Chapter Text
Her first year at Hogwarts hadn’t gone quite as she’d expected.
The classes were easy enough—most of the first year lessons were made up of basic things she'd learned just by being from a wizarding family, and she was a Ravenclaw besides—but socially, she was flailing.
She didn't think she'd been aiming too high, figuring that she'd be able to make at least two or three friends before the school year was up. Even better if they were from different houses since she quite enjoyed hearing ideas and viewpoints that she may not have considered otherwise.
Regrettably though, after a long and tumultuous term and despite her best efforts, the number of people she could strike up a conversation with much less count as a friend sat at a huge, disheartening zero. It didn’t make her sad because she was rather used to being on her own, but it certainly would have been nice to have someone available to help her search for her missing things.
Winter had arrived, and along with it her already meager possessions had begun to disappear one by one until she was left with little more than her uniform, wand, and toothbrush. She wasn’t very surprised as she’d learned from her father that Nargles were particularly active this time of year, though admittedly the timing certainly could’ve been better. It was cold and only getting colder, and without her shoes and robes being outdoors for longer than an hour or so was a precarious proposition.
Despite that she stared out over the gently rippling surface of the Black Lake, resting her chin on her knees and considered what to do about her friend situation. She could bite her tongue about blibbering humdingers and crumple-horned snorkacks. She could smile and try to discuss the things the other girls in her year liked to talk about like boys, clothing, and perfume.
But her mother wouldn’t want that. She'd always said that the people who mattered would be able to see the important parts of you, and when you found those people, to never let them go.
The freezing water of the lake lapped against her bare toes, and grimacing she pulled her feet another few inches closer to her body. Losing the last of her shoes had been particularly inconvenient since all of her favorite places generally required them, but she wasn’t about to give them up just because of a little discomfort.
She was currently nestled between two large rocks—the perfect hiding spot since she couldn't be seen unless the person happened to be right behind her.
The crunch of shoes on the sand made her heart fall, and she braced herself for more taunts. When they didn't come after a few silent minutes, she carefully shuffled forward to peer around the boulder on her right, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person without being seen.
She allowed herself to feel a bit of relief when she spotted the red and gold of Gryffindor rather than the blue and bronze of Ravenclaw. Like her the boy seemed to be deep in thought and trying to get away from everyone, and for a moment she considered leaving him alone.
What she ended up doing was not that, and she scooted forward enough for him to see her.
“Hello,” she said, giving him her best, though hesitant smile.
The boy started and snapped his head around to look at her, confirming that he really hadn’t noticed her. “Oh, um, hi. I didn’t expect anyone else to be out here.”
“There isn’t. Just you, me, and your wrackspurts.”
He furrowed his brow. “My…wrackspurts?”
“I don’t have my Spectrespecs with me—they were taken by Nargles, you see—but I can practically see them floating around your head.” His face took on a strange expression that she’d seen many times on those of her housemates—one of surprise and confusion—and her smile weakened. “Do you think I’m strange now?”
“Very, but I like it. It pulled me out of the mini panic attack I was having at least.” He grinned then, small and amused and sincere, and that’s when she began to feel anxiety set in.
Normally it wouldn't bother her all that much whether or not he liked her, but he was the very first person since her arrival at Hogwarts who didn’t seem immediately and completely put off by the things she said. She was fine with being alone; it didn’t necessarily mean she enjoyed it.
“What’s your name?” she asked him, words tumbling from her lips in a nervous rush.
His eyebrows rose sharply. “Really?” he replied. She blinked back at him and cocked her head, and he shook his incredulously. “I’m Harry Potter.”
“Oh.” Now that she was really paying attention, she supposed that the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead was a dead giveaway. He was in the year above her so she hadn’t had much of a chance to see him firsthand, but she’d certainly heard enough about him. Not a day went by that someone wasn't uttering his name, and apparently he was a Parselmouth and also the second coming of Voldemort.
People tended to ignore her, so it was quite easy for her to eavesdrop even when she didn’t particularly want to. At some point she’d just become part of the scenery, which didn’t bother her much since when they actually did pay attention to her it never seemed to be for any good reasons.
Like her he was different—set apart from the hundreds of other witches and wizards walking the halls of Hogwarts—but somehow he’d still managed to make friends.
“It’s nice to meet you, Harry Potter.” She smiled, and it widened when Harry laughed in return, a dimple appearing in his cheek and his green eyes dancing. She wasn’t sure what was so funny, but it didn't matter if he made a face like that.
“Sorry, it’s just…this is probably the most normal introduction I’ve had since finding out that I was a wizard. Slytherins tend to scowl at me, Gryffindors are always in awe, Ravenclaws look like they want to dissect me, and Hufflepuffs look at me with pity. You just look at me normally.”
Luna pursed her lips. “No one's ever said that anything involving me was normal before.”
He chuckled again, and though she still didn't know what was so funny it was enough to know that there wasn't any malice in his laughter.
“You never told me your name," he said after he'd calmed down enough.
“Luna Lovegood.” She watched his lips silently try her name and felt a strange prickle go down her spine. It accompanied the warmth in her cheeks, which was also new.
“Well, thanks for talking with me. I came out here to be alone, but I’m glad I wasn’t.” Harry stood up, brushed off his robes, and waved. “I’ll see you around, Luna Lovegood.”
She returned the wave though he’d already turned and begun to walk back towards the castle. “Yes, see you around.” The words felt foreign on her tongue, and she realized it might be the first time she’s ever spoken them out loud. It sent another shock of giddiness through her. See you around implied that they would be meeting again, and what was friendship if not a series of pleasant meetings?
“Harry Potter,” she murmured quietly to herself, testing the name on her tongue just like he had. He was so far removed from what the rumors posited that she felt a little upset with herself for paying them the slightest amount of attention. Harry Potter was more than nice; he was kind. If he was truly the second coming of he-whole-shall-not-be-named in disguise, well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing after all.
She sat there for another half hour or so, mulling over the conversation she'd just had, and then nodded firmly to herself.
It was decided.
Harry Potter was going to be her very first friend.