Luna.

It was a week before they spoke again. Ron went about his life as though nothing had happened. This meant he continued to ignore Harry and Hermione, and stuck around Dean and Seamus. It would never be as comfortable as Hermione's, his and Harry's friendship, but it would do, it had to. He did, however, allow a small smile in Hermione's direction when she tried to approach him once again.

Ron had been hoping to see Luna during the week but she remained absent. After classes on the seventh day, Ron decided to go looking for her. He recognised a couple of younger students in the corridor as Ravenclaws and headed over to talk to them.

"Hey, have you seen Luna anywhere?" The fifth years looked at eachother before the taller blonde stated that she was in the hospital wing. Ron turned sharply on his heel and headed straight for said location, knocking a few first years out of the way.

Luna was headed out, just as he was about to charge through the doors, and so a collision occured. Luna, having the smaller and lighter frame of the two, was sent flying.

"Luna!" Ron rushed over and held out his hand. She delicately placed hers in his and he tugged her up. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Luna giggled.

"I'm fine. I should have gone sooner really. Our little escapade in the water gave me a bit of a cold...which developed. I'm all better now though!" Ron sighed.

"Bloody Hell Luna, I was really worried for a moment there. Why didn't you go earlier?" Luna shrugged.

"I didn't really notice. Ella had to point it out." She paused for a second. "Wait...You were worried about me?" Ron's face flamed red, and his eyes were dragged, as if by a magnetic pull, to the floor.

"Of course I was worried. I uh, I care about you." Luna giggled at Ron's obvious awkwardness and laid a hand on his arm.

"I care about you too!" Her normally white skin was a pale pink, and she couldn't quite meet his eyes. An awkward silence passed between them for a few moments, before Luna closed her eyes for a second, as if gathering strength, and slipped her hand in his. Ron's eyes widened slightly, before he tightened his grip, careful not to squeeze too tightly.

"Come on lets go somewhere." Said Luna, already dragging Ron behind her. Ron guessed where she was taking him, and he was right. She took him to the edge of the lake again, and dragged him up to the edge. Unlike last time, she didn't attempt to go in the water, she just sat down so that her toes just skimmed the very edge of the water, and yanked Ron down beside her.

They didn't let go when they were both seated, instead they leaned against eachother; Luna's head on Ron's shoulder. Somehow they managed to talk well into the night, all awkwardness forgotten. When it got to the early hours of the morning, both of them felt no need to go up to their dorm rooms, and instead fell asleep where they lay.

They would get two weeks of detention when they were found by Professor Mcgonagall on her morning stroll of the grounds.

Neither of them would care.