23

While sitting at the top of the stairs Harriet had plenty of time for reflection on recent events and changes that had happened in her life. She had always felt like she had a void in her life. She grew up unloved and mistreated. It seemed to her that nobody really cared about her, at least not in a loving way. She had finally found love in a family sense with the Weasleys and even more so with Sirius Black. She still had to go down to Gringotts and get the will reading taken care of and apparently she had yet to hear her parent's will as well. With the Wizard War and being on the run and fighting Voldemort there hadn't been a whole lot of time to deal with personal issues but now that things had slowed down around the world she wouldn't be able to put it off any longer. In fact, she thought back to the letter she had received this morning asking her to come down that Saturday to take care of business. She didn't look forward to the meeting but she had to take care of business and make sure her accounts were in order before the end of the year when she'd be graduated and officially be on her own especially since she had turned 17 the previous year. On the plus side she wouldn't have to go back to Durzkaban anymore.

She pushed that aside for the moment and continued her original train of thought. She'd always had this empty space inside her. She tried to fill it up with dating Cho and Ginny while she was Harry but that didn't work. Cho was a complete failure and she had thought Ginny filled the void but looking at it now she only saw it was only a temporary fill and would never have worked long term. However, Luna….Luna filled that void and completed her. They were perfect together and they balanced each other. Luna didn't care whether she was male or female or anywhere in-between (probably). She saw what was inside and cared about that. In Luna's eyes she wasn't the Boy-who-lived or the Girl-who-lived or whatever they called her these days. To Luna, she was just Harriet. While they hadn't been dating that long they had known each other a long time and Luna was always someone who could be relied upon and trusted with anything. Although they'd only been together a short time Luna had become closer to Harriet than anyone else had ever been. She wanted to take their relationship to the next level but she wasn't sure what that involved. She would have to think about it and talk to Luna as well.

Harriet was deep in thought when the door behind her creaked open, shaking her out of her thoughts. As she stood up and turned around she saw Luna poke her head out the door nervously. "Um…Daddy came through the floo and he wants to talk to us together," Luna said. Harriet felt her heart pick up pace as she looked nervously at her girlfriend. Harriet hadn't seen Xenophilius Lovegood since he had attempted to sell her, Ron and Hermione out to the death eaters when she was still Harry so needless to say she was a little apprehensive. However, if she was going to protect her girlfriend then this had to be faced. She took a deep breath and followed Luna through the door.

Xenophilius was standing at the desk talking with Professor McGonagall when Harriet walked in. She tried not to appear nervous as they approached the desk but Luna could tell and reached for her hand to hold. They stood in front of the desk facing the headmistress while Xenophilius stood off to the side of the desk next to the headmistress. Xenophilius spoke up first, "It's good to see you again Miss Potter. I want to start off by saying that while my actions from our last encounter were rather shameful, I do not entirely regret them. I would have done anything to get my Luna back. She is the most precious thing in the world to me. As a matter of fact I understand that you two have become quite close."

Harriet took a moment to think before responding. She wanted to be mad at him and hate him but she knew that he was just being a protective parent and that in his place she might have done the same thing. "Actually sir. I completely understand your actions as well as your reasoning even if I may not entirely agree with them. Luna is my world and I love her with everything that I have and everything that I am. There is nothing I wouldn't do to protect her and if my encounters throughout Hogwarts have been any indication I am more than capable of doing so." Harriet felt a squeeze of her hand and turned to see a very misty eyed Luna looking at her with a smile on her face. "I love you too," she whispered.

Both of the adults smiled at the interaction for even if it was uncommon in the wizarding world today it was their happiness that mattered, not what society thought. "I'm glad for that. I truly am. There is nothing I enjoy more than seeing my little Moonmuffin happy," Xenophilius replied. "However if you hurt her or break her heart, it won't be death eaters you have to worry about," he continued seriously.

"Mr. Lovegood! I did not let you come here so you could threaten my students," exclaimed the Headmistress.

"I wasn't threatening. Just a fatherly warning," Xenophilius replied with a smile, "It's a father's duty to protect his daughter. Also please call me Xeno. That goes for you as well Miss Potter."

"It's Harriet actually," she replied.

"Well now that we've got that settled," the Headmistress replied, "Let's get down to why we're really here. The attack on Mrs. Lovegood earlier has shown that something is going on around this school and I intend to find out what but until then Miss Potter has requested to share a room with your daughter, Xeno. I'm sure we can get something worked out. Do you have any issues with Miss Potter's request?"

"Not at all actually. It is a rather reasonable request, they are dating and as Miss Potter…I mean Harriet…put it with all she has been through she is more than capable of defending my Luna. I think she would sooner something happen to her than to Luna. I could see it in her eyes when she spoke earlier. I approve."

Harriet looked over to Luna who was grinning and squeezed her hand, knowing that soon they would be together and sharing a room.

"Very well," replied the Headmistress, "I've got an idea of where to put you but I need to double check on a few things about it really quick. However this does not mean that you will removed from your houses. You are still a part of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor respectfully and you will continue to be so as long as you remain at Hogwarts. All other rules remain the same. You will be allowed to have guests in your quarters but they will not be allowed to have unescorted access. Are there any questions?"

"No Headmistress," the girls replied in unison.

"Alright well unless there is anything else you are free to go after saying goodbye to your father. I will be in touch with you yet this evening about your living arrangements. Your things will automatically be transferred to your new living arrangements."

Luna gave her father a hug and thanked him for supporting her in this decision. After that Harriet stepped forward and shook Xeno's hand bidding him a goodbye as well. "You take care of my Luna," Xeno said, "and if you ever need anything feel free to owl or stop by."

"I will. Thank you again."

With that they watched Xenophilius step into the floo and disappear before leaving the office and going to find their friends to share the news.