AN: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter XXIII: Comings And Goings

X

Luna was walking down the corridor of the bedrooms when she was nearly hit full on by a very tired looking Teddy Lupin. He inclined his head towards her as he exited his bedroom. "Hello, Luna," he said, his voice lacking its usual luster and lightness. Luna noticed this right away and remembered James' dream.

"Hello Teddy," she said cautiously. "You alright?" she watched him as he leaned up against the wall, his hair falling into his face ungraciously. It looked like he hadn't spent that much time preparing for the morning, his eyes still looked sleepy.

"No. Not at all," he said plainly, rubbing his cheeks with his hands. His skin stretched tightly over his face and his hands slightly shook once they had massaged his forehead.

She laid a hand on his shoulder. "What is the matter?" she was afraid his answer was not going to be good, just based off of James & Knoby's testimony. She was not proven wrong.

Teddy avoided her eyes, and he focused his attention on the doors leading to each of the children's rooms, "I'm just going to miss the children, that's all. They'll be leaving soon." Teddy did look at Luna now. "I'll be leaving soon too," he grimaced. Luna nodded, but she knew there had to be more to his story, how much more would he trust her with?

"Oh I know that, when will you be back?" Luna said, hoping for him just to be going on one of his excursions, shortly to return to his favorite place though her heart knew it could not be that simple; something had upset him.

"I can't say, but once Ginny is gone, I suspect I will return with all haste!"

So it had to do with the cheat… Luna thought, and she realized she had to have known it all along. She had been giving him the eye ever since he arrived, no honor that one. Luna sighed.

She motioned for him to follow her, and so they walked side by side out onto the terrace where the clouds were rolling by in the sky. "Irked you too, has she?" she put her hands into her robes.

"Irked is not the word I would choose," Teddy said, glancing up at the morning sky.

"Oh. Is it something worse then?" Luna said, as she leaned onto the railing, her eyes scanning him occasionally.

Teddy swallowed hard, and his body tensed up. "I no longer favor her company, and I must say she is certainly not the person I thought she was," his mouth continued moving as if he intended to say more, but all he could manage was some strangled sputtering which he quickly made as clearing his throat. He then inhaled deeply, though this did not have the usual calming effect. If nothing else, Teddy continued to look more drawn and deeply pained, yet he said no more.

Luna was beginning to wonder now, "James is worried about you."

Teddy's face turned scarlet. "James? What would James have to worry about?" his voice sounded close to cracking, Luna remembered his age, and wondered what Ginny had done to cause him such pain.

The wind blew across Luna's hair. "He had a very bad dream last night, thought you were, well to use his words 'marked for death'," Luna tucked a lock of hair behind her ears, and waited for the response.

Teddy was silent for a little while, and he lowered his head, "I can't say what's wrong, Luna, just know that I'll be alright. But you and Harry watch yourselves." He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her deep in the eyes. "Move back to your flat, with Harry. You don't need to be here with her and Draco, not while the kids are in school. Maybe take a tour of the world," his hands were shaking rapidly now, "visit Paris, go to Barcelona, go to Egypt, just stay away from that woman- I can no longer say she is a good person." The hair still in his face blocked his eyes.

Luna was awestruck. "What has she done to you?" Luna asked, apprehension rising in her like a cold fire, she faced him and brushed away his hair like a mother would a child, and she saw fear in those eyes.

"Give Harry my best, and give my love to all of the children, tell them I'll write!" and he kissed Luna on the cheek before she heard a loud pop, and the next second he was gone.

X

Luna was puzzled by Teddy's behavior and a little concerned over Ginny's. She had done something last night, maybe after the Quidditch game that severely upset him. Was it that she had cheated to win the match that upset him so? She walked the estate, wondering what it could possibly be. Luna felt like she needed to find out, but she wasn't about to go into Ginny's bedroom- it was always possible that Draco had made a late homecoming and was still lying with her. She did not need to see them intertwined like hair braids. But she just couldn't shake the feeling that Quidditch squabbles weren't to blame for the fear she saw in Teddy's eyes.

She instead decided to walk into the kitchen to await the awakening of the rest of the house. It was very silent in there, and Luna's thoughts were free to roam where they would, from Teddy to his suggestion of a trip, surely Harry would not say no to her. She smiled, love had found her at last, and it was filling her heart and chasing away all the bad memories of her life: from losing her mom, right up until the fall of Voldemort.

"I love him so," Luna whispered, needing to hear the words coming from her mouth, the mornings events had shaken her; worried her in such a way that she had not known for many years.

Through the uncertainty, she realized how happy she was: the children liked her, Harry was hers, and nearly everything was right in her world. She was truly going to miss the children, and couldn't wait for their return over the summer holidays. Luna smiled and turned her head as she heard the morning delivery owl swoop in with that nonsense rag, The Prophet.

She paid him his two Knuts and laid the paper to her side, determinedly not reading it out of loyalty to her father. The minutes passed by slowly, and after a quarter of an hour, she got up and went to visit Harry. She paid no attention to the paper as she left; had she though, she may have seen the picture of Draco Malfoy, looking as disheveled as he ever had.

X

There was a fluttering of paper airplanes as the lift opened up onto Level Two in the Ministry of Magic, superseded only by the shuffling of feet as a half dozen robed wizards and witches left the tiny compartment. Corby Deswill was especially glad to be stretching his feet, that elevator could be so uncomfortably intimate some times!

His feet carried him swiftly along the corridors, he dodged large stacks of papers levitated by wizards, and he practically hopped past Charles Exeter, who, once again, had fallen asleep at his desk and rolled out into the aisle by means of his seat.

"Wake up Ex, it's only Monday morning, you can't still be hung over!" Corby said, as he shook his friend to life.

Exeter's eyes fluttered open and he nodded, while he mumbled something about bad tea, and Corby continued forward, the roll of parchment he had been entrusted still in his robe pocket. He passed by the offices of less important officials, and at last came across the only door that mattered.

He knocked confidently and entered a moment later after hearing her soft voice respond. "Morning, HWG." he said cheerfully, his eyes falling on her at once, and he carefully closed the door behind him.

Her brown hair was tucked neatly behind her ears, and her cyan robes seemed to bring out the sunlight from the magically constructed window behind her desk: her immaculately cleaned and organized desk, thank you very much. She raised her eyes to meet his and she had a whimsical smirk upon her face as she motioned him forward with an air of jest.

"I prefer the original name in this office, as you well know Cor." Hermione said, flashing him a smile upon noticing his embarrassment.

"Righto, Ms. Granger. I just seem to forget, you know, people that get married usually have the same last name. It's really important for the man, speaking as one." he blushed.

"Well one such as myself is not satisfied by one man, therefore I am not satisfied by one name. I believe you should remember this from last Christmas, Ronald and I invited you over for some post office party festivities. Or has Ronald's performance stricken the idea of me from your mind?"

"Oh, oh no Ms. G, not one bit." he laughed uncertainly, fearing that he may never again get to see his boss laying naked before him. It wasn't every Undersecretary to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement that got to pleasure their bosses as he did.

She cast him a stern look, and he trembled before her before she broke down and cracked a smile. "What is on the agenda today Cor?" Hermione asked, leaning back into her chair.

"Well, I have this message from…from…well, I've got this message, and it needs your attention immediately. It relates to the matter in the Prophet." he handed her the slightly crumpled scroll, which she opened at once, her eyes scanned it feverishly.

She finished reading it and laid it down on her desk, her eyes seemed to give the impression that she was a million miles away, but Corbin knew better: she was thinking, and what a beautiful sight it was.

"Can I be of further assistance, Ms. Granger?" he asked hopefully.

She moved from her desk and rose up from her chair, wand in her hand. "No, thank you Corbin. But keep your Owl close by, I will require your assistance soon." she said severely.

"Only too happy to oblige." and so it was that Corbin exited the office. My but he loved her when she was serious.

X

AN: The elusive Hermione finally makes her entrance. Reviews loved and appreciated. Sorry if it seems like I've taken longer to update since last week. I've started a new job that gives me the extremely delightful privlege of working 9 - 11 hour days starting at 4AM. But this story is still on my mind and I will continue to write it until the end, huzzah!

I appreciate the patience : )

Thanks to DreamStallion33 for Beta Reading.