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he looked over his shoulder at her and for a moment he wondered if she was simply pulling his leg.Ā but she seemed so thoughtful and lost at once over his comment that he couldnāt help but thing it was genuine after all,Ā and if thatĀ Ā amused himĀ at all,Ā it was nobodyās business to know that he almost smiled.Ā kenneth simply shook his head and peeled a hand out of his cloak,Ā gloved in leatherĀ Ā and nearly camouflaged against the skeletal head of the death horse.Ā Ā āĀ no.Ā it just means youāre ā¦Ā Ā you have nerve.Ā youāre gryffindor,Ā so i suppose that is not surprising.Ā āĀ Ā hagrid was a name and face heād only seen in passing,Ā but kenneth by no means had ever spoken to the giant.Ā he didnnāt think he ever would,Ā so he shook his head again in answer and turned his eyes away.Ā if the girl wasĀ Ā unwanted by most,Ā maybe they had that in common.Ā they both seemed at peace with their own lonesomeness and without grief for it.Ā at least,Ā thatās what kenneth thought.Ā Ā ā Ā why do you say that?Ā āĀ Ā he asked,Ā brow furrowed and mildly perplexed.Ā anyone else would think he looked angry.Ā Ā ā Ā have you done them wrong?Ā ā
kenneth watched quietly as the creature lulled its head into her palm,Ā Ā as if greeting an old friend.Ā Ā itās smoke mane curled against her wrist,Ā seemingly at ease to be surrounded by chatter and living beings.Ā at the offer,Ā he considered a moment before his odd-eyed stare moved back to her face.Ā he braced a hand against theĀ Ā death horseāsĀ neck,Ā leaning his weight nonchalantly against the beast,Ā and studied the girl with intent.Ā Ā āĀ to the horse or the girl?Ā iād like to know your name.Ā ā
herĀ gazeĀ turnsĀ fromĀ theĀ threstal,Ā peeringĀ upĀ atĀ himĀ withĀ intrigue.Ā heĀ thinksĀ sheĀ isĀ aĀ gryffindor?Ā itāsĀ aĀ fairĀ assumption,Ā sheāsĀ wearingĀ noneĀ ofĀ herĀ uniform,Ā onlyĀ anĀ oddĀ mixĀ ofĀ aĀ raggedyĀ cardiganĀ andĀ aĀ skirtĀ decoratedĀ inĀ seaglassĀ draping.Ā allĀ ofĀ herĀ clothingĀ isĀ craft - madeĀ inĀ thisĀ way.Ā Ā āĀ Ā iāmĀ actuallyĀ inĀ ravenclaw, Ā āĀ Ā lunaĀ tellsĀ him.Ā Ā ā Ā butĀ iāmĀ delightedĀ youĀ thinkĀ iĀ couldĀ beĀ aĀ gryffindor!Ā thatāsĀ veryĀ kind.Ā āĀ Ā sheĀ offersĀ himĀ aĀ flatteredĀ smile.Ā itāsĀ notĀ oftenĀ sheĀ hearsĀ positiveĀ thingsĀ aboutĀ herself.Ā Ā āĀ Ā honestly,Ā iĀ thinkĀ theĀ requirementsĀ forĀ housesĀ areĀ aĀ littleĀ silly.Ā noĀ bodyĀ canĀ beĀ onlyĀ oneĀ orĀ twoĀ things...Ā andĀ mostly,Ā weĀ overlap.Ā butĀ itāsĀ niceĀ thatĀ theĀ sortingĀ hatĀ hasĀ aĀ job,Ā isnātĀ it?Ā Ā ------Ā Ā doĀ youĀ haveĀ housesĀ atĀ yourĀ school?Ā Ā ā
herĀ eyesĀ driftĀ backĀ toĀ theĀ creature,Ā whoĀ pressesĀ againstĀ herĀ hand,Ā happyĀ toĀ haveĀ herĀ attentionĀ backĀ uponĀ them.Ā Ā ā Ā iĀ donātĀ thinkĀ so,Ā atĀ least,Ā iĀ hopeĀ not.Ā Ā āĀ Ā sheĀ hasĀ noĀ desireĀ toĀ doĀ anyoneĀ wrong,Ā especiallyĀ notĀ herĀ classmates.Ā Ā ā Ā though...Ā iĀ thinkĀ theyĀ findĀ meĀ quiteĀ strange.Ā Ā āĀ Ā lunaāsĀ featuresĀ donātĀ shift,Ā asĀ ifĀ indifferentĀ toĀ theirĀ views.Ā perhapsĀ itāsĀ simplyĀ acceptance.Ā whateverĀ itĀ is,Ā sheāsĀ notĀ obliviousĀ toĀ it...Ā butĀ sheāsĀ notĀ lettingĀ itĀ in.
ā Ā both!Ā Ā āĀ Ā sheĀ exclaimsĀ withĀ delight.
theĀ creatureĀ turnsĀ itāsĀ head,Ā slowly,Ā asĀ inĀ unsureĀ ofĀ whatĀ toĀ makeĀ ofĀ theĀ newcomer.Ā butĀ itĀ doesnātĀ moveĀ away.Ā itāsĀ hollowĀ eyesĀ seemĀ toĀ boreĀ intoĀ him,Ā headĀ tiltingĀ Ā ------Ā Ā ā Ā iĀ thinkĀ theyāreĀ interestedĀ inĀ you,Ā Ā āĀ Ā lunaĀ smiles.Ā Ā ā Ā oh,Ā howĀ rudeĀ ofĀ me!Ā myĀ nameĀ isĀ luna.Ā lunaĀ lovegood.Ā Ā āĀ Ā perhapsĀ heādĀ heardĀ theĀ mockeryĀ allĀ ready.Ā Ā ā Ā andĀ yourĀ name?Ā Ā ā