Total Eclipse of the Heart

michou

Rating: PG13
Genres: Drama, Romance
Relationships: Ron & Luna
Book: Ron & Luna, Books 1 - 5
Published: 11/07/2004
Last Updated: 12/07/2004
Status: completed

Two months ago Ronald Weasley proposed to Luna Lovegood. Now it seems our dear Ronniekins is getting cold feet.

Chapters

1. Total Eclipse of the Heart

1. Total Eclipse of the Heart

Total Eclipse of the Heart

Total Eclipse of the Heart – Kalina Kasprzak

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight

The ‘Sun’ was a hot new dance club known for its gorgeous male dancers that hung from cages and frequented the dance floors. The famous DJ famous for her spectacular mix of muggle and wizarding music was known for playing especially good mixes on Thursday s and that was why our four main characters decided to host one of their own’s bachelorette party. Meeting up at Kaida Drake’s house at nine o’clock were Hermione Granger, Ginevra Weasley, and Luna Lovegood.

“So let me get this straight.” Blaise Zabini said sprawled out on the sofa in front of the mirror in their walk in closet. Both Kaida and Blaise being total clothes whores owned a closet as big a normal sized room. They could afford it any way. The florescent lights did not allow any flaw an outfit may hold. Kaida insisted that Ginny, Hermione, and Luna had to pass her test before they were allowed to leave.
“You, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna, are going to a club.”
Kaida pulling a black almost backless dress that reached mid-thigh, nodded her head looking in the mirror.
“Yes.”
Zabini scratched his stomach confused, “To celebrate your single life.”
Sitting down on the other side of the sofa Kaida slipped on her high heeled ankle strap platforms.
“You are correct, Zabini.”
Now sitting up, Zabini leaned forward resting his forearms on his thighs. Still trying to understand he asked a question again.
“But none of you are single.”
Deciding to leave her mid back length hair free Kaida dropped the comb and smiled at her boy friend of a year. Leaning her head on his right shoulder she smiled even wider pushing her brown hair away from her face.
“Are any of us married?”
Zabini frowned, “No.”
At the sound of the door bell ringing Kaida stood up and patted Zabini’s head.
“Exactly.”

After two hours of Kaida’s prodding the four were finally able to leave for the ‘Sun’. They looked good enough that they didn’t have to wait in line either. When they walked in Kaida threw out her last name and they were immediately seated in a booth.
“So ladies!’ Ginny said excitedly, “How are we going to spend our bacheloret party?”
Hermione laughed taking a sip of the champagne that had been immediately delivered to their table, “All I know is that my children are with my mother for the night and are staying there until three o’clock tomorrow afternoon. I am ready to do some damage!”
“You should have seen her at school.” Luna snickered leaning into Kaida’s ear, “Little Miss Bookworm wouldn’t allow anybody any real party time. Do you know how many parties didn’t get into full swing during her seventh year?”
Hermione stuck out her tongue, “Don’t be so smug since you are the only one of us engaged.” To be a complete tease Hermione asked suddenly puzzled, “Why are you here again?”
Luna balled up a napkin and threw it at Hermione who at the last minute ducked but a laugh escaped her lips.
“Until I walk up an isle with a wedding band on my finger I am single.”
“No, you have the engagement ring,” Ginny piped up startled out of her deep intense smoldering gaze at a male dancer’s butt from the wad of paper Luna threw, “You are staying faithful to my brother.”
Luna rolled her eyes, “I’ve been with Ronald for six years. Why would I cheat on him now?”
“Just remember that if you break his heart I am coming after you.”
After another round of drinks and gossiping Ginny finally grabbed Hermione onto the dance floor after another great looking topless dancer with great pecks and butt.
“I swear her and my brother need help.” Kaida said to Luna laughing at Ginny’s seductive glances at the occasional dancers that would momentarily grind up suggestively against either her rear or front.
Luna laughed but went back to nursing her drink.
“Mind if I ask your opinion?” Luna asked suddenly. Kaida looked at her, she seemed to be nervous, but then again Luna was Luna.
“Sure. What can I do to be of service?” Kaida grinned widely evoking a laugh from Luna who poured herself another flute of champagne.
“It’s about the party.” Luna started, “Why did you suggest a bacheloret party?”
“You’re engaged, I know my brother is starting to shop around for rings, and Harry and Hermione might as well be married. We needed this time before we all were married old ladies.” She eyed Luna closely again, “Why?”
“It’s Ronald.”
Kaida quickly set her flute down, “He didn’t cheat on you did he?”
“NO!” Luna said waving her hands to calm down the fire that was Kaida Drake. Many people didn’t know it, but despite their occasional spat they were good friends. “It’s just Ronald doesn’t talk to me anymore.”
Kaida looked confused, “He doesn’t talk to you?”
“Well about the wedding. Whenever I try to bring up the subject that would have to relate to the wedding he flakes out on me!” Luna bit her lip, “I’m starting to think Ronald doesn’t want to get married to me.”
Kaida took her friend’s hand, “Believe me, there is no one else Ron would want to be with. He loves you.”
Luna sighed resting folded hands on the table and dropping her head onto her arms, “I just don’t know that anymore.”

It was five in the morning when Luna arrived in her flat she shared with Ron for the past year. After Luna graduated from Hogwarts, the couple decided to see each other exclusively and even though they didn’t see anyone else before it was just nicer to put a label on what they had. It made things easier. That and Harry’s defeat of Voldermort the year of Luna’s graduation not Ron’s. Over the next four years of their relationship they both agreed to take things slow. Ron wanted to pursue a career in Quidditch and Luna wanted to become of all things an architect. Over the past couple of decades despite a few Pureblood objections Muggle Architect formats were surfacing more and more in magic folks buildings, meeting places, and homes. Luna after four years of studying at a muggle college called American Intercontinental University Luna already managed to create a name for herself in the magic community. After she graduated from ‘college’ as the muggles liked to call it they sat down and talked about their relationship and where they thought it was going. After an intense discussion, heavy snogging lead to heavy shagging, and thus the renting of a flat for them to share. And two months ago Ron presented her with a platinum band, radiant cut ring, a total carat weight of 4.66 as a means of engagement. The only reason why Luna knew any of this was because Ron, as she stared at the ring in shock, started to ramble about the ring’s stats. Not that Luna really cared, he was proposing to her and like hell she was going to say no! But ever since that day Ron never mentioned the wedding again. It wasn’t like she expected much from him, all she wanted was maybe a little excitement about how they were finally going to be married, permanently express their love for each other, and cement their promise to love and cherish each other forever. But if he didn’t want to get married to her, Luna was in love with him enough to realize it and she wouldn’t hold him back if he didn’t want to be with her anymore.
She walked into their living room and was surprised to see her fiancé sleeping on the sofa in his pjs and unsurprisingly there was a Quidditch play book folded on his chest. Smiling she took off her heels so they wouldn’t make too much noise on the wood floor. Reaching her lover she crouched down and sighed resting her head momentarily on his chest.
“Whatever it is.” Luna whispered more to herself than the sleeping 6’2 redhead, “Just tell me.”
Sighing and looking down at the polished floorboards Luna gently pushed Ron trying to wake him up. The position he was in would only hurt his neck and he had practice later that afternoon. Jerking awake from a particularly hard shove Ron blinked and smiled sheepishly at Luna’s wide eyes.
“Hello.” He rubbed his eyes sitting up, “What time is it?”
“Five.” Luna answered taking his hands pulling him up from the couch, letting the book hit the ground.
“I tried to stay up for you.” They were walking slowly to their bedroom, Luna supporting him since Ron was known not to have good coordination when tired. She kissed his cheek, falling for him all over again as she watched the blush form across his checks and ears.
“You didn’t have to.” Luna mentioned laying him flat on the bed under the sheets. Even though it was fall and they didn’t really need anything to cover them, Ron preferred it anyway, always wanting something to cover him. Pulling the soft sheet over him Luna quickly used her wand to cleanse her face of her make up and pulled her jeans along with her black t-shirt and black pin strip blazer off. Going into the bathroom and brushing her teeth, a practice she got used to when she was in college, she walked out and hugged herself. Whatever her Ronald was keeping to herself, Luna hopped that it wouldn’t keep him away from her for so long.

It was no real big secret, Ronald Weasley, had an almost unhealthy dislike for Malfoys. Had. Though he wasn’t going to proclaim from the rooftops that he loved Malfoys but he could handle them occasionally. However when he ‘ran into Kaida’ Ron was a little bit suspicious.
“So Weasley how are you doing?”
Weasley nodded, "Fine. You seem fine for someone who was outside till five in the morning.”
“I am a socialite from New York City.” She stretched, “You get used to it after a while.” They walked towards the Leaky Cauldron in silence until Kaida asked, “How’s the wedding planning going?”
Ron shrugged as he shoved his hands into his pant pockets. He looked like a pike of sexy mess after his rough Quidditch practice and the meeting he had after the practice. “You would have to ask Luna. I don’t really know much.”
Kaida laughed, “Typical male.”
She waited for Ron to take the bait but was dismayed when he didn’t. She frowned, maybe Luna was onto something and just wasn’t reading into things that weren’t there. “You aren’t getting cold feet are you?”
Ron sharply turned his head to Kaida, for a moment his eyes showing the fire he was known for. “No. I love Luna.”
Kaida stepped back. He really was a handsome man, Luna thought, tall, his red hair a beautiful shade thanks to the sun, cute freckles, the sloped plains of his face made him almost pointy but the width of his jaw and the length he kept his hair, almost down to his neck, helped balance out his features. Broad shoulders, a long and lean body from Quidditch, and smart Ron was a great catch.
“I know that.” Kaida said as they continued to keep walking. She could’ve betrayed Luna’s confidence but decided against it. Luna had to tell him herself how she felt, but now she at least saw, that there was something wrong with the Quidditch player. Just settling for saying, “You’ve just been off lately.”

Ron knew he wasn’t being himself and Kaida wasn’t the only person to confront him on it. His team mates, his coach, his mother, and especially Luna. Luna. Sure she hadn’t sat him down and asked what was wrong but that would be too mundane and his Luna was anything but mundane. She would ask him about his day and though that was an everyday occurrence she would always ask if there was anything he left out. Unable to just tell her what was plaguing him Ron would always answer no and turn away from her unable to face the disappoint and hurt that always etched across her face. But how could he tell her what was troubling him if he didn’t know. Many men of his age would’ve been pleased to be his position but he wasn’t many men and wasn’t sure how he would deal the hand he was given. All he knew was he was slowly losing the most important person in his life and couldn’t manage to bring himself out of his ass to stop their drifting. Kaida had said good bye to him a while ago saying she was meeting Hermione at Flourish and Blotts and Ron continued along his way to meet Harry for their weekly drink. Most of the time Hermione would join them but she already let them know that she would be doing extensive research, and obviously asked Kaida for help.
“Hey Potter.” Ron greeted grumpily as he sat down in their usual booth.
“Weasley.” Harry returned, stirring his tea instead of nursing his usual butterbeer.
Leaning his head on his hand Ron asked curiously, “What’s with the tea?”
“I’m too tired for a drink.” Harry said.
Ron raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and instead ordered himself a tea with a dollop of whiskey.
“What happened mate?”
Harry shrugged. Harry actually was a successful artist, a painter. World renowned for his work with muggles, under the pseudonym Evan Granger, Harry was pretty much set for life. Not that he wasn’t already set for life.
He was currently changing management and art galleries. After a horrid incident between Harry’s last management and Hermione it was almost a necessity but Harry had already said how hard a process the whole thing was going to be but judging from the circles under his eyes and unhappy disposition it seemed to be taking its toll.
“The space I am occupying doesn’t have the right light.” Harry glared at his tea, “And the space is smaller than I thought it was and I am really ready to blow up.”
Ron winced, after fifth year, wary of Harry totally angry.
“The problem is.” Harry confessed, “Is I am still thinking like Lex taught me. And I’ve come to find things just simply don’t work like that. She kept me perfectly ignorant and its driving me crazy.”
Ron nodded his head, “Well hopefully you’ll get the hang of it. You love painting Harry and people love your work. You’ll figure it out Harry.”
Harry grinned his appreciation of Ron’s listening skills that had thankfully grown since they were children. He leaned forward so he was eye and eye with Ron.
“Now what’s eating you?” Harry asked using the popular muggle phrase he’d learned from the many muggles he’d encountered over the years.
Ron shrugged. He wanted to tell someone, hell anyone would do! And he had to be obvious because if Harry Potter master of obliviousness noticed something was off with him it was time to tell someone.
“It’s really nothing.” Ron started as he nervously started to shred the paper napkin in his hands.
Harry laughed, “The last time we sat like this and you were so nervous you started to shred paper you were about to propose to Luna.” He paused, “You aren’t thinking of backing out are you?”
“NO!” Ron shouted loudly gaining the attention of everyone in the bar. Calming down Ron said, “It has nothing to do with Luna.”
Harry was silent.
Ron repeated slowly, “I am not breaking up with Luna.” He paused, “Got it?” Harry nodded, “So what is wrong?”
“It’s Quidditch.”
Harry grinned, “You are bloody brilliant. That loop the other day, brilliant.”
Ron’s grin was quick and never reached his solemn blue eyes. “Remember when I was hit with the Bludger a while back?”
Harry nodded, he remembered that very vividly. It hit Ron’s head at forty miles an hour and left his best male friend unconscious for four days. The medi-wizards said there was no damage to his brain and he had just had to stay off his feet for a few days.
“Yeah.” Harry shifted in his seat suddenly not comfortable with the conversation anymore, “What about it?”
“I was at practice about three months ago and suddenly I couldn’t see a thing. I mean, it was complete darkness, I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. After a few minutes I could see again but my coach ordered me to see a medi-wizard again.” He took a sip from his tea, “And I did. He noticed there was something wrong with the scans he took of my brain. So he sent me to his muggle cousin who specialized with the human brain. It turned out that there was a gathering of fluids at the back of my brain. That was what caused the momentary blindness.”
Harry, not knowing much of muggle doctor practices was confused, “So you’re alright? It’s not cancer?”
Ron shook his head, “No it’s not cancer. He ran several tests to be sure but it wasn’t. It’s just a bubble of fluid pressed to the back of my brain.” He sighed, “The problem is that once it is drained I will be out of commission from Quidditch for at least a year. And I know Luna wanted to get married this fall.”
“What did he tell you, Ron?”
Harry knew that Ron disliked doctors almost to the point of having a phobia.
“He said I need to have the surgery so they can drain the fluid or else it will only grow bigger. And as it gets bigger, I will lose my vision, and slowly motor functions. Then I have an eighty two percent chance of the bubble bursting that eventually will cause my heart to stop.”
Harry looked at his best friend of over a decade in disbelief, “So what with the hesitation?”
“Luna.”
Harry blinked, “Huh?”
“Luna is smart, and she is well known, and even with that huge rock I got her men still flirt with her. If I’m laid up in a bed for months, unable to play Quidditch, and not able to give her the wedding of her dreams…will she still want to be with me?”
Harry was silent for a minute. He took a sip of his refill, this time green tea. Setting the cup down Harry gestured for Ron to lean forward. When Ron was finally close enough with his Seeker reflexes Harry smacked Ron against the cheek.
“Ow!” Ron said holding his cheek confused. “What was that for?”
“Your idiocy. Luna loved you before the fame and she’ll love you after. You are going to get home, tell her what you told me, and then schedule yourself for the damn surgery.” With Harry’s declaration, Harry gestured for the waitress for the bill, and they both left, Ron still pouting as he rubbed his red cheek.

Ron opened the door to the flat he shared with Luna. The apartment was usually luminous with light, Luna loved light, and the minute you walked in the place lighted every magically enhanced lamp in their place. Maybe she stayed over late at her current project, a mansion; it wouldn’t have been the first time she looked up previous designs and theories. He heard a noise from their bedroom. Immediately on his guard he whipped his wand out, a reflex from the War, and walked carefully to the bedroom. A lamp with the light dimmed was on near Luna’s side of the bed. As he walked fully into the room he watched Luna fold a shirt and place it into a duffel bag. Pocketing his wand Ron walked into the room and caused a floor board to squeak. Luna jumped and pulled out her wand. Her aim, if she decided to shot, would’ve been between Ron’s eyes. Seeing it was him, Luna took a deep breath and put her wand back onto the night stand. Turning away from him, Luna returned to her packing, folding her jeans and stuffing them into the bag.
“Luna, what are you doing?”
Luna laughed, “It’s not like you’re blind.” She didn’t see her fiancé tense, “I’m packing.” “I know.” Ron answered, “Where are you going?”
Luna turned to Ron, giving him a slight glance, and went to the closet and pulling out a sun dress, “My father’s. He said he wanted to see me before we get married.”
She muttered something under her breath and Ron asked, “What?”
“I said,” Luna said turning throwing the dress on their bed, “If we get married!”
“What do you mean if?” Ron asked. He knew he wasn’t really communicating well with Luna, but she was seriously jumping to conclusions.
“Just what I said!” Luna said. She started to say something else but turned away and went back to her packing.
“I want to get married.” Ron said walking to be bed taking Luna’s bag away from her.
“You can’t possibly, Ronald.” Luna said grabbing her bag from Ron’s hands, “You never talk to me about our wedding. Whenever I bring it up, all you do is nod your head or change the topic.”
“That’s not fair.” Ron said, “I’ve had things on my mind.”
“That just the point.” Luan said, “You don’t talk to me. Whenever you had things on your mind, you always used to tell me. Why is it now doing anything different? I just want you to confide in me Ron, is that so terrible?”
Ron shook his head, seeing he had waited to long. She was finally ready to pull fully away from him and he couldn’t let her, he wouldn’t let her.
“I’ll tell you now.”
So caught up and trying not to cry his words didn’t make any sense.
“Huh?”
“I’ll tell you, Luna.”
He saw her hesitate.
“Luna please.” He sat down on the bed his eyes begging, “I love you, I’ll tell you everything.”

A week later Ronald Weasley flat lined. Twice.

Since Ron was a wizard and never went to a muggle doctor in his life there was a significant fact that the doctors did not know. Ron had low blood pressure. And since he hadn’t really been eating due to the fear of the surgery, his blood pressure was especially low. And even though the mandatory medical check that was given to him before the surgery, the new drugged up intern didn’t do the blood pressure test correctly. In the middle of the surgery due to the blood loss and the anesthesia Ron flat lined. Luckily the doctors managed to get his heart started and proceed on with finishing the surgery. However, Ron flat lined again due the level they raised his blood pressure to. They quickly lowered it and rolled him into intensive care. The surgery took about five hours and he was held in intensive care, no one except doctors saw him, for two hours. Finally the doctors felt secure that he would be able to be moved into the normal bed but was still being heavily watched. Before anyone was allowed to go into the room, the head surgeon, a squib himself and a BIG fan of Ron’s did the check up himself, and knowing now what to look for being from a Wizarding family and all. After the intensive check up, and a long lecture to The Weasleys and company, they were allowed to see him. Of course everyone insisted that Molly and Arthur Weasley see him first, Molly had almost died like any mother would, when she heard her youngest son almost died, twice. After twenty minutes of being in the room she came out the room crying into her husband’s shoulder, the only words distinguishable were dead, young, and hair. Next were all his siblings plus Harry who was considered his sibling anyway. They all stayed in the room for about a half hour all seven of the visitors joking with the occupant, the laughter welcome in the desolate hallway. Finally it was Luna’s turn.

Luna, who was in one of her usual reveres, almost didn’t feel Hermione sit down next to her.
“Aren’t you going in?” Hermione asked handing Luna a muggle soft drink Hermione knew Luna liked.
Luna held the can in her hands and nodded her head, “He almost died.”
“I know.”
“You know how people say when someone has a near death experience they change?”
Hermione nodded, “Yes.”
“What if he decides he wants to wait longer to get married? What if he doesn’t want to be with me anymore? What if he wants to become a monk?!”
Hermione chuckled on the last one and hugged her friend. She may have thought the blonde was hopeless when she first met her but as Hermione got older and realized there was more to like than the knowledge of books and rules she came to respect and furthermore like Luna.
“I don’t think you ever have to worry about that. Go see him, he’s asking for you.”
Luna sighed not fully convinced. Quickly downing her soda she stood up and brushed off her pants and shirt. She walked down the hall into Ron’s room smoothing down her hair. Opening the door she smiled at him. He was sitting up, she had a feeling he insisted that he sit up, and eating the hospital food. When he heard the door opening he stopped shoveling the food mid way. When he saw who it was he put the plastic spoon down and pushed the food away.
“Hi.” He said. His voice instead of its vibrantly strong voice was scratchy and weak. His eyes were clear and focused and held contact with hers. Luna smiled her heart beating fast. She managed to breathe out, “Hi.”
She closed the door behind her and walked towards the bed. She took Ron’s hand and sat down on the chair near the bed.
“How are you?”
Ron nodded his eyes never leaving hers, “Fine. How are you?”
“Alright.” She said slowly squeezing his hand.
Ron rose his eye brow, “Are you?”
Luna sighed again and looked away staring intently at the floor. She felt Ron squeeze her hand and looked back up at him.
Ron asked, “Luna.”
“You scared me.” She saw he was confused and continued, “You almost died Ron.”
“People die Luna.”
“But not you.” Luna said, “Even during the war. I never thought you were going to die. When you explained to me the procedure I thought you would just breeze right through it no complications.” She paused licking her lips, “But you didn’t and I had to face life without you. I didn’t want to. I tried to imagine life without you and I couldn’t. I couldn’t imagine telling you things I find interesting, laughing at your corny jokes, I just couldn’t do it.”
Luna felt the tears she had kept to herself when she heard the news he’s heart stopped start to flow and went to wipe her eyes.
“I just love you so much.”
Ron leaned forward brushing the rest of her tears away.
“I love you to Luna.” He kissed her forehead unable to reach her lips from the height of the bed, “And before you ask, yes I still want to get married to you, hair or no hair.”
Luna smiled and rested her head against the bed tired she said, “I miss your hair.”
Ron smiled as he leaned back against wall while stroking Luna’s hair and running his free hand over his now bald and bandaged head. He laughed.
“I do too.”

They got married two months later. A beautiful October day, the sun was shining, in a beautiful clearing the oranges, red, and yellows of the leaves decorating the still green grass and framing the beautiful autumn sky. Harry Potter stood at Ron’s right hand as the Best Man, supporting his best friend who had managed to throw up five times in ten minutes before he stood before McGonagall, who was blessing the two. His three other groomsmen were his brother Charlie, Neville, and surprising everyone Draco. Luna’s cousin, Stacy Lovegood, Kaida, and Hermione were bridesmaids in various styles of dresses all in a lovely shade of red that managed not make the four young ladies look horrid. Ginny, Luna’s best friend since they were fourteen, was her Maid of Honor in a shade of red, a few shades darker than the bridesmaids’ dresses. The color complementing her complexion and hair wonderfully. Luna, who walked down the isle with her beaming father, was positively glowing. Her dress was a stunning shade of white, strapless corseted back mermaid with delicate forest beading that went down to a long beautiful train. It was surprisingly old fashioned and whimsical at the same time.
It was Luna’s dress and everyone knew it.
The press by some miracle were kept out. People speculated that Author Weasley, now the Minister of Magic, let it known that if any unwanted camera made its way into the ceremony that they would face a very harsh penalty. Ron may have been the youngest son but he was surprisingly the first one of his children to get married in a situation that Author and Molly knew of it and had any control of it. After all both Fred and George on their first vacations to the United States went to Los Vegas and got married. Bill and Charley unknowingly got married in their respected residential locations and Percy…well they were still working on. Percy and his current partner were having a problem with the state’s department who still had a problem with gay men marrying. All in all it was a beautiful service with a terrific band, excellent food, wonderful quests consisting of supportive friends and family, and a couple who were obviously in love. It was all the Ronald and Luna Weasley wanted and could’ve asked for. It was the wedding of their dreams and even if it seemingly took forever to happen, they finally had each other and neither planned on letting the other go.

However, there was just one thing left for Luna to do. She grinned mischievously at her husband from across the room. She couldn’t wait to tell Ron she was pregnant.

Forever's gonna start tonight

THE END

A.N: That is the first part of my little universe. Sorry if the grammar is horrible, I haven’t eaten all day. If you want to see Luna’s dress here’s the URL: http://www.verawang.com/bridal/collection.cfm it’s number seventeen. Part two is coming soon. I just have to think of which pairing I want to do. I hope you like it. Please review! Thanks!