Harry opened the door to his apartment. He felt as if it had been forever since he had been inside. For the last week, he had almost lived at Ron and Hermione's, and he had been out with Luna every night. He had to admit, having female company was rather pleasant for Harry. It had been so long, five years to be exact, since he had been with a female that wasn't just a friend.
He wasn't exactly sure what he and Luna were. They hadn't kissed, or anything intimate, but the chemistry between them was explosive. He felt he could talk to her for hours upon hours, about things that didn't even matter. She made the leaves, and the raindrops seem important. Her world was so creative, and he wished that he could be someone that would be able to share it with her someday. He found it hard to admit, but a part of him was falling for Luna Lovegood.
And that was the exact reason why he had invited her over.
The doorbell rang, and Harry jumped. He walked back the mirror in his hallways, trying aimlessly to fix his hair, and adjust his glasses. He let out a sigh, closing his eyes, and praying to someone that his night would play out just as smoothly as the many times he had played it inside his head. He opened the door, and a smile brightened his face.
She looked stunning in a dress of pale blue, making her eyes pop even more than they usually did. Her hair was pulled back, and she was wearing earrings that reminded him vaguely of snowflakes. She gave a small smile. "Hello Harry." She said, quietly, her fingers twiddling nervously at her side.
Harry stepped aside, allowing her entry. "Luna." He breathed. "You look lovely. Please, come in and have a seat." He said, closing the door behind her, and guiding her into the living room.
Luna looked around, taking in the place that was quintessential Harry. She pulled off her jacket, setting it on the couch, and then seating herself. "Thank you for having me over tonight. Father had to work late, so I had nothing better to do other than sit around and watch Muggle TV." She grimaced. She hoped she hadn't sounded like this was a last resort. Like she didn't want to be here. "I'm so glad you owled though, because this is much more interesting."
Harry smiled, bringing her a drink. Butterbeer, fresh from the Leaky Cauldron. He had been down the other day, having a drink with Hagrid. He sat down next to her, sitting upright in a rather stiff position. "Well, I'm glad you came over." He said.
The silence that followed was almost unbearable. Harry looked over to the clock, wishing that it was stop ticking so loudly. He turned to Luna, his head spinning. He didn't know if he should tell her. He didn't know if she felt the same way about him that he did about her. He was almost about to spit the words out, when she leaned over, and brushed a kiss over his cheek.
His hand automatically went to his face, touching the exact spot where her lips had been a moment earlier. He could almost still feel her lips there. If only she hadn't pulled away so fast. "What was that for?" He asked, his voice a little louder than a whisper through the silence.
Luna turned a vivacious shade of red. It was the first time he had ever seen her drop her cool demeanor, other than the times that she fought with Hermione. "I'm sorry, it was terribly unchaste of me. I didn't mean to make you…" She trailed off.
Harry grinned, his heart slowing down by a few beats. He raised his hand cupping her rather delicate face with his hand, drawing her closer to him. "I never said I didn't like it." He added, before kissing her on the lips softly.
Luna didn't object, threading her hands through his hair, pulling her so close, that they were almost molded together. She could feel his heart racing next to her chest, and he was so warm. She pulled away, her lips red and swollen.
Harry pushed a strand of her dirty blonde hair out of her face. "You're beautiful." He said, a small smile playing on his lips.
Luna looked down, almost embarrassed. Why did he make her feel like this. Like she had never talked to a boy before. Like she wasn't the brass girl who believed in things only if they were known not to have anything supporting him. "What does this mean?" She asked, her eyes lowered.
Harry tilted her chin upward. "I like you." He said. "Since that night after we got back from Lupin's place." He said. "There was something about the way you looked, and the way you had changed since Hogwarts. You're still the same, but you're so different." He said, frowning, because he didn't know the exact words to tell her.
Luna's heart shaped lips curved into a smile. "Good answer Mr. Potter."
Pansy sat on the couch, her head in hands as she watched Draco pace back and forth. Lucia watched him too, occasionally letting out a little giggle, as she drew pictures of him.
"…And the way he was looking at us. Like we were beneath him." He said, coming to a stop and looking at Pansy. "And he's with that Looney Lovegood. I can't even imagine having a full conversation with that woman." He said. Ever since they had met Harry and Luna in the robe shop, he had ranted and raved.
Lucia smiled. "Is Luna that woman with the big eyes. I liked her." She said, with a small sigh. "She was pretty."
Pansy laughed, bring her hand to her mouth the second the giggle escaped. Sometimes she loved her daughter for her precise timing. She winked at the girl, who attempted to wink back, but couldn't quite get it right.
Draco even had to stop himself from smiling. He remembered a time when a comment like that from anyone would have enraged him, but a lot had happened to him over the years. However, a name was a name, and his name was especially unpopular, and he himself was too stubborn to move on, and show people that he wasn't a real "Malfoy," anymore.
Pansy walked over to him, hooking her arm through his own, and resting her head on his shoulder, watching Lucia start a new drawing."You start work tomorrow." She said, with a small sigh. She hated to break the mood, and she knew how much he hated talking about work. But it was a must.
He sighed, kissing her lightly on the head. "I know." He said. "I didn't even think they would consider letting another Malfoy step foot inside the Ministry. After the hell my father put those people through. After what I did…" He said, his arm that bore the Dark Mark, tensing slightly. He hated the fact that he was almost embarrassed to go to work. It wasn't a high place in the Ministry, he was going to be starting in the Magical Enforcement Area.
Pansy smiled. "You're going to be fine." She said, pulling away, and looking at him. "And one day, people aren't even going to remember all names of this mess. You will only be remembered by those who were there" She said. "We have all made mistakes. Even Saint Potter has made them." She said, using the old nickname they had christened Harry during school. "But take a look at that little girl over there." She said, glancing at Lucia. "Every time that I regret something I have done is the past, I look at her. And when I do, I see hope." She said, taking his hand in her own.
He smiled. "How did I get so lucky to have you as my wife?" He asked, kissing her lightly on the mouth.
She laughed. "Well, you didn't think you were so lucky when you saw me wearing that pink mess at the Yule Ball during 4th year, did you…" She asked, laughing.
"But really…" Said Ron, gnoring the groan that came from Hermione, who was nestled under his arm. "Harry said that the litte girl was cute." He added, for the hundredth time. "How can something that comes from Malfoy and Parkinson be called cute." He said, rolling his eyes. "At least our children are going to be good looking."
Hermione looked up, her brown eyes meeting Ron's rather blue ones. "What do you mean our children?" She asked, her eyes betraying a smile that she was harboring. "Have you been thinking about having children?"
Ron blushed, everything apart from the tip of his nose turning pink. "I didn't mean that." He said, quietly.
She smiled, resting her head back onto his chest. "You know, we've been dating for a while Ron." She said. "A really long time. We've basically had a thing since we were fourteen." She said, matter of factly. "And you are trying to tell me that you haven't imagined anything other than being my boyfriend for the rest of eternity."
"Hermione." He said, running a hand through his hair. "You know how I feel about all that."
"I know what you think." She said, sitting upright. "You've told me that you want to marry me a thousand times, and I keep hoping that one day you will. But you never do." She said, her voice taking the tone it always did when they moved onto this subject; angry.
Ron sighed, crossing his arms. "Fine then, marry me." He said, looking over to her.
Hermione shook her head. "No. You can't just do it like that. You can't just propose like that. You have to do something special. Dinner. Or flowers. Or something that makes me want to cry, and jump into your arms." She said, standing up, and throwing the pillow at him. "I'm going to bed." She said, storming off to the bedroom, and slamming the door shut behind her, leaving a very red, very confused Ron sitting behind.
A/N: How did you like this chapter? I really wanted a chapter that would focus on the emotions of all the couples in the story. I wanted them all to have a very different place in their relationships. The next chapter is going to fast forward to Christmas, and will include a ball at the Ministry….