Chapter Thirteen: "Memory"

A/N: This is the last chapter of the story. Hope you guys have enjoyed this story. I've really enjoyed writing it. :)

Harry bit back a laugh. He took a deep breath and tried to keep a calm, expressionless face. "You did what, Ron?"

Ron sighed, smacking Harry's arm. "It's okay, Harry, you can laugh. I know you heard what I said."

Harry's face was turning purple now in attempts to keep down his laughter. "I know, but I want to hear you say it again."

Ron glared at Harry. "Very funny, Harry."

Harry couldn't take it anymore. He opened his mouth and the laughter exploded throughout the common room. Heads turned as Harry continued to laugh harder and harder. Tears began to collect in his eyes, and he wiped them away with the sleeve of his robe.

"I kissed Luna. There, I said it. Happy?" Ron hissed. Harry nodded, still laughing loudly. Ron looked around and saw people exchanging confused and amused looks. They were pointing at Ron and Harry, laughing slightly.

"It looks like we're putting on quite a show. We have a pretty big audience," Harry commented. His laughter had gone away, but he still had a goofy smile on his face. Ron lowered his eyes.

"What's wrong with Luna?" he demanded.

Harry shook his head, and told Ron simply, "I think Luna's great. In fact, I think you and Luna would be perfect for each other."

"Then what's so funny?" Ron demanded. Harry continued to chuckle softly, and the tips of Ron's ears were turning red.

"I just can't believe it…"

Ron and Harry smiled at each other, but were interrupted by a loud squeal on the other end of the common room. Both of them spun around to see Hermione running towards the two of them at full speed. She put her arms around the two of them, and continued to squeal in a very high-pitched voice.

"I'm so glad you two are friends again. I was going mad!" Hermione continued to choke the two of them.

"Hermione," Harry choked, "I love you and all, but please let go. You're choking us."

Ron, unable to speak, nodded as well. Hermione released the two of them and they gasped for air. Harry put his arm around Hermione's waist. Ron turned to face Hermione, a sheepish sort of look on his face.

"Sorry for being such a jealous prat, Mione." Hermione beamed, obviously glad that Ron had apologized. She gave him a quick hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay, Ron. I'm so glad you aren't mad anymore." The three of them continued to smile for a few more moments, before Harry spoke.

"Ron, don't you have to go find someone?"

Ron's eyes widened slightly. "Oh yeah. I've got to tell her that I liked the kiss between the two of us!"

"Who'd he kiss?" Hermione asked, confused as Ron hurried out of the Gryffindor common room. Harry laughed slightly.

"Loony Lovegood."

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"Luna! Luna! Luna, wait up!"

Luna sighed, and turned around to see Ron sprinting towards her. The tips of his ears were pink and his cheeks were red. Luna watched him get closer and closer, wondering when he was planning on stopping. Luna's eyes widened as he smacked into her, sending both of them flying to the floor. Luna blushed and Ron bit his lip, giving her an apologetic look. He stood up and then offered her his hand. She took it, and then stood eye level with him.

"What do you want, Ronald?" Luna asked, slightly irritated. What did Ron have to say to her? He had already hurt her once… was he here to hurt her again?

"I like you," he blurted out. Luna blinked and then her eyes widened. She gave Ron a confused and curious look.

"I like you," Ron repeated when Luna didn't say anything. "I can't stop thinking about you, and I was such an idiot when I told you I just wanted us to be friends."

"You're always an idiot, Ron," Luna told him truthfully. Ron scowled at her, and then she added, "But I happen to fancy idiots."

Ron smiled, looking very relieved. "That's what I like to hear." Luna laughed, and felt her muscles relax. She smiled slightly at Ron, unable to stay mad at him any longer. They continued to gaze at each other for another moment before Ron looked away.

"Can you forgive me, Luna? I want to give us another shot." Luna realized he looked so serious.

"Of course I can." Luna blushed slightly and looked into Ron's eyes. He gave her a half smile and then slowly moved towards her. Luna felt her heart thump a little faster as Ron's face came so close to hers. Their noses brushed and Luna bit her lip.

One moment, Ron's hands were by his side, and the next moment, they were around Luna's neck. Ron closed the gap between their lips, and kissed Luna tenderly. Luna felt shockwaves vibrate throughout her body and her heart. They pulled away and the feeling of Ron's lips against hers tingled for a few moments. Luna touched her lips, her eyes twinkling slightly.

Ron grinned, panting slightly. "Luna-" He wasn't even able to finish his sentence. Luna ran her fingers though Ron's hair, feeling the softness of his hair between her fingers. His tongue traveled into her mouth, and Luna held in a moan of pleasure. Ron moved away from her after several minutes, leaving Luna's heart thumping abnormally fast.

"I'm glad you don't want to be just friends," Luna breathed, giving Ron a peck on the lips. Ron grinned slightly.

"I don't normally go around kissing my friends."

Luna opened her mouth to say something back, but was silenced by Ron's lips. She pulled away from him regretfully.

"I have to go to class. Actually, you do too."

Ron nodded, unable to hide his disappointment. He slipped his hand into Luna's, and she squeezed his hand. Hand in hand, they headed towards their class.

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"And he told me he didn't want to be just friends," Luna told Ginny dreamily. Ginny nodded, trying to be happy for her friend. However, Ginny was having trouble putting on a happy face. Although a little more than a week had past since Draco and her had their fight, Ginny felt more and more miserable each day.

"I'm sorry," Luna said suddenly, a look of alarm on her face, "I shouldn't be bothering you with my happy stories because you are obviously not happy."

"Don't worry about it," Ginny insisted. She forced a small smile on her face. "I'm really happy for you and Ron. You should know that, Luna." Luna shrugged, and put her arm around her friend's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Ginny," Luna told her softly. Ginny bit her lip, trying to keep the tears from falling. She swallowed and blinked a few times. Luna faced Ginny and gave her a comforting hug. The hug, however, only made the tears fall faster. Ginny's eyes exploded as tears poured down her face. She sniffed, frantically trying to wipe her eyes. Luna pulled Ginny closer to her.

"I'm sorry," Luna said again, biting her lip. Ginny shook her head, tears still pouring down her cheeks.

"It's okay, Luna… I just…" Ginny found herself unable to talk. She took a deep breath and then wiped the tears away from her eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Luna asked. Ginny nodded, hoping she wouldn't burst into tears again. The truth was, she was angrier with Draco than sad. She couldn't believe Draco had just given up on her like that.

"Let's go to Charms," Ginny told Luna, abruptly changing the subject. Luna opened her mouth, but then closed it. She nodded and the two of them walked towards Charms in silence.

"Ginny!"

Ginny's eyes widened, unsure whether she was hallucinating. Could it be Draco calling her name? Ginny turned around and saw Draco sprinting towards her. Part of Ginny wanted to wait and see what he had to say, but she couldn't. He had hurt her too much, and she wasn't going to let him push her around. Instead of waiting for Draco to catch up with her, Ginny spun around and began to walk off briskly in the opposite direction.

"Ginny. For Merlin's sake, Gin… wait up!"

Ginny ignored Draco and continued to walk faster and faster. The nerve he had for trying to talk to her after ignoring her for more than a week! She wouldn't go back to him just because he wanted her to. No, she'd make him suffer like he had made her suffer.

"Ginny, wait up!"

Irritated, Ginny spun around. "Why Malfoy? What do you have to say to me? You have nothing to say to me. All you've done is hurt me."

Draco stopped sprinting. He was only a foot away from Ginny now. Panting, he muttered, "I have something to say to you now. Something I couldn't way before." Ginny shook her head, and turned around to continue to walk off.

"Please wait up."

Ginny realized his voice actually sounded sorry and pleading. Ginny stopped walking and turned around. "Why?" she asked softly. Her eyes met Draco's and they shared a long, lingering gaze before Draco looked away.

"Because I lo…" Draco trailed off, unable to get the words out. Ginny sighed, feeling her heart break in two.

"I knew it," she muttered bitterly, spinning around and hurrying off. She silently prayed that she wouldn't start crying before she was well out of sight. She walked quickly, blinking the tears back. Ginny felt a tug on her shoulder. She turned around to see Draco staring at her.

"What Draco?" Ginny breathed quietly. He pressed his lips against hers, and she felt the familiar shock of his touch pass through her body. She enjoyed the few bittersweet seconds of his lips against hers before regretfully pulling away.

"I love you." His words came out quietly and kind of mumbled, but Ginny could make sense of them. Her heart thumped fast, and she felt the world grow farther and farther away.

"What?" she gasped, unable to believe that Draco had just said the three words to her.

"I love you," Draco repeated, a little louder and a lot clearer. "I love you, Ginevra Weasley, and I can't believe I let you go. I will never make the same mistake again. Can you give me another chance?"

Ginny felt her lower lip quiver and a tear trickle down her face. "Of course I can, Draco," she whispered wearily. Draco closed his eyes. The next moment, his lips were crushed against hers, and Ginny's arms were around his neck. They kissed passionately for a few moments.

"I…love…you," Ginny muttered, punctuating each word with a kiss.

"Don't talk," Draco whispered hoarsely. Ginny felt the urgency in Draco's kisses, and realized that she had the same urgency. He pulled her against his body in one rough movement, connecting their lips.

"Thank you," Ginny whispered. Draco's tongue flicked against her skin and he trailed kisses away from her lips. Ginny turned her face so that their lips met again. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a hug.

"For what?" Draco asked, confused.

"For loving me," Ginny answered. Their bodies came together again, and Draco pinned her against the wall, kissing her aggressively and zealously.

"What are you doing?" she breathed as his lips crushed into hers again and again. Her heart was thumping so loud that she couldn't even hear anything that was going on around her.

"Loving you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled as he kissed her cheek. "It's my deepest secret."

Draco tilted Ginny's face and slid his tongue into her mouth. As their kisses grew more and more intense, Draco knew that the few kisses the two of them had shared this year were only the beginning to a lifetime of passion.

A/N: ... and it's over. Please leave me one last review. Hopefully you guys will read my other stories!