'A Nice Evening' A Lunarry fanfiction

Hi everyone. The following was originally going to be the second chapter of 'A Certain Romance', but I found it almost impossible to write at the time due to writer's block. However, after I finished the series, I went back to this draft of a chapter, and began re-working it. I'm sorry I wasn't able to publish it in sequence with the other chapter, but please consider it something of a out-take, if you will. Hope you like it!

(Music credits go to The Killers, The Style Council and Oasis. All credits to the original song-writers)

'I just can't look it's killing me

And taking control

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea…'

Harry gloomily stared over the Great Hall. There were still many couples dancing, but he only looking at one. Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory; who were swaying closely together in time with the song. Harry couldn't help but notice that their eyes kept meeting each other.

Harry's stomach lurched unpleasantly, like he was stuck in a particularly unpleasant dream.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ron glaring over at Hermione and Viktor Krum, who were dancing frenetically to the music. Ron looked like he wanted to kick something. No doubt that 'something' was a Bulgarian seekers' head.

Harry didn't recognise the song that the Weird Sisters were playing, but it seemed to sum up his current mood pretty much; lots of jealousy.

With a great crescendo, the song finished, and the dancing couples applauded.

'Well, this is fun.'

Harry turned. Parvati Patil was sat on his other side, looking irritable. He rubbed his neck guiltily.

'Sorry,' he mumbled, 'Would- would you like to dance again?'

Parvati gave a slight snort.

'What, and spend the entire time watching you moodily looking over at Cho and Cedric?' she spat, rolling her eyes. 'No thanks.'

Harry felt a slight blush appear on his cheeks. Was he being that obvious?

'Sorry,' he repeated.

Parvati gave a slight shrug, but softened a little when she saw Harry's miserable expression.

'It's okay,' she said, a little less harshly. 'I suppose I can see where you're coming from.'

She jerked her head towards another part of the dance floor, where Harry could just about see Lavender Brown applauding the band, having just finished dancing with Seamus Finnigan.

'I didn't know you fancied Seamus!' Harry exclaimed, very shocked.

Parvati gave him a slightly confused look; then rolled her eyes again.

'Not quite what I mean, but…whatever.'

'Excuse me, everyone; can I please have you attention please?'

Harry looked up to the stage; where, standing in front of the band, was the twins' friend Lee Jordan. He was smiling cheerfully, and was holding a large wooden bucket. Harry guessed, being the Quidditch commentator, Lee had been asked by the teachers to do the announcing for this.

'If everyone is ready, we'll begin the celebrity dance prize-draw!'

Harry tried not to groan. McGonagall had told him earlier about this; there was a prize-draw for a dance with the 'celebrities' present, all in aid of charity. Unfortunately, Viktor Krum and Harry himself were the only 'celebrities' who had put their names into the draw. He wouldn't have normally put his name forward, but McGonagall happened to have mentioned that the proceeds would be going to St Mungo's Orphanage. He couldn't really say no after that.

The assembled students all turned excitedly to face the stage.

Lee pushed his hand into the bucket (which, Harry presumed, held all the assembled student's names) and brought out a piece of paper. He unravelled the paper and spoke to the assembled crowd.

'And the student who will be dancing with Viktor Krum is…Padma Patil!'

There was a smattering of polite applause. Padma Patil stood up, gave Ron a slightly dismissive look, and marched over to the stage.

Harry felt his stomach knot tightly; was there a chance that he would end up drawing Cho Chang?

Lee reached into the bucket, and pulled out another piece of paper.

'And the person who will be dancing with Harry Potter is…Luna Lovegood!'

There was an outbreak of giggling from the Ravenclaws in the audience. Harry felt a lot of heads turning his way and smirking at him, which he found a little rude.

Harry tried to stop his heart filling with disappointment. He had met Luna before (during the dance practice lessons for the Yule Ball), and they had got along quite well. But he still would have liked to have been paired with Cho, as rude as that seemed to Luna.

'Er, where is Luna?' asked Lee, looking confused. Harry gave a quick scan of the assembled students; there was no sign of her.

He saw Professor Flitwick give a great sigh, and hurry out of the Great Hall. In a few minutes, he returned, followed by Luna Lovegood, who (as usual) looked like she had wandered in by accident.

'She put her name into the draw, but didn't realise she wouldn't be coming, being a third year.' Flitwick muttered to Lee, as he neared the stage. Luna came to stand by Harry.

'Er; hi,' said Harry, awkwardly. Luna was wearing her Gurdyroot earrings, which were drawing a lot of sniggering from the assembled on-lookers.

'Hello, Harry,' chirped Luna in a sing-song voice, grinning vaguely.

'Now, if everyone's normal partners could pair up, that would be great,' said Lee.

Hang on, thought Harry absentmindedly, if Krum's partner was Hermione, and Padma's was Ron, then…oh, this should be interesting…

Ron's face had gone bright red, and Harry could see Hermione's cheeks going pink. He smiled to himself, and nudged Ron in the back so that he stood up. Ron gave Harry a slightly helpless look and awkwardly wandered over to Hermione.

'Oh, Parvati,' called Lee, realising that, since Luna had no partner, there were one person short. 'Would you like to come and sing with the band? I've heard you're quite good.'

Parvati nodded, and trotted onto the stage, shaking hands with the members of The Weird Sisters, one of whom handed her a set-list.

'Daylight turns to moonlight, and I'm at my best

Praising the way it all works and gazing upon the rest….'

Harry vaguely remembered the song from his childhood. The memory seemed to contain Uncle Vernon angrily yelling at the radio about 'well-dressed socialists'.

Smiling slightly at the memory, Harry took Luna's hand and led her onto the dancefloor. Luna wasn't wearing dress-robes like everyone-else; instead, she was wearing a pair of very old and very tattered denim dungarees, which were covered in what looked like an explosion in an art exhibition. On her feet were a pair of scruffy muggle plimsolls.

Harry fought back a good-natured chuckle. Luna could hardly be accused of being boring. He could only imagine what would happen if Aunt Petunia saw her.

'The cool before the warm, the calm after the storm

Oh the cool before the warm, the calm after the storm

I wish to stay forever…'

Luna swayed slowly in time with the music, making lights from above dance in her enormous grey eyes.

Harry grinned, feeling far less nervous than he'd been earlier.

'Sorry about having to pull you in at the last minute, Luna.'

The Ravenclaw smiled. 'It's alright. I was hoping I might end up dancing with you, just like at the practice.'

Harry felt his face blush a little.

'Er, thanks.'

'You are most welcome.' Luna's cheeks dimpled, as she replied. 'I hope I'm not too much of a bad dancer.'

Harry shook his head. 'Nah, you're good. Although I don't think I'm much of a judge on the matter.'

Luna nodded solemnly.

'Very wise. Dancers have a remarkably short lifespan in the wizarding world. My father thinks it's a Ministry conspiracy.'

Harry nodded in polite agreement, having no idea what Luna was talking about. He wasn't complaining though.

From nearby, Harry could hear the sounds of Ron and Hermione talking, as they danced a few feet away.

'I'm- I'm sorry, Hermione.' Ron was saying, rubbing the back of his neck. 'I shouldn't have ignored you earlier.'

'That's okay, Ron.' Hermione said, smiling up at him. 'For my part, I'm sorry I didn't tell you who I was going with.'

'No problem.' Ron paused, thinking. 'Hang on; why didn't you tell me?'

Hermione looked down at her feet, blushing slightly.

'I thought you'd make fun of me.'

Ron reached out and touched Hermione's cheek with his hand. Hermione's eyes darted upwards, and Ron seemed to realise what he was doing. He hurriedly dropped his hand.

'I'm sorry you didn't feel comfortable telling me.' He muttered, the tips of his ears turning red. 'For the record, I wouldn't have. Er, made fun of you, I mean.'

Harry chuckled. His two friends were so oblivious to what was going on between them. Hopefully, they could work things out.

'Enjoying yourself, Harry?' Luna asked, as they danced.

Harry nodded.

'Yeah. I'm just glad Ron and Hermione have made things up between them.'

'So am I. They clearly care about each other a lot.'

Parvati did not return from the band after the song finished, so Harry and Luna continued to dance.

The next song began to play;

'And I said maybe…you're gonna be the one that saves me…'

Harry had never the song before. He guessed it was a muggle song, but (like most of the music from the evening so far) it seemed somewhat anachronistic.

Harry felt a little uncomfortable dancing to a love song, but Luna didn't seem to mind. If anything, her smile broadened and she drew herself slightly closer to Harry.

'Reminds me of a lullaby my mother used to sing.'

'R-really?' Harry stammered, feeling his face burn a little from the increased intimacy.

Luna nodded. Harry briefly considered asking Luna more about her mother, but decided against it. Besides, Luna was now resting her head on his chest, and Harry didn't want her to move.

She really was an interesting girl.

The song ended, and Luna took her head off Harry's chest (Harry felt a slight twinge of regret).

Harry's attention was diverted though, as he saw the events playing out nearby, where Ron and Hermione were standing, having just finished dancing. Viktor Krum was standing nearby, a somewhat more cheerful Padma Patil next to him.

Ron, blushing furiously, reached out and kissed Hermione quickly on the hand. As he hurriedly left, Hermione stared after him, her face turning redder by the second.

As Viktor Krum began to dance with her again, Hermione seemed disinterested, and her eyes kept landing on Ron, who was sat chatting with Neville and Ginny. Viktor Krum gave a little dejected sigh.

When they had all stopped dancing, the crowd slowly dispersed out into the entrance hall. Krum shook Hermione by the hand, and left to go to the Durmstrang ship. Hermione stared after him briefly, before walking back up the stairs, where Ron was waiting; a curiously shy expression on his face.

Parvati seemed to have wandered over to where Lavender and Seamus were standing with Neville and Dean. Harry guessed she probably wasn't all that fussed about walking back with him, and he couldn't say he really blamed her.

Hit by a sudden thought, Harry suggested that he walk Luna back to Ravenclaw Tower. Luna nodded happily, and the pair of them began to walk up the grand staircase.

Harry had never been nearby Ravenclaw tower before. He had mused occasionally on where it was, usually after he had seen Cho leaving the great hall in the evening.

Speaking of which, Harry could hear Cho talking to Cedric Diggory on the steps behind them. Harry gritted his teeth, feeling a little sorry for himself. But Luna gave him a small smile, and his uneasiness began to clear.

She was alright, Luna, Harry mused to himself. So what if he hadn't gone with Cho; he'd still had a decent time.

Harry was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Luna had stopped until she called his name.

Turning, he saw that Luna was standing nearby a tall staircase, which presumably led up to Ravenclaw tower.

'Er,' Harry mumbled, feeling awkward again. 'Thanks for the dance.'

Truly a man of great courage, Harry's brain groaned, reeling with embarrassment.

Before Harry could say anything else, though, Luna threw her arms around him, and hugged him tightly. Her long blonde hair seemed to smell of vanilla, and her skin felt soft and warm against Harry's robes.

'I really enjoyed myself, Harry!' Luna chirped, smiling at him. 'Thank you so much!'

Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she cast a backward glance at Harry, before she retreated up the staircase towards Ravenclaw Tower.

Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower, a warm glowing feeling in his stomach, and a sweet little smile on his face.

Neville, Dean and Seamus were playing exploding snap in the common-room, but Harry waved them all good night and climbed up the staircase to the boys' dormitory.

Ron was already in bed and wearing his maroon pyjamas; his awful-looking robes were stuffed unevenly back into the trunk below his bed. Harry made a mental note to buy Ron some new dress-robes for his next birthday.

'You had a good evening, mate?' Harry asked, as he climbed into bed.

'Er, yeah,' Ron mumbled, his eyes still red. Harry couldn't help noticing that Ron was tentatively touching the same spot on his left cheek. Harry made another mental note to ask Hermione how her evening had gone. 'Not too bad. Yourself?'

'Not too bad.' Harry said, pulling his hangings over his bed. 'Night…'

'Night, mate.'

Harry took off his glasses, and climbed under his sheets, smiling broadly. It had been a nice evening after all…