A/N: Written for the Quidditch League Competition round 2 as keeper for the Arrows: Write about a character who has a lot of influence or control over something/someone.

Also written for Hogwarts assignment 8 - Contemporary Circus Performance task 1: Write about someone having a deep fascination with something or someone.

Thank you to Shay for beta reading.

This is a soulbond AU.

Warning for bullying and hexes.

Word count: 1,938

Luna Lovegood was fascinating.

None of Ginny's friends understood why the redhead spent their classes staring at the Ravenclaw. Everyone dismissed Luna as spacey and more than a little odd, but that was what had drawn Ginny to her in the first place. Luna never let anyone else's perception change her whereas Ginny struggled daily to be as strong and quick-witted as her friends expected her to be. She wanted the ease that Luna had with herself.

But it wasn't just Luna's personality. The other girl was also gorgeous, something that couldn't go unnoticed. Ginny often spaced out in class only to be jolted back to reality when Julia hit her arm with a small, knowing smirk before turning back to the professor.

Ginny's friends had been making jokes for years that Luna and Ginny certainly had a soulbond, but Ginny didn't dare get her hopes up, even if Luna affected her more than any one person ever should have.

It was the worst in Transfiguration. The subject required a precision that didn't come naturally to Luna (or Ginny for that matter). The blonde chewed on her lip as she tried repeatedly to transfigure the day's object. Sometimes, she'd get a dreamy, far off look in her eye, but she never looked at Ginny, remaining completely oblivious to the fact that she was responsible for Ginny's ever falling grades in the class.

Meanwhile, Ginny's object sat forgotten as Ginny analyzed every crease in Luna's brow and the sharp determination in her eyes. It was only because of her friends that McGonagall rarely noticed how distracted she was, but even they couldn't save her from every single one of the indignant squawks and ribbits of forgotten animals on her desk. Noises which only Luna never seemed to hear.

Luna remained the only classmate who Ginny had never spoken to. The thought of actually speaking to her sent chills down Ginny's spine, and she kept putting it off, not sure if reality would live up to the version of Luna she had constructed in her own mind.

Did she even want to find out?

If something happened between them, Ginny knew she would do anything Luna asked of her, and that sounded dangerous, especially as the wizarding world inched closer and closer to war. Ginny prided herself on being an independent person, of not needing anyone, yet she wanted nothing more than to be around Luna Lovegood.

The frog she was meant to be turning into a jewelry box apparently felt the same way. Long forgotten, he decided that Luna's desk was a better place to be than Ginny's. He hopped over without Ginny noticing a thing.

Luna had dyed one strand of her hair a bright pink the night before, and Ginny couldn't stop staring at it and wondering what had prompted the change in appearance.

She wouldn't have even heard the frog croak if Luna hadn't scooped it up when it did so. She glanced around the room in search of who it belonged to, and only then did Ginny glance down and see that her desk was decidedly frog-less. Her eyes flickered to McGonagall, but their professor was busy helping Miranda sort out the simple box she'd managed to transfigure that was covered in frog skin.

Luna's eyes found Ginny quickly, and casting her own quick glance at McGonagall, she hurried over with the frog cupped in her hands.

"I believe Dylan is yours," she said, holding out the frog.

Ginny stared back until her mind caught up and realized that Dylan was supposed to be the frog. She smiled as she took the frog, placing it safely back on her desk.

"Thanks," she said, her cheeks warming even as she kept the smile on her lips confident.

Julia giggled beside her, and Ginny fought the urge to jinx her. That could come later. Really, she'd probably have to jinx each of her friends once they heard how out of sorts she'd become just because Luna had spoken to her for the first time.

"Of course, Julia," Luna said brightly.

Ginny's eyes widened.

"Oh, I'm not…"

She trailed off, not sure how to explain Luna's mistake in a way that wasn't embarrassing for both of them.

"I'm not Julia," she said, widening her smile. "This is Julia." She motioned at her friend. "I'm Ginny."

"Oops," Luna said, her own gaze wide as she realized her mistake. She seemed genuinely shaken by it, and Ginny fought the urge to assure her that everything was fine. "I guess I haven't been paying enough attention."

A million thoughts raced through Ginny's mind as she started to grow just a bit more comfortable with the situation.

"Maybe that will change in the future."

She tilted her head to the side and learned forward, keeping her gaze firmly on Luna. Luna's cheeks reddened as she stared down at her.

Before she could answer, McGonagall's voice broke through the silence.

"Miss Lovegood, please return to your seat!"

Luna hardly spared the professor a glance as she scurried back to her desk, but her gaze still flickered to Ginny several times as the class progressed. Ginny fought every second to keep her posture upright and confident, not once letting on just how on edge she felt each time Luna's eyes glanced towards her.

Soulbonds were one of the oldest types of magic, but few people got to experience them. For thousands of years, parents had told their children not to get their hopes up. They were more likely to become Minister for Magic than find a soulbond.

As Ginny continued to watch Luna from afar, she didn't let herself dwell too much on the possibility that she'd be one of the lucky few. Sure, she was far too aware that she and Luna had never so much as brushed fingers, something which would tell them right away whether they were bonded, but that didn't mean anything. With the chance of a soulbond nearly nonexistent, Ginny only let herself dwell on the possibility during late nights when she was curled up in the safety of her bed and unable to sleep.

But as time wore on, the possibility of it itched at her. She needed to know for sure. Even if they weren't destined to have that kind of connection, Ginny would feel better knowing for sure.

Luna had paid her only a little bit of attention since that day in the Transfiguration classroom. She'd taken to greeting Ginny before classes and saying goodbye afterward, but that was it. They never sat next to each other, and Luna never even glanced her way while she worked, though Ginny couldn't complain about that when it gave her ample opportunity to continue studying the other girl.

Eventually, though, she cracked. They parted ways after a particularly grueling Potions class where Ginny had watched with fascination as Luna's brow wrinkled with concentration as she cut up some cockroaches just right.

Ginny had Charms next while Luna had a free period (not that Ginny had mapped out the other girl's schedule), and Ginny had been prepared to go straight to her class like she always did, but something nagged at the back of her mind.

There was a Hogsmeade weekend soon. If ever there was a time for Ginny to say something, it was as an invitation to Hogsmeade. So, she turned back, ignoring the giggles of her friends as she did so, and headed down the corridor Luna had taken.

She wasn't sure if she'd be able to catch up to the other girl or not. Luna was mysterious despite how much time Ginny spent staring at her. There was a good chance she'd be long gone, having turned down some corridor that Ginny couldn't decipher.

Instead, Ginny found her not that far from the classroom.

She wasn't alone. Malfoy and his lackeys had cornered her. Ginny's blood surged as she took in Luna pressed against the wall with Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle laughing as they surrounded her in a half circle.

The ringing in her ears drowned out the words Malfoy was saying, but Luna's wide eyes shining with fear was enough for Ginny to spring into action.

She whipped out her wand before any of the boys realized she was there and shot a Bat-Bogey Hex straight at Draco Malfoy.

He gave a shout, trying to cover his nose and reach for his wand at the same time. Crabbe and Goyle turned to Ginny, their own eyes wide. Ginny pointed her wand straight at Goyle's face, and he and Crabbe took off down the hallway without so much as a glance over their shoulder

Malfoy was still struggling to find his wand, which he had apparently misplaced in the pockets of his robes.

"You'll regret this, Weasel," he growled, bats still flying from his nose.

He gave her one last glare, which lost its effect as a particularly fast bat zoomed out of his nostril, and hurried after his supposed friends in the opposite direction of where Ginny stood.

Ginny watched him go, making sure he was safely out of sight before she turned to Luna. The Ravenclaw was slumped against the wall, her blue eyes wide as she stared at Ginny.

Taking a step closer, Ginny held out a hand without considering the consequences. She only wanted to help in any way possible. Luna blinked at it once before taking it, pushing herself off the wall as she did so.

Neither was prepared for the rush of adrenaline that coursed through their veins the second their hands touched. Ginny's grip tightened around Luna's hand instinctively. It was both exactly like the books described and more than that at the same time. Ginny gasped for breath as she stared at Luna, who stared back just as intensely.

It was the first time Ginny had achieved the other girl's full and undivided attention, and every cell in her body sang with satisfaction. She wanted to bask in it forever. She couldn't imagine separating, of not having Luna's hand in her own.

Time warped between them. Ginny couldn't tell how long they stood there staring at each other before she spoke in a shaky voice.

"I thought maybe…" She trailed off, not sure how to properly explain herself. "This felt like a pipe dream."

Luna blinked slowly. For once, she wasn't staring off into space or thinking of creatures far away from where she currently stood. She was entirely present in the moment.

"The bonds were supposed to just be a myth," she said softly. "They're a way of the Ministry keeping everyone content so no one questions the army of snifflewings they're amassing in the Department of Mysteries."

But the way she said it made it clear that she didn't—couldn't—believe such a thing any longer.

Ginny laughed, not the least bit perturbed to learn that her fascination with Luna hadn't been entirely returned. It was enough that they had both felt the connection between them. It was a connection that couldn't be ignored, and it was clear that it had put things in a different perspective for Luna.

Ginny stepped closer, a shiver traveling down her spine when she noticed Luna's gaze flicker to her lips.

"I suppose we still have some getting to know each other to do then," Ginny said quietly.

Luna nodded jerkily, and Ginny smirked at the evidence that, for once, she had just as much influence over Luna as the other girl had already held over her.

She leaned forward and connected their lips, fireworks igniting as she did so.