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It had been a couple of months since Luna had attended Slughorn’s party with Harry. She had been glad to have the holidays as an excuse to put off the date they planned. She couldn’t understand why Harry would ask her to go out with him. She didn’t know how she was supposed to act in a situation like that. She had been avoiding Harry since she came back to school from holiday and she knew it wasn’t going to work for long. She was walking to transfiguration class, trying to think about all the heliopaths she saw galloping about instead of Harry.
Harry walked by her in the corridor and she leapt into a nook as he walked by so she could avoid talking to him for a little longer. After he walked by Luna continued walking to class. She rounded the stairs thinking about and slipped on the moving stairs. The butter beer cork necklace her mother made and gave her caught on the railing and broke. The charm from the necklace fell down the stairs, and Luna rand to the bottom and began searching for it. Tears started to sting her eyes as she couldn’t find it, and she didn’t notice Harry walk up behind her.
“What are you looking for?” He asked with a smile. The smile faded when Luna looked up at him as saw the tears in her eyes, and aske “What’s the matter?” She let the tears fall. Luna didn’t care that Harry saw her cry, she knew he would understand what the necklace meant.
“It’s my necklace from my mum, it broke and I can’t find the butter beer cork charm that was on it.”
“Well I’ll help you,”
“Don’t you need to go to class,”
“Snape hates me already, so I don’t think it will matter if I miss one class,” he smiled. Luna noticed his green eyes usually darkened by everything around him were bright and clear for the first time and it soothed her.
“Thank you,” she smiled at him. She was no longer going to be able to avoid him, but she no longer wanted to.
…
Luna wiped her eyes as she continued searching for her necklace with Harry.
“The necklace is pretty important to you, isn’t it?” Harry asked as he searched behind the back of the staircase.
“Yes it is. She gave it to me not too long before she passed. I find it harder and harder to remember her, it helps.”
“It’s like their slipping away, isn’t it. I don’t remember what they look like, not really. The images in my head are based on what I’ve seen since they’ve gone.”
“You were really young, so that’s understandable. I feel like I should remember her more,” she let a few more tears fall as she talked.
“I’m sorry, I know it’s hard. Some days are worse than others. I always wonder what they would think if they knew who I’ve become,”
“I wonder the same. I wonder if she would be proud of who I am. I like to think so, but…”
“I’m sure she is Luna, you’re one of the most selfless and unique people I’ve ever meet. You don’t care what others think but you value them all the same.” Harry said looking her in the eye.
“Thank you. Your parents would be proud too Harry. Your brave and fight for the ones you care about. There is nothing more honorable than that, and your parents know,” she gave a small smile. She wasn’t so comfortable with compliments but it made it easier since it was Harry. She knew he meant what he said and vice versa. They eased in to small conversation for a bit while they still searched the around the staircase.
“Hey I found some of the beads!” Harry exclaimed. He scared Luna because they had drifted in to a comfortable silence, but once she knew what he said hope flooded her chest. She didn’t reply but just ran over to where his was in the corner behind the staircase. She looked around and found the butterbeer cork charm hiding among some collected dust under the staircase.
“There it is!” she screamed with excitement.
“Great! Here you go” Harry said as he handed her the beads that went on the necklace.
In the excitement Luna embraced Harry and quickly kissed him on the lips. They both blushed after a moment.
“Thank you again,” Luna replied still reeling from the excitement and kiss.
“No problem,” Harry replied his green eyes sparkling like trees in the sun, “don’t think I forgot, we still have a date.”
“We do,” Luna said, “How about this weekend while everyone else is at Hogsmeade?” she asked.
“Sounds great,” Harry smiled, “we’ll meet at the library after lunch on Saturday then.”
“It’s a date, and I’ll have it all planned,” Luna replied. She wanted to take Harry somewhere only both of them would really understand.