Summary: Ron and Hermione are finally getting married! The day starts out beautifully, old and new friends gathering alike for the oh-so-obvious couple. Luna Lovegood witnesses it all from where she's standing, caught between an old crush, a new love, and a destiny. (Implied self mutilation, told from Luna's p.o.v, LunaxRemus)
Disclaimer: J. K Rowling owns all the wonderful miraculous characters, I just play with them.
Note: HBP spoilers ahead, ye be fairly warned. And there's not a whole ton of the ceremony, exchanging of vows, etc, because I imagine Luna would pay more attention to her environment then the ceremony itself, she always gave me the impression of being in two planes at once in the books. Oh, and apologies, I don't speak British so the speech might be off, but I'm willing if someone would like to help!
SCROLL ONE-- Besides, there were no tinglies.
You could only have wished to see a fairytale love like that nowadays. It's the best day of both their lives, the smiles are bright, the dresses and tuxedos are tailored to fit every body, the magic is perfectly on queue. Everything is falling into place so brilliantly, it's like the stars had all aligned to say they are meant to be.
My two best friends, among many others, are getting married today. She looks radiating in the strapless white dress of her dreams, he very handsome in his cut perfect tuxedo. I'm seated next to the family. Fleur Delacour, Ginny Weasley, and Angelina Johnson are the bridesmaids, Ginny being the matron of honour. She looks beautiful too, in her off-white dress, as do the other girls. Harry Potter is right next to Ron, playing the best man. Next to him is Neville Longbottom, my boyfriend, and beside him is Bill Weasley. There were many choices for the grooms party, considering the whole family was a basic male unit, with only two females to the six males. Ron had been convinced at the last minute to pick one of the two elder Weasley's, suspiciously with a happily jumping Fleur next to him. I swear she's Veela.
I look suspiciously around me and note other guests, mostly old Hogwarts students. Surprisengly enough, Draco Malfoy is seated towards the back, smiling without a hint of the locks in his eyes normally there. Almost even more surprisengly, he isn't attached to anyone. Maybe Parkinson dumped him?
They exchange vows, Hermione commenting on how red Ron's ears are. He grins that usual gitgrin and my heart sinks in that moment. Wasn't I over him? Nothing had happened, he'd always loved Hermione. I was always Loony Luna, two years his junior. The crazy girl with radish earrings, butterbeer bottle caps on her necklace and her wand stuck behind her ear. Uh oh.
I reach up inconspicously and finger the hair around my ear. Oh, thank goodness. My wand isn't there. But where is it?
"Looking for this?" A woman's voice says cheerily from behind me "Wotcher!"
I break into a huge grin and turn around, gently making sure not to damage the ruffles on my dress.
"Tonks?" I ask, watching the ends of her long brown hair turn pink as her nose scrunches up in concentration "oh my God!" I nearly squeal but she hands back my wand quickly. I look around for Remus Lupin, my old Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. He seems to be nowhere in sight.
"Where's Remus?"
"Oh," she looks sombre and leans back "you haven't been with the whole Order for awhile, have you?"
I shake my head worriedly and turn back around as she nods, to watch the bride and groom kiss. I cheer along with the rest of them as the pair happily glides down the aisle and into a large tent to perform some rites. I stand, not bothering to follow the crowd, instead choosing to talk to Tonks.
"So...?"
"So what?" she says, pulling up a chair and waving her wand, two butterbeers floating through the air towards us.
"Remus...or Professor Lupin I should call him" I giggle but stop as soon as I spot the look on her face.
"We...didn't make it, I..." she looks at my wide eyes and puts on a smile "I wasn't his mate."
"Oh...did you get fuzzy feelings everywhere you touched bare skin? Did he ever show you his eyes change colour?" I ask, prying into the breakup.
"No...to both questions. What're you hinting at Loony?" I smile at my old nickname. It always has stuck.
"Just signs of werewolves and their mates. And, just so you know, I'm not that loony anymore."
"I'll miss my Loony Luna, you always were great fun to find out weird things from, I guess we all grow up sometime," she says, picking herself up from the chair and taking a deep breath "should we face the music?"
"Ay, I think we shall," I offer my arm to her and my butterbeer bracelet clinks. I really couldn't let go completely.
"Grown up a bit, but you're still my same old Loony," she says affectionatly and takes my arm. I raise my head, she does the same, and we stride into the tent, heaving butterbeers and giggling.
Later, as I'm sitting at a table with Neville and Harry, I sigh as I see Hermione and Ron begin the dance. The band plays a quiet but sweet tune, and they dance around the floor, bubbles floating up from open pools of water around it. I close my eyes and scald myself. This is a wedding, why am I not happy? It's surely not Ron?
"Luna? Luna Lovegood?" I open my eyes and look up at a fairly unrecognizable man. He smiles gently down at me and my mind snaps awake.
"Professor Lupin?" I stand up and hug him. He smiles jovially, a child like enthusiasm sparkling in them.
"Not Professor anymore, my how you've grown!" he says, taking my hands and stretching me away from him to take me into account. I twirl around with his hand above my head and he laughs heartily.
"I finally got out of the short stage!" I giggle out and place my hands on my hips, to straighten out the dress. Neville coughs behind me. He always was a bit jealous.
"I do indeed see that! Would you care for a dance?" he asks as the band strikes up another slow song. I nod and curtsy as he pulls me out onto the dance floor. He places his arm gently under mine, sliding it onto my waist and I place my arm on his shoulder, my gloved hand linking with his in the air. He begins twirling me around the dance floor, guiding my every move.
"So how are you? It seems so long since I've seen you," he asks and smiles charmingly at me. I stare up into his amber honey eyes and smile, the fairy's on the ceiling blurry in my vision. It seems like magic...well it would be, wouldn't it? I giggle inconspiciously.
"I don't believe I've ever said something that funny" he says and smiles at me.
"Sorry, I was just thinking," I take a peek at my feet, and as we twirl I get a glance at Neville, who now seems to be glaring at us "oh, yes, well. Neville's my boyfriend. I'm afraid he's shooting daggars with his eyes at you right now."
"I can handle our dear friend Neville Longbottom, as I remember it, how is his grandmother?"
"Oh, she's hanging on," I giggle "I know it sounds mean, but I believe she knew Nicolas Flamel, and probably received some immortality potion from him."
"I see...and your career?"
"I took over editor in chief from my Father for the Quibbler, and I write also," I blush and my eyes widen as I see Tonks across the way "And you and Tonks?"
"Oh, we've been split up for some time now. She's not my mate, though I'm sure you know plenty about my species Luna," he laughs gently and I look back into his eyes, seeing a hint of indigo colouring making a ring around the normal amber honey colour.
"Yes, I do," I smile, having spent much of my time with my Father, treating him with new potions every month "And how is Bill doing? He did become a werewolf, I assume?"
"Oh yes indeed, but he and Fleur have been married for about ten years now, happily, of course."
"Nothing went wrong? That's a surprise, Fleur always struck me as one to place a high amount of importance on looks."
"Indeed she did to me too, dearest Luna, it's so sweet to see you grow up so much," he smiles with a hint of sadness behind his eyes as the indigo that had been becoming more prominant now starts to turn to blue "did you retain any of your youth?"
"Oh yes of course Professor," I say as the music starts to die down "I just grew up a bit once my responsibilities began lagging down on me."
We both let go and I hold up my wrist to show him my butterbeer bracelet. He raises a hand and smiles, his eyes turning a more gold colour now.
"Professor?"
"Remus, just Remus."
We both sit down at the table with Neville, who is looking grum, as Harry has gone off to dance with Katie Bell, who is now married to Oliver Wood, super star of Puddlemere United.
"I thought only the mates of werewolves were allowed to see their eyes change colour?"
"That is indeed true Luna."
"But I saw your eyes changing colour on the dance floor."
"Well, I can rightfully assume, you can figure that out yourself," he says, grasps myglovedhand and kisses it like a gentlemen meeting a lady "I should be off though. I see another male coming into the prowl." He smiles and excuses himself away from the table, including Neville.
"What was that about then?" Neville asks calmly, with a hint of anger in his voice.
"I don't know, I believe he just suggested I was his mate," I giggle "I think our old Professor's had a bit of fire whiskey and too much Honeyduke's chocolate."
"What if it's true?"
I pause. "It's not true Neville, you know it isn't. Father has shown me his eyes for certain colours. Besides, I didn't get any tinglies when he was holding me."
Suddenly there's another prescence next to me and I look up, locking eyes with a cold hard stare and gasping a bit.
"Finally rid of your old self Lovegood?"
"Oh, you're not here to insult me Malfoy, it's a wedding!"
"No, I wandered over here to ask you to dance."
"That sounded more like a command then a request."
"Well I, Draco Malfoy, humbly request one dance with the lovely Luna Lovegood."
"Yes then Good Sir."
He holds out his hand and I take it, his thin frame leading me out onto the dance floor. I can't imagine what Neville is thinking right now. And when did I get so bloody popular? I haven't grown that much!
He takes me close to him and wraps his arms around my waist. I follow suit and place my arms around his neck, his cheek pressing dangerously close to my face.
"I know what you're thinking."
"I don't."
He laughs quietly under his breath.
"You're wondering why I asked you to dance."
"I'm wondering why you asked me to dance. Curious yes, but not what I was thinking."
"Then what were you thinking?"
"I was thinking about Remus."
"Remus Lupin? The old DADA teacher?"
"Yes, he's right over there," I indicate to where Remus is standing, giving his best wishes to Hermione and Ron. My dance partner twirls me to get a good look at Remus.
"My, he does look bloody scruffy."
Slightly irritated, I smile serenly and ask "Where's Mrs. Draco Malfoy this evening?" knowing full well he doesn't have one.
"She is in my arms right now."
The smile on my face cracks and I stare grimly at him "What're you playing at Malfoy? You know I'm with Neville."
"Longbottom?" he laughs "Sorry to say it Darling, but Longbottom's still pouty about losing Granger."
"Hermione? What do you mean?" I glance around to see Neville glaring at Ron and Hermione, who are now resting at the head of the table in the centre of the room. I turn back around quickly and gulp.
Taking a tighter grip on Draco's collar, I pull him close and whisper "Tell me."
"Well, you see, our dear Weasley doesn't know you have that crush on him now does he?"
"I don't have a crush on him, I was a teenage girl, and now he's married. There will never be any chance of me and him, ever." I face the facts I know deep down are true. My stomach does another turn, probably upset at me. A mental image of my stomach leaving me forever with a suit case pops unwillingly into my mind.
"I see. Besides the point, onto business. Ever since two weeks ago, since the wedding's been closing in on us, have you noticed a change in Longbottom?"
I think back quickly and memories flash around my brain, voices yelling in my ears from the recent past.
"Yes, he's been home a lot earlier than ever," I say quietly, my voice growing shallow. It's not that Neville and I live together, I just usually spend most of my time at his house close by Hogsmeade.
"You look lovely in gloves, I should add. Never wondered why?"
I shake my head, my sheet blonde hair moving rapidly against his cheek so he feels it.
"He's been sleeping with Granger."
C&C always appreciated! Have a good one, ja ne!