Christmas 2002
Christmas Eve was another tradition at the Burrow. All of the Weasley children, their spouses and children, and sometimes even Hermione, Andromeda and Teddy all gathered for dinner. Afterward, they'd all put on their pajamas and sing carols and drink chocolate around the fire. Everyone would retire to their childhood bedrooms, and in the morning there was a great flurry of tearing into gifts, yelling, screaming and laughing.
On Christmas Eve morning, Ron was not-so-patiently helping Molly prepare the dinner. His attempts to sample morsels of food were met with hand slaps and stern looks. He was folding napkins and right on the edge of bickering when a silvery hare burst into the room.
"Ron!" called Luna's voice from the patronus, "I've figured it out!" And the hare dissolved into a mist.
Ron had, of course, explained to his mum what happened at Luna's, and why she'd been so upset.
"I'm proud of you for being such a good friend to her. I know she's a bit odd," Molly said casually as she basted the ham.
"I reckon she's really not that bad," replied Ron, trying to steal a bite.
"She's probably lonely up there in that strange house, what with Xenophilius off in Argentina-"
"Portugal," corrected Ron.
"Yes, Portugal...I invited her for tonight, I figured she's as good as family at this point. She can stay for dinner and sleep with Ginny in her room, and Harry can bunk with you."
"Mum, Ginny's been married for 2 years. Harry can stay in her room with her."
"Well, Charlie's home, so there's nowhere for Luna to sleep then."
"I'll take the sofa, it's fine. She can have my room." Ron tried to ignore the excitement he felt at knowing Luna was coming for Christmas.
Molly rubbed his head affectionately. "That's very chivalrous of you, Ron. But I'm sure Ginny won't mind..."
"MUM, let it go," Ron said, then conjured up his patronus and told it, "It worked! See you this evening!" And with a few flicks of his wand, his terrier sped off toward "Luna Lovegood, The Rookery."
Luna glided into the house that night, on the heels of Ginny and Harry. "Molly, I want to thank you for kindly inviting me tonight. It's much more pleasant than sitting alone."
"Any time, Luna. You're always welcome here," Molly replied.
Throughout dinner and carols, Ron noticed a warm, pleasant feeling as he looked around the room. His entire family was together. Fleur and Angelina had both announced they were expecting, causing a cascade of shrieks and squeals from the women present. Little Teddy curled up in Luna's lap (Luna was his new favorite person), turning his hair into long blonde tendrils and asking her a million questions about her travels.
Eventually Andromeda collected him and apparated them both home, and Hermione flooed back to her parents, leaving the Weasley siblings, their families, and Luna. One by one they went to their rooms, leaving only Ron and Luna talking by the fire.
"I can sleep down here, Ronald. It's not an issue. You deserve your own room on Christmas Eve."
"I wouldn't be a very good Gryffindor if I let you sleep on the sofa, now would I?" Ron asked with a grin. "And besides, my mum is expecting you to stay upstairs, so that's where your presents will be."
Luna gave a tinkly chuckle. "There is no need for presents. Just spending time with such a happy family is enough for me." She settled next to him on the couch and joined him in looking at the fire.
The quiet of the house was interrupted only by a few cries from Victoire and Baby Molly as the family settled into bed.
Luna finally broke the stillness. "What are you thinking about?"
"Fred," Ron replied, still staring at the flames. "How he and George would sneak into my room before I woke up on Christmas and hide my gifts." A smile danced at the corner of his mouth.
"He was always very kind to me. Which was odd, because he wasn't always kind to everyone else, and not many people were kind to me..." Luna trailed off.
"He must have reckoned you needed a friend more than a prank."
Ron quieted again, thinking of his brother until Luna broke the silence. "I always think of my mother on Christmas Eve. Growing up she often told me that the veil was thin on nights such as this, and we'd light luminarias to welcome kind spirits to our home. She met a man in Spain once who told her he could feel the spirits of his loved ones twice a year: on Christmas Eve, welcomed by lantern light, and at the Summer Solstice, welcomed by the last dregs of the longest sun."
"You were nine when she died, right?"
"Mmm Hmm. The first few years I lit the luminarias in her absence, hoping she'd come walking up the path to greet me. When I was 11, I stayed up all night on the porch, waiting. But she never came."
"What made you stop?"
Luna shrugged at this. "Age? Maturity? I know now that the veil is final, but I'll see her again when I pass through. I'd rather have her there than have her spirit stuck here as a ghost or something."
Ron felt tears prick the corners of his eyes. "Just after Fred died, I wished he'd become a ghost...just so I could see him and talk to him again. I missed out on that whole last year..."
"He wouldn't have wanted you to do anything different. In fact, I'd wager he'd think of it as the ultimate prank: stealing pieces of Voldemort's soul while his back was turned."
"I still feel selfish sometimes. For leaving. For wanting him back."
She turned to Ron. "You're not selfish, just human."
"Tell me more about your mum," Ron changed the subject, chasing away his grief.
Luna brightened a bit and began, "well, she was a Ravenclaw like daddy. He always said that they knew things completely differently. He started with what might be, then looked for the evidence. She started with the evidence, and looked for what might be. She thought he was barking mad when they first met." She looked to Ron again with a grin.
"She was an Unspeakable until she had me. Then she did freelance work as a spell producer. According to some, she developed more charms in those nine years than many producers do in a lifetime." There was pride in Luna's voice as she spoke. "Even before I had my wand, she made sure I knew the basics of why magic works and how."
"So how did she and your dad end up together? If she thought he was mad?" Ron asked.
Luna snuck another glance at him.
"Well, I suppose he grew on her in time. He taught her that just because you can't prove something exists doesn't mean you have proof of its nonexistence. It just means you don't know. She taught him that sometimes people have to be brought back to the evidence..." Luna trailed off dreamily.
"What were they like together?"
"Oh, they doted on one another. He worshiped the ground she walked on, and she lived to make him happy. I suppose I idealize them, as I was quite young when she died. But he always said that if it hadn't been for me, he would have passed on, too."
They returned to gazing into the fire in the comfortable peace. Ron startled when Luna leaned her head on his shoulder and tucked her legs under her. "Thank you for asking, Ronald."
The fire died down to embers as the pair sat, lost in thought. Ron noticed Luna's breathing become slow and even, and looked down to find her asleep on his shoulder, her blonde braid slung over her shoulder. He surprised himself by bending down to kiss her on the top of her head before grabbing a cushion to put behind his neck as he drifted off.
It was still dark when Ron was awakened by a strange sound. He blinked a few times in the semi-darkness before he recognized what it was: the whistle of the kettle in the kitchen. As the world came into focus, Ginny was leaning in the doorway, staring at him and Luna with an amused grin on her face.
Ron was at a loss for words.
Within moments, Harry joined her in the doorway, handing her a cup of tea and putting his free arm around her.
"Morning, Ron!" he greeted him, his voice full of merriment.
"What are you guys doing up?" Ron asked, trying to keep his voice casual. It wasn't as if he and Luna were doing anything wrong or untoward. They'd simply fallen asleep while talking.
"Well, I usually have early practice, so I knew I'd be awake anyway. I told mum I'd be in charge of present distribution. Clearly I don't need to take Luna's up to your room, now do I?" Ginny had a devilish look in her eye.
"Can we just...leave it?" Ron asked weakly, glancing down at the witch still snuggled into his side.
"Nope," replied Ginny, turning to gather some gifts from under the tree. "Don't worry, we'll discuss this situation on a regular basis."
Harry accepted an armload of gifts and gave Ron a grin.
Beside Ron, Luna stirred a bit. "Hmmm...? Oh!" She seemed mildly startled as she woke up. "Well, Happy Christmas, Ginny, Harry!" She paused for a moment to gather herself. "Ron."
"Happy Christmas, Luna! Did you sleep well?" asked Harry cheekily.
"Quite well, thank you for asking," replied Luna.
Ginny and Harry traipsed upstairs with a load of gifts.
Luna whispered to Ron, "shall I go upstairs, or shall I stay down here?"
He blinked at her a few times. "Uh...I suppose just stay here. I mean, Ginny said she'd just leave your gifts down here..." He was unsure of the proper way to act in a situation such as this.
"Oh, okay," replied Luna. "Why don't I get us some tea?" she asked, standing and pulling her housecoat more tightly around her.
"Yes, tea would be nice..."
Ron stoked the fire into flame again, and began sorting more of the presents under the tree. He figured while he was up, he might as well help his sister and Harry. And hopefully distract them from blabbing to the rest of the family.
Eventually the four had the gifts distributed, and began opening their own presents beside the tree, waiting for the others to join them.
On top of Luna's pile was a small gift from Ron, which she saved for last. He found himself watching her from the corner of his eye as she opened her Weasley jumper (a rich lavender with a dark blue "L"), another gauzy skirt from Ginny, and Peruvian darkness powder from George and Angelina ("a good line of defense as you live on your own"). Finally, she glanced shyly at Ron as she looked at the package.
"None of you had to get me anything."
"Just open it!" he replied with a grin. Ron pretended that he couldn't hear Ginny snicker from across the room.
She opened the paper delicately to unveil a book. "The Symbolism and Mysticism of the Hare," Luna read, "like my patronus?"
"Yes, I asked the clerk at Flourish and Blotts what they had on the topic. See the picture on the front? It's three Hares, but they share their ears in a circle. She said that symbol is found all over the world, but in England it originated in Devon. It's like an illusion or a puzzle, so I thought you'd like that. And she said there's a Lunar Hare...that is some people see a hare in the full moon, so I kind of thought it was fitting..." Ron trailed off, realizing he was babbling.
He glanced at Harry and Ginny, who were holding hands, glancing back and forth between him and Luna, their faces unreadable.
Luna stared at the book quietly. "It's perfect," she finally answered softly. "Thank you, Ronald."
One by one, the remaining Weasleys joined them. First, Victoire dashed down the stairs, yelling about her jumper and moving picture book., followed by a bleary-eyed Fleur and Bill. Then Percy and Audrey carried down Baby Molly for her first Christmas and she gazed in wonder at the blinking fairy lights. Soon Molly and Arthur were awakened by the ruckus, and dragged George, Angelina and Charlie down as well. The whole family finished showing off their gifts and wishing each other Happy Christmas just in time to enjoy Molly's pastries and eggs.
After eating and changing into her Weasley jumper, Luna gave Molly a hug and wished her farewell. "Thank you so much for everything, Molly. I must get home for an international floo with my father, but I will see you soon!"
"You're coming back on Sunday, correct?" Molly responded.
"Unfortunately, some maintenance must be done down at the Quibbler offices while things are slow. Daddy asked me to please supervise, so I will miss this week. I'll be by next week. Happy New Year, Molly."
"We'll miss you, Luna. Ron!" Molly called to her youngest son, "please see Luna home. I don't like her alone in that house, so far from everyone else. Get her settled in, at the least."
Ron nodded and felt a twist in his stomach which he ignored as he trailed Luna into the garden. She turned to him on the path.
"I know you hate apparating. Come along, I'll take you." So Luna wrapped her arms around his middle, her hair tickling his nose. He wrapped his arms around her in turn as his stomach gave another twist just before the crushing sense of apparition took over.
When they landed on the stoop of Luna's house, she held on for a moment longer, pressing her face into Ron's chest and breathing deeply. Ron held her, too, attempting to consider the feelings he was experiencing.
She pulled away and looked in his eyes, the grabbed his hand, interlacing their fingers. "Come upstairs with me, I have something for you." She led him up the winding staircase to her room. At the door, she stopped for a moment, still grasping his hand. "I-I made you a Christmas present, but I wasn't sure...I didn't know if you'd like it, so I didn't bring it..." she took a deep breath and pulled him into her room.
Ron gazed around in wonder. Gone was the lifelike mural he'd seen a few years ago (of course...it had been destroyed in the Erumpet explosion). In its place was a painting that took Ron's breath away. From floor to ceiling, Luna had painted scenes from her worldwide travels, each blending seamlessly into the next. Aztec ruins towered over an African waterfall, and the Alps framed St. Peter's Basilica. Over Luna's bed (decorated, of course, in the blue and bronze of Ravenclaw), was Hogwarts in such lifelike detail that Ron had to refrain from reaching out to touch it.
"Blimey..." Ron heard himself say under his breath as Luna dropped his hand to rummage in the wardrobe.
"What would your mum say, Ronald?" Luna asked with a smirk.
"This is amazing!" Ron finally exclaimed once he found his voice again. "How long has this taken you?"
Luna eyed the walls and ceiling critically. "Well, I began Hogwarts that summer after the war to distract myself, and I've added bits and pieces between trips. I've done most of it since August. I'm still working on a few parts."
Luna handed him a large, flat package in bright paper. "This is your gift. Happy Christmas, Ron."
Ron pulled himself away from examining the walls in order to open his present. Beneath the bright paper was a canvas, stretched tight and painted by hand. Against the murky dark blue background, a silver hare and terrier frolicked at play. They looked to be made of mist, but still somehow corporeal, as if they could jump off the canvas.
"Our patronuses?" Ron asked, looking up at Luna.
A smile broke on her face. "Yes, I very much hoped you would like it."
Ron was nearly overcome with the urge to kiss her, right then and there.
But he didn't. He had always been far more comfortable running into battle than with his feelings. The tentative steps he'd made toward understanding Luna hadn't quite made him ready for this moment. He stared at the painting. "It's perfect," he finally whispered, echoing Luna's earlier words, his ears turning pink.
When he glanced over, she was smiling as well.
The silence broke at the chiming of a clock.
"Oh, it's nearly time for my firecall with daddy!" Luna exclaimed. "I'll see you at Ginny's on New Years?" she asked him as she walked him to the door. Ron nodded, not trusting his voice, and took a deep breath as soon as the door fastened behind her.