DEATHLY HALLOWS REMIX

Premise: Harry starts talking to Luna at Shell Cottage, and that causes major changes…

Chapter 1: An End and A Beginning

Harry knelt in the sand by Dobby's grave unready to get to his feet and move away just yet. He did not bother to wipe away his tears. He was so tired of losing people. He startled when a small hand settled on his shoulder and turned slightly to find Luna standing there leaning towards him. As he looked into her silvery eyes something inside him shifted. He twisted to face her as she fell to her knees and burrowed into his arms winding her arms around him. He could feel her body shaking, and he held her tighter pressing his face into her tangled blonde hair. It was several long moments before he realized that he too was shaking.

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but eventually the shaking subsided and he sat back pulling Luna with him. He could feel his exhaustion tugging at him and he knew he should suggest that they go to the cottage and get some sleep, but he didn't want to move. Luna had curled into him and he found her presence comforting. He leaned his head against hers, and tried not to think. Harry wasn't sure how long they sat there when he was startled by a voice.

"Harry, Luna, you should come inside. It's safer," Bill Weasley called softly to the two teens where they sat next to Dobby's grave. Harry turned his head at the voice. He had not heard the other man approach. 'What was wrong with him? What if that had been a snatcher or Death Eater and not Bill?' He must really be tired.

"Thanks, Bill. We'll be there soon," he replied quietly. Bill nodded in acknowledgement and then wandered back to Shell Cottage. "Luna," Harry said gently near her ear worried that maybe she had fallen asleep.

"Thank you, Harry," Luna whispered so low Harry almost didn't hear her. She pulled away, and the two stood slowly. Harry was surprised when she slipped her hand in his, but squeezed it gently rather than pulling away. He briefly wondered if she got as much comfort from holding his hand, as he did from holding hers. It was nice to have that reminder that she was there on a day like today. The two walked in silence towards the brightly lit cottage as darkness fell around them.

"Welcome 'arry," Fleur greeted him as soon as the two were inside the home. "And you must be Luna? You were at the wedding, non?" She added. "Would you like to eat first or clean up a bit?"

"Hello, Fleur," Harry replied thinking that cleaning up sounded really good, but willing to allow Luna to decide. "How's Hermione?"

"Zee ez zleeping," came the accented answer. "'Ermione will be fine. I have some clothes for you, Luna, if you would like to clean up and change."

"Thank you," Luna stated softly.

"Bill and Dean are in the kitchen, 'arry, through there," she informed him motioning off to the right. "There ez food. I will get you when Luna ez done," Fleur stated taking charge of the situation since neither had stated a preference aloud.

"Thanks, Fleur," Harry said giving Luna's hand a reassuring squeeze before letting go and heading in the general direction that Fleur had indicated. He was hungry, and he didn't begrudge Luna cleaning up before him.

Luna followed Fleur and soon found herself alone in a well appointed lavatory with a small stack of clean clothing and a fresh towel. She stood still for a moment just examining herself in the mirror. She seemed paler, and her face was thinner than she could ever remember it being. Turning away, she made sure the door was locked then stripped to take a shower for the first time in months. She scrubbed thoroughly enjoying feeling clean again. She toweled off quickly, and pulled on the clothes she'd been given, a simple skirt and shirt combination in blue and gray. They were a little large, but nothing she could not fix with a little magic. She would have to ask if she could borrow a wand or if someone would assist her with both the clothes and her usual spell to dry and tame her hair. She didn't have her wand, unfortunately. It had been taken from her when she was first taken and she had not seen it since. She missed it desperately.

She left the bathroom after tidying up and carried her bundle of clothes with her only to meet Fleur just steps away.

"Would you like these back?" Fleur questioned nodding towards the bundle of clothes.

"No," Luna replied after thinking about it for a moment. The clothes would only remind her of her time in captivity, something she firmly wanted to forget.

"Shall I spell your hair, or do you prefer combing it out?"

"It's easier to spell it," Luna replied with a sigh and held herself still while the other woman cast the spells to dry and detangle her long hair. "Merci. And if you please, would you mind using some sizing spells for the clothes."

"It ez no problem," Fleur replied happily and with Luna's directions, resized the slightly too large clothes to make them fit better. "You should eat now, and let 'arry get cleaned up," she decided leading the other girl to the kitchen. "I can dispose of these," she added taking the old clothes from Luna's arms.

"Hello, Luna," Harry greeted her with a small smile when she entered the room.

"Hello, Harry," she replied though she could not quite manage a smile in return. There was simply too much to think about and to try not to think about for her to smile.

"The soup is really good," he informed her as she took a seat at the table. She appreciated his attempts at normalcy. Luna quietly helped herself to some soup and bread, and sat listening while the others talked. Harry left to get cleaned up, and she found herself missing his presence. Having him near had calmed her. She thought about going outside again. After several months in the Malfoy dungeons, she longed to be outside where she could look up and see the stars.

"Merci," she informed Fleur as she placed her empty bowl by the sink. The others had followed Bill to another room moments before, "do you need any help?" She offered thankful that the family had taken her in and provided her with a place to stay until she could sort out her thoughts and contact her father. She hoped that he was alright, and that he would forgive her for waiting until morning to try to contact him. She needed rest, and time to deal with her sudden rescue after months of captivity.

"Non, a simple spell or two, will take care of everything till morning," Fleur replied easily eyeing the small blonde before her. She vaguely recalled seeing the young girl with Harry at her wedding back in the summer, but knew nothing really about her. She was concerned about what the girl's captivity may have entailed, and it had not escaped her notice that she had walked into the cottage holding Harry's hand. Fleur knew the girl had been taken from the Hogwarts Express before the Christmas holiday, and it was now early May. That was a long time to be locked away, held captive by Death Eaters.

"I would like to go outside now," Luna stated softly unsure if Fleur would insist she stay indoors.

"There ez a small 'nclosed area jus' through ze dining room, I will show you," Fleur suggested thinking of the area which was still within the homes protections. It was meant as an outdoor seating area where one could have the occasional meal and relax. It was protected from the wind more than other areas near the house, and there were several comfortable places to sit. Luna followed the older witch appreciative of the fact that she hadn't questioned Luna's desire to be outside. Fleur considered the area one of her favorite things about her new home.

Once Luna stepped outside again, she felt better. She took a deep breath of the cool night air, and found the sound of the waves on the nearby beach very soothing.

"The area is protected within the wards of the home, but do not wander too far. Do you need anyt'ing elz?"

"Non, merci," Luna replied softly.

"I am 'ere if you change your mind," Fleur assured her and then turned to go back inside. She had several things to do still to insure that everyone had a place to sleep. The cottage was not made for so many guests, but she was more than ready for the challenge.

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After his shower and changing into clean clothes, Harry checked on Hermione to find Ron sitting in a chair by her bed with his other friend fast asleep. He paused for a moment as he looked at his best female friend as she lay pale and still beneath a heavy blanket her hair a wild halo around her head, one arm heavily bandaged from her wrist to just above her elbow. Then he took in the red rimmed eyes of his other friend, and found he did not know what to say. This was not the first time he had seen his friends hurt, but it certainly did not get any easier to do so. He shivered as he remembered the terrified screams of his friend while she was tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange, and the panic that had nearly overtaken Ron as he struggled to get to her. Ruthlessly, he did his best to push away thoughts of guilt and conjured a chair to sit down beside his red-headed friend. After several long moments of silence as he struggled with what to say, he finally spoke.

"You should tell her, you know, how you feel." Ron startled at the remark, blushing, but his denial died on his lips as he meet the eyes of his oldest friend that appeared almost wet with tears.

"What would she want with me?" He scoffed instead. "She's worth ten of me, at least."

"I don't know, mate, but it's pretty obvious to everyone else that she's crazy about you. She deserves to know you feel the same," Harry found himself saying. It wasn't what he had intended to talk to Ron about, but after his breakdown in front of Luna, he realized that he needed to let his friends know he cared about them and how much they meant to him. It felt like things were drawing to a close soon, and he seriously doubted he would make it.

"I love her, too, mate, though not like you," Harry reassured him as Ron's expression started to sour. "She's been my best friend for a long time, and never let me down, and I should be telling her more how much I appreciate that." Ron scrubbed his face with his hands, and sighed.

"I know. I don't know how girls do this emotional crap, but the thought of losing her today," Ron started but broke off with a choked sob.

"So, we're idiots. She'll forgive us, because she knows we're idiots. But we can try to do better," affirmed Harry as he thought about everything that had happened with his friends over the years. "And, Ron…" he began turning to one of his first friends and meeting his eyes again. "I love you, too, mate. You're my brother in all the ways that count. But if you hurt her, I'll kill you." Ron blinked surprised at first then nodded in acceptance.

"If I hurt her, I hope you kill me, too, brother," he replied clapping Harry on the back.

"Good," Harry said and a small smile flittered across his face though it didn't reach his eyes. "Take care of her," he added before rising to his feet and leaving the room. Ron took Hermione's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a chaste kiss.

"He's right you know, Hermione. I love you, and I should have told you already, but I will. I promise."

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Harry stepped out into the hall deep in thought. He did not know his next steps exactly, but he had some ideas based on everything that had happened at the Malfoys. He just needed some time to think and plan.

"Harry," Bill interrupted Harry's thoughts as he headed back towards the kitchen in search of a quiet place to think. He paused in the hallway as the other man reached him. "I got a message back from Remus and the others. No one has seen Xenophilius Lovegood, and his home has been destroyed."

"Hermione did that actually. Fired a curse at an erumpet horn hanging on the wall of the living room that Mr. Lovegood said was the horn from a crumple horned snorkcack. I didn't see what happened to him before we apparated out of there, but we made sure that the Death Eaters saw me, so they knew he wasn't lying when he told them we were there," Harry explained to his friend's older brother.

"Why were you at Lovegood's?"

"We were looking for information and thought he might know something. That's how we learned that Luna had been taken," Harry revealed. "Look, Bill, I don't blame him for alerting the Death Eaters. I don't think he wanted to, but he was only trying to protect Luna. I can't blame him for that, and I don't think Ron or Hermione do either." Bill nodded at the information. He wished he could have warned the trio about Lovegood's compromised position earlier, but the lack of communication with Harry and the others had been an ongoing problem since the wedding. Other than Ron's update when he returned to them briefly, they had not heard any news from the trio until Harry contacted Aberforth requesting help.

"We need a better way to communicate in future. We could have warned you of her abduction, and the change in the Quibbler because of that."

"Who has the other half of the mirror fragment?" Harry asked curious.

"Oh, Aberforth Dumbledore, has it. He got it off Mundungus, who took it from Grimmauld Place. He's tried to contact you a few times, but something seems wrong with your mirror and it doesn't work right."

"I broke my mirror, and all I really have left is the one large piece I used to ask for help. I didn't really think it still worked, and even wondered if I was crazy since sometimes I'd see a familiar looking blue eye in the mirror but that was usually all." Bill clapped him on the back lightly and with a smile said.

"Mystery solved."

"Thanks, Bill, and let us know as soon as you hear something about Mr. Lovegood. Have you told Luna, yet?" Bill shook his head no.

"She's outside, and Fleur suggested that maybe you should tell her since she knows you. After all, we don't know what all happened to her during her captivity, and she was there for quite awhile. She didn't seem scared of you earlier. Just be careful with her, alright."

"I'll talk to her, and be careful. Thanks, Bill."

"You're welcome, Harry." Harry contemplated his next actions, but then decided that Luna deserved an update sooner rather than later, so he went in search of her. Within moments, he found himself on a small outdoor patio and took the seat closest to the one that Luna occupied. Her long blonde hair shone brightly in the light of a half moon, and she looked sadder than Harry could ever recall having seen her.

"Do you mind if I join you for a moment, Luna?" He asked carefully.

"No, I feel safe with you," she replied easily and he thought about her statement. Luna had a knack for being blunt, sometimes painfully so.

"Bill has some friends checking on your father, but so far no one has seen him," he informed her. "He was fine earlier today when I last saw him, but Hermione, Ron, and I apparated out once Death Eaters appeared to capture us." Luna stared unblinkingly at him for several long moments, and it was very disconcerting.

"Thank you, Harry. I am sorry that my father betrayed you. If there is anything I can do to help you, let me know."

"Your father did what he had to do to protect you. I don't blame him for that, and no apology is necessary," he reassured her sincerely. "You have always stood by me, and I value your friendship. I will let you know as soon as we hear something about your dad, and if there's anything else I can do to help you, please let me know." As Harry watched, tears made their way down Luna's checks.

"Please don't cry, Luna. I didn't mean to upset you," he whispered softly moving to kneel before her chair and wondering what to do.

"Hold me," her voice was soft and pleading. As Harry took in her shimmering gray eyes and tear stained face, he found that he could not deny her request.

"Okay."

Luna blinked in surprise. She did not expect him to agree. She did not even know she would ask until the words were out of her mouth. As much as the night sky above her soothed her, she did not want to be alone. She shivered and slid from the chair until she was kneeling in front of him, and wrapped her arms around him tucking her head into his neck. She felt his arms wind around her as well holding her closely. It was only then that she realized she was trembling again. She breathed deeply taking in his scent and that of the soap he had used and the ocean beyond them trying to steady her own breath. Gentle fingers combed through her long tresses in a soothing manner and she burrowed tighter against him. It had been far too long since she had been held and comforted.

Harry marveled at the softness of Luna's hair. He hadn't quite known what to do other than hold her as she asked. He had originally just moved one arm to push away the mass of blonde curls that tickled his face, but found himself enamored of the silken tresses that trailed so easily through his fingers. As he explored her hair, he noticed her trembling subsided more, so he continued to run his fingers through it as soothingly as he could. It was comforting, even if holding each other as they kneeled on the ground was not the most comfortable position.

"As nice as this is, we both need sleep," Harry stated quietly near her ear once he realized her trembling had stopped. Luna shivered at the sensation of his breath against her ear. She felt a stirring deep inside her at the intimateness of the moment.

"I want to stay outside," she managed softly not yet ready to go back inside.

"That's okay. It's nice here," he reassured her thinking about the chairs and how to turn one into a place to sleep. "I'll transfigure the chair and we'll see how that goes alright?" He pulled his wand slowly so as not to startle her, and found he missed touching her hair. 'Focus,' he reminded himself and turned the chair into a lounge style chair similar to some he had seen in the neighbors yard on Privet Drive although it was wider than the usual lounge chair. He had debated trying to transfigure a bed, but ultimately the lounge felt safer somehow. Luna pulled back to look at his handy work and a blush rose in her cheeks. He hadn't transfigured a bed, but he had made the chair larger and more like a bed. She dried her face on her sleeve and rose to her feet. Harry followed and then took the cushions from another chair and turned one into a large pillow and another into a blanket. He placed the pillow against the slightly raised part of the chair as Luna watched and then took his free hand in hers. She knew she was safe with Harry. And she didn't want to be alone. Even if he wasn't hers, and she had no right to ask it of him, she wanted him to hold her as she fell asleep.

Luna sat down on the transfigured chair and tugged at Harry's hand for him to join her, not quite able to ask him to stay in her shyness over her actions. The two settled in together side by side at first and Harry drew the blanket over them. Luna turned slightly leaning into him and laid her head against his shoulder resting a hand near his heart. Slowly, Harry's arm moved to hold her against his side and she found herself relaxing against him.

"This is nice," she said aloud wanting him to know she appreciated his efforts and his kindness in staying with her. "Thank you."

"It is nice, and you're welcome," he replied surprised at how content he felt. He had not expected this. He had been so upset earlier, but somehow lying there under the stars with the sound of the ocean in the background, and most importantly he thought, with Luna tucked in against him, he felt better. Losing Dobby still hurt, and he had so much yet to do, but he needed this, this calm and reassurance and quiet strength that Luna seemed eerily capable of bringing him just by being near him. His fingers tangled into her hair, and soon they were both fast asleep.

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Author's Note: I had the idea for this piece and started it several years ago. It's not finished, which is why I hesitated to post it. However, I worked on it again today, and figured that even if it does take time to finish perhaps it will inspire more stories like it. I realize that I am hopeless at Fleur's accent, and this hasn't been reviewed by anyone but me, so please forgive those mistakes. Let me know what you think. Reviews are greatly appreciated.