Disclaimer: If I were JKR, Harry and Luna would have ended up together...

The sun rose steadily over Hogwarts, and the Great Hall blazed with life and light. Harry was an indispensible part of the mingled outpourings of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration. They wanted him there with them, their leader and symbol, their saviour and their guide, and that he had not slept, that he craved the company of only a few of them, seemed to occur to no one...

After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna.

"I'd want some peace and quiet if it were me," she said.

Harry felt strangely calm and relieved by these words and as he glanced at the blond-haired girl, he felt amazed as to how a person could know him so well. Whatever the situation might be—even an enormous one like this—this one girl would always have simple words of comfort for him.

"I'd love some," he managed to croak.

"I'll distract them all. Use your cloak," she said and Harry nodded, wondering what she was going to do, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Ooh," exclaimed Luna and pointed out of the window, "a Blibbering Humdinger!" Harry snorted with laughter as the people who heard her began looking for the non-existent creature.

"Now!" she hissed.

"Oh, right," said Harry and slid the cloak up over himself. As he did so, he suddenly realised that he didn't want to leave Luna's company.

"C'mon Luna," he whispered.

"What?" she whispered back, confused.

"Get in the cloak, quick!"

"Oh!"

Without further enquiries, Luna slipped inside the cloak in a moment's notice.

"Come closer, or we'll be seen," said Harry, pleased about this instruction. Luna crept closer to him and he could hear her delicate breathing. The proximity made him blush faintly.

"So, where to?" asked Luna curiously.

"Um, I don't know..." said Harry, as he looked around. "Let's go that way," he said, indicating a deserted corridor.

As they walked together, Harry smiled to himself. It was so easy to be around Luna; her presence was always a source of comfort for him. He didn't have to talk to her constantly; she never asked him unnecessary questions that others did. He realised how much he liked her and wanted to put his arm around her, but couldn't pluck up the courage to do so, although he knew that she wouldn't mind. Instead, he thought how grateful he was that Luna had emerged safe and sound from the battle that had claimed so many lives. His insides writhed in agony as he was struck by the fact that Tonks, Lupin and Fred were no more. He exhaled deeply as all the mixed feelings of relief and sadness attacked him from all sides.

"Don't worry Harry," said Luna gently, "They didn't die in vain."

Unable to say anything to that, Harry put his arm around Luna and rested his head on top of hers, his emotions making his throat constrict. Luna put her arm around his waist and patted him lightly. Harry closed his eyes and clutched her tighter, like he wanted never to let go.

"I don't think we need this now," she remarked in a casual tone and with her free hand, pulled the cloak off and stuffed it inside Harry's jacket.

"Luna..." Harry began hesitantly, his heart racing.

"Hmm?"

Harry was pleased that she was not pulling away from him. "You have no idea..." he said slowly, "how—how good and—" he swallowed as he struggled for the right words, "how warm you make me feel..." He cursed himself for being so inarticulate.

But Luna simply replied, "Thanks Harry. That's a very nice thing to say." He smiled at the typical Luna-like reaction. He took a deep breath and continued, "I'm just so glad you're here. Safe. I—" he bit his lip, "you know..."

"Yeah, I do," she said, "And it's the same for me. I was very worried about you Harry. I thought I'd never see you again," Harry's heart swelled with warmth as she paused for a moment and said, " And that would be extremely painful for me."

Harry remained quiet as he pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back tightly and they stood like that for a few seconds before Harry saw Ron and Hermione at the end of the corridor.

"There he is!" exclaimed Ron just before his eyes widened at the sight before him. "Hey wha—" He was silenced by a sharp jab in his ribs by Hermione. "Oww..." he moaned.

Luna broke the hug as she heard Ron and looked up at Harry, beaming. Harry smiled and planted a light kiss on the top of her head and had the pleasure and astonishment of seeing her turn bright red, something he'd never witnessed before.

"I love you," he said a little briskly as he walked away from her towards his best friends.

"That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," said Luna, a broad smile on her face, "I think I love you too."

~Fin~

A/N: I'm not getting time to write just because of my bloody exams...they suck! Anyway I managed to write this when I was supposed to be studying chemistry... Anyway please review guys :):)

XOXO