Holey Moonlight – Chapter 2

Disclaimer: There is adult language and situations in this fic, but no graphic descriptions!

Ginny and Hermione came back down from helping Luna to bed to find George in his parents' arms, crying.

"She's asleep, I think," stated Hermione as she walked in the room. "Although she was still very upset. Before she settled down she asked if George could stay with her."

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "Of course, the poor thing," As she continued rubbing George's back, she looked at the Auror. "Kingsley, exactly what did Neville confess to?"

Kingsley sat back and thought for a moment, going through everything that Neville had said and what the Weasley's had told him Luna had said.

"Pretty much everything she told you, except," here he paused, looking at George warily. "He said he'd done all this to show her that he was the only one she should love. He was petty convinced that she's been in love with George for a while, now."

Everyone jumped when a glass on one of the table exploded.

"Harry, mate, calm down," Ron looked at his best friend.

Harry shook his head. "Wasn't me, mate."

The room stared at Harry until another glass broke and George jumped up.

"It's me," he said shakily. "I've – I've got to get out of here for a few minutes." He walked out through the kitchen to the backyard, and everyone could hear several more things break as he passed through. They all looked at each other, perplexed. None of them had ever seen George lose control like that before.

"I'm going to go talk to him," everyone startled when Luna's voice drifted through the room. She was standing there in only a very long shirt and barefooted. She nodded once at everyone and walked out after George.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

She stood there silently, watching him. It looked as though he was crying and alternating between punching a tree or using is Wild magic to tossing gnomes over the fence.

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!" He screamed and wit hit such a powerful surge of Wild magic that he ended up uprooting the bush he was grabbing gnomes from and tossing it over the fence along with about 8 gnomes that were hanging on for dear life.

"Georgie," she called softly, knowing he'd hear here even if she were to whisper.

Sure enough, he whirled around, eyes red from crying and wild from the emotions he was trying to deal with.

"Luna," when she took a step towards him, he held up his hand. "No, don't. I can't control myself. I don't want to hurt you, even accidentally," as if to prove his point, another bush was uprooted and flung over the fence.

She smiled softly, shaking her head and started walking toward him again. "You wouldn't – couldn't – hurt me, Georgie. Even accidentally. I know it."

He turned way, bowing his head, the Wild magic palpable around him.

When she reached him, she stretched out her hand and laid it on his shoulder, trying to soothe him.

He turned around, head still bowed. "I wouldn't want to hurt you, Luna, but I can't – I'm so mad and hurt for you. All I want is to get my hand son him and –" One of the smaller fruit trees split in two with a loud crack and he shuddered.

She laid a hand on his cheek. "It means so much to me, Georgie, to know that you love me," he head snapped up and she smiled. "It means so much to me because I've been in love with you since my fourth year."

His eyes grew round and he started stuttering. "Y-you're in l-love with m-me? S-since your fourth y-year? B-but you and Neville…"

"I was with Neville only because I never thought I'd be able to have you," she shrugged and grinned impishly. "And everyone – including yourself – seems to expect it."

George stood there staring at her for a few minutes before pulling her flush against him and kissing her deeply.

Luna wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back just as passionately. When they broke for air she smiled down at her.

"Let's go to bed."

"I though you'd never ask."

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

The rest of the Weasleys and family were still sitting in the living room when George and Luna walked back in, hand in hand.

"We're going to bed, now. We'll see you all in the morning," and without waiting for a reply, they walked upstairs. A moment later, everyone else heard a bedroom door close quietly.

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "They'll be just fine."

The rest of the family nodded and smiled. Yes. George and Luna would be fine.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

As he closed the door to their room, Luna enlarged the single bed to a nice double-sized and crawled in to wait for him.

When George turned around, he froze, breath suspended in his chest. Sitting there, in his bed, was every fantasy he'd had since before the Final Battle. It was as if an angel had come down to fulfill his wish.

As he stared at her, Luna felt herself start to blush. She'd never imagined that George Weasley – her Georgie – would be staring at her with that look on his face. She stared back for a moment before scooting over and patting the bed beside her.

George felt his knees go weak and his mouth go dry. There sat Luna, with her hair cascading over one shoulder, inviting him to join her. He was frozen to the spot. He couldn't think. All he could do was stare.

She smiled at him, then. "Georgie – come to bed," she said quietly, patting the bed beside her again.

He walked over to the bed, still staring at Luna and stripped down to his boxers, then crawled in next to her.

She looked up at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, Georgie, love me. I need you so badly – help me forget him and everything he's done to me."

He shushed her gently, taking her into his arms and gently laid her back before kissing her heatedly. "I love you, Luna – and tonight I'm going to show you exactly how that should feel," he whispered sweetly in her ear, before covering her lips and body with his own.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

She was back at the Final Battle – there were so many dead and injured laying around her.

She was fighting some faceless Death Eater, trying to check on her friends at the same time. :Spell, then shield,: she'd think to herself as her eyes roamed between her attacker and the rest of the scene.

There was Harry fighting Voldemort – Ron and Hermione were fighting more Death Eaters.

And Ginny, being snuck up on by Bellatrix Lestrange. Before she could cry out a warning, Molly Weasley was there. "Not my daughter, you bitch!"

That's when she noticed him – Rookwood, sneaking over towards Percy, Fred and George, shouting out a spell, the wall crumbling away –

Only this time it wasn't Fred that died – it was George…

She sat up screaming "No! George!" shrilly, face already wet with tears. It took her a moment to remember what she'd been dreaming, then she broke down.

George was awake and sitting up before she was done screaming. When she broke down, he gathered her into his arms, stroking her hair and gently shushing her.

Then a knock came at the door. "George? Is everything alright?" It was his mum.

"Come in," he called, not really wanting to shout through the door. Thank Merlin they'd both decided on putting on at least a shirt and underwear after…

He blushed a little at where that thought led, when not only his mum, but the entire houseful of people filed in, still dressed, and giving him curious looks at his blushing. Huh. Must not have been asleep for that long.

Seeing an obviously distraught Luna in her son's arms, Molly bustled over to her side of the bed, sat down and opened her arms.

Luna took one look at the kindly woman that she'd been terming "Mum Weasley" for years, gave a small cry, and launched herself into her arms.

George and the rest of them watched, troubled, as Luna completely broke down in the elder witches arms, sobbing loudly.

"Here, now," Molly cooed. "What's this all about?"

After another moment, Luna sat up out of her arms, sniffling and wiping her eyes. "I-it was just a nightmare."

Molly rubbed her arm, knowing there was more to it than that. "Why not tell me about it? They say talking about them keeps them away."

Luna blushed a bit, looking at 'Mum' Weasley and started describing her dream. She was aware of everyone else listening, but it was more comfortable to talk just to Molly.

"I-it was the Final Battle – it was like I was back there, reliving it. I saw Harry fighting Voldemort, Ron, Hermione and I were fighting Death Eaters. Then I saw Bellatrix sneaking up on Ginny and you coming to defend her. That's… that's when I saw it," her voice very quiet and trembling now.

She took a deep breath, twisting the sheet in her hands. "I s-saw Rookwood – casting the spell at Percy, Fred and George and the wall falling," here her breath caught as she struggled not to sob. She continued in a voice barely above a whisper. "But it wasn't F-fred that got caught under the w-wall. I-it… i-it was George," the last was said very fast, and she buried her face in her hands, breathing heavily and leaned into Molly, trying not to cry.

Molly held the beautiful young woman that she'd come to think of as another daughter as she looked around the room, sure her face was registering what everyone else's face was showing – shock and sadness.

After a few moments of shocked silence, George cleared his throat. "B-but I'm still here, Luna. I-it wasn't me, I'm still right h-here for you," he stuttered, trying not to cry, so worried for his Luna.

She sat up again and looked at George – the tears in his eyes, his worried look and fell into him again, wrapping her arms around him so tightly he was sure that she cracked a rib or two.

He didn't mind, though, as he again wrapped her in his arms. "H-hey, now – what's all this? I'm here, we're together and I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he took a deep breath, trying to control the tremor in his voice. "F-fred is the one gone, Loony – not me. I was left here by myself so we could be t-together," he could feel the tears sliding down his face, but couldn't seem to care. "Just as you were l-left here alone to be with m-me. A-and I'm so thankful, love, that T-they gave me you. I wouldn't have s-survived without you," he buried his face in her hair, then, sobbing out his grief and happiness.

The rest of the family watched and listened to George comforting Luna. Hermione and Ginny were silently sobbing, clinging to Ron and Harry, who also had tears rolling down their cheeks.

Molly got up fro the bed, tears standing in her eyes, to go to her husband, who'd eyes were also wet with unshed tears. Together they quietly shooed out the rest of the family, closing the door softly on the weeping couple.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

After a few more minutes of crying, Luna pulled away from George slightly, a small, slightly forced smile on her face and she chuckled quietly. "You called me Loony – you haven't done that since the year after the Battle."

George wiped the tears from her cheeks and under her eyes and chuckled as well. "Yeah, well, I told you all that time ago that you were my Loony and I was the only one that could call you that from them on. Remember?"

She smiled up at him, remembering that year and how difficult it had been to get George to open up to her. "I remember," she said, thinking back…

***FLASHBACK***

She'd been trying for weeks to get him to talk to her. They'd been so close, the three of them, before the last battle. Now he was closing himself off from everyone – his parents, siblings, friends – even her.

And she'd had enough.

She had flooed into the shop, seeing that, once again, it was closed up in the middle of the day. She stormed up to the flat above the shop, walking in without knocking or waiting to be asking in. What she saw there pulled her up short – and made her even madder.

George – sweet, wonderful, always smiling George – was sprawled on the couch, obviously passed out drunk, with a bottle of Ogden's Firewhiskey still half-full, tucked under his arm.

She conjured a pitcher of ice water, snagged the bottle of Firewhiskey away from him and dumped the pitcher over his head.

George came up spluttering, dipping wet, with bleary eyes and a frown. "What the hell - ?"

"That's what I wanted to ask you," she spoke with an icy, clipped tone. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She brandished the Firewhiskey at him. "Drawing your sorrows is not going to help, Georgie!"

He made a grab for the bottle, but she was too quick and he was still a little too drunk. He glared at her.

"What the hell, Loony?" he half-slurred at her. " Give me my fucking bottle back!"

She shook her head, returning the glare. "No! Not until you talk to me, Georgie!" she caught his wince, but kept going. "Tell me! Tell me why you're doing this to yourself!"

He stared back at her stubbornly silent.

She glared at him for a moment longer, before sighing and placing the bottle down on the coffee table and turning to go.

Something about Luna looking defeated and sad made George's stomach drop. He was talking before he realized it.

"He was my twin! We did everything together! He swore he'd always be there for me! That we'd always be together! We even talked about a double wedding when we finally decided to settle down," he put his head in his hands, very near tears again, which he'd been avoiding with the help of the Firewhiskey and mumbled. "No one understands. Merlin, how could they?"

"You feel as if someone has stolen all your air and left you with something thick and choking. As if someone has cut off your wand arm and left you with something unusable and alien," here her breath caught in her throat, but she forced it around the lump that was quickly forming. "You feel as if the one person – the only person – that will ever understand you completely has been torn away from you, leaving you with no one that will ever get you the way they did."

When she was done, she slowly pivoted on the spot to find George staring at her, mouth open in shock. He swallowed hard and asked. "How - ?"

She knew she was crying now, but couldn't seem to get herself to care enough to stop. She'd finally broken through to George.

"I am – was – a twin," she spoke softly, willing the tears on her face to not show in her voice. "remember, I told you about my mother?" At his nod, she continued. "Well, my sister, Joy, died with her in that accident. Not many people knew that we were twins, we didn't go out much, so when they died father buried them on our land and no one seemed to notice she was gone, so we just never really talked about her," she looked away, allowing the tears to fall freely as she remembered the horrible times she and her father had, trying to cope with not only the loss of their wife and mother, but also the loss of her twin.

And, suddenly, she had her arms full of a sobbing George Weasley. He clung to her, crying hard with her, letting her comfort him. Finally their legs could no longer hold them, and they ended up on the floor, crying and screaming their grief into each others shoulders. She couldn't remember which of them it had been to pick them up and move them to the couch, crying themselves to sleep, secure in each others arms.

George did better after that – he and Luna were together every day, at least for several hours. She got him to quit drinking and to start visiting his family again. She even got him inventing again and he reopened the shop with hers and Lee Jordan's help.

The day he reopened is the day he'd first called her his Loony.

"You made all this possible for me, Loony," he'd smiled at her when she blushed and mumbled something about not calling her that.

He'd laughed then, already knowing he was in love with her. "Well, you're my Loony," he'd said with mock bravado, wrapping her in a hug, chuckling. "And if anyone else calls you that, you just tell that, and that if they have a problem with It, they can come talk to me."

That was the day that Luna Lovegood realized exactly how long she'd been in love with George Weasley.

LGLGLGLGLGLGLGLGLG

As her eyes refocused on the ginger-haired man sitting in bed next to her, she could tell that he was reliving the same memories.

Then, as she watched, a horrified realization flashed across his face.

"Loony."

She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. I'm the one that told him what you had said, thinking he'd find it as funny as I did. Apparently, he didn't."

George opened his mouth to apologize for what Neville had done to her back based on his comment, tears again in his eyes, but she stopped him.

"No. This was not your fault, and it wasn't my fault," she told him firmly. "It's his fault for reacting that way," she rubbed a hand over tired, puffy eyes. "I'm tired again, Georgie – let's go back to sleep."

George nodded, laying down and holding his arms open to Luna, who immediately snuggled into them, pillowing her head on his chest.

It might not be perfect, but they were together and loved each other. That would help them get through the coming weeks.