Luna left the lovebirds and walked down the Great Hall with new determination. Seeing her friends love and how honest they had been with other was like a revelation to her. Yes, they were sappy. But it was romantic, too. She really hadn't been surprised when Hermione asked for a little alone time. She did however wonder how they were faring with the, not-even-kissing, part of their plan.

It was amazing, she thought, how much could change in just a few days. A week ago, Hermione hadn't even admitted to herself how she felt, and now? She closed her eyes and focused in her friends and found them very happy, very turned on and kind of frustrated.

"No kissing, my ass." She thought and laughed as she entered the Great Hall. She searched the Ravenclaw table and once she found who she was looking for, went to sit beside her.

"Hey, Luna...where's Ginny and Hermione?" Padma asked her.

"Probably snogging on top of the Astronomy Tower," She replied quietly, "Only don't tell anyone, they only just got together."

"Really? I always thought you were with Ginny." Padma replied smiling.

"Can we go somewhere and talk?" Luna asked her.

"Um, I guess..." She replied as she stood and followed Luna out into the Entrance Hall, "Where do you want to go?"

"Outside? It's a beautiful evening..."

Padma nodded and they walked outside until they found a nice quiet place to talk.

"So what's up, Luna? This got anything to do with Ginny and Hermione?" Padma asked her curious.

Luna laughed lightly, "Yes and no...they're the reason I'm here but they have nothing to do with what I want to talk to you about..." She said as she looked at her feet, her courage failing her. She felt Padma's hand in hers and looked up to find her smiling at her.

"You're going to tell me you're not actually crazy, or at least, as crazy, as everyone thinks you are?"

"No...but I'm glad you already figured that out." She replied smiling.

"So what is then? You're starting to scare me..."

"A little while ago, when my friends finally told each other how they feel, and I saw how happy they were...I guess I wanted a little of that for myself," She looked into Padma's big beautiful brown eyes and continued, "I wasn't going to say anything before we came back to school next year..."

Padma seemed to be searching Luna's eyes for something while she wondered where are all the courage she'd had a moment ago seemed to abandon her completely.

"Luna?" Padma said quietly, "I like you, too...always have, but I thought you were with Ginny."

"Really?" Luna smiled broadly as Padma offered her other hand and then pulled her close.

"Really..." Padma replied, her voice deepening as she tried to pull Luna in to kiss her but she pulled back.

"What?" Padma asked softly, "I thought..."

Luna laughed, "No, I do...it's just," She looked around, "Can we go somewhere more private?"

"Got somewhere in mind?" She replied, laughing lightly.

"Hermione?" She thought.

"What's up?" Came Hermione's voice, loud and clear.

"I need the Room to myself for a little bit...if you guys don't need it?" She asked.

"We're okay...but I do want us all to stay there tonight..." Hermione replied.

"You go eat, just warn me before you come in..."

"C'mon," she said, "I know the perfect place."

Luna took her hand and led her back to to the castle and towards Rowena's Room.

As they faced the blank wall she looked to Padma.

"There are some things I need to tell you and some secrets I will need you to keep..."

"Is this where you guys have been disappearing all the time?"

"It is," Luna smiled, "But we'd really like to keep it to ourselves...so you can't tell anyone."

"No intention of that, Little One, I like the idea of having a place to be with you..." She replied as she squeezed her hand.

Luna smiled and blushed, overly happy she had decided not to wait till next year.

She closed her eyes and thought to Rowena.

"Just the couches and fire please, I don't want her to know too much about you."

She opened her eyes at the sound of Padma's soft gasp. Luna didn't say a word as she led Padma inside.

"What is this place?" Padma asked softly as she looked around at the fire and couches.

"We call it the Room of Requirement...cause if we require something, it provides it. And when it does, we always say, "Thanks, Room.""

When Luna turned to face Padma again, the older girl again tried to pull her in for a kiss but Luna stopped her with a finger on her lips.

"Soon," she said quietly, "I need to talk to you about some stuff first, some stuff you might not want to hear...but you have to. And If I kiss you now and you leave because of what I have to tell you," she looked down and softly said, "Padma? It would break my heart."

Padma stepped forward and put her hands around Luna's waist.

"You can tell me anything you want, Little One, it's not going to change how I feel." She said as she put her forehead against hers.

Luna pulled her head back and frowned a little, "Little One?"

Padma smiled and blushed. She reached up and tucked Luna's hair behind her ear.

"Well...you're littler than me..." She explained quietly as Luna took her hand and led her over to the couch, "Why did you want to wait till next year to tell me? And what changed your mind?"

"Because it seemed cruel to start something now, with only a week left...but after I saw how happy my friends were...I guess I got a little worried that you might meet someone else over the summer..." Luna sighed as they sat down next to each other on the couch, still holding hands.

"Padma," Luna started quietly, "I really like you, but...you need to understand, it's not that I don't trust you, but there will always be things I can't tell you. Things that involve Ginny and Hermione, and a whole lot of other people. Things that, if I told you, would not only put mine and bunch of other people in danger, but yourself as well. That's why I can't tell you," She looked into Padma's eyes, "If something happened to you because of something you knew about me...I'd never forgive myself."

Padma considered what Luna had said, wondering what big secret she could possible be hiding from her.

"I think I can be okay with that, Little One," She smiled, "As long as you're honest with me about us."

"That's a promise I can keep," Luna said.

"Can I kiss you, yet? Or is there more?" Padma said, her voice once again lowering.

"Just a bit, my beautiful girl..." She smiled as Padma, despite her darker complexion, clearly blushed.

"Nice to know I can tell when you're blushing," She teased as she leaned forward and placed a kiss on Padma's forehead, "You're just too adorable..."

"Is this about Hermione and Ginny?" Padma asked before she gave into the urge to kiss Luna.

Luna smiled and nodded.

"If you're going to be my girlfriend...you'll have to accept that I'll still be spending a lot of time with them." She said as she reached out and lightly ran her fingers across her cheek, "Can you be okay with that, too? I promise...I'll spend as much time with you as I can and include you whenever possible."

Padma looked down at their hands and then back at Luna.

"I don't know how I feel about starting something with you, with compromises and secrets..." She said, doubt in her voice, "But I like you, Luna...I always kind of have. But I know that whatever your friendship with is with them...it's important to you..."

"I wish I could explain, but I can't..." Luna said sadly as she went to take her hand away from Padma, "I'd understand if you don't want to..."

But Padma held her hand tightly until Luna met her eyes again.

"Can you promise to always give me your full attention when we spend time together?"

Luna smiled and nodded.

"Then, my Little One...as much as I may not like it...I'd rather try to be with you, then give up now, because I might get jealous sometime in the future..." Padma smiled in what she thought was a seductive manner, "I'd rather have some time with you...than none at all."

"I promise to make any time we spend together unforgettable."

"You always have." Padma smiled, "Is there anything else before I kiss you?"

"Just two things," Padma groaned and sat back on the couch, "They're good things, my sweet sweet girl...but they are secrets." She waited until Padma met her eyes before continuing, "Ginny and I are most likely skipping a grade...thanks to Hermione's help. We're spending the summer at Professor McGonagall's cottage in Ireland and taking our third year exams at the end of August...before we leave though, Professor McGonagall is getting married...if it's okay with her, I'd really like it if you were my date."

"Why are those secrets?"

"Well...we don't want anyone to know we're doing it and Professor McGonagall is marrying a woman...I don't know how public or private she wants that information to be." Luna answered to the shocked looked on Padma's face.

"I never imagined her with a woman...why are you guys going though?"

"Because she asked us...sort of a party at the end of so much studying." Luna sighed inwardly, she hadn't even kissed the girl yet, and she had started lying to her.

"I suppose...if she's okay with it...I'd be honoured...and congratulations on skipping a grade, Little One, that means we'll have classes together next year..." She smiled, "Was that another reason you were going to wait? So we could share a dorm room?" She teased.

"Unfortunately we won't be sharing a dorm room...they're keeping Ginny and I where we are, for the moment, because of our age...and, well, when we came up with the plan...Ginny was already having trouble controlling herself, and now I expect it'll only be worse."

"That's okay, "Padma smiled mischievously, "I've been working on a few charms that'll give us all the privacy we want in either of our dorms...I can teach Hermione and Ginny, too..."

"Why were you already working on them?"

"Because, Luna Lovegood, I was going to tell you at the start of next year and I didn't know this place existed..." She reached out and, putting her hand at the base of Luna's neck, pulled her in for the kiss she'd been trying to give her from the moment they had first talked.

Finally, Luna let her. As their lips touched for the first time she finally, truly, fully appreciated how difficult the last year must of been for her best friend. She felt Padma's hand tangle in her hair as she gently pushed her down on the couch and lay on top of her.

Luna broke the kiss to trail kisses all over her face and then worked her way down her neck until Padma pulled her back to kiss her again.

"Luna? Safe to come in?" Came Hermione's voice softly.

She almost moaned out loud when she heard it, wishing she hadn't taken so much time to explain.

"Give me a minute...Rowena will let you in when I'm ready."

She felt Padma's hands trail down her back and come to rest on her butt as she pulled her even closer and their legs entwined.

Luna reluctantly pulled herself from Padma's lips.

"We should stop..." She told her softly.

"Before we can't?"

"Yes...this summer is going to be long enough as it is...I don't know if I'll be able to be bare it, if we go much further." She answered softly and kissed her briefly again, "You'll write to me?" She asked as she pulled herself from Padma's arms and sat up.

"Everyday..."

Luna sighed happily and pulled Padma back into her arms where she sat.

"Okay," She thought, "let the lovebirds in..."

Hermione and Ginny had just left the Astronomy Tower stairwell when Ginny stopped and turned to go back up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"I need to return the broom..."

"Oh, okay, I'll come with you..."

"I was going to quickly fly it back to the pitch...no point in us..."

"I know you were, Gin...I want you to take me with you..."

"How did you know?"

They had just exited the Astronomy Tower stairs when Hermione pulled her back into her arms and kissed her.

"Because, my love, " She said as she finally pulled away, "You've finally left your mind totally open to me...makes me very happy, by the way, it means you're ready to share all your secrets with me." She kissed her again, "I won't try to read you," she kissed her, "Unless you want me to," another small kiss, "it's just nice to know that you're letting me."

And Ginny pulled her back for a fierce kiss of her own and then stepped back.

"You know I've always, pretty much, known how you feel, because of Luna?"

Hermione closed the distance and pulled her back into her arms.

"I figured as much, my love, it doesn't bother me...you might not have waited for me if she hadn't told you." She smiled and lightly kissed her lips.

"She stopped though, telling me...I asked her not to...didn't seem fair that I knew how you felt even though you hadn't figured it out, or know how I feel."

Hermione kissed her to reassure her.

"Gin? It's okay, really...and maybe that's the biggest Silver Lining in this whole mess...the three of us can finally be completely, totally, honest with each other...it's a huge step forward from where we were even this morning."

"More like a staircase?" Ginny teased as she broke Hermione's hold to retrieve the broom she'd used.

Ginny got on the broom and Hermione followed immediately.

"I thought you didn't like flying?" Ginny asked surprised at her girlfriend's eagerness.

"I'm just along for the ride...I trust you." Hermione said in her ear, kissed her cheek and then lay her head on her back.

"You ready?" Ginny asked as she squeezed her hand.

"Yes." Hermione said and squeezed her tight to let her know she meant more than just flying.

Ginny had caught Hermione's change in their usual response to the, 'you ready?' question and as the soared off on their broom she felt that her heart soared so high it would have had to look down to see cloud nine.

It was surreal. Less than twelve hours ago they seemed to have made an unspoken agreement to wait...and now? Her soulmate was clinging for dear life as they softly touched down by the Gryffindor changing room.

Ginny reached up and tried to loosen Hermione's grip from her waist but she wasn't letting up.

"You okay?"

"Yeah...just not ready to let go yet." She reached up and placed her hand over Ginny's heart, "It doesn't hurt anymore..."

Ginny reached up and placed her hand over Hermione's and realised she understood what she meant. The tugging had gone...their hearts beat as one...they were finally reunited.

They got off the broom and returned it to the changing room, Hermione right behind Ginny, not ready to even let her hand go. "Did you even open your eyes once?"

"No...but I watched through yours. I've never done that before."

"Doesn't surprise me...I mean you talk to bloody animals."

"Shit...I wonder if Crookshanks understood me when I asked him to hurry up and eat Scabbers?"

They both broke down in a fit of giggles until Ginny pulled her into her arms and gently kissed her lips. As she tried to pull away Hermione leaned back into the kiss.

"Hermione?" Came Luna's voice.

Hermione broke the kiss frowning, "What's up?" she thought back.

"I need the Room to myself for a little bit...if you guys don't need it?" Luna asked.

"We're okay...but I do want us all to stay there tonight..." She replied, with an evil little grin.

"You go eat, just warn me before you come in..." Luna replied.

"Payback for that one?" Ginny asked.

"I wonder if she did that on purpose or...if she just didn't check first."

"Or maybe we unconsciously started blocking her?" Ginny asked.

"We never have before...why start now? But yes, a little payback."

"You think she's with Padma?"

Hermione closed her eyes... "Most definitely. Let's get out of here...it smells."

Ginny laughed as they walked out hand in hand.

"Can I ask you something?" Ginny questioned as they climbed the hill back to the castle.

"I think you'll find, my love, you can ask me anything..." Hermione replied as she leaned over and kissed her cheek.

Ginny stopped and waited for Hermione to face her.

"What happened to you this week?" Ginny asked.

Hermione laughed and kissed her before replying.

"You mean with how I feel?" Hermione asked.

"Well of course...a week ago..."

But Hermione stopped her with a kiss.

"I finally woke up so you could tell me you love me?" She could see Ginny's confused look and looking into her eyes she found Ginny's memory of her visiting her while she was petrified. She saw the look of shock on Ginny's face as she saw her own memory of what happened over a year ago, like it was yesterday.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you..." Hermione said concerned.

"No, I knew what you were going to do but, you heard me?" It was true, as soon as Hermione said the words she knew what she would do...show her her own memory. She truly was an open book to her now.

Hermione smiled, "It's the only memory I have...the rest of the time it was blank... I heard 'I think I love you...you need to come back to me so I can tell you.' And I felt the hand thing...I just couldn't really hear your voice so I guess I didn't recognize it."

She kissed her again briefly before continuing, "The truth is, my love, after my talk with my father and Minerva...I knew if I showed you guys everything...we'd have to talk...you heard me tell my father I love you...several times, I think...I needed to tell you myself...I wanted you to understand that yes, I love you with all my heart, but I wasn't sure I was ready for this...and really, I wasn't going to kiss you...but as we talked I realised it was futile to fight this...everything that had to happen for the three of us to connect the way we did...you're my soulmate, Gin, and we've been apart too long already...that's what changed..."

"If you hadn't got me so hot and bothered that I actually touched myself for the first time...we'd never gotten the whole truth out of Minerva and my father because I probably still would have been oblivious. How could they be fully honest with me when I still wasn't being honest with myself..." She kissed Ginny gently before continuing, "and they'd of known anyways...it was my memory...they felt what I felt every time I heard your voice...they already knew."

"Why did you kiss me last night?"

"Because I wanted to make you feel better?" She smiled, "And maybe, because...after all I went through last night...even though I didn't know it yet...I wanted to let you know I loved you."

"It's because you think with your head first..."

"Well, yes," She replied as she turned back to the castle and started walking again, "but you helped me to learn how to think with my heart...and now my heart is thinking as fast as my head."

The were approaching the front doors of the castle when Ginny pulled her again to stop.

"How are you with public displays of affection?" Ginny asked her.

"I'm not letting your hand go, if that's what you mean...and, we're hiding so much from everyone and I really don't care what anyone thinks...I love you, Gin, I'm in love with you...I want the whole world to know just how happy I am."

Ginny shook her head and laughed, "You amaze me...this time yesterday I was still waiting for you to catch up and now? Not only did you catch up I think you're passing me..."

Hermione leaned in and kissed her deeply.

"Like I said," she finally had broken the kiss to whisper into Ginny's ear, "My heart is finally thinking as fast as my head..."

They walked into the castle and when they entered the Great Hall for dinner found it almost empty.

"We missed dinner..." Ginny said sighing.

"We have food left over from last night..." Hermione said, "I'm kind of surprised Luna took Padma to to the Room."

"I'm not...Luna knows how much she's going to have to keep from Padma...of all our secrets.." Ginny replied as they climbed the stairs to the Room.

"I see your point...shame we're going to have share it with them..." Hermione said mischievously.

As the walked up to the blank wall they were surprised the door didn't materialise before asking and then still didn't when they asked.

"Luna? Safe to come in?" Hermione asked.

It was a moment before she heard Luna's reply.

"Give me a minute...Rowena will let you in when I'm ready."

They both shook their heads and laughed.

"Guess their meeting went well..." Ginny stammered out.

"Yes, but I don't know what we're going to find when we go in...we might not be able to get to the food." Hermione replied as the door finally opened.

They walked in to find Padma and Luna kissing softly.

"Want us to come back?" Ginny teased.

Padma pulled herself away from Luna and looked over to them.

"Hi...don't think we've actually met...I'm Padma." She said as she pulled herself away from Luna and went to greet them.

"Luna? How much does she know about the room?" Hermione thought to her as she and Ginny curled up together on the other couch.

"Not much? Why?" Luna answered as Padma went and settled herself back in her arms.

"We missed dinner...maybe we share a little what the Room can do? It's really the only secret we can share with her at this point..." Hermione explained.

"We'll just tell her we think Rowena built the room but not how it works..." Ginny added when she saw the surprise on Luna's face.

Luna nodded just slightly so Padma wouldn't notice.

"Rowena? Can we have our usual room...we want to eat the leftovers...thank you." Hermione asked aloud.

Padma had sat back up and looked around in shock as everything formed around her.

"You were holding out on me...why did you call the Room, Rowena?" Padma asked as she looked at Hermione.

"Well, Salazar Slytherin had his Chamber of Secrets...we think Rowena Ravenclaw built this room...that's why it's so smart...she's been helping us all year, actually..." Hermione explained as she and Ginny went to the table to eat. "She can't do food though...this is left over from last night."

"Just how much time do you guys spend here?" Padma asked, frowning when she heard Luna's stomach rumble, "You didn't eat did you?"

"No...had other things on my mind," she said as she she leaned forward and kissed Padma briefly.

"Well...there's plenty." Ginny said.

Ginny and Hermione started eating one handed as they still didn't want to let go and watched as Padma and Luna stood to come join them. As they walked over Padma looked at her watch and frowned.

"It's almost curfew...we should probably head back to our dorms..." Padma said as she reached the table.

"I can't explain, but we sort of have permission to spend the night here...as long as we don't abuse the privilege." Hermione explained, "I suppose you can stay if you want but either way we'd really like to spend some time with our best friend tonight...if that's okay?"

Luna looked to Padma and kissed her before saying, "I think it would be for the best if you stay in your dorm tonight...these two need my help to keep their hands off each other and if I spend the night with you," she kissed her again, "I'm definitely going to have the same problem."

Padma reached out and ran her fingers down Luna's cheek.

"And why is that a problem, Little One?" Padma asked softly.

"It's not that I don't want to...I'm still getting used to you liking me back...I promise I'll make everything up to you next fall..." Luna said softly as she stared into Padma's eyes.

"Okay...but I'm holding you to it..." Padma replied as she kissed her.

Hermione and Ginny had watched the whole exchange as they ate. Surprised their friend, who had teased them earlier about being sappy, seemed to be trying to outdo them.

"C'mon," Luna said breaking the kiss and taking her hand, "I'll walk you back."

"Padma?" Hermione said, "Next year? We promise to share the Room, and Luna, with you as much as possible, okay?"

"Thanks...I'd like that, I can teach you the Charms I've been working on that'll let you have privacy in your dorm rooms..." Padma replied.

"Thanks, Padma," Ginny said as she stood and walked over to where they are, "And Padma? Luna is my best friend...please don't hurt her..." She said softly.

Padma looked from Ginny to Luna.

"Wouldn't dream of it..." She replied.

"Now that that's settled," Ginny said and went to hug her, "You're making my best friend very happy, thank you..." Ginny whispered in her ear then let her go.

Padma laughed, "You know, I'd of asked Luna out ages ago but I thought she was with you."

"Nope...always been love in with Hermione..." Ginny said as she looked over to her where she still sat at the table, "Don't know what I would have done without Luna, mind..." She finished as she briefly hugged Luna, "Better hurry back or there may be no food left."

The next evening they met Hermione's magical parents in the Entrance Hall and together walked down to Hogsmeade together.

"Minerva?" Luna asked.

"Yes, my dear?" She replied fondly.

"Your wedding at the end of the summer...would it be alright if Padma Patil joined me?" Luna asked quietly.

Minerva surveyed her a moment before answering.

"You're quite happy with her, aren't you, Luna?"

Luna smiled and nodded.

"Not that I'm ashamed but I would prefer my personal life not be broadcast all over Hogwart's...can you trust her not to do that?" Minerva asked kindly.

"She won't say anything, Minerva, I promise..." Luna replied sincerely.

"All right then...I will write to Padma's parents and make the arrangements..." She was interrupted when Luna went to hug her, "You're quite welcome, Luna, I'm happy to see you so happy."

They walked in silence for a little while and had just passed the Hogwart's gates when Minerva turned and smiled at Ginny and Hermione who were holding hands and had ear to ear grins. She went to walk beside them and put her arm Ginny's shoulders as they walked.

"I'm glad you finally figured it out, my dear...how you feel." Minerva said smiling, "Though perhaps not as happy as your girlfriend..." She teased.

"I still have trouble believing it," Ginny said, "But you were right, Minerva, she is just like you...kissed me and then figured it out..."

"But I thought, my dear, you two were going to wait?" Albus asked as he joined them and put an arm his daughter, "What made you change your mind?"

"I was...but after my meeting with you, I knew if I showed Luna and Ginny everything...She and I would have to talk. When we did...it just sort of hit me...why fight it when it makes me so damn happy and, with the path we have ahead of us? I think we could all use a little more love in our lives. Don't you think?"

"I do, my dear...I'm glad you realised that." He smiled fondly at her, "And I have never seen either of you, or you Luna," he said as he watched Minerva put her other arm her, "look happier...and with all the three of you have already been through...you more than deserve this."

As the five of them walked to Hogsmeade, they knew their future, despite the Prophecies, was still uncertain. All any of them knew for certain...that whatever the future would hold, they would face it together.

A/N So folks, we've reached the end of the second volume in this saga. Hope you enjoyed in the brief detour into Luna's point of view and I may include more of that in the next volume, we'll see. Thank you all for joining me on this ever evolving journey. Special thanks to all my regular reviewers...you guys not only make my day, but you inspire me daily. The next volume will start in the next couple of days, maybe sooner...my life has gotten a little stupid and is making it hard to concentrate...hence the reason this last chapter took so long...after the epic journey this story has taken I really wanted the last chapter to reflect that. Thank you everyone...