Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoat Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Summary: Even someone who had once been a mere acquaintance and had viewed your existence as a mistake could become a new love.
Luna had always considered herself to be a very peculiar girl. The fact that there might be someone out there just as odd had, of course, crossed her mind from time to time; however, the fact that it could be Ronald Weasley had certainly not.
~_~
Earlier that day she had gone out to get her father and herself an iced mocha when she ran into an old acquaintance. He was still gangly, fairly pale, and Luna could see a few more freckles dusting his nose. A pair of pale blue eyes gazed at her in surprise and slight shock.
"Ronald," she acknowledged.
The twenty four year old blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Ah - hi, Luna," he mumbled.
Luna blinked slowly as they stared at each other for a few minutes, knowingly blocking the sidewalk but still not moving.
The woman interrupted the silence and said, "As much as I love blocking traffic, I've been told it's quite rude so maybe we could continue this riveting conversation in the cafe?"
Ron blinked before the sarcasm caught up with him and he let out a low chuckle. "Sure, I was headed there myself," he replied with an easy grin.
Luna's tittering laugh followed them as they walked into the shop. The sharp scent of caffeine and the soothing sound of blenders and mixers hit them immediately upon entering, and Luna sighed softly in pleasure before leading them to the counter.
"Two iced mochas please," she told the cashier. The woman had bags under blood shot eyes and her hands were shaking slightly as they took Luna's money. Her voice was high and her words were fragmented. Luna watched Ron glance at the woman in sympathy before ordering a small espresso.
Once they had their orders -- and Luna had successfully and secretly placed a cooling charm on one of the mochas -- the two seated themselves at a small table and talked about their lives.
"Well, after Hogwarts I became a Hit Wizard while Harry went off to be an Auror. Our reasoning was that in five years or so, we'd be the heads of both departments and be able to kick back and relax. We both made it to the top, but there's even more work than before. But the pay's good and I rather enjoy it." He paused a moment to take a sip of his drink before continuing. "Hermione applied for a job in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures; however, she ended up as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries. She's the head of that department now, and she's still as obsessed with books as ever."
Luna hummed for a moment and asked, "Are you two dating?"
Ron blushed furiously. "We did for a few months after the war but...it wasn't the same. No, she's engaged to Dean Thomas and I'm single." He cleared his throat and gulped down the rest of his espresso. "How about you, Luna? Any boyfriend? Job?"
The woman's silver eyes glittered slightly in their dreamy state. "After Hogwarts, I traveled to Canada and worked in the Canadian Ministry as the Minister's secretary. After a brief but delightful affair with her, I left and headed to Switzerland where I now work as a local fashion designer in their own version of Diagon Alley."
Luna waited patiently as Ron tried to collect himself. "You dated the Canadian Minister? A woman?" he asked incredulously.
The blond giggled but nodded. "Yes, she was quite lovely but I couldn't commit to her. She understood and there are no hard feelings."
"Ah," he looked incredibly awkward. "Why couldn't you commit to her?"
"It was quite simple really," Luna replied offhandedly. "I was and am neither a lesbian nor bisexual, and I told her so. I made sure to tell her that I had been unsure of my sexuality before dating her and that it was nothing on her part. We've stayed in contact, and I visit occasionally."
Ron seemed to collect himself after that shocking revelation, and asked in a highly nervous tone, "So since you've decided that you're heterosexual, would you like to have dinner sometime?"
The woman looked at him in shock, as if that had not been what she had thought he would say nor how he would respond to that information. As such, it took a few minutes for her to gather her thoughts in which time Ron had worked himself into a wreck of anxiety.
"I do believe that that inquiry has got to be that oddest request for a date that I have ever heard," she stated. "I accept, of course."
The man breathed a sigh of relief and grinned. "Great," he replied. "I have to leave now, but how about we meet here at seven?"
Luna nodded her acquittal. "Lovely. I shall see you then."
Ron smiled softly. "Yeah..."
And he left.
© 2009 Inyx Dawn
10/08/09