A/N:

LarcolTydol, and ~*~*, daleia, and CliodnaHPFan, and Jandl, and Jinny, and Athenia McGonagall, and Emma Leigh, and Feather0311- Thanks!

Dean - I know the feeling. Sucks.

Twisted Anjel, and Baby Sphinx - I really don't mean to Cliff all the time, I hate them too.

MindyMe - Now if they would just do away with that darn copywrite law I could make some money!

Ears91 - here you go!

Isabella Grace - Lots more Auror's have been mentioned, especially in OP.

Sorry, I was going to tell you who won the election, but it would have hung the chapter and I'm trying not to do that anymore. First thing next chapter, I promise.

Read On!

Chapter 26

Harry arrived facing the teacher's table when had the feeling he was being watched. He froze where he stood until he saw Professor McGonagall out of the corner of his eye, walking up to him.

She stopped inches away. "The headmaster and I thought we might have a little civics lesson for the school. It was quite a charm he used."

She took hold of his shoulders and turned him around to face the main portion of the hall which, at this time of day should have been empty as the students were supposed to be in class. Instead they were all gathered at their house tables looking at him .

He found Gryffindor table and trailed down the length of it until he found Hermione wiping her face. She was grinning, as was Ron, Ginny, and Neville.

"Y - You didn't ..." Harry sputtered.

"You've done the entire school proud today, Potter. And with the help of headmaster's charm we all had a chance to see the entire show." she said. "Say a few words."

She pushed him forward.

"Um ... hi."

Cheers came up in a deafening volume. Gryffindor table was on their feet in seconds followed by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and Slytherin last.

Harry's face burned with the rush of blood rising quickly to his head. The yelling and applause didn't die down for another minute or two.

They quieted down but still remained standing, waiting for what he had to say. He saw a number of the first-years stand on the tables to get a better look.

"Um ... didn't really know that Dumbledore was gonna do that." He looked back at Professor McGonagall. "All right, I'm done with public speaking, you lot get to class. I have to go see Madam Pomfrey and get my head deflated."

Laughter and cheers took over again and the Great Hall started to empty itself.

The group from that night at the ministry pushed their way forward, Hermione in the lead. She made it through the last throng of students and ran up the stairs into Harry's arms.

"I am so proud of you, Harry Potter!" She squeezed him and kissed his cheek repeatedly.

"Oh, get off, Mione, " said Ron. "Give someone else a chance."

He grabbed a hold of Harry's hand and pumped it. "Good one, mate."

Ginny pushed her brother aside and took Hermione's place squeezing the life out of him. "You were brilliant, Harry."

Luna stood by Ron with her arm around his middle. "Thanks, Harry. I'd hug you, but I only hug Ron."

He laughed, "Thanks anyways, Luna."

Neville came forward last holding his hand out. His eyes were red, but he was smiling all the same. "Thanks for what you said, Harry. Meant a lot."

Ron pounded Neville on the back, "Neville here is a celebrity now. Should have seen how everyone was staring at him after what you said."

Everyone laughed in support.

"Looked like Snape was going to swallow his tongue after that."

Neville nodded. "Best thing I ever saw."

Harry pumped his hand, "You deserve it, Neville. Snape's a prat and now everyone knows it. I don't think he's gonna bother you anymore."

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

"You didn't fly there? Why'd he want you to take your broom?" asked Ron.

Harry shrugged his shoulders as he leaned back in his chair. "Never said. He did say something about doing other stuff but since I seemed to convince a lot more people than he expected he sent me home."

Hermione shook her head. "Really."

Both Ron and Harry said, "What?"

"You two have no sense of presence and style. Professor Dumbledore had you putting on a performance."

They still didn't get it. She sat down her advanced charms book.

"Just getting there at the last moment, before the vote -- wearing a heavy winter cloak and carrying your broom, your hair all messed up. It makes it appear that you had flown half the day to make it for that speech."

He looked at Ron and back to her, "My hair's always messed up."

"Dumbledore set the stage and you were the actor, Harry. The broom and the way you dressed were props. If you can get past the money, politics is all about charisma and making the voters believe that you are sincere. He had it looking like you thought this election was the most important in your life."

"Oh." He thought on it a second. "But I didn't even know who was running?"

She grinned, "That was the most important part of being up there. They knew that you didn't care about who is in charge. The more important part was the issue. You basically asked them if they were brave enough to act now or bury their collective head in the sand like the last administration did.

"The funny thing is that either side would have acted. Everyone knows that Voldemort is out there. They would have to act. But you made it seem as if one candidate was going to ignore him and the other was the only logical choice because he was the only one that would do anything."

She nodded her head, "Quite brilliant if you ask me."

Ron looked at her as if she was crazy, "I thought the only reason you got up there was to tell them off."

Harry nodded his head in agreement.

Hermione pulled her book back up and stuck her head behind it. "Boys!"

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

The next morning brought joy to all of the students of Hogwart's. It was the first Hogsmeade weekend and everyone rushed to get dressed for what they assumed was going to be a fun day ... all except for Ron Weasley.

"But Harry said I could hide in here."

"Get out there this instant, Ron." growled Hermione. "You are not going to leave your girlfriend blowing in the breeze because you are too chicken to face her father after deflowering his daughter."

His brow knitted. "I didn't deflower her. She hasn't got any flowers on her at all, unless you count that time she spilled dandelion juice down her shirt. And I hardly think ... OWW!"

He rubbed the back of his head. "Why'd ya hit me for."

She stood stock still and raised her arm, pointing toward the door. "I'm trying to knock some sense into that thick head of yours. I swear sometimes I think you have taken one to may falls off of your broom. Out!"

Defeated he left their rooms and dragged his feet to the portrait hole. Luna was waiting for him just outside and hooked an arm through his, grinning madly.

"Father said he would meet us at the Snack Shack at noon. We've got all morning to ourselves."

He smiled weakly.

They passed several of their classmates on the way around the lake to the queue at the gates of Hogwart's.

"I've had the oddest craving all week for butterbeer and parakeet parsnips. May we stop by the Three Broomsticks, first."

Ron nodded. He wasn't in the mood for much more and wondered if one could get rip-roaring drunk on butterbeer. Probably not. There weren't many times that he envied the house elves, but this was definitely one of them.

"Two butterbeers and some parakeet parsnips, please," he ordered at the bar.

"Right away, love."

Ron turned and saw Luna waving at him from a booth by the door. He smiled and waved back before he paid and hefted the two bottles and a small basket of white root-chips in the shape of little birds back to the table.

He slid in and took a long draw on the bottle.

"You don't look happy today, Ronald." she noticed. "It's Hogsmeade weekend and we're together on a very beautiful day. Why aren't you happy?"

He looked down at the table and scratched at a small chip in the wood, "I dunno."

Luna looked thoughtfully at him. "You aren't scared about meeting Father, are you?"

He shrugged, "A bit."

"You shouldn't be. He is a very nice man."

"You're his daughter. 'Course he's nice to you," he said taking another pull from the bottle. "I'm the bloke that deflowered his daughter."

She made a strange face at him, "Are you talking about when I spilled the dandelion juice down my shirt. I thought it was very gallant to offer to clean it up."

He shrugged, "I guess, it was something Hermione said. I don't understand her half the time anyway."

"I wouldn't know why Father would be mad about that. Silly thing really."

It was a moment before Ron looked down and saw the basket was empty and Luna's bottle was as well. When had she eaten all of that?

"Are you ready to go?"

She smiled broadly, "Uh-huh.'

Ron finished off his bottle and they stepped out the door.

"LOOK OUT!" called a voice from the side.

Ron heard the noise before he saw what it was and pulled Luna back and safely into his arms. A half a second later, what looked like some type of bottle rocket whizzed by and shot up into the air, exploding into a thousand different pinwheels.

Dean Thomas ran by, "Sorry, that one got away from me."

Ginny was close soon after. "Dean you goof, you almost hit Luna." She looked on. "Are you okay?"

Luna got her footing, "Ronald saved me. It was very brave."

Ginny cocked an eyebrow. "Okay, see you later."

Luna pulled him down for a thank you kiss, and Ron turned his head at the last second to avoid getting poked in the eye by her wand sticking out from behind her ear. He had learned that lesson the hard way when they had first kissed.

The morning was fairly fun after that. They window shopped, mainly because Ron didn't have much more money left. Luna chided him a number of times saying that she didn't mind paying for whatever they did. But he was prideful.

"It's just not right."

"What's not right, I'm your girlfriend. I want you to be happy."

He lost most of the stand-offs, mainly because he couldn't think of a better argument than 'because'. It was one of the downfalls of having a girlfriend that was in Ravenclaw.

"There's the Snack Shack. Father should be there by now." She turned and wiped away a smudge form above his left eyebrow. "You look very handsome. And don't worry about Father. Ever since Mother died, I get whatever I want and I want you. So see, he doesn't have any say in the matter."

Ron tried to find a flaw in her logic and though best not to say anything. She took his hand and they entered the little shack.

The inside was much bigger than the outside and it was very busy. Trays of snack food flew by on their own to their assigned table and people either ducked or got slammed in the head. You had to be quick on your toes at the Snack Shack.

"Luna!"

"Father!" she pulled Ron along.

After a brief hug she pulled back, "Father, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Ronald Weasley."

"RonWeasleydidyousay," he rapid-fired off.

HisfatherworksfortheMinistryofMagic,doesn'the?"

Ron's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline, "Um ..."

Luna giggled, "Father is a very busy man at the Quibbler. He does most of the work himself, but he has a staff that keeps him moving and talking. He finds it easier to speak very fast."

"Father would you mind speaking slower for Ronald. He's not used to you yet and is scared for some reason. Something about flowers or some-such that a friend of his has stuck in his head."

Mr. Lovegood smiled compassionately, "Sorry, I'm always so busy. Flowers did you say?"

He speech was noticeably slower but still very fast and Ron had to concentrate to make sure he got it all.

"S'nothing, sir."

He nodded dismissively, "I've ordered, hope you don't mind. Duck!"

Ron dropped, pulling Luna down with him as their tray arrived.

"Great reflexes, Luna says you are the Keeper for the Gryffindor team. Gotta have fast reflexes for that. I remember when I was at Hogwart's. Loved Quidditch, let me tell you. There wasn't a time whenImissedamatch.Therewasthisone ..."

"Father," warned Luna.

"Sorry," he said, "Get a little carried away, sometimes. Dig in, dig in, don't let me slow you down."

Ron dug. Anything to keep from saying something that would get Mr. Lovegood out of his seemingly good mood. He picked up a sandwich, along with a soda and set it in front of Luna, then he did the same for himself .

Once the tray was cleared it zoomed off for another order. He picked up his sandwich and took a large bite.

"So, I hear you and my daughter have been picnicking."

Ron froze and almost choked on the bite.

"I remember when her mother and I picnicked." he reminisced. "Right under the big tree by the lake. We were about the same age as you two."

Ron swallowed and starting turning white.

"You are using protection charms, right?"

"Father, don't embarrass him. Ronald is very thoughtful and protects himself without me ever saying a word," she said with pride. "I've told you all about it in my owl's."

He chuckled. "I'm sorry, love of my life. Your mother's father did the same thing to me in this very same restaurant if I remember correctly."

He looked down at the table and its relation to the rest of the room. "In fact, I think it was this exact table," he smirked. "Had to keep with tradition."

Ron was still looking on with abject fear.

"Now the true test, young Weasley ... your opinion of the Chudley Cannons."

Ron looked at Luna and back at Mr. Lovegood. "Um ... their my favorite team, sir?"

Mr. Lovegood grinned widely and leaned over the table to pound Ron's shoulder. "Luna, you have my permission to marry him."