Title: I'd lie
Author: alienangel19852003
Summary: AU: No magic, Luna Lovegood is best friends with Harry Potter, she's always been there when he needed her. Something has happened along the way, she's completely fallen for him something she knows she shouldn't have done because they are just friends nothing more and not to mention Harry is dating Luna's best friend Ginny. Harry says he'll never fall in love because all the people he loves leave him. Ginny and Harry break up as Luna is unraveling the secret he hides and she ends up finding out something else. Don't ask them if they are in love because they'll lie.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters they belong to Ms. Rowling, and the title belongs to Taylor Swift and amazing singer. I make no money from this and it is simpy for fun.
"He loves to argue"
Luna Lovegood was standing out front of the movie theatre with her best friends Ginny and Ron Weasely, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, and Hermione Granger. Luna had known Ginny since around the time she was born and Ginny's brother Ron was best friends with Harry who lived next door to Hermione. They met Neville in school; Harry had sufficiently saved him from a pummeling from Draco Malfoy and his goons in middle school.
Ron was leaning against the wall looking bored Ginny had her arm looped through Harry's. Neville was rolling his eyes while Harry and Hermione argued over the movie they'd be watching in a few hours. They would argue for fifteen minutes and then they'd buy their tickets before crossing the street and getting pizza.
"Which is why I think we should see The Brave One." Hermione argued.
"Super Bad is way better."
"We all know it's funny because you made us see it twice." Hermione said.
"I can't help it if you have a thing for Jodie Foster." Harry argued.
"Do not, just because I want to watch a real film instead of whatever passes for comedy these days." Hermione said heatedly.
No one could get Hermione riled up like that except Ron, who usually did this unintentionally, or due to jealously. But Harry just liked to argue and there was no one better to do that with than Hermione. They had this undeniable brother/sister dynamic. The busy haired brunette could be pushy and Harry would have to insist she back off.
Luna watched the interplay between the two with a wistful smile, and listened to Ginny patiently talking them away from the argument and before she knew it they were walking across the street. Harry was reaching for Luna' hand. She let him grasp it, ignoring the sparks she felt as she looped her arm through Neville's.
"Ron, please no anchovies this time on the pizza this time." Hermione said.
"I'm not in the mood for anchovies. How about we skip the pizza and walk down and have burgers." Ron said.
"What's Friday without pizza and movie?" Ginny asked.
"We do the same thing every week. Tonight I think I want onion rings." Harry told her.
"When did we become so predictable?" Neville asked.
"We could go the basketball game." Harry suggested.
"Why would we want to do that?" Hermione demanded.
"We are too predicable. Poetry readings and obscure concerts, watching the same movies…" Luna said tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind her ear.
"Why do you always have to agree with him?" Hermione demanded.
"I know why you don't want to go basketball game." Neville admitted.
"Not another word." Hermione growled.
Luna wondered what they were talking about, but she knew it had to do with Draco Malfoy captain of the basketball team for their school. Hermione used to tutor the blonde for a while and during that time Ron broke up with her. Not even Harry knew the details on that, but now Hermione and Ron were back together and nobody talked about it.
"Touchy, touchy." Neville smirked the awkward lanky boy had away of bringing up topics no one wanted to discuss topics that despite everyone's reluctance desperately need to be discussed.
"I think I'd like cheese sticks." Luna said, as Harry pulled open the door to the restaurant.
"You can have what ever you want, Ron and I will be picking up the tab." Harry said.
"Harry, I have money, you are supposed to be saving up for college." Hermione admonished.
"We just got a raise, we've got money to burn baby." Ron said with a smile.
"Ron, you've never wanted spring for dinner. What's up with you big brother?" Ginny asked as they sat down at a table.
"Did you two place some more bets with Fred and George?" Hermione asked referring to Ginny and Ron's older twin brothers who ran a gambling operation.
The twins bet on just about everything like whether or not Professor Snape the chemistry teacher would begin his lecture by making fun of a student, namely Harry and sometimes Luna. Or whether Draco Malfoy would have his blonde hair gelled back or hanging in his face. Or if Professor McGonagall would clean her glasses every time she caught some students making out in the hallway.
"Perhaps." Harry said tapping his chin as he pulled out chairs for Luna and Ginny.
Harry was always such a gentleman. Luna loved it, just like she loved everything about it.
"We bet that Luna wouldn't back into McGonagall's car during Driver's Ed that she'd hit Draco's Jeep trying to parallel park." Ron snickered.
Luna blushed, she was a worse than horrible driver but the only one of her friends with a car. She'd only gotten her license a couple of weeks ago, and her father wasn't the best teacher, being a nervous man.
"I only hit it a little." Luna defended as the waitress came up.
The two red headed Weaselys laughed.
"Draco's expression when it happened will live in my memory forever." Ron was saying.
To the groups surprise it was Cho Chang a lovely Asian girl and Harry's one time crush. She was easily one of the most popular girls in school, which made her one of the bitchiest. Luna wondered why the girl was working here.
"What can I get for you all this evening?" she said pulling a pen and pad out of her apron pointedly rolling her eyes at Luna.
"Why aren't you cheering at the game?" Harry asked the cheerleader.
"For your information, I'm on suspension. You should know that since it's all your fault."
"You shouldn't tease my friends." He said firmly.
"It was just a prank. Honestly, no hard feelings."
"You tied me up by my hair." Luna said.
"I think I'm going to go get another waitress." Harry said getting up from the table.
"Harry wait… another complaint and I'll get fired. I need this job if I get let go my mother will find another way to punish me other than making me work."
"Fine Cho. Just do your job no small talk no funny business and if you even look at Luna wrong I will make your life hell." He said.
"What would you like to drink?" Cho asked, she was now very red in face and her pen trembled in her hand.
Luna really liked that. Harry had that effect on people, he seemed to command respect and she knew he got little at home. He lived with his aunt and uncle and they never treated him as well as they did his own son. His parents had died in a car accident years ago and he barely knew them. There was a lot he kept inside. She knew just about everything about even stuff Ron and Ginny didn't know things he wasn't willing to share with his almost sister Hermione. And things he couldn't share with Neville even though they shared the same birthday and neither of them ever knew their parents all that well.
Luna, Harry, and Ginny ordered Dr. Pepper. Hermione had iced tea, Ron had Coke, and Neville had a fruit punch. A little while later their food came and they talked animatedly over the table full of just appetizers. Hermione picked at her chicken wings watched Harry and Luna share cheese sticks while Ron and Ginny argued over the last taquito sampler.
Ron and Neville went to go play darts with Ginny and Harry. Hermione and Luna was left at the table.
"You like him don't you?" Hermione asked.
"Who? Neville? We're just friends. I don't think he's more into Ginny anyways."
"I was talking about Harry." Hermione smiled gently and Luna blushed.
Luna couldn't help thinking; damn I thought I was being inconspicuous.
"I'm a bit more perceptive than the others at the table." Hermione said, "Do you love him."
"No," she said though it couldn't have been further from the truth.
"Alright, I'll drop it." Hermione said.
"Herm… you know I love you, we all do. But you're a little too nosey for your own good." Luna laughed.
"And you're too shy for words. If you like him you should tell him so."
"I don't like him like that." Luna said.
"I said I was going to drop it and I am." Hermione said.
A little while later, they were all sitting at the table still laughing and talking not realizing they were the only patrons left in the restaurant the post game rush had come and gone. Cho had come back to the table.
"You guys ready to saddle up? We're closing soon." She said.
"Sure," Harry looked at the bill.
He took his half out and Ron grudgingly pulled out his own bills they didn't leave Cho a tip. They waited out front for Neville's grandmother to come take him home. She hated him walking around in the dark. They were all content to walk and they did. Luna spent the whole walk home laughing about that.
"Here's our stop." Ron said.
Hermione hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Ginny kissed Harry goodnight. It was a chaste kiss but it had tears prickling the back of Luna's eyelids. It was hard seeing her best friend with the boy she loved.
When the Weaselys had disappeared into their house, the other three kept walking.
"So do you think you're in love?" Harry asked Hermione.
"Where's that coming from?" Hermione asked.
"I just wanted to know."
"I don't think so. Love is something deep and powerful and in some relationships it takes time to develop." Hermione explained.
"What about you Luna? You ever been in love?" he asked his green eyes locking with her blue gray ones.
"N–not that I know of." She said with just a hint of a stutter.
"I don't think I'll fall in love." Harry said.
"You're not in love with Ginny?" Luna asked.
"I like her well enough but I don't think I'm ever going to fall in love no matter how long I stay with her or anyone else. When you love people they always leave." Harry said.
A silence fell over the group, Harry had opened up another part of himself up and the girls weren't sure how to deal with it before Luna could even rightly process it she was standing in her drive way. Luna desperately hoped that Harry might change his mind.
"Night Lu…" Harry said hugging Luna.
"Night guys." She said walking into her house, her dad had fallen asleep watching the Late Late Show.
She covered him up with a blanket, threw away empty soda bottles and put away his cigars. She straightened up the house before heading up to bed. She sat on her bed in the very purple room and stared at her guitar. Before turning out the light and climbing into bed she stared at the unicorn she'd drawn on the ceiling years ago before falling asleep.
Saturday was just like any other day she woke and her first thought was of Harry, and what he'd said. Her phone buzzed and she smiled, it was a text message from Harry. He was having another run of the mill workday at the bookstore. He knew Ron was working at the arcade, Hermione was more than likely there with him and his brothers were probably begging for free tokens. Neville was probably working at his grandmother's seamstress shop. Ginny was babysitting.
Luna's thoughts kept going back to thoughts of the boy with the haunted green eyes. There was no doubt in her mind she loved him. She knew his favorite color, all the words to his favorite songs, his secret ambition, she knew he had his mother's eyes, and she knew how lonely he was.
She realized she could spend three hours thinking about him. She finally got up and dressed before going down to check on her father he was up and had made breakfast, he always cooked on Saturdays.
She sat down with him at the table he was still sipping coffee.
"Hey Cucumber what's up?" he asked.
"Not much, another boring Saturday, at home. I'm thinking about getting a job. All my friends are working." Luna said.
"Well, you can work down at the paper with me. I don't work weekends but I'm sure they can find you something pouring coffee or getting new copy or whatever."
"I'm thinking about working at the bookstore." She blurted.
"I think you probably wouldn't be able to tear yourself away from the stacks reading to sell any books." Her father said.
Luna blushed; at least he hadn't mentioned Harry yet thankfully, she'd probably be red-faced and stammering out an excuse. The day passed without incident, she decided to stop by the bookstore around closing to pick up a book and to see if Harry wanted a ride home, as dangerous as riding with her might be he might not want to walk home in the rain.
"Hey Lu." He said as the bell jingle and she walked in.
She could smell fresh coffee, worn leather book bindings and new paperbacks.
"Hi Harry," she said fighting down the blush in her cheeks.
"I've got something for you, you might like it. It's Ayn Rand." He said sliding a book across the counter.
"Thank you."
"I just finished it. I thought you might like it." He whispered leaning across the counter.
Luna walked closer to the counter, "You closing up soon?"
"Yeah, I'm glad this day is ending, I'm glad minimum wage has gone up."
"I'm almost sad school is going to be out soon. Next year will be different you guys will be seniors and soon you'll be off to college and I'll still be stuck here in this stupid Podunk town and it'll just be me and Ginny." Luna said able to keep the pout from her lips.
Harry laughed, "You've been offered the chance to graduate early, take that last English next year, those online correspondence classes are killer but we'll all help you."
"You don't want to leave us here any more than I want to stay." Luna said.
"If you don't come it won't be the same." Harry said, "Sometimes you're the only one I can open up to. Without being pressured, criticized, or gaped at and misunderstood."
"We all mean well, but you're guarded sometimes and they don't understand."
"But you do Lu."
She bit her lip, she didn't want to say anything else for fear she might betray herself around him.
"I've got to go restock and then I've just got to lock up and we can go. It's still early you want to rent a video."
"Sure." She whispered watching him go finish his work.
She watched him with rapt attention biting her lip, he was so beautiful the way he moved. He'd come along way from the small short boy he'd been when they first met. He was now just under six feet with broad shoulders and arms that looked like they were just meant to hold swooning women. His lips seemed perfect for kissing his eyes were a piercing green and they seemed to see everything especially her, and she'd thought for a time she was invisible.
His work was done shortly and they were getting into her baby blue Honda. She settled herself into the driver's seat.
"You're nervous about riding with me?" she asked.
"Nope, but don't be offended if I put on my seat belt."
"By all means."
"You're not as bad of a driver as Dudley though, I swear he's like a racecar driver on speed." Harry laughed.
It was true his cousin Dudley had wrecked three cars in just a year.
Luna backed out managing not to side swipe the fire hydrant.
"You're getting better." He said, "But it's safe to say my boss isn't."
"What did he do this time?"
"It's not important." Harry said just before his eyes close off and she couldn't get any emotions of him.
"If it's important to you then it is important."
"I'm not very important."
"You're important to me." She said, "And anyone who tells you don't matter is wrong."
"Why does just about every try to make me feel so small?"
"I don't know. Don't let them get you down." She said.
The rode in silence for a few moments before she decided to change the subject, "Wanna rent The Departed?"
"No,"
"Feeling like some Final Destination."
"I want to watch the Back to the Future Trilogy." He said.
"Cool." She said glad that she didn't have stop at the video store because she owned the box-set herself.
She didn't have to question where he wanted to watch the movie, Harry never wanted to go home. Sometimes he would sneak out and climb through her window when his uncle was being especially vicious. Luna never knew all the details of went on in Harry's house and she never brought it up. But she leant her support in other ways offering him refuge whenever he needed it.
They went up to her room finding her father asleep on the couch yet again and walked up to her room. She slipped out of her Chuck Taylor's and he got out of his Vans before she went looking for the DVDs he wanted to watch.
She took a seat on the bed beside him grabbing the remote, "So…you're pretty quiet whatcha thinking."
"Nothing, just sit with me and watch the movie." He said.
"You know Harry, it is okay to not be okay." Luna said.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
"You can pretend you're not different from everyone else but you don't have to do it in front of me."
Harry took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I don't like being different."
"Me either but we are." She said.
"It's not normal to be scared all the time." he said.
"What are you afraid of?"
"I'm afraid to feel anything."
Luna bit her lip and looked away, she didn't want him to see her wishing she couldn't feel anything either. She'd nearly been caught mesmerized by his eyes.
"Everyone you love isn't going to leave. I promise you that. If you open yourself up to someone you'll feel a lot better." She whispered.
"How do you know that?" he said.
"I just do…your parents didn't die because you loved them. And your Godfather isn't gone because you loved him either. He's in prison because of tax evasion." Luna said dryly.
"You've had it hard Harry harder than most but if you don't open up you're going to miss out on a lot of the good stuff." Luna said.
"I guess you're right," he sighed putting on his glasses and leaning back against the many pillows on her bed.
"I have forgotten how comfortable your bed is." He said shifting.
Luna blushed at slight implications at the phrase, "Would you like some popcorn and hot chocolate?"
"Sure." He yawned.
"I'll be right back."
She went down and made the chocolate and the popcorn she returned to find him strumming on her guitar, and he sounded amazing. She stood in the doorway watching him play, he hadn't noticed her there yet so caught up in the melody he was playing. He had an intense look on his face, and this one of those moments she wished for all she was worth that she could with him.
She didn't realize she'd been holding her breath as she often did when she was around him. Her deep sigh caused him to turn her guitar still in his hands.
"I didn't know you played." She said.
"Dudley has one at home and he never plays so I taught myself on it. It's fun, I hope I didn't sound to bad."
"I had lessons for three years and you're better than me." Luna said, and she was good she'd even written a few songs.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.
"There's a lot you don't know about me. And you know a lot more than the others." He told her.
"I kind of knew that. Is this your way of getting close to us but not to close." She said.
"Something like that. Ginny probably knows the least about me."
"That's so ironic."
"We've forgotten all about the movie." He said changing the subject.
He was good at that, and she knew not to press him for information. She set down the snacks and they settled on her bed and began to watch the movie with new interest. They took off their sweaters getting comfortable. He was left in jeans and a plain white t-shirt and she was in her tank top and her comfy sweat pants. They didn't get past the first movie, before they fell asleep.
Luna woke up long before he did. She rolled over to find him lying next to her, her first thought was how adorable he was she lay there entranced for a few moments before she got up to take a shower. She came back in the room and found he was still asleep. She was thankful because she was only wearing a towel and was in search of clean clothes. When she turned back from her closet he had on his glasses and was watching her and biting his lip.
There was something in his eyes. Something she couldn't name she was scared and even more embarrassed she grabbed her clothes and ran from the room to dress in the bathroom.
So there it is the first chapter, I've never written anything on this site for this fandom before. I hope you all like it, I told you it would be AU, non conventional pairing ahead. No magic. The story is inspired by I'd Lie by Taylor Swift