Chapter Fifteen: Obscured Hollows

Luna found miraculous things in everyone.

There was a light that shone in everyone, no matter how much one tries to deny it. The only difference was, how much of it does it shone through?

She gave a smile as a wise look appeared in her eyes before disappearing. There was a lot that she knew, but there was no need for her to say it. No matter how 'loony' they all thought she was, she observed, and she learned, surely and quietly.

Yet that did not meant it did not hurt when they jeered at her. So, in order to ignore the stinging wounds, she poured her whole being to study what she love, mystical beasts. There lies her passion, all her energy towards what she love. Some may say it was luck that she found what she was determined to follow, but to her, it was the path she chose, not luck itself. She could have chosen any other subjects as her future career, yet she did not, for her connection lies within Magizoology.

But, she soon found out during The War that not all she thought was true. It made her face the truth, that not all that was written in The Quibbler is real, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Yes, beasts exist, magical beasts that were dangerous yet beautiful, mysterious yet mystical, but there was a fine line between fantasy and reality.

It was a point she had tiptoed over without her realizing, expressed when she spoke it out or argued with Hermione. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had always preferred fantasy over reality, a place where things can change and bend to your imagination, unlike the harsh, cruel real life.

It was time she faced the limelight, her limelight, and she faced the truth after the Great War.

There are things, beasts included, that do not exist, written in The Quibbler.

And as soon as she faced that, she was able to let go of it.

She continued her life, albeit the times that increased when she was down or saddened when she wanted to share something with her friends that were no longer there. So many have gone, so many have left. It left her with a loneliness that dulled with an aching for comfort.

Luna Lovegood have her ups and downs, its just that she was used to smiling brightly that it shone over her sadness, or for some, they just didn't notice her at all.

Spotting Ginny, she went over to say hello.

"Hey Ginny!" She said brightly, giving a smile to the red hair. They had grown closer after the War, just like everyone had grown closer to others.

Ginny gave her a smile as well, and the two girls walked along side each other for a while as it was currently their free sessions.

Luna's glance fell lightly on Ginny's relax face before moving away. Somehow, she felt that the red hair was not truly happy, yet she had no signs of it. If Luna was covering her emotions with a smile, then Ginny would be a shield to ward of all signs of unhappiness.

There was an air to it that she couldn't put her finger on, and she was drawn. She wanted to know this girl better, the youngest sibling in The Weasley's family, yet one of the most determined person she has ever met.

They chatted for a while as Luna filled her on the funny things that have happened while Ginny chuckled with her.

"...and the boy accidentally slipped and fell, and if his luck wasn't good enough, Peeves found him and started threatening him. If it wasn't for his friends and a few helpful seventh years, he would probably still be there."

"Poor boy, he's gonna have emotional trauma."

"I would very much like to think that it was due to a demiguise, it would be lovely to actually see one." A distant look occured as she stared into space dreamily as Ginny giggled, used to seeing her offtrack when she thought of a magical beast.

Waving at Ginny as she went to the common room, Luna backed out and decided to go to the library. She didn't feel like going to Gryffindor yet, wanting to go around the school. Seven years of memories, and the walls and corridors of Hogwarts were etched in her mind.

Slipping quietly into the library like a cat to avoid the wrath of Madam Pince, she saw Zabini sitting at the table, alone for a change.

Looking around and grabbing a book about the magical beasts that looked interesting, she began searching for a place to sit when she halted and glanced between Zabini and a comfy chair she located. Pondering for a moment, she walked over and dumped the heavy book next to Blaise and sat down beside him as he gave a subtle jump.

............................

Glaring slightly at the person that had gave him quite a scare, Blaise looked up only to find himself caught in Luna's bright eyes. His resolve softening a little, he asked her gruffly.

"What are you doing here? Can't you see I'm using this place?"

"But that's why I came here, you look like you needed some company." She replied, slowly opening the book and wrinkling her nose at the amount of dust it held.

"Well, I don't need it-" He was stopped by the look of Luna frowning at him.

"Everyone needs and crave companionship, Blasie. Its just how we function."

"I function just as well without it, as you can clearly see."

"Why won't you just admit it? Judging by how all of your quills are scattered around the table, you were probably trying to do your homework, but for the past few minutes I haven't even seen you flipping that book infornt of you once.."

She paused, staring at him sadly.

"If all this rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin doesn't exist, there wouldn't have been a war in the first place."

"..."

"Are you truly happy, Blasie?"

He stared into her silvery blue eyes silently before diverting his attention to the book in front of him. The scratching noise of a quill writing on parchment began in the library as Luna gave a smile before flipping a page at the book she was reading.

A comfortable silence unraveled between the two of them, a silence where there seemed to be a link of sort, a link of the first spark of understanding that crossed between the two of them.

There they stayed until the dark fell, and Madam Pince had to shoo the two of them out.

Blaise didn't mention that he was having flashbacks of the war as a raw fear gripped his heart when she came, and his surrounding suddenly seemed to turn from a dull gray to a brighter colour.

He didn't say any of that, and he planned to keep it that way.

Heya!

This chapter was more for secondary characters, as you see, but I really hope this is okay..

I will be trying to keep the updates as regular as possible, but I hope all of you understand if I did not update as scheduled. 1) Sometimes life is hard, or I just haven't find that perfect idea or the right words and 2) I maintain the policy of 1000+ words for every chapter which is a real struggle sometimes.

But most important of all, I hope that what I portrayed in this chapter is how they are in real life, that I still maintain their line of thoughts, their personality and their overall character itself.

...Was it okay? （＞ｙ＜）