AN: Because of the hardware failure, this chapter was lost when I uploaded it a while back, so here it is folks. Sorry for the wait, I hadn't realized that it didn't upload.
AN: I owe all of you readers a huge apology for updating this fic two weeks late. All I can say in my defense is that I haven't had much time even for myself these past few weeks much less time to write. I've started university for the first time this year and everything has been a whirlwind of activity from frosh week (which was really great by the way) to going to classes and getting use to everything. On top of all of that, me being the absolutely graceful creature that I am, I managed to accidentally spill water all over my keyboard, so now it's completely out of wack and I had to type this up on my brother's laptop when he wasn't using it, which is pretty much a rare occurrence. Anyway, enough about me. Here's the next and last chapter of A Chance Meeting. Many of you will probably think that after reading this, I could have continued this fic but because of all of the above reasons, I thought and I always planned on finishing it here. Without further ado, please read and enjoy Chapter 5 of A Chance Meeting…
Chapter 5
Warm rays of late August sunlight filtered through the curtains as they billowed in the cool breeze coming through the kitchen window.
The dancing rays of light were the only signs of movement as the lone occupant of the room sat hunched over at the kitchen table watching dust move around in the dancing sunlight.
Oddly enough, the Burrow once again was sitting quiet and still with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley off doing their own activities, which suited Ron just fine as he sat depressed and silent.
Who knew how long the silence stretched and grew but one thing was for certain, it came to a crashing halt as Ginny noisily swung through the kitchen door, intent on getting herself a drink made by a new wizarding company called Red Moon. Finally noticing Ron and his depressed stare, she sighed and walked over to the table and settled down for a sisterly chat.
Deciding to start the conversation off on a light note, Ginny cautiously began with a simple, "Hey, Ron." Seeing no outward signs of life from the lump she called her brother, Ginny changed the subject hoping to elicit a response, "Have you read the new article on the Chuddley Cannons Keeper?" After a beat of silence and still not getting any response, Ginny opted for the direct approach. "It's your own fault for feeling this way, Ron Weasley, you great big jealous prat!"
With a start, Ron sat up and looked accusingly at Ginny. "What's that suppose to mean?"
"Exactly what I said! I'm not the least bit sorry to say this but you've got to be the thickest bloke in the world right now!" Ginny said with obvious disgust.
"Oh, yeah? Care to enlighten me, my dear all knowing sister?" Ron sarcastically replied.
"You perfectly well know what I'm talking about and why you look as if you're about to receive The Talk from Umbridge!"
"Well, I don't know what you're talking about!" Ron huffed.
"Oh, quit the act, Ron! You're not fooling anyone and it's your won fault for creating this mess!"
"I repeat, dear sister, I have no idea what you're taking about!"
"You know as well as I do that you acted like a complete prat at Luna's!"
"Oh, yeah? May be I wouldn't be a prat if she didn't invite her boyfriend along for tea!"
"For Merlin's sake! Tyler isn't her boyfriend anymore than Snape is a ballerina! Ron, you need to get over this jealous phase you go through with every girl that you fancy! Need I remind you of the Yule ball and Hermione?"
"That was completely different! And I'm completely over Hermione!"
"Oh, well, I noticed that you didn't deny your feelings for a certain blonde!"
"I don't have to deny it because she's already denied it, she has a boyfriend!"
"Oh, Ron! You know as well as I do that that Tyler is her friend, that's it!"
Ron gave her a doubtful glare.
"Ron, I'll give you a piece of sisterly advice. The net time a witch you fancy invites you over to spend an afternoon together don't go off in a jealous rage and ignore her the whole afternoon. No witch, heck no witch or Muggle wants to be treated like that…Do you remember what I said that day in the bathroom?" Here Ginny paused and said softly, "You and Luna would be good for one another. Don't mess it up, Ron." With that Ginny cast a final glance at her brother and left the kitchen.
With the door swinging shut behind Ginny, Ron once again settled down at the kitchen table in a mixture of depression and contemplation.
***
Some time later, Mrs. Weasley stumbled through the swinging kitchen door buried in this month's edition of "Spunky Stitch Techniques for the Modern Witch." Upon seeing her youngest son slumped over at the table seemingly bored with sunlight dancing him, Mrs. Weasley was oddly reminded of a similar scene that took place a month earlier. With a motherly cry of concern, Mrs. Weasley abruptly grabbed the grocery list (and a couple of pounds) and shoved it to a startled Ron. Thinking that she had saved her son from a dire situation (one of utter boredom) yet again like that of the previous month, Mrs. Weasley smiled to her self and wordlessly left the kitchen…completely forgetting to make her afternoon tea.
***
Ron trudged along the many sidewalks of Ottery St. Catchpole with his pockets clinking with Muggle money. This time, there was no look of awe or bewilderment adorning his face as he observed the Muggles around him. In fact, Ron was not even giving the Muggles a sparing glance as he walked, dejectedly, through Ottery St. Catchpole and into the Muggle grocery store.
Perhaps, it was only inevitable that Ron would once again encounter Luna in a clumsy chance meeting reminiscent to the one that had only taken place a month prior.
Reminiscent it was as both Ron and Luna took a tumble as they rounded a sharp corner on both sides only to fall in a heap on the floor.
As expected, Ron quickly stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Trying to occupy his hands, he bent to gather their fallen groceries. Ron, too nervous at the sudden sight of seeing Luna, did not even make his usual comments about the strange Muggle items.
Finding that he had gathered all the fallen grocery items, Ron then had no choice but to look up at Luna.
Their eyes caught and held.
Wordlessly, together they paid for their groceries and, as if they had silently communicated, both turned onto the path they had walked a month earlier.
***
Luna was the first to break the silence. "You haven't been returning my owls," she calmly stated. "And I want to know why." For once Luna didn't appear the least bit loony or distracted but instead was, oddly enough, acting completely "normal" and gazing at Ron with clear, expectant pale eyes.
Ron threw a glance her way only to avoid her eyes as he returned his gaze to the stone that he idly kicked along his path. Instead of answering her question he asked his own. "Why didn't you tell me Tyler was coming to visit?"
"It was supposed to be a surprise and I wanted you to meet him. Why did you hate him so much, Ronald?"
"I don't hate him."
"Oh? Then what do you call being short with him? Ignoring him? Being rude? What do you call it when you act that way towards me, too?"
Ron's head shot up at that. "I could never hate you," he said softly.
"Then why did you act like you did that day?"
Ron bowed his head. "It wasn't you. I just don't like him."
"Ronald, are you…jealous?"
"What? Why would I be jealous of that prat?"
"Oh, I don't know, you tell me…Maybe it has something to do with me being friends with him?"
"What?" Ron repeated. "I'm not jealous because that prat spent a whole month with you, alone, in some isolated jungle!"
Luna sighed amusedly, "We didn't spend that much time together, much less alone. We were chaperoned, you know." Luna paused for a beat. "Besides, I don't like Tyler that way, I like you," Luna said almost casually.
Throughout the conversation Ron had noticed how normal Luna appeared and so was quite sure he had imagined her say she liked him.
Liked him.
Him.
All he could do was stare at her in surprise.
"No need to look like a Betorkle, Ronald!" Luna said after seeing Ron's surprised reaction. With that, she dropped her bag and stepped a little closer to him.
If he was surprised over her declaration that she liked him, he was astonished over what she did next.
She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
It wasn't a tentative kiss, either, but rather one that made Ron drop his own bags in order to pull her closer to him. He heard several items break as they hit the ground but he didn't care once her mouth opened to his. Her tongue brushed up against his and he felt a curious tingle travel through his body. Ron also felt rather light-headed and hoped the two of them didn't end up in a heap on the ground again.
Not that ending up on the ground was such a bad idea but this was the middle of the day in Ottery St. Catchpole.
The fervent kiss went on until they heard a passerby gasp and they both pulled away, flushed with a mixture of longing and embarrassment over the response they elicited from a complete stranger. The person hurried off, looking over her shoulder at them and they both laughed. Ron pulled Luna further into the trees surrounding the path, bags completely forgotten, and it wasn't long before they were kissing once again in privacy.
***
A few weeks later in Diagon Alley
As far as the eye could see, Diagon Alley was brimming with wizards and witches of every size and colour, bustling to and fro in hopes of finishing their last minute shopping in time for the new school year.
Tucked away in Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor sat a cozy Ron and Luna sharing a new Red Moon ice cream sundae.
"A wizard could get used to this," Ron said as he sat back in the booth with his arm around Luna.
Luna's only answer was to sigh dreamily and settle in closer to Ron.
After an undetermined amount of comfortable silence, Ron regarded Luna with some curiosity. "You know, if it wasn't for that chance meeting in Ottery St. Catchpole, we wouldn't be here together like this."
"A chance meeting or not, we would've been together eventually, Ronald." Luna said softly, her silver eyes serious, as she leaned in to kiss Ron softly.
The End
AN: And this is the end, folks. Huge thanks to my beta, Jori, for tirelessly beta-ing all these annoying chapters and for that fabulous snog she leant her skills for! Thanks to all my readers who stuck with me along the way and even bigger thanks to those who kindly took some time out and reviewed. This was my first ever attempt at a mini novel and I hope you guys enjoyed it more than I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again.