Posy in his Pocket
Part Three - Gifted Intent
"So, I hear you had a date with Luna Lovegood?" Ron asked, peering into his cup of tea. Behind him, Lavender popped her head up where she was dozing of the sofa.
"Yes, I did too, a cousin of mine was at Cafe W, lovely place that, she know the owner's boyfriend's third cousin's best friend you know and she told me that you were having quite the chat!"
Harry blinked at he looked at Lavender's bright an eager face, "Er, the cousin or the best friend, because I got confused and er..."
With a giggle, Lavender flopped out of view, "The cousin of course!" Lavender sighed, a pair of wriggling toes arching upwards, "It would be nice if someone listened to me!"
"Hormones," Ron whispered. Harry nodded his head thoughtfully before standing up and leaning against the sink.
"Yeah, Luna and I met up for coffee, never did have that, but we did have a interesting talk before she had to go meet someone. We saw each other at your wedding and decided to meet up, I haven't see her much since Hogwarts."
"She really did disappear after Hogwarts," Ron murmured thoughtfully, "We, well, lost touch after everything," he looked pained, "She was a year after us, you know," he added.
"Hmm," Harry murmurs, intent on watching Ron's ears turn pink. Ron was never one to hide his emotions, at least not successfully.
"Harry? You know what this means! You have to know what this means? Yes?" Lavender giggled as Harry stared at her, startled and vaguely bewildered.
She threw her arms up into the air and wriggled her fingers joyously, "Sweet hearts, dear Harry, you'll become sweet hearts! Did you like her back in Hogwarts much?" She tilted her head to the left, "There was that brief rumour going 'round that you were dating, but Parvati insisted..." She trailed off as both Ron and Harry turned red. "I just thought, you know, that you were just being nice to her and all," Lavender ended lamely, looking at the two best friends awkwardly share glances.
Smiling at Lavender, even though, smiling of late sometimes hurt and Harry thought this was due to lack of practice. A sad fact Harry had dimly accepted and he merely nodded at her in reply.
She sighs and refuses to look at the both of them, "I think," she says, standing up and shifting her weight from side to side, "That I'll go read a book..." She waddles off, leaving Ron and Harry alone.
Frowning at the still pink Ron, Harry blinks rapidly as a new understanding comes upon him, "Ron? Ron... Did you - er, well, did you like Luna?"
Ron turns brilliantly red but nods briefly, covering his face in his hands. "It was a long time ago, back at Hogwarts, before everything got so serious." Is all his offers in explanation.
With a shocked expression on his face, Harry nods as he watches his friend recollect himself and leave the room. "Er, Ron? Where are you going?"
"I'm getting something," Ron mumbles, as he shakes his head, in confusion and embarrassment. His voice is quite still, both men are very intent on keeping their talk secret.
Sighing Harry realizes he is alone, he looks down his hands, tracing with his eyes, the trail of slim silvery scars, most from Quidditch practice, some from when a potion exploded. Most had been too minor to consider using magic to heal and Harry, while becoming more used to magic every day, could never use it with the same careless ease of someone born to it, like Ron.
"Here," Ron says quietly, a serious expression crossing his face, "I found this a long time ago, Luna never gave it to me," he sighs, "But back then, I felt she did."
It's a dried up daisy, curled half into it's self. Harry smiles just looking at it, remembering that warm day, the cool water and the careless freedom of the daisies and Luna. The smell of fresh grass comes upon him, as with the scent of powdery daisies and the slow smiles of Luna.
Ron's watching him carefully as Harry smiles, "I think, that this time, it deserves to be given away. I know you liked her, back in Hogwarts, I just wondered," he shrugged, "If you like her now?"
Harry grew cold, as the smile faded off his face, he look up at Ron and shook his head wearily, "You know, Ron, sometimes I just don't know what I feel, if I feel."
With a sigh, Ron looks away, "I see," his head bows as Harry stands up, picking up the daisy delicately and putting it into his pocket.
Walking away, Harry looks back at Ron, "I'll see ya," he says, feeling the words roll off his tongue awkwardly, "Bye, I mean."
"Yeah, bye, mate," Ron struggles for a moment for the next words as Harry opens the back door and steps into the small green backyard, "I - well, good luck, with, erm, whatever you do, 'kay?"
He gives Ron a small wave and nods warmly as he closes the door. Luck, he thinks, had better be good. It has always been elusive with him and he needs it whenever it decides to grace him.
"Ron worries about you, Harry, far too much," Lavender says blocking his path, her eyes solemn. "You do realize that many people do care for you, Harry? That they hate seeing you in pain and hurting," she sighs and crosses an arm around her stomach.
"I thought you were reading Lavender," Harry muttered in an attempt to get out of the conversation, however Lavender is far too quick to let him go.
She laughs, and shakes her finger at him, "You do see this, Harry, they love you. I know," she starts and looks away awkwardly, "That you didn't have the best childhood, or really, the best teenage years, but everyone wants you to have a good life."
Swallowing the emotion that clogs up his throat, Harry nods and smiles at her, "Thanks Lavender," his greens eyes sparkling. He leans in and gives her a small peck on the cheek.
Grinning she pushes him away cheerfully, teasingly, "Oh, Harry, you know I'm a married woman, I just couldn't! Ron, would simply kill the both of us!"
Harry smiles back at her, his hand protecting his pocket as she hugs him suddenly. "I'm so glad," she whispers, "That you will try."
