A/N: Happy New Year! I was going to post this ten and a half hours ago, when the year actually clicked over here, but the site's been having some technical difficulties, so… Anyway, my aunt's flying in today, and I'm feeling under the weather again, so I should probably start getting ready now.
Should. Probably won't.
The first time she gets a proper chance to talk to Luna alone is at the Burrow. They've had moments, here and there, but it has never been long enough for a real conversation. So, when Harry and the Weasleys decide to have a game of backyard Quidditch and Luna suggests the two witches lay out a picnic blanket to sit on as they watch them, she decides to take the opportunity to talk to her. Molly and Arthur are watching the kids, and everyone else is up in the air, so they're as unlikely to be interrupted as they ever will be. Letting herself relax, Hermione decides to open up to the one person she can always count on to have a unique and unexpected approach to things. All of her efforts to date have failed, but perhaps Luna will be able to suggest a new tactic.
It's worth a shot. Even if it doesn't amount to anything, it's better than just trying the same things over and over again.
"Have you noticed anything, well, odd about Harry recently?" She almost instantly winces at the phrasing, but she it's the best way she can think to word it without leading Luna's response.
Luna's gaze seems almost chiding when she looks up from the shawl she is knitting to inspect Hermione. "Odd like you think I am?"
An embarrassed blush creeps across Hermione's cheeks. "I don't think you're odd."
The blonde witch nods thoughtfully, but her next words belie any hope that the lacklustre defence convinced her. "You do, actually, but that's okay. I think you are, too, sometimes. Still, I might not be the best person for you to ask about whether someone or something should be considered odd."
"It's just that I'm worried about him," Hermione admits, deciding to do away with any attempts at subtlety. "He isn't moving forward. None of us are moving on, but he seems to be finding it harder to move forward than anyone else. If it weren't for Teddy… He went out on a date a few weeks ago, and the twins and I thought it would be a turning point for him, but he's just fallen back into the same old rut again. I get why, I really do. But it's not healthy for him to shut himself up in the past like this."
Returning to her shawl, Luna sighs the weary lament of one who has seen death too many times to count and had to come to terms with it each and every time. "There's no one right way to mourn, Hermione. Everyone grieves differently. And he has a lot of people to grieve for."
"I know, but it's already been a few years. You have to start moving forward again eventually. I don't want him to forget about her or stop feeling sad that she's gone, but I do wish that he would actively try to live and do things that make him happy. Sometimes, I'm afraid he doesn't want to be happy."
"I think true happiness is a long way off for any of us. Everything's always going to be a little bit bittersweet."
Conceding the other witch's point but unwilling to let go of her own, Hermione insists, "But he has to aim to get there one day."
"You want me to talk to him," Luna states rather than asks.
"Not directly. I just want you to be aware of it… just in case an opportunity comes up."
Luna doesn't respond, instead focusing on adding stitch after stitch to her project. Hermione can tell that the younger girl is less than thrilled with her, but she hopes that her silent acceptance of her words means she will keep an eye out for it – and for any opportunities to lure Harry out of his shell. Luna can see it as interfering all she wants, but that doesn't make it any less necessary.
It's a guerrilla mission in the nicest way, but Hermione and Fred - and, she hopes, Luna – are determined to do it anyway.
After everything we've been through, we deserve to be happy. Harry deserves to be happy. I understand why he isn't, but I'm not going to let him flounder like that if I can help it.