Part 5: Christmas Approaching

                                    

                                          


                          
Dear, Daddy,

                          
I'm at Hogwarts right now, and it's almost Christmas. Professor McGongall told us our Hogsmeade trip will be coming soon, and I'm thinking of what to buy you for the holidays.
                          
There have been some strange things going around the school lately. Has there been another secret breakout of Wrackspurts? I feel like they are zooming around more than ever lately. They've been entering my mind quite a lot, making me feel weird.
                          
Do you know what this feeling is? It's caused whenever I see someone. Like something's bubbling inside me, filling me with warmth and longing. It only began on the first day in Potions class. Do you know what the smell of a love potion means? I'm very curious.
                          
These days I feel the most anxious, which is quite unusual, as I don't think I'm that type of person. I feel more worried than I was when I was held prisoner at Malfoy Manor!
                          
Speaking of the Malfoys, have you heard anything strange from them? I hear some things buzzing around the school.
                          
Love,
                          
Luna
                          
The fireplace flames flickered merrily in the Ravenclaw common room, snowflakes dancing outside the sky to floor windows. Luna reread her letter for the fifth time, trying to decide whether the second last paragraph gave away too much. She was printing the address on an envelope when Padma Patil came into the room.
                          
"Hey, Luna," she said. "My sister told me that Ginny told her that Harry wants to meet you outside near Hagrid's hut."
                          
"Harry?" Luna said, surprised, wondering what he could possibly want from her. "Well, thanks, Padma," she jumped up from her armchair and grabbed her bag. She stuffed the letter inside the envelope, reminding herself to stop at the Owlery later.
                          
Rushing upstairs, she hastily tried to find a pair of matching socks, and ended up with stockings decorated with a Spectrespec pattern. Seeing that she had no more shoes to wear, she wrapped a scarf around her, and threw on a cloak.
                          
Her teeth chattered as the doors swung open and a gust of cold wind blew into the castle. Tentatively, she stepped onto the snow, and immediately recoiled. The snow was still wet, and now her socks were soaking. She squinted and saw the familiar outline of several Gryffindors out in the field.
                          
One caught her eye, and she pointed to her feet feverishly. Luna saw them nod, and stepped back into the Entrance Hall.
                          
"Hey, Luna!" Hermione rushed in, shivering from the cold. "I'm so sorry. I forgot that the Ravenclaws kept stealing your shoes."
                          

"T-that's a-alright," Luna stuttered. Hermione pointed her wand at Luna's clothes, and in an instant they felt warm and dry.
                          
"Thanks!" Luna said as Harry, Ron, and Ginny hurried in.
                          
"Luna!" Harry said in relief. He pulled down his Gryffindor scarf. "Neville's doing something with Professor Sprout for Herbology. We wanted to talk to you."
                          
"About what?" she asked curiously.
                          
The group exchanged looks.
                          
"Well, it's about Malfoy," Ginny confessed. "I told Harry about it, and he wanted to know why he's so nice all of the sudden."
                          

Luna sighed. She should've known this would come. During breaks, instead of talking to Ginny like normal, she began spending more and more time with Draco.
                          
"He's not that bad you know," she said, and Ron made a disparaging noise.
                          
"Luna, I don't know..." said Harry, clearly unconvinced. "It's just... What do you see in him?"