CHAPTER 4: REUNITED FOR LOVE:

NOTE: It's a chapter on Harry/ Ginny and Ron/ Luna. I know this chapter sounds like the last one but unfortunately it isn't.

The fact that Ashley Ketchum and Draco Malfoy were a couple seemed to interest a lot of people, specially Harry and Ron. Yet, Malfoy found himself newly and happily resistant to gossip over a few days. At least he had something else to think about rather than the studies and his Head boy duties that drove him wild.

"Damn assholes!" Ashley retorted as she sat on the common room floor leaning against Malfoy's legs and reading the Daily Prophet. "Suckers! Cant they just keep off other's affairs?" she asked incensed. Harry, Malfoy and Ron burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" she asked harshly.

"Good grief Ashley, just cool ok?" Malfoy patted her shoulder. Ashley smiled as she stroked his hand.

"Thanks!" she said.

"For what?" he asked her taken aback. Ashley rose up stretching and bent down to kiss Malfoy on his cheek.

Harry and Ron looked away pointedly and she scooped up her belongings and stuffed them into her bag hurriedly.

"I'll see you around." She said walking towards her room. Once she was out of earshot and sight, Malfoy heaved a sigh and turned to Harry and Ron.

"I really am surprised to have her as my girlfriend." He said.

"Yeah, you sure are lucky." Harry said absentmindedly scratching his nose with the tip of his quill. He dipped the quill into the ink pot and stretched.

"Otherwise look at me. I bloody don't have a single girlfriend." He added. Ron snorted furiously.

"You shouldn't have left my sister." He said.

"I know. But, I thought Voldemort would use her as a scapegoat against me." Harry replied cynically. Ron let down his quill and was about to spring on Harry when Luna entered the room. Ron jumped.

"Hi Luna." Harry said as she sat down beside Malfoy. Ron smiled awkwardly and mumbled about going to the toilet when Harry pulled him down back on the couch.

"What?" he said densely.

"Sit down. This time you'll have to tell her." Harry hissed in his ear. Ron shook his head.

"Nope, she'll reject." He said in a defeated voice.

"What makes you think like that?" Harry asked him totally pissed off.

"What makes him think about what?" Luna asked confused. Harry shook his head. Ron nodded.

"Nothing Luna, nothing." He said. Harry threw Ron a 'I'll-kill-you' look making Ron feel endangered. He stood up, gathered up his strength and cleared his throat.

"Er.. Luna, would you like to go to a walk with me now?"

The words were out of Ron's mouth before he could stop them. Luna turned her protuberant eyes upon him in surprise.

"Walk? With you? Now?"

"Yeah, I wanted to tell you something important." Ron said sighing. He had half hoped she didn't want to.

"Oh, I would love to go to a walk with you, Ron!" said Luna, beaming as he had never seen her beam before.

"Nobody's ever asked me for a walk before!" She flung her arms around his neck and she went to give Ron a small kiss on the cheek, and when she did, something happened. Ron seemed to do the same thing and their lips met briefly. A few people gasped. Harry exchanged a glance with Malfoy, who's mouth was open wide with shock.

"I love you Luna," Ron whispered. Everyone in the common room was looking at them. Luna seemed to notice and looked around at her fellow students before putting her hands on Ron's chest and forcefully pushing him away. Ron stood still, watching her run off.

"Luna, aren't you coming?" Ron called out as she wrenched open the door and disappeared through it.

Harry and Malfoy exchanged worried glances before standing up and rushing over to Ron. They lead him over to a chair and he collapsed into it, sadness apparent on his face. Malfoy patted his shoulder and Harry placed a hand on his arm.

"I really thought she felt the same," Ron said quietly, his voice cracking with despair. He rested his head on Harry's shoulder. "Now I've messed everything up."

Harry pulled away and looked at his friend. "She's probably just in shock. It was a pretty public display."

"I dunno," Ron whispered. He placed his head in his hands and sighed. The three friends sat in silence for a moment before Ron spoke again. "I've never felt like this about any other girl before. It's always been Luna. I've always pictured myself finally telling her after all of these years, but I never thought it would be like this."

"That's ok, pal." Malfoy said resuming his patting. "All will turn out to be well." He said running his fingers through his blond hair. He looked around to find Ginny entering the room. He heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards her.

"What's wrong?" she asked sitting down on the armchair. Malfoy exhaled noisily as he sat down beside her.

"Listen, you have to help your brother." He replied as he recounted the whole story to her. Ginny bit her lip as she listened to the story carefully. After Malfoy had finished, she looked at him.

"So you say Ron and Luna…" she started but she was stopped by Malfoy shaking his head vigorously. She fell silent.

"I mean, he told her that he loves her and she ran off crying." Malfoy said looking at Ron and Harry. Ginny looked up at him and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll do something." She said patting his knee. He thanked her and rose up from the chair.

"All right, I'm leaving." Saying that he bid her goodbye and walked out of the room. Ginny sighed and looked around to see Harry coming towards her.

"Oh no!" she muttered as he sat beside her. She feigned to be engaged until Harry spoke up.

"Ginny, look. I'm sorry."

Ginny looked up surprised.

"What for?" she asked. Harry took her hand in his and kissed it. An arrow of longing speared through Ginny's spine.

"For leaving such an innocent girl." He said. Ginny giggled.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"What for?" Harry said smiling.

"For leaving such a sweet boy." She said and leaned to kiss him on his lips.

"I promise I'll never leave you for any stupid reason." Harry whispered huskily and then looked up into her beautiful brown eyes and kissed her softly. Something they both had wanted for such a long time.

"I love you Gin," he said as they leaned to kiss again.

"I love you too, Harry." She whispered before meeting his lips.

.......................................................................................................................................................

Ash and Hermione, on the other side of the world, were happily enjoying their new love life. They roamed for the rest of the 'honeymoon' of Ash hand in hand the whole day laughing at each other's jokes and smiling at each other every twenty seconds.

"Well, that was some fun." Hermione said as she sat on the bed.

"Yeah, that ride was fun." Ash said as he flopped beside her, trying to pull out the shoes from his tired legs. She smiled at him and yawned widely.

"I think I need some sleep." She said rubbing her eyes. Ash ran his hand through his hair and nodded.

"I think we need some bath too." He said smiling at her startled face.

"Ash!" Hermione snapped.

"Ummm… hmmm honey," Ash said as she rose up from the bed.

"I need a bath." She said emphasizing on 'I'. Ash snickered and flopped back on the bed sighing.

While Hermione took her turn in the shower, Ash sat on the sofa, thinking, rubbing his tired eyes with his rough hands, and sighing heavily. On an impulse, he made his way to the bathroom quietly, careful to go unheard. He slipped into the small steamy room and closed the door behind himself softly. He had thought that he had gone undetected until Hermione spoke suddenly from behind the shower curtain.

"Ash?" she called out over the hiss of the shower.

He stripped off his jeans and boxers, yanked his shirt over his head, then pushed the shower curtain aside and stepped in. Ash moved towards her and she let him, her head bowed as tears now mingled with the hot water than ran down her face and body. He put a hand under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. She bit her lip, a pleading look overcame her features, and then she threw her arms around Ash's neck and melted against him.

Ash let his hands run the length of her long and slender frame, bringing them to a pause at the swell of her hips. He pulled her body to his gently and she began to put her soft little kisses on the skin of his neck and chest. Ash groaned and tilted his head back, giving her better access, then brought it back up and buried his face in her wet hair, inhaling the scent of her shampoo. He put his own kisses on her ears, neck, and shoulders, and when she slid her feet apart he let his hand roam to the most tender part of her. The physical surrender of themselves was a step towards healing in and of itself, and so as their gazes locked now he smiled down to her and she favored him with a smile as well, and then they kissed.

Ash made love to Hermione; first with his eyes, then with his hands and mouth, and finally in the classical sense. While he was often harsh and cold, he made up for it in the act of their lovemaking. He never hurried or forced anything, and he always handled her as gently as he possibly could, hoping to convey the love that he did in fact feel for her.

"Ash..." Hermione whimpered in a strangled way, her breath coming in little sharp intakes.

Ash pulled back from their embrace immediately and searched her eyes. She was not in pain though, but pleasure, and Ash watched as her face twisted up and she fought the urge to call out. He kissed her lips and she kissed him back, hungrily. He quickened his pace, pushing her over the edge, and then he followed her himself, after which they held each other close and shivered together under the now-chilly flow of water.

PLEASE R&R