A/N: We've hit double digits!

All right. I will give you all a hint as to what the no-name conversation in the middle of chapter nine means. (It was pretty random, I dunno if it really has anything to do with the rest of the story.) Okay, for one thing there are four people. That's your first clue. The second is to think about grouping the character traits. For example, who is arrogant, athletic, and smart? Or who is thoughtful, contemplative, tranquil, and clever? Or who is sassy, conceited, and often blunt? Well, might as well give you the last one: Who is warm, bright, and a she?

I think that is well enough to keep you thinking for a few hours, minutes, or, if you're really good, seconds. On the other hand, if you are really awful, then days… Have fun!

Anyway, I know this is what you really wanted…

(Oh, and there's a rated R word in this one… Or whatever the ratings are on this site. I dunno if I've said it before, in previous chapters, but just a warning.)

The Old Lot

Chapter Ten

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Ginny pounded the heavy brass knocker against the great hunter green door three times. As she waited with her brother and sister-in-law on the stoop of the flat, she rubbed her gloved hands together to warm them.

The door opened so slightly Ginny was sure if she hadn't been so cold and anxious she wouldn't have noticed. Carefully she peered through the crack and below her were a pair of small blue eyes, wide and unblinking.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Ginny Potter. Does Luna Lovegood live here?"

"She's not home."

Ginny looked back at Ron and Hermione, and they just shrugged. Thanks for backing me up, mates.

"Well, might we come in till she gets back? We're old friends of hers, from school." Just as the eyes were losing interest, they lit up again at 'school.'

"You went to Hogwarts?" said the voice eagerly. Ginny was pretty sure it was a boy speaking.

"Yes. I was in her year, but we were in different houses." Several seconds passed while the boy decided what to do.

"All right," he said finally. There was a click as he unfastened the chain lock on the door before they were permitted to enter.

"Mum likes guests to take their shoes off at the door," he said as he shut the door, pointing to a low, small table, obviously put there to hold shoes not in use; three pairs, two small and one about Ginny's size. Smiling, Ginny followed the suggestion and removed her own. Her companions followed suit, and they were all left there standing in a dimly lit, slightly spacious room.

"The living room's this way," said the yet nameless boy, and he walked with the air of a born leader to the far side of the apartment, his elder visitors in his wake.

Seated and quite beginning to recover from the cold outside, Ginny didn't waste a moment.

"What's your name?"

The boy, who had seated himself in the armchair opposite the couch which held the other three, shyly averted his eyes. "David," he mumbled.

"I like that name," Hermione said, smiling encouragingly. David let himself make a little one of his own.

"How old are you, David?" asked Ron.

"Six."

"I have a daughter just your age," Ginny said. "Her name's Ivy. She'll be going to Hogwarts in a few years; what about you?"

"Mum doesn't talk about her school much. She used to, until…"

The front door opened and closed.

"David, who're you talking to – Ginny!" Luna dropped a bag by the front door and walked swiftly towards the living area. Ginny stood and they embraced. Looking around, Luna noticed Ron and Hermione were there too. Needless to say, David became bored with the reunion.

"Mum," he moaned. Luna turned to him.

"Yes, dear?" David looked around at his audience skeptically, and then got up on the tips of his toes to whisper something to Luna. She smiled and said, "Have you all eaten dinner? Seems I have to feed my child from time to time."

There was a unanimous approval muttered throughout the room; Ginny was indeed quite hungry, not having eaten since the train ride to London early this morning. So when a very welcome smell began to make its way into the living area, Ginny's mouth watered as though she was a little girl again, smelling Mum's cooking.

Only the general clatter of silverware on ceramic echoed through the small apartment while the party tucked into Luna's satisfying meal. Every so often, David would look up and catch Ginny's eye, then avert his own back to his food. It was as though he meant to say something, but thought better of it each time.

"You didn't need to get out the nice china, Luna," said Hermione quietly, folding her napkin in her hands.

"Nonsense. What's the use of having any nice dishware if you can't use it if and when guests turn up?" she replied with a smile. With an unbidden sigh, Luna backed out her chair and gathered up her plates.

Hermione coughed and when Ron turned his head he received an almost nasty significant look. Startled he saw Luna and immediately leapt up from his chair (far more clumsily than Luna had; David jumped in his seat) and stepped in between her and the kitchen. "I've got these," he said, relieving her of dish-washing duty.

While Ron was occupied in the kitchen (with David watching for moral support) Ginny and Hermione struck up a conversation with Luna.

"So how long have you and David lived here in London?"

"Well, London isn't a new environment for the two of us, but we've been at this place for a few months. He likes our old place better, but I couldn't afford the payments every month, so we went smaller. Of course at his age, he thinks I'm just out to get him and make him unhappy," said Luna, laughing as the volume of chatter in the kitchen escalated.

Ginny wanted to ask about David's father, whom she didn't know, but felt it would be rude so early into their visit. David had started to say something earlier – "She used to, until…" – and Ginny had suspected it had something to do with a father, but to bring it up when she knew so little of Luna's recent life… Well, she may not be keen on the subject.

Hermione looked uncomfortable for a moment. Sighing, she folded her hands and said, "Luna, I don't suppose you were wondering why exactly we're here?"

Luna looked up, slightly puzzled. "Well, I thought it was obvious."

Hermione and Ginny exchanged glances. "You already know?" asked Ginny.

"Well, you're looking for Harry aren't you?" Ginny's jaw dropped and Hermione's eyes widened. Luna laughed to herself. "I've been expecting you since he went missing, actually. It was disappointing not to see you after the first few months, then a year. I thought you'd have been keener on it." She paused, looking almost tragically at her hands. Then she shook her head as though clearing it and smiled. "But you're here now, and of course I'll help you."

"Grandma, what's today?"

"28th October. Why do you ask, dear?"

"That means Halloween is coming up! Ooh, I want a fairy costume, with wings and a pretty dress and everything." Ivy paused in her sudden excitement, as though she'd remembered something and it was now troubling her. "Will Mummy bring Daddy home soon?"

Molly Weasley held her teacup mid-air before she took a sip, and closed her mouth. "I don't know, Ivy. I don't know when she – when they will be back." Taking her sip then, Molly closed her eyes before she let her granddaughter know how much she really missed her daughter and son-in-law. More like one of her own sons, actually. Since that day they met, Ronald's first year at school, something in her had told her that he was one of them. And he always will be, no matter what happens.

Lately she worried if Ron and Ginny were capable of making this search together; yes, they were both passionately caring about Harry, obviously each in their own ways. But that could be their downfall. Thank God Hermione was with them, she thought. Keep them in line. Smiling, she said, "Why don't we go see what Papa's doing, eh?"

"And then he told us that we have to find the 'Green Lady', or whoever," Ron finished. "Just before they left, though, one of them tapped out your name in – Morose Code?"

Hermione giggled. "Morse Code, Ron."

"Whatever."

"Who is she, anyway?" asked Ginny. She had been wondering this on and off since they had acquired the information.

Luna's lip curled slightly. "An old friend; and I'll be sad that I can't join you."

On the tip of Ginny's tongue was "Why?", but then she realized the obvious: David. David… she recalled that no one had bothered to put him to bed. Looking up she spotted him in the armchair, supporting his head on one hand with an elbow on the arm; he was desperately trying to keep his eyes open, but continued to fail as his head dipped slowly, almost in sync with the conversation. Briefly she saw a small girl with red hair in his place, but instantly came to her senses and crept silently to his side.

Gently she prodded his arm, and amazingly he was immediately at attention, staring at her with a somewhat hazed look in his eyes. Ginny smiled and whispered, "Look at you, you're exhausted. I think it's time we tucked you into bed."

A mask of protestation overcame the drowsy one, but Ginny put a finger to her lips: "I'll tell you what – tomorrow morning, we can all have breakfast and fill you in as best we can all right?"

"Does that mean you're spending the night here?"

She hadn't even thought about where they would stay. A glance at the clock told her it was nearly midnight, meanwhile giving Ginny a new predicament. Luna's flat was small; she assumed the only rooms besides the ones she'd already occupied were Luna's bedroom, David's bedroom, and the loo. One half of the living area was a makeshift dining area with the table they'd dined from, and the other half where they were consisted of the sofa and armchair. Even now, to accommodate their seating, Ron had pulled up a chair from the table while the three women sat snugly on the sofa. The only reason no one had noticed Ginny vacate her spot was that her companions had been eager to hear about the Green Lady.

"Yes, I think so," she told him, gently coaxing him out of his seat and letting him lead the way to his bedroom.

It was the room of a typical boy of David's age, though perhaps a bit less clutter. Small toys sat in and around a cardboard box in one corner, a bed in another; drawers of clothing lay opened in the dresser, and a closet door was not quite closed on account of something protruding from it on the floor.

"That's it," said Ginny soothingly, pulling the covers up to David's shoulders. "We might see you in the morning, if we decide to sleep in late." She walked to the door and flicked her wand at the lamp on the dresser. It burned quite low still; just enough light to get up and walk down to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

As Ginny rejoined the others, she noticed someone, probably Hermione, had conjured three cots on the floor beside the sofa, complete with blankets and pillows that suddenly seemed very inviting. However, the room was silent as her three companions remained wide awake, two with skeptical looks on their faces, the third with an easy posture and smiling lips.

"What's going on?" asked Ginny.

Luna turned to her friend. "Thank you for putting David to bed, Ginny. I would've done, but your friends seemed so eager…"

"Yeah, and it was all for nothing," said Ron huffily. "She won't even tell us who this lady is, only where we might possibly find her!" Ron looked at Ginny, who realized he was complaining to her.

"Oh grow up, Ron," she said, sitting on one of the cots, which was quite comfortable. One questioning look at Hermione, and a proud nod, told Ginny her suspicions were correct. "Nice," Ginny murmured.

"Ginny!" whined Ron.

"What, Ron? What is it?" she replied exasperatedly.

"Well, in case you care about looking for Harry at all-"

"Ronald Weasley, don't you even say that," Ginny said, fire blazing in her eyes. "Don't you even think for a moment that I've stopped caring about anything to do with Harry since we were in school!" Ginny continued staring at Ron, who looked like every bit of him was sorry about having said too much. "Now," she continued, "I'd like to know as much as either of you two who this Green Lady is, but I think our prime responsibility, as guests in Luna's home, is that we are respectful and grateful for food and a place to stay."

The room sat in somber silence.

"Well, Ginny," Ron started slowly, "It's just… Luna's just told us… where we could find the Green Lady. You were with David."

"And where is she, then?"

"The Forest of Ae," said Hermione. "I'm not even sure I know where that is…"

"Scotland," said Luna, her eyes glittering. "Near Dumfries and Galloway." Withdrawing her wand, Luna conjured a map of the United Kingdom, and then focused on Scotland. "Just there, you see?" They looked to the point where the tip of her wand lay.

"And she's just in the forest?" said Ginny. "She could be anywhere?"

"Well, she likes the water. And she wears green."

Ron rolled his eyes. "What a clever title she's got."

"Where have you been?" Draco seemed not to have heard her. "Where!"

Lazily he spun his chair round to face her, and she felt heat rise in her cheeks to see him so unconcerned with her distress.

"I have a family," he said. "Surely you understand that such a thing is not possible to keep, without proving my existence every now and then?" His lip curled into the hereditary sneer that characterized the males in his line.

"Oh, as if you're really a desirable family man… How old are they, anyway?"

"Adrian is six, and Ariella is five."

Pansy attempted a bark of laughter. "Is surprises me that you know their names, let alone their ages! Are they happy to see you? Do they remember you? Do they love you?"

"Of course they do, all of it, I'm their father!" Draco stood, and the chair crashed against the wall behind him. His eyes smoldered, all flaming ice and no heart.

"Right," Pansy, feigning bravery but actually frightened to death of Draco's rapid rise in temper. "And your wife? Surely she loves to see you, when you show up. Or is it just the good fuck with you two, and nothing more? That's all we have, though, isn't it?"

Pansy saw stars before it stung. Trembling fingers sought her cheek, to meet a sticky substance – her own blood. With her remaining presence of mind, she looked up to see Draco with his wand still pointed at her. He was breathing hard.

Her vision was spotting, but she managed. "Will you remember our child's name?" Pansy was on the ground, unconscious, before she could see the look on Draco's face. And she might have laughed to see such a rare disposition of her lover: surprise, and fear.

A/N: Hot, hot, hot!

AND IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR.

(I'm baaaaaaa-ack…)

I am too excited to read over it. So I won't! But don't think this means I've got tons of time now, because I haven't; I've just got a four-day weekend right now, and I was bored… Although look how lucky you lot are, as a result of that boredom! I expect reviews…

Love, Alex