Just a Kiss

Two months later...

Nearly everyone is gone, except for the five of us--Me, Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ronald, that is--and the teachers. Harry talked Professor McGonagall into allowing us to stay for an extra day (none of us could figure out how he got away with it, particularly since the Death Eaters' raid) and Ronald and Ginny's parents made an exception (after Ronald and Ginny argued with them for fifteen full minutes), so they went back home after the funeral. Daddy is impatiently awaiting my arrival at home--he will need my help with the "Tribute to Dumbledore" issue of the Quibbler.

We were the only ones who weren't so desperate to leave Hogwarts just yet, and I don't think Ginny wants to leave at all. She's been wandering around the castle as if in a dream, lightly running her fingers along the walls and gazing at everything with unfocused eyes.

She's been depressed lately; more so than any of us, even Harry. Her mood changed quickly, not that I can blame her, right after the Death Eater's attack on the castle. I have a feeling though, that there is more to it than that. She had been so happy before, even after Harry and I started dating--Ginny glowed, glowed like she knew the secret to happiness. She skipped classes, stayed out after curfew, and always came to Dinner with a smile on her face. The whole school had speculated why, but Ginny wasn't telling them.

She only told me.

I asked her why once, and Ginny had answered, "Because I thought you'd be the only one who'd understand." Then she inhaled hard on the last of her cigarette and flicked it to the wind. We were at what was becoming our usual spot in the back of Hogwarts, behind the base of a tall gargoyle statue that concealed us from view of any castle onlookers. Ginny and I could be found here a few times a week simply talking or doing nothing at all, but no matter what we did, we always enjoyed each other's company. We found the place when wandering about the grounds one day after finding out our Potions class had been cancelled; Ginny wanted to take a smoke break without word of it getting back to her brother, and the statue's cover was nearly perfect.

I don't know how to explain how we became better friends, actually--it just sort of progressed, despite the fact that her ex-boyfriend was my new boyfriend and we hadn't exactly been friends in the first place, just friendly. It was awkward at first, of course, as the whole castle was going wild with rumors about the Ginny-Harry-Luna love triangle, but I think we've gotten over it... mostly, anyway. There will still be times when hurt feelings arise, but we try not to show it. We've gotten to know each other better, too--Ginny even understands my sense of humor now, and gets that the odd things I say really aren't so odd at all. She still laughs at them sometimes, but it is a different kind of laughter now.

I saw that she had gotten a letter today, very early in the morning. She and Hermione had invited me to sleep in one of the Gryffindor dorms so I wouldn't have to be in the empty Ravenclaw Commons all night. I wouldn't really have minded, but they insisted, so I agreed with the exception that I sleep on the couch in the Common Room instead of in a dorm. Sleeping in front of the fire seemed much better than sleeping in an unfamiliar bed, and besides, I could tell that Ginny wanted to be alone that night, so I didn't want to bunk in her room either. Harry seemed content with me being just downstairs from him too, and kissed me goodnight before he went upstairs to his dormitory.

He came back down about half an hour later in his tee shirt and boxer shorts, his blanket and pillow tucked haphazardly under his arm. "Couldn't sleep," he mumbled, rubbing wearily at one eye, and held up the pillow in his other hand. "D'ya mind?"

I pulled the blanket away from the space on my right and tapped the cushion. "Not a bit." I felt my face warming up with pleasure and even a little excitement at the prospect of sleeping together as Harry climbed in next to me. It took us awhile to get situated (the couch really wasn't as big as it looked) as we tried out a few different positions, and after a few unsuccessful attempts, I grabbed my wand from the chipped coffee table and cast an Engorgement Charm on the couch. We got comfortable lying down on our sides, propped up on elbows and facing each other.

We stayed up all night, talking, mostly. We talked about Dumbledore's funeral and what we thought was going to happen now, if Voldemort could possibly be stopped before he realized the full impact of Dumbledore's death. We wondered if things would ever be the same again, who might be targeted next, and the fate of Hogwarts... until Harry insisted that he'd rather talk about pretty much anything else or he'd never get to sleep.

So we did, but it wasn't until the heavens turned lavender with he first hints of sunlight that Harry's eyes finally closed. By this time I was snuggled quite comfortably in the crook between his shoulder and chest, ready to nap too, but I then I started hearing this odd sort of drumming coming from upstairs. I would have ignored it, but the sound came louder, more insistent, and I went to investigate.

I deducted it was coming from Ginny's dorm, and opened the door after climbing the stairs. She was slumbering, but her eyes were puffy, like she had cried herself to sleep. (It's not something I'm unfamiliar with.)

Immediately I understood where the noise had been coming from. There was an eagle owl at the window, tapping hard at the glass with his beak. "Ginny!" I exclaimed, and ran to allow him inside.

At the sound of her name, as if she hadn't been asleep at all, Ginny bolted right up, spotted the eagle owl, and jumped out of bed. The owl stepped inside the window and held out the scroll on its leg, which Ginny took right away. The bird didn't stay to get Ginny's reply, and she looked very sad to see it go; she stood staring at the window for several moments after it had flown away. Then she read the letter, crushed it to her heart, and cried.

"I love you," Harry says suddenly, surprising us both. The words burst from his mouth like they'd been dying to leave his lips, and he has trouble looking at me. "I mean it," he adds a moment later, his voice cracking, and my eyes never leave his face. "Even if the Sparks are wrong, and we're not soulmates. I just wanted you to know in case--anything ever happened." He doesn't elaborate. He doesn't need to.

"But I'm not afraid anymore," he continued, "because..." He glances upward and shakes his head before meeting my eyes again. "Amor vincit omnia, right Luna?"

He remembered.

Harry wasn't unhappy with the Fates' decision.

He loved me.

If I were anyone else, I might have thought it was too good to be true, but I'm not anyone else. I'm Luna Lovegood. I believe in the impossible, in the improbable.

I believe in love. (Though with a name like mine, I suppose you'd have to.)

"Oh Harry, I love you too," I cried, throwing my arms around his neck, and I hear him let out the breath he'd been holding. I kissed him and a laugh escapes his lips; my hair tickles his nose.

Harry grinned and leaned in to kiss me again. His lips are warm, and pretty, even, when you look at them, and they're just right for mine--our kisses are perfect, even the one where we both missed and my nose was injured in the process. (Harry pecked it fondly in apology, and I felt much better afterwards.)

Some time after our kissing session ended and the both of us had caught our breath, Harry spoke again. His grin had faded.

"I have something else to tell you," he said quietly, standing up. He shifted to gaze out at the lake, hiding his face.

I stood up as well. I didn't know what Harry was going to tell me, but I doubted it would be happier news than his confession of love earlier. Harry took my hand in his, as if bracing me, and leans down to whispers in my ear; I am not sure if it is because he is worried that someone will overhear somehow or because he is trying to tell me the news gently.

With a few well-chosen words Harry drops the bomb--he's going to hunt for the Horcruxes with Hermione and Ronald in an attempt to destroy Lord Voldemort, and he doesn't know when or if he'll be back.

I pull my hand away from his. "You're leaving me," I translate flatly. I know it sounds selfish, but it's hard not to be upset. I don't look at him, instead turning to watch the sun's reflection turn the lakes surface gold as it began to descend.

"It's not like that," Harry says, reaching for me, but I take a step backwards, away from him. Vexed, he sighs. This isn't going as planned, I'm sure. "Don't make it harder for me than it already is. I don't want you to be in any danger."

"And I'm not now?" I ask. I understand Harry's concern and his mission one hundred percent, but did he really think I'd let him leave me now, after he told me he loved me? After I felt my heart grow larger than I'd ever thought possible, after I had told him too, that I loved him? Harry was my best friend. We laughed and told each other stories and secrets, we did our homework together, and we watched sunsets before Dinner, just like we were doing now...

"I know," he responded, taking my chin in his hands. I try to turn away, but Harry's grip is soft but firm, and he locks his emerald eyes onto my moonstone-colored ones. "That's why I wanted you to come with me."

It is the second time in one day that Harry has surprised me with such an announcement, and honestly I don't know if I can take another. I feel shell-shocked indeed, and Harry sees his opening and rushes on. "Luna, I can't protect you if I can't see you." He took a breath. "I sent an owl to your dad this morning. I'm escorting you home tonight, and I plan to discuss it with him then. That is, if you want to go with me," he added, lightly running his fingers down my chin before releasing it from his hold.

"I do." My tone is definite, and Harry seems heartened by my answer.

"It'll be hard," he warned anyway, even though we both knew it was useless. "We don't have much to go on and there's a good possibility that Voldemort will be trying to kill me, even if he doesn't know what I plan to do. His allies are everywhere. We can't count on anything."

"Tell me something I don't know." My eyes are stinging, and I hope Harry doesn't notice they are watering up. "I don't care, Harry. I need you like you need me, and I'll follow you."

The grin has found its way back to Harry's face, even if his eyes are still fairly worried. I had to admit that I was a little scared too. Harry was right, it was going to be very dangerous, but his mission was one that had to be done. If he needed me in order to do that, I'd help him. I'll be there for him.

"Now let's go talk to Daddy," I say resolutely, wrapping my hand around Harry's fingers and beginning to lead him up the hill to the castle doors. "I hope he won't be too disappointed about me not being able to see the Wrackspurts in Finland with him over the holidays..." I add lightly, leaning my head against his shoulder.

"I hope so too," Harry agrees, kissing my forehead.

My boyfriend is going to meet my father for the first time, but there are going to be larger hurdles to jump. We can't be sure about everything, but that's simply the way it's supposed to be, the way the universe works.

...Still, it can't hurt to tell Harry there's Daddy is very fond of the Buttercreamier Jumbo Mints sold at Honeydukes...

Fin. (Really!)