As the person on the other end of the door seemed to be stuck to the doorbell, Harry Potter muttered a loud curse and rushed to open it. Weekdays really were a pain, more so when Hermione was not around.
Thanks to the irregularity of his job timings, Harry was snoozing at home, while Hermione had rushed off to take care of an emergency patient.
"I'm coming," he shouted, as the doorbell rang again. Finally reaching the door, he yanked it open, his mouth itching to curse the bane of his current existence. "Ron?"
"Close your mouth Harry," said Ron, and quickly stepped within the interior of the house. "You alone?" he asked.
"Yeah. Hermione is at Mungo's," he said, closing the door and inviting his friend in. "What's up?" he asked, noting the upset expression on his friends face.
"She hates me. She thinks I'm some monster who lurks under beds at nights," muttered Ron.
"Well you do lurk under beds often," said Harry, recalling the many occasions when he had woken up to find Ron curled up below either his own or Harry's bed.
"I'm not amused," said Ron, a scowl set on his face. "She thinks I'm a nut-case, and I'm sure after today she'll think I'm a chauvinist, too," whined Ron, the scowl vanishing only for a second.
"Who she?" asked Harry, scratching his head. He motioned for Ron to sit on the nearest chair, but Ron continued to pace the length of the hall.
"Luna," he replied.
"Oh! Well, why don't you take a seat and tell me all about it," said Harry, walking over to his friend and giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder.
As Ron narrated the entire incident to Harry, a variety of expressions flashed on his face. "Wow, she really doesn't think too highly of you, does she?" he asked.
"No," said Ron, scowling again. "I just wish she would be a little more like the Luna we knew at Hogwarts," he said.
"Ron, seriously, we aren't the same people anymore. How can we then expect that out of others?"
"Still".
Harry gave a sigh and stood up. "Women are weird. Listen, I'll go make you some coffee, in fact, us some coffee. You can go look through those books over there," said Harry pointing to a cluttered desk near the window.
"Harry mate, me and books?" asked Ron, feeling a little better.
Harry gave him a mischievous smile. "Those are books on female physcology. They're mine. They might help," said Harry, waving vaguely.
As his friend made his way towards the kitchen, Ron gave a small shrug and decided to check the books out anyways.
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The female counterpart always makes sure that the male knows of her interest in him. She uses subtle hint…………
Ron put the book down, and quickly picked up a quill. He read the paragraph again, and copied it on a spare parchment that lay next to the book. Female- the Fe of the Male really was very insightful as far as female emotions and actions were concerned.
He was just finished copying the paragraph when,
"Hey. Good morning!" said a cheery voice. Ron snapped the book shut and quickly hid the parchment. As he looked up, Hermione gave him a brilliant smile.
"Oh, its you. There's nothing good about the morning, but Hello," said Ron, letting out the breath he had been holding.
"Alright, if you say so," muttered Hermione, casting a quick look around the desk. She raised an eyebrow as she read the title of the book Ron read. Looking back up at her friend she said "You don't look too happy to see me".
Ron gave an exasperated sigh, "It's just that it would have been more of a surprise had this not been your apartment and had I not seen you just yesterday night," said Ron, earning a disapproving look from Hermione.
"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed," she said, shaking her head, but noting the slight tiredness and dark circles that surrounded her friend's eyes.
"Somebody didn't sleep at all," said Ron, challenging Hermione, at which she flushed royally, and took the book from Ron's hand.
"What are you doing reading this? Wasn't it enough that Harry brought it?" she asked. "What's up Ron?"
Ron looked carefully at her, before raising pained eyes to the ceiling that was above them. He gave another painful sigh.
"I didn't mean that way. Gosh! You really aren't in the mood to talk are you?" she asked, walking away from the desk. "What are you doing here so early in the morning? Doesn't your day start late?" she asked.
"Can't I wake up early one day? Or come visit my best friends for a change. What is it with you girls?" he asked, getting angry again.
Hermione turned abruptly and gave him a hard penetrating look. "Ok, what's bothering you, spit it out," she said.
"Look, don't you have anything else to do? My problems can wait," he said, feeling guilty at snapping at his innocent friend.
"Actually, yes. Where is Harry?" she asked, looking around the apartment curiously.
Ron's eyes filled with mirth as he gave a low chuckle. "So, that's the main reason for the inquisitiveness?" he asked, nodding his head in understanding.
"Oh, you're impossible," she said, and gave him a small punch on the arm.
"Beware of her punches mate, they really hurt," said Harry, as he entered the room with the coffee.
"There you are. Thank-Merlin. She was driving me nuts with all the questions," said Ron, laughing at Hermione's hurt expression. "Listen, I've got to leave now, have a few appointments. Thanks for your time you guys," he said looking at both his friends, who were now standing side by side.
They nodded in understanding, and Hermione gave him a small smile. "You can take the book. I don't want Harry to try any more experiments on me," said Hermione.
As he left, Ron felt a lot better.
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"You did what?" shouted Samantha.
"I shouted at him while-"
"And he was doing what?" asked Samantha again.
"He was playing with a sick child who-"
"Are you crazy?"
"Yes. Yes, I am," finished Luna, as she buried her head in her hands. Quietly exiting from Diagon Alley, Luna rushed to the only place that felt like home- the office of the Quibbler. When Samantha had bombarded her with questions- Luna was left only with the option to answer them.
"I don't understand why you think so badly of him. He has done nothing to deserve the shit you have been giving him," said Samantha, pacing the length of their small cubicle. "I know. I'm just so reluctant to let anyone get close," said Luna softly. "After mother, anyone who I remotely was attached to was out of bounds. Mother's death affected me in many ways, and then Dad and his lonely days. I just didn't want that kind of heartache in my life, ever," said Luna, wiping a stray tear that escaped her eyes.
Samantha gave a defeated sigh, and stopped pacing. Kneeling before her friend she said, "I'm sorry. But Lu, this guy is a nice fellow. Give him a fair chance," she said.
Luna nodded. "I'll go contact him," she said.
"Good. In the meanwhile, let's find out more about this Weasley. We need an article after all," said Samantha and left.
As Luna looked at the photo of the trio on her table, she noticed that the Ron in the picture was scowling.
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