Luna.

Ron knew it was coming. He knew that after Ginny got back with Dean once and for all, and Harry became available, Hermione would go for him. He'd always known it in the back of his mind, but he'd refused to accept it because well, she was going out with him. He angrily kicked a rock into the water, it landed with a splash, and sank under almost immediately.

"I wouldn't stand so close to that bush you know." Luna's voice made Ron jump, and he darted away from the bush he had been brooding by. He hadn't heard her approach, and he thought he was alone.

"Why?" Luna smiled, a small wry curve of her mouth.

"Nargles tend to habituate bushes near lakes. Daddy said the ones living near water are the most ferocious. You wouldn't catch me that close."

"Bloody hell." Muttered Ron under his breath. Luna seemed not to have heard, and had instead wandered to the edge of the water. She was pulling her shoes off whilst standing precariously on one foot. She chucked them behind her, narrowly missing Ron. "Er, Luna, what are you doing?"

"I'm having a paddle." Delicately, she pulled her robes up past her ankles, and dipped a toe in, laughing as she did so. "Want to join me?" She turned around to face him, and Ron could've sworn he had seen her wink at him. Luna? Being flirty? He was about to shake his head and say he had to go, when the image of Harry and Hermione behind that corner filled his head so strongly that he wanted to be sick.

"Sure." He grabbed his trainers and yanked them off his feet, dropping them where he stood. He rolled the hem of his trousers up and jogged over to join Luna. He dipped a toe in the icy water, and retreated.

"Don't be such a baby Ron. What, can't take it?" Even taunting him, Luna's voice had a dreamlike quality to it, and Ron found that he wouldn't mind listening to her speak for hours. He almost missed the pass at him, but when he realised what she'd actually said, he became indignant.

"Right then." He marched right into the water, splashing it everywhere and ignoring the feeling of ice shooting up his legs. Luna gasped as some of the water Ron had splashed in an attempt to prove his manliness hit her arm and face. She wiped it away quickly and dipped her hand in the water.

Ron didn't see it coming. A quick flick of her wrist and the lift of her arm and the whole of Ron's left side was wet. Again, and his hair was soaked. He was freezing, his breath coming out in short pants, but he didn't care. In fact, he grinned for possibly the first time in weeks.

"Luna, c'mere, give me a hug?" Ron asked smirking, his arms wide open. Luna nodded and went to go in for the hug absentmindedly, but took a step back when she realised what Ron was going to do.

"No thank you. I'll just stay here and you can just stay there. I like it that way."

Luna backed away slowly as Ron got ready to pounce. She stumbled and fell, somehow grabbing on to Ron and dragging him down with her in the process.

A giant splash, and then all was quiet for a period of two to three seconds. They resurfaced at the same time, gasping and laughing. Luna's hair stuck to her forehead, and down her back, dripping wet. Ron's was the same, but he decided to shake his head in Luna's direction, soaking her further.

"Ron!" Luna huffed, but grinned anyway. Keeping herself at a safe distance, Luna shoved Ron, causing him to plunge back into the water's icy depths. Luna started to panic when he didn't resurface. She scanned the water, and was just about to go under herself when she saw a suspicious shape moving in the water.

It could either be one of two things. The giant squid, looking for a snack or Ron, going to drag her into the water again. Either way, Luna wasn't going to stick around. She turned sharply and started to run. Unfortunately, trying to run in water doesn’t get you very far, and it didn’t take long for Ron to grab her ankle and pull her under.

They stayed in the water for another half an hour, laughing and shrieking, until their skin was blue and icy. They struggled to the bank, and collapsed there laughing until their voices went silent and tears dripped of their eyes. They could have stayed there longer, if it wasn’t for the fact that it was nearly time for them to go to their common rooms for the night and they were both soaking wet and freezing.

Luna had offered to try a spell that would dry them, but due to the fact she had never tried it before, Ron decided to pass. They parted ways cold and tired and aching, but in high spirits.

It was the first night after the break up that Ron didn’t dream of Hermione. It was taken up with just one face. And such a beautiful face it was.

Luna