Again, these are Jo's toys, I'm just playing in the toybox. I own nothing

"Stargazers"

"If I was never supposed to be the one to end this, what was I meant for?"

This question had been haunting him for weeks. His whole life had been a setup. He was meant to be the martyr for the cause. He would be the one to walk into the jaws of death so that others could finish his job that he was never truly ready for. There was no other explanation for the lack of training, the lack of preparation , the lack of...hope

He was meant to die like a good little soldier.

What if he didn't want to play this game anymore? What happens to the pawn when it willingly leaves the board? What would he do? Where would he go? Would his friends go with him? Were they ever his friends to begin with? So many questions and no answers to be found.

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"You know, it's a strange thing being thought strange." Luna said to no one in particular "It's like being a third color on a chessboard"

"There are only two colors on a chessboard, everyone knows that" Ron grunted as he drained another glass of pumpkin juice.

"Not always. Sometimes even pawns can change the game when the kings least expect it." Before anything else could be said, she skipped away, leaving Ron to his food and Harry stunned.

"A crazy one, that girl is." the redhead said as he pulled another rasher of bacon to his plate.

"She's something alright" Harry muttered.

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Harry Potter was left with many a strange thought for the rest of his day. What is there to live for, when your life was never meant to be lived? He was really wanting to unleash some weapons grade moping when he was distracted by a blonde in blue trimmed robes nearly floating down the hall.

"Dance with me, Harry!" she said as she pulled him up from his corner windowsill. "But you lead"

He couldn't help himself, he laughed. If he didn't laugh now, he'd probably be crying. "Ok Luna, why not? " He took her hand and held it gently. The pair were soon spinning and moving down the long hallway, passing several empty classrooms. The didn't have a beat nor any specific movements. They were a pair of young adults that, for the first time for one of them, acted like the teenagers they were. Sadly, all good things must come to an end and as Harry dipped his blonde partner, he looked up into the eyes of the Deputy Headmistress.

"Mister Potter! What on earth do you think you and Miss Lovegood are doing?" Her voice more stern than angry.

"I think it was called the tango, ma'am" He said. not realizing that he was still holding Luna's hand.

"Next time you two want to dance, find anywhere but a hallway. If I catch you again, there will most certainly be detention." She said, her voice softening. She was one of the few who knew what Harry Potter's home life was like. To see him actually smiling and laughing did her heart well. If it took miss Lovegood to remind him he was only 16, then she'd make an allowance or two.

As Professor Mcgonagall turned and left, the pair were left standing hand in hand. Harry went to say something but was stopped when the blonde looked up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Tomorrow, just find a room" She said in a sing song as she skipped away. He was too dumbfounded to do anything but watch her leave. He had to shake himself out of his stupor when he decided to just head back to the Gryffindor common room.

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"Did you really dance with loony?" Ron said as Harry sat down in his favorite chair "I heard from Dean that Seamus said you and her were yelled at by Sprout"

"Her name is Luna, and you know that" Harry sighed as he leaned back but flinched as he was poked in the ribs. He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and obviously wooden. He smirked as he stared at the handmade chess piece. It was a very light silver, almost grey. The same color as her eyes.

He couldn't help but laugh. "Yes Ron, I did dance with her. When was the last time you got to hold a pretty girl that close?" His best friend's face turned 3 shades of red as he tried to hide behind his quidditch magazine. "I'm sure Hermione would be game if you just asked."

Before ron could respond, said bookworm had sat down on the other end of the couch Ron was occupying. "I would do what?" she asked, pulling a thick book from her bag.

"We were just talking about pretty girls who like to dance, and I was trying to convince the human tomato beside you that all he would have to do is ask you and you'd probably give it a shot." This was the last thing she had expected to come out of her best friend's mouth. First, Harry was openly admitting to talking about girls. Second, he mentioned dancing. Third, and most importantly, it sounded like Ron was just trying to get the courage to FINALLY treat her like the girl she was.

She couldn't make her mouth work to say anything. The blush creeping up her neck said enough for her.

"I have a letter to go send off, I'll be back before curfew" Harry said as he jumped up and headed towards the hallway. In reality, he didn't have anyone to send letters to anymore. With Sirius gone, and Remus fussing over his pregnant wife, he just wanted to use an excuse to get away from the awkward couple. As he walked his mind wandered and his hand drifted to his pocket and the little chess piece within. He was so lost in his own musings that he found himself walking along the battlements of the ancient castle. Looking out at the setting sun he watched the sun dip lower and lower. until it was eventually gone. He was broken from his thoughts, by a familiar voice.

"This is always the best spot to watch the sunset." she said with an unusually serious tone. Luna Lovegood was always many things, but never this serious. "According to father, this is where mother would come to study. When I'm here, I know she's here with me." The dusk slowly giving way to darkness.

With a worried look, Harry stuttered "I-if I was intruding on something personal, I can leave." He looked around "if i can figure out how" he muttered to himself.

"No, don't leave." She blinked, wiping away a tear. Her mask of ambiguity slipping for the briefest of moments. "I'm better now." She nodded as she straightened her robe

The two just stood stargazing for what felt like hours. Eventually, the pair found themselves sitting on the edge of the building just watching the stars. The words left unsaid spoke volumes about just how odd the two were, He, a war hero at age one, raised as a slave. Her, heiress to a publishing empire that served both the muggle and magical worlds, but still ostracised by her peers for being a free spirit.

Neither heard the curfew bell ring.

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Albus Dumbledore had one love in this life. He loved Hogwarts like no other. He knew every inch of her like a husband would know his wife after so many years. He loved walking her neglected corridors in the early morning before the students woke.

It takes a lot to surprise the aging headmaster. He has seen the rise of two major and four minor dark lords in his time. He has survived the Scamander sextuplets, Prewitt twins, The Marauders, and most recently the Weasley twins. He was not prepared to find Harry Potter sitting on a windowsill facing the horizon with his arm around Luna Lovegood...who was snoring rather loudly.

"Ah to be young and in love." He smiled as he floated the pair to a from what would most certainly be a nasty fall. "I guess I should have a word with them" He sighed and flicked his wand, causing a popping sound that stirred the two from their slumber.

Harry blinked as he looked around, his vision was blurred, not from his lack of glasses, but by a mess of blond hair. It was then it struck him. He had stayed out all night, with Luna Lovegood. "Oh no...I'm dead. I fell off the side of the building and I'm dead"

Dumbledore laughed as he watched the teen panic. "Far from it Harry, my boy. I must commend you and miss Lovegood on finding the one place in this school that no one would think to look for you."

"I swear sir, we were just looking at the stars, I guess we just got tired and...and" he sighed and dropped his face "this doesn't look good. I'll take responsibility, sir. I should have paid more attention to the time, this wasn't Luna's fault."

The headmaster watched the teen, his arm still firmly around the girl's waist. "Harry, my boy, I believe you and am willing to consider this an unfortunate Astronomy study session." Before Harry could say anything. "If, and only if, this does not happen again. If this happens again, there will be repercussions" The teen nodded meekly "Now, I think you two should head down to breakfast. Shoo!" He motioned towards the end of the hallway.

As Harry stood, his back popped, waking Luna. "G'mrning" she mumbled, rolling her head around her shoulders to relax the stiffness. The pair walked down the hall, down a set of trick staircases, made three left turns and ended up across from the library. The two finally made it into the great hall just as the rest of the students were coming in. As he went to find a seat at the Gryffindor table, and she started to walk towards the ravenclaw table the two realized they were still holding hands. Both blushed, he squeezed her hand and was rewarded with a squeeze back before they separated. She looked at him as they parted and winked before skipping over to her table.

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Hermione Granger was at a loss. Her world was turning upside down and she didn't know what happened. One moment she's preparing for a long night of homework followed by prefect patrols. The next thing she knows, her best friend has successfully broken 3 years of tension between her and the human vacuum cleaner that is Ronald Weasley. The one night she was looking forward to her patrols, the pair ended up in a broom closet for the first time Then Harry disappears for the whole night only to show back up the next morning hand in hand with Luna Lovegood, whom he had apparently been dancing with the day before.

What happened, and why didn't it happen sooner?

I'm horrible when it comes to writing lovey dovey, this is probably as close as I will get any time soon unless there's significant demand.