by DrT - Sahits

"You don't think most of the Ravenclaw girls have this sussed out?" Harry retorted.
"Good point," Cedric had to agree.
"I don't know what you've heard," Justin told Harry, "but I'm not gay."
Harry blinked. "What? NO! Hermione and I are a couple."
"Oh, then why tell me about the Ball?" Justin asked.
"If you didn't have anyone special in mind to ask, I was going to ask a favor," Harry answered.
"It's not Weasley, is it? Like I said, I'm NOT gay," Justin said. 'Dean Thomas, maybe,' he thought,
'but not Weasley.'
"No, it not a Weasley," Harry answered, ignoring what his passive Legilimency had picked up. "Do
you know Luna Lovegood, in Ravenclaw?"
"She's the cute blonde Third year who dresses so oddly," Cedric told Justin. "She acts and sounds . .
. eccentric, but my father thinks she might be something of a Seer."
Harry nodded, "She is. And she saw her mother die. That sent her father into his work. . . ."
"He publishes The Quibbler," Cedric told Justin. "I know you lot read my copy."
Harry nodded. "So we have a scarily brilliant girl who's also has really strong Second Sight,
somewhat abandoned emotionally by her father after the death of her mother. She lives in a fantasy
world for over two years, and then comes to Hogwarts, where she is picked on for being odd. She
becomes even more eccentric as a response. . . ."
"They pick on Luna?" Cedric demanded, angry. Seeing the odd look Justin was giving him, Cedric
explained, "They don't live too far from us, and my mother and her mother were second cousins. I
was a Third year when her mother died."
"I talked with Davies about it, and he's helping. Cho agreed that the hazing had been going too far,
and between the two of them, they should sort things out."
Justin frowned. "So you asking me if I'll date. . . ."
"My cute but eccentric friend, yes," Harry said, "but just to the Ball. After that, it's up to the two of
you. She is incredibly honest and straightforward, and she can say the most outrageous things,
which are often truths people don't want to hear." Harry smiled. "Do you know the story of the
emperor's new clothes?"
Justin knew it, but he and Harry had to explain the reference to Cedric. "So," Justin said, "you're
saying she'd be the one to point out that the emperor was naked?"
"No, I'm saying she say'd something like, 'Unless those clothes are made of spun demiguise fur, he's
naked, and look! His willie is the size of a new-born's'," Harry confessed.
Justin laughed. "She sounds like fun. Alright, as a favor to you, I'll ask her."
"Don't hurt her," Harry and Cedric warned in stereo.
Justin laughed again. "I won't." He blushed when Harry leaned close and whispered, "If you're
good, I'll put in a good word for you with Dean afterwards if you want."
"I probably don't want to know what you said," Cedric admitted. "So, give me some time with
Harry, would you?"
"Right," Justin said.
"Hey Justin, do you know how to do a waltz?" Harry asked as Justin turned to leave.
"I do, why?"