Chapter 9: Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore

"George…"

"Hmmm?" He asked distractedly as he pored over the ledgers by the fireplace.

"Aren't you coming to bed yet?"

George froze where he sat. He turned slowly to see her framed by the doorway, wearing a sheer nightgown.

"Luna…"

"Look George, you wanted me here. I am here. " She reminded him. "I am of age now. You are my husband, at least until you sign those papers saying otherwise, so isn't it about time that you act like one?"

George considered the implications of her words. "What if you're not pregnant?" He asked quietly.

"What if I am?" She challenged.

"Luna…" He repeated her name helplessly.

"If I am, then we both know divorce won't be an option. Do you honestly expect both of us to be celibate for the rest of our lives?" She asked reasonably.

"But…" George wasn't really sure why he was fighting her on this anyway. He already knew he wanted her. Had wanted her ever since she'd unwittingly given him a taste that night long ago... She'd ruined him for other women.

She walked towards him slowly, and stood between his legs, willing him to give in. She had no clue how to go about seducing one's husband but she had promised herself she would try.

"But if I'm not pregnant now…" she breathed softly as she slowly took one of his hands in hers and placed it on her hip. "I only have two weeks to feel like a wife." She continued as she slowly and deliberately bent her left knee alongside his right hip on the sofa so she can straddle him. "You owe me that at least…" She whispered to his ear, letting him feel how much she wanted him.

"You do know we can't use a contraceptive spell until we know for sure…" He whispered back, unable to prevent himself from pulling her closer as his body reacted to her softness settling against his hardness.

His words made her smile in triumph. "Don't worry…" she assured him as she moved to face him so she could look into his eyes directly, "I brought something from the muggle world that works just as well." she added mischievously, just before she closed the distance between their lips to give him a kiss meant to curl his toes and more.

She had woken up the morning after cuddled against his chest. And instead of pushing her away when he opened his eyes, he had sleepily greeted her with a good morning smile before proceeding to shag the living daylights out of her for most of the day (and night).

It was the best and worst two weeks of Luna's life.

It wasn't just the physical side of it, though that had been off the charts, but they had gone back to talking again…about anything and everything under the sun. She relished each new thing she learned about him and tried not think about the passing of time. But the closer it got to the two-week mark they had agreed upon, the harder it got to pretend her heart wasn't breaking too. She willed him to say he wanted more but he never did. If she had been a little more experienced in relationships, maybe she'd have had the confidence to ask if perhaps she was more than a convenient shag for him, but she wasn't and so she never did either.

And now, now she sat by the tub fighting back tears as what she had known in her heart was confirmed.

Her time was up.

George was counting the hours till he could reasonably close the shop. He looked at the clock for the nth time, willing the time to move faster.

"You do know it's okay to close the shop early don't you?" Fred's annoying voice broke his reverie.

George groaned at his twin's teasing. "I know. But Luna's not home yet. She went over to have a visit with Ginny." He didn't even bother to deny the reason for wanting to go home early. He smiled at the thought. After such a long time, he finally had a place he could really call home. The last two weeks had been the most amazing in George's life. Luna had been amazing. Not just in bed, though her performance in that department had been off the charts, but also out of it.

"Do you know yet?" Fred asked idly.

"No…" the thought sobered him up.

"I would have thought you'd have done something by now to make sure she was."

George sighed. If it were just up to him, he'd have done away with the use of those muggle contraceptives. But Luna had been adamant at continuing its use.

"Have you told her yet?"

George didn't have to ask what his twin was talking about. Even if Fred was now stuck in a portrait, he still knew how George felt. In truth, he didn't know why he hadn't told her yet. Maybe he was afraid that she didn't feel the same.

"Don't be a git!" Fred as usual knew what he was thinking. "Just read those damned scrolls already!"

He froze in his seat. Of course! The scrolls! "You," George crowed at his twin, "…are a genius!" as he hurriedly unlocked the drawer holding all of her letters to him. Maybe he'd have a clue about her feelings after he'd read them.

It was already dark by the time he finished reading all of her letters. But he remained where he was. He had foolishly thought he'd find some indication of her feelings for him among those letters. But what he read instead left him feeling small and unworthy. For in those letters he'd found out how his long silence had systematically broken down everything that had made her what she was. And despite the fact that he had fallen in love with the pixie-cut-wearing-sensible-Luna he'd been with these last two weeks, he realized that he had already been in love with the crumple horned snorkack-and-nargle-believing-long-silvery blond-haired Luna of old. The Luna who had worn vegetables for earrings and strung butterbeer corks for a necklace. The Luna who had only thought to save him from himself and ended up leaving behind all that she'd known just so he could live the same life he'd always led. The Luna who had been forced to grow up by herself so he didn't have to.

"Luna…" he called out as soon as he got to their house, expecting her to meet him. He needed to see her and apologize for his stupidity. He needed to tell her how he felt. He was, however, met by silence. Striding towards the fireplace, he quickly flooed in to see if she was still at Ginny's.

She wasn't there. His sister didn't even know she was supposed to go there. So then he tried the Burrow. His Mum had no clue as well. In desperation he'd tried Ron and Hermione's, only to find she hadn't been there either.

It was several minutes before he thought to check the bedroom. Walking quickly to the closet, he found all of her clothes missing. With heart thumping madly, he went to the bathroom only to find a muggle pregnancy test lying on the counter. With a sinking heart, he read the results.

Negative.

He slid helplessly down to the floor, his back against the wall. He had hoped…

He didn't know how long he sat there before he heard the front door open. She came back! He quickly stood up and ran downstairs to greet her only to skid to a halt as he realized that it was Ginny.

At the look of despair on his face, she asked tremulously, "She's gone isn't she?"

"Do you know where she could have gone?" He asked his sister quietly.

She shook her head as tears spilled from her eyes.

"What is it?" He suddenly thought to ask, "Why are you crying?"

Ginny didn't answer.

"Hey, don't cry. I'll just bring her back" He sought to reassure not only his sister, but himself as well.

"But, how?," She asked forlornly.

"What do you mean how? I'll just go to her place in the States."

"She's not there. I already tried it."

"Well then, we'll just cast a spell to locate her. Her wand…"

Ginny shook her head, crying harder. "We can't…"

"What do you mean…" He was unable to finish the thought as he realized what it was that Ginny had been holding when she came in.

Luna left her wand.