Realising she'd upset the girl, Hermione reached her own hand across to Luna and said, "I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't mean to offend you. It's just an incredible, almost unbelievable, gift you have. It's taking me a little while to come to terms with the knowing of it."
The younger Ravenclaw thought about that for a while before she relaxed and smiled back. "Thank you."
Harry cleared his throat lightly and asked the girl, "So, Luna; what do you have on, class-wise, today?"
"Double Arithmancy, this morning," she said. "Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic is after lunch; and Astronomy, tonight."
"A big day, then," Harry said. "We've got a double Transfiguration, this morning. Then a single Potions, this afternoon. And, I think our Astronomy lesson is immediately after yours, tonight."
As they ate their breakfasts, Daphne became more and more friendly towards Luna. And, she, back with them. Of course, Harry and Hermione had been friends with the younger girl through their original fifth and sixth years; so, were very happy to make sure that was a friendship that would be renewed.
More than halfway through breakfast, Ron Weasley came running in through the door. As he headed over to the Gryffindor table he spotted the three sitting with Luna at the Ravenclaw table. He, again, blanched a little before hurrying away from them, clearly in fear.
Luna, who had seen the exchange, said, "You've scared Ronald."
"Yes, Luna, we have," said Harry. "Even after the attempts by both him and his sister in dosing us with illegal potions, this morning he tried to lie to us and tell us it was just a prank; and implied that we should just forget about it.
"We impressed upon him that we believe it was most certainly not a prank, and that he and his sister should stay away from us, in future. We were quite forceful with that impression, and may have even made a significant threat or two. Not that we're admitting to doing such a heinous thing, mind."
Luna grinned back. "I'm glad," she said. "He's a horrid, horrid boy. And I'm glad to see you've come to realise that. But, I'm very disappointed with Ginny. We used to be friends."
After morning classes they, again, sat with Luna for lunch. Though it now appeared the rest of the 'Claws were leaving the younger girl alone due to Professor Flitwick finally stepping in, they still didn't choose to involve her in what they were doing outside of class. Harry wanted to make sure her time, from this point on, was not as lonely or hurtful for the girl.
Of course, having been friends before, they knew some of the girl's history, from what she'd told them in that timeline. That included how she had lost her mother when she was nine; when her mother died in her arms due to an explosion relating to a spell experiment.
It was at lunch that Luna revisited the topic of the bonds.
"I see you still haven't initiated the bond between Hermione and Daphne yet," she said.
Both girls immediately blushed and looked around to see if anyone had overheard the younger girl. Then Hermione leaned forward and quietly said, "We don't know if we want to or should."
Frowning back in confusion, Luna asked, "Why ever not?"
Blushing even more, Hermione replied in almost a whisper, "Because we don't know how we'd be able to finalise it."
Luna looked back and seemed to be thinking for a while. She finally said, "A suitably intimate event would do it. And you won't find out how in any book, either."
Seeing that his two bondmates were getting horribly embarrassed by the turn of conversation, Harry decided to take pity on them. He got the younger girl's attention and asked, "Luna, as you'd know, this is a very important matter for us. However, it's not something we should be discussing in a public place like the Great Hall, because it's also a private matter for us. Would you mind joining us in our apartment, after your last afternoon class, and discussing it with us there?
"I promise, if the talk goes on for too long, we'll use our house elf, Dobby, to provide us with an evening meal in the apartment. And, we'll also make sure you get back to your dorm so you can get a kip in before your Astronomy class, later tonight."
"Your apartment isn't infested with Blibbering Humdingers, is it?" she asked.
"We wouldn't know, Luna," he replied. "None of us have your ability to see them. I think your ability to see them might have something to do with your ability to see auras."
With a little moue of disappointment, Luna said, "I'll talk to Professor Sprout, at some time... or, maybe Neville Longbottom... and see if they have any dirigible plum bushes here. You might want to keep a potted dirigible plum bush in your apartment. They'll help you see and understand.
"Plus, Blibbering Humdingers don't like them. That's why we have them growing in the garden around our home."
"And they smell nice," Harry added with a smile. "Thank you, Luna. That would be very nice of you."
"And I'd love to join you in your apartment after class this afternoon," she said. "You're behind Professor Whittaker, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are," Harry replied, surprised she knew that.
"I like Professor Whittaker," she said. "He tells great stories."
"You've... talked to him before?" asked Daphne, a little confused.
"Oh, yes," Luna replied. "When the eagle that guards the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room used to get confused and wouldn't let me in, Professor Whittaker would let me in to the apartment there, so I had somewhere to sleep at night."
Knowing why the eagle got 'confused', as did Harry, Hermione asked, "Has the eagle gotten confused since Professor Flitwick had a chat with the whole House yesterday?" It took her taking full control of her Occlumency to allow her to ask that without getting angry. From the feelings he was getting from the two girls, Harry also knew that they knew what the 'confused eagle' actually meant.
"No, not yet," the younger girl replied.
"Well, if it does, you come and have a short chat with Professor Whittaker again," Hermione firmly said. "You say to him 'Double-H Dee', and he'll let you in. Then, you can come in and talk to us, and even stay for the night. Alright?"
With a big beaming smile, Luna replied, "Alright. That would be nice. Thank you."
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