A/N

Sami Potter - Sami, you're a bad girl.

Milkyway - Want a job as my new publicist?

Neon Tiger Jackel - Ron's timing is always perfect.

Mella deRanged - It's part of the plot ... relax.

Athenia McGonagall - Ron is always confused, that's what makes him so adorable.

Sunshine Belle - Amanda, check my favorite h/hr stories under my profile


Simezz - No. I'll put 'End' at the end. I plan on going through the entire year. not day by day, but the high points. kinda like JKR.

Tom Lovers - I am ... I checked ... not really. I've seen people get them out just as fast, but their idea of a chapter is my idea of a paragraph. annoys the heck out of me.

This chapter is a little shorter than the others and I meant it that way so I could catch up with my writing schedule. Back to normal tomorrow! Coming soon ... Hogsmeade! Gryffindor vs Slytherin in Quidditch! Snogging! Terror! Adventure! Wedding stuff! The new Minister of Magic! Outrage! Lupin! Mad-Eye! Tonks! Shaklebolt! More Snogging!

Go read!

Chapter 20

Luna Lovegood stood waiting for her boyfriend outside of Defense class thumbing through the latest edition of the Quibbler when the door flew open.

"Did you see the Malingo's that Malfoy conjured up, brilliant!"

"Do ya think Harry could have done it?"

"'Course, he's the professor."

"Luna!"

"Hello, Ronald. Did you do well in your class today?" she asked softly and drawn out as if in some sort of dream state.

"Um, yeah." he responded looking from side to side at the weird looks they were getting. "What are you doing here?"

She blinked so quickly that Ron would have missed it if he wasn't looking. "Father has owl'd me with a letter. He is inviting you to Halloween dinner at our first Hogsmeade weekend. You will accept won't you. He wants to meet the man that has stolen his little girl's heart."

Ron shuffled his feet, "He's not big, your father? Or really fond of cursing your boyfriends, is he?"

"Whatever do you mean, Ronald? You are my first boyfriend. You think Father will try to curse you for going out with me?" she laughed ... almost hysterically.

Ron's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline when she announced he was her first boyfriend let alone her first ... well, you know.

"Oh, Ron. You are so funny ... 'curse, you'."

She continued to laugh down the hall as she took his arm. Ron kept looking around thankful that nobody else was in the hall to stare.

When they had made it up the stairs she had calmed somewhat, "Ronald, when do you think we might have another evening picnic?"

His nervousness shot up ten-fold, "Look, Luna, I'm a prefect and all. Were supposed to set an example, not breaking rules and stuff."

She bent over and laughed again, "Ronald, you must stop this. You are so funny! I can't breathe!"

"What? I'm being serious!"

Her stomach wrenching laughter slowed to a slight giggle, "Are you saying that you don't want me to ..." she tiptoed up to his ear and whispered.

His face turned a burning shade of strawberry. "Well yeah," he dismissed as being a given.

"And Father says we have to practice, practice, practice if we are to be any good."

Ron shuddered, "You didn't!"

Luna tried to look surprised at his being surprised, but with her large eyes the effort was self-defeating. "Didn't what?"

"T-T-Tell your Father that we ..."

She stepped back and looked puzzled, "Well, of course. He is my Father. I can't lie to him. Besides, we're at that age and he's been expecting it of me for quite sometime. You should have seen the owl I received this morning from him. Remind me to show it to you."

The redness that was building up from his embarrassment quickly turned to ashen grey, and he whimpered quietly.

***********************

Dumbledore has Stepped in it, Again!

Albus Dumbledore (Headmaster, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry) has appointed sixth-year student, Harry Potter (16) to the position of Assistant Professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts, a dubious position that has been shaded with multiple appointments over the last five years.

"They've made him out to be an old quack!" Hermione seethed. "Listen to this. 'Has senility take over the leader of our most prestigious school?' Atrocious!"

"Why do you read that rag anymore, Mione?"

She looked at him over the top of the Daily Prophet. "Harry, you of all people should know how public opinion is swayed by the press. And eventually were going to be a front page scandal."

"I'm used to it."

She shook her head in disappointment, "The thing that makes it different this time is you are a teacher. You are in a position that demands respect, not the scorn of your students."

Harry wasn't quite following, "Someone's scorning me?"

She rolled her eyes.

"Hermione, everyone already knows. I'm surprised that it's not in the paper already."

She nodded, "Actually I'm quite astonished that it's taken them this long to find out you were teaching."

The Thin Lady interrupted. "Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, you have a visitor."

"Come in," Hermione called.

A grim-faced Ron Weasley steeped through from behind the portrait.

"She told her father. I'm doomed."

Harry sat forward in his seat. "Who told her father what?

"Luna," he answered. "She told her father about us ... the other night ... in detail."

Hermione's hand covered her mouth in shock as she gasped.

"You're kidding!" Harry exclaimed.

Ron sat down, "No, I saw the letter he sent her this morning saying how much he's looking forward to meeting me and all, and teaching me a lesson."

"You can hide in here when he drops by." Harry assured him.

"And the worst of all is Luna thinks he wants to offer me advice about how to improve. Practice, practice, practice. She barking!"

"And she's your girlfriend," Hermione commented. "Responsibilities."

"Thanks, Mum."

She pulled the paper up again to cover her face and afford herself the luxury of not looking at Ron.

"Do you want to take a few laps around the Quidditch pitch?"

Harry shrugged, "I've got a lot of papers to grade, Ron."

"All the more reason. Mine's in that stack."

He looked at his watch. "Okay, thirty minutes."

Hermione looked over her paper and gave her fiancé a stern look.

"Thirty minutes. I'm already half way through with the grading." He flipped through the graded stack. "Look, you got a hundred and four percent."

She reached over and grabbed her paper from Harry, smiling. Seeing the score seemed to sooth her feelings.

He shook his head. "That's what you've been waiting for?"

She waved him off, "Have fun, boys."

*********************

"I think she sees you two and thinks we're supposed to get married also."

Harry went into a steep dive and looped up beside Ron as they made the turn at the goals.

"Tell her you want to take it a little slower ... like Flubberworm slow."

Ron spiraled and came up beside his friend. "Did I tell you she made another hat. It's a basket and when she taps it with her wand a snake comes up from inside. A little version of me flies around its head for a few seconds."

"Sounds neat."

"It is until the head explodes. The she can't get the snake from falling forward and slapping her in the face when it dies."

Harry laughed and dove for the ground, hopping off at the last second and rolling to a stop.

"This was the best Ron. Thanks for dragging me out of that room."

Ron sat down slowly beside him. "Okay, your thirty minutes are up, better get back to the little woman."

"And you to your's."

"Oh, do shut up!" Ron laughed.