Chapter 3
Luna had been feeling insecure and down lately, and she desperately needed a distraction. She remembered a beautiful spot she had recently found not far away, a place muggles called a "picnic spot for couples." Luna thought it would be a good idea to invite Harry to go on a picnic there and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air.Luna was excited to share this discovery with Harry and spend some quality time together.
Luna took a deep breath and asked Harry to go on a picnic date with her. "Harry, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me sometime?" Luna asked, her heart racing with nervousness.
Harry looked up from his book and smiled at her. "Sure Luna, that sounds like a great idea.
"Where do you have in mind.When were you thinking of going?" he replied with a smile
Luna's heart swelled with relief and excitement. "How about this weekend? The weather is supposed to be nice and it would be a great opportunity to get some fresh air and enjoy each other's company," Luna suggested
"There's a beautiful spot not far from here that I recently discovered. Muggles call them 'picnic spots for couples'. I thought it would be a nice change of scenery," Luna explained.
Harry's face lit up at the idea. "Sounds great, Luna. Lead the way."
Luna checked the weather in her muggle device called phone and couldn't help but wonder how this small device had become such an important part of everyone's life. She remembered how confused she had been when she first got her phone, but now she found it hard to imagine going a day without it. She wondered if there were other Muggle things she was missing out on.
She decided to do some research and learn more about Muggle technology. Maybe it would give her something new to talk about with Harry, Ron, Hermione. Luna was always interested in learning new things, and this was no different.
She quickly became engrossed in reading about different gadgets and devices, and before she knew it, several hours had passed. Luna felt a sense of satisfaction knowing she had learned something new, and she couldn't wait to share her new knowledge with her friends.
When they finally arrived, Luna was taken aback by the beauty of the place. The scenery was breathtaking, with a clear lake and tall trees surrounding them.The spot was surrounded by lush trees and a gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers. Luna felt a sense of calm wash over her, and she took a deep breath in. She turned to Harry and saw a smile on his face, which made her feel a little better.
Luna's heart fluttered with joy. She was determined to make the most of their time together and create new happy memories with Harry.
Harry holds Luna's hands " Let's go, we should go and sit there. The view is really nice there with tall trees and flowers also near the lake. Most people don't come that side ,so it will be peaceful "
Luna raises her eyebrow, how did Harry know about this? "How did you come to know? Did you come with Hermione and Ron?" Luna asked curiously.
Harry hesitated for a moment before responding. "No, actually... I never came here with them. I came here with Ginny a couple of times.It was always just me and Ginny."
Luna's heart sank at the mention of Ginny's name. She had always felt a twinge of jealousy whenever Harry talked about his ex-girlfriend, but hearing about a place that was special to them stung even more.
Luna felt a knot form in her stomach. She tried to keep her composure and not let her feelings show.
Harry seemed to sense Luna's discomfort and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Luna, I hope this isn't making you uncomfortable. I didn't mean to bring up Ginny."
Luna shook her head. "No, it's okay, Harry. I'm fine. Let's enjoy our picnic."
But Luna didn't want to ruin the day by dwelling on her negative thoughts. She tried to push them aside and focus on enjoying the present moment with Harry. She smiled brightly and unpacked the picnic basket she had prepared, pulling out sandwiches, fruit, and lemonade.
As they sat on the blanket and ate, Luna tried to engage Harry in conversation about their future plans and their work at the Ministry of Magic.
Luna tried to focus on Harry's words, but her mind kept wandering. She could feel the weight of her emotions crushing down on her, and it was getting harder to hide her feelings. She looked at Harry and tried to smile, but it felt forced and fake.
Harry noticed Luna's distant expression, and his brows furrowed with concern. "Luna, are you okay? You seem a bit distracted."
Luna blinked and tried to snap out of her thoughts. "Oh, yes, sorry Harry. I'm just a bit tired, I suppose," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Harry looked at her with a hint of suspicion, but he didn't push it any further. "Well, here's the ice cream. It's your favorite flavor," he said, handing her the cone.
Luna took the ice cream and looked at it without really seeing it. She forced herself to take a lick, but the taste felt like nothing. She could barely taste anything with the way her emotions were consuming her.
Harry continued talking, but Luna barely heard anything. She couldn't help but think about how much he must have loved Ginny if he had brought her to this place twice. She wondered if Harry would ever look at her the way he looked at Ginny, with such deep affection and love.
The thought made her heart ache, and she tried to push it away. She knew that she shouldn't be feeling this way, but she couldn't help it. She was always the odd one out, always the one who never fit in. And now, with Harry, she was just a friend, nothing more.
She tried to focus on Harry's words again, but it was like trying to catch a cloud. Everything felt fuzzy and far away. She tried to keep her smile on, but it felt like her face was cracking with the effort.
Harry looked at her again, and this time his concern was more evident. "Luna, are you sure you're okay? You seem really off today."
Luna tried to brush it off. "I'm fine, really. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."
But Harry wasn't convinced. "Is there something you want to talk about? You know you can always talk to me."
Luna's heart twisted at the kindness in Harry's voice. She wanted to pour out her feelings to him, to tell him everything that was going on inside her head. But she couldn't. She didn't want to burden him with her own insecurities and problems.
She forced a smile and shook her head. "No, really Harry. I'm okay. Just a bit distracted."
Harry sighed and looked at her with concern. "Okay, if you say so. But you know I'm here if you need me."
Luna nodded, and they fell into silence. Harry finished his ice cream, and Luna barely touched hers. She tried to enjoy the moment, to enjoy Harry's company, but it was getting harder by the second.
……….
Luna sat on the soft grass in Harry's backyard garden, gazing up at the endless expanse of stars above her. She had always found comfort in the vastness of the universe, but tonight, it only added to her overwhelming sense of insignificance.
She couldn't shake the feeling of insecurity that had been gnawing at her since their picnic earlier that day. She knew she shouldn't compare herself to Ginny, but she couldn't help but wonder if Harry was secretly thinking of her while they were there.
She felt empty, lost in her thoughts, and unable to escape the nagging feeling of jealousy and insecurity that had been creeping up on her all day. Harry had tried his best to distract her with their picnic, but it had only made things worse. She couldn't help but think about how many times he had been to that spot with Ginny.
Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear Harry approach until he sat down beside her, a steaming mug of hot chocolate in hand.
" Here you go, Luna," Harry said as he handed her a steaming cup of hot chocolate. "I hope this will warm you up."
"Thank you, Harry," Luna replied, trying to sound cheerful.
Harry sat down beside her and took a sip of his own hot chocolate. He looked up at the stars and said, "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?"
Luna took a sip of the hot chocolate, enjoying the warmth that spread through her body. She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts before speaking.
Luna nodded silently, her mind still preoccupied with her insecurities. She wondered if Harry was thinking about Ginny too.
" That's good," Luna said, taking another sip of the warm drink.
Harry smiled. "Yeah, it's my favorite recipe.
"You seem quiet, Luna," Harry said, breaking the silence. "Is something bothering you?"
Luna took a deep breath and tried to compose herself. She didn't want to burden Harry with her insecurities.
"No, I'm just tired," Luna lied.
Harry looked at her, concern etched on his face. "Are you sure that's all?"
Luna nodded, smiling weakly. ""I just...I can't stop thinking about today," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "That place we went to, it was special to you and Ginny, wasn't it?"
Harry's expression softened as he wrapped an arm around her. "Yes, it was," he said gently. "But that doesn't mean it can't be special for us too, Luna. We can make our own memories there."
Luna smiles weakly "sorry ,yes you're right. It's just silly. I'm just little tired "
Harry didn't push it any further, but Luna could see the concern in his eyes .She leaned into Harry's embrace, as Harry hugged her tightly kissing her forehead.
As the night wore on, Harry and Luna eventually retreated to their bed. Luna lay in bed, unable to sleep. She knew that she needed to confront her insecurities and talk to Harry about them, but she didn't know how to start the conversation. She didn't want to push him away, but she also didn't want to continue feeling like she was second best.
The night dragged on, and Luna tossed and turned, her mind racing with anxious thoughts. She knew that she needed to find a way to address her insecurities, but for now, all she could do was try to push them to the back of her mind and hope that things would work out in the end.