-Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling

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Loony for Luna: Forever from the Ashes

Chapter Seven

Cause and Reaction

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January 2nd

Dear Luna,

I just got back from Kings Cross and I have to admit, I feel like hell. I'm glad that I went to see you off after all, even though I said last night that I wouldn't be there. You're right, you do have every right to go to a party with a friend and I hope you will forgive me for being so stupid about the whole thing.

I miss you already,

I Love You,

George

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January 8th

Dear Luna,

It's snowing here again, the shop has been really slow lately, now that all of you lot are back at school. Seems like I have hours and hours to stand around and stare into space...and miss you.

Be sure to tell me when they schedule your next Hogsmeade visit and I'll come up...unless you would rather go with someone else that is.

I Love you,

George

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January 13th

Dear Luna,

My fault? Holy hell...You're blaming me!? You really think the Wizengamot would convict on that?

Okay, fine, I suppose I am still a little angry about it. I know you don't agree, but I think I have every right to be a little upset about the fact that my girlfriend went on a date with someone else. I can't believe Harry told you about that! Tell him for me to get over it already...it was ages ago and you were never even his in the first place! Besides, it was Fred's idea not mine.

I Love you,

George

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January 13th

Dear Luna,

George just came stomping into my room and demanded that I write to you and tell you that the whole thing about George stealing you from Harry was my idea. There, now I have. Throw the dog a bone would you? He's been a pathetic miserable sod since you left.

I miss you by the way, hope your staying out of trouble.

Love,

Fred

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January 18th

Dear Luna,

Sorry I didn't write back right away. We had a small explosion in the shop and it took us a couple days to put everything right again. Guess we really should work on our new products up in the flat instead of down there...we lost our whole muggle magic display and had to replace everything.

Look, I'm sorry about this whole Harry thing. It just bothers me. I've been giving it some thought and I think it's because of I thought last spring, that you two were together and that he was the thing that was standing between us. The really stupid thing is that after watching him with Ginny over Christmas I totally see what you're talking about. He really is hopelessly besotted with her...poor bloke, from every thing I hear she's pretty cozy with Dean Thomas. But then again, from what Ron says I need to kick his ass to teach him to keep his grubby hands off my sister.

I Love you,

George

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January 23,

Dear Luna,

OKAY! I get the point! Please stop chewing me out. I hate to think of you being so angry with me...and not just because Snape is teaching you all kinds of hexes. Look, I can't say that it will ever be okay with me that you went to that party with Harry, and I guess your right, it is because I am jealous. But I am truly sorry, I hope you will forgive me, because I love you and miss you like mad.

I love you,

George

P.S. Fred wants to know why you've stopped sending your love when you write...he thinks you might be mad at him over the whole stealing you from Harry thing.

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February 4th

Dear Luna,

I don't know what to say except that I feel exactly the same as you do. Seeing you yesterday was wonderful, really, really wonderful. I saw your dad today and he mentioned that if I wanted to I could pick you up next month so you can spend Easter break at home, instead of staying at the school like usual. I know that they must be really piling the homework on you with your O.W.L.S coming up in June, so if you need to stay behind to study, I understand. But you can always study at home too...I won't bother you...much.

It's really quiet here right now. Fred's gone off to visit Angelina and he won't be back until late, I'm in the shop, but we haven't had a customer all morning. I think we might start closing on Sunday's, we rarely have anyone come in and more and more shops are boarding up their windows and closing. Mr. Handley, the man who ran the little muggle toy shop came up missing this past week and people are getting more and more scared.

I worry about you, up at the school, taking classes from Snape. I know he's in the Order, but Fred and I agree...leopards don't change their spots.

Please be careful...I mean very, very careful. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you.

I miss you, and I love you,

George

---

Luna lay the stack letters back in the box, covered it and, used her wand to send the box back to her old trunk and lock it. She was seriously regretting having asked Ginny to fetch them for her when she had stayed with her the afternoon before.

WHY did she keep doing this to herself? Was she missing the back pain so much that she had to inflict emotional pain in its place?

It had been a week since she came home from the hospital and already George was showing signs of stress over the situation. He spent huge amounts of time outside, as far away from her as possible. When she asked, he only said that he was working on finishing what she started, cleaning up the mess left behind by the explosion.

"Oy."

Luna's head shot up to see George standing in the doorway.

"Hello." She forced a smile, even though her heart was still dripping in pain.

"Ready?" He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Ready?" She echoed

"To start your exercises." George rolled his eyes "You're days as a lazy layabout are over."

Luna sighed deeply. She'd known Healer Kenning had told George that they could start today and she'd been nervous about it ever since. He'd warned her that in the beginning they would be quite painful as her muscles hadn't been used for a little over a week and the new muscle and tissue would need to be stretched. Unfortunately, he had also refused to give her anything for pain to numb her during exercise, telling her that she needed the pain to use as a guide for what she could do.

"Can't it wait for tomorrow?" she plead

"No, Miss Procrastination, it can't wait." He grinned in, what Luna felt, was an extremely masochistic way as he pulled the blankets away from her legs. He pulled her pillows and backrest away so she was laying flat on her back, then went to stand at the end of the bed.

"Okay. Get ready." He warned

"I don't want to." she closed her eyes and whimpered "It's going to hurt."

George sighed then moved back to kneel at the side of the bed. The thought of causing her pain ate at him. He was sure that he would turn and run if she so much as flinched, but he knew that she needed to do this. He consoled himself with the knowledge that once her muscles got use to the movement it would hurt far less.

"I know it's going to hurt." He gently brushed the hair from her face as he spoke. "But you HAVE to do this."

"I know...but..."

"No buts." He shook his head "You're going to do this and your going to get stronger and every day it is going to hurt less."

She opened her eyes and looked into his. She had never failed to find comfort in the soft, light brown and this day was no exception.

"I can do this." She nodded, finding courage in his eyes.

"You can do this." He smiled as he pulled himself back to his feet."Just think about sitting in that nice hot water once your done."

"Hot water." she smiled "Getting really clean...and washing my hair."

George moved back to the foot end of the bed. He wasn't looking forward to the bath anywhere near as much as she was. He had yet to help her with that, as she had been forced to endure sponge baths for the past week. But along with the okay to begin exercising had come the okay to get up into a wheelchair and to go into the tub for heat therapy to ease the irritation in her muscle caused by exercising.

Luna would be wearing a large towel held shut by only a small strip of Velcro that Molly had fashioned. She would leave it on while he helped her into the tub and to wash her hair. Then, he would leave her alone while she washed and relaxed in the hot water. When she was done she would pull the plug, then use her wand to dry the tub and slip on clean pajama's. Then, he would return and help her into the wheelchair.

Supposedly, it was failsafe against George ever seeing her naked...but George thought that strip of Velcro looked terribly flimsy.

"Okay, get ready." He said, his voice sharper than he had intended.

"Don't be so pushy." She gave him a cross look.

"Sorry." he grinned sheepishly as he took hold of her ankle "Ready? Take a deep breath."

She nodded, her eyes wide and afraid. George slowly lifted her leg, lifting it a few inches.

"Ow!" She exclaimed as pain shot up her back.

"It's okay. Take deep breaths." He urged as he brought her leg up straight, then bent the knee.

Luna nodded. The pain was horrible, worse than it had been after she had re-injured herself the week before. She felt involuntary tears slide from the corners of her eyes and into her hair.

"It hurts George." She whimpered "It hurts really, really bad!"

"I know." his voice was soft, gentle as he unbent her knee and lowered her leg and left it to lay flat on the bed again, hating that he had to do it again. He gave her a minute, then repeated the exercise nine more times, then crawled onto the bed to do the other leg.

"Would you like to take a little rest before we do the other side?" She nodded and he slid down, propping himself on his elbow. "You okay?"

"Yeah." she nodded "This is horrible."

"It will be better tomorrow." He smiled and took her hand.

She looked at him skeptically "You think so?"

"I hope so." George grinned "This is exhausting."

Luna looked at him like she wanted to slug him. "Don't make me hex you."

He laughed softly and squeezed her hand "You're looking pretty defenseless at the moment. I don't think I have much to worry about."

"You wait." She warned him, giving him a menacing glare. "My wand won't always be across the room."

"Remind me then to be scared." He snickered as he let go of her hand and sat himself upright again. "Ready?"

"No!" She grimaced as George got up on his knees and took hold of her ankle.

"C'mon Luna, you can do this." He gave her a soft encouraging look. "I have faith in you."

She nodded and grit her teeth.

- - -

"Now comes the fun part." He smiled as he dug in the basket atop her dresser for one of the towels that Molly had made.

"I get to get out of bed...and clean." She said happily. "Bring it on."

"It's really gorgeous outside today" He found a towel and brought it to her, then turned around to face the wall as she slid her pajama's off and put it on. "I thought maybe after your bath, you might like to get outside for a little while."

"Oh George..." She sighed blissfully "That would be ever so lovely. Okay, you can turn now."

George was extremely pleased to see that the towel covered her from her chest to just under her knees.

"Okay." He sighed as he bent down and scooped her off the bed, then carried her from the bedroom and into the bathroom. As he bent to put her into the tub the Velcro on the towel caught on his shirt and the towel tore open, baring her from the waist up.

George froze, feeling like his eyes were about to explode, his heart hammering wildly against his ribcage. Luna gasped and pulled the towel back into place.

"Um...er..." George fought to clear his mind, to find something intelligible to say. He turned away and reached for the shampoo. "Let's g..get your hair w..washed, shall we?"

Luna blushed from the roots of her hair to her toes "Yes...t..that would b..be good."

He knelt down by the tub and poured a huge amount of shampoo into his hand.

"George?" Luna, despite her embarrassment, grinned "You've forgotten to turn the water on."

His head shot up from where he was working the shampoo between his hands "Huh?"

"Water." She said simply "Bit of a basic necessity when bathing."

"Oh...right." he said with a small grin of his own as he bent to the end of the tub and turned the water on.

Luna felt as if she were in heaven as the hot water crept up her body. When at last it was full, George helped her wet her hair, then poured a generous amount of shampoo into his hands and, finally, washed her hair. Once the soap was rinsed out completely he handed her a bar of soap and a wash cloth, then lay her wand and her clean pajama's on the floor next to the tub where they would be in her reach.

"There." He said as he stood and reached for a towel, his back to her, and dried his hands. "Need anything else before I leave you alone?"

"Just this." Luna said as he turned around.

"Bombarda Maxima" Luna grinned hugely as a big wave of water flew from the tub and drenched George. He opened his eyes to see her grinning madly.

"Wha...what the hell was that for?" He spluttered, wiping the water from his face and looking for all the world like a drowned rat.

Her grin turned incredibly smug. "I told you my wand wouldn't always be across the room."

He stood there a moment, his mouth opening and closing as he struggled to find something to say to counter her. Then he turned away and stomped out of the bathroom.

Luna laughed as she heard him from behind the closed door.

"Damn....cheeky little..."

-

Luna sighed appreciatively as George sat behind her, brushing the tangles gently from her hair. She was still in the tub, though to George's considerable relief, she was fully dressed in clean pajama's. George had had to help her wiggle into the bottoms, and he'd kept his eyes so tightly closed that he'd seen stars.

"That feels so nice." She moaned appreciatively as the brush now ran through her hair, free of tangles.

George had thought the tangles would never end. It was nearly as hard for him to brush her hair as it had been for him to hurt her while exercising. When they'd been together he had spent hours brushing his fingers through her hair, playing with the wild ringlets that lay against her back and it was one of the things that he missed most about her.

Coming on the heels of her accidental exposure as it did, George felt as if he had died and gone to hell...if hell rested in the middle of heaven that is.

"Oh!" She groaned as George set the brush aside "No...don't stop."

"I have to stop." He smiled "If I don't you'll never get to see your surprise."

"Surprise?" Luna's eyes shot open "You never said anything about a surprise."

"Didn't I?" He said as he bent down to pick her up "Guess I forgot to mention it." He sat her gently in the chair. "Remember now..rules say you have to tell me if your back starts to hurt."

"Yes sir." Luna gave him mock salute "Now tell me about this surprise."

"If I tell you, it won't be a surprise."

"You're not about to drop me in a mud pile or something are you?" She bit her lip as George wheeled her through the large room of the tent.

"Now..." His tone was exasperated "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Revenge of course...for the drenching I gave you." Luna grinned, temporarily blinded by the sudden brightness as they went from the shadow of the tent to the bright sunlight outside.

"I'm not like some people." He sounded properly affronted "I don't do revenge."

He grinned behind her back. He certainly DID do revenge...he just hadn't had the proper amount of time to come up with something worthy of the infraction he was avenging.

"Liar." Luna laughed "Oh George...thanks for bringing me out here...it feels so nice to breathe fresh air again."

"Ready for your surprise?" His voice was just above a whisper in her ear

"Oh yes!" She said excitedly "Gimme."

"Close your eyes...and no peeking."

Luna obliged and felt herself rocked gently as George pushed her from the entrance of the tent.

"Can I open them yet?" She asked as she stopped moving

"Yes."

Luna opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was a huge wall. Her eyes slid over the bricks until they came to a window, and then a door.

"George..." her voice was near to breaking "What is this...?"

"It's just a shell right now." He knelt down next to her "I used the bricks from your old house. I thought it would give me something to do. I need something keep me out of trouble you see."

"You're..." Her voice broke and she felt as if she might choke with the emotion she was feeling "You're building me a house?"

"You can't expect to live in that tent forever." he shrugged "I thought it would be nice for your father too...to have a home to return to."

"You incredible, amazing person." Fat tears rolled down her face as she turned to him, cupped his face in her hands and pulled him toward her. She kissed his cheek and George felt the side of his face burst into flames.

"It's just four walls Luna." He stared into her eyes, desperately fighting his desire to kiss her "No one has ever been sainted for building a house as far as I know."

She pulled her hands away, embarrassed by the fact that she had kissed him. "You should be the first then."

He laughed loudly as he stood, remembering his reaction to seeing her almost totally naked "I'm far from a saint."

She took his hand and held it tightly "You are to me."

George couldn't help but smile back.

-

Luna stood before him, clothed in nothing but moonlight. His voice was frozen in his throat, his mind completely blank. The only thing he was cognizant of was desire.

"Luna..." he whispered as he pulled her to his own naked body. His lips were drawn to the crook of her neck and her skin tasted sweeter than anything he had ever encountered at Honeydukes sweet shop. "I want you...I need you...so badly."

His voice was soft against her neck as he lowered her to the floor.

She smiled up at him.

"George..." she whispered into his ear as she lay back, pulling him with her "make love to me."

George's eyes shot open, his breathing hard as his chest thumped wildly.

A dream...it was only a dream.

His body throbbed, responding fully to his dream and screaming at him to go to her and make the dream reality.

But even if he wanted to, he couldn't. Luna was in no shape for the things he longed to do. Besides...it would mean telling her that he still desperately loved her.

He fell back against the damp pillows.

He was definitely in hell now.

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Chapter Eight Preview

George spends more

and more time working on the house.

Tortured by the dream, exercise (and bath time)

becomes more and more torturous, and Luna wonders

what could be causing him to be in such

a foul mood.

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