Harry couldn't stop his grin as he was enveloped in a big hug from the loving couple.
"Come in, come in," Ron laughed, pulling his friend in. He closed the door behind them and kissed Luna on the cheek. "Put on a pot of tea, will you, Star?"
Luna smiled and kissed him back in response. She then walked over to Harry and took his hands in hers. She shook them slightly and kissed both his cheeks. "I'm glad to see you Harry. Something tells me we'll have so much to talk about today." She then skipped off to the kitchen, humming some tuneless tune.
Ron grinned and turned to Harry. "She's been wanting to serve that new tea to visitors for so long. You have good timing." He slapped Harry on the back and they shared a laugh. They entered the living room where they took a comfortable seat in front of the other.
"What brings you here, Harry?" Ron asked, seriously intrigued.
Harry waited a while, observing Ron's house. Being a successful keeper paid Ron well and it was obvious the room was filled with both Ron and Luna's tastes. He visited his friend quite often. Luna and Ron were careful about booking Harry and Hermione on the different days, however. As a result, Harry and Nicole had visited and seen these rooms. Harry wondered if darling Charles had seen the house. He turned back to his best friend and clicked his tongue. "I'm here about Hermione."
Ron barely moved a muscle. "Yeah." There was a silence between them as they listened to Luna stirring something in the kitchen. "Have you seen her lately?"
"Yeah, just this morning. Went to see her at work."
Ron nodded. "She looks good, doesn't she?"
Harry nodded strongly in agreement. "Very good." There was another pause between the two. "She always does, though," Harry said to no one, really. The pathetic comment received no comeback from Ron whatsoever and Harry was beginning to regret coming until-
"Look," Ron leaned forward, putting his hands together. He bowed his head and glanced up, causing a spooky shadow to appear until his eyes. "Hermione means a lot to me. If anyone aside from her knows that, it's you. You know that."
Harry nodded.
"And you really broke her heart, Harry."
Harry sighed and bowed his head.
"I was just joking when I spoke about you and Nicole. Can you even imagine how idiotic I looked when she found out I was the one who introduced you two?"
Harry stopped him with a wave of his finger. "No. Don't do that, Ron. I met Nicole on my own."
"Yeah, and you chased after her on your own."
Harry closed his eyes and sighed.
Ron did the same. What he wanted to say wasn't coming out well. "Harry, you broke her heart." He paused; upset he wasn't like Hermione, who knew how to describe her emotions. He glanced up again. "She hated you."
Harry kept his eyes closed, hearing his heart in his ears. Hermione hated him.
Ron sighed again, burying his head in his hands. "But she loved you," he whispered.
Harry's eyes slowly opened.
Ron sniffed and brought his head back up. He sat up in his chair. "She loved you even though she hated you. Even though you broke her heart. Even though you ran off with someone else. She loved you."
Harry wanted to nod. To say something. But he couldn't. Because he was living through everything Ron just said. He still loved Hermione even though she hated him. Even though he ran off with someone else. He still loved her. And he always would.
Ron swallowed with little difficulty. He was going to let it all pass. "Because of that fact, I decided not to kill you," he said seriously.
Harry looked his friend in the eye, knowing it was the truth. Hermione's heart was broken and he knew Ron would have killed him. He knew that feeling; wanting to kill someone who hurt Hermione.
"What do you know about this Charles character?" Harry asked slowly. Things between him and Ron were fine now and had been for a while. It was time to get what he came for.
Ron smiled slightly. "Ah yes," he said in a way that made Harry hate Charles even more, "Good ol' Charlie."
"His name is Charles," Harry said, coming out angrier than he intended to.
Ron stifled a laugh and raised his arms. "Don't look at me, he told me to call him Charlie."
Harry restrained gritting his teeth. Instead, he clenched his hands. "He's been here?"
The almost tense moment was interrupted right then by Luna, who came into the living room with three mugs on a tray. She handed them out, one by one, and took a seat next to Ron.
"Drink up," she said enthusiastically, "There's plenty more."
Harry withheld a gasp when he glanced down. The tea was nothing more than an extremely bright blue, heavy goop. He held his mouth closed with all his might and glanced up, relieved when Ron and Luna were sipping it, smiling every now and then at the other. Harry closed his eyes and slowly brought the liquid to his mouth, letting a teaspoon of the tea to slip ever so slowly into his mouth. He swallowed it quickly and smiled a big smile when he realized the liquid was warm, sweet, and tasted of blueberries and honey. He took another big sip and wiped his mouth.
"Now what were you two talking about before I arrived?" Luna asked, blowing on her tea.
Ron draped his right arm over Luna's shoulder and pulled her closer. "Harry just visited Hermione."
Luna's eyes widened. "Did you really?" she asked breathlessly. "How did that go?"
"Not so well," Harry said sadly, sipping at his tea.
"Oh, that's a shame," Luna said, sadness in her voice. She paused, looking out the window. Then she drew her attention back at Harry. "Did you meet that nice chap?" She turned to Ron and placed her hand on his knee. "What was his name again?"
"Charlie," Ron replied with a grin before putting his hand on hers and rubbing her knuckles.
"Charlie!" Luna exclaimed, looking back at Harry. "Delightful man."
"He came here?" Harry asked almost sadly.
"Well," Luna said softly, "It was quite obvious he was interested in Hermione and good old Hermione wanted us to meet him before she considered him. I think Ginny's even met him." Luna was quickly and tenderly silenced with a soft squeeze from Ron. She turned to him and he made a pained face, shaking his head. She turned back to Harry, seeing what her words had caused. "But even though he got top marks," she said truthfully, "She hasn't considered him once."
"Oh really," Harry said glumly, playing with the ring around his mug.
"Really," Luna said forcefull-well, as forcefully as Luna could. "She still loves you, Harry."
Ron had just swallowed some tea and kept his mouth closed. He waved the mug to Harry with an arrogant look on his face. See?
Harry rolled his eyes. "And I still love her. But it isn't that simple."
"I'll agree," Ron said, "Love isn't easy but if-"
"Anyone can do it, it's you two," Luna finished.
Harry closed his eyes. "It's just that…it's Hermione." He looked up at them. "You know?"
Ron nodded in accord. Luna tilted her head in confusion.
"She's my best friend," Harry said the same way he had said it when he was young. "I want to talk about my relationships with my best friend."
"You feel alone?" Ron asked quietly.
Harry swallowed and raised his head slowly. "Yeah," he rasped.
Luna and Ron sighed together.
"Oh Harry," Luna whispered.
"Mate, you'll never be alone," Ron said with a soft smile. He squeezed Luna's hand. "Star and I will always be here for you." He waved his other hand at Harry. "You've got Ginny, too. Come to think of it, you have my entire family." The three shared a good laugh when Harry realized it was true.
"Don't worry about Charles," Ron said seriously.
"He's of no threat to you," Luna finished.
Ron nodded. "You're the only one she wants."
"How could that be?" Harry asked incredulously. "After all I've put her through?"
Ron shrugged. "How can you still love her after everything you've gone through?"
Harry opened and closed his mouth for a second. "Because," he said, "She's Hermione."
"And you're Harry," Luna said. "I foresaw it even when we were in school. You've just said it as well, Harry. She's Hermione and you're Harry. That's how it works. That's how it's always worked. Hermione and Harry. Harry and Hermione."
Ron smiled at her, caressing her knuckles once more. "I love you, Star," he whispered.
Harry sighed in almost agreement.
"You know," Luna said so quickly and suddenly, it startled Harry, "Some muggles spend their entire lives looking for their soul mate?"
"Star, I think wizards and wizards do, too," Ron said, sipping at his tea.
"I've read so much about those in the world who have given up everyone for love," she continued, ignoring Ron's comment. "Some of them live forever and don't even find that one other person they're meant to be with." Her eyes went wide and her voice, wispy. "But when two soul mates meet, they click. They fall in love and suddenly, their auras align and their love halos mesh together."
Harry ignored the last bit Luna added in and smiled, letting the tea rest in his stomach. "So you're saying everything between Hermione and I will be alright because we're soul mates?"
There was a pause as Luna tilted her head, obviously confused. "No," she then said slowly, "I'm saying don't fuck up anything because Hermione's your soul mate."
Ron began coughing violently, shielding his mouth from Harry's view.
Harry couldn't help but turn away with a smile.
Luna continued to drink her tea with an innocent look on her face.
Harry was about to say something else when he finished the blue tea and this time, gasped. The tea leaves for the delicious blue goop were extremely dark green and formed some sort of umbrella. He was about to open his mouth when he looked up, seeing Ron and Luna were looking in theirs.
"I've got a boat," Luna said softly with happiness.
"I've got some sort of umbrella. Upside down." Harry said.
"I've got a serious thirst today," Ron said, grabbing the teapot, ignoring the bottom of his cup. Luna took his cup out of his hand before he could pour himself more, however.
"Star-"
"You've got grapes!" She said with a smile.
He took the mug rather violently from her and poured himself some more tea. "Whatever," he muttered.
"What do grapes mean?" Harry asked.
"It means happiness. Peace, Love," Luna said dreamily, playing with Ron's bangs.
"I don't need foliage to tell me I'm happy," Ron said, finishing filling up his mug, sitting back down and placing his hand back on Luna's knee.
Luna and Harry rolled their eyes simultaneously. "What is a boat?" Harry asked, not really interested, but not wanting to be impolite when it meant so much to Luna.
"It means I'll be getting a visit from a friend," Luna said calmly.
Harry couldn't help but scoff. "Come on, Luna," he said, unable to retain his personal feelings in such a subject. "You mean to tell me your tea saw me coming?"
"No, silly," Luna said, pouring herself more tea. "I got a boat yesterday. This one is new."
There was a pause as Ron started to smile into his mug.
Harry's jaw dropped. "Luna…" he whispered warily, "What's an umbrella?"
"It means a new lover is coming your way," Luna said, smiling at Ron when Ron started giggling.
"And an upside down umbrella?" Harry asked slowly.
"An old lover is coming your way," Ron laughed.
Something clicked. Harry put his mug down and looked at Luna. "You didn't."
"She wanted to come over just before you arrived," Luna said, unable to stop smiling.
"She's coming here?" Harry asked, incredulously.
"Star, is this a scratch?" Ron asked, referring to his arm.
"I can't believe you did this!" Harry said.
"She doesn't know you're here. If you want to leave, you can."
"It's a strange place for me to have skimmed with a blade, don't you think?"
"I don't want to leave, I want to stay here! You're my friends, too!"
"No one is saying you're not our friend! You're being silly, Harry."
"It's not bleeding, is it? I can't really see it from this angle. Star, help me out here."
"I'm not being silly! You're being impossible. Can't you cancel with her?"
"She called before you arrived. If you really want to play the time game, you're the one interfering with her plans. Why are you doing this, Harry, don't you want to see her?"
"I hate blood. I really hope it's not bleeding. Do we still have those muggle bandages Dad brought over the last time they visited, Star?"
"Of course I want to see her. I want to be with her. She's the one who doesn't want to."
"Of course she wants to be with you. She's just upset, Harry. She's so upset with the way you treated her. You must understand that, I don't know why you can't and don't."
"I really must be more careful with myself. Can't tell you how many times I've nicked myself while shaving."
"I understand she was hurt. I understand it all. And I've put myself through Hell, as well. I want to fix this, I want to love her; I want us to be together."
"And she wants time."
"*sigh* I'm so tired of giving her time, Luna. I want us. I want us and I want us now."
The doorbell rang, interrupting the little discussion between the two. Ron was still rubbing at his arm. Luna took out her wand and touched the tip with it. The scratch disappeared.
"I love you," Ron whispered, never taking his eyes off Luna.
"Don't need foliage to know that either," Luna whispered back, before kissing him softly.
"Fucking tea leaves," Harry muttered, turning away from the two and his cup. He took three big strides and opened the front door. "Oh god no," he groaned loudly.
"Evening, Harry," Charles said with clear embarrassment, his gaze at the floor.
"Fancy seeing you here," Hermione said coldly.
Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to *someone special* out there. I don't want anyone else to realize how amazing you are. Because you'll wake up that day and wonder why you're friends with me.
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