"Harry, where is," she dodged as a red spell shot over her shoulder. Tearing around a corner Luna continued, "where is the Gryffindor Common Room?"
"Luna? Seventh floor, Grand Staircase, North side. Why? Luna why are you breathing heavy?"
"If you wouldn't mind," she paused again as Flint threw another spell at her. She just barely managed to jump over that one though the landing hurt in her bare feet. She jumped onto the staircase and started heading up. "If you wouldn't mind opening the door, I would greatly appreciate it."
"Stop running you little – " Flint's shout was cut off as Luna lobbed a helmet from one of the suits of armor she passed at him.
"Where are you, Luna?" Harry asked all traces of sleep vanished from his voice. "I'm coming." She smiled. Harry had saved her before. He would again.
"One level down, Harry. I should be there in a moment," Luna used her momentum to slingshot around the edge of the banister and into the corridor Harry had specified. Flint seemed to have realized where they were as he redoubled his efforts to catch her. It was useless, the portrait of a rather corpulent woman swung wide in front of her and a roiling aura stood in the open path beyond. She flew into Harry's arms and he swung her aside as he swept his other arm forward.
She burrowed into her savior's chest only dimly realizing he had no shirt on – only a small leather belt with holsters on it was draped over his chest. With a satisfied grin, Luna watched a torrent of water flow out of the palm of Harry's outstretched arm. It flooded towards Flint's lower body and after barely a second froze completely solid. Flint's upper half jerked down and his head smashed into the ice sculpture he was encased in drawing a bit of blood from his nose. The impact threw his wand forward towards the portrait hole and seemed to knock the older boy out.
Harry glared at Flint for long enough to make certain he wasn't a threat then turned his eyes towards Luna. She tried to force back the tears she felt welling up but was only successful in holding them to a sheen across her eyes. She pushed her head into his chest further to avoid him seeing her like that. Avoid him seeing her as weak. As incapable. As unable to defend herself. As pitiable. As useless.
"Luna? Are you alright?" His voice was so gentle. So quiet. No one had spoken to her like that since her mother died. No one had ever even bothered to ask her that question in over two years.
"I am fine, Harry. Thank you for asking," she responded, voice thankfully light and airy and not betraying her feelings at all.
"If you're fine then why was Marcus Flint chasing you through the corridors in the middle of the night?" Harry put his free hand under her chin and lifted her face. Inwardly, Luna cursed that she hadn't managed to dispel the sheen from her eyes yet. "Luna, where are the rest of your clothes?" Most wouldn't have heard it but Luna could detect the strain in his voice – the need for her to answer, to tell him. But it was tempered by the restraint of holding back, of not forcing an answer. With a start Luna remembered back to the day he had asked her to sit with him in the Great Hall. He had said that he had been called names as well. Perhaps…perhaps she should say…something.
"The…the wrackspurts took them," Luna appeared to crumple inward. It was all she could ever say when confronted. It was more than most but it was still not enough.
"Wrackspurts plural? Are the wrackspurts in Ravenclaw, Luna?" he asked quietly. Luna flinched. It was all the answer he needed. Hugging her close, Harry tapped his Comm Stone. "Comm on, contact Hermione. Mione? I need you to come down to Common Room immediately. Bring a spare set of clothes please. Yes. Yes, I'm serious. Yes, it's an emergency. No, I'm fine. Mione…Okay, thanks." He had barely disconnected the call when Hermione flew down the stairs to her dormitory leaping over the last three. Luna saw Hermione quickly scan the Common Room and settle on Harry wrapped around her in a protective cocoon.
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