Chapter 2
He had no idea why he felt so determined to walk her back to the Ravenclaw tower, but as they left the Great Hall together, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. And for the first time in a long time, it was a change he welcomed.
The corridors of Hogwarts were silent at this hour, with only the flickering torches casting warm, dancing shadows along the walls. Harry and Luna had walked in comfortable silence, the tension from earlier conversations lifting, replaced by something softer, quieter. Harry wasn’t sure what he was feeling, but he knew he didn’t want the night to end just yet.
As they reached the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, Luna turned to him, her soft smile still lingering on her face. Harry felt a sudden pang, the realization hitting him that their time together—this small moment of peace—was coming to a close.
“Well,” Luna said softly, her voice as melodic as ever. “I suppose this is goodnight.”
Harry swallowed, not quite sure why he felt so reluctant to let her go. Something about being with Luna was… different. Not in the way it had been with Ginny, where he had felt pressured to act a certain way or be someone he wasn’t. With Luna, it was easy—natural. She didn’t expect anything from him, and yet she gave so much in return.
As she turned slightly toward the entrance, her hand already reaching for the stone door, Harry blurted out, “Hey, Luna?”
She paused, her curious silver eyes blinking up at him. “Yes, Harry?”
Harry hesitated, feeling strangely nervous all of a sudden. “I was just thinking… maybe we could study together tomorrow?” The words felt awkward leaving his mouth, but he meant them. He wasn’t ready to let go of this newfound connection just yet. He didn’t care about the stares or whispers they might get from others—he wanted to spend more time with her.
Luna’s eyes widened in surprise, and for a brief moment, Harry wondered if he’d said something wrong. But then, her lips curved into a soft, genuine smile.
“I’d like that,” she said, her voice as light as a breeze. “We could meet after breakfast, if that’s alright with you.”
Harry’s heart lifted at her response, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth before he could stop it. “Yeah, that sounds perfect,” he replied, his voice a little too eager.
Luna took a small step closer to him, and before Harry could even register what was happening, she leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. Her lips were cool and soft against his skin, and the gesture was so innocent, so pure, that it sent a jolt of warmth rushing through him.
Harry stood frozen in place, his breath catching in his throat. He felt like an absolute fool—grinning like a complete idiot, his cheek still tingling from where her lips had touched.
Luna pulled back, her dreamy expression never wavering, as if the kiss had been the most natural thing in the world. “Goodnight, Harry,” she said quietly, her voice carrying the same ethereal quality it always had, like a lullaby in the quiet hall.
“G-Goodnight,” Harry stammered, still grinning like a fool, his heart doing an odd flip in his chest.
Without another word, Luna gave him one last, serene smile before disappearing into the Ravenclaw common room. The stone door clicked shut behind her, leaving Harry alone in the dimly lit corridor, still standing in the same spot, staring after her.
For a long moment, he didn’t move. He couldn’t. He just stood there, staring at the closed door, replaying the events of the night in his head. The quiet walk they’d shared, the way she had understood him in ways no one else had, and that soft kiss she had given him, so casually and yet so full of meaning.
It wasn’t until he caught his reflection in one of the nearby windows that he realized he was still grinning. He looked ridiculous—like a lovesick fool standing in the middle of the hallway, cheeks flushed and his heart racing in a way that had nothing to do with nerves.
What had just happened? He’d come to terms with his feelings about Ginny earlier, but now… now something else entirely was taking shape inside him. Something unexpected. Something he wasn’t sure he was ready to confront.
He had never thought about Luna that way before—not until tonight. But now, with the memory of her kiss still fresh on his cheek, Harry couldn’t deny the truth. He liked Luna. He liked being with her. More than he’d ever realized.
She was strange, yes. She wore radish earrings and talked about creatures no one else believed in, and she floated through life as if nothing could touch her. But she was also kind, gentle, and honest in a way that made Harry feel… safe. Safe in a world where nothing else made sense.
Luna was the only person who never judged him, who never asked him to be something more than he was. She saw him—not the Boy Who Lived, not the Chosen One—just Harry. And that meant more to him than he could ever put into words.
As he finally turned to head back to Gryffindor Tower, Harry couldn’t help but feel lighter, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. The day had started in frustration and confusion, but somehow, it had ended with a smile on his face and a warmth in his chest that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
And for the first time in what felt like forever, he was looking forward to tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing Luna again, to studying with her, to spending more time in her quiet, comforting presence.
He didn’t know where things would go from here, but one thing was clear—Luna had become more than just a friend. She was the one person who made him feel like everything was going to be okay, and Harry couldn’t wait to see where that feeling would take him.