A Difference

Ron scratched his head as he looked up the uses of the juniper plant; he really couldn't see how it was essential in a Nervousness Draught. He looked back at his parchment, feeling utterly bewildered. It had been Hermione who had told him to go to the library and do his Potions essay. Ron had realised that staring at a piece of blank parchment in the common room wouldn't get it done, so he did as she had told him. He was now seriously regretting his decision; since when did he give in to Hermione?

Ron sighed; the essay was due in tomorrow, and so far Ron had, "The Nervousness Draught is used to make your enemy nervous." He ran a hand through his hair, wishing he was back in the common room, but if he went back without it done with an unfinished essay it was likely to lead to an argument with Hermione. While it was often amusing to see Hermione riled up, it did not appeal to him tonight. He had a headache and was tired from Quidditch practice he was tired from Quidditch practice and had a

"Hello, Ronald."

Ron jumped - that the voice had taken him totally by surprise. He looked up into the face of Luna Lovegood, who was looking as dreamy as usual, with her wand behind her ear and a copy of "The Quibbler" clutched in her hands. Ron shifted awkwardly in his seat.

"Oh, er- Hi, Luna," he said unsurely. "I, um, didn't hear you come in."

Luna blinked at him. "No, I don't suppose you did." She sighed slightly, then took her wand out from behind her ear, placed it on the table and looked at it. Ron looked at it, too, expecting to see something interesting, but, in reality, it was just a wand. He looked back up at Luna.

"Were you here to do some homework, or did you need want to see me?" Ron asked, feeling rather bemused. Luna looked up, seemingly surprised at seeing Ron sitting in front of her.

"Oh, no, I wanted to talk to you," she said simply, as if the fact had only just occurred to her. She then said nothing. Ron looked at her, waiting. Luna didn't speak. Ron sighed.

"What about?" he asked, rather impatiently. Luna looked up at him blankly.

"What about what?" she asked, bemusedly. Ron rolled his eyes.

"You wanted to talk to me? I think," Ron replied, now feeling very put out by Luna's behaviour.

"Oh yes." Ron snorted, but Luna didn't seem to notice and ploughed on, "Hermione Granger."

"Er...what about her?" asked Ron, feeling distinctly hot around the collar, and now decidedly confused.

Luna tilted her head, staring at him in a dreamy way, which suggested to him that he'd just said something entirely stupid. She blinked.

"You're in love with her."

Ron choked on his own spit, going violently red.

"Where'd you get that idea?" he spluttered incoherently. Luna just stared at him again.

"I didn't get the idea, I saw it. You're in love with Hermione Granger." Luna sat down in front of Ron, looking at him dead in the eye in a way that made Ron feel even more uncomfortable.

"What you saw, wait, what you think you saw, you didn't see. You saw nothing." Ron paused, confused, not understanding anything at all. Luna seemed to understand, though, as she addressed him.

"You look at her," she stated simply.

"Well, when I talk to her, it's only polite. Hermione would get all annoy-"

"No, you don't look at her, you look at her," Luna cut him off. Ron looked at her blankly.

"There's a difference?" he asked, wishing he knew what on earth she was on about.

Luna nodded solemnly. "Oh yes, there is most definitely a difference."

"There's a difference?" Ron repeated, unsurely.

"Yes."

Ron shook his head. "I'm lost," he stated.

Luna stared at him. "Yes, I suppose you are," she replied dreamily, and with that she picked up her wand and walked off.

Ron watched her go, mouth open. He shut it abruptly; trying to figure out what Luna had been on about.

Was there a difference?