Title: I'll See You at Dinner

Rating: T

Pairing: Fred/Luna

Genre: Angst/Fluff/War/Romance

Summary: Fred had never noticed Luna, until the day he was asked to deliver homework to the Ravenclaw common room. Now he thinks he might be in love. But an intense battle against the Death Eaters could change everything.

Beta love to my beta who shall remain anonymous until after the reveals

This is a part of an anonymous contest and will remain so until after the contest has been voted on and reveals are finished.

We would like to acknowledge that all of the writers know that the Harry Potter characters, locations and any plot lines used are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No profit is being made, and no copyright infringement is intended.


Luna sat wistfully on the flagstone floor in the long corridor, her back leaning against the cold stone wall, staring dreamily off into space. From behind the door of the Ravenclaw common room next to her came the giggles and whispers of immature teenage girls; but she heard none of it.

Luna knew she was different; and she was proud of it. This moment, though unexpectedly given, was quietly appreciated. The feeling of being alone, but not lonely, of having the entire world to herself, of being the master of her own dreams and adventures, was more than she could have hoped for.

Sitting there, on her own, Luna was free.

oOo

Fred Weasley grumbled under his breath as he trudged up the tall spiral stone staircase to Ravenclaw Tower. Professor Flitwick had sent him up to find a first year student who had left her homework behind in Charms class. "Don't suppose he could have done this himself," he murmured under his breath in annoyance, slightly out of breath from the stairs.

The staircases didn't seem to be moving today, so he'd had to walk up every single one by himself. Reaching the top of the staircase, Fred stopped at the top to catch his breath.

Then he saw her.

Fred had never really noticed Luna. She wasn't in Gryffindor, so he didn't see her a lot, and when she was attending the Dumbledore's Army gatherings she was quiet and shy and kept to herself. Looking at her now, he realised what he was missing. She leaned gracefully against the wall, her chin tilted back slightly, her eyes, deep grey, staring blankly at nothing.

Cascades of silvery blonde hair fell around her face and over her shoulders. She didn't look up as he approached, until he coughed to indicate his presence.

"Hi, Luna."

oOo

Luna, startled out of her dream state, jumped and looked up. "Oh, hello Fred," she said in her song-like voice.

Fred smiled at her. "Is this seat taken?" he asked, gesturing to the space on the floor beside her. She shook her head, and he sat down.

After a few seconds of companionable silence, Fred had a sudden realisation. He turned to her. "You knew!"

Luna looked justifiably confused at this exclamation. "Well. I know lots of things, Fred. But what specifically did I know on this occasion?" The smile on her face was reflected in her eyes.

Fred stared at her. "You knew it was me, and not George."

Now Luna laughed, a silvery peal of laughter that sounded like faeries dancing over a bubbling brook. "Well, of course I knew it was you!"

It was Fred's turn to look confused. Luna explained. "You're slightly taller than George. Not much, but a little. You have a dimple in your chin when you smile, George doesn't. You have a scar on your skin just here," and she laid her fingers instinctively on his jaw, "and you are a little louder and more outgoing than George."

Fred felt his breath catch in his throat at her soft touch. How on earth had he not noticed this girl before?

"You know me better than I do," He said, only half joking.

Luna smiled sweetly. "I just notice the small things that people don't look for, that nobody thinks are important."

After a few more minutes of silence, Fred couldn't keep the question in any longer. "Luna, why are you sitting outside your common room? Isn't it far more comfortable inside?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "Oh, there's some first year girls pushing against the door. I got the riddle right, but I can't open it. I figure if I sit out here and wait, they'll get bored and leave. I don't mind, really Fred," she hastily added as she saw the look on his face turn to anger, "it's nice to have a little space and silence to just dream sometimes, don't you think?" Fred shook his head in wonder. She really was a glass half full kind of girl.

Then Fred remembered what he was supposed to be doing in the first place and jumped to his feet. He offered a hand out to Luna, which she accepted, and he pulled her up. Even standing, she was small. The top of her fair head just reached his broad shoulders. He held on to that hand just a little longer than was usual.

"Erm, Luna, do you know who this student is?" he asked a little breathlessly, this time not because of the stairs, as he showed her a slip of paper with the name Millicent Johnson written on it.

She nodded emphatically. "Yes that's Millie, one of the first years. If we can get into the common room I'll find her for you."

"Oh, don't you worry, Luna. We're getting into the common room," Fred declared with confidence.

Luna rapped the bronze eagle-shaped knocker smartly. The knocker replied in a sing-song rhythmic voice:

"I was taken from a mine,

Shut in a wooden case,

I cannot be released,

And yet I'm commonplace."

Fred stared at the knocker in utter confusion. "What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

Luna furrowed her brow for a few seconds and then grinned. "A pencil!" she cried triumphantly.

Fred stared at her incredulously. "You know, Luna, I'm slightly worried about you. How did you get that from...well. That."

Luna grinned mischievously, her eyes twinkling at him. "Have a little think, Fred. I promise you, it's not that difficult." The door latch clicked, indicating that she had said the correct solution, and she tried to push the door in.

Fred was getting angrier and angrier. He felt his temper rising and the blood rush to his face. How dare they treat her like this. "Luna," he said quietly, "Stand aside."

Luna saw the quiet anger in his face and offered no resistance. Fred used every inch of his lanky but deceptively powerful frame and collided with the door. The sounds of girlish squeals arose, and when Fred and Luna both entered the common room, they were met by the sight of a heap of young girls sprawled over the floor, and each other, in complete disarray.

Fred, assuming an air of self-righteous superiority, glared at them. "Which one of you undignified, rude, petty little children is Millie Johnson?" After a brief pause, during which the girls were made to feel thoroughly sorry for themselves under Fred's furious and examining gaze. The girl named Millie Johnson meekly disentangled herself and stood up.

Fred held her homework out to her as if it carried a bad small and several diseases. "From Professor Flitwick," he said sharply. "Now. Stand up, every single one of you."

The girls stood. "You will all apologise to Luna before I report you to Professor Flitwick." The girls filed past Fred and Luna offering somewhat sincere apologies to Luna for their horrid behaviour.

When they had all gone, Mille Johnson with her homework in hand, Fred glared after them as if boring holes into their backs, then looked down at Luna.

A tear rolled down her cheek, accompanied by a shy smile. "No one has ever done anything like that for me before. Thank you, Fred."

Instinctively, Fred brushed the single tear away with his thumb. "You're welcome, Luna," he whispered, unable to stop himself from staring into her beautiful grey eyes. He was lost in those eyes for what seemed like forever. "I, um...I should...I should go," he stuttered, dropping his hand and stepping back reluctantly.

"I'll...see you at dinner?" Luna nodded and smiled at him. "If the nargles don't steal my shoes again," she said in her sweet Irish lilt.

Fred turned and disappeared down the staircase. Luna's eyes followed him. He had touched her like he cared. He had defended her. There were not many people she could think of who had done that for her. And he almost a complete stranger.

Not any more. Not after that.

The atmosphere between them had been unmistakeable. Her heart fluttered, and she could have sworn she felt it skip a beat. She retreated into the common room, his parting words echoing in her brain.

I'll see you at dinner.

oOo

Sitting in the Gryffindor common room, Fred's mind wandered as far away from 1001 Magical Herbs and Fungi as it could possibly get. He looked over at Hermione, studying hard, her mass of brown curls hiding her pretty face, slumped in a chair over a textbook in a position that looked less than comfortable. Ron and Harry were leaned back against her chair, Ron stuffing his face with cookies surreptitiously acquired from the Hufflepuff common room, Harry deep in the examination of a copy of Quidditch Through the Ages. He thought better of asking them.

George was useless too. He was off in a corner trying to persuade a first year to sample Puking Pustules, and besides, he knew as much about Luna as Fred did. Then his eye caught Ginny. His younger sister was sitting in an oversized armchair, her eyes flickering closed, but waking every now and then to check the time. Fred quietly got up and went over to her. "Oi. Budge up, squirt."

Ginny bristled with rage at the phrase; but calmed down when she saw who it was. "Oh, hi Freddie," she yawned sleepily as she scuttled over so he could squish in next to her, "whaddya want?" She leaned her head comfortably on his shoulder. Fred was suddenly unsure of how to approach the subject. "Well," he began uncertainly, "I wanted to...ask you about...someone."

Ginny immediately sat bolt upright, fully awake. "Ooooo Fred, ooo is it a girl?" she exclaimed, perhaps just a little too loudly. Fred turned a spectacular shade of crimson and covered her mouth with his hand. "Hush you little minx. And...it might be." Ginny grinned wickedly. Fred knew or knew of everybody in Gryffindor. Slytherin students avoided Gryffindor like the Plague. The Hufflepuff crew were nice, but a little...well...boring for Fred. It could only be a Ravenclaw, and there was only one person who Ginny could think of that her brother could possibly be asking about.

Taking a deep breath, she began whispering so only Fred could hear her. "Luna Lovegood, yeah? She's great! A little bit batty, but really sweet. Most people call her Loony Lovegood because she wanders around with ear trumpets trying to find nargles or wrackspurts or some such creature; she thinks they steal her stuff, but in reality it's just those pain in the butt first years. Her mum died when she was a kid; some sort of magic accident apparently. She loves to feed the thestrals in the forest every Thursday afternoon; I can't see them, so I just take her word for it. She hasn't got many friends, but she's so lovely. Her father owns that weird newspaper, The Quibbler I think it's called. They print stuff about things that don't exist, but each to their own. In short Freddie, she's amazing, but be careful with her. She's delicate and fragile."

Fred gaped at her when she was finished. "Did you stop for a breath just now?" Ginny grinned. "When you grow up with six brothers, you have to talk fast to get any words in at all," she teased. Fred smiled at her as he stood up and dropped a kiss on her cheek. "Thanks, Gin," he said wholeheartedly. She winked. "Go get 'em, tiger," she whispered, laughing.

oOo

Fred sat at the long table in the Great Hall reserved for Gryffindor students. He squirmed in his seat, constantly shifting his weight around, unable to sit still. He was surrounded by his friends and teammates, who were in loud and enthusiastic conversation around him, but he was finding it difficult to concentrate. He jumped at a hard elbow in the ribs from George.

"Oi, Freddie. Whaddya reckon?" Fred looked utterly bemused. "Er. What was the question?"

George furrowed his brow, but didn't say anything about his brother's strange behaviour. "Celestina Warbeck. Still got it, or outdated?" Fred offered a half-hearted smile. "Still got it." Lee Jordan high fived him and whooped. George shook his head in resignation, accepting defeat on the topic. Apparently Celestina Warbeck remained a popular fixture on the playlists of teenage boys.

He sat with his eyes glued to the doorway of the Great Hall, replaying the last thing he had said to Luna. The words almost made him cringe.

I'll see you at dinner.

oOo

Luna wandered through the castle in her own world, a dreamy expression on her pretty face. As she reached the Great Hall, her heart started to beat a little faster. Fred would be in there. As soon as she entered, she instinctively searched the long Gryffindor table with her eyes. And then her entire world felt as if it slowed down. The Hall, though bustling and loud, was silent to her ears and her breath caught in her throat. Fred was staring right at her with an intense gaze. She smiled happily at him and then moved to the Ravenclaw table.

Over dinner they were both quiet. No one in Ravenclaw suspected a thing; Luna was often quiet. She kept to herself most of the time. But Gryffindor noticed.

"Ooooo Freddie, someone on your mind?" teased Lee. Fred couldn't help it. His face flushed red right up to the roots of his ginger hair. Oliver Wood and Ron soon got in on the action. Fred sighed and blocked out all the teasing.

Over the crowded room and the constant chatter of excited and rather hungry students, Fred and Luna locked eyes. Luna couldn't help it when a grin spread over her pretty face. He had kept his word.

He'd seen her at dinner.

oOo

Over the next few weeks, Fred and Luna became closer; but still no one knew, except for the eagle-eyed Ginny. Fred often came to Ginny to talk about Luna; what she liked doing, her favourite food, places she enjoyed going...Ginny and Fred, though years apart in age, became closer than they had ever been. Ginny loved it; she had never really felt close to any of her brothers before. But now it was like they had bonded over one very special silvery-haired, softly spoken, sweet girl.

One Saturday morning, bright and early, Fred awoke to an owl tapping softly at the window pane by his head. Half asleep and still a bit dazed, Fred slipped the window open an inch to take the neatly folded letter from the owl's beak. Sitting back down on his bed, he opened it. As he did, a stream of pretty blue butterflies flew up from the paper and swirled around the room, giving him both a fright and a pleasant surprise. Enchanted paper, he thought, shaking his head with a grin. She's good.

Dear Fred,

I know it's very early, and no regular human would ever be awake this early on a weekend. But then, I've never been very regular. I was wondering if you would like to come with me to feed the Thestrals. I haven't seen them in a little while, and I miss them. I will be there, the pale girl in the blue dress.

Love, Luna.

PS. I'll understand if you don't want to come. It is very early.

Love, Luna. She had used the "L" word. Whether she meant it in the way he wanted or not, Fred's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately got into some respectable looking clothes (admittedly, they had come from the dormitory floor, but they did look clean enough) and slid silently out of the dormitory, carrying his shoes in one hand and his coat in the other.

She was there, just as she had said. She stood with her back towards him, her pretty hair falling in cascades around her shoulders. She wasn't wearing any shoes, and she stood in a pale blue short sleeved dress that fell to her knees in a cloud of chiffon. As he got closer, Fred could hear a gentle, melodic singing voice. She was singing softly in a different language; maybe Gaelic? He couldn't tell. But it was mesmerising.

At the sound of his approaching footsteps, Luna turned and boldly offered him her hand. He took her small pale hand in his and clasped it, and they stood in companionable silence for a few minutes.

"Luna, aren't you cold?" At the question, Luna lifted her face to him and smiled. "It's all relative, I suppose. I was cold before. I guess part of me is still a little cold. But holding your hand makes me feel warmer." She said this matter-of-factly, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Fred laughed softly. "Well, warm as I make you feel, I'm still giving you my coat." Luna leaned in to accept the offered item of clothing. "You didn't have to do that." Fred grinned and brought a look of mock offense to his face. "Are you saying you don't like my chivalrous, completely selfless, gentlemanly manners?"

Luna grinned. "I would never."

Fred watched as Luna threw strips of meat to creatures that he couldn't see. He knew they were there, though, because the meat soon disappeared. It somehow scared him; but he felt safe with Luna there. A jolt of pain ripped through his heart as he made a realisation. "You can see them, can't you, Luna." He saw tears welling like dewdrops in her beautiful grey eyes. Not those eyes again. Someone could drown in there. She nodded slightly.

"My mother died when I was nine. Right in front of me. She tried to create a spell; it backfired and she...didn't make it." Her voice broke slightly, but she composed herself quickly. "It was a long time ago. I miss her every day, but it gets a little easier to bear with every passing hour. Especially...recently."

Fred's heart warmed. He was helping her bear her grief. "How did I not notice you for the last five years?" he murmured. "Oh, I'm not very noticeable," Luna replied, "in fact, I'm quite easy to miss. I like to fade into the background."

Fred took her hands and turned her to face him. "Listen to me, Luna Lovegood. I will only say this once. You are noticeable. You radiate goodness, you have the kindest heart of anyone I know and you are so full of positivity it's almost unbelievable. You do not fade into the background. You are the star. I just wish that everyone else could love you as much as I…" his voice trailed off as Luna's eyes widened and she gasped sharply; and then he realised what he had almost said.

Luna grasped his hands tightly and closed her eyes as Fred leaned his forehead against hers. For a split second, she thought he was going to kiss her.

How long the stood in that position, neither of them knew. Luna stood, waiting for Fred to speak. Fred stood, waiting for the courage to repeat those three words. But then, Fred let out a loud exclamation, making Luna jump out of her skin and completely ruining the atmosphere. "Quidditch! We're playing Ravenclaw in exactly thirty two minutes, and I am not ready! Potter is going to kill me!"

He quickly started to walk away, motioning for her to keep the coat. "We'll talk after the game, Luna, I promise, okay?" Luna nodded quickly and then stood and watched his retreating back. Had Fred Weasley been about to tell her that he loved her? The thought made her heart sing; and she danced and skipped all the way back to the school, as if she were floating in the air.

Somebody loved her.

oOo

Fred awoke to the sound of muffled voices in the common room. He glanced at the clock on the wall. It was the middle of the night. Who the hell was still up? He sat up in bed; George and Lee had heard as well and had their heads sticking out of the room listening.

"Welcome to the party, Freddie boy," whispered George theatrically, "methinks that something is afoot!" The three of them tiptoed down the spiral staircase. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Freddie?" asked George mischievously. "I think I am, Georgie," replied Fred with a grin. The two of them stepped in front of Lee and burst out of the stairwell with a giant leap, frightening Harry and Ron to death.

"And what exactly is going on at this hour of the night?" demanded Fred in mock superiority. George grinned. "Careful, Freddie. You're starting to sound like Percival." Fred slapped his twin on the back playfully. Then they noticed the expressions on the faces of the two younger boys. Stress, anxiety and...fear.

"Harry? What's going on?" The sudden change in atmosphere was noticeable. Harry held a hand to his scar and suddenly doubled over in pain, letting out a yell that he couldn't keep suppressed. This brought Hermione, Ginny and Neville running down from the dormitories. Harry grimaced and whispered through the pain. "They've got...Sirius...Department of Mysteries...need...to...go," he gasped.

The small group that had gathered looked around at each other and nodded. It was as if some silent decision had been made. Fred was the first to speak. "Right then, Harry. Let's go." Harry looked up and stared at them all, partly as if wondering at their stupidity, and partly in relieved gratefulness that he wasn't going to have to do this alone.

As they all walked silently through the corridors, following the most unnoticed routes presented on the Marauder's Map, Hermione, as always, brought everyone back down to earth with a bang. "How exactly are we going to get there? It's not as if you can just apparate straight in!"

A soft, golden voice behind them replied, "We could fly on the Thestrals." The group spun around to see Luna standing there, still dressed in her silk pyjamas. After recovering from the initial shock, Harry spoke first. "Luna, you don't have to come, you know." Luna smiled; but every person there saw the pain and sadness in that smile and couldn't meet her eyes. Except for Fred. His eyes were filled with understanding.

"You guys are the first real friends I've ever had. If you're going to do something to help someone, then I'm coming too. And I don't need your permission." Fred smiled at her, a broad, relieved, proud smile, and held out his hand. She took the proffered limb gracefully. Fred tucked her arm protectively through his, and the group continued moving. Ginny noticed and smiled softly. Harry and Ron noticed, but wisely kept their thoughts to themselves. George noticed and felt a mixture of emotions; sadness to be losing first place in his brother's life, but thrilled that he looked so happy.

They reached the fringe of the Forbidden Forest. It was dark and foreboding. Luna gripped Fred's arm a little tighter, but she spoke with a strong voice. "They're just beyond that line of trees," she said as she motioned to a cluster of trees about one hundred metres away to their left.

"But...there's nothing here?" George was bemused as he and the majority of the group looked around at what they perceived to be an empty clearing. But then they saw the look on Harry's face as he took in the sight of the magnificent creatures and held out his hand to touch something gently. Luna moved forward to stand next to him. "Beautiful, aren't they?"

Harry's voice almost broke as he asked the next question. "Why can I see them, Luna?" Luna smiled again, that same pained, sad smile. "Thestrals can only be seen by those who have seen death, Harry. My mother died right in front of me, and you...well. You saw both of your parents die in front of you." And she put an arm around Harry's shoulders. Everyone else stood still, giving them a little space and respect.

Then Harry turned around, a determined look on his face. "Right. We better be off then." Neville gave Ginny a leg-up on to a smaller Thestral, giving her a shy smile, which she returned. Harry, Ron and Lee all successfully commandeered their own mounts, after Harry had pointed them in the right direction. Hermione was struggling to lift herself up on to hers, so George gallantly stepped in and lent a much appreciated hand, which earned him a grateful smile from the slightly flustered girl.

Fred offered to help Luna. "I can see them, you know," Luna reminded him softly. Fred gently traced her cheekbone with his thumb. "I know," he said, and he lifted her up and placed her squarely on the back of the Thestral before she could say anything else. Then he jumped up and perched behind her. And before anyone could say anything, they were off, flying through the crisp night air.

Fred rested his chin gently on the top of Luna's head, and she automatically leaned back into him, nestling against his chest. They could have stayed like that forever. Meanwhile, around them, and completely oblivious to this adorable scene, the boys were having some sort of race, while Hermione looked as if she was ready to throw up. When they finally touched down, she got straight down and sat on the ground with her head between her knees to get her breath back and calm her stomach down.

George knelt next to her, genuinely concerned. "You alright there, Hermione?" he asked as he gently laid a hand on her back. She looked up and nodded, offering him her hand. "Pull me up?" George helped her up, holding on to that hand for much longer than was reasonable. She didn't pull her hand away. George saw Fred looking at him, wiggling his eyebrows up and down suggestively in a teasing manner; he blushed and dropped Hermione's hand.

They all turned to face the matter at hand. Before them lay the Ministry of Magic. An intimidating building, strongly protected from Muggle view, the Ministry was not a place you wanted to be wandering around in the middle of the night. Every footstep echoed, every breath heard. "Okay," said Harry, "we have to find Sirius. He's in here somewhere." They entered the Department of Mysteries and were met by an enormous dark room filled with shelves containing prophecies. Thousands of them. The tall shelves seemed to create a neverending labyrinth.

A cry from Neville brought them to attention. "Hey, Harry. There's one here with your name on it!" Harry rushed over to read the Prophecy. "Neither can live while the other survives," he whispered. Then there was a sudden rush of noise. The loud crack of apparition filled the room. Voldemort must have pulled down the wards. The Death Eaters were here. The group were backed into a circle, surrounded on all sides by Voldemort's loyal servants.

Bellatrix Lestrange, a crazed look in her eyes, a wild expression on her face, taunted Neville about his parents. She was merciless. Neville took it with a sort of calm anger that Fred had never seen before. "Potter," Bellatrix barked, "give me that Prophecy." Harry defiantly refused. "You give me Sirius, and then I'll think about it." It was a stalemate. And then Bellatrix let out peals of emotionless triumphant laughter. "Oh, poor, dear, wee little Potter. Missing the dog, are we? He's not here," she sneered, "he was never here. The Dark Lord wanted you to think that. He wanted you to come here and find the Prophecy for him. And just look at you go. Now I'll be taking that," and she attempted to summon it from his grasp, but he anticipated her and cast a shield charm.

Now it was on for young and old. They split up and ran for their lives. Fred felt Luna's hand slip from his grasp and then she was gone. Shelves were crashing down around them as Death Eaters cast all manner of curses at them. "Avada Kedavra!" "Crucio!" "Rictusempra" "Expelliarmus!" Verbal and non verbal curses alike were coming from every direction. A Death Eater Fred recognised as Antonin Dolohov appeared in front of him. "Petrificus Totalus!" yelled Fred without thinking. Across the narrow hallway, he saw Luna duelling expertly with Lucius Malfoy. She was alive. But he couldn't dwell on that for too long, because the next barrage of curses was coming his way.

Then, out of nowhere, the Order members began arriving. "Harry!" yelled Sirius, and rushed to the aid of his godson. Bellatrix cackled with evil glee. "Hello there, dog," she jeered. "Better a dog than a snake," countered Sirius as he cast non verbal curses at his cousin.

The fighting had intensified, and the scene was a war zone. Rubble lay everywhere, along with the unconscious bodies of Death Eaters and Order members alike. Ministry officials who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time were lying lifeless on the floor.

Luna looked at the carnage around her. She was running out of energy and strength. Sh searched for Fred, trying to make sure he was alright. That was the important thing. But she couldn't find him. Her eyes searched the room in a frightened panic. She didn't want to die here alone, without him. Lucius advanced threateningly, wand raised. She sensed a Killing Curse was coming her way. She had to think fast. What could she do? Her mind went blank. Well, she thought. Here goes nothing.

"ALTUM SOMNUM!"

A loud noise, a blinding light, and then...darkness.

oOo

Days went by. Then weeks. Luna lay in the hospital wing, breathing, but unconscious. It was a confusing case. Madam Pomfrey was at a complete loss with remedies. Because...there was nothing wrong with her. Luna was in perfectly good health. A few cuts and scrapes, easily fixed with bandages; but that was all. She was just...asleep. And so, she lay there. Visitors trickled in to leave her cards and chocolates and gifts, but they never stayed for long. How long can one sit by the bed of a girl who can't speak back to you?

Fred stayed. Fred always stayed. He sat with her whenever he could. After class, through the night, at meal times; he even took his homework up there now. And he talked to her. He told her everything. He described his family and his home, he told her about what was happening at school, the latest pranks that had been played on Slytherin, the Quidditch scores; he just kept talking. Because he knew if he stopped, he would have to face the fact that maybe she wasn't coming back. And he couldn't bear that.

One night, Fred sat in the common room late. He was the last one awake. He just could not sleep. Deep in thought, staring blankly into the glowing embers of the fire, he was startled by Ginny stepping out of the stairwell. "I thought you might be down here," she said softly, and she snuggled up next to her brother on the couch. Fred laid his head on his little sister's shoulder, closed his eyes and sighed. That sigh said more to Ginny than words ever could.

"She might be alright, you know, Freddie," Ginny said softly. A sob came from her shoulder. "But she might not," he replied, broken. And then the flood of emotion came pouring out, and Ginny just held Fred as his body convulsed with sobs. "I never...got to tell her…" Ginny tightened her grip on her brother to try and give him a little more comfort. "Trust me, Fred. She knows."

And that was how the two of them stayed all night. Fred clutching on to Ginny for dear life, Ginny with her arms wrapped protectively around her grieving older brother. George found them like that in the morning and gently pulled Fred away. "Come on, Freddie boy. You need a shower and some breakfast. No arguments," he said quickly, as Fred began to argue. Grudgingly, Fred allowed himself to be ushered into the bathroom. Hot water really did feel good.

After breakfast, Fred made his way, as per usual, up to the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey smiled at him as he entered and gave him a nod of greeting. He sat down by Luna's bed and took her small hand in both of his. "I can only stay a few minutes today, Luna," he said sadly. "I have Quidditch practice; Harry has been pretty understanding, but I can't afford to be missing any more practices. I'll lose my touch," he said with a half-smile. He dropped a gentle kiss on her head as he stood, and left her with his usual parting words, in the hope that one day they might come true.

"I'll see you at dinner."

On his way out, Madam Pomfrey stopped him. "Fred, may I just ask, did you manage to hear the spell Luna cast before it backfired?" Fred furrowed his brow as he tried to remember. "I'm ninety nine percent certain it was altum somnum," he finally replied. Madam Pomfrey's face was hard to read. "Thank you, Fred. I'll see you again next time you come back." She hadn't wanted to tell him that finally there was a ray of hope. It wouldn't do to build up his hopes only for them to come crashing down. Altum Somnum. Deep Sleep. There was a possibility of an antidote. She got to brewing.

oOo

The entire school was now gathered in the Great Hall for dinner. Ginny had managed to convince Fred to join them for dinner with the rest of the school. Dumbledore got up to speak his usual pre-dinner speech, and then the feast began. Fred was actually glad he'd come down. He'd forgotten how amazing dinner at Hogwarts was. Then the enormous double doors of the Hall opened.

The entire school fell silent in shock. There, standing upright, looking radiant, was Luna. Fred felt himself gasp. He stood up in a daze. Staring straight into her eyes, he felt his own begin to water.

Luna saw Fred stand. An entire school of people, but she only saw one. He looked straight into her heart with those eyes. It was as if she was completely open. All her walls were gone. And she let him straight in. For a few seconds she stood rooted to the spot. And then she ran like she had never run before. She flung her arms around his neck, and, not caring that they were the centre of the whole school's attention right now, they found each other's lips in a crushing embrace. The whoops and cheers of the other students melted away, and Luna let the warmth of that kiss take hold of her. So this is what kissing felt like.

Fred held her like he would never let her go. When they finally broke apart, he spoke. "Luna, I have something I need to tell you." Luna smiled, her heart full of happiness at Fred's next words. "I love you, Luna. I really, really love you. I thought I'd lost you and that was a thought I couldn't bear." His voice broke and he buried his face in her neck, holding her tightly.

"You saved me, Fred. You remembered my spell. Madam Pomfrey knew what potion to make because you remembered the spell. I'm only here because of you." She held his head in her hands, then stood on her tiptoes to gently kiss him again. "And besides, I had to come here tonight. You told me to."

Fred was momentarily confused. Luna laughed. "You don't remember?" She grinned at him, before taking a seat next to him at the Gryffindor table after getting Dumbledore's nod of approval.

He took her hand in his and gently kissed the delicate limb. He smiled softly at her. "Of course I remember."

"I'll see you at dinner."


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