Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Just This Once

As he walked along the Forbidden Forest he thought about the old memories behind the forest trees and behind some of the Hogwarts of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The memories of all the dangers that he and his friends have faced, even the most dangerous one that was outside of Hogwarts. Yet, there was such good memories here as well that balanced out the bad. Oh, how he missed those days.

He came upon the spot that he found, during his fifth year in Hogwarts, her feeding the thestrals. The image of her there was planted in his head. She was a weird girl with eccentric tastes in many things, one being that of her choice in mythical creatures. There were many things unique about her, but one thing he was thankful for was that whatever he saw and whatever he believed or said she believed him. She trusted him and believed in him. That's one of the greatest things he loved about her. She never doubted a word of his and her mind was opened to everything. Luna was a good friend indeed.

Smiling, he gazed upon the sight before him replaying that moment in time. He gazed to the exact spot where the threstrals were that very day as the vision began to fade away. He tilted his head back and breathed in the scent of the air and trees around himself. His eyes closed as he imagined Luna and him speaking to one another, each of them enjoying the threstrals that weren't around at the moment. Ten years have passed since he has set foot on these grounds.

Suddenly he felt warm breath graze upon his face. Snapping his eyes open, getting out of the daydream he was in, he looked where he felt the breath come from only to find himself looking eye-to-eye with a threstral. He smiled to himself and couldn't help, but gently pet the creature. Such gentle creatures they are, yet only people who have seen death can actually be able to gaze at their beauty. Most people, if they first saw the creatures, would more and likely think of them as scary or creepy like he himself did. But if you actually took the time to observe them like he learned then you would see how beautiful the creatures really are.

"Hello, Harry. Long time no see. I hope you are doing well." Said the voice of whom was behind him, which caused him to swift around and find none other than Luna Lovegood. A smile crept onto his lips when he saw her walk towards him with her usual expression on her face. She half smiled when she stood before him. You never know how long it's been since you've seen your friends from your school days until you see them years later. The differance in her appearance was truly distinctive. Her hair was still as long as ever, but was bunched up into a messy bun and her blue eyes shimmered more than it used to, now like wavering ocean waters instead of orbs of just plain blue. Her taste in clothes are just as eccentric as they were ten years ago, just now a bit more exotic. In his opinion, her individuality shinned along with the beauty that radiated from her being. She was...

He shook his head and replied, "Hello, Luna. It has been awhile, hasn't it?" He couldn't think about her that way! He's married, for heaven's sake! She gazed at him calmly, her half smile still across her lips that just made him want to..."Yes. Ten years, if I'm correct. I believe you're married now, correct?"

It was a beautiful wedding. He wouldn't have had it any other way. The scenery of the wedding was that of the fields in the country where the lush grass barely went to your ankles when stepping on top of it. Ron was his best man, Hermione as his wife, ginny's, maid of honor, their two children (son and their daughter) as ring bearer and flower girl, but nothing compared to the bride that day. The dress she wore went only to her ankles that way she wouldn't get grass stains on the dress. Everything that day was perfect, especially when night fell and they claimed the bed, taking each other that night, not waiting for the honeymoon. To say the least, it was an exciting night.

Taking himself out of the memory he regained his right state of mind. "I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the wedding, even though it was a couple years ago."

"That's fine. I was busy that day so I needed." She dismissed absently.

"How have things been for you?" He asked as he moved to stand beside her and gaze at the threstral as it did its own thing.

"Not bad, I suppose. I have just gotten married a few months ago myself. My husband is Neville."

Harry grinned, "Well then, I suppose you're a Longbottom now?"

"Yes." She said simply, but you could hear the small, faint giggle when she spoke.

"By the way, there's something I've been wanting to tell you..." His voice faded into the air, the sentence left to hang.

"Hmm." She hummed through half lidded eyes as she pat the threstral on the head.

"Thank you. Thank you for believing me when everybody else didn't. Thank you for telling me that I'm not crazy. Thank you for being by my side the rest of the my Hogwarts career and thank you for supporting me. Thank you for everything."

She stopped petting the creature and turned to face him. When she did he saw the most beautiful thing in the world. Her real smile. Her eyes glistened the most out of the smile, that real smile that she rarely gave. Her beautiful blue eyes shimmered happily. You could tell they were dancing. She didn't answer, but stood there smiling at Harry.

When the sound of wings flapping was heard both turned to watch the creature that was there fly off into the sky. There was silence between the two as the threstral left, Harry's mind reeled, going on an all-out-war over the contemplation of Luna. "Was the fight against You-Know-Who difficult?" She asked suddenly, breaking the silence and Harry's thoughts. Harry only growled annoyingly, which caused her to glance at him. He grabbed onto her shoulders firmly. Not hard, not soft, but just right. He looked her straight in the eye and says sternly, "Luna, say it." She just looked at him confused. He shook her gently then demanded again,"Luna, say it! Say Voldemort's name!" When his grip tightened she winced.

This annoyed him. He hated it when nobody would speak Voldemort's name. Now, that he killed the Dark Lord there are still some people who just can't bring themselves to break the habit of not refering to his name. He's dead already! Saying his name is not going to bring him back to life! Finally, after my grip got almost unbearable to her, she spoke his name. Harry released her, apologizing for his actions. A sigh escapes his lips as he watched Luna rub her shoulders. "Yes. Very difficult." He answered her at last. Luck was with him that day. He almost couldn't beat him. He was real lucky.

Suddenly, Luna had her hand in his, holding it gently as she gazed at him with kind eyes. He looked back into hers. Those eyes...always got him... He shook his head once again, but this time laying his head on her left shoulder and just resting it there. She just let him lay his head on her shoulder as she stared ahead of her. The thought that came across Harry's mind was not the best ideas he's ever had, but what his wife didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Straightening himself up, he pulled her close to him, ignoring the gasp that escaped her lips as he then covered them with his own. Her eyes widened, but her lips never left his. Relaxing, her eyes finally closed as she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and began to kiss him back.

Eventually the kiss had to break for air and they stood there in one another's arms catching their breath. They stayed like that for a bit until they finally broke away from each other realizing what they had just done. Sure, it made Harry feel guilty, but it also felt so right to him. Luna was staring at the ground. Harry grabbed her by the chin, lifting her head up to face him, and whispered to her, "Write me." All she did to reply to this was nod her head yes. He gave her one last kiss, Luna responding without a second thought, then went their own way after breaking apart and saying their goodbyes.

It was just this once.

End of oneshot. The idea came after I watched the fifth movie, Order of the Phoenix, and before the book the Deathly Hallows. Review?