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Dean lay on his bed, arms behind his head, staring up at the canopy of the four poster bed. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular, rather he was assessing the events of the last day and wondering how on earth he had ended up here, with a fail grade in Care of Magical Creatures, a sprained ankle from falling up the stairs, and no girlfriend.
Ginny had dumped him. She said it was because things were moving too fast and she wasn’t ready. She’d used the classic “it’s not you, it’s me” line. Dean knew better. It wasn’t either of them. It was Potter.
And for exactly thirty seconds of his life, Dean hated Harry Potter.
But then he realised grudgingly that he couldn’t blame Harry for how Ginny felt. And he did actually kinda like the guy. And actually, Ginny hadn’t done anything wrong either. She couldn’t help how she felt. He groaned and rolled over, burying his head in his pillow.
Honestly. Why couldn’t life just be simple for once?
He decided right there and then that he was going to forget about girls this year. There would be no distractions. He was going to pull back those Care of Magical Creatures grades. He wriggled around under the sheets trying to get comfortable.
“Mate, if you don’t stop squeaking the bed, I swear, I’ll unleash a Cornish Pixie on you,” an annoyed voice came from Ron’s bed next to him.
“Sorry,” Dean whispered sheepishly.
He closed his eyes and forced sleep to come.
But it was not peaceful. Neither was it restful.
oOo
Luna sat in the library with her head in a book. She was tucked away in between two shelves where no one could see her. She tried to read, but found herself repeating the same sentences over and over again. She groaned in frustration. It had been a tough day for her.
Neville had asked her to go on a date. He was her best friend. They did everything together. Why did he have to ruin it?
Apparently he’d had a crush on her for ages, he’d just been too shy to do anything about it. Luna could believe it. Neville was painfully shy.
But now she was stuck in her head, her brain working overtime to try and understand where she had given him the signal that she wanted more than a friendship.
Was it the time I kissed him on the cheek when he conjured me flowers on my birthday? Or maybe it was when I asked him to be my Potions partner.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she mourned a friendship that she had truly valued, but would now be totally different.
Why, Neville, why?
She needed to get her thoughts out of her head. But she had no one to tell them to. So she pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write. When she had finished, she tucked the parchment into the copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to mark her place, and put the book back on the shelf. It would still be there tomorrow.
oOo
Dean woke up stressed. With that Care of Magical Creatures grade looming over his head, he couldn’t even get into the holiday spirit. It was almost Christmas break, and here he was stressing over a stupid grade.
He marched with determination down to the library. He was going to fix this grade. It was not going to ruin his Christmas.
Dean reached the Magical Creatures section of the library and scanned the shelves looking for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He spied it, the only copy, pushed back into the shelf as if it was hiding. Gotcha, he thought. He sat down on the floor and pulled out some parchment. It was time to take copious amounts of notes so he would have a chance of not failing the class.
As he opened the book, a note fell out. Intrigued, he unfolded it and began to read.
Dear Reader,
Isn’t it strange that one minute you can have something so special, so perfect, and the next your entire world can come crashing down?
I feel a little sad today.
But that’s okay. There’s always tomorrow, I guess.
Dean was unsure of what to do with this. But he felt it on a deep level. He could have written it himself. So, he did the only natural thing to do. He replied.
oOo
Dear Writer,
Yes. I completely understand. For me it was a relationship that I valued that ended because my girlfriend fell in love with someone else. I feel...empty, alone and tired. I just want the world to disappear. Or maybe I should disappear. I doubt anyone would notice.
But, as you say...there’s always tomorrow, I guess.
Luna stared at the note that was tucked in her book. Well, not her book. But her favourite. She had not expected anyone else to even pick up the volume, which was the reason why she had thought it safe to leave it as a page marker.
But not only had someone read her not. They had replied .
Well. It would be rude not to write back, Luna thought curiously. She picked up her quill.
oOo
Dear Reader,
I have come to the conclusion that relationships end. It is often no one’s fault. It can be a misunderstanding, a growing distance, or diverging interests. For me it was my best friend. He wanted more than friendship, and that’s something I couldn’t give him.
I am sorry about your girlfriend. And I’m sorry you feel like that.
Just know that the world would definitely miss you. I can already tell that you have a good heart. One day you will find someone worthy of it.
Don’t give up.
Dean lay on his back on the library floor, holding the letter above his head. This person, whoever he or she was, knew him better than he knew himself.
He replied, then put the book back on the shelf.
As he left the library, he crossed paths with Luna, who walked past him in some kind of trance. As they passed each other, Dean accidentally knocked her elbow, and her pile of books went flying.
“Oh Merlin, Luna, I’m so sorry!” Dean exclaimed as he bent down to help her retrieve her books.
“That’s alright, Dean, they’re just books. Thank you,” Luna replied in a soft, dreamlike voice.
Luna stood up and righted herself, gave Dean a smile, and without another word, entered the library. She had a letter to reply to.
Dean smiled as he walked away. She was odd, there was no doubting it.
But he couldn’t help noticing that she was extraordinarily beautiful.
oOo
Dear Writer,
I know in my heart that you’re right. I should definitely stop blaming people. And myself. I know it was no one’s fault. But I hate endings.
I think you have a good heart too.
If only a good heart was enough to pass Care of Magical Creatures. Blast-Ended Skrewts will be the death of me.
Luna giggled at that last line. Luckily, Care of Magical Creatures was something she could help with.
She wrote back, but as she did, she thought back to when she had collided with Dean in the hallway.
She hoped he hadn’t thought she was rude.
He really is very handsome, she thought, but quickly shook herself back to reality.
But as she went to sleep that night, she saw a pair of keen brown eyes set in an intelligent face.
oOo
Dean slid quietly into the library, unnoticed and inconspicuous. This exchange with this unknown person was turning in to the highlight of his day. He turned to the familiar page.
Dear Reader,
You should definitely stop blaming yourself. The way I see it, each ending is just a brand new beginning.
Care of Magical Creatures is a subject I happen to be rather good at. Are you in sixth year? If you are, I have left class notes at the far end of this shelf, hidden under a copy of Hags to Hippogriffs. I hope they help.
Also, although I like the anonymity, could you give me a hint? Are you a boy or a girl?
Dean could have jumped for joy. Class notes . From Writer, whoever he or she was. His heart leapt at the last line. He knew that they could go on this way forever, forming a secret friendship. But a big part of him really wanted to know who Writer was.
He took a deep breath and wrote back.
He needed to know.
oOo
Luna skipped along to Care of Magical Creatures that morning. She was in a good mood. She couldn’t wait to get to the library that afternoon. She greeted Hagrid cheerfully as she joined the class a few minutes late, as per usual.
She couldn’t help scanning the class, just to see if she could pinpoint who Reader might be. It was silly, she knew; but nevertheless, she scrutinised her whole class. Draco Malfoy? No way. Arrogant piece of work. Harry? No, he was happy with Ginny. Ron? No. It was obvious to everyone that he pined after Hermione. Obvious to everyone except Hermione, that is. Seamus? No, he wouldn’t be caught dead near a library.
She was a little disheartened. There seemed to be flaws in her logic with every boy in this class.
Then, it was time to go to the library.
She opened the book.
Dear Writer,
Thank you so much for the notes. I am indeed in sixth year, so they will be endlessly helpful.
I also like the anonymity; but I would like to meet you. Whenever you’re ready.
I am a boy. What about you?
Her heart beat faster. She had hoped Reader would say he was a boy.
She had to speak her heart in this next letter.
oOo
Dean checked the book out of the library. He had meant to stay in and read it, but tonight his head was fuzzy and he felt ill. His throat felt like it was on fire, and he was struggling to breathe. The world was spinning.
He sat down quickly and put his head on his knees. He pulled the letter out of the book, trying to concentrate on something to keep himself alert.
The words were blurry, but he could still read them.
Dear Reader,
I am a girl. And to be totally truthful, I am glad you said you were a boy.
Because…
Well. I know we haven’t met in person, but I think I’m starting to like you. A lot more than a little. Do you think we could meet in person? I’m ready if you are.
I’m glad the notes were helpful.
Dean scribbled a quick message back.
Then he collapsed.
oOo
Luna panicked. She had gone to the library, but the book was gone. No book and no note. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she had come on too strong by suggesting they meet in person. She trudged away from the library gloomy and upset.
In the quiet corridor she was almost run over by a very out of breath Lavender Brown.
“Have you heard, Luna?” she puffed, “Dean Thomas collapsed last night. He’s in the hospital wing and he still hasn’t woken up. They’ve called a Healer in from St Mungo’s to help…”
Before she had a chance to finish her sentence, Luna had gone.
She had always liked Dean. He was kind to her. And she thought he was very handsome. To hear that he was unresponsive and confined to a hospital bed broke her heart.
She crept into the hospital wing, looking around for any sight of Madam Pomfrey. She sat down by Dean’s bed. He looked so peaceful lying there, his dark curly hair tousled over his brow, his eyelids fluttering every now and then.
Luna took his hand and clasped it in both of hers, lifting it to her cheek.
“Hey, Dean. I just wanted to come and tell you that I hope you get better, and I’ll be here for you always. They don’t know what’s wrong yet, but they’ll fix it, Dean, I promise.” She spoke softly.
Madam Pomfrey, watching from afar, smiled. She approached the pair. Luna jumped up when she saw the matron coming, but Madam Pomfrey indicated for her to sit back down and keep talking. Luna nodded.
“I thought you’d like to know what you missed in class so you can catch up, Dean. I’ll help you of course...if you need it. We turned ravens into writing desks in Transfiguration today, and we captured Fire Crabs in Care of Magical Creatures. Seamus got nipped on the thumb. It was rather amusing.”
Dean began to stir. Luna’s heart jumped. She tried something else.
“You know,” she whispered, “I’ve been talking to this really sweet, compassionate boy. But I’ve only been speaking to him through letters. I think I made a mistake though. I told him that I wanted to meet him. But he didn’t reply. Do you think I said the wrong thing?”
She bowed her head as tears began to leak from her eyes. A trembling hand reached out and swiped her tears away.
“I..think...Luna...you should re-return...this book to...to the li-li-brary for me.” Dean’s voice was weak and stuttering, his eyes barely opened. He was using all the strength he could find to speak to her, to reassure her.
He passed her a book and she gasped. A letter fell out.
Dear Writer,
I’m glad you’re a girl. Because I really like you too.
I have a feeling that I already know who you are. And I couldn’t be more happy.
A sixth year who’s best friend wanted to date her with an affinity for magical creatures?
Hi Luna. It’s nice to meet you.
Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?
Luna felt laughter mix with her tears. He knew .
“A sixth year who broke up with his girlfriend because she loved someone else? And probably the only sixth year boy who uses the library? I should have known it was you, Dean.”
Dean smiled at her and brought her hand to his lips.
“You have no idea how much your words helped me, Luna. Thank you.”
He patted the bed beside him, gesturing for her to climb up next to him. They lay on the hospital bed, hands joined, looking into one another's eyes. Dean couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. Luna responded, putting her arms around his neck and gently returning his kiss. Dean pulled away and kissed her on the forehead. Luna felt safe and warm.
“You never answered my question Luna,” Dean said quietly. “Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?”
Luna smiled brilliantly. “When you’re strong enough, yes. But only if we don’t have to sit in Madame Puddifoot’s Tea Shop. I can’t stand that place,” she laughed.
Dean grimmaced in pain as his chest tightened from over-exertion.
“You need to sleep, Dean,” Luna said. “Shall I sing?”
Dean nodded and closed his eyes. As he drifted off, the last sounds he heard were the sweet, pure strains of Scarborough Fair .