjoying each other's company. It wasn't long before they were sharing experiences that they had never shared before, explaining feelings they never knew they had felt, and wondering about futures they had never pondered. Somehow, these conversations always included "we." Nearing the end of the summer, they had realized that they would be returning to Hogwarts as a couple.

Now, three months into the new school year, they settled under an oak tree, enjoying one of the last warm days of the year, chatting quietly as the sun went down. Luna was as odd as ever, but, Harry thought with a grin, he liked her better that way; she made him feel more comfortable to be himself.

When neither felt like talking any more, Luna leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and sighed blissfully as her eyes closed. Harry looked down from the fiery sunset in the west and smoothed her hair with one hand. With his other, he held her close; he bent and kissed her cheek. She smiled and didn't open her eyes. The lion hat beside her gave a drowsy, deep-throated yawn and then went silent.

As the sun set and the night began to get cold, Harry and Luna got up and wandered slowly back toward the castle. Neither of them spoke until they were nearly at the door. Then, Luna whispered to Harry,

"Harry Potter, don't you ever leave me."

"I won't," said Harry.

They walked through the door and headed for the Great Hall, where light spilled out jovially, bidding them welcome. They accepted.