Chapter Three: Strange Things Happen. Have they happened to you?

I finally spoke to him. The first time in so many years. Do you know how special that moment was? I thought, I thought the Yule Ball would have diminished that weird longing for Ron. I thought wrong.

But then, I finally knew the Stranger who was no longer a stranger now. I remember when we were on the train, heading for Hogwarts, he had just made a joke and I was laughing, like an utter hyena. I couldn't stop! I was so nervous that I just kept going on and on, it was so hard to stop. I knew I must look like a real loon but I WAS UNABLE TO STOP. Help!

I looked up to see, still breathless from the fit of the uncontrollable laughter, Ron's confused face.

Oh dear. He must think I am so weird.

A strange thing happened today, I saw Ron flirting with Hermione. It was so subtle that neither Ron nor Hermione must have realized that it was happening. But there it was. And I just watched and hurt a bit. And berate myself; tell myself that I should get over him.

That would soon become my mission: Get over Ronald.

I stayed from any Weasley, Harry and Hermione for a week. I never looked at Ron, I lied again and again to myself that I didn't care he was looking at me. Again and again.

And, oh, I failed so miserably in my attempt. I cared, I cared, I cared… I could not avoid him forever. I could most definitely not avoid Ginny. And I didn't want to break my friendship with Harry, the rest of the Weasleys and even Hermione.

I could not do it because I had friends for the first time in my life. Do you know what that means to me? A lot… A lot, as in, I was so happy I could sing and dance in the rain. You never value what you have until you meet somebody who never had it. Don't stop caring for your friend; don't take them for granted. You never what they are until you are me.

The more I talked to him, the more I got to know him, I realized that even if we were a couple we would never really fit. I was the sort who believed in the supernatural, the only opinion he had on Life after Death was that Death sounded depressing.

Did this discovery, that we could never be together even if we wanted, shake me? I know there are many girls who make it their aim to change the guy or themselves so that they become more compatible. I could never do that, as hard as I might try. I was not so strong, either, to make Ron like me and I was too deep in me to become shallow like him.

Yes, Ron was shallow, quite immature and insensitive. The boy also does not get subtlety. Real Ron would, could, never like me. Not even if he tried, never in that way. We could be good friends, sure, and that too after we adjusted to each other.

Besides, he didn't like Hermione. He loved her. I could see it in the way he spoke to her; his voice would deepen. The way he, along with his whole body, mind, concentrated on her. The way his eyes basically shrieked, I love you.

And I knew she loved him too. Ginny knew that as well. She told me that those two adored each other but they were too shy (too stupid, In Ron's case) to admit. She also pointed out that those two didn't believe that the other loved them.

Tell me, when you see such a romance bloom, can you envy the girl? Oh, you can wish somewhere that that the feeling was for you but the fact remains that it is not and you just have to accept it.

Accept it. It's not as easy as it seems. The analyzing portion is all fine and dandy, the conclusion is hard to gulp down. But swallow you have to.

So…did I?

I tried, and after a while, I started numbing the swoop, the emotions that welled up and the sigh that almost always formed. The irony, my dreamy looks helped me.

I was in my fifth year when I looked at him with Lavender all over him. This triangle of love, Lavender, Ron, Hermione. And me, an invisible line.

I remember somebody making an offhand comment, "Ron really like Hermione, you know…"

"Yeah, but he is with Lavender." Said another.

"Oh, he is doing this to make Hermione jealous."

"Yeah, he must really like her."

"He does."

The feeling had long come to me that he would never be mine, even since I was thirteen…maybe. But I had always hurt.

Today, it doesn't hurt. I can't say I feel happy but it doesn't make my insides twist. I am not aware if I no longer love Ron or if I have succeeded in my attempt of numbing my being to him. I don't know what happened but I have now accepted Ron as just a friend.

I cannot deny. I did feel my heart skip a beat or thud if he ever complimented me. But that was it. I didn't permit anything more to myself.

We all grew up. Ron married Hermione and Hermione asked me to name her daughter. Do you feel like laughing, oh reader, can you believe the irony?

Ron Weasley's first child was name by none other than I.

I named that little angel Rose. My experience with Ron had been rosy. So sweet, so beautiful, so ever-lasting but thorny all the same.

Yes, I named her Rose Weasley.

I look back and I thank God I met Ginny Weasley. She had been my only friend and at time, my only haven. Through her, I met the best of the best friend. I feel like crying…

Harry, who named his youngest child Lily and gave her my middle name, Luna. I had cried so much when he had told me. I was beyond moved…I…I can not effectively describe it. But I was…happy.

Hermione who, despite her practical nature, is really very sweet. Neville, who became my closest friend after Ginny. Sometimes, I even thought of marrying him; he had asked me often enough. However, something stopped me.

I cannot say it was Ron. I cannot because it was not; the real reason was that I was afraid …of rejection. So many times had I been turned away, by peers, teachers, society that it became my biggest fear.

Years passed. I became a great scientist. I was no longer young but I was alone. I had proven what my mother had always said: I had proven that the impossible does exist. I admit I didn't find Crumpled Horn-Slacks but I found many other myths.

I had acted like a fool, too much like a teenage girl, making a complete mess of myself over Ron, but I am grateful I did. Ron got me something much more special: he got me a family.

After my father's death, I was accepted by the Weasleys. I had a mother now…

I did get over Ron. I think I got over him a long time ago, I just never realized it. I always loved him, just not in that way.

…I did marry. To Ronale D'Souza. He is French. We have a happy marriage, a good life, at least, a very comfortable one. I don't know why he loves me, but he tells me every night, ''I will never leave you.''

That is good enough for me.

Author's Note: I find Luna Lovegood to be the most intriguing character. She is deep. There are so many layers to her. I felt bad about her as I came to know more about her. I always wonder why we are so afraid of the different. Luna was very different, and very special.

I knew from what Jo had told us that Luna married late. I dunno know whom she married. I loved writing on her; I had wanted to write on for a long time. So I will ask my clichéd question: How did you find it? :0 Please review. I do want to hear from you all. If you liked this, do check out some other story of mine. Thanks.

Affectionately,

Ginny