Chapter 2
By the time Ron made it to the correct dock, with five minutes to spare, he was physically drained. He hadn't been too happy when he found out he had to travel the last thirty-five miles, muggle style, but he didn't realize how annoying and incredibly frustrating it was to be a muggle. It was a good thing he was born a wizard, because he really didn't think he could hack it. He had to give them credit…taking a cab in a foreign country wasn't an easy task.
Now he stood at the edge of the dock, frowning slightly at the number of people that were on the ferry he was supposedly suppose to ride to get to Harry's house. The muggles were all dressed up in suits and dresses as they were swarming in different groups, laughing together, chatting it up while they waited for departure. Was this the right dock? Did he make a mistake?
"Señor?"
Ron turned to the muggle who came up beside him to his right. "Yes?"
"You need to bored, Señor…we are leaving soon."
"Yes…but. Is this ferry going to…the Potter Estate?"
"Ah, yes..sí, sí…we drop off the wedding guests on the other side of island…then we go to Potter Estate."
"Oh." He let out a sigh of relief. "Okay…good, I'm in the right place."
The friendly man smiled. "Very good, Señor…you go on board…I will tend to your luggage. And please help yourself to the bar…open bar."
Ron blinked. "Open bar?"
"Si." He nodded enthusiastically. "Free."
"Ohhh," he said understanding now. "Well…I definitely know that word."
The man laughed and gave him a friendly pat before easily carting away Ron's things. Ron then walked onto the crowded boat, weaving himself between muggles as he made his way to the back of the boat where it was less crowded.
He saw the blonde almost right away and although her back was to him he knew exactly who at was. She was the only one besides him who was not dressed in wedding attire, but even if she did have a dress gown on, he would have known it was Luna. Her long wavy blonde hair that came down almost to her waist was a dead give away. Plus, he would recognize those long, smooth legs anywhere. He may have a girlfriend, but he appreciated a nice pair of legs just like every hot-blooded male in the world.
Two muggle men were talking to her, trying their best to impress her with stupid, idiotic jokes and…did that guy really just flex his muscles? "Give me a break," he muttered with a shake of his head as he made his way over to her.
"Fancy meeting you here, Lovegood."
Luna spun on her heels and even though she wore shades, he saw her brows peek out the top of them, telling him her eyes went wide. A smile bloomed on her face as she shoved her drink in one of the muggle's hand, before leaping into his arms. "Ronald!"
He laughed as he caught her…plucked her off the floor and hugged her tight. Over her shoulder he saw the muggles walk off with a look of remorse on their faces. "Some dudes have all the luck," one of them muttered to his friend and Ron couldn't help but grin.
"It's so good to see you," Luna exclaimed as she lingered in the hug as long as possible. It was stupid really, that after all this time she still had a massive crush on him. She had tried so hard during her last year at Hogwarts to get over him and she thought she had succeeded…until now.
"Let's have a look at you." Ron plopped her back on her feet and gently grabbed her arms to hold her back. "You've changed, Lunakins."
Luna smiled at the name he had jokingly called her after his mum had called him, Ronnykins in front of Luna during Bill and Fleur's wedding. It had of course been before the attack, and they had been talking just at the edge of the dance floor. She had just about built up enough courage to ask him to dance when his mum had swept in.
"You look so handsome," she had said as she reached up pinched his cheeks. "Have I told you that yet, my little Ronnykins?"
Luna snorted back a chuckle as Ron's face flushed red with embarrassment. "Only a few hundred times, Mum."
Mrs. Weasley just beamed and gave his cheek a little pat before strolling away. "Not a word, Luna," he
muttered when he heard her muffled giggle.
"Actually…I think Ronnykins is a rather cute name."
"Is that so?" he asked with a teasing smile. "Well, if you like it so much…then I'll just start calling you, Lunakins."
He then reached up and gave her cheek a pinch, causing her to laugh and bat his hands away. "Cut it out…Ronnykins."
"Whatever you say…Lunakins."
They had a quick chuckle over it and once again, she had the nerve to ask him to dance. She actually even had said the words: "Would you like to dance, Ronnykins?" However, before he could utter a word the attack had hit and screams and flashing lights erupted around them.
"Get out of here, Luna," he said urgently then pulled her down to the ground to avoid a flashing light. "Go find your father and get out…I have to go find Hermione and Harry."
"Be careful," she said and then they separated and disappeared into the chaos.
That seemed a lifetime ago instead of only a mere two years ago. Now she was standing on a ferry with him in another country, heading towards Harry Potter's house where they'd be during the next two weeks.
"Changed how?" she asked as she pushed her shades up on her head. "Good or bad?"
"Good," he said and finally let go of her arms and slid his hands in his pockets. "Definitely good." He turned his body towards the sea resting his hands against the rails. "Those muggle were taking a liking to you."
Luna copied his position as she put her shades back down. "It was nice…I never got that attention back at Hogwarts before."
"The boys at Hogwarts all gits."
"Except you, Ronald," she teased as she playfully nudged him.
"No, I'm the biggest git of all," he said with a grin. "Look how long it took me to finally get with Hermione?" He shook his head and looked back out at the ocean, missing the flash of hurt in her eyes. "If I hadn't been such a git, I would have gotten together with her a lot sooner."
Luna forced a smile. "You must be excited to see her."
"I am." Ron beamed as he glanced back at her. "And Harry of course, but…I'm really anxious to see Hermione. I can't believe it's been a year since I last saw either of them."
"Ginny had told me how they both left in the middle of the night. That must have been hard."
"Yes," he admitted and felt a twinge of hurt in his heart. "Especially when I thought the two of them planned and left together."
"They didn't though," she said shaking his head. "That's what Ginny told me at least. It was just a coincidence."
He nodded. "Yeah, they each mentioned the other in their letters…it was obvious they had no idea the other was leaving when they wrote it. It was a relief, but at the same time it still hurt pretty bad. Both of my friends just left me in the lurch. I was dramatic about it at first, but I got over it…and I finally could understand why they would both want to leave."
Luna nodded in agreement. "I think Harry deserved a nice long solitude after the hell he went through. I know you and Hermione went through quite a bit too…I'm not trying to take that away from you, but…"
"No, I understand," Ron assured her with a smile. "You couldn't pay me to trade places with him…even the times I had been jealous of him."
"I can't imagine why you would be." She turned her back to the sea and leaned on her elbows as she smiled up at him. "You have a lot of great qualities, Ronald."
"Do I?" he asked as he casually brushed a strand of her hair that blew over her face. "Okay, I'll bite…what are they?"
She looked away shyly as she her cheek now tingled from the gentle touch of his fingers. "Maybe I'll tell you someday…but for now I want another drink."
"Oh, come on," he said touching her forearm before she could leave. "I'll tell you yours if you tell me mine? I'll even go first."
She pushed her sunglasses back up. "You think I have great qualities?" she asked staring up at him with a puzzled look on her face.
"Tons…and one of them is that you always seem so pleasantly surprised when I give you a compliment." He grinned when her cheeks suddenly turned red with embarrassment. "You always make me laugh…sometimes unintentionally but then that just makes you more brilliant. I love the fact that you know who you are and you never try to be anything but yourself. I admired that back at school…I know you were picked on a lot and you could have easily tried to fit in by acting less…"
"Looney?" she finished with a slight smile.
"Yes," he said as he brushed her elbow with her thumb. "You're Looney Luna and I wouldn't want it any other way."
"Thanks, Ronald," she said shyly. "That means a lot."
"I've got more…want me to continue?"
"No," she laughed dreamily. "That'll do. Well…how bout that drink, Ronald?"
Ron blinked as she walked off. "Woah, wait a minute," he said quickly following her and snagged her hand. "It's your turn, remember?"
"Hmm? Oh, yes…but you never said anything about when I tell you…did you Ronald?"
He narrowed her eyes when she innocently fluttered her lashes up at him. "That was sneaky, Lovegood."
"Why, thank you," she said with a brilliant smile.
He just shook his head with a laugh. "Come on," he said tugging at her hand. "Let's go take advantage of this open bar."
XXXX
Hermione stretched out her legs as she took a deep breath of warm salty sea air. "I can't believe I'm in Mexico," she said when Harry joined her back out on the veranda. They were sitting at a circular patio table that was nestled under a wide blue and white-striped umbrella looking out to the ocean. "I can't believe I'm here with you in Mexico."
Harry smiled as he set a glass of frozen margarita in front of her before sitting down next to her. "It's far from what we're use to, isn't it?"
"And then some." She took her first testing sip and smacked her lips. "This is good." She took another greedy taste. "Really, really good."
"Margarita's are my guilty pleasure while I'm down here," he said before taking a sip from his own glass. "You look good, Hermione."
"Really?" she asked with a pleasing smile.
He nodded. "Australia agrees with you."
She shrugged. "I guess," she said and then laughed. "I guess spending a year not stressing over Dark Lords or Horcruxes does a body good."
"Good point," he said with a slight chuckle. "But seriously…looking good, Granger. I like your tan."
She grinned as she lifted her legs to examine her skin. "I have spent a lot of time by the pool. Australia is great…I'm glad my parents have decided to stay there."
"Do they know everything?"
"They know enough," she said and smiled at him over her glass. "But still have some ways to go. They know the family now, so that's important. It's mostly little stuff."
"Is it hard work?"
"It isn't easy," she said with a slight frown. "It drains them out physically and mentally. They usually take a long nap after a session. It's getting better, though. Much better. They'll be okay for a few weeks and they're definitely enjoying the break."
"I feel like I never really got to know your parents. I should come to Australia sometime and get to know them."
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Really? Oh, they'd love to meet you. They remember you quite a bit."
"Well I should hope so," he said with a roll of his eyes. "I've only been your best friend for over what? Eight years now?"
"They don't remember much about Ron," she admitted as she worriedly bit her lip.
Harry's brows lifted in slight surprise. "They don't?"
She shook her head. "No…I was telling my mum it would make sense they remembered you more because Ron annoyed the hell out of me during most of my years at Hogwarts, so…I mainly talked more about you when I was at home during the summer."
His lips curved up in amusement. "I see."
"Don't mention this to Ron," she said suddenly. "I mean…you know how sensitive he is about…"
"Our relationship?" he finished for her when she trailed off. "I know. Don't worry." He pretended to lock his lips with an invisible key.
"Thanks," she said gratefully. "He's gotten better…especially after we were officially together, but…I still see the way he watches us when we're talking by ourselves."
"I know," he said quietly. "It was one of the reasons why I decided to leave. I felt, with me out of the picture for awhile, he'd get more confident."
"I guess it didn't help since we both left," she said with a sad smile.
"I guess not," he admitted but then gave her an encouraging smile. "He seemed to have gotten over it…I got a few letters from him over the past year."
"I got more than a few," she muttered getting a chuckle out of him. "So what did he write about?"
"I got his first letter abooout…three months after I left?" He pondered over it then nodded. "Yes, that's right…I was in California. He pretty much wrote how he had been upset that we snuck out in the middle of the night, but definitely understood why I had to leave. I wrote him back immediately, telling him I appreciated it and to keep me updated on how things were back at home."
"What about Ginny? Did she ever write?"
Harry sighed and took a sip of his drink. "Once a month."
"Hmm." She set down her drink and studied him. "And you were…annoyed by it?"
"I don't know," he said as he ran his fingers through his hair. "She was just so…understanding. Almost…too understanding. I pretty much left her without so much of a goodbye and she's all…'Oh, don't worry, Harry…I understand. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.' I know it's stupid." He lifted a shoulder in a helpless gesture. "But…I almost wished she did get a little mad at me. I wish she'd express something towards me except…"
"Devotion?"
"Yes," he said urgently as he jabbed a finger at her. "That's exactly it. She's so devoted to me it's…irritating. Did you know we've never really gotten in a fight? Oh, sure we've had our slight disagreements, but we've never had a full on fight. That's weird for a relationship…isn't it?"
"It's certainly not normal," she admitted, then let out a sigh as she sat up in her chair. "Okay, look…Ginny had waited a lot time for you to notice her, Harry…she did everything she could for you to finally see her in a romantic sense. She always did what she thought you'd want her to do…always said what she thought you wanted her to say. She wanted you to like her…really, really, like her."
"Well, I certainly don't want her not to have a mind of her own," he exclaimed as he collapsed back in his chair. "That's not attractive at all."
"I'm not saying she doesn't have her own mind," she corrected lightly. "She's a strong woman and I like her a lot…but when it comes to you? She can be a little thick." When he started to laugh she pointed a warning finger at him. "And don't you dare tell her I said that, Harry."
"Don't worry," he chuckled and then sat forward. "Okay, so…I guess I can understand why she did that when I wasn't paying attention to her, but now that we're together…why is she still doing it?"
"Firstly, you two aren't together really…you've been apart for a year and she's definitely going to want to know where you two stand. And second? She doesn't want to lose you…she's afraid to have that full on fight with you because she's worried you'll break things off."
He let out a frustrating groan. "That's ridiculous! If a guy ended a relationship with someone after one fight no one would stay together!"
"I know, Harry…and so does Ginny," she added as she reached over to pat his leg. "You just need to first figure out your relationship and once you decide she is the girl you want to be with…you have to talk with her…reassure her that you're in it for the long haul. Just make sure you are truly committed to her before you talk to her, though…it wouldn't be fair to her otherwise."
Harry nodded and then blew out a tiring sigh. "Why are relationships so damn hard?"
She chuckled as she picked up her drink and toasted it to him. "One of life's mysteries."
"Here, here," he said lifting his own drink for a sip. "So what about you and Ron? You haven't seen him in a year…feelings still there?"
She took a moment to think about it as she chewed on her lip nervously. "I don't know," she stated finally looking up at him. "Is that horrible? I just don't know…I hope so, Harry…I certainly don't want to hurt him."
"I know you don't," he said softly as he reached over and covered her hand with his. It was his turn to listen and comfort. "But you also can't stay with him just to avoid hurting him.'"
"No, I know." She looked out into the ocean and her surroundings. "I guess we'll just have to see how things work out during these next few weeks."
"It'll be okay," he assured her. "Whatever happens is meant to happen…I truly believe that. And I'm here for you," he added with a smile as he squeezed her hand. "If you need someone to talk to. I am your best friend, after all."
She returned his smile. "You better believe it," she said and then got up on her feet.
Knowing exactly what she wanted he got up as well and met her hug with open arms. "I've really, really missed you," he murmured as he wrapped his arms securely around her and squeezed tight.
She placed her lips against his shoulder and took in a deep breath. "I've missed you, too, Harry." She turned her head to nuzzle her cheek against his chest. "Next time you decide to go off on a sabbatical, you better take me with you…I don't think I could take another year without seeing you."
A deep chuckle rumbled out of his chest. "Don't worry." He plopped his chin on the crown of her head. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Are you ready for this, Harry?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"I think so," he said with uncertainty in his voice. "How bout you?"
She nodded her head. "Yes," she muffled against his chest.
"Well, then get ready, Granger," he said as he leaned back and turned her around to face the ocean where Ron and Luna's ferry was slowly making it's way around the bend. "You're up first."
Hermione let out a whiney moan. "Bloody hell," she muttered.
Harry just laughed and rubbed her shoulders. "Don't worry, Hermione…this is Ron we're talking about. Our best friend. Surely the part of you that sees him as your friend is excited to see him."
"Right," Hermione said calmly as the butterflies flew away. She thought of the Ronald that had been her friend…her annoying, helpless friend that made her laugh one minute and want to strangle the next. "Yes, that part of her is thrilled."
"There, you see?" He kneaded her shoulder a few more times. "Let's go down and meet them."
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