AN: So I tried this story out before, but the setting wasn't quite right, so it's going through a re-write. Hope this version goes over a bit better.

Disclaimer: From this point forward please know that I do not own anything from the HP universe. I am not JKR, which saddens me. :P

First Meetings

"Hello, my name is Luna Lovegood; I'm addicted to anything that will allow me to forget about the war, and what happened during it."

"Hi Luna." A group of voices chorused back to her.

"I've always kind of been classified as a fanciful person, who believes in things that cannot possibly be, and people have always found me odd. So when I started over using memory charms, and calming draughts, and dreamless sleeping potions, nobody really realized anything was wrong with me. I think everyone has a horror story or two from the war, I envy anybody who doesn't. They say that the first step to rehabilitation is admitting that you have a problem, so that's why I'm here. I am tired of living in a hazy blur, and I think it's time I faced my problems, instead of running from them. So today I am three days sober, and grateful. Thank you."

The group in front of her clapped politely as Luna made her way from the podium back to her seat. She was at a support group meeting for people who had been affected by the war. She was dressed in a loose multi-coloured dress that was one of her favourites, with a band around her wrist classifying her as part of the support group. She sighed and watched as someone else took the podium.

"Hi, my name is Morgan, and I lost my best friend in the battle of Hogwarts." Luna tried to stay focused on Morgan and her terribly sad tale of how she lost her best friend, but focusing was never Luna's strong point. She took to looking around the room.

Most of the people were dressed casually, and looking comfortable. Some were looking around warily, clearly first timers like Luna; there was one guy dressed to the nines wearing a top hat and everything, Luna fought a chuckle when she saw him. It was as she was looking around that she started noticing a few familiar faces around her. People she had gone to school with, and people she had fought alongside, she didn't know too many of them by name, but regardless it made her feel less alone. Her large silvery eyes continued to rove around the room bringing in all the details she thought were important.

The walls of the room she was in were painted a calming light blue colour, and there was white tile covering the floor. The seats were all hard, dark wood chairs, not very comfortable, in Luna's mind. She could only imagine how many Wrackspurts were floating around in the room. She wished that she had her spectrespecs with her so she could know for sure. "Thanks." She heard from the front of the room and saw the girl who had been talking walk back to his seat. She blinked a couple of times realizing she had zoned out, and tried to focus again.

The next person to walk up to the podium caught Luna's attention. It was somebody she knew, and not just by appearance. He had a head of shockingly bright red hair and sad looking brown eyes. Freckles were splayed over his pallid skin, especially over the bridge of his nose. He was tall, but not overly so, and Luna knew that if his hair were shorter people would see that he was missing an ear. George Weasley took to the podium and set his hands on the side of it, seemingly bracing himself.

"Hey, I'm George, my life is a huge mess, and I look for any way possible to escape from reality."

"Hi, George." The group greeted.

"I'll reflect back on an earlier confession we heard today. I think everyone has a horror story or two from the war, I envy anybody who doesn't. Luna and I fought together at Hogwarts, and everybody lost important things that day. I lost the most important thing in the world to me. My twin brother, Fred, and I feel like half of me is gone. Nothing makes any sense any more. I would get a hold of anything I could to numb the pain, but finally had family told me that enough was enough. I got checked into St. Mungo's, after I detoxed I decided to come here and that's good. I am two months lucid now, and to be honest it kind of sucks." George nodded and let go of the podium. When he sat back down though, he sat next to Luna and shot a smirk at her. "Glad to see someone I don't totally hate here." He said. Luna turned the corners of her mouth up in a tiny smile.

"I'm sad to see you here. I'm sorry George." He closed his eyes and nodded, his eyelashes brushing against the bruised looking skin under his eyes. Luna scarcely heard what happened for the rest of the meeting her thoughts stuck on George. When the meeting finally ended everyone stood and shuffled out of the room. Luna grabbed George's hand before he could leave and turned him back towards her. "I'll see you around, okay?" George nodded; Luna couldn't help herself from sliding her arms briefly around George's waist. She looked back at him and waved before walking off.

George stood rooted to the spot looking at where Luna had disappeared. He could still feel where her arms had gone around him. He hadn't had physical contact with pretty much anybody since the war. He felt conflicted, not sure whether he had liked it or not. He shook his head to get his thoughts back in order and headed off to his flat. Loony Lovegood in a meeting for war addled loons, he mused, of course she was probably one of the saner people he knew. Everyone thought Luna was barmy, but he knew differently, he always had, ever since they had met at Hogwarts. He dimly tried to remember meeting Luna but gave up. Everything before the war was kind of hazy for him, and he was fine with that. He finally got back to his shop and sank onto a stool in the back room, he heard someone enter not long after.

"Hell of a speech you gave today." His friend and employee Andrew said with a smirk. Andrew was a skinny, pale kid, with deep brown hair and brown eyes. He was nineteen years old, and lost both of his parents in the war. George had met him at his very first support group meeting, and had become fast friends with him. "Lucid two months and it sucks." Andrew laughed. "You don't sugar coat things much George."

"That's why everyone likes me." He chuckled humourlessly to himself.

"So who's the chick with the crazy looks you were talking to after the meeting? Luna, was it?" He asked, sitting at the table next to George's.

"Yeah Luna, I knew her from school, I guess we were friends. She's closer in age to my two younger siblings and they are pretty good friends with her. I wonder if they know she is having a hard time?" He mused aloud. "I should write them." Andrew made some sort of noise of agreement, but seemed more focused on some parchment in front of him. George rolled him eyes and headed off upstairs to his flat. Throughout that day he found his thoughts being inexplicably pulled to Luna, it baffled him, but he wasn't unhappy about it.

AN: I hope this version is better, I would love some feedback on this story! So please go ahead and review, don't be shy! ;)