Dreary Night
By Quis of Camelot
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, I am merely playing with her characters. The song is copyright of Mandy Moore.
The rain fell from the sky like tears from heaven. Rain splattered against the walls, lulling anxious babies to sleep in the far off places. Tiny rivulets splattered against the panes of glass in the windows, as the thunder rolled overhead.
Cracks of lightning could be heard far off. In the distance, was a battle being fought. The rain would make an impossible battle even worse, its slipperiness turning even the thickest dust into the slickest mud. It would be an impossible fight.
The woman at the window could make out the speck of red. It was as though he were a beacon, a homing device. If she could just keep her eye on it, she'd be assured that he was going to come home-to her.
She was scared. For the first time in her life, she was afraid of a thunderstorm. The very thought would have made her laugh, had it not been for a degree of worry that she had. It was preposterous, she-afraid of a storm. What would he think of her if he could see her now?
There's a song that's inside of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But you sing to me over and over again
She'd promised she would be strong for him. She had been injured in a skirmish with several Death Eaters, and was temporarily resting at Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
This is where the action was; right at her doorstep. She couldn't believe how far she'd come, from being an outcast at school, joining the DA and finally, a wife.
With a frown, her head went further down onto the windowsill. She knew he'd return to her. He had to. Otherwise their child would undoubtedly suffer the same fate as her, a half-orphan.
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours I pray
To be only yours
I know now, you're my
Only hope
She'd been anxious to get back down to the battlefield. Unfortunately, she couldn't. But, Luna, for once in her life, was content to wait for her man to come home. She knew that if she went out there, out of Grimmauld Place, her life would be endangered. Ron wouldn't want that.
Luna sighed, as she stared out at the bleak rainy expanse of grey sky, Molly Weasley's cup of hot chocolate long forgotten. A tear fell from her eye, as she prayed to anyone who would hear her prayer. It was a wife's prayer, familiar to all who heard it.
"Blessed is the fruit of thy womb," she murmured, as her solitary sojourn by the window was broken. A hand was on her shoulder. A friend.
"Luna," She could hear the voice of Molly, "You need your rest, dear…I'll wake you the minute I hear anything," she said.
Luna said nothing. She kept staring out the window. Molly sighed quietly, knowing that once Luna made her mind up, she rarely ever changed it.
Sing to me a song of the stars
Of your galaxy dancing and dancing and laughing again
When it feels like my dreams are so far
Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again
Two months passed. It had felt like an aeon since she'd seen him. That's how long she'd been cooped up in Grimmauld Place. She missed Ron dearly, and knew, in her heart of hearts, that he'd missed her too.
"I don't think he's ever coming home," Luna whispered, as she watched the many casualties of war come and go, on gurneys, the dead, the wounded, the dying, piled so high that it was almost a catastrophe within itself.
What she wouldn't give to have her old life back; one that revolved around Hogwarts, Crumple-Horned-Snorkacks, the Quibbler, and Quidditch. It seemed like a paradise now; utopia longed for and sought after. The trivial, and often mundane things these days were what every wizard, witch and Muggle alike longed for. For once, she was glad there was unity.
Long ago, she had wished on an evening star.
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours I pray
To be only yours I know now
You're my only hope
Her mind returned to that fateful day at Hogwarts, so long ago. With a brief goodbye to her friends, she had rushed up to the Tower and thrown herself down on her bed for a good cry.
He had been so good to her that day. Which amazed Luna, not only because she had thought the man to be oblivious-but because he was oblivious.
There was something about the redhead that made Luna smile. Humming softly to herself, the tune to 'Weasley is our King', she had made her way down to the hall for lunch.
"Good afternoon, Luna," could be heard from her friends already sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Without any thought of her, they had begun eating. It stings, she thought.
Without much thought, Luna pulled out a copy of the Quibbler and started reading. For the umpteenth time, Luna wondered about Ronald. Why do I like Ronald? She thought.
The time switched to the present day. Three years had passed since that breathless acceptance of his proposal. I wish you were here, Ronald, she thought, as the windows shook with the ferocity of the storm.
She was Mrs. Ronald Weasley, and she was scared for Ron. That alone, was a thought terrifying unto itself. She'd been inducted into the Order of the Phoenix, just after leaving school.
He'd been so proud of her, as he clapped and smiled, watching her make her way down the ramp.
Luna placed her hands on her swollen stomach. This is the reason I go on living, even when there is no hope, she thought, Blessed Mother, return Ronald to me.
I give you my destiny
I'm giving you all of me
I want your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back
There was a familiar tread on the stairs. Luna's ears perked up, and her hand reached automatically for her wand. This could be a disguise, a ruse, anything, she thought.
He placed a hand on her arm. "Luna," he said, his warm voice washing over her, like a benediction.
She faced him, seeing the warm brown eyes. "Ronald," she said, "I'm glad you're safe."
He picked her up. Carrying her towards their room, he smiled at her. "I love you," he whispered huskily.
I suppose this could be called love, Luna thought, as the weather cleared over in the morning.
It dawned into a beautiful day. The man she loved had returned to her. There was nothing else that remained to be said. His arm was tenderly around her swollen belly, rubbing it tenderly with his hand.
"I love you too, Ronald," Luna whispered.
So I lay my head back down And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours I pray
To be only yours I know now
You're my only hope…
Six months later…
Ron held Luna's hand, the baby in one arm, smiling at them with such pride. It'd been a difficult birth, and Luna, still weak and pale, even three months after, found it difficult to walk.
Life, precious and brief, was doubly precious to their small daughter. Named Esther Rose Weasley, she was the apple of everyone's eye. There was something special about her, the way that she had brought them back together.
Esther, a star within her own right. She was everything to this Weasley family.