A/N: Sorry, everyone! I didn't realize the formatting was all off for this chapter. I fixed it now, though.
Charlie Weasley knew he was in trouble. He told his mom he would be at The Burrow by 5 o'clock. That was 2 hours ago, and at this point, not even getting a haircut would get him back into her good graces. Groaning, he pulled his gloves off and placed them into his jacket pockets. "Well, better late than never, I suppose," he thought to himself. "Hey Rolf, I'm gonna get going. Do you need anything before I leave?"
The man kneeling next to the sleeping dragon rose to his feet. "No, thanks. I should be okay. I just have to write down a few more things before I can head home."
"Where's home for you? I hope you don't mean that closet you call a flat," Charlie joked, until he saw his friend's sheepish expression.
"I know what you're thinking," Rolf started, "and yes, I do have a family. It's just that every year they ask how my work is going, and every year they remind me how much my grandfather had already accomplished by my age. Not that my family does it intentionally, but it starts to get a bit depressing after a while. So this year I told them I was too busy conducting ground breaking research to take time off to go home for the holidays. He shrugged his shoulders. "It'll be fine. I really do have research to get done. It's just not groundbreaking."
"Come stay at The Burrow! Nobody should be alone for the holidays, and Mum always loves guests. And as repayment, you can take the blame for my being late so she won't get mad at me! It's the perfect solution, really," Charlie beamed. It seemed like the perfect solution.
"No, really, it's okay. You don't have to pity me. I'll be okay on my own," Rolf insisted.
"Pity you," Charlie snorted, "why would I pity you? Are you forgetting who I have to compete with in my family? And that's not even including my in-laws.
Rolf laughed and clapped his friend on the back. "Well, when you put it that way..."
"Charles Weasley! We've been waiting on you for over 3 hours! It is so rude of you to –" Molly stopped mid sentence when she noticed the young man standing next to her son.
Taking advantage of the shortened lecture, Charlie introduced his mother to his coworker. "Mum, this is my friend Rolf Scamander. He's a magizoologist doing his research on some of my dragons. He was going to spend Christmas alone so I invited him here instead. Rolf, this is my mum."
Rolf nervously extended his hand and was surprised when Mrs. Weasley instead wrapped him into a warm embrace instead. Rolf wasn't used to such open displays of affection, and he awkwardly hugged her back.
"Of course he shouldn't spend Christmas alone! You were right to invite him! Now if only we could remind you how to tell time," she started. "Isn't it enough that we haven't seen you for months –"
After feeling a not-so-subtle stomp on his foot, Rolf spoke up. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, it's my fault we're late. I couldn't find my wand," he finished lamely.
"No worries, dear. Let's get you two inside. Everyone else is already here. And please," she said to Rolf, "call me Molly."
Luna Lovegood was sitting on the couch sipping butterbeer from a straw. The mug she held in her hands was a Christmas present from James the year before. It had two handles on either side and painted every color of the rainbow. She quite liked it, really. She looked up when she heard new voices, and her eyes met with a handsome newcomer. Just by looking at him, she could tell he tried to be a no nonsense type of person. Plain grey suit, black bow tie, black framed glasses; they screamed serious scholar. But there was something about the energy radiating off of him that Luna could sense, could feel, that contradicted what his outward appearance was trying to say. Something about the look in his eyes that made her insides warm and her spirits rise. Putting her mug down, she walked right up to him and thrust out her hand. "Hello, I'm Luna Lovegood and you're Rolf Scamander. I've read a lot of your articles. It's nice to finally meet you."
Rolf was entranced by the woman who stood before him. As soon as he walked into the room, his eyes found hers and he couldn't look away. And he didn't want to. When she got up and started to walk towards him he audibly gulped. He couldn't understand why, but somehow the unusual outfit she was wearing suit her well. Reaching out to shake her hand, he started to say something, but was cut off by the sudden jolt that went up his arm and all through his body as soon as his hand touched hers. He searched her face for signs that she felt it too, but he didn't have to.
"Well, that was interesting," Luna said calmly. "I suspect that means our paths will cross again." After releasing his hand, Luna turned around to walk back to her seat. Stopping abruptly, she spun around to face them again. "Oh, and hello, Charlie."
"How did your date with Rolf go," Hermione asked Luna, who was entertaining Rose with photos of all the creatures she came across during her trips. Rose especially seemed to like the photograph of the phoenix, which kept going ablaze in the picture.
"It was wonderful. I think he really liked the scarf I made him." Luna thought back to look on his face when she presented her gift to him. She smiled to herself.
Knowing Luna's reputation for homemade clothing accessories, Hermione asked what animal the scarf was modeled after, a bit afraid of the answer.
"A dragon. I put a warming charm on it, too. I decided that that was enough and it didn't need to breathe fire."
Hermione let out the breath she had been holding. "I'm sure he loved it, Luna."
"I think so. I think I'm going to save the fire breathing things for our wedding." Luna said this so casually, Hermione almost missed it.
"Isn't it a little early to be thinking about marriage? You've only gone on one date!" Hermione knew Luna wasn't exactly conventional, but talking about marriage so soon was absurd.
Luna looked pointedly at her friend. "No, I know I'm going to marry him. I saw a snowy owl today and it looked right at me."
Hermione dismissed the last comment, assuming Luna was getting off topic. "But how can you know that you're going to marry him? I don't understand."
"Because a snowy owl looked at me today," she repeated. Hermione's puzzled expression showed her confusion.
"I'm sorry, I don't follow. What does an owl looking at you have to do with anything?" Hermione tried to think of every sort of possible connection snowy owls had with this, and she couldn't think of one.
"When I was younger, my mom always told me that when a snowy owl looked at you, it meant you were going to see the person you're going to marry," Luna said whimsically. "It only applies to girls."
Hermione was torn. She didn't want to explain to Luna that that isn't possible, especially since it's something her mother told her, but she couldn't let her friend believe she was going to get married just because of a bird. "Luna, I don't think your mom meant it literally. I mean, think about it, it isn't possible. Owls look at more than one person. Those peole can't all marry the next person they see. It's just not plausible."
"Why not? Just because it's not written in a book doesn't mean it's not true," Luna told her gently. It was just like Hermione to dismiss things that couldn't be explained by logic. Magic isn't always logical.
"I know that, but Harry used to have a snowy owl. Do you remember Hedwig? You can't really believe that everyone she looked at married the next person they saw." If that were the case, every girl at Hogwarts would own a snowy owl.
"Maybe not, but it worked for you. And for Ginny." Hermione looked at Luna with a furrowed brow.
"What do you mean? If that were true, it would mean I was supposed to marry Harry. Hedwig looked at me a lot of times while she was alive, and being his owl, I'm sure I saw him right after."
"It's quite simple, really," Luna replied. "Hedwig obviously looked at someone who saw Harry before you did. Ginny, would be my guess. So since she was already going to marry him, you wouldn't be able to."
After Luna left, Hermione tried to remember the first time she saw Hedwig. She was pretty sure she remembered thinking that the snowy owl was pretty, but she was almost positive she saw Harry before she saw Ron. So Luna's mother couldn't be right. Turning to Ron, she asked if he remembered the first time he saw Hedwig.
"Yeah, I remember Harry having her on his trolley at Platform 9 ¾. It was hard to miss, her white feathers stuck out like a sore thumb. Plus, Ginny wouldn't shut up about how 'Harry Potter's owl wouldn't stop looking at me!'" He studied his wife. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason," she smiled at her husband and threw her arms around his neck. "I'm just happy it was you I saw next," and then she kissed him to show him how much.