George Weasley and Luna Lovegood both belong to J.K Rowling, as well as other mentioned characters.
George wasn't really sure why he'd asked her to walk with him, or why he wanted to take a walk in the first place. Were they even allowed to walk around the building like this? Shrugging it off, George turned his head once more to watch the girl, Luna, who was bouncing along quite merrily next to him. She was quite short, compared to him, but then again he was pretty tall.
"I take it you're happy the war's over," George said, trying to block out the feelings it stirred in him. Luna's lips curved a little
"Oh yes. But I suppose everyone is, really." She said in her sing-song voice. George was starting to like the way she said things so cheerily.
"Yeah, but you're practically skipping" He commented jeeringly. He was beginning to feel a bit ashamed of himself for enjoying this, when really he should be back at Hogwarts or at home, mourning. Luna slightly tilted her head but didn't look at him
"I like skipping. I do it quite a lot actually, it's a lot faster than walking and also a lot more enjoyable."
George silently agreed as he looked ahead, trying to decide what corridor to walk down next.
"People don't seem to like when I skip though, they think I'm mad you know." He certainly did know. After reading her name he'd realised what people had been referring to when he heard mentions of 'Loony Lovegood' in the corridors and halls of his cut-short seventh year. It was strange that he hadn't recognised her sooner really, because now he could think of a number of instances when they'd crossed paths. Though he had to admit finding out more about her was entertaining him.
"Let's go this way." He said, turning left towards some large glass doors. The hospital was pretty quiet in itself, and it must have been fairly early in the morning because there didn't seem to be any other patients wandering around like themselves. It was almost eerily silent, bearing in mind the amount of light coming through the windows.
He got to the doors and was pretty surprised when they opened for him, expecting them to be locked considering the circumstances. Maybe they had forgotten to lock them within the panic of last night.
George looked around himself as he walked through the doors. Surrounding them was an array of different exotic plants. Some that he recognised from books, others that were totally unknown to him. Through the glass ceiling shone the sun. Magnified, making the air feel thick and humid. In a strange way it was comforting, like being surrounded by cloudy blankets.
"Wow." He said, honestly surprised this place had anything interesting. Luna's pale face looked around them before she added her own opinion
"It's quite pretty, isn't it? I wonder if they have any Dacknarts hiding in here." She thought aloud, skipping forwards and plopping down on a concrete bench. He didn't have any idea what she was talking about, but almost automatically the ginger boy followed, sitting down next to her, looking down at his hands.
Before then, George hadn't realised it, but he was also wearing the same white hospital pyjamas. Not sure what to think about this, and wondering why and when he had put them on, he had to admit it made him feel a bit like a mental patient. Though it wasn't like he didn't already, with all the feelings battling away in his head.
He looked at Luna as her eyes pleasantly flittered amongst the plants, and then smiled softly
"We're a matching set." He said, not looking away as Luna looked up to face him, the corners of her mouth curling upwards in that serene way of hers.
"Yes." She said simply, agreeing with him. She glanced down at the ground for a moment while George dwelled upon things.
"We're like twins.." He said slowly. He wasn't sure why, but the statement had sort of tumbled out of his mouth. He found himself zoning out a little as he thought about it. The way him and Fred would wear the exact same thing, just to confuse people. 'It was part of their act', as Fred would say. Luna looked at him again
"I'm sorry about your brother, George." She said gently, placing her delicate hand on his large, freckled one comfortingly. While George just looked straight ahead, mulling things over. "I know what it feels like to lose someone so close." Slowly he looked down at her hand on his, staring at it for a while, then looking at her herself. Wondering how many other people would say that once he finally made himself leave this place. And whether any of them would say it quite as soothingly and understandingly as she had. He smiled sadly
"Thanks, Luna." Luna's expression didn't change, just continued to look calm as she stared up at him in her Luna-ry way. He found himself staring back at her; her misty blue eyes were very absorbing. Usually he would feel pretty embarrassed in this sort of situation but this instance seemed different.
He turned his head and fumbled the hand hers was rested on until he held her hand instead. Luna didn't make any movement, just looked up at him curiously as he began to speak again.
"I don't know what I'm going to do without him." He needed to admit it to someone, he needed to admit it to himself, and this seemed the perfect time. He bowed his head solemnly. "I should have been the one to die, Fred was always more exciting than I was, I just tagged along." He felt his eyes sting again as he continued. "I feel so empty." He took his hand back and covered his face, leaning his elbows on his knees. "I can't believe he's gone.." He mumbled into his fingers, his voice shaking a little
"Yes, I know what you mean." Luna said, slowly. "I feel like that all the time, but I believe it's because he will never leave you, George. He'll always be alive, in your mind and heart." She said, cheerfully
"Why couldn't I be the one to die?" George blubbered as his shoulders started to shake.
"I think it's becau-" George interrupted her slow sentence
"Why couldn't it of been me?" His rage seemed to be overcoming his sadness as he thought about the situation "Why did he leave me?" He felt like a wimp, needing him this much. Realising how much.
Luna watched on carefully.
"I don't know what I should do." He said, not really understanding what he meant by that. "I don't know.."
"I find crying helps a lot." Luna said matter-of-factly. "I always cry when I remember my mother. And I suppose Daddy now, I've heard he's quite ill lately." George couldn't understand how she could say all this with such a cheery disposition in her voice. He couldn't really imagine her crying to be honest, it seemed strange.
"What happened to your mother?" He asked. Luna tilted her head again. He supposed he was being quite nosy, and felt guilty for asking, but she didn't seem to mind.
"Mum liked to experiment with spells a lot, and one of them went terribly wrong." She said, plainly. "I was nine.." She paused for a moment. "I remember feeling like you do. I still sort of do, really." She said, looking up at him and smiling sadly.
'I'm going to feel like this forever?' He thought to himself. Even though he was pretty sure he would anyway, the thought of it made him feel even more worthless.
"That's awful." He said, in response to Luna's story, and half because his own situation.
"Yes, it is really." She agreed, but still had that content expression on her face. "It's okay though, I know she's with me all the time anyway." He looked down on her again, and then realised how wet his cheeks were. Wiping them roughly, Luna continued smiling. "You don't have to be afraid of crying, George."
Suddenly, a massive bang sounded on the other side of the room.
"What are you doing in here?" A strict looking nurse was yelling at them for the opposite doorway. "This section is not open to patients until 8am!"
"We're sorry, ma'am." Luna said, the nurse still seemed pretty annoyed
"Well, get a move on! Back to your beds, now." The nurse yelled, still standing in the doorway. "Honestly, people think they have a right to walk everywhere nowadays." She fumed, and left them alone again
George wasn't really one for rules, or being told what to do, but he supposed he should do what she said. The two of them got up, walking back the way they came silently.
"Thanks for the talk, Luna." He said, turning to her again as they came up to the room where they'd met in the first place.
"You're welcome, George." She smiled.
"What are you going to do now?" He asked, sitting down on his bed as Luna continued to walk the way she came.
"Oh I don't know. I'm not sure really, I might stay here for a while. I hear my Dad is in one of the wards here." She said casually, still walking away
"Oh, well, good luck." He said, and she skipped away happily round the corner. 'What a strange girl.'
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