A Club
Viopathartic
"Harry, wait!"
He turned to find Hermione chasing after him. She wasn't dressed particularly different for her date, but Harry could observe traces of mascara and a bit of lip gloss, which was probably applied by Lavender or Parvati, her roommates. Her scarf and hair was flowing behind as she jogged to his spot. He waited for her to approach the portrait before holding the door for her.
"Thanks."
Maybe the date was a disaster, he thought hopefully.
Harry shook his head at his thoughts and followed her to the area by the fireplace. The Gryffindor Common Room was relatively empty; after a day in Hogsmeade most of the students were completely exhausted and headed to the bed straight away. Only a few of the more studious Gryffindors remained downstairs and were hastily finishing some last assignments so that they wouldn't have any to do on their weekends. Harry had already done his and before Hermione had returned, he thought of turning in himself.
The two sat in their respective chairs and Hermione sighed, barring Harry from containing his curiosity any longer.
"So...how was the date?" Harry mentally cringed. Why that question?
"It was…fine," muttered Hermione, moodily. She pulled off her gloves and forcefully placed them on top of her lap. She blew an errant string of her hair and glared mutinously at him. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Alright. It was absolutely horrid!"
"Really?" Hermione noticed the flat tone in her best friend's voice.
"You know, I would think on a first date the boy and girl would be nice with each other; polite! You wouldn't want to upset your date if you want to have a second one with them. They wouldn't argue and get on each others' nerves!"
"But you and Ron did exactly that," finished Harry. Hermione nodded miserably. "About what?"
"Something so trivial! Ron was chewing with his mouth open-you know how I despise that-and so, I told him to shut his mouth," she sighed, "and then he went off to tell me he didn't need to be told what to do and that I'm not his mum and-Merlin, Ron just drives me crazy."
Harry was about to ask, "Then why are you dating him," but apparently Hermione already knew his question.
"I don't know why I'm dating him. I like him-I know that. But is it worth it?" Hermione turned to him, desperately asking, "Do you think I should break up with him?"
Harry was shocked to hear her asking him that question. He would have said yes if he wasn't such close friends with Hermione and Ron. He would have jumped up and yelled it, in fact, right before taking her in his arms and snogging the wind out of her.
Instead, he chose a safe answer. "I don't really think I should answer that."
Hermione sighed, "You're right. I should've asked that. It's just so frustrating, I-"
Both of them turned to see Ron trotting passed him with his head down. Then, knowing it was useless to ignore them, he backtracked and swiftly turned to face them. Or more like Hermione, Harry thought, staring at Ron as he sat himself next to Harry.
"Hermione, I'm sorry," he blurted, attempting to look at his girlfriend. "I overreacted and shouldn't have yelled at you. I just got-I don't know-tired of hearing your commands. I promise that I won't act that way again!"
Hermione was only staring at him, astonished that Ron was actually apologizing so soon. She momentarily glanced at Harry to see what she should do. All he did was shrug in a resigned manner before turning towards the fireplace and attempt to appear as if he wasn't listening.
"Ron, I just don't know. I try to help you, but then you just get annoyed and go off on me!"
"And I'm sorry. I've should have treated you better because you're my best friend! Well, one of them," said Ron who decided to add the last as an afterthought. "And now, I'm your boyfriend so I'll do anything to change! I want you and me to work."
Hermione looked as if she was about to correct Ron for his incorrect use of grammar but Harry knew she was holding it back for her and her boyfriend's sake. She was nervously wringing her hands together.
"Fine. But you really have to correct yourself. Your chewing is a bad habit. Now just go upstairs and…do your homework."
"But Hermione-" Harry cast Ron a death glare, mentally telling him to just abide by his girlfriend's command and move his arse up the stairs. "Okay."
Ron stood up, hesitating as he did so. Then, thinking that kissing Hermione on the lips while she was still pissed at him wasn't a good idea, he swooped down and planted one to her cheek instead. She smiled feebly.
An awkward silence had fallen between Hermione and Harry once Ron had completed his "Apologize to Hermione" mission.
"Hermione, if you took his apology that easily, it's evident that you like him no matter how much he annoys you. But you already know what I think of you and Ron," said Harry tiredly. He stood up from his seat in hope to escape an awkward moment between him and Hermione.
"No, I don't." Harry froze in his steps. He should probably act like he didn't hear what she said and walk away. Just hurry up and then make for the stairs. But in the back of his mind, he knew she didn't deserve him deserting her again.
"What do you mean?" He remained a few feet away from Hermione and his voice reached across the room. It sounded tired and worn as if he didn't want to deal with her now.
"You never talk to me anymore. In fact, this is probably the first time you and I had talked alone since the beginning of the term.
"Sorry," he whispered, but he didn't want to take the conversation any further.
"I don't need you to apologize, Harry. I just want for us to talk again," said Hermione, exasperatedly.
"About what?"
"How do you really feel about Ron and I? It seems like ever since the two of us got together, you've been spending less time with us. You've been different."
Hermione finally stood up and regained her coolness. "What's going on with you? With us?"
Harry gave a shallow laugh. "I really don't want to talk with you about that…and I'm not the one who's different."
"I'm different?" She scoffed and said, "How am I different? I'm the same Hermione as last year's Hermione."
Harry shook his head and pointed towards the stairs. "You let Ron go without even defending yourself. You should have told him that you were only trying to help him when correcting him on his habits. It's like you're letting your boyfriend," he said this in a disgustingly sweet tone, "tell you that he's right and you're wrong."
"Well I don't want another argument to start!"
"You shouldn't be afraid of an argument. You should approach the matter before it gets worse the next time!"
"Next time? Are you doubting my relationship with Ron?"
Harry raised his hands in an obvious gesture. "What do you think?"
"You're different," she said in finality, "you don't want to be around us anymore. You don't talk to us anymore about your problems. Why is that?" She repeated.
"Because I don't, Hermione!" Harry suddenly yelled. Her questions were tiring him and pushing his ability to disregard his feelings to the limits. "It's already awkward talking to you because of how I feel. Maybe I'm just tired of you-"
He dropped the last words of what he was about to say. Confessing that he was tired of Hermione and Ron's relationship would only cause more questions but right now, he didn't want to answer any. Hermione took it the wrong way.
"Me? You're tired of me?" Hermione asked incredulous, sounding a bit hurt in her voice. She thought he meant her, because she didn't hear rest of his words.
"Yes. Okay? I just need some time alone. By myself. Just me." Harry said, hoping that his voice sounded confident. He turned around and walked over to the boys' staircase.
"Alright. Fine, Harry. Be a loner. See if I care," Hermione muttered, pushing Harry by the shoulder with hers as she made her way to the girl's dormitory.
Harry sighed. He really didn't want to be fighting with her. Hermione Granger was scary when angry at someone. He extinguished the fire and headed up the stairs, hoping all the while that the silly argument between him and his best friend would be forgotten the next day.
The next morning:
"Hey," Harry said nervously as he stood at the breakfast table. Ron glanced from his bowl of porridge and smiled at his friend. His girlfriend, however, was less pleasant.
"Harry."
He sighed at her succinct greeting. "Hermione, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."
Ron looked between his girlfriend and friend, confused. "What happened?"
"Nothing," Hermione answered, getting up from her seat. "I'm going to get some coffee. Be right back." Giving a cold glance at Harry, she turned on her heels.
"What happened, mate?"
"I just said something to her and-" Harry's attention quickly diverted to a blonde boy at the Slytherin table.
Draco Malfoy was sitting alone again. What happened with him and his group? Why did they hate him? He ate his breakfast, ignoring the jeers of his former friends.
"Hey Ron?"
"Yeah." He turned to where his friend was pointing. "Oh Malfoy. You haven't heard?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "I live in the Muggle world, remember?"
"Well it was big news a few weeks ago. His mother, Narcissa Malfoy, divorced Lucius." Ron said this in sotto voce as if the words were secrets. Harry merely blinked at him, thinking why divorcing someone was such a big deal. Muggles did it all the time it seemed.
"Divorcing the husband in wizarding marriage is rarely heard of. The only time a wife is without a husband is when the husband dies. It's especially dangerous for Narcissa because Lucius happens to be a," Ron glanced around before lowering his head and gesturing for Harry to do the same. "A Death Eater."
"Why did Narcissa divorce Lucius when she knew she could get killed?"
"I guess it's because Lucius is going crazy. Getting too into You-Know-Who's return. I reckon she's afraid for Draco and herself. Draco didn't want to go away; he wanted to stay with his father. But then his father said he already forgotten that Draco was his son. Didn't want anything else to do with him. Now everyone in Slytherin hates him. Betrayal, you know." Ron returned to his pancakes after finishing, leaving Harry deep in thought.
Hermione came back later and as expected, continued to pretend that Harry was invisible. He sighed after a fifth try in getting her attention and decided to attend his first period class.
Transfiguration was relatively interesting, Harry discovered. They were learning how to transfigure hairbrushes into porcupines. Other students, unlike he and Hermione, were unable to do so and ended up with hairbrushes with exaggerated quills that stuck up at all ends. Essays were passed back and he received an O: his first this week. McGonagall and he had exchanged secretive smiles; he had asked her for a little help in his introduction and she had basically written it out for him. After, the rest of the essay was easy.
Divination was a bore as always. Harry was just satisfied by staring out of the window and ignoring Ron's audible snores. The professor, admired by Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, kept going on and on about the fortunes that would come in their future lives.
He had a free period and decided to check out the library. When he gave the large room of books a sweep with his eyes, he decided that Hermione was not here. She was still trying to avoid him. Harry sighed and momentarily thought of dropping by the headmaster's office but decided he'll do it at night when no one would be around. He spent the rest of the period finishing some assignments.
Harry-to avoid more awkward questions from Ron or the cold wrath of Hermione-settled on having lunch with the house elves. When he first dropped by the kitchen, the elves were wary of a wizard's presence but they all loosened up once realizing this wizard was odd and different from their former masters or encounters with such species. Now, Dobby welcomed his friend with enthusiasm, immediately pushing Harry to a stool and encouraging his friends to bring him plates and plates of food.
He laughed when some of the elves decided to provide him entertainment by juggling impressive numbers of fruit and bewitching them to do a little dance. He observed that most of them were wearing the knitted clothes that Hermione had made last year and smiled.
Waving goodbye at his little friends and still in an odd, blissful mood, Harry set out to his Defense against the Dark Arts class. Tonks was the professor and despite her clumsiness and playful attitude, Harry found her to be an excellent teacher. She was experienced in the field due to the fact that she was also employed as an Auror for the Ministry of Magic. He learned loads of spells that he never imagined he could learn in class. Not surprisingly, Harry was the top student in her class and although Hermione secretly thought so too, she refused to admit that someone had beat her in a class.
Unfortunately, Ron had asked Harry to be his partner, leaving Hermione to partner up with Neville. Ron was horrid at nonverbal charming, and his classmates could all agree to that fact. After six tries at casting a Stunning Charm at Harry without uttering a word, Ron cast a feeble one that barely moved Harry from his standing point.
Ron dropped like a stone at Harry's first try.
In no time, classes were over and it was time for dinner.
It was also time for Harry's meeting. Deciding that the time might need to be changed for the future, Harry brought his plate along with him as he headed to the empty Transfiguration classroom.
Luna perched on the windowsill with her dinner plate, observing the habitat of Nargles outside of Hogwarts. She hasn't seen any but in time they might come. It was better to wait then just give up. She heard the door opening behind her but decided the Nargles were more interesting.
"Surprise, surprise. It's Loony Lovegood," said Malfoy as sauntered over with hands in the pocket of his robes. She still didn't turn around.
"Hello Draco Malfoy," she said in return. Malfoy scowled, stopping so that he was right behind her. He followed where her eyes were gazing but saw nothing. Maybe it was one of her invisible creatures she would always rant about.
"It's Malfoy," he said coolly, "especially to you. Being the first to show up at the meeting five minutes early…pathetic!"
"You showed up second, Draco. What does that say about you?" Luna retorted, tranquilly. Her answer was neutral and short. When Malfoy usually said things like this to others, they would fire back with one of their own comments. But not her.
"Would you like something to eat?" Luna asked, looking all but annoyed at Malfoy's verbal abuse. She pushed her dinner plate towards the Slytherin, and he gave a surprised look at her, and then glanced down at the plate. There was some salad, a steak, and a small bowl of vanilla pudding. Malfoy wanted to take it; he was stupid to go the Transfiguration room without heading to dinner first. But he didn't want to show weakness to anyone-especially Loony Lovegood.
"No thanks, Loony. I rather not die of poisoning."
"Oh. Okay," Luna answered, not appearing to have cared. She took a small bite of her steak and smiled. "I love Hogwarts food. Don't you?"
Malfoy shook his head and scowled. "You're weird." He didn't try to hide his opinion. For a moment, something flashed in her eyes and Malfoy had to take a step backwards. Was it hurt that he just saw?
"Thank you." Luna turned away and continued to direct her attention to the invisible Nargles.
Malfoy muttered under his breath at her odd response. He stuffed his hands back into his pocket and unconsciously let his guard down by standing besides Luna to gaze outside.
They stayed there for a few minutes. When Malfoy heard shuffling from behind, he and Luna turned around.
"Oh hey fatty," taunted Malfoy. "Come to join Loony?"
Before Neville could utter a retort, Luna had moved from her spot at the windowsill and placed herself between Draco and her friend.
"Neville is my friend. If you hurt him with your words, I'll be forced to do bad things to you, Draco."
Suddenly, the dreamy, soft quality in her voice had disappeared. Malfoy allowed himself to take a look at her and found a small spark of determination and fire in her eyes. She was serious.
Luna stood up straight with her arms to her sides, her eyes wide and fierce. In an odd way, she looked normal when she was angry or on guard. Neville shot her a nervous glance before standing besides the Ravenclaw and taking a look at Malfoy. The three glared at each other.
Harry's stepped faltered with he came upon the sight of Neville, Luna, and Draco Malfoy standing in a triangle.
"What's going on? Neville? Luna?" His eyes glanced around the triangle. Luna turned around.
"Have you ever heard of Black triangles? It's the name that is given to a series of Unidentified Flying Objects. Draco and Neville were kind enough to help me create the shape of it," Luna glanced at Harry. "Interesting isn't it?"
"Very," he answered dryly, "Was there a problem?"
"No, I don't think there was." Luna glanced at Malfoy and Neville with her hands innocently clasped at her front.
Harry sighed. No one else was going to add to her response. He approached the teacher's desk and dropped his dinner plate on top. Taking a seat, he tucked in and began to eat. Luna went over to her window sill and sat down, pulling her dinner plate closer. Neville joined her when she offered to share. Malfoy glumly sat himself at the corner of the room in his own space.
Obviously Malfoy wanted to stay, despite his apparent hatred towards Harry, Luna, and Neville, but if he throws in one more insult…
"I have a suggestion for an idea for the club, Harry."
"Please," he gestured to everyone, "tell us, Luna."
"How about a friendship?"
"Er…Luna, doesn't that sound a bit corny?" Neville asked. And impossible, because of the fact that a Slytherin is here, Harry added silently.
"No, it sounds nothing like corn. More like…strawberries and peaches."
Harry and Neville exchanged amused glances. Malfoy continued to look at the 5th year with a crazy expression.
"Alright…what should we do in our "Friendship" club?"
Luna blinked and smiled widely. "We'll be friends, that's what we should do. "
"With Potter the mudblood lover and Large Longbottom? I don't think so."
Harry suddenly rose from his seat, hands clenched in fists by his side. He glared menacingly at Malfoy who merely sat back with a smug smile.
"Don't you dare call Hermione a mudblood or Neville fat!"
"Who says I was taking about Beaver?" Harry didn't answer but dared him to say one word; one thing that would make him snap and land one on Malfoy.
"I know why you formed this club, Potter. It wasn't because you were bored or lonely. It was because Granger and Weasel didn't want you. They're too busy snogging each other to care about you. Seems like you're nothing now. How does it feel…being second best to a peasant like Weasel?"
"Don't say stuff like that, M-Malfoy!" Neville exclaimed, his voice cracking at the last word.
Malfoy stood up and withdrew his wand. "I can say whatever I want."
"Alright! I think we should end today's meeting." Harry stood up as well but instead of turning his wand on Malfoy, he said, "There's no reason why you should hex Neville. He didn't do anything to you. If you do decide to hex him, then that'll just show us how much of an idiot and a coward you are. We already know that so why try to prove it again?"
Malfoy gave him a look of contempt before lowering his wand. Without a word, he turned and left the room. Harry let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Another argument was avoided.
Neville smiled, asked when the next meeting would be, and left the room. That left Luna and Harry alone. Her eyes were glued to the window again.
"That was a short meeting," she commented.
"Yeah, well, if it last any longer, Malfoy would have caused more trouble." Harry said, solemnly. "How far do you wanna go with the "friendship" club?"
"I was thinking of forming a band too," said Luna, appearing to ponder the notion.
Of all the answers Harry thought Luna would give, "forming a band" was outrageously unexpected.
"Er…sure," Harry lied. He nervously ran a hand through his hair. "But I don't think we're gonna last long enough."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I like you and Neville here because you're my friends," said Harry. Luna smiled at him. "It's just Malfoy hates us but keeps coming to our meetings. It annoys me."
They stepped outside of the Transfiguration room. There were still students walking around and talking to each other but a few gave them funny looks when Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood were sighted together.
"Yes, Draco is an odd person," commented Luna who didn't seem to notice Harry suppressing a smile. "But I don't think it's his fault that he's so cruel and uncaring. Most of a child's characteristics and their morals are passed down or taught by their parents. And I believe, his father, Lucius Malfoy, had brainwashed him in believing that You-Know-Who's ways were right and that targeting people because of their blood was normal. He acts the way he is because of his father."
Harry blinked; what Luna had just said was absolutely sane and logical-almost as if it was Hermione talking.
"Either that or Draco was born with Snertformous Disease," stated Luna matter-of-factly.
Never mind, Harry thought wryly.
"Well, if his father never taught him the right ways, we should."
"Should what?" Harry asked, confused.
"Teach him how to act like we act."
"You mean-maybe," Harry replied absentmindedly.
What could it hurt? She's a Ravenclaw, after all.
"Yeah. Yeah, sure. When I come up with a plan, I'll come see you and you can help me," promised Harry. He smiled at her to tell that he wasn't kidding.
She looked up at him and smiled too. Just then, Hermione had turned around the corner, coming from the Arithmancy class where she had just met with her professor. She spotted Harry immediately. Still carrying guilt from their argument last night, she almost wanted to go up to him and apologize, but noticed he was talking to Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw.
They exchanged a few words and Hermione saw Harry smiling at Luna and vice versa. He didn't smile that often these days and that fact that he could with a person he barely knew gave Hermione an uncomfortable feeling. She saw Luna waving a goodbye and then walking away. Hermione quickly walked away from she saw Harry coming towards her corridor.
He was too busy in his thoughts that he never noticed his friend.
Teach him how to act like we act.
Malfoy was taught of all of his life by his father. He was forced believe in what his father believed and Harry was sure that Malfoy had faced consequences when he did not. He was scared and most of all…he began to believe in the Dark beliefs.
How can they possibly change a person who doesn't want to change? Harry could never imagine Malfoy as anything other than a snobby, conniving, and pureblood boy. Someway, somehow, Harry will have to open Malfoy's eyes to what his father and Voldemort had done. He has to learn the truth-how Voldemort's horrible acts left people and places destroyed.
But how? How can Harry show this? Who in all history was as evil as Voldemort? A person who killed because he didn't certain people…a person who manipulated and scared people into committing heinous, unbearable acts. A person who thought a race to be superior to the other and had tried to separate race from race in order to "purify the soul"….
Harry suddenly halted.
I know.
Finally realizing the solution, Harry raced to the dormitories, ignoring the odd looks he was getting.
That night…
Harry paused in his steps and anxiously looked around. He felt someone watching him. Or maybe not…Harry shook his head and swung the Invisibility Cloak over his head.
The portrait door opened silently and shut in the exact manner. A few seconds passed by before a brown haired head poked around from an armchair near the fireplace. She saw Harry leave but chose not to confront him.
Quickly but quietly, Hermione rushed up the Boy's Dormitory to wake up her boyfriend.
It took awhile; Ron was a heavy sleeper. She finally caught his attention when he pulled away his covers, hoping all the while that his roommates wouldn't be awakened. Turns out that his roommates slept in the same manner as Ron.
She hurriedly told him about what she saw earlier and how she saw Harry sneaking out a few minutes before.
"Do you think he'd bring the Marauder's Map?"
"Yeah, wherever he's going, he would bring it." Ron threw his covers back and swung his legs to the side. Hermione knelt by Harry's trunk and frantically opened the locks. He never saw her so frenzied. When she looked in and saw the map, she let out a sigh of relief. "Or maybe not."
Hermione whispered the password that would allow her to see the layout of Hogwarts. "Harry left the map, but not the Invisible Cloak."
Ron put a hand on her shoulder and looked over the map. "Where's he going?"
"T-to the Ravenclaw tower," answered Hermione, confused. Then it came to her; Luna. She remembered their meeting a few hours ago. But why was he seeing her now?
"Why would he be there?" Ron asked, secretly annoying the witch with his questions. Hermione chose not to answer but sat herself on Harry's bed, ignoring the boys' protests for her to go back to her dorm.
"I-It's Luna. He's meeting Luna."
Harry was currently pondering how he would notify Luna to come with him on his late night library adventure. He had his invisibility cloak with him and left the map because didn't think he'd need it; there wasn't anyone watching the corridors at the moment. Maybe meeting her at this time was a bad idea.
He decided it was too late to walk back so he continued in the direction of the Ravenclaw common room…and found Luna outside the portrait.
"Ah, I knew you would come," she said as Harry slowly trotted over. "A bit late but it's not your fault."
"How'd you-"
"You told me that if you had a plan, you'll come and see me. I knew you'd have one so I waited. Now off to the library, right?"
Harry was beginning to wonder what Luna was exactly, but decided it should wait till later. "Er, right."
The two began to make their way to the library.
"What's the plan?"
"Well, I was thinking that you were right earlier. We have to teach Malfoy about the effects of what his father and his friends are doing. So, I decided that we should research about a muggle person in Germany who was similar to Voldemort. A person who hurt people because he didn't like "their kind" and aimed to rid the world of them. People didn't do much to stop him because they were afraid of being killed. He started a movement to get rid of all of the people he didn't like."
"Adolf Hitler." Luna stated. Harry halted in his search, a hand hovering besides the spine of a certain book. The library was quiet and empty upon their arrival and Harry immediately forgot to explain more to Luna, but she didn't seem to mind. Suddenly, she had figured it out.
"How'd you know?" Luna was a pureblood so how could she know about the muggles' history?
"My father-he works at The Quibbler-had some theories about him. And books about him are in the restricted section?"
Harry nodded and did not ask about the theories on Hitler. He continued to search for the books. Luna did the same as she cast her own Lumos and carried it with her like a flashlight.
The both of them found enough references and decided to move over to a table to officially start their research.
"I already know why the rest of us had joined the club. Why did you make it?" Luna asked, straightforwardly. Her gaze was too determined to ignore.
"I just wanted to."
"I thought you said you were bored."
Harry glanced at her before turning his attention to the book in front of him. "I was."
Luna began to flip through the pages, casually scanning a few words before turning to the next. She sighed. "I too was surprised at Hermione and Ron getting together, you know. They're complete opposites."
His hand froze as Harry was flipping a page.
"You like her, don't you, Harry?"
Luna sighed. "I used to like Ron but I was naïve back in fourth year. Now, I think he's rather annoying actually," she commented absentmindedly. Harry smiled at this.
"Sometimes I think that too…" muttered Harry reluctantly.
"He's rather ugly, isn't he?" Luna asked, holding up a book for Harry to see. Harry raised his eyebrows when he saw the still picture. "I don't like men with mustaches. Doesn't it tickle when they kiss?"
"I can't imagine any one wanting to kiss a man like Hitler…although it says here that he had wife, a mistress, and was also speculated to have had a relationship with his niece…they all committed suicide."
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Er…Luna, can we just research about what Hitler had done rather than his personal life? It's too sick and perverted to hear about his romantic relationship."
"Alright. It says here that victims of the Holocaust led by Hitler were primarily Jews but there was also homosexuals, gypsies, freemasons, Jehovah's Witness, and the disabled and mentally ill." Luna reported and frowned. "Nearly six million Jews were killed. More than three thousands infants were killed. Five million of the others died. More than 11 million in total…"
Harry noticed the tone of Luna's voice and watched as her eyes were pinned on the pages and her hands were still. He reached out one of his and covered her right hand.
"Luna?"
"Compared to Voldemort, Voldemort would seem like a saint. He only killed thousands while this Hitler killed-"
"Only killed thousands…that's still a lot, Luna. If we don't change the perspectives of those who are on the verge of joining Voldemort, these thousands… Luna, they'll turn into millions. Malfoy probably doesn't even know this," said Harry.
Luna nodded and Harry finally released her hand. They continued their research in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable silence like Harry would have expected. Luna was actually really nice and funny when you got her alone.
Harry wondered for a moment if he would ever develop feelings for the blonde witch. She was only a year younger and he got along with her pretty well. Then an uncomfortable feeling settled at the bottom of his stomach. No, Harry knew he would never see Luna as anything more than a little sister.
Besides…she wasn't Hermione Granger.