Only The Lonely

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter related.
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In the end, it always came back to her. She would be left to herself, just as it was in the beginning.

Luna Lovegood sat cross-legged on the top of the hill looking over the Burrow. It wasn't far from her childhood home. In fact, she used to come here when she was younger just for the fun of it, whether she was planning on visiting the Weasley's or not. She came for the dandelions. The wind would come from the meadow and up against the back of the hill, and would whisp the fluffy seeds off of the dandelions, making them dance in the air. It was Luna's place, and she loved it so.

She glanced down at the ensuing party that was going on at the Burrow. It was Ginny and Neville's engagement party. There were people bustling about, children chasing each other, and magical decorations floating all around. Enchanted balloons floated in mid-air, never flying away or popping. A small trail of bewitched butterfies followed Ginny and Neville wherever they walked. Luna guessed that was Fleur's doing. She smiled lightly as Ginny tried to shoo away some of the butterflies that were quickly gathering around Neville's head.

Luna shifted her glance to Harry and Hermione. Hermione laid a hand on her pregnant belly while she stood on her tip-toes to give Harry a kiss. Their kiss was interrupted by Hugo and Lily running by rather closely to Hermione. Ginny turned her attention from the ever growing number of butterflies around Neville's head to scold them for being reckless. Luna sighed. Everyone was having a lovely time. Luna considered herself to be part of everyone. At least, some of the time. But not right now. She had figured out long ago that she wouldn't always be part of "everyone". Sometimes, she would be by herself - just Luna. And she was okay with that. For a while, anyway.

Luna suspected that her distinct dottiness came from being left to her own devices for so long. It would be an interesting turn of events, to have been made "loony", and then teased for being so. But Luna decided that it didn't do to dwell on such ideas. She looked down at the Burrow again. She searched over the crowd for the familiar, freckled face. A smile crossed Luna's lips when she found him. His patch of red hair gave him away.

Ron was sitting next to his father at one of the various tables scatterd around the back lawn of the Burrow. By the look of Ron's hand gestures, they seemed to be in a deep discussion over something important. Luna felt the warmth in her face grow as she watched Ron. She had known for quite some time how she felt about him. Since Hogwarts, even. God only knows how many times Luna had come to this very spot to wish on a dandelion that Ron would return her feelings. But, it wasn't in the stars.

Sometimes it was more than enough to just see Ron smile, or crack a joke, even when he was with Lavendar or Hermione. But many times, it didn't seem to live up to what it used to. Luna wanted more. Even if it was just to be acknowledged a bit.

Luna felt the wind rush up from the back of the hill. She closed her eyes as the wind whipped through her hair. Luna opened them to see the dandelion seeds floating around the air. She let her pain go, if just for a minute, and laughed. She felt the rush of her childhood, and for a moment, Luna felt at peace.

She looked down at the party. At some point, Ron and gotten up from the table he was sitting at. Luna scanned over the crowd again until she found him. He was talking to Harry, who suddenly pointed up to where Luna was sitting. Ron turned around and squinted his eyes. He then smiled and waved at Luna. She blinked for a few seconds, and then regained her composure. She waved back. Ron motioned for her to come down to the party. Luna felt her heart flutter like so many butterflies.

She smiled and headed down to the party, leaving the dandelion seeds dancing in the wind.