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"What do you mean?"
"I have more friends than I've ever had before," she says, "I was friends with Ginny before Hogwarts, but she made a lot more friends when she got here. I didn't, until you came along."
I squeeze her against me, and she lays her head against my chest and sighs happily. "Nobody took the time to get to know you, and they've really missed out because of it. Stupid Ravenclaws."
"Oh, we're not that bad," she counters. "A lot of us are just shy, especially around new people."
"Well, maybe so, but the fact remains that they've missed out," I say. "I don't know how anybody could not love you."
This causes her to stiffen in my arms. "What did you say?"
"I said I don't know how anybody could not love you, once they get to know you. I know I do, and I'm sure Harry and Hermione do. Most likely Neville, too." At this point I'm practically carrying her around, but she's so light it's hardly noticeable.
"You...love me?"
I chuckle softly. "Yes, I love you. I had figured you noticed by now, the way you noticed Harry, Hermione, and me. I got to know you, didn't I? You're the most genuine person I know. In fact, I sort of adopted a bit of your personality since meeting you." I should have realized that when Hermione jokingly asked if Luna and I were related, but it didn't occur to me until today when I boasted about my gift of truth.
"Although, I admit you're much better at acting like you than I am."
She doesn't answer for a short time. "I should hope so, I would feel quite redundant, otherwise."
That gets me shaking with laughter. "Oh, I think the world would be a far happier place with more Lunas in it. You, Neville, Harry, Hermione..."
"You, too," she says, but I shake my head and my mirth drains away.
"No, not me. You are all the best sort of people. At best I'm a poor imitation of you, and that's only one of my many acts. My masks."
She doesn't answer right away, but she relaxes and goes back to floating around the dance floor. "You use them for good, though. I stand by my previous statement."
I respond by holding her tighter. I don't have the heart to point out that she might change her mind, depending on what happens at the end of this year.
Nor do I point out where roads paved with good intentions may lead. It's selfish, but just for now I want to pretend I'm the person she thinks I am. I can pretend that I feel like she understands on some level what I'm trying to do.
We finish out the song in silence, as if she also knows what I'm getting from this. I love her for it.
"I sort of missed the moment, but I love you too, William," she says, just before we break apart.
I smile and kiss her on top of the head, in my usual spot. "You didn't miss it at all." Then I let go with one arm, and we walk away to find Hermione with Luna still tucked tightly against my body. We run into our target with Ron as they make their way off the dance floor.
"You two look cozy," she says, reminding me of our first mini-Ball, except she's smiling when she says it this time. "Trade?"
"Okay," I say cheekily, "but I haven't tried this with another guy before."
"Uh..." Ron says.
"Just go with it, Ron," I say in a stage whisper, "this way we could get to see Hermione and Luna dancing together."
"I think I would enjoy dancing with Hermione," Luna says dreamily.
"Me too," I say with a grin.
Hermione rolls her eyes and grabs my hand. "Come on, pervert. You owe me another dance."
"Yes, ma'am."
"I liked it better when you called me 'milady.'"
"Very well, milady. I know how you prefer to be the dom—"
"Not the perverted way, prat," she cuts in. "You know, when you used to treat me nicely."
"You wound me, milady! Why, I would move a mountain for you, if it pleased you. I would dig you an ocean, if you wanted to frolic in the surf. I would lasso the moon and pull it closer if it made your night just a little brighter. I would stop the very Sun in the sky if—"
"Stop," she says, laughing. "I get it, I get it."
"Phew, that's good," I say with exaggerated relief, "I was running out of ways to escalate the description of my devotion to you. I was going to have to go all cosmological on you."
She snorts. "So what have you been up to? I saw you looking mischievous a little while ago."
"I may have tried to ask Fleur to dance," I say with a grin.
"Oh no, what happened?"
"Well, she really cranked up her Veela jets on me and Harry," I say. "It didn't affect Harry, of course, but I could barely think straight. I only just managed to ask her to introduce me to her friend."
Her eyes widen and she gasps. "You didn't!"
I grin widely. "How many times are you going to doubt my stories?"
She laughs. "Oh my goodness, William, what did she do?"
"Well they all just stood there in shock for a few seconds until Harry made up a story about me wanting to talk to her friend all night. Then he asked Fleur to dance and did damage control for me. He's a good man, our Harry."
"And the girl?"
"Veronique Dubois, another Seventh Year at Beauxbatons. Kind of reminded me of you, actually, except not as pretty." I enjoy the slight blush rising on her cheeks.
"You should dance with a guy from there, if you haven't already, and get him to tell you about it. I found it rather interesting."
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Hey guys if u like the fanfic and want to read ahead by 27+ chapters or just want to support take a visit on my patreon.
(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)
http://patreon.com/Marin_kitawaga