"Could life be lived well in the absence of love? I think not." – Me

A/N: I don't know why but I really like the relationship between George and Luna. I think I might write a one shot detailing how I think they got together. Cheers!

Chapter Four

Luna's Loony Lover

Harry was having a hard time figuring out what exactly he should do. Part of him wanted to go back to his flat and sit somberly while remembering what it was like to kiss Ginny everyday. While the other part thought he had a responsibility to find out why George looked like he was about to cry.

In the end, responsibility won out and Harry remained by George's side long after Hogwarts Express left King's Cross.

The once chipper red head was looking forlorn at where the great red train had been. Harry had every inclination to do the very same thing but felt the need to wait until he was alone to do it. He had no idea how George was feeling. To be honest Harry had never taken the time to really get to know George or Fred, they both seemed so wrapped up in each other, it was never necessary.

But now that George was without Fred, Harry thought that it was as good a time as any to really get to know him. That was why Harry stayed behind and was currently trying to think of a way to ask George all of the things he wanted to know. Luckily for Harry, George seemed to have no problem breaking the ice for him.

"You know," he began, "if Fred saw me like this I'd never hear the end of it. To the last day of his life he was still making fun of my terrible ear jokes." Harry gave a short laugh. "When he died, I never thought I'd find someone who understood me so completely ever again."

Harry spoke up, tentatively. "But Luna does?"

"She's a lot deeper then you'd think," George said.

"Well, I know that," Harry said, "she's got my face painted on the ceiling of her room." George smiled.

"She's got me painted next to her bed." Harry nodded. The two of them stood in silence for a while. "She's a real good listener. Knows when to talk and when not to. She's a lot better about this kind of thing then Fred ever was."

"What d'you mean?" Harry asked.

"Cedric Diggory was a pretty good friend of ours. We never let on about it really. Wood wouldn't have like it." Harry smiled at that. "I didn't know what to do when he died. Everything changed. And you know Fred, always joking, even when we were alone." George looked very sad for a moment, then he brightened up. "But Luna," he smiled, "I can joke with Luna and then have a deep, important conversation. It's like she gets me more than even Fred does…………… did." Harry nodded.

"How did you and Luna," Harry began.

"End up scaring the Gnargles out of my flat?" George finished for him. Harry gave weak laugh. "About two weeks after Fred died she came into our shop and started talking about Crumble- Headed Snorkacks or something. She was the first person not to try and talk to me about Fred. She just figured that I might want to be talked to."

"That sounds like Luna."

"Well, we stood by the front check out for like an hour and just talked." George gazed fondly down the train tracks.

"And then you just-" Harry waved his hands around suggestively.

"Merlin, no, Harry!" George exclaimed. "Luna's not like that. She's not forward enough to just take a bloke into his bedroom and shag 'im. She held my hand and kissed my cheek and I was done for." George shook his head. "I closed up the shop and we went up to my flat. Talked the whole night, it was the first time I was smiling for than a moment in two weeks." He stopped talking again, and Harry felt the need to say something.

"And then-"

"For crap's sake, Harry! I'm going to start disapproving of your relationship with my sister if that is all you think about!" George gave Harry a disturbed look. "We'd stopped talking for a bit, she just stared at me and then she kissed me. Square on the lips. We snogged for a while and it just sort of happened. Later on she told me that it scares away the Gnargles that get in your bed."

"Guess that's nice to know," Harry said.

"Ha, yeah." They stood in silence together and watched the last of the Muggle parents scamper back through the barrier.

"I think it's time we be off, George," Harry said. He nodded. They stared at each other. "I'm not Disapparating until you do, mate." George grumbled, pulled out his wand and disappeared with a pop! Harry followed suit shortly after.

His feet touched down inside his flat and with a sigh, he trudged into the kitchen. He pawed around his pantry for the only thing he could think of that would get the image of his girlfriend's brother snogging the knickers off of Luna Lovegood out of his mind.

Fire Whiskey.

He had been of age for a while, but had just recently gotten up the nerve to actually buy it. He poured himself a glass and lumbered into his sitting room. He was about to get pissed, then take a nap when a head appeared in his fire place.

"Hi, Harry!" Neville said, brightly. Harry slopped most of his Fire Whiskey down his front. "Oh, sorry, mate!"

"S'all right, Neville," Harry said. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, Grand had the idea that we invite all the members of Dumbledore's Army over for supper and a party. It took us a while to get our act together, so the younger students won't be able to come. But I still think it'll be a smashing good time!" Neville said.

"Right, sounds great," Harry said. "When is it?"

"Tonight," he said.

"Tonight!" Harry had really been looking forward to that nap.

"Yeah, you should come over around six. Masses of people are coming. Dean, Seamus, Ron, Hermione, George, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson, even Oliver Wood. All sorts of people. Tons of Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs. It'll be brilliant!"

"Yeah, brilliant."

"Well, I have to be off. Grand's making me tidy up my room." He grimaced. Harry gave a weak laugh that seemed to satisfy Neville. When his head vanished, Harry chugged the remainder of his Fire Whiskey and scowled.

----

Harry appeared with a pop! outside of Neville's home. It was small and looked very comfortable. Harry could imagine being very happy there. He looked around a bit wondering vaguely if anyone would notice if he did not show up. But Harry figured if anything, Ron and Hermione would notice and he would not hear the end of it from them.

"Not thinking about skipping out on the party, are you?" Harry turned around and saw George smiling, walking up to him.

"You seem much happier then you did this morning," Harry said. George grinned wider.

"Luna left a letter for me. Would you believe that even in writing she sounds sort of dreamy?" he asked.

"I've never gotten a letter from her, but it doesn't surprise me."

Harry and George stood outside of Neville's house for a while, listening to the sounds of the party going on inside.

"You reckon we should go in?" George asked. Harry shrugged.

"I don't really want to."

"Aw! We can't have a party without the guest of honor!"

"What d'you mean? The guest of honor?" Harry asked.

"Well, Harry you've been a bit of a recluse lately, we all thought that maybe a party'd do you good. Hermione and me mum wanted it to be a surprise, but I think you've got a right to know," George said.

"Now, I really don't want to go."

"Harry, you're going in there, even if I have to force you. I have it on good authority that you've done things much scarier then going to a party." Harry just grumbled in response and followed George up to the door.

"POTTER!" someone yelled as Harry walked through the door. "Oi! Harry's here!"

It was like he had just killed Voldemort all over again. People were pulling on him, talking to him, telling him things he did not want to know. He was fairly sure that someone had grabbed his bum, he could only hope that it had been a girl.

"Steady on, you lot!" George yelled. The stout red head grabbed Harry's arm and steered him through the throngs of people to the room that held the masses of food. "Best table in the house I'd say," George picked up two meatballs, handed one to Harry and tapped them together. "Cheers mate!"

Harry looked around the room as he munched on his meatball. He saw many familiar faces. From three of the four houses and even a few former students. He saw Viktor Krum flirting with one of the Patil sisters and Lavender Brown in the corner in the sitting room.

Harry caught sight of a bottle of Fire Whiskey on a table creaking with many bottles of assorted alcohol. He grabbed the long neck of the glass container and took it with him as he wandered towards the back of Neville's house. Several people stopped him for any number of reasons. Unfortunately for those who were expecting answers, Harry just sipped at the Fire Whiskey and moved through the house.

Finally he got to the back door. Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas and Neville were sitting out there, talking quietly. Harry opened the door just enough to hear what they were saying.

"The one I feel worst about is that Colin Creavey kid," Neville said.

Great, they were talking about the war. Harry had every inclination to close the door and try to enjoy the party. But his feet seemed rooted the spot and he could not help feeling a bit curious what his old doormates' feelings were about all that had happened.

"Wasn't he underage?" Dean asked. Neville nodded.

"He was a pretty big fan of Harry's as well," Neville said. "Kid just wasn't prepared enough, I think."

"I don't know that that's true," Seamus said, "Ginny Weasley was out there, in the thick of it as I remember."

"Oh, yeah! Wasn't she fighting Bellatrix?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, before Mrs. Weasley finished the awful hag," Neville said, bitterly. "Would have liked to do it myself."

"A lot of us would have, Neville," Dean said. "I had to listen to her torture Hermione. The woman was evil. She got off easy if you ask me." The three boys sat in silence for a bit.

"It's terrible to think, but Ginny cold have died, just like Colin did," Seamus said.

The thought had occurred to Harry shortly after the final battle, that Ginny could have very well lost her life. It made his chest tighten and his stomach squirm to think about. He was having a hard dealing with Ginny leaving for school, he never wanted to think about what it would be like to have her leave his life for good.

"Now, I don't know about that," Neville said, skepticism evident in his voice. "Ginny always been great in her Defense classes and she was on top of everything Harry taught us in the D.A."

"Yeah, but Professor Lupin died and he taught Harry half of what Harry taught us," Dean said.

"And I swear I saw an Auror go down," Seamus said, "I mean Ginny's good, but she's not better than an Auror."

"Harry?"

Harry jumped when he heard his name. He looked around and saw Ron and Hermione coming up behind him.

"Oi, Harry," Neville said, "you're finally here! Grand'll be thrilled. I'll go get her." Neville got up and went back into the house. Ron directed Harry outside, while Hermione snatched the bottle of liquor from his hand.

"How long were you standing there, Harry?" Dean asked.

"Oh," Harry said. "Not long."