Chapter four is up! I'm very happy. I hope you all liked the last chapter; it gives character to the friendship of Luna and Ginny. It shows how close they are, and the hurt/comfort thing is going on. So… R&R please. :)

"Hey, Luna?" I asked softly into the darkness.

"Yes, love," she replied quietly.

"Do you love me?" I asked.

"Of course, with all of my heart," she said dreamily.

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She yawned slowly, stretching her arms over her head and then went back to holding me. The night air was cold, and I was beginning to want to go inside to the warmth of her bed -- our bed.

"You're shivering," she noted.

I looked down at myself; I was shivering.

"Do you want to go inside?"

"I suppose," I responded.

Luna got up, and helped me up. I loved her; she was the best friend I had ever had. She always took care of me, and I think she liked me a bit, sometimes. It was the things she did, holding my hand, calling me her love. The little things. Nevertheless, I loved her just the same. But my feelings for her were platonic. Just friendly kissing… and touching.

"Come on, then."

We made our way inside, and I immediately bounced onto the couch, in front of the fireplace. I was feeling warmer already. Luna plopped down beside me and laid her head in my lap. I played with her hair quietly and she snuggled against me. Not long after we had begun to cuddle on the couch, I heard a pecking at the window. We both looked up to see Artemis at the window, flapping her wings and pecking softly.

Luna got up and opened the window. Artemis flew in and landed on my lap. She stuck her leg out. I assumed it was a letter from Hermione because of the loopy handwriting. I opened it, my heart pounding.

Dear Ginny,

Why do you have to be this way all the time? I don't understand what I did wrong. Why do you hate me so much? Please just come back. I miss you. You're my best friend. Please come back, or at least write back with an appropriate response that doesn't include you yelling at me.

Love, Hermione

P.S., Charlie's writing back to you. He's sending Pig with the letter right now.

I sighed and threw the letter into the fireplace.

"You can go back, Artemis. I'm not writing back. But thank you," I said, stroking the tiny owl on her head softly.

She hooted softly and flew on her way. I hugged Luna close.

"She basically told me that she misses me, I'm her best friend and she doesn't understand why I'm acting this way," I told Luna softly. I was all cried out from earlier, and couldn't cry anymore.

"You know, for one of Hogwarts' top students, she's rather dumb."

I smiled softly. "Yes, I suppose so."

I yawned tiredly, and curled up against Luna. I was warm now, and needed a good nap.

"Do you want to sleep for a bit?" Luna asked, reading my mind.

"A bit," I said tiredly.

She slid an arm around my torso, and it felt so different from when Hermione did it. It was normal, comfortable… safe. Quickly, I fell into a dreamless sleep. I didn't dream very often, which, I suppose was a good thing. When I woke up, it was to excited yelling. I jerked awake and looked around, alarmed.

"Oh, damn. I'm sorry, Gin. I got a bit excited there," Luna told me.

"It's okay," I yawned, stretching. "What's going on?"

"Father's gone and gotten me an owl!"

"Oh?" I said, interested. I sat up and yawned again. "What kind, then?"

"A tawny owl. I'm going to name her Nyx."

"That's a nice name," I told her groggily.

"Isn't it? It's originated from a sort of sprite."

"Really?" I smiled.

Luna nodded happily and bent down, out of sight. When she rose up again, it was after a bit of clattering and with a brown Tawny owl.

"Well, hello there," I said, beginning to wake up.

The owl hooted softly. Luna smiled brightly. I stretched once more and stood up.

"So, now what?"

"I have to owl someone; anyone, really."

I laughed. She was so excited, and it was rather cute.

"There's no one to owl, hun."

"Oh… I suppose you're right."

I smiled a bit. "You should let her fly for a bit. You know, let her get used to the surroundings."

"Yes, that would be a good idea."

Luna rubbed Nyx's head softly. "This is your home for the summer and holidays, okay? Return here whenever you get a letter for me or if you want to rest a bit or eat. I'm always here if you need love, okay?" she told Nyx softly.

Nyx hooted a few times and flapped her wings.

"Off you go then," Luna said, lifting her arm. "Safe flight."

Nyx took off, out the window and into the darkness.

"Do you think it's time to call it a night, love?"

"Maybe, what time is it?"

"About 10."

I nodded and she led me up to her bedroom. Luna and I always slept naked, so we undressed what little clothes we had on and curled up in bed together. I wondered all of a sudden if Luna had any more feelings for me than I had for her.

"Luna?" I said softly.

"Yes, love," she yawned.

"We're… just friends, right?"

"Friends, yes. Lovers, yes. Dating, no. Does that answer your question?" she asked with a stretch.

"I… Do you have feelings for me, Luna?"

"Not as more than just a friend, dear. But I do love you to death. You are truly the best friend I have ever had, and I intend to keep it that way for many years to come."

"So… how did this all start? Us, I mean."

"I'm not quite sure, really. We just… became friends with benefits. No strings attached. And even if we stopped doing this, I'm quite sure we'd still be close as ever."

"Do you think so?"

"I know so, love."

"Okay."

I snuggled into her and she snuggled back. I was rather worried before this little chat that she had some sort of romantic feelings for me. It would have hurt her terribly to know I was with her just to comfort myself from Hermione. Then it struck me. What did she get out of this?

"Luna? What do you get out of us doing this?"

"Well, I feel loved in a sense. I feel important and needed… Don't you?"

"Yes," I smiled, relieved. I'm glad we were on the same wavelength.

"Ginny?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we just go to sleep now?"

"Sure," I said quietly, and curled myself into her.

She buried her face into the crook of my neck and we lay there, slowly falling asleep. When we woke up, it was to Pig tapping on the window with his beak at about 4 in the morning.

"Go away," I pleaded tiredly, burrowing my face in between Luna's neck and shoulder.

He pecked incessantly, until finally I got up, trying my best not to wake Luna.

"What on earth do you want from me, Pig? It's not even morning yet!" I hissed as quietly as I could.

He hooted loudly, and Luna stirred.

"Shut up, Pig," I whispered and took the letter from his leg. I left it on the beside and opened the window wider so he could fly away if he so desired. He decided not to. Instead he flew around the room excitedly, hooting loudly. Luna sat up, rubbing one eye tiredly.

"What's going on?" she asked groggily.

"Someone's wrote to me. I'm sorry. This bloody owl gets excited sometimes after he makes deliveries."

"It's quite all right," she yawned and lay back down, turning a lamp on at the same time.

"Calm down, Pig!" I hissed, flapping my hands at him.

I opened the letter.

Ginny,

Hermione's fallen incredibly ill. We're not sure what's caused it. Might be one of George's sweets; you know how he liked to experiment with them when he lived here. Anyway, Hermione wishes to see you as soon as possible. This is not a joke. Please come as soon as you can.

Love, Charlie

I sighed and folded the letter up.

"What's happened, love?"

"Hermione's fallen rather ill, and wants to see me. I really don't want to go," I told Luna, crawling back into bed. Pig had finally calmed down.

Luna hugged me tightly. "Do you want me to go with you for a few days, love?"

"That'd be nice…"

"All right. When would you like to go?"

"Never. I want to stay here with you for the rest of my life and pretend that everything is fine and merry."

Luna smiled, her face silhouetted by the light of the small lamp she had turned on.

"Well, we have to go sometime."

"I suppose… We'll go in the morning, okay?"

"All right, then," she smiled again, hugging me tightly to her.

I fell asleep quickly, but it was a restless sleep. Nevertheless, I got the rest I needed, and woke up around 11 the next morning. Luna was already up and making breakfast for us. I gathered my clothes and got dressed slowly, sluggishly, and went to brush my teeth. When I came out, Luna was setting up eggs, bacon, hash browns and orange juice on the table.

"Talk about amazing," I grinned tiredly, wiping the sleep out of my eyes.

Luna smiled proudly and pulled me to the table.

"I hope you enjoy it," she beamed at me.

"I'm sure I will, I always have," I told her, smiling back.

We ate quickly and I noted something; Luna was still naked.

"Do you plan on going like that to meet my mum and dad?" I grinned.

"Not at all. I intend to get dressed… but I have to shower first."

"I might join you," I smiled, genuinely innocently.

She nodded, and I got up with her. We washed our plates the muggle way, and made our way to the shower.

"Luna?" a man's voice called.

Luna's eyes widened and she ran to her room, stark naked.

"In here father, getting ready to shower!"

A man walked in, rather tall, but with a big belly, and blonde hair like Luna's, though he was balding.

"Oh, hello, Ginny," said Xenophilius Lovegood.

"Hello," I said nervously.

Luna walked out of her room in a bath robe.

"Father, Ginny and I were just about to shower, and go back to her house. A friend of ours has fallen ill and we were going to visit her," said Luna smoothly.

"Oh, all right, then," Mr. Lovegood said. "And you're undressed, because…?"

"Oh, you know Ginny and I," Luna said casually.

Luna's father nodded; somehow he knew all about what we were up to for the past few years. Even though Luna's father was a very nice, albeit odd person, he always made me nervous. Perhaps it was that he tried to succumb to Lord Voldemort's wishes and turn Harry, Ron and Hermione in to Voldemort, but I never knew what to expect from him. I followed Luna into the shower. Quickly, we showered and got dressed without messing around and made it to my house without speaking to Mr. Lovegood again.

But stepping out of my fireplace, I heard weak, hoarse coughing and footsteps.

"Ginny?"