Round 4 – Don't Take Things Out Of Context!

Team - Wasps

Chaser 1 prompt – "I don't know how I got stuck under there. It was just a … uh, hilarious chain of events." Impractical Jokers

Optional Prompts – (word) chivalrous, (object) pendant, (quote) "She didn't want to be insignificant anymore." – Circle of Shadows, Evelyn Skye.

I also used the optional prompt (quote) "I reserve actual terror for only the most special of occasions" – Montress, Majorie Liv & Sana Takeda, but I am not declaring it for bonus prompts. NOT FOR BONUS. I just really liked the quote as dialogue for my story.

Luna swam. Down into the depths of the Great Lake, she surged toward the glowing pendant below. With another strong kick of her legs and a pull of her arms, hair flowing behind her in flashing golden tendrils in the sunlight, Luna was almost there. Her lungs were already beginning to burn with the desire for air, but she would be back at the surface shortly. She stretched out her hand and delicately scooped up the bracelet, enclosing her fingers around the hare pendant that hung from the golden chain, pressing it into her palm as its glow faded. She had finally found it.

A feeling of warmth spread through her as she held the bracelet lovingly next to her chest. Satisfied that she had regained what she had swum down to get, Luna pulled her feet to the large rocks at the bottom of the lake, acquiring the leverage needed to propel herself to the surface.

She felt it the moment her foot slipped between the rocks and her ankle became trapped, the edges of the stone scraping against her tender flesh. Frantically, she tried to pull her ankle free, letting out a burst of bubbles at the pain. Luna searched the water around her in desperate hopes of finding something, anything to help her move the heavy rock.

Nothing. There was nothing that could set her free.

Luna tugged at her foot again, pulled with all her might, ignoring the pain of the rock biting into her skin. If anything, it only slid deeper into the tight crevice. Slipping her bracelet onto her wrist, she reached down and began to dig, frenzied fingers burrowing deep into the sand, trying to find the base of the rock. Maybe, if she could dig it out, she could move it just enough to release her ankle, but there was nothing to hold onto. Just a smooth, slippery, algae covered rock, deeply embedded in the bottom of the lake. The soft sand floated up around her with every feverish scoop, burning her eyes and making it difficult to see, but she kept digging.

Fuzz began to blossom in the very edges of Luna's mind. Her lungs begged for air, but she could feel weakness spreading through her muscles, and a sense of resignation came over her. Luna stared at her bracelet, the eyes of the hare staring right back. Maybe it was her time to go. If so, she wouldn't need to hold a hare pendant to feel close to her mother.

It was a beautiful thought.

Maybe death had a certain beauty to it if you looked at in the right light. Her lungs might be burning, desperately pleading for air, her foot trapped within the earth at the bottom of the lake, making it impossible to comply, but despite that, it was a beautiful way to go. Around her, golden chains of light wound their way through the blue-tinted water, down into the depths. They reminded Luna of how her bracelet had shone that day her mother had given it to her all those years ago. Now, those glowing golden chains embraced her, comforted her, gently taking her hand to lead her to her next adventure.

As her vision began to fade, she admired the world she would soon leave behind, the shadows of life that swam just above her. Those creatures had such a beautiful place to live. Oh, and they were coming to say farewell.

Then, Luna was suddenly weightless, floating up, up, up. Arms were around her, cradling her as she said goodbye to life. Not a creature, but a person, Luna realized.

Suddenly, air was bursting into her, ripping through her, pleasant and painful at the same time. Luna coughed and hacked as she was dragged to shore, the cool breeze a welcome force hitting her throat. She was pulled up onto the grass, the soft blades of green sticking to her wet skin.

"For Merlin's sake, Luna," said a familiar voice. "Are you alright?"

"Harry!" she breathlessly made out between coughs, her lungs, desperate to be rid of every last drop of water.

"Just, uh, just breathe," he suggested, his own a bit ragged.

Of course, she thought wryly, she would try the best she could, but Luna smiled, knowing he was only trying to help.

With one last effort to clear her airway, Luna collapsed onto her back. She was alive.

"What happened?" he asked.

"I…I don't know how I got stuck under there. It was just a… uh, hilarious chain of events," she offered.

"Hilarious? What's so funny about nearly drowning?" He looked at her, brows drawn together with skepticism.

Well, it was quite the tale. Luna guessed she probably could have thought things through a bit better. Even so, it was rather an unexpected adventure.

"It started with a conversation I had with Padma," she began, still struggling to contain her heavy breathing. "You see, we were talking about everything that was going on and got on the topic of family, and, well… it got me thinking of my mother."

"Why don't you tell me on the way to the hospital wing?" Harry must have predicted the length of the story and wanted to make sure she was alright first. Luna didn't like being rushed along, but his eyes were soft, knowing, kind.

"Really, Harry. I think I'm quite alright," she assured him, her breath finally coming deep and even. She was also rather tired and wanted to rest for a moment before going anywhere.

Seeing that she wasn't about to move anytime soon, Harry sighed, quickly pulling out his wand and muttering a drying spell over the both of them.

"The conversation of family and my mother," Luna reminded him before continuing. "I liked remembering and wanted to do more of it. I always feel closest to her when I'm holding my bracelet." She held it up for emphasis. "It's the hare pendant. That was her animal, you know. The one she said she took after, and if given the choice, would one day come back to life as." She trailed off, reminiscing. "Anyways, I went back to my room and opened my drawer, and it was missing!"

"So, you had to find it," Harry stated empathetically. He knew all too well the pain of losing a parent.

Luna nodded. "I suspected it was the Nargles because they've been taking quite a few of my belongings lately." She knew he didn't completely believe that the creatures existed, but was touched that he didn't say so now. "Luckily, I charmed the bracelet so that I could make it glow very brightly and find it if I ever lost it. It came in quite handy now."

"Why didn't you just Accio-"

"You don't think it would cause some damage to be smacked in the head with a bracelet whipping by at extremely high speeds?"

"I guess," he agreed, yet not completely convinced.

"I looked all over the castle, and I couldn't find it. But then, I overheard someone saying they saw something glowing at the bottom of the lake! That was when I ran into you!"

"That's why you were so excited." Harry scratched the back of his head with one hand. "I was a bit curious, to be honest. Very mysterious the way you said it, that you were going to regain something that was hidden in the deepest of waters or something like that." He paused. "It's what made me come out here actually. I saw your wand sitting there by the edge of the lake."

"I knew where my bracelet was, I just needed to swim down there, grab it, and then come back up. It didn't really work out that way, did it?" she acknowledged. "Granted, it probably would have helped to have my wand. You see, I needed both hands for the swimming part, and I didn't want to lose my wand down there too. Everything was going fine at the beginning, the water was a bit cold and the lake was deeper than I'd realized, but I got down to my bracelet without encountering any problems. It was just the end bit that went a little … funny.'

"I'm sorry, I don't see the hilarity. You nearly drowned! Were you not afraid?"

Luna smiled. "I reserve actual terror for only the most special of occasions."

"And those are?" he asked.

"I think you know, Harry Potter," she replied softly. "The fear of losing someone you love. Once you feel that gut-wrenching terror, like when I lost my mother, nothing else quite compares." Luna paused, considering her next words carefully. "It's why you swam down after me, isn't it?"

Harry looked at her, those piercing green eyes seeming to see into her very soul. Then, he cast his gaze back to the lake. "We should go. Get Madame Pomfrey to at least make certain that there's nothing wrong." Clearing his throat, he stood up and held out his hand for her.

Luna's heart dropped. Of course, he wouldn't think of her that way. Even if he did, he wouldn't acknowledge it. She was Looney Lovegood, after all. Luna sighed and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

She shivered as the breeze began to pick up.

"Here." Harry took off his jacket and carefully draped it around her shoulders.

"How chivalrous," Luna commented with a small smile.

"I…" Harry seemed as though he wanted to say something, something that was desperately prickling the tip of his tongue. Yet, he thought better of it. "Let's go."

Luna took a step forward to walk with him and stopped. Harry was right, she could have died today. She would have moved on to the next life without ever knowing, without ever asking, without ever feeling. Luna had always accepted that others might think she was small and unworthy of companionship. She was different. Her father had always said it was a good sort of different, but the other students didn't think that way. Harry had always been different as well, and she thought… no, now she would know. She didn't want to be insignificant anymore.

"Harry Potter, stop," Luna commanded.

Startled, he turned to her.

"I know how others see me, but I thought you were different," she began.

"Luna -"

"Are we friends?"

Harry hesitated a moment. "I suppose so."

"Do you ever wonder if there isn't something more?"

"More?" His eyes were glued on her feet.

She smiled, though her heart pounded in her chest. He was cute when he was nervous and a bit awkward. It was now or never.

Luna took a step to bridge the gap between them, raised herself up on her toes, and gently kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for saving my life, Harry," she whispered.

"Just being chivalrous, as you put it."

Luna slid her hand into his, tilting her head as she judged his reaction. She thought he might pull away, but instead, he gave her fingers a little squeeze.

"If I agree to go to the hospital wing," she started, emboldened by his small action, "would you get a butterbeer with me during the next Hogsmeade trip?"

Harry seemed to consider it for a moment, but Luna could see the grin pulling at the edges of his lips.

"It's a deal."

Once again, I have Hemlockonium to thank for how this story turned out. She was my amazing beta on this, along with savedprincess85 who helped with a last read through!