The Dance Keeperoliver Chapter 7

Once again, Tonks was up early, getting ready to leave for the morning. This time, she was going to go by the Lovegoods, and pick up Luna, and go to the Weasleys and finish the wedding plans.

Tonks and Luna had become very close, and she had asked Luna to be her Made of Honor. Luna accepted with a bear hug, and kisses all over Tonks face. It was one week now until the wedding, and everything was in place. All they needed was the fine tuning of the play of events. Her, Luna, Hermione and Ginny had already gone shopping for their gowns, and Tonks purchased one for Molly to show her thanks for all the trouble she went through.

The flowers would be provided by Harry and Sirius. Tonks gave them the theme color of the wedding, and they were in charge of ordering them and picking them up. They also paid for them. This was not known by Tonks.

Luna, Ginny and Hermione made the seating arrangements for the guests. Two lists were compiled and a copy was made for each usher, who were Draco, Neville, Ron and Harry. Sirius was to be the best man.

Albus was asked to perform the ceremony, and he happily accepted, clearing his schedule to be present. It was hard for him to get anytime off, trying to rebuild the Ministry after the way Fudge left it. Slowly but surely, it was coming about. He wanted Percy as his under secretary, but, Percy had enough of politics, and wanted a more serene life. He got this when Minerva asked him to become the Transfiguration Professor. When the school year started back up, he would be there. He would be joined by Remus as the new History of Magic Professor, as one of the first things Minerva did was to release Binns from his teaching, and to move forward.

Tonks made it to the Love shack, and found Luna waiting for by the garden, using the book Harry gave her to see the different life forms, and to give them their names as they were described by the book. She looked up and smiled when she saw Tonks approach her. "So, are you excited yet. It's not every day one gets married now is it?"

Tonks took the wind out of Luna's sail, "It could be for me. Being a morph has it's advantages. I could be someone new everyday, and get married every day."

Not to be out shadowed, "Yes, you could, but that could get old quickly, and would play hell, when it came time to remember who it was you were with."

"What does it take to get one over on you Lou? I swear I will eventually get you stuck with no answer."

"I am sure of it Tonksie. But, not today, as I have sniffed the flowers, and found my first Puff-o-Dil. She was so cute. Fast too."

Tonks laughed as they made their way to the Burrow.

TD-}

Harry got up to the new day, already having it planned out as well as did Tonks. After his shower and eating, he made his way to his parents grave. It would be his first visit since his return, and he had a lot to tell them. The reason it was his first visit was because once he met his family, it was one meeting after another, and plans to be made, and whatever was to take place for the day. This was his first opportunity to pay his proper respects to the people who brought him into this world.

He passed many people who had come to know him the past few weeks, and bid him good day as they passed, with him returning the sentiment.

He came to the gates of the cemetery and turned left once he entered and headed for the site where they were laid to rest. He stopped at the grave markers he came to know as his parents own story.

Harry got down to his knees and began, "Mum and dad, I hope you can hear me."

In another place, a sound came through the house that Lily recognized, but not but her own device. There was a mirror for all residents to hear what was being said at their graves. She heard hers activate for the first time. She walked to the back door to get James, and they sat at the mirror's base and listened.

"I know it has been a while since we last talked and I am sorry for how that ended. I have since learned that you were indeed my parents, and I treated you like strangers. I am so sorry for that. I think you understand why I was like that, and I am not using it for an excuse. I just hope you forgive me."

Lily started to cry while she listened to her son, "Of course we forgive you Harry, we love you so much. I just wish I could tell you this in person."

Harry sat back as he felt that he had just been forgiven, and it came as a shock to him. "I don't know why, but It felt like you had just forgiven me, and if you have thank you very much, as it means everything to me. Now, I suppose I should bring you both up to date on what's going on down here.

First, I rebuilt The Lair with some help from Dobby, a house elf, and Luna Lovegood, who I have officially taken in as my sister. Mum, dad, she is beautiful, and smart. I could easily fall in love with her, if she would let me. But she won't, as she is sure that I was meant for another. She readily accepted the role of sister in my life, and because of her, I am building my new memories, and making friends quickly. The thing is, I know she loves me as well, but is it the love of family, or the love of my life?"

James answered this question, "Do not force something on your friend Harry. If she wishes to keep it a love of family, don't try to change her mind, as it will hurt her or someone else later."

Harry felt the answer come to him as a familial type of love. "Thank you mum and dad. I do not want to bring a feud between Luna and Ginny because of my feelings. I guess now would be the time I tell you about Ginny. She is equally as beautiful as Luna, but not as smart I don't think. Now don't get me wrong, as I am not calling her stupid. I am just saying that Luna challenges Hermione as being the smartest people I know. Once again, I am throwing names at you that you know nothing about."

Lily answered, "Harry, as long as they are friends of yours then they are loved by us as well. Luna sounds just like her mother, Selena. I always wondered what she saw in that Lovegood fellow, but if Luna was the outcome, then I am glad that they got together. We have met Selena up here, and you can tell Luna that she is so proud of her, that she walks around all the time with a smile that is just for Luna."

He didn't understand how he was communicating with them, but he felt sure that his mum and dad were indeed somehow talking to him. They had just told him to tell Luna that her mum was proud of her daughter and that they were happy he was making friends. "Well, that brings me to the two you really want to know about. First Sirius and I moved into the Lair. He wants to call it our bachelor pad, but I don't see myself as much of a bachelor, being only fourteen. Well technically fourteen, but soon to be fifteen. Then there is Remus. Mum, Dad, you are not going to believe this, but, he is getting married to Sirius' younger cousin. Her name is Nymphadora Tonks, but I wouldn't dare call her by her first name. She tends to go crazy when people call her that. It takes place in one week."

Both Lily and James gleamed at the news of their friend Moony finally getting a chance to live the life of having a family. "Harry you tell fur ball to come to talk to us, as we want the whole story. Tell flea picker to come as well."

If anyone had been walking by just then, they would have thought the boy kneeling their was insane, as he just broke out laughing at nothing. Harry couldn't help it, as he now had new names for his godfather and his uncle. Furball, and Flea Picker. "Thanks dad, I will use this knowledge wisely. Mum, do you wish me to pass on any greetings?"

"Yes Harry, tell Minerva that Albus best leave you alone once you are back to school."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Albus is no longer the Headmaster at Hogwarts. Minerva is the Headmistress. Albus has been made the new Minister of Magic. Mum, will we be able to talk to each other on every visit, or is this a one time only moment."

"I'm sorry to say that I don't think we will be able to do this for much longer. To be honest with you, I don't know how we are able to do it now. I have never heard of this happening before to any one else. Let's just enjoy it while we can."

And Harry did, as he spent all morning their talking to his parents until Hunger started to make it's presence known. Harry's stomach growled. "Harry, before your tummy goes on strike for lack of attention, I want you to know that your dad and I love you very, very much. We look forward to seeing you again in 125 years. And not a moment before."

Harry was still laughing as he made his way back to the lair. He found a note on the door telling him that everyone was eating at the Weasleys and for him to join them. He walked to the back of the Lair and Aparated to the Burrow. He passed the wards and walked toward the Burrow. He once again never made it to the door, when Molly came rushing out to greet him. She pulled him into a hug and guided him into their home. He saw Hermione, Luna and Ron sitting at the far end of the table talking. Remus, Tonks and Sirius next to them also talking with the twins who sat across from them. Arthur had not made it home yet. Percy was with his girlfriend Audrey on a date. Ginny was no where in sight.

He didn't get to ask as Luna looked up and began, "Hey Harry. How was your visit?"

"Great really, we had a lot to say to each other."

Hermione looked up at this, "Who did you visit Harry? Every one is here."

Harry smiled back at her, "My parents. It was great, as we had to clear the air of quite a few things. They forgive me for my treatment of them in our first meeting. They asked me to say hi to furball and flea picker."

Both Sirius and Remus broke out laughing at this. Hermione on the other hand questioned Harry's sanity. "Harry you can't talk to the dead. You must have dreamed all of this."

Harry didn't know why, but this made him angry. "You were not there, so how would you know what took place Hermione. How would I know Sirius and Remus' nickname if we hadn't talked?"

"Perhaps you read about it in one of your books. Maybe you overheard a conversation between them. Any number of different possibilities. Please don't get angry with me Harry, it's just that the dead are just that, dead."

Harry shoved his chair back and stood up from the table. "I know what I heard, and I know that it happened. If you don't believe me that's fine, but don't go calling me a liar. If you will excuse me, I suddenly lost my appetite." and he left the home and all his friends. As he started to walk back to the gate, he saw movement to his right, and saw Ginny sitting with who he thought was Dean Thomas. They were talking, and Dean was holding a book. All of a sudden he leaned in and blocked Harry's view of Ginny, as he kissed her. What started out as the best day yet for Harry, turned sour in a hurry. He ran from the Burrow, with out a look back. If he had, he would have seen Ginny slap Dean in the face.

"I don't know what that was all about Dean, but I did not appreciate it."

"I was just thanking you for helping me with my homework Ginny. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Well, maybe not to you, but it meant something to me. I don't like you like that Dean. I like you as a friend. I like someone else, and if he had seen this, I'm afraid he would have gotten the wrong idea. Never do it again Dean, ever."

"Like I said, I'm sorry Ginny. Now if you will excuse me, I have to be heading home. Good bye." and Dean stood and left. He passed Molly as she came out to look for Harry, and to get Ginny for dinner.

Molly saw the hand print on Dean's face, and knew what that meant. What caused it was what she had to find out, but was fairly sure she knew. Then she wondered if Harry saw it. If he had, then it only made matters worse, after Hermione's compulsion for stating the truth as she knew it. Being a muggleborn, she was not aware of what magic was fully capable of.

Ginny came walking across the fields to see her mum standing there watching Dean leave. She walked over to her. "I'm afraid Dean may not be speaking to me too soon. I slapped him because he kissed me with out my permission,"

Molly nodded, "I thought as much. Do you happen to know if Harry saw the kiss?"

"I didn't know he was here. Where is he?"

"He left about three minutes ago. Him and Hermione got into an argument."

Ginny bit her finger. That was about how long ago Dean kissed her, so it was possible that Harry saw the kiss. She would have to go talk to him to explain to him if he did see it, that it meant nothing.

They walked back into the house to see Luna climbing all over Hermione, telling her what she thought of her comments, "It is none of your business what anyone thinks happened. If Harry said he talked with his mum and dad, then he did, even if was was just in his mind. Are you so cold as to dash any ones hopes or dreams? Are books the only truth to you? Who are you to say it didn't happen the way he said it did? Do you think you know everything there is to know about magic? If you do, then you are unique, as even Albus Dumbledore would never be stupid enough to make that claim."

"I have my right to my own opinion, and I have the right to express that opinion."

"Even at the expense of hurting your friend?" Luna coldly asked.

At this, Hermione started to cry. "That was not what I was wanting to do. I wanted Harry to understand that emotions can cause strange feelings and thoughts. He could have heard what he wanted or needed to hear from his parents because of these emotions."

"Well, as you can plainly see, you did hurt him. Hermione, Harry needs understanding right now, not lectures on how to be normal. What is normal, anyway? I know you don't see me as normal. You don't see Ron's eating habits as normal. You don't see Ginny's quiddditch addiction as normal. Don't you see, in your eyes, no one is normal. We all have our discrepancies. The difference is, we have come to accept your look on things, where as Harry has no memories of them. Do you call your obsession with books normal?"

Hermione had been waiting for that one, but she still had no answer for it, "No, I don't. But it is all I have to keep me sane."

"It's the same for all of us Hermione. Well except for Ron's eating habits. That is kind of gross. But that is another thing all together. Harry heard his parents, and you told him he was fooling himself he he believed it." Luna looked around the table to see the reaction of the others and her eyes fell on Ginny's, who appeared to be crying. "Ginny, are you all right?"

"No Luna, I think Harry caught Dean kissing me. And after what I just heard from you, I don't think Harry is in a right state of mind. Mum, I need to go see Harry and explain to him what he saw was wrong. I also think that I need a traveling companion. You Hermione need to go with me. You have even more explaining to do then I do. What could you have been thinking?"

Sirius stood up. "I think you need more than Hermione to go with you. I should go as well. Harry will not want to see either of you, if you don't go with a mediator. Molly, I don't know how long we will be, but I think this has to be done now, before Harry has a chance to build himself into a full blown out break of emotional magic."

Molly agreed, and watched as the three left the Burrow for the Aparation point.

When they arrived, Sirius could sense that the Lair was empty. He was about ready to leave for Black Manor, when Luna and Arthur appeared. Luna thanked him, and Arthur turned and was gone. "Harry isn't home is he?"

"No Lou, he isn't. I was just ready to take the girls to Black Manor."

"You won't find him there either Sirius. I think I know where he is. Come on, follow me."

Luna led the three to the cemetery, and Sirius understood where she was taking them, he showed them the way to James and Lily's graves. This was where he found Harry laying on the ground crying. Luna left them and went running to Harry to pick him up and pull him into a hug. He held her tight saying, "Why am I here Luna? Why am I alive, and they are dead? Why couldn't It have been me to die and them to live? You heard Hermione. I'm insane Luna. I hear dead people talking. It has to be true. Hermione knows everything there is to know about everything. Only you rival her for sheer brilliance. Am I insane sis? Am I nuts, crazy, loony, abnormal, imbalanced and other wise unfit for society?"

Luna laughed as she cried, "Harry, you are as sane as I am, if that means anything. Harry, listen to me, there are some people here who wish to talk to you, and explain a few things. I want you to listen to them, please. Especially one. It is important you know something about a certain situation."

"Are you sure they are safe around me? My affliction may be contagious."

This time Luna did laugh, with out the tears. "I'm pretty sure they will be fine. The first one you need to talk to is Hermione Harry."

"NO, Not her. I am not ready to see her and don't know when, if ever, that will be."

"Harry listen to me, Hermione forgot who she was talking to. She never meant to hurt you. You have to get to know her again to understand, if she doesn't read it in a book, or if the book tells her otherwise, then she will believe the book over her friends. To her, a book never lies. And in a way, she is right, but only to the extent that the book may not know the whole truth."

Hermione heard this and for the first time in her life she felt different about books. What Luna said made so much sense that she couldn't believe she based her entire life on what she read.

"So, you think she may have been a little hasty in her talk with me?"

From behind him, he heard Hermione's voice, "No Harry, not a little. I was completely out of line with what I said. Harry, I am so sorry for the way I acted just a bit ago. I am so used to being around the Weasleys and Luna, that I forgot what you had just gone through. They are used to my ranting. What Luna just said, woke me up to reality. Books do not hold all the answers. No single source holds all the answers. Life is a mystery that has yet to be unraveled. There are many things that go unexplained. Please forgive me Harry. I am truly sorry for what I said."

"So, you don't think I'm crazy Hermione?"

"Yes I do Harry, but the same goes for all of us. We believe in magic. Who in their right mind could believe that."

"A valid point. But just to let you know, my mum agrees with you. She married James didn't she?"

Harry heard a bark of a laugh once again come from behind him, "Is that you Pads? Who else is here I don't know about?"

Then the second sweetest sound he heard in the last half hour made her presence known, "Me Harry. I'm afraid you saw something that wasn't meant to be. Harry, Dean kissing me caught me unaware, and was not wanted. I told him so, by slapping him in the face."

This was the first that Hermione and Luna had heard about this, and Hermione sucked in her breath, while Luna was rolling around the ground in laughter. Sirius joined her with this, as it was the first time he heard it as well.

Harry sat through this with a straight face. "Then why did he kiss you, if you have no feelings for him Gin?"

There it was again, his nickname for her. The one she loved to hear so much, but only from him. "I had helped him with his summer home work assignment, and it was his way of saying thank you. I told him I did not appreciate his way of thanks, and told him to never do it again. I told him I liked him as a friend, and that was it. I told him I fancied someone else."

This just broke his heart. "Well, that explains the slap then, doesn't it. This bloke has to be a very lucky guy to have someone as faithful as you."

"He would be, if he knew. I don't think he does, as he hasn't shown me he cares as yet. I am waiting for him though."

Harry smiled at the beautiful red haired goddess, "Well, I hope he pulls his head out of his arse soon, as he is missing something special here."

Ginny dipped her head, "I hope so too Harry, I really do."

Harry was ready to get up, when his mum got his attention, "Harry, I can't believe you are that slow. Did you not hear what she just told you?"

"HUH?"

"You really are you father's son. Harry, Ginny just poured her heart out to you. She told you something she would never tell another boy. Why? Because she wanted the boy she liked to know she liked him. It's you Harry. Ginny likes you."

This time Harry's thoughts reached his mouth, "WHAT?"

"I said, I hope so too Harry."

"No, not you Gin. My mum just told me something I couldn't believe."

"What was that Harry?" Ginny wanted to know.

"Nothing. Honestly nothing Gin."

Ginny's head lowered again, "Oh, OK then. Sirius, could you take us home now, please?"

Luna stood up and went to join her friends when Harry took her hand, "Luna could you say awhile please?"

Luna saw the pleading look in his eyes, and agreed. Ginny took it another way, and was ready to break out crying, as Sirius took her and Hermione back to the Burrow. She ran up the stairs to shut her self up in her room.

Harry and Luna made it back to the Lair, and Harry sat her down, "Luna, my mum told me that it was me that Ginny was talking about. It can't be, can it? I mean she just met me. Sure, I like her, but she can't like me back."

Luna looked at Harry for a moment, then pulled him into one of her hugs that he liked so much. "Harry, why can't you believe that Ginny likes you? Why is it so hard to comprehend? Do you know how much you hurt her just now. You chose me over her. She doesn't realize what our relationship is, and thinks you chose me over her. Come on, let's go back to the Burrow, and you can talk it out with her."

"I can't Luna, not right now. I have to sort things out before I commit. I like Gin a lot, I really do. But I don't know if I love her."

"Will you listen to your self. You don't want to talk to her because you don't know if you love her. How the heck are you going to know if you lover her, if you don't talk to her? Really Harry, you don't have to make it harder than it really is. If everyone waited until they fell in love before they talked to a person, then we wouldn't have any marriages. Think about it Harry." and Luna left him there thinking about what his sister just said. He didn't even know she left, he was so deep in thought.