The theater was almost empty now, with only a few stragglers making their way to the exit. The credits rolled slowly, the screen awash in glowing white letters. Harry glanced at Luna, who sat with her eyes fixed on the screen, her posture relaxed, and her head slightly tilted as if absorbing the last remnants of the film. Harry didn’t mind waiting—he was curious to hear what she thought.
When the final credit faded and the screen dimmed, Luna turned to him with wide, dreamy eyes. “That was lovely,” she said, her voice a soft whisper, as if not to disturb the lingering magic in the air.
Harry stood and reached out a hand to her. “Come on, let’s get going before they lock us in,” he said with a grin, half-joking. Luna took his hand, her touch gentle but firm, and Harry felt a warmth spread through him, chasing away the chill of the theater’s air conditioning.
He held the door open for her as they stepped outside, and a cool breeze swept past them. It was night, and the sky was filled with stars that twinkled like tiny diamonds. The air smelled fresh and clean, with a faint scent of rain in the distance. Harry breathed it in deeply, feeling a sense of calm wash over him.
Luna took a deep breath too, letting out a contented sigh. “It smells like new possibilities,” she murmured, her voice carrying a sense of wonder.
Harry chuckled softly. “Only you would describe it like that,” he said, feeling an easy smile tug at his lips. He liked the way Luna saw the world—it was like stepping into a storybook where every small detail had a deeper meaning.
“Do you think Muggles dream differently after watching movies?” Luna asked suddenly, turning to face him with a curious tilt of her head. Her long hair swayed with the movement, brushing against her shoulder. Her big, light-blue eyes were still bright with thoughts that seemed to float just beyond reach.
“Er—maybe?” Harry replied, trying to keep up with her train of thought. “Or maybe it gives them more to dream about?”
Luna’s face lit up. “I like that,” she said. “Maybe the stars tonight are the same as the ones in someone’s dreams right now.”
Harry didn’t know how to respond to that, but he didn’t mind. Talking to Luna felt like wandering into a different world—a world where nothing needed to make perfect sense to be wonderful. He found himself looking at her more than at the stars, noticing the way her hair caught the moonlight and the soft curve of her smile.
Harry and Luna strolled hand in hand, and he couldn’t help but keep stealing glances at her. He was still amused by how she’d sat completely still during the entire movie, eyes wide and unblinking. She seemed so engrossed in the Muggle film that she hadn’t even flinched at the jump scares or the overly dramatic scenes. It was so very Luna.
They walked in silence, the crisp night air brushing against Harry’s cheeks and tousling his hair. The distant hum of traffic mixed with the occasional murmur of voices from people leaving nearby restaurants. The breeze carried the faint scent of flowers from a shop across the street, mingling with the sweet, sugary aroma wafting from an ice cream parlor.
Harry turned his head as Luna suddenly stopped walking. “Luna?” he asked, curious. She stared at the ice cream shop, her expression thoughtful, as if the neon sign spelling Ice Cream Palace held the answer to some great mystery.
“What’s up? Do you want ice cream?” he asked, smiling at the idea of Luna pondering the deeper meaning of ice cream flavors.
Luna shook her head slowly, her hair swaying around her shoulders. “No,” she said, but she didn’t take her eyes off the ice cream shop. Harry raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to explain.
When she didn’t, he asked, “Then what is it?”
Luna turned to face him, her pale blue eyes twinkling with a kind of earnest excitement. “Can we go back?” she asked, tugging gently at his hand.
Harry blinked. “Back? You mean the theater?”
Luna nodded, her expression serious, as if what she was about to ask was of utmost importance. “Yes.” she said softly.
Harry stared at her, trying to make sense of it. “Did you leave something inside?”
She shook her head again, her grip on his hand tightening slightly. “No,” she replied, “but I’d like to watch it one more time.” There was a dreamy eagerness in her voice, and she looked at him like she was asking for a small favor.
Harry hesitated, not sure how to respond. She really wants to watch it again? he thought, amazed. They were the last ones out, and she didn’t even blink once during the whole thing. But he couldn’t say no to her, not when she was looking at him with that hopeful expression, her big eyes full of starlight.
“It’s not too late,” she added, giving his hand a light tug. “We could still catch the second screening.”
He opened his mouth, closed it, and then shook his head with a soft chuckle. “Alright,” he said, smiling despite his confusion. “If that’s what you want, then sure. You’re the birthday girl, after all.”
As they walked back to the theater, Luna broke the comfortable silence. “I’m doing it again, aren’t I?” she asked softly, her gaze fixed ahead.
Harry glanced over, puzzled. “Doing what?”
“Taking advantage of my birthday,” Luna said in her usual dreamy tone. She turned to face him, her eyes wide and earnest. “I’m abusing you.”
Harry couldn’t help but laugh at the seriousness in her tone. “Abusing me?” he repeated, his voice tinged with amusement. “How exactly?”
Luna’s frown deepened in concentration as she began to list everything she remembered. “Well,” she started, ticking off her fingers one by one, “you took me to a Muggle movie even though you probably had more important things to do today. You paid for my tickets. You let me talk during the whole movie even though the lady behind us kept sighing Then, you bought me popcorn and that fizzy soda "
“—and you waited patiently while I read all the credits to see if the name Lars appeared—”
Harry raised an eyebrow. “Why Lars?”
“It’s just a nice name,” she explained simply, before continuing, “and now, you’re bringing me back to the theater to watch the movie all over again just because I want to.”
Harry shook his head, squeezing her hand reassuringly. “Luna, you’re not abusing me,” he said firmly. “I wanted to celebrate your birthday. It was my idea. And besides,” he added with a grin, “I’ve had fun. This has been the most interesting birthday outing I’ve ever been on.”
She gave him a doubtful look, as if she didn’t quite believe him. Harry sighed and tried to think of a way to convince her.
“No ‘buts,’” Harry cut her off, resuming their walk towards the theater doors. “It’s your birthday, and we’re doing what you want to do. And if what you want is to watch this movie again, that’s what we’re going to do.”
Luna didn’t reply, but Harry caught the small, relieved smile on her lips. As they approached the theater entrance, Harry glanced at his watch. “Don’t worry, there’s like twenty minutes before the next showing starts, so we’ve got plenty of time,” he assured her.
“Good,” Luna replied, nodding thoughtfully. “I’m quite excited to see what happens after the T-Rex eats the lawyer?”
Harry stopped mid-step. “Wait,” he said, turning to face her fully. “What do you mean,?’”
Luna looked at him like he’d asked if the sky was blue. “Well,” she said, her voice perfectly reasonable, “it’s a trilogy, isn’t it? And we saw the first part, so now we’re going to see the rest of it.”
Harry’s jaw almost dropped. He bit back a laugh and shook his head. “Er—Luna, I think you might have misinterpreted what I meant by ‘trilogy.’”
She blinked at him, clearly waiting for him to elaborate.
“They’re just going to show the first part again,” Harry explained, feeling a bit awkward. He realized she must have thought she was in for some epic continuation. He winced slightly, worried he might have disappointed her.
Luna frowned, her lips pursing as she processed this. She tilted her head slightly. “That seems very inefficient, doesn’t it?” she mused. “Like reading the first chapter of The Tales of Beedle the Bard over and over and hoping the rest of the pages magically fill themselves in.”
Harry couldn’t help it; he burst out laughing. The comparison was so Luna, so perfectly whimsical and odd, that he couldn’t hold it in. He covered his mouth with his free hand, trying to stifle the laughter.
Luna tilted her head further, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Why are you laughing?” she asked. “Are the pages going to fill themselves in after all?”
Harry laughed even harder at that, shaking his head. “No, no,” he managed between chuckles, “the pages aren’t going to fill themselves in.
Luna turned to Harry, her brow furrowed in confusion. She leaned closer, whispering softly, “This is rather odd, don’t you think?”
Harry turned to her, trying not to get distracted by how close she was. “What do you mean?”
“Why would people go and buy tickets to see the same screening again?” she asked, her voice serious and genuinely puzzled. “Wouldn’t it be more efficient to show the two other parts of the trilogy instead?”
Harry rubbed the back of his neck, searching for a good explanation. He wasn’t sure how to break it to Luna that Muggles weren’t always as logical as she thought. “Well,” he started slowly, “the second part isn’t coming out until next year.”
Luna’s eyes widened, and she tilted her head like she was trying to make sense of it. “But why?” she asked, sounding almost offended on behalf of the movie-goers. “Do the Muggles not know how to finish telling a story all at once?”
Luna’s lips parted in surprise. “That’s terribly inconvenient,” she remarked thoughtfully, staring at the screen with genuine concern. “And here I thought Nargles were the most inefficient creatures in existence.”
Harry stifled another laugh. It was impossible to have a normal conversation with Luna, and he loved it. “Well, Muggles aren’t perfect,” he said with a grin.
Luna looked contemplative for a moment. “I suppose if Muggles are going to split their stories like this, they must have a very good reason,” she concluded, nodding slightly to herself. “Perhaps they’re waiting for the actors to grow up properly in the meantime?”
Harry nearly choked on his own breath. “Er—not exactly,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. He could tell Luna wasn’t entirely convinced, though.
After a pause, Luna made up her mind. “There’s no point in watching the same movie again if they won’t show the next part,” she said decisively, crossing her arms over her chest. “I feel like I’ve been tricked.”
Harry chuckled at her indignation. “Well, you might be surprised,” he replied. “A lot of people actually like watching the same movie more than once.”
Luna’s expression shifted from indignation to curiosity. “Why?” she asked, genuinely mystified. “Didn’t they watch it the first time? Were they asleep?”
Harry shook his head, trying to find the words to explain something so normal yet so alien to Luna. “No, it’s more like… they watch it again to see if they missed anything. Sometimes, when you know what’s coming, you start noticing all the little details you didn’t catch before,” he explained, realizing he sounded a bit like Hermione.
Luna considered this thoughtfully, her eyes turning back to the screen as the previews continued. “That’s a bit silly, isn’t it?” she mused, her tone light but serious. “How could anyone be distracted during a wonderful movie like this? I couldn’t even blink.”
The cool night air brushed against his skin, mingling with the lingering scent of popcorn and the faint sweetness from a nearby bakery. The streetlamps bathed everything in a soft golden light, casting their long shadows across the cobblestones.
Luna glanced at him with that trademark curious tilt of her head. “You weren’t distracted, were you?” she asked, her voice lilting with sincerity. “You remembered every part of the film, right?”
Harry felt a nervous laugh bubble up in his throat. “Uh, yeah,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Most of it.”
“Most of it?” Luna echoed, her silvery-blue eyes narrowing slightly. “Then you must remember what Dr. Grant said to Dr. Sattler in the middle of all that dinosaur chaos. You know, when the Tyrannosaurus was knocking over the Jeep?”
Harry’s brain went blank. “Uh…” He frantically sifted through his memory, trying to pull out something—anything—useful from Jurassic Park. “Um… hi?” he offered, his voice hopeful.
Luna blinked at him, her expression shifting from curious to almost disappointed. “Harry,” she said, a faint frown pulling at her lips, “you weren’t paying attention.”
“I was!” Harry insisted, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. “I just… forgot that bit.”
Luna’s eyes locked onto his, unblinking and piercing in that way that made him feel like she could see through every excuse he could come up with. “You were distracted,” she said softly, her tone more like a revelation than an accusation. “Now tell me, what was distracting you?”
Harry opened his mouth to deny it but found himself faltering under Luna’s unwavering gaze. There was something about those silvery eyes of hers that made him feel like lying would be the worst possible option. He swallowed hard, shifting on his feet.
When she kept looking at him, he realized he was cornered—by Luna Lovegood, of all people. He let out a breath, feeling a nervous chuckle slip out. “Well… uh…"
Before he could blurt out something embarrassing, Harry’s eyes landed on a little coffee shop across the street. The cozy light pouring from its windows seemed like a lifeline. With a surge of inspiration, he wrapped an arm around her waist—a gesture that felt both bold and terrifying—and gently steered her towards the shop.
“Let’s go in there,” he said, trying to sound confident as he pointed. “I’ll tell you what distracted me.”
Luna let herself be guided, her head tilting curiously to one side. “Oh, a coffee shop?” she mused aloud. “I do like their little spoons.”
Harry couldn’t help but grin at her comment. As they approached, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked pastries enveloped them, warm and inviting. He pushed open the door, and a soft bell chimed overhead. The shop was mostly empty, with only a few patrons scattered at tables, sipping drinks and quietly chatting.
They picked a corner booth, and Harry pulled out a chair for Luna before settling in across from her. The dim lighting in the shop cast a gentle glow over her face, and Harry could see the faint smile lingering on her lips as she toyed with a tiny silver spoon.
“So,” she said expectantly, resting her chin in her hand, “what was it?”
“What was what?” Harry asked, trying to buy himself some time while his mind raced.
“The distraction,” Luna replied, her voice patient and kind. “It must have been something very important to take your mind away from all those dinosaurs.”
Harry felt his face heat up. How could she be so direct without realizing what she was doing to him? He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. “Well… I guess I was more interested in, uh… the person watching the movie next to me.”
Luna blinked at him, her lips parting in surprise. “Really? There was someone else?”
Harry laughed, unable to help himself. “No, Luna,” he said, shaking his head fondly. “I mean… you. I was distracted because you were there.”
Luna’s eyes widened, and for a second, Harry felt his heart stop. He half expected her to laugh at him or brush it off with some whimsical comment about Nargles or Blibbering Humdingers. Instead, she just stared at him, her fingers curling lightly around the handle of her coffee spoon.
“Oh,” she said finally, her voice soft and almost shy. “That’s… very nice of you to say, Harry.”
“It’s not just nice,” Harry said, feeling a rush of bravery, or perhaps recklessness. “It’s true.”
Luna’s cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she seemed to consider his words carefully, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle. After a long moment, she smiled, her expression warm and genuine. “I suppose that makes sense,” she said with a small nod. “I do have a way of causing distractions.”
Harry chuckled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. The tension that had been coiled in his chest slowly began to unwind. “Yeah,” he agreed softly, “but not in a bad way.”
Luna beamed at him, her eyes twinkling with that familiar quirkiness. “In that case,” she said, lifting her tiny spoon, “we should toast to good distractions.”
Harry laughed, picking up his coffee cup and clinking it gently against her spoon. “To good distractions,” he echoed.
As they sipped their drinks, for the first time, Harry felt like maybe—just maybe—this birthday surprise had turned out to be the best distraction of all.