For AJ, for her work in Year 3 Round Two of the Houses Competition.

Luna and Ginny.

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"We can't, Luna," Ginny whispers, just as I'm leaning in to kiss her. Her breath is balmy on my cheek, her floral perfume filling the dark air between us. I pause, preparing my heart for what is to come. Because, although she has said that she loves me, claimed that she wants to be with me, there has always been a niggling sense of doubt in my mind. "I can't…"

"Can't what?" I ask, heart sinking further, right down to below my knees. "Can't be with me?"

I feel her pulling away from me, extricating herself. My hand falls from her shoulder, from where it was resting. The air is cold, my arm hairs standing up. She's going to hurt you now. She is going to hurt me, I know this. I knew it. I knew that fiery-haired, brave Gryffindor, Ginny Weasley would shatter many hearts with her beauty and her boldness.

"Luna…" she starts something, but her words trail off into a nothing-apology. I swallow thickly. The darkness of the room envelopes us, the only light glimmering around us is that of the moon, partly showing through the crack in her curtains. Ginny moves, and her eyes are briefly lit up in the silver glow, before slinking back into the shadows again. "There's something I need to tell you. It's not… It's not pleasant, but I can't not tell you. I can't have you thinking -"

"Ginny, please," I interrupt, hands clenching and unclenching with the tension of the moment. "Whatever it is, I can handle it. We can handle it."

She shakes her head again, retreating further into the darkness, further away from me.

"Harry has asked me to marry him."

No.

"This morning. I didn't want to tell you, because I didn't want this to end…"

No.

"But it has to."

"So you said yes?" I ask, the pressure of emotion punching my chest. Aching, I stumble backwards. "You agreed anyway?"

"It's whatever everyone wants," Ginny murmurs in argument.

"Except for you. Doesn't that count?"

Her silence is all the answer I require. What it means, I'm not certain, but I know it's not good for our future together. It could mean that she does want to be with Harry, and that everything we had was a lie. Or it could mean that our happiness doesn't matter - she wants to stick to the status quo. Because it's too unnatural to be in love with a woman, according to too many people in her life.

I can't live as part of her lie anymore.

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Thanks for reading!