To Find What is Lost

Chapter 14: Comfort

Hi! So I actually have no idea what is going on with my posting it's all just going completely haywire, I think I'm just going to post as often as I can from now on because the whole Sunday thing got lost somewhere a month ago. This chapter was a little difficult to write at some points, so sorry if Luna sounds a bit wrong sometimes -Emmi

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Nico would have sat there and cried for Zeus-knows how long, if it weren't for Luna.

The Ravenclaw made her entrance a few hours after Nico himself, singing a funny song in a strange language to herself as she dismounted gracefully from her thestral.

Nico shot to his feet, gasping and wiping his tears.

"What are you doing here! Go away, I want to be on my own!" he snarled, hiding his horror at being seen in his current state through his usual methods, anger.

"Nico." the girl smiled, unperturbed by his tone. "I thought I might find you here."

"What do you want." muttered the son of Hades, turning away and wiping his tears angrily with the back of his hand.

"Well, you of course." she smiled, humming like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Hermione's been looking all over for you, so I thought I'd come get you. Also you missed Charms and Divination, and I didn't think you should miss any more classes."

Nico scowled. "Why's Hermione looking for me? I thought she must hate me by now."

Luna gave a laugh, then another, then tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was bent over double with hysterical laughter so hard that her spectrespecs fell off her face and onto the ground.

Nico's face was rather comical, and when Luna saw it she burst into renewed howls of laughter.

The son of Hades blinked, so utterly confused by the blonde girl that he completely forgot about being angry and self-hating.

"Oh, you should have-! Laugh Seen your face! Gasp Hate you now-!" Hysterics.

Nico frowned. "What, are you trying to say that the whole school doesn't hate me?"

Luna shook her head, laughing more calmly now. "Oh Nico, of course the whole school doesn't hate you. The whole school is made up of many many people, seeing as all people are different; considering everyone to hate you would make it impossible for anyone to like you, and since there are inexhaustably people who share less that hatred of you, the whole school can't possibly hate you."

Nico frowned again, trying to make sense of the girl's comforting words.

"You always jump to negative conclusions." said Luna seriously. "You see a few people muttering and think everybody hates you. If I thought like that then I'd be terribly sad."

When Nico didn't respond she beckoned to the thestral.

"If you would, Maria."

At this the boy finally perked slightly.

"What did you call her?"

Luna smiled. "Maria." she said.

"That was my-"

"Your mother's name, I know."

Once again, taken aback, Nico could only blink in confusion.

How much does this girl know about me?

He decided not to answer that question.

Still too confused and generally overwhelmed to put up a fight, especially when he realised it would make no difference with the Ravenclaw, Nico obligingly mounted Maria and let her fly him and Luna back to the castle.

When they reached the castle, Nico went straight down to his dorm, and locked himself in the bathroom.

"Oh Iris, except my offering."