Chapter 5 – A Final Explanation

Harry's face lighted up with a smile when he thought of that multicolored danced floor and imagined the look on everyone's faces when they perceived the flowered bouquet in Luna's hands. Fred's mischievous wink visited his head whenever he met the twins. He had to admit that it was a good feeling to know that he had someone who made him happy again. Harry hadn't seen her since the wedding but he always kept on thinking of her. When the Daily Prophet flew into the kitchen one morning and Harry flipped it open to the second page, he read an article about the Quibbler going out of business and immediately thought of her and her poor father.

"A Sickle for your thoughts?" Ron said, keeping his eyes down on the Chudley Cannons book in his hands.

"I was just thinking about…"

"Loony Lovegood? Don't worry. There's no explanation needed there. So…have you, you know?" Ron hinted, but as always, Harry was clueless.

"Have I what?"

Harry saw him roll his eyes, "Kissed her, you prat."

"Well…no, not exactly."

"Then what are you waiting for, another Cho encounter when she's in tears?"

"No, but…I just don't do things like that."

"Oh, don't lie. I saw you kiss my sister in front of all the Gryffindors."

"That's different. It was more a spur of the moment reaction to a hug, but this is Luna Lovegood."

"She's probably expecting it." Ron pointed out.

"She is. She told me she liked me."

"Then what's the problem?"

"I promised myself I wouldn't get into another relationship. It's dangerous to be involved with me. She could get killed…"

"That was only once and she wasn't exactly your girlfriend."

"I'm talking about people in general. Anyone who gets close to me gets hurt or killed."

"It's not your fault, though." Ron said.

"It might as well be."

"You know, I thought we were through this whole 'Everything is my fault' theme. It is NOT your fault, you got that?"

"Yeah, yeah." Harry sang, a bit annoyed by everyone telling him this. He couldn't help but feel guilty. Harry made it a mental note never to say that again, though, just in case he received another speech about it.

"It feels so strange not being in Hogwarts right now, doesn't it?" Ron said, putting his book aside on the couch.

Harry nodded. It was a Tuesday in early November now, when he regularly would have been writing endless essays of practicing spells for Transfiguration or Charms, and Hermione would have been on his side ready to check his work…

"Well, at least there's no worrying about where our frogs go in Charms class, eh?"

Harry nodded again. He didn't want to say anything, but he actually missed Hogwarts.

…

Harry had another surprise coming when Luna appeared in his room one afternoon. He guessed Ron had Owled her to invite her over but had somehow forgotten to tell Harry. I shall be sure to beat him later, he told himself as he sat down on the floor with his head rested upon the edge of the bed. They stared at each other for a few seconds, not knowing what to say, and while Harry grew nervous by their little staring contest, Luna didn't seem the least bit perturbed by his gaze. Her dreamy gray eyes were on him and it looked as if she was observing the bed and not him.

"Okay, can we stop this now?"

"I would have won, you know. Too bad." Luna said dreamily, still staring.

"I'm guessing this was Ron's doing?"

"Oh yes. He called me over by owl a few days ago. You don't mind, though."

He had expected her to say 'do you?' at the end of that sentence, but when she didn't, he didn't have the chance to say that he did. How awkward was this?

"You haven't kept in touch with me, Harry. I'm offended."

"So? You haven't either."

"I admit that's rather a childish thing to say. I kept in touch with you before the wedding and expected you to do the same thing after."

"Yeah, well, I thought you knew that I wasn't that type of guy. I thought you had me all figured out."

"I was hoping that would have changed after the wedding. Did I kiss you for nothing?"

"What?" Harry looked at her, alarmed at what she had just said. She exploded with laughter.

"Oh, wow. You must look at your face, Harry. You were astounded when I said it. If I must be honest, I was hoping I would enchant you and you would fall for me."

Harry raised his eyes, "Do you always have to be so honest? It makes me feel so uncomfortable."

Luna ignored his comment, "So I take it that it did not work?"

"Oh, it worked, but still, I'm not good at these things."

"Surprise me." Luna folded her legs and waved them back and forth expectantly.

Luna waited and waited but Harry didn't do anything. For some strange reason, his legs were frozen along with his mind that didn't seem to want to move. He knew what Luna expected but he couldn't give it to her.

Luna was restraining from rolling her eyes, but Harry could see that she was annoyed anyhow. She said, "Have I still not solved your problem? Come with me, then."

"Where?" Harry asked, still sitting.

"Outside." He followed her down the stairs as he led her to the backyard. Harry knew what was coming, and when he turned to return inside the house, Luna grabbed his hand firmly and led him on. Harry felt electrified as soon as she had touched him, wanting to let go, but Luna held it. She knelt down in front of the garden and Harry did the same. Luna pointed to it and said, "Look at all these tombstones. Mrs.Weasley didn't build them to put you into depression, but to make you realize who you are fighting for. I thought we have solved your problems back at the wedding but I turned out to be wrong."

"I will always have these problems. I am the Chosen One." Harry said sarcastically.

"Not it we break those barriers. Break them, Harry, because they will only get in the way of living. I felt like you when my mother died but my Dad was there to take care of me and explain why it had happened. I know you think you don't have anyone, but you do. You have Mr. and Mrs. Weasley as you parents, Ron as your brother, Ginny as your sister…"

Harry raised his eyes.

"Alright, so maybe not Ginny, but you get the idea. You have me also. Know that I'll always be here for you if you need to talk to me. I am your friend as well as everything else. Take control of your life Harry; don't let it take control of you. Stand up to your enemies, including the internal ones. Nothing is your fault. Everyone makes their own decision and pays the consequences. It has nothing to do with you. You didn't ask Hermione to come with you that day. She chose to. Do you finally understand?"

Harry nodded. The words washed over him like a magical remedy. She was right about everything.

"Good, because I was getting tired of explaining."

"You understand me so well that it's scary."

"Yes, I know. It's a gift."

"Yes, you are gifted."

Harry leaned closer to her and met his lips with hers. It was soft and short, but it lasted forever in Harry's mind. His hands shook, his head whirled, and his heart thumped. He was glad to be here with Luna and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Both of them pulled back and glanced at each other.

"Mmm…" Luna said.

"Yeah."

"That was…nice. Shall we do it again?"

Harry grinned and they kissed again, longer this time. Harry knew the Weasleys were watching from the kitchen window but he didn't care. He finally had a reason to be happy, something that hadn't happened since Hermione had died.

…

It was three o' clock at night and Harry had all his necessary bags packed and ready to go. He had made up his mind about this. Harry had to do this alone because this was a battle between only him and Voldemort. He couldn't let anyone else die.

As soon as he was downstairs and ready to walk out the back door, the kitchen light flicked on and there stood Ron in his pajamas.

"Where do you think you're going?" Ron asked, not believing what he was seeing.

"Not this time, Ron. I have to do this on my own."

"But my question still remains: Where are you going?"

"I don't know…somewhere to find the Horcruxes."

"Just as I was expecting. Hold on, I'm coming with you."

"No way. I can't let you get hurt." Harry was never going to let him come.

"Then you're not going either, because that's exactly what will happen to you if you go alone."

"They can't do anything to me. Voldemort needs me alive."

"I don't care what Voldemort needs-" Ron gasped and covered his mouth in horror. Harry stared at him. This was the first time Ron had said Voldemort's name.

"Well done, I must say, but I really have to go." Harry put his foot out the door but Ron pulled him in with full force.

"Hey hey! I wasn't born yesterday! Either I come with you or you stay here."

Harry shook his head, "No."

"What are friends for? I could never live with myself if I let you go. Imagine what we would all think with you out there alone."

Harry sighed. Ron had a good point about that…

"Alright. You can come. Go get your things."

"You're coming upstairs with me."

"Don't you trust me?"

"No."

Harry grinned and followed him upstairs. As Ron packed his things he sat down and contemplated the whole situation, "I can't believe what I'm doing. What am I thinking?"

"You don't want to go through with it anymore?"

"I don't want to, but I have to."

"I understand."

"Ready?" Harry asked him after five minutes.

Ron nodded and led the way downstairs, careful not to make a sound.

"You sure about this?" Ron inhaled fresh air as soon as they stepped outside the back door.

"Yes. I have to."

Ron nodded and put his arm around Harry as they walked for a while. Harry knew the world wasn't going to be perfect, whether Voldemort was alive or not, but at least he knew that he had friends to support him. Not even a hundred Voldemorts could sum up the fear to match the love Harry had inside of him. Even if he died, the memory of his friends would always be in his heart.

A/N: Thank you everyone for your kind reviews. I could have never finished this story with you. Happy reading and writing and may the Harry/Luna ship live on!