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AN : Thanks for the reviews! Here's another chapter. I will be taking the weekend off, but will compose chapter 3 on Monday.

Chapter 2 : What Ifs

Harry watched the sun come up a few mornings later from the peak of the overlook of Shell Cottage. He had woken a couple of hours earlier and was appreciating the quiet of the cottage, the smell of the sea air. It was helping to quell the doubts he had about his decision to not race Voldemort to the Elder Wand. He got up and began to walk back to the cottage, having heard his stomach growl. He walked past the recently upturned earth that was Dobby's grave and closed his eyes, the pain of losing his friend was still there, and he wondered how much one heart could take before it finally splintered to pieces.

Harry walked back into Shell Cottage and already he could hear people stirring in their bedrooms. Harry walked back to his own, not desiring Bill's inquisitive looks or Fleur's attempts to feed him, he already felt guilty for intruding on them. Harry walked into his room and was surprised to see Luna in his bedroom. "Oh, morning Luna. Did I choose the wrong bedroom again?" He joked weakly.

"No, this is the right one. Here, I made you breakfast. It's not a lot but dad used to make this for me." She offered him a plate of chocolate chip hotcakes.

Harry felt his stomach growl again, and didn't protest Luna's offer. "My aunt and uncle would never make these for me, I was lucky to get to smell them. These look delicious." He began to eat, having taken a seat next to Luna on his bed.

"You were up early, I heard you leave this morning." She said.

Harry finished his bite. "I couldn't sleep very well; I've had too much on my mind."

"I know we haven't talked since I thanked you properly, if you are feeling awkward there's no reason to feel that way. I enjoyed it and if you don't want to do it again I won't force it upon you." She scooted away from him slightly on the bed. "What has been troubling you?"

He didn't know what to say, he had felt guilty for the kiss with her, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he would. "Whats troubling me..." he sighed. "Loaded question Luna."

"Fire away Harry." She clasped her hands in her lap.

Dumbledore said that Harry could trust Hermione & Ron with the quest. He considered Luna, from the first time they met during the carriage ride to Hogwarts, at the DA lessons, through the battle at the Ministry. Surely, he could confide at least a little in her. "You know by now what I'm up to. The rumors that have spread over the wireless. I'm working every day to stop him and his Death Eaters." He looked at her, her eyes focused on him with her eyelashes batting. "I'm working with Ron & Hermione, and anyone who helps us along the way. But I worry that I put the mission in danger because I hesitated to act recently."

"Had you acted differently, what could have happened?"

"I don't know, I don't think I ever will. But I know because of my failure to act, that You Know Who has an edge over me."

"You have an edge over him you know. You have your friends, whereas he has followers. I'd considered him much during my captivity. His followers are devoted to him out of their desire for power, or out of their fear to be murdered. Your friends follow you because they love you, and even though death is a possibility during a war, we don't all fear it."

Harry felt comforted by her words slightly. "I know that you stand behind the cause, but I just sometimes get so frustrated. I knew this would be the hardest thing I would ever attempt, but right now I'm getting so much grief from Ron & Hermione about the decision I made that it's making me doubt myself."

She shook her head. "This must be hard on them also, imagine what they've given up, and risked. They've just as much vested in this as you. Also, you misspoke. I don't stand behind you, I stand beside you, I always stand beside my friends. We're equals."

The kiss again flashed into Harry's mind. For the first time in days, he felt at ease, Luna's words were an elixir to him, healing over the mental wounds that had been festering. She was looking at him inquisitively as though he had something on his face.

"Are you alright?"

His feelings were bubbling inside him, he was grateful to Luna for talking with him without judgment, for saying that he made the right choices. The way she spoke to him was what was doing it. He wanted to thank her, as she had thanked him. He could lean in right now, put his hand behind her head and draw her into him. The silence was expectant, as if peeking in through the window to see what might unfurl.

He began to lean in as her eyes started to close slowly, and this was when there was a banging on his door. "Harry!" Ron yelled. "Breakfast is ready, are you decent?"

Luna pulled back, rearranging her loose hair behind her ears.

Harry flushed, and stood up. "No, I'm really not right now. I'll need a few minutes." He lied.

"Awright!" Ron could be heard running away.

The two looked at each other, Harry knowing what the almost did, and what sort of bond that would form. Luna got up to go, grabbing the empty tray so that Harry wouldn't need to explain why he had it. "Luna," Harry began.

"Harry?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"I wanted to thank you." He put his hands into his pockets.

Luna didn't say anything, but merely stood there, waiting.

Harry hesitated, not certain if she understood he wanted to thank her, or really thank her. For the second time this week, he failed to act. She looked away and walked out the door. Cursing himself inwardly, for now he had another dilemma of what ifs.