J. K. Rowling has said that the character of Luna took her by surprise, but that she was a lot of fun to write. “She’s slightly out of step in many ways but she’s the anti-Hermione. Hermione’s so logical and inflexible in so many ways and Luna is likely to believe ten impossible things before breakfast.”
How can you not love a girl who wears a butterbeer cork necklace to repel Nargles? (Even though Nargles might not exist?) And shoes to bed in case she sleepwalks? And Dirigible Plum earrings which the Lovegoods believe enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary?
Luna dresses unusually, proclaims her strange beliefs openly, and often seems to be dreamily out of touch with what’s going on around her. When she is the target of ridicule or the butt of jokes, she remains patient and accepting, serene and composed. Her deeply held beliefs, no matter how bizarre, give her a certain dignity. She is very brave and loyal and a faithful friend.
Hermione and even Ginny are too much in the spotlight for me. I’d do better as a supporting member of the crew. I love Luna’s quirks and I love her spectrespecs. I love her wonderful habit of always stating the blunt truth about things and how very intelligent she is, and how perceptive.
“And she’s tough, Luna,” Harry observes, “Much tougher than you’d think.”
Breathing Space 