Fluttering
Princess Luna ran through the grass, no idea where she was heading. All she knew was that she needed to catch the pretty pink butterfly ahead of her, or her own father might be forced to lock her in the castle dungeons.
That, she thought, would not be very pleasant. The dungeons were full of dead creatures and rotting food, not even a rat would enjoy living there.
So she continued to run, carefully keeping her eye on the butterfly, watching it dart between the foxgloves around her.
Suddenly, she felt her head bump against someone’s chest and she fell to the ground.
“Well you should look where you’re going; it wasn’t my fau- Luna?”
She gazed sadly into the distance. The butterfly had disappeared from sight now. Off to the dungeons then…
“Luna, are you ok?”
Or not. People would always find a way to disrupt her games, wouldn’t they?
She looked up, to see Ronald Weasley staring down at her, looking slightly concerned.
“Oh hello, Ronald, I’m sorry, I was chasing a butterfly.”
He stared at her. “Oh…right. Did I hurt you?”
“No, I’m fine thank you.” She smiled at him.
“Then why haven’t you got up?”
“It’s nice here. Don’t you ever sit in the grass?”
“No, I don’t.”
“You should try it sometime.”
“Yeah…”
She waited for him to join her on the grass. He didn’t.
“It was a pink butterfly.”
“What?”
“I was chasing a pink butterfly, when I bumped into you.”
“Oh,” he replied, staring down at her.
“Haven’t you ever chased a butterfly, Ronald?”
“No.”
“It’s fun.”
“I’m a boy.”
“I know that, I’m not silly.”
He raised his eyebrows.
“Oh. You think I am silly, don’t you?”
“No, ‘course not,” he lied smoothly.
“You do,” she said disappointedly.
“Well maybe at times…” He looked at her odd orange radish earrings and wondered if she would consider them silly.
“Most people think I’m silly. Professor McGonagall does.”
“How do you know that?” he asked, but was slightly distracted, staring at her hair. She had hundreds of miniscule butterfly clips in it, a rainbow of colours.
“Oh well when she looks at me…and she always tells me not to wear my ludicrous jewellery or talk about nonsense.”
“Mmm….” He murmured, staring at her necklace. Butterbeer corks. He smiled.
She smiled back at him. “What were you doing when you came this way?”
“Oh, just walking…”
“Thinking?”
“I suppose…”
“Do you ever talk about your problems to people, Ronald?”
“No.”
“Neither do I. I think people should though, it helps. I used to talk to Mummy, but nobody wants to listen to me these days.”
“I’m sorry.”
She didn’t mind that he hadn’t picked up the hint. It was ok just to look at him; they didn’t have to exchange meaningful words yet.
“So, Luna, why were you chasing a butterfly?” he asked, looking at a loss for words.
“Because if I didn’t catch it, Daddy was going to lock me up in the dungeon.”
“What?” He looked at her as if she was insane.
“I was just playing a game. I was Princess Luna…you could play if you like.”
He laughed, but when she didn’t join in he stopped. “Seriously?”
“Oh yes, I don’t mind playing with you.”
He blinked. “I didn’t mean…I…well…who would I be?” Her little innocent face was too much. He couldn’t help it.
“You can be my handsome prince,” she replied, smiling widely.
He looked at her for a moment. A teenage girl, playing make-believe games. Luna was so unique. So different from the rest of them. So, maybe he found them attractive. But you couldn’t talk to them. Luna was her own person…and if the truth were told, he found her attractive too.
Maybe it was the butterfly clips. Or maybe it was just that before today, he hadn’t been seeing her properly.
“Ok,” he answered, and sunk into the long grass beside her.
She smiled again and began to gather daisies. She wove them into a sort of crown and placed it on his head.
“All princes need a crown.”
His shoulders scrunched themselves up. He felt uncomfortable.
She took his hand in hers. “Prince Ronald, you’re looking very nice today.”
His shoulders un-clenched and he began to gather daisies. When he had a bunch, he placed them in her hands.
“Not all princes can make a crown,” he said quietly.
She placed her hands on his shoulders. “They’re perfect just like this.”
He wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her gently on the lips.
She pulled away, surprised.
“Sorry, I…” he trailed off.
She smiled that beautiful smile of hers and kissed him back. For a moment she had forgotten it was just a game.
“Prince Ronald, you are the most charming man I’ve ever met. How would you like to dine on Thursday?”
“Luna…this isn’t a game.”
“What is it then?”
“Life.”
“Oh, that.”
“Yes.”
She lay down in the grass. “I like life.”
“I like you.” He lay down beside her.
“I like you too.”
Above them, a pink butterfly fluttered contentedly and gave its royal blessings to the happy couple, before disappearing once more into the cloudy blue sky beyond.
The End