Disclaimer: I take credit for this plot and my own characters, but everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Two
Old Insanities
"She wants what?!" Ron exclaimed the next morning, slamming the desk with his hands. Harry ran his fingers through his hair.
"She wants to be part of the Few. She wants to join ARMED."
"Luna Lovegood, part of the Few? Harry, have you gone mad? She's insane! They called her Loony back in school, remember?"
"Lower your voice, Ron," Harry snapped, pushing himself out his chair and standing. "We need all the help we can get these days. Didn't you learn anything from Draco? We need to put our childhood differences behind us. She has vaulable information, anyway. We could use her as a spy."
"What valuable information is that, Harry?" Ron fumed. "Has her father finally found a Rumpled Snorkac, or whatever it was? How can Loony Lovegood help ARMED against the Death Eaters?"
"Ron," Harry said in his stern commander voice. "I have decided to let Luna join us. You are to apologize to for the scare you gave her last night, you are to treat her with the same respect you give everyone, and you are forbidden from calling her 'Loony Lovegood,' is that understood?"
Ron scowled at Harry, but knew it wouldn't matter. Without so much as a "yes sir", he turned and left the room. He would follow Harry's orders because he was sure Harry had a just reason for issuing them, but he didn't have to admit it. Loony Lovegood. How could she aid them? What did she know that was so important?
"Uncle Ronny!" He heard someone screech. He turned around and saw no one. He looked down and smiled at the little girl running his way. He stooped down to her height and scooped her into his arms.
"Arianne! How's my girl?" He said, planting a kiss on her plump cheek. Ari giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. Ron's niece was five years old. She had Draco's long, pale blond hair and Ginny's electric blue eyes. Her younger sister, three year old Gabriella, had inherited the famous Weasley hair and the seriously gray Malfoy eyes. Ron loved his nieces to death, but he had to admit, Ari was much more extroverted and cheerful than Ella, who was stoic and silent most of the time. It had taken him a while, but he had finally come to terms with his brother-in-law, though being directly related to the Malfoys was sometimes a concept he still had a hard time grasping.
"Uncle Ronny, have you met the new lady?" Ari gushed as Ron lifted her onto his shoulders. She ran her tiny fingers through his hair and Ron spun her around in a circle before taking them to the Great Hall. "Mommy started to cry when she saw her. Her name is Luna. Do you know her? She's really, really pretty."
"Is she, now?" Ron asked, trying to sound cheerful. "I might've met her, Ari. I guess you'll have to point her out to me if she's in the Great Hall. It's breakfast time. You hungry?"
Ari bounced on his shoulders in reply, and Ron laughed. They reached the Hall, and Ron let Ari push the door open. He set her down on the floor and she ran over to her father. Draco raised a hand in greeting when he saw Ron, and Ron gestured back, then looked around the noisy Hall for anybody to sit with. He spotted Hermione sipping coffee at an empty table situated in a sunny corner. She was absorbed in a newspaper and still wearing the red tank top and loose black pants that had served as her pajamas. Her curly chestnut hair was pulled back in a messy-but-sexy ponytail, and despite the positions she and her husband held in the war, her cinnamon eyes still sparkled happily. Ron trotted over to her and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Morning, Mrs. Potter," He said, taking the chair across from her. A cup of tea appeared in front of him, as well as a plate of toast. Hermione smiled and lowered her paper.
"It's so odd to be called that," She said to him as he took a bite of his toast. "It hasn't really sunk in that Harry and I are finally married."
" 'Course not. It hasn't even been twenty-four hours, and plus I doubt either of you got any time with each other last night, what with the appearance of Luna and all," Ron said.
In fact, he hadn't had much sleep either. They had all been up, waiting for Harry and Luna to discuss whatever needed to be discussed. It had taken quite a while, and Ron had eventually given up and had gone searching for some shut-eye.
"Do you have any idea what Luna wanted?" He asked.
"Actually, I was hoping you did. Harry told me nothing except she wanted to be part of the Few and he was allowing it," Hermione admitted.
"Yeah, that's what he told me, too. Where did she come from, anyway? And why now, of all times? And what can she do for us?" Ron thought aloud.
Hermione shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine, but I'm sure Harry has a reason for keeping it under wraps, and he'll tell us about it as soon as he thinks it's time."
"Yeah, but that still doesn't answer my questions." Ron grumbled into his coffee cup.
Hermione watched him for a moment, and then went back to her newspaper. They were quiet for a while until Ron felt something tug at his shirt. Confused, he looked down. It was Ari.
"That's her, Uncle Ronny. In the door, do you see her? That's the lady Luna."
Ron looked up and unintentionally held his breath when he saw her. Ari was right, Luna was beautiful. He had noticed it the night before, but now, with introductions made and all questionings aside, Ron was really able to see it. What had happened since school? Or had he just never noticed it? Dreamily, she looked around, spotted Ginny, and smiled a smile that said she was still half asleep. Without even thinking, Ron looked her up and down as she passed their table without even a glance of recognition at him. His eyes landed on her neck, and he smirked when he noticed the necklace of butterbeer caps. At least her radish earrings were gone.
She moved with a fluid grace across the Hall. Everyone she passed fell dead silent and watched as though in a trance. Did they recognize her, or was she just still odd enough to command the attention of everyone around her?
"Do you know her, Uncle Ronny?" Ari whispered when Luna had passed them. It hadn't registered to Ron that Ari had said something. He watched as Luna pushed her golden cascade of hair behind her ear and sat down across from Ginny. "Uncle Ronny?"
"Yes, I know her, Ari. Stay and chat with Aunt Hermione for a moment, would you?" He said quietly as he stood and lifted the little girl into his seat. He quickly ran a hand through is untidy red curls and walked over to Ginny and Luna. Ginny glanced up when she saw her brother coming and raised a slender eyebrow at him. He stopped behind Luna and cleared his throat. Luna cut herself off mid-sentence and turned to look up at him.
"Can we help you, Ronald?" She asked in her wispy way. Ron gulped. He wasn't good at apologies.
"Er, um, could I take a moment of your time?" He asked, averting his eyes from hers as he spoke. Luna smirked and opened her mouth to say something, but a scream shattered the Great Hall before she could. Everyone looked up in time to see Gabriella trying to wriggle out of Draco's hands.
"I DON'T LIKE EGGS!" She wailed, and Ron noticed the upturned plate on the ground next to Ella's seat. Ginny sighed and looked to Ron and Luna.
"You two have fun talking. I have to go save my husband."
Luna watched her go and laughed quietly as Ron took Ginny's empty seat. Eventually, her eyes wandered back to him and she smiled.
"I suppose I'm the one you wanted to talk to, Ronald?"
"Please, just call me Ron, Luna," He said, using all the strength he had to look her in the eyes. "And yes, you're the one I want to talk to. I want to--"
"Apologize for last night?" She interrupted. "It's quite alright, Ronald. You were doing your duty, questioning those you don't know. Though, I was put out that you didn't recognize me right away. And you did give me quite a fright."
"And for that I'm sorry," He said, not knowing what else to say. So she was still a bit of a lunatic. Some things just never change.
"And you are forgiven," Luna said, nodding her head at him. He felt like he owed her more than an apology, but he wanted to go back to Hermione or someone he knew he could talk to without having his tongue and brain get tangled up in the process.
"I'll be on my way, then," He said as he stood. "Oh, and, um... congratulations on joining the Few. I'm sure you'll fit in...perfectly with the rest of us," He added awkwardly. Luna, who had pulled a book from out of nowhere, nodded absently and thanked him. Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Ron walked away. Hermione was the only one who saw Luna glance over her
shoulder at Ron and smirk in satisfaction.
"Until next time, Ronald," Luna said to his retreating back, and Hermione, who had the talent of reading lips, smiled, shook her head, and cracked her paper back open.
~*~*~*~*~
"Close the door please, Draco," Harry said.
Knowing Harry hadn't called this private meeting just to chat about the weather, Draco did as he was told and took the seat across from his commander. In the silence that followed, Draco took the time to inspect his friend. If you hadn't attended the day before, you wouldn't have been able to tell that Harry had just been married to the love of his life. His black hair was messier than it usually was, and his emerald eyes were heavy with the burden of one who was too young to have experienced all that he had. A lot of the time, it was hard to remember that Harry was only twenty-one, just like Draco was. At this particular moment, he had his head in his hands, his fingers lost in his hair. After five minutes of no words, Harry slowly looked up at Draco.
"What is it, Harry?" Draco asked, knowing that look in his eyes too well. Something was wrong.
Harry sighed and put his head down again. "I'm sure you know about Luna by now. She came with information from the North. The Death Eaters have a new weapon, and a new person
taking orders from Voldemort. She thinks the base is somewhere near Alaska. You're the best of the best, Draco. I know you just got back from your Australian mission, but I'm going to have to ask you to do this one, too. I need Ron here to train the recruits, otherwise I'd send him..."
"There's no need to apologize to me, Harry," Draco said. "Espionage is a constantly moving, dangerous job. I knew that when I agreed to become a spy."
Harry nodded. "You have tonight to get ready, but we'd like you out by tomorrow. The quicker you're gone, the quicker we can get you back here and out of harm's way. Be extra careful, Draco. Luna says Lucius is part of the main organization. Find out whatever you can, but don't go hunting for answers to the hard questions. We can deal with those later. Right now, we just need base information."
Draco nodded and stood to go. He wanted to spend as much time with his wife and daughters as he could. He got to the door, and then turned back to his commander. "Harry? How does Luna know so much about this?"
Harry had gone back to staring out of the window. He shook his head and closed his eyes.
"I just don't know, Draco."
~*~*~*~*~
Note: Review, you wonderful readers of mine, review! If I get enough, then maybe, just maybe, I'll post the next chapter, and a little surprise, too.
Contructive critisism will be greatly appreciated, but please, nothing too derogatory. This is my story, and I've worked very hard on it. Thanks bunches to any and all of you who have taken the time to read my first fic!