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OotP: A Terrible Weight Lessened

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Harry & Luna grownup by flying_tunafish

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WIt Beyond Measure by Lady Aeryn

- fan fiction -

Off the Record, by Ladyknyght. Harry finds Luna's not one to kiss and tell...

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(in)sanely connected: the harry & luna fanlisting

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"People expect you to have cooler friends than us," said Luna, once again displaying her knack for embarrassing honesty. "You are cool," said Harry shortly. "None of them was at the Ministry. They didn't fight with me." "That's a very nice thing to say," beamed Luna. --Half-Blood Prince

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FAN FICTION                                                                                                                          

Anyone
by Goldy

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Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

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She spends her days talking about things others don’t understand. But on the inside, she’s quite normal. Really. Just a normal girl.

Perhaps that’s why she tries so hard to hide it.

“Will you show me that spell again? I haven’t quite mastered it yet, I’m afraid.”

He does, of course, because she’s asked him for help—and he’s never been able to turn down someone in need. She hopes that he helps her because she means something to him, but she knows she could be anyone.

“It’s simple, really. Here, just hold your wand like this. Yeah—yeah, that’s good, Luna. Really good.”

At least he’s always called her by her real name.

She hasn’t always been this interested in him. It was Ron, once upon a time. But that was nothing. A crush. Seeds blowing in the wind. A passing fancy.

Harry is more. The way he treats her, the way he looks at her, he makes her feel normal.

No one’s ever done that before.

“Like… like this?”

“Yeah.” He sounds proud. “Exactly, Luna. You’re really picking this up.”

“Oh…. Well… I had a really good teacher.”

He blushes and clears his throat, looking anywhere but at her. He’s never taken praise very well.

“How are you doing?” she whispers.

His eyes fly to her face and he looks surprised that she’s asked. She wonders if he’ll lie to her—or if, around her, he’s comfortable enough to let his defenses down.

“I’m…” he scrubs his hands over his face and sits. He stares blankly around the empty Room of Requirement. “I’m still going, I suppose.”

She sits down next to him.  “Sometimes that’s all we can do.”

“Yeah,” he mutters. “Some life that is.”

He’s quiet. Luna lets him be. She understands that he grows tired of people questioning him all the time, nagging him, mothering him.

“But things are… they’re okay,” he finally says. “I mean, it’s not perfect, nothing ever seems to be in my life, but it’s… okay.”

She nods, knowing he doesn’t want pity. She lets a moment of silence pass, letting him know with her presence that she cares. They have an innate mutual understanding of each other—she can feel it brimming between them, filling the room.

 “Thanks for showing me that spell, Harry.”

“No problem,” he says, jumping up. “I’ll—uh—I’ll see you around, right?”

“Of course,” she whispers.

She can see some relief come into his face and he hurries from the room. She looks around and folds her hands placidly on her lap.

“I’m not just anyone,” she says aloud, the barest hints of a smile forming on her face. 

For now, that's enough.

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