Rice Crispies

By Calixa Inflixa

Note: I do not own Harry Potter or Rice Crispies.

He had first noticed her toes wiggling inside strange brown shoes that laced up like ballerina flats. Then the mismatched socks (one was knee high with candy-cane pattern, the other was a droopy, mid-ankle sock with orange and pink birds splashed on a green background). Then the pleated plaid skirt, then the blinding yellow shirt that was paired with a cherry-red sweater that looked five sizes too big for her. Then the earrings. Oh, the earrings. They were freakishly large plastic carrots and she was wearing a rather tasteless carrot necklace to match. Three huge green feathers exploded from base of her long, loose braid, and she had an uncountable amount of brightly colored bracelets around her wrists.

Normally Draco ignored the girl who was currently wearing every color known to man. But what she was wearing wasn't the oddest thing about the entire situation. It was what she was doing. She was bent over the bowl in front of her, with her ear to the rim, as if she were listening to whatever was in it. And that made him stop in his tracks as he was exiting the Great Hall.

She was sitting alone (which made perfect sense), and seemed to be unaware of anything around her, until he skidded to a stop across from her. Ever so slowly, she looked up at him with an expression that was blankly dreamy and vaguely happy, as well as ever-so-slightly curious.

"Do you hear it from there?" She asked.

"Hear what?"

She gave him a look that vaguely committed to questioning his sanity. "Snap. Crackle. Pop."

He gave her a thoroughly not-amused look, and nearly got away, but her voice suddenly commanded him to stay. "Sit down."

Not really sure why he was obeying, he did, staring at her earrings with a vague sense of horror.

She promptly reached for his hand and turned it palm upward, catching him off guard with her strong grip. "Oh dear…" she said quite dispassionately. "Your love line is practically nonexistent." She looked him in the eye, seeing past them and probably into a galaxy far away. "Too bad, I suppose," she said with a smile, letting go of his hand and again bending over her bowl, biting back a smile with her eyes closed.

"Simply delightful," she commented as Draco was pondering an escape plan that wouldn't be entirely awkward. After all, this Luna girl had, on occasion, helped him with his Magical Creatures scrolls.

But she was suddenly looking at him again, a bit irked. "Well? Do you want to listen or not?" She asked as if it were the fifth time she had asked the question. She moved the bowl forward, and Draco saw cereal slop around inside of it.

"No!" he said with gusto, giving a disgusted expression.

"But it's a special cereal," Luna insisted, leaning forward as she practically quivered with excitement. " Rice crispies."

Draco looked from her to the bowl and realized he wanted to. He wanted to!

But Luna sighed dramatically and pulled the bowl back close to her. She stared quite unhappily at it for a second, then smiled brightly, eyes vaguely turned in Draco's direction. She rose, wiggling her fingers a bit. "Well, I suppose I'll go study now… or perhaps visit the owlery."

As she wandered off, Draco watched her go. He couldn't help but watch the brightly colored figure as it disappeared. When he was sure she had really gone, he cautiously looked around to make sure no one was watching.

He bent over the bowl, ear-first.

He heard snap! Crackle! Pop.