A New Life

Author's Note: A special thanks to PJ my new and wonderful Beta who should make the reading smoother and the grammatical errors nonexistent!

Chapter five

Ron had never condoned drinking. He had thought it was cool when the twins did it underage, but was always intercepted by Hermione when he attempted to join them. There he went again, thinking about her. It seemed like everything he did reminded him of Hermione and Harry; either the good times or the bad. Not even in his drunken stupor could he escape their memory.

If he couldn't forget them while he was pissed, then what was the purpose for drinking? What was the point of entering that bar last night and demanding a never ending amount of alcohol? He must've spent a fortune. He could recall at least four times of buying drinks for the entire bar. He groggily opened his eyes.

He was in bed, which surprised him. He couldn't remember if he put himself there or had required help. All he knew now was that his head felt like he had been hit by the knight bus and his stomach was disagreeing with every action of the last twenty-four hours.

Quickly throwing the covers off of his sweating body, he launched himself across his room at the Burrow and ran for the bathroom across the hall. Emptying the contents of his stomach while leaning over the toilet bowl, Ron decided he wouldn't ever drink again. No matter what the reason was.

“RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!” Ginny stood at the door to his bathroom with her hands on her hips and frown. She looked raging mad. It was scary how much she was like their mother.

“Stop yelling!” Ron winced.

“NO I WILL NOT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! YOU THINK YOU'RE SOME BIG BAD ARSE ALCOHOLIC NOW? THERE WAS NO EXCUSE FOR YOUR BEHAVIOR LAST NIGHT! NO EXCUSE AT ALL! WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?”

Ginny cut him down harshly. Ron was still on the floor of his bathroom with his hands holding his aching head.

“Ginny, you just don't get it.” Ron weakly tried to explain

“BULLSHIT RON! YOU'RE UNBELIEVABLE! THIS IS ALL BECAUSE OF HARRY AND HERMIONE ISN'T IT? YOU FEEL LIKE SHIT `CAUSE YOU'RE AN ARSEHOLE SO YOU DECIDE TO GO GET PISSED? WELL GOOD JOB RON! YOU'VE MADE AN EVEN BIGGER PRICK OF YOURSELF! NOBODY THOUGHT YOU COULD GET ANY WORSE BUT CONGRATULATIONS; SOMEHOW YOU'VE DISCOVERED A NEW WAY TO SHOCK US ALL!”

At an alarming rate, Ginny's face became as red as her hair while her voice carried throughout the entire house.

“Let me explain, Gin!” Ron moaned but to no avail. His sister was in no mood for any of his lame excuses.

“NO RONALD, I'M DONE WITH THIS!”

It was the second time in his life Ron had heard a woman he loved say that to him, while yelling in a disappointed voice. He felt like crying, but settled for groaning instead, because his head felt like it was going to explode.

“YOU BETTER CLEAN YOURSELF UP AND GET YOUR BLOODY ARSE DOWNSTAIRS BEFORE I SHOVE MY WAND UP IT? UNDERSTAND? LUNA IS DOWN THERE TRYING ON HER DRESS AND YOU BETTER BE FUCKING HAPPY FOR HER, GOT IT?” she left no room for argument. She turned on her heel and left the bathroom slamming door shut when she exited.

Ron stayed in his position on the floor and felt one tear fall from his eye before his stomach flipped and he had to hug the toilet again. He felt lost. There was nothing he could do about the way he felt. Everything would've been fine if Harry and Hermione had not shown up. And Luna had invited them. So everything would be fine if Luna hadn't invited them. She wouldn't have done that if she wasn't getting married and she wouldn't be getting married—at least not to that jackass—if he hadn't screwed up so badly with her all those years ago.

So it was his entire fault. He felt so crappy that he just wanted to go back to sleep. He was scared of Ginny, though, so he figured he could endure a few minutes of the women downstairs fawning over Luna and Charles.

***

“So, Ginny, how'd it go?” Luna asked conversationally to her best friend. They were in the living room adjusting her beautiful white wedding gown. It had a corset back which Molly was currently tightening, though she was hanging on to every word of the younger girl's discussion.

“Extremely well. The kids are so cute! Haylie wasn't feeling well when she got up from her kip, but James was as exuberant as ever. He's everything I would have imagined in Harry's son, He looks just like him” Ginny happily answered. She'd had a nice time at the Potters even with that little mishap. They hadn't asked her too, but Ginny felt compelled not to mention it. It wasn't her business anyway.

“What color eyes?” Molly asked quietly. The two girls looked at her oddly.

“Mum, I didn't hear you” Ginny said

“I asked what color eyes do the children have?” The elderly Weasley repeated stiffly.

Ginny smiled knowingly and shared a glance with Luna.

“James has honey brown eyes and Haylie's are green; Just like Harry's” Ginny replied with a little more excitement, “They're absolutely adorable, mum, you have to meet them”

“Well…it would be nice to see Harry and Hermione again.” Molly muttered, mostly to herself. She bent down and began pinning up Luna's gown, making sure it looked right. She had made this dress specifically to Luna's every wish and size. It was a perfect fit and a perfect dress for Luna. This would be their last fitting before the big day.

“I think you should invite them over for dinner” Ginny suggested softly, fluffing the bottom of Luna's dress.

“I agree” the blonde added airily

“We'll see” Molly replied. She continuing pinning and checking the dress for aproper fit.

It was then that Ron thundered in loudly saying in a booming voice, “Morning everybody!”

Ginny rolled her eyes, but Luna decided to stare at the wall.

“Ronald, there's cookies and milk in the kitchen for you. Try to save some for the rest of us.” Molly told her youngest son, waving vaguely toward the kitchen as she continued her work.

“Thanks mum, but you know I can't promise that” he smiled and then caught sight of Luna. Ron froze. She wouldn't look at him, but he took in her appearance from her hair to her toes. Ginny watched in delight at the look on her brother's face. He was stunned by how beautiful she looked.

In Ron's mind, Luna had never looked so breathtaking. Her hair was in loose blonde curls and pulled up with a barrette. She had no traces of make up that Ron could see and she was staring at everything but him. The way she held herself expressed confidence and success. Her skin was radiant, glowing with sunlight through the window. The dress itself left nothing to be desired. It accentuated her every curve and hugged her softly. Ron wished he could be that dress. In this very moment Ron wanted nothing more than to be the man Luna would walk down the isle to. He wanted her. He took a step forward, maybe just to get her attention so he could see her beautiful big blue eyes…

“Ronald is something wrong?” Ginny playfully asked. Ron came to his senses and quickly cleared his throat.

“Err…no. I'm just gonna…I'm gonna…”

“Why don't you go in the kitchen for your food?” Ginny giggled. Although she was still angry with him, she realized that there was hope left for her favorite couple.

He nodded dumbly and stumbled out of the living room, still looking like a lost puppy.

“Wow Luna. You've made Ron stop thinking about food. Imagine what that dress will do to Charley…”

“I prefer to be called Charles, if you don't mind” The previously mentioned soon-to-be-groom interjected from the doorway.

“Charles!” Molly beamed and welcomed him in.

In his usual condescending manner, he replied “Molly, I took the liberty of letting myself in because the door was unlocked…”

“Still could've knocked, rude bastard.” Ginny muttered angrily.

He scowled slightly at the remark he heard from Ginny but plastered his smile back on and continued. “…and I brought gifts! Luna, darling, you look exquisite!” Charles went to his fiancée and kissed her lightly on the cheek. He handed her a bouquet of roses. He also, unceremoniously, passed a bottle of white wine and The Daily Prophet to Ginny.

Luna blushed and smiled at him. She truly did love him. She looked almost embarrassed as she said shyly, “Honey, I think it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. All of the gillard's will be afloat and frolicking about the guests!”

“Sure, Luna, whatever you say” Charles humored her and turned his attention to Ginny.

“Ginerva, how are you? I see you chose a light pale blue theme for today's outfit. Maybe Luna should borrow that sometime” Charles playfully suggested, but Ginny only frowned.

“My name is Ginny, Charley. I like the way Luna dresses and I think I'd like to hear more about gillards.” She growled softly and began a starring contest between her and her best friend's fiancée.

“Ginny, Charles, how about some tea?” Molly said, sensing trouble.

“Sure thing Molly! Let me help you!” Charles amicably responded. He smiled cockily at the red headed girl and made his way behind Molly into the kitchen…where Ron was.

Ginny could no longer contain herself. She asked exasperatedly, “Ugghh! Luna how can you stand him! He's always so bloody smug and he doesn't give a damn about you! He thinks he's better than everyone!”

“I'm marrying him. Not you.” Luna simply replied like it was the obvious answer. She turned to the mirror and gazed at her reflection. She really did look beautiful, but Charles had barely even mentioned it. Luna had actually preferred Ronald's reaction. She could see through the corner of her eye that he was amazed. She liked amazing Ronald. She'd like to do it more…and permanently. Yes, Luna would love to permanently settle down and amaze Ronald for the rest of her life, but it wasn't going to happen. And now, after everything she had gone though internally after her and Ronald's breakup, Charles was the perfect man for her. She knew that he cared about her. She also knew, unlike Ginny, that he had difficulty expressing it sometimes.

“I'm going to go yell at Ron some more.” Ginny said.

“Why?”

“Because it makes me feel better.” Ginny told her, laughing slightly and making her way through the same door her brother, her mother, and Charles had gone through. She carried the wine and the Daily Prophet.

“Charley?” Ginny called with a false cheeriness in her voice, “Why the bloody hell would you bring over the Prophet when you know all they do is slander your soon-to-be-wife and her newspaper?”

“Oh Ginerva, don't be silly. The Quibbler could never amount to the standards of The Prophet. Sure, it's a nice hobby for Luna but she can't make a career out of it. The Prophet is just too well-known and traditional. They also report very well…unlike some of Luna's…fabrications.” He smiled disdainfully at her and then continued making tea on the counter.

Lucky for him, Molly was busy in the dining room setting up for tea so she couldn't hear what he was saying. Ginny had realized long ago that Charles would never act like himself around either Luna or any parents. He was a two-faced guy. Ginny hated two-faced guys. Hearing Charles' words, Ron accidentally spit milk out of his mouth.

“Wait! Are you telling us that you don't even read Luna's magazine? And when you do, you only insult it? How could you do such a thing if you are going to be marrying the woman that runs it?” He asked shocked. Even he read her paper and they'd split up almost seven years ago.

“Of course I don't read it on a daily basis nor take it seriously. It's all rubbish! Surely you people realize that?”

“Surely you recall a certain time when Harry Potter was considered a raving lunatic, right?” Ginny began her retort smugly.

“Of course, it was terrible what the ministry did to him. What does that have to do with anything?” a confused Charles inquired.

“The Quibbler was the only periodical to report a complete, accurate and interesting report on everything that Harry Potter had to say. They were the only ones with the truth while the Prophet reported how mad he was. Sorry Charley, but it's not rubbish. Especially not since Luna's taken over.” Ginny finished her counter with venom in every word. She was seething mad at Charles and had not liked him from the beginning.

Ron stood in the corner of the kitchen with an empty plate of cookies and a glass of milk in his hand. His face was slowly darkening to a light purple color and his hand clenched the cup that contained his milk.

Charles was saved an answer when Molly Weasley came barraging through the door ranting and raving about needing new china and perhaps a bigger table, too. Charles was home free for now, but Ginny swore she would expose him for the tool he really was before Luna made the biggest mistake of her life in less than four days.

***

The Potter family was calmly eating ordered-in Pizza and sitting on the couch watching TV as a family. The kids rarely ever watched the telly and were getting a special treat for being on vacation; it was well past their bedtime.

Suddenly, everyone in the room heard a loud crack and looked as Ginny Weasley appeared seemingly out of thin air.

“Hi Potters!” she greeted enthusiastically. Harry and Hermione sat on the couch, with his arm over her shoulders and a slice of pizza for each of them on the plate on Hermione's lap. James was laying on the floor with a blanket and a pillow while Haylie took up the recliner with a warm rag on her forehead.

“Hey Gin, why so late?” Harry asked gently

“Is Haylie still sick?” Ginny questioned worriedly, looking over at the considerably pale four-year-old.

“Yes, but she'll bounce back. She's like her father, always in need of hospital care.”

“I wasn't that bad!” Harry replied defensively, bumping into his wife with his shoulder.

“Oh Harry, you were always in the infirmary with some new injury. Just admit it. Anyway, Ginny what brings you here after midnight?” Hermione changed the subject.

“Well I just got out of the Burrow…we were having tea and celebrating the happy couple and I've been told to formally invite you to The Weasley family Friday Night Dinner party. We usually do it on Sundays, but since the wedding is then and the reception is the night before…we thought we could make it a little early get-together. What do you think?” Ginny propositioned them. James and Haylie were in their own world with the telly, mesmerized by a late night cartoon show, and not paying one bit of attention.

“Well, if Molly has really invited us…and everyone wants us then…” Hermione began to reason.

“Believe me; we all want you to come. Especially mum.” Ginny informed them, though she conveniently left out the part of Ron's little binge. “Please come?”

“I think it's a great idea.” Harry said, looking at Hermione, “It'll be a good time to catch up and sort of ease everyone into the idea of us with our family before the wedding. We don't want a scene to ruin Luna's special day.” Hermione nodded.

“We'll be there.” they said together.

“Splendid! I'll tell mum!” Ginny grinned before waving and Apparating out. She sure had a lot of planning to do if this party was going to go smoothly with no tussles, issues, or press involved.

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