Thank you so much for all the reviews for the last chapter, when I get them they greaty encourage me to keep writing and I appreciate them so much. I'd also like to thank you for all of your responses to what you wanted me to do with this story. You all wanted me to continue, and I greatly appreciate that. I hope that as I continue, you all continue to enjoy this story.
As always, I own nothing apart from the laptop I wrote this story on.
Luna's first day at Weasley Wizard Wheezes was also the first day every wizard in the country had decided to visit the shop. Even George had never seen so many people in the shop; things had of course been quiet in the aftermath of the war, but now it seemed as though everyone had come out all at once.
It had only been the day before when George had asked Luna to work with him at the shop, but they decided that the earlier Luna started, the more time Ron would have preparing for his auror training. In fact that very morning Harry had flooed to the Burrow to begin preparations.
On the subject of flooing, Luna saw a burst of green flame come from the back room.
''George, deliveries have arrived.'' Luna shouted across to George, who was busy serving, what looked like, a million customers.
''Can you go sort that out please.'' George yelled back, the young woman he was serving, winced at the volume of his voice and shot him a very irritated look.
Luna skipped across into the back room, and met the young worker who was currently stacking boxes of Zonko products against the wall. ''Thank you sir''
He smiled before walking back into the fireplace and was consumed in green flames. As soon as he had vanished, George came stumbling into the back room. ''I closed for lunch early. I swear I was going to kill someone.''
He took notice of the stack of boxes in the room. ''Blimey that contract with Zonko's didn't mention delivering their entire shop to me.''
Luna began to shift the boxes so that they were all straight, George looked at her in away that said 'what the hell are you doing'.
''Sorry, but if they're untidy, I'll be convinced there are nargles at work.''
''That's fine, just be careful with those okay.''
''Don't worry'' Luna pushed one of the upper boxes to the left slightly, causing the one next to it to suddenly jolt outwards over Luna's head. A domino effect occurred; as one box shifted, it moved the one next to it and suddenly the top box of each stack wobbled.
''Luna'' George cried out as he ran forward and grabbed her by her waist; twisting both of them away from the falling boxes. As the top boxes fell, the ones below lost balance and soon the entire delivery was in a pile on the floor.
''Are you okay?'' George moved Luna to face him, just in case there was any damage.
''I'm fine. Sorry, that was my fault.''
''It's okay, if anything is broken, we'll just say that's part of the joke.''
''Huh...do you know what this reminds me of?''
''No, what?''
''That second DA lesson, when Professor Umbridge broke into the Room of Requirement.''
''Oh yeah, how could I forget.'' George smiled at how similar the situations actually were.
(Flashback)
Luna walked alongside Ginny towards the Room of Requirement, silently nervous of what may occur. Over the last week, she had thought over and over about what had happened; how did she become so suddenly drawn to George Weasley? And what if this week, he was going to pretend that nothing had happened; something that would only confuse her more.
This week she was almost the first person there. As she and Ginny walked into the Room of Requirement, only a couple of fifth years, Neville, Seamus, Dean and two second years had beaten them there. As she put her things to one side, her wand dropped on to the floor. Before she had the chance to pick it up; she found that it already had been, as a hand was currently holding her wand out for her for her to take.
''Thank you'' Luna took her wand and looked up to see that it had been held by the hand of George Weasley. ''Hello George''
''Hey Lovegood'' George shuffled on his feet and ran his and through his flaming hair. If Luna didn't know any better, she would say he looked nervous. ''Um...I wanted to...err...talk to you about last week.''
''Go ahead.'' Luna hid her worry from George; she feared that he may be about to tell her something along the lines of 'I lost my sanity temporarily last week, and I have no idea why I actually went near you' or 'You are Loony Lovegood and I can't be seen with you in public ever again'.
''Well, I don't know about you, but I've been thinking that, what happened with me and you last week, was kind of weird.'' A flicker of hurt appeared on Luna's face and George replayed what he had said in his head. ''I didn't mean it in a bad way. It was a good kind of weird, unless you think otherwise.''
''It was okay'' Luna said teasingly, hoping to ease the tension.
A low chuckle came from George, ''Okay, better than nothing I suppose.''
As George shifted his weight, he leaned slightly to one side, and over his shoulder Luna could see Fred looking at them and smiling; a genuine smile and not an 'I can't wait to see how this goes' smile. Luna had been tempted to tell Ginny about what happened, but decided against it. She had wondered if George had told Fred; she decided that he probably hadn't, assuming that Fred would probably tease his brother about having been so close to Loony Lovegood, but by the look on Fred's face, Luna believed that he knew and did not find it amusing in that way at all.
''He says that it's about time I had a moment with a girl, apparently he was beginning to wonder about me.'' Luna focused on George again, who had noticed her looking at his brother.
''Well, I'll talk to you later Luna.'' George walked back over to his twin as Harry arrived.
Luna had been practicing the patronus charm again for most of the lesson; when she had not been looking over at George, who was standing a metre or so across from her.
While watching the silver hare fly around her, she saw George smiling at her proudly and her stomach did a flip, ''Damn that smile of his!''
Her thoughts were taken away from George as she saw bits of dust and plaster fall from the ceiling and felt the floor shake slightly.
Mutters broke out through the entire room. People looked around, trying to find the source of the disturbance.
''Everybody, stand together'' Harry ushered everyone to the centre of the room. ''Luna, Luna what are you doing?''
Luna was walking away from the middle of the room, and towards the doors of the Room of Requirement. ''It's coming from out there.''
Everyone was silent as Harry moved to join Luna; who was still heading for the door. Ron and Hermione stepped forward too, followed by George and Fred, and then Ginny; who wasn't going to stand back if her brothers weren't.
In the silence a quick set of mutters could be heard, some of those, definitely belonging to Professor Umbridge.
Luna was about to walk up to the door, only to be held back by George's arm being put out in front of her. Harry held up his wand and cautiously went to the door, moving his head sideways to try and make out what was being said.
To everyone else; only small, undistinguishable voices could be heard, but something made Harry jump back from the door and run towards the centre of the room shouting ''Everybody get back'' as he did so.
No sooner had he said it, that the doors to the Room of Requirement were burst off their hinges and splinters of wood flew into the room. George used the arm in front of Luna to pull her away from the door, and down to the ground, covering her body with his.
Once everything became still, George uncovered Luna, and moved her head so that she was looking at him.
''Are you okay?''
''Yes, thanks to you'' Luna stood and brushed off the dust that had collected on her jumper, before looking at George. ''You're not hurt are you?''
''Me, no. I'm invincible.'' George smiled down at her, and watched as she suddenly pulled him into a hug; it was becoming a common thing apparently.
However, they broke apart as Umbridge's furious voice echoed around the room, ''Get them!''
(End of Flashback)
''You really are my hero'' Luna whispered, her arms wrapped around George's neck.
''I'm honoured. Although sometimes I think you're more of a hero than I am.''
''What do you mean?'' Luna pulled back slightly from George's embrace and appeared to be studying his expression.
''When you saw me in Diagon Alley, I was in the darkest place imaginable, and then I saw you and everything changed. You saved me Luna.''
Luna forced herself to not cry at the sweetness and importance of George's words, and instead walked back to him and rested her ear against his heart. George's arms wrapped around her and he rested his chin on the top of her head.
''George! Luna!'' Ginny's calls accompanied the sound of the shop door opening.
''In the back.'' Luna called as George released her and began to stand the fallen boxes back up.
''Hi, why is no one here?''
''I closed for lunch early, or I would have been sent to Azkaban for using an unforgivable curse on someone.'' George spoke over his shoulder as he stacked up some boxes.
''Okay, well that's actually a good thing.'' George turned to his sister; his confused expression matched Luna's. ''Well Luna, this morning letters arrived to us from Hogwarts. The school's reopening in September and we can go finish our last year.''
''That's great'' Luna skipped forward and hugged Ginny. ''We'll be able to do our NEWT's and finish school properly. Isn't this great George.''
Luna's happiness was washed away when she turned see that George had disappeared; the only signs that he had been there was the half stacked boxes, and the swinging back door.
Next chapter; Luna goes after George, and finds herself making a difficult decision. Meanwhile, Arthur makes plans for the family.
BTW: I have plans for a big story plot to come up in a few chapters time, in the meantime there will be a bit of drama added into the mix; just to make things interesting.
