Author's Note: There is a very frank discussion in this chapter concerning Harry, Ginny and Luna. As I've been hinting at, there is some H/G/L in this fic, but this chapter frames the context, reasons, and limitations of such a relationship. The relationship is not entered into lightly.
Review responses from Chapter 42 are available in my forums.
Chapter Forty-Three: Wounded
Harry was surprised to see Remus Lupin at St. Mungo's.
The werewolf looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes as he sat in a small lounge off the hall from Tonks's room. He sat on a chair surrounded by old copies of Witch Weekly, Warlocks Weekend Review and issues of the Daily Prophet, while clutching a cup of nasty smelling coffee.
He looked up and smiled weakly when he saw Harry and Arthur step in. "Harry! Arthur!" he exclaimed, "I'm so glad to see you. How are you, Harry? Adonis said the mission was a dog's breakfast."
"Ginny and I killed a giant," Harry said distractedly. "Remus, what are you doing here?"
"Well, you know, Dora and I are good friends and…"
"She's his girlfriend, though I can't say why," a new voice said from behind them.
It was spoken in jest, and yet Harry could see the words hurt his father's friend. Harry turned and saw a strikingly attractive woman with jet black hair and an oval-shaped face that reminded him a great deal of Bellatrix Lestrange. Beside him, Arthur smiled and stepped forward to give the woman a hug.
"Andromeda," he said, "I wish I could have come sooner. How are you and Ted holding up?"
"As well as can be, given the circumstances," Andromeda Tonks said. "We can't seem to heal the blasted curse You-Know-Who used. We've slowed it, we've determined the counter we need to use, but we just don't have the power to dispel it, and it's very worrisome. I can see it cutting deeper into her chest every hour." She wiped her eyes before turning to Harry.
"You must be Mr. Potter," she said. "Sirius always spoke very highly of you, and Dora did as well. Sirius was my first cousin, which makes us cousins as well on your paternal grandmother's side. I'm Andromeda Tonks."
"An honour to meet you, ma'am." Harry took her hand, but was surprised when she pulled him into a hug.
Pulling away, she held him by his shoulders. "We're family, Harry, and family takes care of its own. You truly do look like your father, but thank Merlin you inherited your mother's eyes. James's eyes were so…ordinary for such an extraordinary boy. Did you know we dated for a few months?"
"No," Harry said, genuinely surprised.
"Until she caught him making calf eyes at Lily," Remus said with a smile. "You were a terrible couple, Andromeda. Lily had a field day with all the pureblood inbreeding jokes."
"Oh, I know," Andromeda said with a dismissive wave. "But it made Ted jealous enough to finally step up like a man. Never second-guess Slytherin courting rituals." She took a deep breath and looked back at Harry. "I know you came to visit her, Harry, but because of the nature of the curse she's not a pretty sight and unconscious as well. She's in too much pain to be kept awake right now."
"Andy, what are they doing for power?" Arthur asked.
"They've asked for help from around the world. Dumbledore is too ill. There's a Sport in Africa they've tried to recruit, but the witch is famous for her refusal to travel. There's also a coven of witches in Turkey which is well known for using a ritual runic array to unify their power through the coven leader, but they're extraordinarily expensive. Minister Bones is hesitant to make a request for a known Sport in Australia since he is actually in their Muggle government as well."
Harry went very still as she spoke, slowly turning to look back at Remus. Remus must have been thinking the same thing, because he was staring wide-eyed at Harry. "I'm sorry we couldn't visit," Harry said. "Will you please give her my regards? She really did a lot for me after Sirius died."
"I will, Harry," Andromeda said. "Thank you all for coming by."
"Harry, mind if I join you two for a bit?" Remus asked.
Andromeda nodded to them before returning to her daughter's room. "I need my cloak," Harry said.
"Is that necessary? At this point, is there anyone who doesn't realize you're a Sport?" Remus asked softly.
"Most people, in fact," Arthur said. "It's known Harry is a powerful wizard, but most of the public do not even know that Sports exist. I myself didn't, until this summer. People know some wizards are more powerful than others, but if they truly understood the exponential difference between you and me, for instance, and Harry, some would grow afraid." He looked back at Harry and said, "You want to help her, of course."
"Yeah, with Ginny too, if possible. We're getting really good at linking our spells. If my power could do it, our power together will definitely get it done with ease."
~~Unspeakable~~
~~Unspeakable~~
Ginny was more than happy to leave her emotional mother behind when they Flooed from the Ministry. Moments later three cloaked Unspeakables entered St. Mungo's. It was decided that it would not be wise for Arthur to accompany them, but it so happened Adonis was still on duty and accepted his role of escort with a generous smile.
When the three arrived, the receptionist looked as if she were about to have a heart attack. Adonis said, with his disguised voice, "We have come on behalf of Auror Nymphadora Tonks. Please escort us to her room."
A nervous orderly led them through the lifts to the trauma ward, where they were met by the Auror on guard duty, and Andromeda and Ted Tonks. Ted was a short, broad-shouldered man with thinning, sandy-colored hair and light brown eyes. He had almost a thuggish face, save for the sad, worried smile there as he stood beside his wife.
"What is the Department of Mysteries doing here?" Andromeda asked sharply. Unfortunately, the Department did not have the best reputation in the world.
"We believe we may be of assistance in the treatment of your daughter," Adonis said. "May we speak in private?"
They removed themselves to the lounge where Harry had met them earlier, and he and Ginny put up their full suite of privacy wards. "What I am about to tell you is to be held in the strictest of confidence," Adonis began. "If you disclose this information, our department may elect at our leisure to either have you either dismissed from employment, or possibly sentenced to time in Azkaban. Do you understand?"
"Not really," Ted said, speaking for the first time. For a man with such a broad, strong face, his voice sounded rather light and airy. "But go on."
"The Department of Mysteries has access to a Sport," Adonis said, nodding to Harry. "A pair of Sports, in fact. The Ministry takes care of its own and Auror Tonks is highly regarded as having a bright future with the DMLE. While these two are not trained in healing magic, they are powerful enough to dispel any magic with proper instruction. They are here to heal your daughter."
Ted stared at the two with such hope in his eyes it made Harry tear up, while Andromeda bit her lip. "I pray to Merlin this is not some cruel, twisted joke," she said. "Come on."
Tonks' room was unusually large and private, with a single bed set in a room large enough for three. There were lights all around, casting her in unsparing bright light. Harry could not help but notice that she was nude from the waist up, and he was still male and young enough to be fascinated by the young woman's rather large breasts. However, the sight was marred by a horrific black scar that ran vertically from her right shoulder to her left hip—no, it wasn't a scar. As they walked closer, he could see heat shimmering off the black gouge, with hints of orange coming from within it. Somehow it was still burning Tonks, cutting through her body with terrible, implacable slowness. If left unchecked, it would cut the witch in two.
"Merlin," he whispered despite himself.
Walking briskly, Andromeda moved to the side of the bed. "I am a healer, but she is my daughter. I can't treat her myself. We will have to have other healers present to monitor the attempt; they will bring the rune stones. Is this agreeable?"
"Whatever we have to do," Harry said, speaking out of turn but unable to stop himself.
Andromeda stared at him a moment; his voice was charmed, but she acted as if she recognized it. Still, she tapped a plate on the wall, and then said, "Perhaps I should call Healer Atkinson then."
Five minutes later an older man in blue healer robes stepped into the room, only to pause and blink at the Unspeakables. "That's interesting," he said. Behind him came three more healers, and two mediwitches in white. "Is this our solution, then?"
"I hope so, Saul," Andromeda said.
The Rune stones the Healer began to place around Tonks's bed were palm-sized, perfectly hemispherical basalt stones covered in some of the most intricate runes Harry had ever seen. He recognized individual runes from his classes, but could not even begin to read or understand the arrays the runes created.
"These stones absorb magic and redirect them into the curse," Atkinson explained to Harry and Ginny. "Unfortunately they cannot accept wanded magic directly since any wanded magic is manifested by intent and will, which would conflict with the runic instructions of the stones themselves. The stones require raw magical input. That's why power is such an issue. What we will need is for one or both of you to direct your magic as you would flare an aura, directly into the wound itself. Can you do that?"
"Yes," Harry said, with the cowl's charm sounding much more confident than he felt. Mentally switching to the cowl's inner communication, he said, "Ginny, do you think you can do this with me?"
"Just link us," she said. "I'll send everything I have to you, and you can funnel it into Tonks."
Harry walked to Tonks's side, studying the horrific gash, and also the pale, sweating countenance of the Auror herself. He knew with certainty that Sirius would want him to do this. Looking up, he saw Ginny come around to the other side of the bed. The four stones were positioned evenly across the length of the wound, and Harry couldn't help but notice that the blankets had been pulled down more to make room for the stone, exposing Tonks' pelvic bone as well.
"Mind on task," he heard Ginny's voice said.
"Sorry."
"You're a boy, I get it. And she is a beautiful woman. She's also a friend who doesn't deserve this."
"You're right," Harry said with determination. "That's why we're going to make this right." He leaned forward and placed his hands on the gash—the left above her breasts, his right on her ribs below. Ginny reached across and placed her hands over his, and he could already feel her magic entwining with his, like slipping on a familiar glove.
He felt his magic bubbling within him, stronger than ever, with Ginny's wrapped delicately around it, making his power into a beautiful poetry. He opened himself to that power now, willing it through his hands and into the body of Tonks.
Underneath his hands, he could feel the heat from the curse still working, and he embraced his righteous anger at what Voldemort did to his friend. Around the room, Atkinson, Adonis, Andromeda and the rest backed away as the magic around the two young Unspeakables flared to almost impossible brightness. The stones on Tonks's chest also took on a brilliant white glow as they absorbed the magic and directed it against the curse.
Suddenly Harry felt the stones stop absorbing his magic and pulled back. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he and Ginny were resting their hands on the beautiful, whole torso of Nymphadora Tonks. The only indication of what happened was a pencil-thin scar that marked where the curse struck. Harry knew that no amount of power could completely erase a curse scar, but it was so small that it did not detract from the whole.
He backed off a step, surprised that he did not feel tired at all, while Ginny gently pulled the bed cover up until Tonks was covered.
At the foot of the bed, Adonis looked at Atkinson and the other healers. "We were not here," he said, now channelling danger and a threat in his voice. "You saw nothing. You were able to heal Tonks with the stones and your own power. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Unspeakable," Atkinson said.
"Thank you, so much," Andromeda said, wiping away more tears. "We can never repay you for what you've done."
Very softly, so no one but Andromeda and Ginny could hear, Harry whispered, "Family takes care of its own."
She smiled up at his glamoured, hidden face and nodded, wiping her eyes again. "They do. Thank you, and when she is home, please drop by."
"We will," Harry said.
When they left the hospital, Adonis said, "That was a very good thing you did, Harry. You must be exhausted."
"No, not really," Harry said. "Ginny, how 'bout you?"
"No," she said. "Besides, I'm still too keyed up over the Talk."
Between them, they heard Adonis chuckle. "I hope you didn't shatter her illusions too badly, Artemis."
"No, I don't think so," Ginny said. "So how old were you when you started dating Aphrodite?"
"Thirteen, actually," Adonis said. "But then again, she was Aphrodite, and the DoM did not have any moral standards to guide us on what thirteen-year-old kids should and should not do. You may remember I was an orphan taken in by Zeus. Remember that, Harry, Ginny. Hera was Zeus's moral compass, and when she died… Well, we trained you to be fighters, not moral people. That is something you will have to turn to others for."
"We know," Harry said. They apparated back to the Department of Mysteries before walking to the row of fireplaces.
"Adonis," Ginny said, before the older Unspeakable departed, "is there someone we could talk to, about Luna I mean? Not you or her father, but maybe a healer or a counsellor?"
With his cowl down, they could see the look of surprise on the older man's face. However, it quickly changed into a pensive expression before he nodded. "Yes. You remember Asclepius?"
"Healer Richardson, yes," Ginny said. "She helped a great deal with Luna after Harry's injury."
Adonis nodded and said, "Good. I'll set an appointment with her. Zeus considers Luna's treatment a Department matter since she is a Department asset, so your session will fall under that same billing."
"Thank you," Harry said, grateful Ginny thought to bring it up.
~~Unspeakable~~
~~Unspeakable~~
The next day, Harry and Ginny Flooed to the Rookery to train, while Ron spent the day with the twins, who were back from their stay at Lee Jordan's house. Zeus himself was on the course with them, directing their efforts and teaching them new moves or techniques, while reviewing those they already knew. It was the first refresher training they'd had since the year began. When Harry mentioned Proudfoot's offer of training, the head of the Unspeakables agreed with the idea wholeheartedly.
"If the man had just a little more magical power, we'd have recruited him," Zeus said. "Unfortunately he's well below the 50th percentile, so he wouldn't have made it through our vetting process. Now, we've done some good work, but we need to end for the day. Luna and I have an appointment at the Department."
Luna gave Harry and Ginny a long, lingering hug. Given the cold and snow on the training ground, she was relatively bundled, but Harry could still feel her chest pressing against him before she started back toward the house.
Xenophilius, however, lingered a moment, easily slipping from his Unspeakable persona to that of a father. "Asclepius will be here in five minutes," he said to the two of them quietly. "She instructed Luna and me to leave the house to ensure that you have freedom to discuss whatever you want. Please know that anything discussed or decided will have no impact with your roles at the Department."
The thought hadn't even occurred to Harry, until Xenophilius mentioned it. "Er, thank you, sir," he said quickly. "Where are you taking Luna?"
"To her physical healer. Richardson is too valuable of an asset to handle for simple physical check-ups." He turned to leave and paused again. "This may sound odd, but considering the roles you play in her life, you should be aware that we are placing her on a birth control potion. It is a modified potion that we hope will help with some of her more blatant…tendencies."
"Like masturbating in the Ravenclaw common room?" Ginny asked, before she covered her mouth and flushed. "Sorry, shouldn't have said that."
"It's alright," he said. "And yes, that's exactly it. The libido potion is hit or miss. It kills her tendencies when she takes it, but the effects wear off before it is safe for her to take another dose. We're hoping for something more stable. We'll see. In the meantime, there is tea and biscuits in the kitchen. Good luck with your discussion."
After he and Luna disappeared, almost within a minute, the fireplace flared green and Raphaella Richardson stepped out. The healer was just as beautiful and stately as they remembered from Hogwarts, and her smile was just as warm and inviting. "My goodness," she said, blinking. "Is all that magic coming from you, Harry? You have come into your magical maturity, haven't you?"
"You said I might, after that potion," Harry said.
"Well, let's all have a seat so we can be comfortable," she said. With a flick of her wand she levitated the tray of tea and biscuits from the kitchen, obviously having discussed with Xenophilius beforehand where they might be. They settled down on the Lovegood's Spartan furnishings with teacups in hand. As they did so, Harry found himself caught in the wave of the warmth she projected, which made him think of Fleur and her allure, which instantly caused him to raise his Occlumency barriers in alarm. "Are you projecting emotions onto us?" he finally asked, more sharply than he probably needed to.
Raphaella blinked in surprise, but then after a moment smiled slyly. "Yes, Harry. It is a type of compound wandless cheering and calming charm mind healers must master before we are certified. To be honest, I don't even think about it anymore."
"Does it work on Luna?" Ginny asked.
Raphaella laughed. "Not in the slightest—and I suppose we've come to our reason for talking today." She made a show of straightening her loose dress around her knees while Harry and Ginny sipped tea on a sofa across from her.
"Harry, Ginny, first off I want to say that, in a very real sense, what we are doing borders on the unethical," she said, her smile faltering before her earnestness. "I have taken Luna's case both to my Muggle and magical counterparts, and I can tell you that in the Muggle world what we are doing would get us all arrested. My magical colleagues were a little more understanding, but even among them there is a great deal of discomfort over the situation."
"You mean Xeno using Harry and I as social anchors for Luna," Ginny guessed.
"That's correct. First, let's talk about what we mean by social anchors, since we have borrowed that term from Muggle Sociology. Social Anchor Theory states that there are certain institutions within any civilization that anchor social networks. Within the wizarding world, professional Quidditch could be considered a social anchor, for instance, since it gives wizards from all walks of life a common interest. Adjusting that broad model to the personal, we found ourselves struggling to find some common interest that could bring Luna more in line with societal norms. She is so terribly damaged by what happened when she was nine that it proved to be a vexing challenge. She spent six months in a psychiatric ward after she attacked your older brother, Ginny, and we were all worried that she would not be able to attend Hogwarts despite what was very obviously an amazing intellect. Xeno's training gave her an outlet for her energy, but she still had no idea how to socialize with her peers.
"But then, we discovered a crime being committed," she said intently, looking at Harry. "We discovered that a potential Sport was being starved and abused by Muggle relatives. We discovered this while researching what happened your first year, Harry, because of the appearance of Voldemort in wraith form. Previously Dumbledore assured the Ministry that you were perfectly safe, and was believed. Your condition, though, showed otherwise. Originally Xeno intended to contact you and pair you with Ginny after you completed your O.W.L.s. You would be nearly sixteen and Ginny would be fifteen, old enough for us to legally employ you, and also old enough that the pairing would have the desired effect."
"Desired effect?" Harry asked.
"The Department of Mysteries is not above nudging couples together," Raphaella admitted with a wry smile. "In some cases, it can produce remarkable results. The two of you have always been on the DoM books as a desirable pairing because of your power levels, and we had the benefit of that power actually working to pull you together. The arithmantic projections on you projected you would come together even without our interference."
"So that truth spell on the train during Ginny's second year?" Harry said.
"Was to cut you off from Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger," the healer admitted, "and give you one-on-one time with Ginny in an environment that not only encouraged, but actually forced you to confront your feelings toward each other. It was manipulative, I admit, but it worked brilliantly. You are so perfect for each other I can feel it in your magic, just sitting here."
"We are perfect for each other," Harry said.
"But now we come to Luna," Raphaella said. "Luna's condition is somewhat unique in the magical world. Here is a girl with an astounding intellect, easily genius level, but without any moral or social filters of any kind. In some ways she is like an innocent child—she would not hesitate to strip naked in the middle of Hogwarts if you asked, and would feel no shame doing so—as you might expect from a two-year-old. And equally, if you told her to murder a child, she would do so without a second thought, which is terrifying to think of. Now that she has become sexually aware, if she becomes aroused, she will similarly gratify that arousal without thought unless she is on a potion. It is likely that her admittedly powerful sexuality is overcompensation for her lack of normal emotions. The physical sensation is simply stronger than her ability to resist, and without a social or moral filter, she has no reason to try. Luna has told me that she has tried to get you into sexual situations."
Harry and Ginny nodded, though with blazing cheeks. "She doesn't wear a bra during training at school," Harry said. "And after, when were all dripping with sweat, she'll hug me, or snog me and rub against me."
Raphaella said, "Has she asked either of you to touch her in a sexual fashion?"
They both nodded, blushing furiously. "And have you? I ask without judgment, you two. There is no right and wrong, I just need to understand where we are at present."
"We haven't…done as much as she wants," Ginny said. "I let her snog Harry just because I'm still a little unsure about her kissing me, and she would. She doesn't care which of us she kisses. She's also tried to guide our hands to…places, but she'll stop when we tell her to."
Raphaella smiled gently, unconsciously sending out the gentle calming charm. "We call you Luna's social anchors, but to be more accurate, the plan was for you to act as an external social filter for Luna. If she could focus on you, it was our hope that she would emulate your actions. It has had some mixed results, from what we understand. On the one hand, she has not killed any classmates because she knows you two would not approve, save for the obvious and necessary exceptions. But she has not shown any improvement in terms of being able to socialize on her own. How does she get along with your friends?"
"Ron's terrified of her," Harry said.
"And Hermione fears her and feels a little pity for her too," Ginny said. "Luna scared Hermione off of Harry at the end of our second year. They get along a little better now just because they're both so smart. But I can't say they're friends."
"Does she have any friends besides the two of you?"
"No."
Raphaella nodded, obviously expecting the answer. "Harry, Ginny, I must say that I regret going along with this plan in many ways, but since I was the mental health professional, the blame rests squarely on my shoulders. We were hoping for short term results without looking at the long term aspects of Luna's sexual imprinting. It was…well, despite Xeno's joy that his daughter has you, as a professional this situation is exceedingly problematic. In a very real sense, Luna is a cancer on your relationship."
Harry and Ginny's hands crept into each other as they stared at the beautiful, concerned healer. "A cancer?" Harry asked.
"A healthy relationship is one of mutual dependence and trust. Not only does your partner depend on you, but you must also trust implicitly that you can depend on her. You and Ginny obviously trust each other and depend on each other. This is true whether it is a relationship of two or twenty. Unfortunately, you cannot depend on Luna emotionally. She depends on you both desperately, but she will never be able to return to you the type of love you feel for each other. She wants the two of you to have sex not because of any altruistic feelings for you, but because of her own fantasies and desire. I'm sure you've seen the picture on her ceiling?"
They nodded, blushing again. "So what do we do?" Ginny finally asked. "We can't just abandon her."
"In truth, Ginny, the two of you could; in fact, you should. You should walk away, and Xeno should admit the truth that his daughter will never be normal, and will never be safe for society at large. The only way I could save her would be a complete obliviation, and that will be devastating. It would reduce her to an infant state and it would take years for her to recover, and it would be a bittersweet recovery at best. The girl she was would be completely erased. Xeno is…not well suited to be a parent. As much as he is able, he loves Luna dearly. Obliviation therapy would break him, and most likely Luna would spend the rest of her life institutionalized. But it would be the best course of action for the two of you."
Harry looked up at Ginny and saw tears in her eyes. "You know we can't do that," he said, speaking for the two of them.
"I know," Raphaella said sadly. "The two of you are so…selfless. You think nothing of yourselves, only of others. It was the other reason we were so sure you would come to love each other so much—you each had an almost unlimited ability to love."
Raphaella stood, showing her first traces of nervousness. "Your own relationship has begun to develop and deepen—I can see it in your faces, and feel it in the way your magic meshes. You may soon decide to elevate your relationship to the next level and become intimate, if you have not already. Luna will profoundly complicate that."
"What should we do?" Harry asked.
"That's a tricky question for psychiatrists and mind healers alike," Raphaella said. "Rather than say what you should do, I can tell you some options. You can walk away. Xeno will accept it, frankly because he has no choice. There was no legitimate reason for us to involve you with Luna outside of the projections of your combined combat efficiency, nor can there be any consequence for you severing that connection. Another option is to continue as you are, keeping Luna as a friend but forcibly distancing her. I don't know if that will work since Luna will eventually interpret such action as rejection. And finally…finally…" She sighed and sat down. "Finally, you can let her become a part of your relationship. Again, this is not healthy since she cannot be an equal partner. But, if this is the route you go, then you must make sure that your own relationship comes first, and make sure Luna knows that. It is Ginny and Harry first and foremost, and you cannot allow Luna to come between you. She can be with you so long as you are comfortable, but never let her come between you. You should never be alone one-on-one with her, ever. Instead, if you engage her, do so as a couple. In fact, you must assume an almost parental role in her life. She may be your Control in operations, but doing this would require you to assert yourselves more actively in her personal life. Literally you will have to tell her how to live."
"Do you think…do you think it's wrong for us to be with her?" Ginny asked.
"Wrong? Oh Ginny, there is no right or wrong answer here. There are laws that say you cannot have three people in a marriage, but there are also laws granting civil rights to concubines. There is rarely an absolutely right or wrong answer in the adult world, to be honest. We just have to live life as best we can, and make the choices that are most right for us. But just know if you choose to make Luna a part of your relationship, she will continue to press for you to become intimate with her. She can't help it."
Harry was blushing again, from his eyebrows to his chin, his whole face was red. Raphaella gave a delighted laugh. "Oh Mr. Potter, you never thought you'd find yourself in a position like this, did you?"
"Er, no, not really."
"Ginny, how do you feel about Harry being intimate with Luna?"
Ginny too was blushing furiously. "I don't know," she admitted. "We…" She looked at Harry, and said, "I think she would just as soon shag me as Harry."
.
"Yes, Luna's sexuality is not gender oriented at all. She loves you as people, as much as she can love anyone, and her sexuality is oriented toward each of you. How do you feel, Ginny, about being intimate with Luna?"
Ginny shivered. "I don't think I'm as into it as she is. I don't want to do…well, I'm not sure I'd like to do what's in that picture. I don't mind kissing her that much, not really. I don't even think I would mind touching her that much if it made her happy, but I don't know about more than that."
Raphaella said, "And you, Harry?" She started laughing at Harry's nuclear blush. "Never mind: You're a boy, I understand."
"It's just…" Harry began, "I love her. I really do. But not like Ginny."
"That's exactly what I mean," Raphaella said. "You need to love Ginny first and foremost. You need to make sure your relationship with her is strong and secure, and only then should you try anything with Luna. And most importantly, let Luna know that. Let her know that you will…welcome her into your relationship, but only when you are sure it is strong enough to survive her presence intact."
This time, Harry's blush faded as he looked at his girlfriend. "There's no danger of it not surviving," he said softly. "Ginny is everything to me."
Raphaella reached across and took their hands. "And that is the only reason I'm not going to interfere any further. I can actually feel your bond through your joined magic…another aspect of my training. You truly are perfect for each other. And as long as you remember that, then your relationship can survive anything. Just be honest. Ginny, if the thought of Harry and Luna bothers you, then you need to tell Harry, and we'll take steps. Harry, if the thought of…never mind."
Harry laughed nervously, as did Ginny. "I've seen them kiss," he said. "It bothered me, but not in a bad way."
Finally, the healer gave them a muggle style business card. "I want you to Floo me or contact me through Xeno any time you have any concerns, either with Luna or each other."
"We will," Ginny said as she accepted the card. "Thank you, Raphaella."
"Well, it was a pleasure talking to you. Best wishes to you both."
When she was gone, Harry and Ginny remained on the sofa, holding hands and thinking furiously. "Next term, we talk to her about it?" Ginny asked.
"Yeah, I don't think I could handle it during the holidays."
"Good." And with that, they were decided.
sp
sp
Author's Note: Special thanks to Teufeul1987 for Beta reading and Brit Picking, and to JR and Miles for additional beta reading! All three made some very good suggestions for this chapter.
