Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Luna Lovegood absentmindedly pushed a lock of sweaty platinum blonde hair out of her face. She was breathing heavily as she took a break to lean against the wall. Or what was left of it, anyway. She had just lifted a remarkably large piece of rubble, and it had winded her considerably. She half-smiled at Dean, who waved as he passed her, his wand trained on the ceiling.

She pushed off the wall to come to standing; her mind made up. She was taking a break from helping restore Hogwarts. She'd been at it for hours, and Professor McGonagall had personally told her to take breaks whenever she needed them. She greedily gulped the last of her water and walked out of the castle. The grounds were surprisingly empty for there being so many people helping with the rebuilding process.

She realized suddenly that she was alone, and that knowledge both thrilled and exhausted her. She walked slowly down the hillside, taking in all of the sights of the magnificent grounds. She knew exactly where she was heading, but she hadn't allowed her mind to recognize it as a thought. It was one of those thoughts that wasn't words but was just knowledge. Those were the kinds of thoughts you could keep even from yourself. She knew a lot about her mind and kept it free of mingling forces, like Nargles.

She focused on her steps and came to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. She wondered briefly if it was even Forbidden anymore. They had all faced much worse things than the creatures who lived there. She knew that the centaurs had declared the forest their ground, but they still let Hagrid in, and Luna was sure they would let her in as well. They had always been great friends, they delighted at her ability to understand their divination and ways.

She saw none of their herd and accepted this as them leaving her be because they trusted her. Besides, she knew for a fact that the centaurs didn't come to the part of the forest she was going to. She had always found solace in the forest and knew every corner and path in and out of it. Her feet barely made any mark on the soft needle-covered earth. She placed her feet recklessly but with a modicum of control, the way she always moved in the forest. Instinct and awareness.

She reached the clearing and found it deserted. She frowned unhappily and wandered further in. What she saw there made her cry out in sorrow, the birds in the nearby trees taking flight in alarm at the sound. Lying on the ground was the thestral she had raised and had grown incredibly attached to. She had been but a baby when Luna had first befriended her.

She looked to all the world like she was just sleeping but Luna knew that she was not. The thestral's coat was still warm with sunlight but Luna knew that her spirit was no longer with Luna in the clearing. She knelt to the ground, not noticing or caring as her knees caked with dirt and her legs fell asleep. She fisted her hands in her hide and wept as she hadn't wept since her mother had died.

"Why?" She screamed at the sky. "Why did you take my baby girl?" She was feeling every emotion and none of them all at the same time and all she could think was how she hadn't cried this much for any human and guilt washed through her at the thought. But this thestral had been her best friend, they had bonded so much that Luna had loved her. Still did, always would.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned wildly, drawing her wand. Her hair was mess, she was covered in dirt, and tears were trailing down her face.

"Luna?" A voice asked softly and Luna saw Harry Potter appear before her, equally dishevelled. He took her in and his face contorted with worry. "What's wrong?" She clutched her arms around her and gestured to the fallen thestral. Harry walked closer to it and frowned when he saw it.

"I came in here all the time to be with her, we would play and cuddle and I would sing and she would just be there, a constant comfort and balm to all of the horrible things anyone said to me. I loved her."

Luna was very observant and she knew that Harry wasn't the comforting type, or the kind to hug someone else, though he let the people closest to him hug him. But without a word he stowed his wand in his jeans, put his arms around her, and let her cry all over his shirt.

She cried ugly tears, her entire body aching with them, she couldn't stop. He didn't move or complain. Eventually he sat down beside her on a rock and put his arm around her.

"Someday, this will all hurt less and you'll be able to laugh at the good times you had with her, and with all of the people we've lost. Someday it will get easier. Not today, but someday." He said quietly. "Everyone we have lost live on in our hearts, I know they live on in yours."

She nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Harry. I'm sorry for crying all over you, especially about a thestral."

"Don't be. And don't minimize the pain you feel because she was a thestral. I lost Hedwig earlier this year and I know it hurt more than I ever thought possible. It still does hurt, to be honest. She loved me when no one else did, and Hagrid bought me for her and he liked me too, the first person I can ever remember showing me any kindness."

"I'm sorry." She murmured, touching his shoulder. They sat in comfortable if sad silence for a long while until she couldn't feel her toes.

"I never did thank you." He whispered so quietly that she almost missed it.

She turned to look at him in astonishment. "For what?"

"Talking to me, after Sirius died. What you said, your kindness, it helped a lot."

"So has yours." She smiled at him and he returned it. "Well. Shall we get back to the castle?"

"If you want." He shrugged. She nodded and pulled him up. They rolled their joints and stretched, bodies protesting at the sudden movement after a lack of it. Arm in arm, they walked up to the castle.

-LL-

Many years later, Luna was sitting in a rocking chair nursing one of her newborn twin sons, Lorcan. She was humming softly to him and herself, utterly content. She detached him and buttoned up her blouse, burping him before rocking him gently to sleep. Her floo suddenly lit up with bright green sparks and she saw Harry's face beaming up at her from the flames.

"The baby was born a few hours ago, would you like to come and see her?" He asked.

"Her? It's a girl?" He beamed and nodded. Luna jumped up and Lorcan began to wail at the sudden jolt. "Oh I'm sorry love", she apologized to him. "Rolf!" Her husband appeared at once, dishevelled and covered in ink. He had been working on his manuscript. "I'm going to visit Harry and Ginny and their daughter at St. Mungo's. Could you watch the boys?"

"Of course." He replied with ease, taking their screaming son gently into his arms and shushing him softly. She brushed off her blouse and stepped into the fireplace, shouting the name of the hospital. She spun dizzyingly and nearly fell over upon the jarring impact of the hard tile floor.

"Hi." She greeted the nurse. "I'm here to visit Ginny Potter."

"Sixth floor, room 687." The welcome witch didn't even look up. St. Mungo's had added a full maternity floor after the war instead of keeping them on the same floor as artifact accidents. Personally, Luna felt that they should have kept it on the first floor and put artifact accidents up here, as sometimes women were already well into labour when they got here. She had been, and the elevator ride up six floors had not been pleasant. Lorcan had almost been born in that elevator, Lysander coming only three minutes after his brother.

She reached the door at the left of a very long hallway. She noticed that none of the Weasleys were currently there and wondered briefly at that. She knocked on the door. A beaming but extremely exhausted and proud looking Harry Potter opened the door.

"Luna!" He hugged her gently. "How are you?"

She shrugged. "I'm getting there. I'm already taking less pain potions." he nodded in sympathy and understanding, this was his third child and Ginny had been in a great amount of pain after having James. Luna herself had been a mother for only a month and she was still very much a mess, not to mention quite sore, to say the least.

"Harry? Is that Luna?" She heard Ginny's tired voice from inside the room. Harry grinned wider, Luna hadn't thought him capable fo stretching his mouth any further, and gestured her into the room. She beamed at the sight of her dear friend holding a pink bundle of blankets. All she could see was a tiny bit of red fuzz on the top of the baby's head.

Harry and Ginny exchanged a sweet and emotional look. The kind married couples have conversations through. "We would like you to meet Lily Luna Potter." Harry said softly, and to Luna's horror tears started dripping down her face as she beamed.

"I'm…" She choked out and they smiled, seeming to understand.

"We named her after you, and Harry's mother, and Remus. Luna also means moon. But we thought who better to name our daughter after than one of our greatest friends."

"We hope that she is wise and kind and isn't afraid to let her personality shine through." Harry smiled and Luna couldn't stop the tears if she tried. She reached out for the baby and Ginny placed her in her arms. The baby blinked sleepily up at her and she smiled. She had her best friend's kind brown eyes, and Harry's mouth.

"Will you be her godmother as well?" Ginny asked softly.

"Of course." Luna said emphatically. "Hi Lily Luna, I'm your godmother."

She looked up, eyes meeting Harry's and she knew they were both thinking of that day in the Forbidden Forest. It seemed the day had come where she could reminisce fondly with minimal pain.

"Thank you." She whispered. She had always known Ginny was her best friend and now she also knew that Harry and her had a special bond built on pure kindness and friendship. She was very glad to have met the both of them, and gladder still of their beautiful little girl in her arms.