The Hogwarts Lonely Hearts Club

Duck Soup

"Well, thank you for my egg anyway," Harry said, his mood a lot better as he picked up a spoon and cracked it against the hard shell in front of him ... which promptly exploded with a little bang.

"What the hell!?"

The eruption, as well as Harry's shocked exclamation, drew attention from several people nearby. He watched in cross curiosity as the top of the egg burst open and something flew out, as though it had been fired from a cannon. Harry reached up, snatched it out of the air, then shot his gaze back to the Gryffindor table.

For he was now holding Hermione's latest letter to him in his hand and he wanted to look at the culprit.

He found her face again and pinned his eyes to it, but Hermione wasn't looking back. In fact, her eyes were closed and her face was half-hidden behind her hand, her shoulders rocking up and down as she fought against furious giggles that were dying to escape her. Eventually, her eyes re-opened and she met Harry's gaze. Her shining, playful expression melted Harry's momentary annoyance at the exploding egg and subsequent attention it had brought him, and he soon began to see the funny side.

Then Hermione dropped her hand, looked swiftly around to make sure she wasn't being watched, then mouthed the word 'sorry' to him, though Harry could tell she didn't really mean it. But his mood was already lifted and he didn't care. He grinned back at her, inclined his head in an acknowledgement of a surprise well executed ... then he and Hermione did something they'd never done together before.

They laughed ... at the same time and about the same thing. They weren't together to share the moment, but both revelled in the mirth and somehow felt that their connection had deepened slightly through the experience.

Feeling unusually cheery, and not caring who might be watching anymore, Harry opened Hermione's carefully sealed envelope and starting reading right there at the breakfast table.

Hi Harry

Not reply to you! Don't be so absurd! You've just become ten times more interesting to me, and you were already the most interesting person I've ever met as it was. Although the idea of you wandering around alone beneath the school concerns me, I wont lie about that, the fact that you discovered the Chamber of Secrets and a basilisk is utterly fascinating and I'd love to know more about it. You really are full of intriguing surprises and I wonder what I'll find about you next. You are much more than I ever imagined and I'm so happy that I took the chance of asking you to be my penpal.

It may be the best risk that I've ever taken.

Oh, and you needn't worry about me judging you for your ability to speak to snakes, which I actually 'wowed' about out loud when I first read it. I know there's a stigma attached to Parselmouths in the Magical World, with many seeing the talent as a Dark Art, but I don't see it that way, and not just because I'm Muggleborn and not indoctrinated like the others. Speaking to animals is a significant gift and snakes are given a hard time I think. In more ancient belief systems, snakes were revered for their wisdom ... but a brainy Claw like you probably already knows that! So we should focus on that aspect, and expect great wisdom from you, Harry!

Harry scoffed at that with a little guffaw. The idea that he'd ever become an enlightened philosopher amused him. But then he got a shot of wisdom from somewhere and looked up at Luna.

"Hey Lu ... did you help set up that egg trick with Hermione Granger?" Harry asked.

Luna blushed and flicked her eyes up innocently. "Oh no, that was all her idea."

"But she did force you to help her?"

"No, it wasn't like that. I offered. My job was to make sure that you sat exactly where you are. I had to stop anyone else sitting there, too. I think Hermione wanted to be able to see when you opened your egg. Your face was very funny when you did. You should have seen it."