A/N: This chapter got really long. I'm working on editing the details I've noticed aren't consistent with earlier chapters and also more proofing. Despite this I should have 19 up in the next couple weeks. Chapter 20 is already done so you'll get two more chapters shortly. Please let me know what you think of Loony and Ron.
Chapter 18-Luna Loves RonWhen Hermione returned from the tower with Professor Snape, she went to the Gryffindor common room to get Harry. It seemed to her that Harry's trip to Snape's Underworld might be safer and more efficient in a pair despite the new truce. As they talked about the day under Hermione's silencing charm, Harry told Hermione that the Lady of Avalon was an ancestor of his mother. They were so absorbed in conversation that they forgot about the torture that was to come. Just as Harry got to the part about his Dad's letter where it said his Aunt Petunia had all the answers, they reached Snape's classroom. Hermione knocked and the usual brisk "Enter" was shouted by their dear Occulmency tutor.
"Ah. The Know-It-All and the Hero. How quaint. Clear up an area so you don't destroy my classroom. I'll be just a moment." With that the professor disappeared into his office. Hermione ended the silencing charm on herself and Harry and then proceeded to help Harry get the classroom ready. While Hermione was busy putting silencing charms and wards on the classroom door, Harry noticed a familiar object on Snape's desk. It was Snape's pensive. Harry openly smirked that it was sitting out yet again and approached it. For some reason it beckoned to him again. Just before Harry touched the pensive, Hermione noticed what was going on and chided him,
"HARRY POTTER! DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE LAST TIME YOU NOSED AROUND A PENSIVE THAT DIDN'T BELONG TO YOU!" She pushed Harry away from the device and continued to scowl her friend. "WE BOTH NEED PROFESSOR SNAPE TO TEACH US OCCULMENCY! YOU ARE NOT GIVING THE PROFESSOR AN EXCUSE TO DROP US!" A quiet, shaking baritone voice responded to her chide,
"Well said, Miss Granger. Perhaps Minerva was correct in her assessment of your ability to be the voice of reason between us." The professor rubbed his forehead and blinked his eyes. "I suppose we should get this over with. Potter first. Miss Granger watch what each of us does. The incantation to begin is Legillimens. To prevent me from looking at your memories you must find a way to break my eye contact or use your mind to push me out. The second option is harder, but more effective because you prevent your assailant from reading your memories and you can then focus your magic to disarm and stun rather than rely on any spell that comes out." He smirked at Harry. "Let's see how much you've forgotten since last year, Mr. Potter! Legillimens!"
Snape was inside Harry's head and saw Harry riding his Firebolt at the Burrow . . . Harry facing Lucius Malfoy with great poise . . . Harry looking through a set of books, and journals . . . Harry reading the letter from his Dad . . . Harry in striped bedclothes walking toward a circle of amber light . . . Harry casting Legillimens on his cousin and seeing Mr. Weasley as a monster . . .
"STOP!" Harry shouted and raised his left hand toward Snape. Snape's wand flew in the air and his eye contact was broken. "Accio Snape's Wand! OUCH!" The black wand burned Harry's fingertips when he touched it. Snape snickered at him,
"Never mess with an ex-Death Eaters wand, Mr. Potter! Now if you would be so kind . . ." Harry looked at Snape with narrowed eyes. With reluctance, he handed over the ebony piece to the potions master. "Seems you're a bit rusty, Mr. Potter. What spell were you trying to disarm me with?"
"I don't think I thought of a spell. I just thought that your wand had to be taken away and it was. Only after I realized it was in the air did I even think of a spell."
"That's amazing Harry! Do you realize what you just did? You didn't use your wand at all. You just rose your left hand and said, "Stop." Until you summoned the professor's wand you didn't use your wand." Her forehead furrowed in thought when she asked, "What does this mean, Professor?" Hermione was surprised at her observations. The one that disturbed her the most, though, was that she really didn't know what it meant.
"It means he needs more practice." Hermione and Harry shrugged their shoulders at each other. At least he was being civil this time. Seeing their confusion, Snape explained his comment, "He still had to vocalize what he wanted and any Death Eater would see that as a weakness that can be provoked and utilized. Again, Potter. This time try not to be so obnoxious about your thoughts. Legillimens!"
The professor saw Harry walking in the halls of Gryffindor with Ron beside him . . . Harry writing in Tom Riddle's diary . . . Harry talking to a blushing moaning Myrtle . . . Himself arguing over a past that was never forgotten . . . Himself walking into the same forest clearing . . . Himself playing a lyre in Slytherin's playing room with Hermione singing next to him . . . "Finite Incantatum. What is going on Mr. Potter? How can you remember things that have not occurred?"
"I don't know, Professor."
"Harry, did this feel like the vision you had of the clearing?" Hermione guessed as much as questioned.
"In a way. But this was just short bursts. And I don't think it helped that the professor was in my mind. Everything focused on him. God, my head hurts!" Harry grabbed his forehead in obvious pain and Professor Snape surprised both of them by handing over a bottle of headache potion.
"Mr. Potter, I think it is time you had a break. We will think a bit more on what is happening to you and maybe the headmaster will be able to tell us more." While Harry took the potion, Hermione spoke up,
"I think I may know what is happening, sir."
"Miss Granger, how could you possibly . . ."
"Harry? Is it okay if I tell him?" Harry nodded as he held his head.
"Ahh." Harry grabbed his head again. The pain seemed to be easing but he was still experiencing a bit of light-headedness.
"Well, Professor, Harry found a few interesting things in the cave at Hogsmeade. Other than the orbs you were given and the rest of the items he was to give the twins and Miss Nouveau, Harry found a number of journals. The first one was covered in blue leather and was inscribed as Lady of Avalon, Lady of the Lake, 1880-1976, Emilia Anastasia Lefay." Professor Snape's face betrayed his astonishment as he thought,
'Lefay?'"Yes, sir. The very family you wished me to research. The most important part, however, is the word that was written after the inscription."
"Well, the suspense is killing me, Miss Granger" Snape deadpanned. Holding in a chuckle Hermione continued,
"Evans." In her mind, Hermione heard a tender, hurt voice whisper,
'Lily.' Hermione's mind unconsciously reacted wanting to comfort the voice and thought in a soothing tone,
'Yes, Severus. Lily was a Lefay.'
'Oh, my God,' Snape thought, his mind sounding a touch frightened.
"Harry is a descendent of Morgan Lefay and all the Ladies after her. He may not be female, but it seems he has gained the sight despite that. What he sees will happen if we continue in the way we are."
'You don't understand what that means, do you?'
'Tell me what you saw and maybe I would.' Severus Snape did not respond. Hermione looked at Harry a bit perturbed but curious to why her professor would not share.
"Harry what did you see before Professor Snape ended his contact? Can you remember?"
"I saw him fighting with Professor Nouveau about their past. I saw him, or someone much like him, enter the forest clearing before the circles and trees were the way they are in present dreams. And I saw . . . I saw . . ." Harry shook his head, disbelief on his face. Hermione raised an eyebrow and nodded her head trying to encourage him to continue. Harry looked at her and blushed. 'Did I really see what I think I saw?' Harry wondered to himself.
"I saw Professor Snape playing a small looking harp thing."
'That isn't all he saw is it?'
'No.'
'Care to share.'
'Not really.'
"Are you sure that's everything, Harry? A small detail to you could mean the world to the professor."
'Or me,' Hermione thought.
'Yes to you' someone's thought said.
"You were singing Hermione. You were right next to Snape and you looked extraordinary." Harry said in an awed voice.
"What do you mean, Harry?" Harry blushed and looked away from her. He couldn't help but see what he hadn't for six years. Hermione Granger was a beautiful woman, and he hadn't noticed until his visions started. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't noticed until he saw how the professor was looking at Hermione in the latest vision.
'He means, Miss Granger, you were exquisite. Both in voice and beauty.'
"Miss Granger, I think it is more important to begin your training." A stunned Hermione shook her head to compose her thoughts.
"Ready when you are, sir."
"First I will activate the spell and look for your memories of the three circles in the forest. By doing this I can compare your memory with Potter's vision and you will feel what it is like to have someone pry into your mind. Legillimens!"
Hermione felt a slight pain in the middle of her head as the professor entered her mind. Her memories filled her consciousness as he searched through them. Snape saw Hermione in the library . . . Hermione at a Quidditch match lighting his robes on fire . . . Hermione in the Gryffindor common room studying . . . Hermione under an invisibility cloak searching through his private potion stores . . . Hermione as a cat . . . Hermione in the restricted section . . . Hermione kissing a dark-haired . . .
'Hey! That is not what you came to see, Professor.' She thought in her own mind. As she did, she pushed the professor out. When they looked at each other, Snape smirked and said,
"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor for lighting my robes on fire!"
'By Merlin, your first year!' he thought.
"Interesting memories Miss Granger! No doubt a bit impaired to your brilliance. But I promise to look for what I'm supposed to this time!"
"Whatever you say, sir. But I warn you, if you go creeping where I don't want you I will look into your mind without permission."
"Agreed. Legillimens!"
Snape saw Hermione in the library . . . Hermione by the lake reading . . . Hermione throwing a stone at Hagrid's window . . . Hermione witnessing Harry's stag Patronus. . . Hermione singing in a blue circle of light . . .
'You're there. Now slow down you're giving me a headache.'
Snape watched, as a man on the opposite side of the clearing played a lyre and in a deep baritone began to sing with Hermione. Then, the boy in striped bedclothes, presumably Potter walked into the red-amber circle and held up his orb. The lights of the circles came together first in Harry's orb, then Hermione's and then his own.
'That's all I saw.'
Before the professor took himself out of her mind, he saw a glimpse of Hermione in the clearing again. She was dressed in the same white night gown looking as exquisite as in Harry's vision. Before he realized what was happening he sighed and then thought, 'She is so beautiful.'
'Professor, please get out before I push you out.'
With that, the professor vacated her mind and said, "Miss Granger, I believe you are well on your way to being a sufficient Occlumens. Practice every night to clear your mind. I don't want you and Mr. Potter practicing without me present. Reluctant as I am to say it, you both have unusual power for people so young. Mr. Potter's is less controlled though and could have disastrous effects on either of you. You both are dismissed."
"Good night, Professor." Snape nodded to her and answered in thought,
'Good night, Hermione.'
Fifth, sixth, and seventh year students made their way up to the Defense Against the Dark Arts dueling room to see the truth of the new club. Was Harry Potter really as good at defense spells as everyone bragged about? Did Neville Longbottom seriously down Draco Malfoy with only a shielding spell? Did Hermione Granger really see Harry cast a Patronus charm in their third year? And lastly, but not least in all their minds, Did the potions master have a history with their DADA professor? The students waited impatiently inside the dueling room, anxious to have their questions answered.
Just when the students seemed to be calming, Draco Malfoy slithered in with a group of seventh year Slytherins.
"So where is the fearless leader?"
"If you mean me, Malfoy, I am right here," Harry answered.
"Forgive me if I don't believe you have done all your sidekicks say you have. I see one is missing. Where is the little Weasel?"
"I am here, Malfoy." Ron walked in with Luna running after him.
"Oh. So has the infamous trio finally split up. Or are you to be a foursome now?" Malfoy asked looking at Luna. Ron turned beat red with rage. Luckily, for Malfoy, Professor Snape broke up the boys before the confrontation that was about to occur could happen.
"Enough of this gossip! Let us begin!" Snape pushed through right between the two boys and headed up to the dueling stage. Professor Nouveau followed behind him and began the meeting.
"I know that many of you have questions you want answered." The students whispered and the muse held up a commanding hand. "I know your questions and some will be answered today, but others are quite frankly none of your business." She looked at the whispering students sternly, scaring the lot to obedience. "As you know, Mr. Potter led the group last year. This year I have asked him to act as student liaison, so you have a student to go to if you feel too intimidated by us," she motioned between herself and Professor Snape, "to ask us for help. Mr. Potter has already agreed to do this, but I expect you all would like to see why he qualifies." The crowd, minus last year's DA group and Draco Malfoy, nodded in response. "Mr. Potter please come up here on stage." Harry did as he was asked and stood before the muse. In his mind he heard her, 'Harry, I'm sorry to ask this of you, but please do your best.' Harry nodded slightly in response. Then, in a voice only noticeably short with the person it spoke to, she told Professor Snape to bring the chest on the stage.
"Inside this chest is a bogart. I know all of you who had Professor Lupin have already faced your fear and overcome it. It was the bogart lesson that brought about the necessity for Mr. Potter to learn to cast a Patronus. You see while most of you in your third year were scared of visible objects, animals, or people as is usual for third year students, Mr. Potter's fear was only tangible in the darkest of creatures. Mr. Potter, if you are ready I will open the chest." Harry nodded, knowingly, and the muse opened the chest from across the stage. From the chest the bogart hopped first facing the muse and changing into a dead black dog, but then Harry walked in front of her with a determined face. The bogart swiftly changed into a dementor and floated quickly toward Harry. First, making sure everyone had seen the beast, Harry thought of the moment in the future when he would be free of this life he was forced into.
"Expecto Patronus!" The crowd of students were awed by an amazing bright light filling the room and not one but two stags dancing merrily around Harry and the muse protecting them from the dementor/bogart. "Ridiculous." The students ooed and ahhed as the bogart's life was dissipated. The stags continued to protect them even after the bogart was gone. After a few moments of basking in the white light Harry ended his Patronus without a spell and left the stage for his friends. Hermione looked at him, a bright smile glowing on her face. She whispered in his ear,
"You get better every time. I don't think anyone in history has had two protectors in one spell. Amazing, Harry." Harry blushed at his friend as Ron rubbed his head in his brotherly way. The three friends smiled with pride. They had no idea that the cool, dark adult member of a future trio was watching their every move with envy. As the cooing of the crowd died, Professor Nouveau began again.
"We will begin today with another bogart. The most important lesson of DADA is to know your fears and know you can face them head on. Everyone get in line. Think about what your greatest fear is and a way to make it funny so you can cast Ridiculous." The students did as they were told. About fifty spiders, man-eating dragons, and gut-plucking ravens later, Professor Nouveau dismissed the first official DADA club meeting. "Next meeting will be posted in your common rooms same as today. Good night." She turned around and left, her satin plum robes flowing beautifully behind her. The students filtered out of the room quickly but not quietly, laughing over their fears that seemed so hard to overcome about an hour beforehand, the left bogart still threatening stranglers in the room.
After the students had left, Professor Snape tended to the bogart. Professor Snape watched as the bogart showed Albus Dumbledore laying in a still heap of blue robes. His thoughts made the bogart change into Albus pouring tea and handing out lemon drops. With a quick Ridiculous, the bogart was gone and Snape snapped his fingers. Dobby appeared and saw the bogart still in the form of Dumbledore. Dobby saw Snape and was about to cast the same spell he did Lucius Malfoy a few years back, when Hermione Granger came into the room.
"Stop, Dobby! It's just a bogart!" Snape turned to see the house elf about to pummel him and his torturous but brightest student. Dobby proceeded to pound his head against the stonewall until the professor's strong voice commanded him to stop and clean up the bogart. Hermione's voice entered his head in a scolding voice,
'His name is Dobby, Severus, and he is not your slave.' His mind responded with quick wit,
'Oh, SPEW it out your arse, Hermione.' Hermione did the unexpected and instead of scolding him, she laughed.
"I didn't realize you found yourself so amusing, Miss Granger."
"Oh, it wasn't me. It was you. 'SPEW it out your arse.' You continue to surprise me, Professor."
'Surprised I have a sense of humor or that I knew about your little elf charity?'
"You didn't say that out loud you know. Both actually."
"What did you want, Miss Granger?"
"I want to try Legillimens. You didn't let me try in lessons so I thought if you had time now . . ."
"You wish me to let you look through my mind without me first removing memories not fit for your eyes and placing them in a pensive? I think not."
"I can't be that good yet to see everything, can I? I've never even tried."
"You'd never tried to block someone from seeing your memories either, and you already were able to push me out without using a spell. I think it would be safe to assume you would be quick to catch on with the spell that is not as difficult. Perhaps at the next lesson, Miss Granger."
"Are you alright, sir?"
"Why? What ever would be wrong?"
"I don't know, but you're being . . . I don't know."
"Nice?"
"Yes, actually. You rarely ever give me compliments despite my desire to have them from you. Why now?"
"You are actually deserving of them now and there are no witnesses so I can deny it to my grave."
"Oh."
'I guess I was wrong,' Hermione's mind slipped.
"About what, Miss Granger? When have you ever been wrong?"
"I don't know . . . Just . . . "
'Involving boys' she thought.
"Never mind, sir." Hearing her thought and her last brush off he realized to what she was referring,
'She did hear me.' Hermione nodded without realizing it. Before either of them could analyze responses, she left for her dormitory.
While the two Hs of the trio were stuck in Snape's dungeons, Ron was bored out of his mind with nothing to do but schoolwork. No one was around the Gryffindor common room. No one was practicing Quidditch. No one was in the dormitory. So Ron reluctantly headed to Hermione's Paradise, his own Tartarus, the library. Almost immediately after he arrived, his hell was darkened by Loony Tunes Luna Lovegood's shadow. Ron sighed as he took a spot at a table only to have Luna take up the spot next to him. She sat there making her usual goofy eyes at him through her thick glass lenses. Ron looked at the book he came to read and unable to come up with a reason to leave, he actually opened his DADA text and began to study. It only took a couple minutes for Luna's presence to disturb his studying. She was staring at him or through him, which she was doing, Ron couldn't tell.
"What? Do I have something in my hair or something?" Ron asked Luna as he pulled his hands through his hair. She sighed and with a look of pure longing said nonchalantly,
"No. It's just that . . . you amaze me." Ron rolled his eyes and smirked at her,
"I amaze you? Sorry, if I think you just a bit crazy. I'm not Harry Potter," Ron replied with exasperation.
"I know that," she replied with a bit more snark than Ron expected from daydreaming Luna. Then, in a wispy, breathy voice that hit Ron in a way no girl's voice ever had she said, "But Harry has nothing on you." She smiled and looked down to her books. As she began to read, she explained what she meant. "You were wonderful in DADA club today. The way you stood up to Draco without even knowing what he was saying to Harry . . . and then . . . your protection charms are outstanding. I love how your fox Patronus grins as it cleverly uses its surroundings to fend off the enemy." Luna looked up to him gaining a bit of courage and in a tender voice continued, "I think there is more to you than people think. You are more than just The-Boy-Who-Lived's sidekick. You're Ronald Weasley, the foxy chess and strategy master. Not to mention the best keeper we've had since we've been in Hogwarts. I would be only too grateful to have you as a friend." Ron blushed. The flattery felt good. Sure, he actually was used to not getting much time in the spotlight, he was the youngest of six boys, after all, but it was nice to hear that he was tops in someone's mind even if it was Loony Luna's.
"Wow." Ron said in awe. "Thank you, I guess." Then, he felt compelled to compliment her, "I hear you're a really good Legillimens. Is that true?"
"Yes. I do read people's thoughts really easily. There might be a bit of seer in my blood. I need work on reading and shifting through memories though. It's really hard unless you have a special connection with the person."
"I need to practice Occulmency. Would you . . . "She smiled.
"I'd love to, Ron. Why don't we go to the room of requirement to practice? How about this time every week?"
"Yeah. That sounds great." Ron was surprisingly excited. "Well? What are we waiting for?" He grabbed Luna's things and headed to the main staircase, and after a fashion Luna was right beside him.
The two passed the place where the door should be three times. When they entered, they were surprised to hear the Weird Sister's latest song, "Can't get Enough of You," fill the room. Even more surprising was that the only furniture in the room was a couch set up in front of a small fireplace. Ron blushed and Luna smiled. Apparently, they both wanted to be cozy tonight.
"Well, it is a good place to get to know someone, right?" Ron commented.
"Yes. Where better to read memories than in front of a cozy fire on a fluffy couch." Ron nodded and headed for the left side of the couch. Ron comfortably jumped into it and sat sideways so he could face Luna on her side of the couch. They looked at each other for a bit, somehow not as bashful as before. Then, Ron broke the ice,
"So tell me how you read thoughts, Luna. It might help me figure out how to block you when we get to it, since I only know the bit Harry told me." A bit nervous she tried to explicate what she knew,
"I cast the spell and look into the person's eyes. Without eye contact it doesn't work. The hard part is concentrating enough to see what is in their mind. Thoughts are part of the conscious mind so they're a bit easier to find, but memories are part of the subconscious. That's why memories a person wants to forget are so hard to find. They end up even deeper in the abyss of the subconscious and sometimes even are locked up in some fashion."
"Okay, so if I break your eye contact you won't be able to read me, right?"
"Usually, yes. But if I cast a binding spell on you, you won't be able to move to break contact."
"Oh. So I guess a Death Eater would think of that, huh? Well. I'll have to do something unexpected. Is it hard to cast spells against someone when they are in your mind?" Surprised, that he wanted to know more details, Luna tried not to lecture too much.
"Yes. That's what makes this so dangerous. A Legillimens uses your conscious mind's energy so it is much harder to focus your magic. I think a good Occlumens is able to meet the Legillimens in their own subconscious and use the greater energy of the subconscious mind to push the Legillimens out of the whole mind. The greater the push, the more of the Legillimens's conscious mind energy is used so that the Occlumens can cast a spell before the Legillimens is able to focus their own spell energy." Not sure he was grasping as much as he'd like, he said,
"Wow. I don't think I'll be up to that. What can I do to focus the energy I have that the Legillimens doesn't use to cast a spell?"
"It is really difficult to do, Ron. So little energy will be available to you that you might not cast the spell you want to. You might not even be able to speak. That's why to be successful you need to use the deeper mind. Your mind has to cast the spell. You have to think that you want the Legillimens out and imagine that you push their presence out of your mind. I think visualization is the key."
"Visualization?" Excited that she wasn't boring him, she relaxed and continued to explain, feeling more and more like herself.
"Yeah. It's like pretending that you have a physical visual reality in your mind. You visualize the perpetrator watching your memories and you give yourself a visual representation that fights back in your mind. All the while your real physical self and that of the Legillimens are really just standing and staring at each other. Both would just look zoned out to on-lookers. It's like in Quidditch when you visualize what the chasers and beaters are going to do before they do it, so you can protect your goal posts."
"Like in chess too. Yeah, I think I get it. Wow, Luna, I'm so glad we ran into each other. I don't think anyone could have explained this so I could get it." Rubbing his chin in thought but anxious to move to the practical, he started it off, "Let's get on with it. You can practice your Legillimens skills first, so I can feel what it feels like to have someone in my mind and you can sort without having someone try to block you out."
"Okay. What memory should I look for?"
"You like chess don't you?" She nodded. "During my first year, when Harry, Hermione and I went after the Sorcerer's Stone, we had to play a game with a huge wizard's chess set. It was really wicked. How about that? It should be easy enough to spot and it was long enough ago that it might be hard to find."
"But now you're thinking about it, so it's in your conscious," Luna pouted. Then, in a calm but commanding voice she demanded, "Clear your head and think of more recent memories. Like that last Quidditch game." Ron made a face.
"Don't think I want to remember that one. Hufflepuff scored 80 points on me before Ginny got the snitch. It was awful." She readily replied animatedly shoving him in the shoulder as she did,
"Oh, come on, Ron. Gryffindor scored 150 points on Colin's little bro before the snitch, so you did not do bad. Besides Hannah Abbot is the best chaser at Hogwarts now that Angelina is gone."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. That first year, Horatio is doing really well for us. You could tell the day he got sorted he be one for the chase."
"No doubt. Just the way he strutted up to the sorting stool said it all. He reminded me a bit of the way Draco fit the Slytherin stereotype, except Horatio is the Gryffindor image."
"Absolutely." Ron couldn't believe what he was hearing. Luna Lovegood was bantering about Quidditch like she was on the team herself. Interesting. Ron knew he always liked smart girls. After spending years in Molly Weasley's household, one could only admire the matron's wisdom in dealing with her children and people in general. His mom was also the one who taught the seven of them to read, write, and all the basic skills they needed before Hogwarts. But he always knew a girl like Hermione, though he'd crushed on her for four years, wouldn't put up with his sports obsession. Hermione obsessed over books and worrying about people, but never Quidditch. She would actually skip games to go to the library. Luna, however, seemed as obsessed about Quidditch as the best of his mates on the team, and yet, she was super intelligent too, but not in a patronizing way. He supposed that's what had turned him off from Hermione after this past summer. She was too obsessed with research and it got on his nerves that she had something valuable to do for the Order and he didn't. But Luna . . .
"I'm going to start now, Ron. Legillimens."
Luna saw Ron on his Clean Sweep 160 diving to block the quaffle thrown by Hannah Abbot . . . Ron watching Hermione reading in the Gryffindor common room . . . Ron watching Hermione walk down to the lake . . . Ron fighting with Hermione about spending more time together . . . Ron talking about Quidditch, while Hermione rolled her eyes . . . Hermione discussing something with the Headmaster . . . Harry talking about not being on the Gryffindor team anymore . . . Ron playing Quidditch at the Burrow . . . Ron driving a muggle car that flew . . . Ron playing chess . . . Ron at Hagrid's . . . Ron trying to turn a rat yellow . . . Ron on a giant horse that looked like marble . . .
'Hey, that's it!' Ron thought.
"Finite Incantatum."
"You did it Luna!" Ron jumped from the couch and pulled Luna up, hugging her as he got dizzy. Luna held him steady. Ron shook his head trying to get rid of the dizzying sensation he felt. "Man, my head." Then, getting excited again, "Wow! What a rush! Wicked, Luna! You really did it!" Luna looked down and whispered in a melancholy tone,
"Yeah. I did." Ron looked at her puzzled as to why she wasn't so excited about it.
"What's wrong, Luna?"
"Nothing. Not a thing." She sighed. She was obviously upset about something.
"Well, if you're sure." She nodded. Ron motioned to the couch. "Okay. How about I have a go, then. I think I'd rather do the mind reading for now. I don't think I want to push you away right now." Luna smiled dreamily and nodded.
"All I say is Legillimens and look into your eyes, then?" She nodded again turning away from him for a moment. She tried to clear her head, but was having trouble ridding her conscious of what upset her.
'Oh, well. She thought. At least I'll have this couple hours.'
"Alright. Here goes. Legillimens!"
Ron saw himself watching Hermione walk down to the lake with a longing look . . . himself holding Hermione's hand in Care of Magical Creatures . . . himself knocking a quaffle away from a goal post with the stick end of his broom . . . himself being carried off the Quidditch field with a chorus of "Weasley is Our King" in the background . . . Luna studying in the Ravenclaw common room . . . himself hugging Luna . . . himself hugging Hermione after he saved the game against Slytherin . . . Luna watching the Gryffindor dinner table with longing . . . Luna running to catch up with him before the DADA club meeting . . . Luna helping him practice his shielding charms . . .
Then, suddenly he felt a sorrow that wasn't his own. He was no longer in Luna's mind. Luna had turned away from him. He heard sniffling coming from her side of the couch. Ron moved closer to her on the couch and turned her head to face him. When his eyes met her fogged glasses, it finally dawned on him what it all meant. Luna thought he was in love with Hermione. Luna was upset because she wanted a chance with him, but she didn't think she had a chance with him with Hermione on his mind. Feeling a bit dizzy realizing someone could like him that much, Ron just followed his gut and said,
"Hermione and I won't ever be together," and he kissed her. He kissed Loony Lovegood, foggy glasses, sniffling nose, tears and all, and he liked it. There was so much more intensity in this chaste little kiss than he ever felt with Hermione. When he pulled away, she was glowing. "Thank you for liking me so much." After he said it, he realized he didn't want to leave. So after helping Luna dry up her tears, he kissed her again. This time Luna was responding with a little less shock and their newly found passion was lit in that kiss. It was the first truly passionate kiss either had ever shared, and on the cozy couch in front of the toasty fireplace it was not the last of that evening or the evenings that followed.