Disclaimer: Not mine, no matter what the plot ferrets think of it. Barmy little buggers they are, yeah?

Making his way back from the infirmary from the library, Harry was too busy mulling everything over, and not paying sufficient attention to everything around him. It took him by surprise then, when an arm snaked out from a doorway, pulling him into an empty classroom.

Not as dotty as they think

Harry's hand whipped to the wand holster in his sleeve, and he had a spell almost to his lips before he realized who had snatched him. Re-holstering his wand, he put his hands over his face and leaned back against a convenient desk. Finally, with a look of exasperation, he looked at the usually dotty blond witch in front of him.

"Luna, what in Salazar's slimy sphincter is wrong with you? Do you have anyidea how close you just came to getting seriously hurt?"

She had her arms crossed and was tapping her foot on the floor, fixing him with an unusually direct glare.

"When are you going to get off of your silly arse and tell Ginevra how you feel about her?"

"Hmmm...let me think. Well, how's the second Tuesday of next week sound? I'll make room in my planner for it, why don't I?" The sarcasm was fairly dripping off of him.

"Nope. Not nearly soon enough. You have to tell her."

"Luna, just leave off, please. I'm not saying a damn thing about it to her. Even if she still felt like that about me, I still wouldn't."

"Why not?"

The stubborn look on her face, along with the obvious concern and genuine longing to know, made up his mind. With all she'd done to help him after the fiasco at the Ministry, he owed her the truth. He cast a quick silencing charm on the room, followed by a locking charm on the doors and windows, followed up by a strong sealing charm over everything. It didn't escape Luna's notice that he hadn't drawn his wand to do any of the spells, nor even said the incantations. She only knew what he'd done by the changed feel of the room.

Tiredly, Harry removed his glasses and placed them beside him on the desk. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, then ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. The young man looked at Luna, peering into her eyes. To her, it felt like he was staring into her very soul, possibly to judge her or her intentions. The blond witch had no worries, as she was rooted firmly in the Light. She knew without doubt that he'd be able to tell that as well. How she knew this, she wasn't sure, just that she knew it. Finally, he nodded, seemingly satisfied with what he saw there.

"Alright. Remember the prophecy at the Ministry? The one that snakeface wanted so bad?" At her nod, he continued. "Well, what smashed was just a recording of the original. The person who originally heard it was able to to show it to me. I won't go into the details, but what it boils down to is this: It's him or me. He either has to die by my hand, or I do, by his. Basically, I get to be either victim or murderer. Is that the kind of thing any normal girl wants to involve herself with? Would it be fair to involve anybody in something like this?"

At this, he seemed to deflate, all sarcasm and venom gone.

Luna thought for a few moments, mulling over what he'd revealed to her. Finally, she spoke.

"May I ask a couple questions?"

With a resigned air, he replied with a sigh. "Sure. I can't guarantee any answers, but go ahead."

"Alright. First, why are your glasses sitting on the desk, rather than on your face? Don't you need them to see?"

With a lop-sided grin, Harry replied. "Actually, no. I went to a muggle eye surgeon over the summer, and they fixed my vision. They have a new procedure, using lasers. The lenses now are just clear glass, from a theatrical prop house. The only others who know about it are Ron and Hermione, so don't say anything, right?"

"Of course not. I may be a bit loony at times, but I'm not stupid. I'd not have made it into Ravenclaw if I was. Good idea, by the way. I've often noticed that a lot of wizards and witches have a bit of a blind spot, so to speak, when it comes to taking advantage of anything muggles come up with. True, they have some extremely strange ideas at times, but some are truly brilliant.

"About the prophecy, though. Are you absolutely sure it's got to be you?"

"Actually, that's the only part I'm completely positive of. I won't say why, but I'm confident of it."

She nodded, taking his word for it. "Okay, then. Did it say how you're supposed to do it, or just that you have to?"

"Not in so many words. It basically said that I have some 'power the dark lord knows not', or some such nonsense. No clue about what it's supposed to be."

"Any ideas?"

"Dumbledore seems to think it's something to do with love." Shrugging, he said, "Which basically leave me pretty much buggered."

"How so?"

He grimaced. "I forgot, you don't know my 'family'. After Voldemort killed my mum and dad, and tried to kill me, the only family I had left were my Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Because it was my mum's sacrifice that saved my life, living with her sister invoked some sort of blood protection, and that is what apparently kept the Dark Tosser from being able to find me.

"The problem is that they absolutely despise anything to do with magic or our world. That includes my parents, and by extension, me. That means that while I may have learned quickness and good reflexes, to avoid my dear cousin Dudley, not to mention my uncle on the nights when he'd had to much to drink, I know bugger all about love. They never showed me any love, never taught me a bloody thing about it, strongly discouraged questions about anything, and made damn sure that I knew that I was there only out of the 'goodness of their hearts'. In fact, the only thing they ever really taught me was that I was better off taking care of myself, and that love is better left to others." His voice dropped as he finished the thought, his gaze off in the distance. "Maybe for those who'll be around after it's all done."

Luna heard the longing her friend tried to keep from his voice. The information about his relatives explained a lot of things. She'd been spending a lot more time around the Golden Trio this term, along with Neville and Ginny, and had noticed how much he worked at fading into the shadows, trying to make sure his friends got all the credit for things. She'd even seen him doing this with things that were obviously his doing. She'd seen the new brooms that Ron and Ginny were both riding in games now, and knew their family's financial situation. There was no way that Arthur Weasley had the galleons to spare for expensive racing brooms like those. Only one person she knew had that much cash to spare. The way way he tried to cover the good things he did, redirect the attention elsewhere, or outright deny responsibility for things that couldn't be done by anyone other than him, all led to a disturbing conclusion. It was as if he didn't think he was deserving of good attention, only the bad. She was almost afraid to confirm her suspicions, and wanted to see if she couldn't help to get that idea out of his head. If she couldn't do it, she knew who could. A certain petite red-haired friend of hers, to be exact.

She moved in front of him, close enough that, unless he completely turned away from her, he couldn't help but see her. When she was sure she had his complete attention, she spoke.

"Let's get the most ridiculous part of this whole thing out of the way, first.

"Of course no normal woman is going to want to be involved in everything that's gone on in your life. That's a bit obvious, if you think about it.

"However, I think you've overlooked something, just as obvious. Nobody who hangs around with you could be considered anything even remotely close to normal. First, there's your two best friends.

"Hermione Granger is the smartest witch to attend this school or any other, in the past twenty years. There are only two people in that time to get a higher mark than her, and that's only in one class, which I'll get back to in a minute. I'll tell you, it frustrates most of Ravenclaw to no end, trying to figure out how she ended up in Gryffindor." She saw the look on Harry's face at this, and held up a hand, asking him to wait. "Having seen the way she handled herself last June, both with Umbridge and at the Ministry, I have no doubt that she is a true Gryff, in the best sense of the word.

"Next, we have Ronald Weasley. From what Ginevra has said, as the youngest of six sons, he's spent most of his life in the shadow of the rest of them, not to mention being the best friend of somebody who's probably the most well-known wizard in the world at this point in time. He's done fairly well with it, now that he's finally past all that sticky jealousy. He's a brilliant chess player, an excellent Quidditch strategist, and a very good wizard in his own right, when he bothers to turn his brain to the 'on' position.

"The two of them together are enough to drive Merlin himself to distraction, whether they're arguing or snogging. The very fact that both are done in full view of the world explains why most people have a tendency to scarper, every time they enter a room. But, when the two of them work together on something, especially when they get behind you, they're a force to be reckoned with. I doubt that there's anything you couldn't do, when you three work together.

"Neville Longbottom has gone from being seen as practically a squib, to somebody only slightly less scary to duel with than you. With his new wand, the practice he's gotten in the DA, and the self-confidence you've given him just by being his friend, has made him someone that even the Malfoy twit won't go up against. With the working out you recommended to him, he's also become more than a bit dishy.

"I, in the words of the Red Queen, believe in six impossible things before breakfast, and seven on Sundays, just to get the week started right. Most everybody around here calls me loony, and probably with good reason. I believe that, when it all comes to an end, if you didn't enjoy yourself as much as possible, you've wasted entirely too much time. That why I don't much care what people think of my, besides a select few. To be honest, it's quite freeing.

"Then there's Ginevra. She's the youngest and the only girl, out of a family with six sons, all older. Despite being a bit of a tomboy, or maybe because of it, she's one of the most feminine I've ever know, girl or woman. She's also one of the most remarkable, most mature people I've ever known.

"She first fell for you at five years old, the first time she heard your story. Then, at ten, she saw you for the first time, and it was only reinforced. She saw how scared you were, though you hid it well, and how very alone you were. Once the train was underway, she told her mum that she hoped you'd make friends with Ronald, Fred and George, because she could see how lonely you were, and wanted to make sure that there was someone to love you.

"When you saved her life in your second year, she decided that she was going to rid herself of that crush she had on you, once and for all. She was sure that it was only good for two things. One was to embarrass you, and the other was to put you in danger. I believe she's still quite convinced that, had she loved anyone else, you would never have been put in that position. She feels quite guilty about it to this day.

"During your fourth year, I lost track of how many times I had to hold her back from hexing Ronald, for the way he treated you before that first task. She, just like Hermione, could tell right off that you hadn't entered your name for that idiotic tournament. You never needed, nor wanted, the attention that brought you. I really can't tell you how scared she was for you, all the way through that year. Of course, she felt quite hurt when you asked Cho to the Yule Ball, and were so heart-broken to be turned down. Even if Neville had already asked her, it was still the fact that she was right there in front of you, wearing her heart on her sleeve for you. When you were still hung up on Cho last year, she decided that it was finally time to try to put it all behind her. No matter how much she loved you, she was going to do her best to give up on you. To be honest, I'm really not sure how well tha6t's worked.

"Now, the other thing you said. In your words, you have the choice between being murderer or victim, right?"

Looking very weary, Harry said, "Yeah, that about sums it up."

"Did you know that before Azkaban Fortress was staffed with dementors and converted into a prison, those who used the Cruciatus, the killing curse, serial rapists, and convicted murderers were subjected to capital punishment?"

"No, but I guess it makes sense. What does this have to do with anything?" The young wizard was starting to get a bit impatient, as he didn't have much more time before he was supposed to meet Ginny. He just hoped that Luna would get to whatever point she was trying to make, and soon.

"Have you ever thought about the people who had to carry out those sentences? I mean, executioners were among the very few people authorized the use of the Killing Curse."

"No, I hadn't. Why?"

"Tell me this. Would you consider the executioner to be a murderer? Do you think anybody else would consider them as such?"

"No, of course not. They had a job to do, and that was a part of..." His voice trailed off at what he heard himself saying. The strange but sweet blond had given him much to think about.

She let him stew over this for a few minutes, then asked in a soft voice, "Harry, do you see my point? That's exactly what we will all think of you, once you take him down. You have a job to do, and nobody will think any less of you for it, with the possible exception of yourself. We all know how loving, caring, and generous of a spirit you are, and nobody who knows you could ever imagine that you would imagine that part of your job. It's something you have to do, you will do, and then you will live your life afterwards, free from the shadow of some evil dark lord.

"I'm going to tell you something, and at first, it'll sound a bit strange. Par for the course for me, right?" At his chuckle, she continued. "Hearing what you have to do fills me with sadness for you, but it also makes me very optimistic. That's because for anyone who would have to do this thing, whoever it is, will be in a position where they could easily step into Voldemort's shoes and take over where he left off. With you, I'm not worried about that at all." Luna took Harry's hands, giving them a squeeze to emphasize her point. "You, Harry Potter, are an essentially good person. If that weren't the case, you would've put both Snape and Malfoy through the wall years ago. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing that at some point." She shrugged. "I suspect that they'll put themselves into a situation where it'll happen, eventually. Somebody will decide at some point, that they have finally had enough of the two of them, and we'll be short two greasy gits."

At this statement, Harry couldn't help but laugh at her imagery. Just the way she put things, sometimes. After a moment, he replied. "Alright, Luna, I concede the point that I'm about as likely to go dark as Snape is to go to Gryffindor Tower, looking to join the Harry Potter Fan Club. What makes you think that Ginny and I should be together?"

"For most people, building a life means starting a family. In order to do that, you're going to need to find somebody to settle down with. Would you rather find someone giggly and gossipy, like Lavender Brown, sweet and passive like Hannah Abbott, or somebody strong, with a real sense of humor, like Ginevra?"

Harry had his face in his hands by now. "Luna! You know I want to be with Ginny, not any of those others!"

"Then what's the problem? If you know you want to be with her, why aren't you?"

"The real problem is that anybody I date is automatically going to be right under me on Voldemort's to-do list. I don't want to subject anybody to that, least of all her!" His voice dropped, and Luna had to strain to hear what he said next, though the plaintive tone was quite clear. "I just can't lose anyone else I love."

"Harry, I just want you to think about two things. First, her last name happens to be Weasley. Her family has always been, and will continue to be, deeply involved in the struggle against the Dark. They've always been targets, and always will be, for as long as Voldemort exists. With or without you.

"Second, as the Headmaster said at the start of term feast, we are at war. In times of war, as much as we might wish otherwise, people are killed. We will all lose friends, family, and loved ones. With that in mind, isn't it better to use what time we have to create memories that we can keep with us for the rest of our days, enjoying the time we have with them, rather than always wondering what might have been?

"I know which I prefer, and which Ronald and Hermione do, as well. I think you know more of love than you think you do. All you need to do is admit it to yourself."

With that, Luna stood and headed for the door. Trying the knob, she realized that Harry's sealing charm was still in place. She turned back to him.

"Harry, would you mind lifting the charm? I'd like to go now."

With a smirk, he replied. "Sure. Just one question. You mentioned two students with a higher grade than Mione. Who?"

"I'd've thought it obvious, really. You and Ginevra. Both in DADA."

With that, she disappeared down the corridor, leaving a stunned Harry to stare after her.

A/N: Just a quick note or two. It's not often that I write cliffies into my stories, mainly because I know how they irritate me, primarily due to the fact that some people take forever to update stories after leaving their characters hanging. CoughJeconaiscoughTMWcough Sorry about that. Guess I need a throat lozenge or something. (grin) Seeing as I knew I would be updating this later the same day, I didn't think it would be all that unforgivable. The fun part was seeing the guesses, as to whose arm that was. The strange part is that nobody got it. Hehehe Another chapter or two should be up tomorrow or the next day. I hope you're all enjoying this so far, and please continue to let me know what you think of it. Thanks for reading!