Logic and Illogic

by: coolhacker1025

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, et. al Warnings: possibly Ron!bashing, femmeslash, eventual Hermione/Luna

This is Luna's version of the events of Chapter 2. Some of the dialogue might not be the same, as two people might (and probably would) remember the same conversation differently (It also has a corresponding perspective switch near the end)

\\/

Luna Lovegood knew that she was strange. She saw the world differently than others. Unfortunately, this meant that she had no friends.

She may not have had any friends, but there was one person who truly intrigued Luna Lovegood—Hermione Granger, a Gryffindor a year ahead of her.

She'd noticed Hermione throughout her first three years of school, but only started to interact with the girl in her third year—she knew that Hermione needed help so that Harry Potter would not die in the Triwizard Tournament.

The Nargles were telling her to go over and introduce herself to the older girl. Everyone, even the Ravenclaws, were of the opinion that Hermione Granger was the most Ravenclaw of all the Gryffindors. Some went as far as to say that the Hat got it wrong two years in a row—that Hermione should've been in Ravenclaw, and that Luna, due to her oddness and lack of fitting in, should've been put in Hufflepuff.

Luna tried to ignore statements like that. She knew that she was smart enough to be in Ravenclaw.

Luna went over to the Gryffindor Fourth Year. She noticed that the girl had made a few mistakes with the runes translation she was doing, so Luna automatically started to correct the mistakes. Luna noticed the older girl look at her original translations and then at the translations Luna had done, and then looked astonished.

"How do you know so much about Runes?" asked Hermione Granger.

"Oh, Daddy does an article about them every so often," said Luna. "He's the editor of a newspaper called The Quibbler."

"I don't mean to be rude," started Hermione, obviously forgetting that most of the time when you start a sentence like that, you're about to say something rude. "But who exactly are you? I don't think that you're a fourth-year, as I've not seen you in class."

Not quite rude, thought Luna before she answered. "I'm Luna Lovegood. Ravenclaw, third year."

"And why did you come over to see me?"

"The Nargles told me to," replied Luna. The Nargles had in fact told her to. Nargles were not of this world, so most people thought that they didn't exist.

"The what?"

"Nargles," repeated Luna. "They are quite mysterious and mischievous creatures that are known to infect mistletoe."

"Why did they tell you to come here?"

"You needed it," replied Luna. "Your runes were wrong, and I think that you need someone to talk to. Other than your friends Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter, of course."

Hermione laughed. Luna realised that she really liked that sound. "I suppose you're right," she said. "Thanks for the help. I should be getting back to the Common Room before they think anything bad has happened to me."

Luna laughed.

\\/

Unfortunately for Luna, every time that Hermione was in the library for the next couple of weeks, she was surrounded by people. No private talking. She'd watched the first task, of course, and had been amazed by Harry Potter's flying skills.

Maybe I'll make a Gryffindor hat for next year, Luna thought to herself. A lion hat that makes a realistic roar.

The Nargles were telling her all about the next task, and that Harry needed to use a plant. She noticed Hermione in the library, looking at all sorts of odd books with all sorts of odd spells in them. She shook her head, as the Gryffindor girl was really overthinking things this time.

"You don't want that section," Luna told Hermione. "Magical plants will help Harry Potter with his goal. I don't know which, but asking someone might help."

"Which what?"

"You are very confusing some times, Hermione Granger," said Luna. "I meant which plant Harry Potter will need. I suppose you thought that I meant which goal. Wrackspurts must have interfered with my line of thought."

"I could say that you are a very confusing individual some times as well, Luna," replied Hermione. "Both times that I've talked to you, you've mentioned creatures that I've never even heard of before—Nargles and Wrackspurts."

"Well, many people don't think that they exist," replied Luna. "Stick to plants for Harry Potter for this round. Don't go overthinking things like parting the waters or whatnot."

Hermione had taken Luna's advice and gone to see Neville Longbottom. Luna knew that he was the son of the famous Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom, who'd been tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. Although Luna didn't completely believe that story, as she'd read an article in The Quibbler that suggested that the Longbottoms had been cured almost immediately, but had been drugged out of their minds for the past thirteen years. It was a plausible theory, as the Minister of Magic at the time had been known to think of the Longbottoms as wanting his job or being too ambitious. Being politically incorrect for his views.

Luna didn't know whether the story was true or not, but she hoped it wasn't. She truly believed that Neville was suffering more, seeing his parents alive but unable to recognise him, than Harry Potter was, as he couldn't really remember his parents much.

For the rest of the year, Hermione Granger was very busy. Luna heard rumours that Hermione had gone to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum, the famous Bulgarian Quidditch Star and Triwizard Champion from Durmstrang. It must have been nice to go to the Ball. Luna wasn't old enough.

Luna watched the Second and Third Tasks, which were nearly opposite in their results, in her opinion. The Second Task, he'd won the task, and had brought back a second hostage (as Fleur Delacour, Beauxbatons, had forfeited the task). The Third Task had been a complete failure.

First, Harry returned with the dead body of one of his competitors—a Hufflepuff Quidditch star who most of the girls thought was cute. He'd gone out with one of her tormentors, one of the people saying she should be in Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, Cho Chang, a Chinese girl whose father was a man of some importance.

Second, Viktor Krum had been placed under the Imperious Curse, and forced to torture the other competitors. He was very remorseful when he heard what he'd done, but the damage had already been done.

Third, Harry claimed that You-Know-Who had returned. It was something that she didn't want to believe, but if Harry Potter said it and Hermione believed him, it was probably true.

It was a mournful feeling that consumed the school. A Tournament that had been discontinued for its Death Toll, had claimed another student.

She met Hermione again before they got off the train and hugged her. She liked Hermione. It was almost like having a friend.

Luna had a fairly good summer that year, despite the threat of Lord Voldemort's return. She was absolutely astounded when she heard from Hermione that Harry had been attacked by a Dementor and had been charged with crimes for it. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that Harry Potter had been cleared of all charges.

Luna didn't actually see Hermione again until when they were getting off the train, and into the carriages.

"They're called Thestrals," said Luna to Harry Potter and his friends. "They're invisible, and can only be seen by somebody who has seen death."

Luna was not surprised to see the Prefects badge on Hermione's robes. What she was surprised about was its absence on Harry Potter's robes, and its inclusion on Ronald Weasley's clothes.

"Who are you?" asked Harry Potter. There was no tone of malice in his voice. It actually sounded quite friendly. Having friends seems to be quite nice, she thought to herself. Even if they aren't officially friends.

"Oh, her?" laughed Ginny, the red-headed, closed-minded, Harry-centric girl who lived a couple of hills over from her in a place called The Burrow in Ottery St Catchpole. "That's Looney, I mean, Luna Lovegood. She's the same year as me, except in Ravenclaw."

Ginny pretended that she hadn't made the slip with Luna's 'nickname', but Luna noticed it. It just proved to Luna what an opinionated girl Ginny Weasley was.

Luna could tell that Hermione was subtly looking at her, and taking in her appearance. Luna knew that hormones were quite powerful at the age they were, and perhaps that's what was fuelling Hermione's looks.

"She's quite brilliant, actually," admitted Hermione, attempting to hide a blush. "She's almost as smart as I am."

Luna smiled. She really liked Hermione. The girl was smart, attractive, and knew how to handle herself.

\\/

It was shortly into the term that Hermione and Luna met in the library. They helped each other with their homework, making it much more efficient. It quickly turned into a regular occurrence, usually when Harry had detention with so-called 'Professor' Umbridge. Hermione frequently complained about the Defence Against the Dark Arts class and textbook. Luna agreed. A first year could write a better book. It was certainly inappropriate for a class of their calibre.

It could work in a first or second year class, thought Luna. But that's about it.

Luna didn't hate many people, but she hated Dolores Umbridge. The woman had threatened her and her father, claiming that she had the weight of the Ministry behind her. Her threats turned out to be empty, as Umbridge had been laughed out of the Auror Office for suggesting that Luna's father should be arrested on various charges for writing that Fudge baked Goblins into pies and other things.

Umbridge had made life difficult for the Lovegoods, attempting to have them shut down on multiple occasions—they'd had to fight closure notices in court multiple times. Luna supposed it was their lack of loyalty to the current Minister of Magic (another person that Luna very much disliked, but didn't hate), to their support of Harry Potter (lately), and the fact that they didn't despise so-called Dark Creatures, like werewolves and vampires.

Luna fondly remembered her second year when Remus Lupin had taught Defence Against the Dark Arts. He'd been a wonderful teacher—even if he'd only covered creatures. It wasn't saying much, but Lupin had certainly been a better professor than her first year DADA Professor, who she strongly suspected had been a complete fraud. She later learned from Hermione that he had been.

After hearing Hermione rant about Umbridge one day, Luna had a suggestion. "If we're not getting proper Defence classes, why not go to someone who will?"

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione. "We can't exactly ask Professor Lupin back to the castle. And Professor Moody last year was not the real Professor Moody. It was a man called Barty Crouch, Jnr."

Luna let out a grimace at the name.

"I see you've heard of him," said Hermione. "I, for one, don't know much about him, other than that he was a Death Eater."

"That's bad enough," said Luna. "But it's not my place to say what landed him in Azkaban. It was such a heinous crime that Bellatrix Lestrange herself was involved."

"Bellatrix Lestrange?"

"Voldemort's top lieutenant," answered Luna. "The only reason she wasn't a Dark Lady herself was that she was a follower of Him."

Hermione shuddered. "That bad?"

"Very much so," replied Luna. "But going back to my suggestion: Who do we know that is good at Defence Against the Dark Arts, and has survived Voldemort three times, if I remember correctly?"

\\/

"Harry has agreed to help with the Defence group," said Hermione. "Assuming that he ever gets out of detention. If he could keep a cooler head, he wouldn't take Her bait all of the time."

"I know what you mean," said Luna. "She often tries to bait me for my family's views—on Harry Potter, on the creatures in The Quibbler, on politicians. She doesn't like me at all."

"She's just so bigoted," exclaimed Hermione, in a low voice, of course, as they were in the library. "I mean, I've almost gotten used to the Blood-Status bigots, but she takes it to a different level. I think that if she's not a Death Eater herself, she's certainly a sympathiser."

"Most people would say that the world isn't divided into good people and Death Eaters, but I would agree with your statement."

Luna then told her friend about her various run-ins with the Ministry person. She would say 'hag', but that would be insulting to hags. Hags were much better at magic than Umbridge was. She'd say toad, but again, that would be insulting to toads. They were much better looking than Her.

\\/

"Where do you go all of the time?" asked one of Luna's classmates on her return to the Common Room. "You can't be on a date, because who would go out with you?"

"It is none of your business where I go in my free time," responded Luna. "Now, please get out of my way before I have to make you."

The girl left, and Luna went up to her dormitory. It hurt sometimes, all of the insults, but they were only words. As long as they weren't taking her things.

\\/

"They asked me where I was," said Hermione, the next time she and Luna were in the library. "I told them I was in the library, but I don't think that Harry completely believed me. I think that he thinks that I'm collaborating with the twins to overthrow She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Luna laughed. "She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I like that."

"I think that was a reasonable assumption, though, based on the fact that the Weasley twins did something that caused her to let Harry out of detention early," said Hermione. "She has him writing with a blood quill."

"That's not good," said Luna. "That's not good at all. Those are illegal under most circumstances, and are only allowed for contracts and things. The more she forces him to write with that, the more he'll say."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a sort of blood magic to seal a contract," said Luna. "What's he writing?"

"I must not tell lies," said Hermione. "It's barbaric. It's literally etched in his own chicken-scratch on the back of his hand."

"And because he wrote it as a contract, in blood, he will continue not to lie," replied Luna. "Thereby giving The Toad-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named more chances to get him in detention."

"That hag!" exclaimed Hermione, just loud enough that people around her made shushing noises at her.

"I'd say the same, but that is insulting to hags," replied Luna.

\\/

DA meetings started soon after. The official name was 'Dumbledore's Army', but Luna had a feeling that name would come back to bite them one of these days. She'd preferred 'Defence Association.' It was a much less politically charged name. Both could be abbreviated to "DA" of course.

She therefore got to see her friend more often. They often sparred in DA meetings. Luna noticed that Ronald Weasley seemed to be getting more protective of Hermione, and not in a good way. It was more of a stalkerish way.

It was after one of these meetings that Luna and Hermione kissed for the first time. Everyone, including Harry, had already left, and it was just Hermione and Luna.

Luna knew that Hermione was going for her cheek, but Luna turned her head just in time for Hermione to kiss her on the lips. Luna realised that she enjoyed it quite a bit more than she'd been expecting. They continued to kiss until they both needed to breathe.

"I liked that," said Luna. Hermione nodded, out of breath. It looked like she was having quite a good reaction to the kiss that she had initiated.

"So did I," said Hermione. "It's getting late, so I should probably escort you to your Common Room."

With Luna's instructions, Hermione escorted Luna to the Ravenclaw Common Room, where Hermione met the door for the first time. Hermione seemed surprised that there was a riddle instead of a password.

"Ravenclaw is for those who think," said Luna. "If you can get past the door, then you're likely worthy of being in the Common Room. Occasionally, even Ravenclaws get stuck outside, 'cause the eagle gave them a question they couldn't work out."

"How many times has that happened to you?" asked Hermione, almost certain of the answer.

"None," replied Luna, confirming what Hermione's suspicion was. "Night."

She reached up and kissed Hermione again, as the door opened. She enjoyed it just as much as the first time.

"So, you're with Granger?" asked one of her classmates. "What's it like?"

"She's a wonderful girl," replied Luna. "Very smart. Smarter than some of our colleagues."

The other girl laughed. "You realise that she's just going to go back to Potter, right?"

"Why would she do that, when Harry is with that whore Miss Chang?" asked Luna rhetorically. "Or should I say that whore Prefect Miss Chang? Hermione doesn't feel romantic love towards Harry. Believe me."

"Well, fuck off then,"

"Well, at least someone kisses me," said Luna savagely. "Who was the last person to kiss you? Your mother?"

The next day, there were rumours that there had been another fight in the Gryffindor Common Room between Ronald and Hermione. Hermione confirmed that a couple of days later, when Ron was at Quidditch, and Harry was in the Common Room.

"Ron's being an ass," said Hermione. "Just as usual, he's being an overbearing, overprotective, stalking ass."

"What's he doing?"

"He wants me to be near him at all times," said Hermione. "He's using a family heirloom of Harry's to track my location."

"An heirloom?" asked Luna.

"It's a map of Hogwarts, created by his father," said Hermione. "It shows everyone in the school and where they are. It's completely up to date. I've never expressed an interest in him."

"Ronald is infested with Wrackspurts, Hermione," replied Luna. "He wants more than the friendly relationship you have. In his mind, you're abandoning him after all these years of friendship."

"I'm not abandoning him!" exclaimed Hermione quietly. "I just lo...I'm just more fond of you at this point."

Luna held her hand up in a placating gesture. "I know that you aren't abandoning him," she said. "You're just using your time more efficiently. I give you excellent incentive to get your work done quicker."

"Luna!"

"You know that you love me," said Luna with a grin.

"I do, Luna," said Hermione. Luna knew that her friend wasn't ready to finish that sentence yet, but she didn't care.

The Twins came over. "Did we hear you say that the Map is a family heirloom of Harry's?" they asked in an excited, but quiet voice.

"Harry's father and his friends created the Map at Hogwarts," said Hermione. "James was Prongs. You actually were living with two this past summer, and had one as a teacher a few years ago."

The Lumos charm lit over their heads. "Professor Lupin?"

"Moony," replied Hermione. "The owner of the...place we were in is Padfoot."

"We were living with two Marauders?!" exclaimed the Twins in their chorused voices. "What about the other one?"

"And Wormtail is Scabbers," said Hermione. "Also known as the person who betrayed the Potters, Peter Pettigrew."

The Twins fanboyed for a minute before returning to their regularly scheduled mayhem.

\\/

"So Harry saw a snake attack Mr Weasley?" asked Luna, after they'd returned from winter break. "And he thinks that he was possessed by Him?"

"Pretty much," said Hermione. They weren't in the library this time, as it was too insecure. They were in the Room of Requirement. "I don't think that Harry thinks of the fact that without him telling us, Mr Weasley wouldn't have been found until it was too late."

"Harry Potter was likely brought up in a home that didn't love him," said Luna. "Just based on his reactions to things. It's not your fault that he does this. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to help."

"Just be yourself, Lu'," said Hermione. Luna noted the nickname. She liked how it sounded coming from her girlfriend's mouth.

Luna and Hermione continued meeting for the next couple of months, until the DA was found by Professor Umbridge. She and Luna managed to escape, only because they ducked into a nearby bathroom and cast a Disillusionment Charm on themselves, despite its relative difficulty. They still managed to locate each other and start to kiss.

Sometimes raw emotion overcomes everything else.

\\/

"Luna, tell your girlfriend to put it right!" exclaimed Cho Chang in the Common Room that night.

"Your friend betrays us all, and you want me to put it right?" asked Luna. "I wouldn't do that if she were the last person on Earth. She deserves it, Hoe Chang. Just think of the magical skill necessary to do such a thing, and then remember that Nurse Pomfrey cannot fix it. What does that tell you?"

"I'd say it means that Granger is a damn, fine witch," said one of the male Ravenclaws.

"Don't get any ideas," said Luna. "Now, I'm going to bed before anyone else gets any strange ideas to betray us more. Or get us killed. Or expelled."

The next morning, Luna and Hermione passed each other on their way to classes, and Luna informed Hermione of the events of the Ravenclaw Common Room. "Cho has never liked me," she finished.

"Perhaps the Humdingers?"

Luna laughed, which caused Hermione to laugh. Her girlfriend's laughs were so pretty.

"You have to watch out, though," said the Ravenclaw. "Umbridge certainly knows the perpetrators of that group now. She'll have it even more in for you than usual."

"As will Cho. I've thought of that, and I accept that," said Hermione. "There are some things worth getting expelled over."

"What about me?"

"I'd get expelled and then smuggle you out," said Hermione. "We'd have to lay low for a couple of years, as it would technically be kidnapping and a whole lot of other charges, but we'd get out. Together."

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," said Luna. "Except, try not to get expelled. Kidnapping charges are so hard to beat."

Except if you kill all the witnesses, but that leads to nasty things like murder charges, thought Luna. She knew enough of her family's history beyond the last couple of generations to know things like that. People who didn't know what the Lovegood Library contained were unwise. Very unwise.

Cho was a problem that Luna would have to go to the Hogwarts library about. The curses there weren't as interesting, but most of them were legal. Maybe some protective charms for her belongings.

She'd tried to go to Flitwick before, but he'd ignored her complaint completely. Not a thing had been done, and more of her belongings had gone missing. Most of them were returned in the end, but some were rather valuable.

If Harry weren't in such political trouble, she'd go to him to ask for protection of the House of Potter. That would really stop the bullies in their tracks, as they'd have to think whether or not they wanted to face Harry or not.

\\/

The bullying was as bad as it ever had been in the Ravenclaw Common Room. Most of the Ravenclaws saw Luna's refusal to talk to her girlfriend about removing Marietta's spots to be a betrayal, and therefore treated Luna as such.

It was a couple of weeks after the betrayal of the DA that the Ravenclaws were attempting to school her on her betrayal. Then, Luna got a bad feeling. A Really Bad Feeling. She questioned the Nargles inside her head, and they told her that Hermione was in great mental pain, and on her way to the Room of Requirement.

"I don't really fucking care about this 'House Loyalty' bullshit," said Luna. "The only reason that any of us have ever been nice to the true Traitor is because she's been hiding behind Hoe Chang's skirt. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other places to be."

"I don't think you do," said the sixth year male prefect. He took out his wand and made to attack her. Luna had him tied up against the wall before he could blink. She then ran out the door to find her girlfriend.

"I am going to fucking kill that girl," said the prefect. "She doesn't even belong in Ravenclaw."

"Stop your fucking whining, mate," said another Ravenclaw. "If you're going to insult her, at least do it when she's here. It's funnier."

\\/

Luna ran to the Room of Requirement as Hermione was approaching.

"Luna, what are you doing here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, I felt that I was needed here," replied Luna. "The Nargles told me."

"You realise what I'm about to do is illegal?" asked Hermione. "And that I will be contacting a known, but innocent criminal?"

"Are you calling Stubby Boardman?" asked Luna, jokingly. "I never believed that either of them would do that."

They activated the room, and it turned into a nice sitting room. "Cozy," commented the younger witch, sitting down on the sofa. Hermione sat down next to her, took the mirror out, and called "Sirius Black."

"Huh?" came a voice from the mirror. A second later, the picture activated. "Hermione? What's wrong?"

"Can I rant to you about Ron Weasley?" asked Hermione.

"Of course, start from the beginning, please?" asked Sirius. "And who's your lovely friend?"

"My very much underage friend is Luna Lovegood," said Hermione. "Her dad publishes The Quibbler."

"I thought I recognised the name," said Sirius. He turned his head towards Luna. "You look a lot like your mother. I knew her in school. Great in bed."

Luna had forgotten that her parents went to school at the same time as Sirius Black. She wasn't sure whether the man was embellishing his exploits or not, though.

"Sirius, shut up about Luna's mum!" said Hermione. "And listen to my story!"

Hermione started from the beginning all the way up until the events of the night. Midway through, Luna realised that her girlfriend needed comfort and decided to hug her.

"Ron and I shout every so often," said Hermione. "But it's never been this bad. I think that I even heard him use the «M» word as he was walking away."

"I don't suppose that you're asking me to do anything about this?" asked Sirius hopefully. "I could transform into Padfoot and take a dump in his bed. Or set up a convoluted series of traps that activate each other and then cause something embarrassing to happen to him."

"Sirius, you have to stay in the house," she said. "Besides, Ron already knows about your other form."

"Sometimes people grow apart," said Sirius. "Look what Wormtail did."

"Thanks, Sirius," said Hermione. "He's just been so different this year. By the way, the Twins know your true identity now."

"I liked those troublemakers of Molly's" responded Sirius. "They are truly heirs to the Marauders tradition. Oh, by the way, Luna, I love your father's articles. They've kept me going the last two years."

They closed the mirror, and went to their Common Rooms.

\\/

"Where's your ex-friend Ronald?" asked Luna over Spring Break. She'd noticed that he wasn't there, but his siblings were.

"I don't know, I haven't been paying all that much attention," said Hermione. "Has he been missing long?"

"Since the start of Break at least," said Luna. "What is odd, however, is that Ginny and the Twins are here, but he is not."

"That is strange," said Hermione, thinking about it. "I'll see what Harry thinks about this."

"Have you told anyone?" asked Luna. "About us, I mean."

"Harry and Ginny know, along with the Twins," said Hermione. "They don't care. Harry actually thinks that he's bi."

"Interesting," said Luna, albeit without an eyebrow arch. Hermione had told her about Star Trek before, and it sounded interesting, but Luna had naturally never seen an episode. "I would have never called that."

Luna noticed that Ronald had returned by the start of Term, acting more like Malfoy than usual. Rumour had it that he was actually now an undercover member of the Inquisitorial Squad.

Unfortunately, Luna had to watch her girlfriend from afar for most of the term, as exams were coming up for her, and Hermione had the OWLs to revise for. Gryffindor had won the Quidditch Cup, but honestly it wasn't as fun without Harry being on the team.

It was on the Thursday that the OWLs finished that Luna felt her DA coin heat up. It not only heated up, but somehow, there was a mauve hue about it. Like a woman possessed, she ran down to the Forest, right as Harry and Hermione were emerging.

"What happened?" asked Ginny, who was running right behind them. Interestingly enough, so were Ron and Neville.

"We lured Umbridge into the forest; she may not survive," said Hermione. "Harry got a vision, similar to the one at Christmas, of his godfather being tortured in the Department of Mysteries."

"So what's the plan now?" asked Ginny.

"I go to the Ministry and save Sirius," said Harry.

"I think you mean that we go," said Ron. Neville, Ginny, Luna and Hermione all volunteered to go.

"Thank you," said Harry. "You're all nuts, but thank you."

They took thestrals to the Ministry of Magic. Some of them had a bit of trouble, as they'd never seen death. Luna actually could see them, due to her being a witness when her mother cast that fateful spell that awful day. Luna helped Hermione and Ginny, and Neville helped Ronald get onto a Thestral. Luna supposed that it would feel odd to be on a creature that you couldn't even see.

They got to the Department of Mysteries and got to the Prophesy Room, where Harry's vision showed Sirius to be. When they got there, it was deserted.

"There's a prophesy with your name on it," shouted Neville, so Harry went over to pick it up. As soon as he did, Death Eaters came out of the shadows.

"Give us the prophesy, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy.

Oh, fuck, thought Luna, right as she realised it was an ambush. A second after she thought that, Ronald went over and knelt before Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I serve my Master, my Lady," he said, reverentially. Bellatrix ordered him to stand, and Ron drew back his sleeve, showing the Dark Mark. "I serve the True Master. I have chosen the winning side."

Double fuck, thought Luna. Shit, fuck, and everything else. This is a fucking trap.

Luna could see the look of betrayal in Harry's eyes and face. "Why?" he whispered. He had the look in his eyes that showed that he did not comprehend what was happening at all, and why his friend would betray him like that. "Why?" he repeated. His tone was one of someone who'd been betrayed.

"Now I am not in your shadow any longer," replied the Death Eater. "I serve the Dark Lord, and He will win!"

"You were supposed to be at my side, fighting the Death Eaters," cried Harry. "You argued that Hermione would be killed if they got their hands on her. You have betrayed us all!"

"You will die, Potter," said Ron.

"You will try," said Harry. "Your master's tried it often enough, and I'm still here."

Ron shot a spell at Harry, who managed to avoid it, and then all hell broke loose.

\\/

During the fighting, Hermione, Luna and Neville were separated from Harry and Ginny, who were fighting Lucius, Bellatrix, and Ron, and were fighting in another area of the Department of Mysteries.

Hermione noticed that Luna had been knocked unconscious by a spell, so she quickly revived her. Neville was fighting harder than they'd ever seen him fight before. They came across a room with a table in it, and were followed by a Death Eater. As soon as she saw the Death Eater, Luna cast the Silencing Charm on him.

Antonin Dolohov looked astonished that a girl had dared to silence him, and then looked at Hermione with a leer on his face. He grinned almost as insanely as Bellatrix, and then cast a purple spell at Hermione.

"Oh," she said before collapsing to the ground unconscious and very much in pain.

The next thing that Hermione knew, she was in a hospital bed. She looked around to see her girlfriend sitting next to her, with her head on Hermione's leg. Aside from the fact that she looked so sad, Luna looked so good.

"Luna" said Hermione from her bed.

"Hermione?" asked Luna excitedly. "You were nearly dead."

"How long have I been here?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know," said Luna. "I think that it's been a couple of days. We were both unconscious when we were brought in—I used a lot of magic after you went down."

\\/

"What happened to Umbridge?" asked Hermione curiously after they were released back to Hogwarts. She, Luna, and Harry were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. "The last I saw, she was going into the Forest."

"She was recovered by the Headmaster, according to McGonagall," answered Harry. "When we left her, she was just getting started. According to the McGonagall, the centaurs were unamused by her usual statements, and badly wounded her. She was barely alive when Dumbledore retrieved her."

The conversation turned to even more uncomfortable topics, like Ron's betrayal of the Light Side.

"I can't believe he'd do that," said Harry. Hermione tried to comfort him as best she could. "He was my brother!"

"I know, Harry," said Hermione, patting him on the back. Luna didn't look quite as jealous as one would think she'd be. She knew (or hoped) that their relationship wasn't anything that would interfere.

It was after dinner that night that Luna led Hermione to an unused classroom, where she told Hermione of Dumbledore's great battle with Voldemort, and of everything that happened after Hermione went down.

"Can I tell you a secret?" asked Luna, leaning in to get as close as possible to Hermione.

Luna could tell that Hermione was wondering if she even wanted to know what Luna wanted to tell her. The older witch eventually whispered 'yes'.

"I killed Antonin Dolohov," said the younger girl in a low voice.

"Won't you get in trouble for that?" asked Hermione. "And how do you feel, knowing that you took a life?"

"The Aurors have determined that Dolohov died in the crossfire," said Luna. "The Lovegoods weren't always as crazy as we make ourselves out to be. We're closely related to the Black family, you know. I have theoretical knowledge of many curses that I'm not sure that you could find anywhere other than our house, and the Black's House, wherever that is."

"And you?"

"It is not something that I will make a habit of," said Luna. "If you were to genuinely die, I'd likely go out in a hail of spellfire, while trying to take as many of them with me as I could. I love you, Hermione. My soul remains whole."

"But I want you to be happy, not get yourself killed in a suicide run," exclaimed Hermione.

"Then don't get yourself killed on the battlefield," said Luna, cutting off all attempts at a rebuttal by kissing the older witch.

"I love you, too," said Hermione for the first time, which earned her another kiss.

The two girls talked a while longer before Luna went back to the Common Room.

\\/

Ron did not return to Hogwarts for the rest of term. Luna shed no tears over him, but was saddened at the sense of betrayal that Harry Potter and Hermione were feeling. Needless to say, both Harry Potter and Hermione told her that they considered Ronald to be a traitor, and that they would treat him as such.

As they were riding the train back to London, Hermione told Luna some good news.

"My parents have agreed to let you come over," she said excitedly. "We can do a week at my house, and then go to your house for a week or so."

"That sounds great, 'Mione," replied Luna. She knew that Hermione loved her nickname.

Luna got to Hermione's house a couple of days later, after spending some time with her father. She really wished that the man would leave The Rookery every so often. Luna thought that he'd be much saner that way.

"When I got home, Dad tried to question me about our relationship," said Hermione, after they brought Luna's belongings to the guest room.

"And what did you say?"

"I told him that I love you," said Hermione, kissing her girlfriend. "I told him that you are the sweetest, most brilliant, oddest, wonderful person I've ever met."

Luna kissed her girlfriend for that compliment. Luna ended up getting along quite well with the Grangers, especially Emma, who seemed to be an older version of Hermione. Dan Granger seemed to have Hermione's mind, just different looks.

Luna knew what to do then. She researched Muggle politicians, and wrote some good material using them based on the type of things that her father wrote. Things like how such and such a politician was an alien, or that person was under the influence of the Nargles. Things like that.

Daniel Granger's reactions to her statements were more amusing than Hermione's.

Over the next couple of days, Hermione introduced Luna to all sorts of Muggle things, like London, theme parks, the Underground, clothing stores.

Luna could tell that Hermione didn't like clothes shopping. It was very obvious. Luna, on the other hand, was amazed that there was a store that large full of clothes. And it was so inexpensive compared to the Wizarding World.

"I wish that there were some way to buy clothes on demand," said Hermione. "Where I simply put it my sizes, and a piece of clothing gets sent to me."

"I've heard people who think that the Internet is going to be like that someday," mentioned Emma, who was acting as their transport. "Maybe in 5-20 years at the earliest."

"Damn, it's too bad I'm still underage," complained Hermione. "I'd just buy a bag and cast Undetectable Extensions Charms and Featherweight Charms on it. That way, we wouldn't have to haul all this around."

"If you were at my house," said Luna, "You would be able to. The Ministry can only detect Magic. They can't tell who's casting the magic. My house is a known Wizard Residence."

"What?" asked Hermione. "You mean that the Purebloods have an exception, again?"

"Of course," said Luna. "The Ministry depends on parents to keep their children in line."

\\/

After a while in the Muggle world, Luna and Hermione went to The Rookery, where Hermione met Luna's father, a man who truly looked like an older, male, version of Luna. He seemed to be even more strange than his daughter.

"Mummy was always the sane one in the family," Luna said later that night. "Once she died, Daddy started to believe even more in all of the animals, the conspiracy theories, and everything he printed in the paper. It was all quite sad. I'm not sure whether he will ever be more sane again."

Hermione noticed that Luna had a mural of the two of them on her ceiling, liked by a chain that said 'Best Friends'. It was rather odd seeing her own face staring down at her.

"I wasn't sure how to do the animation charms, see," said Luna. "Otherwise, it would've been a fully moving portrait."

"Your mum must've been wonderful," said Hermione.

"Oh, she was," said Luna, longing in her voice. "Unfortunately, I was there when it happened. When she cast the spell."

"Oh, Lu'," exclaimed Hermione, hugging her girlfriend. "I will always be here for you."

Luna smiled a little. She knew that, and was comforted by that.

\\/

The girls met Harry and the Weasleys in Diagon Alley a couple of days later. They had just gotten money from Gringotts when they heard explosions.

What the fuck is that, thought Luna. She could see the same expression on her companions' faces. They drew their wands, and rushed into the Alley.

"Our duel was cut short last time, Potter," called Ronald Weasley, wearing the robes of a Death Eater. "Are you prepared to die?"

"At your hands?" asked Harry sarcastically. "I think not."

Hermione and Luna aimed at Ron, who was joined by Bellatrix Lestrange. They started to fire spells at each other.

"I know what happened in the DoM, Luna," called Harry. "Use something a little more dangerous if you could, please."

This got Luna in the right state of mind to use some of the higher-powered spells she knew. She also realised that no matter what happened, she was likely not going to leave the battlefield under her own power.

Neville showed up a few minutes later, and started to engage Bellatrix who, despite her extreme skill, was having a hard time fighting off three people of extraordinary skill.

It was then that Ron attacked Harry again. Harry ducked, causing the spell to fly over his head, raining down bricks from a nearby building. Harry banished the debris at Ron, and Ron flew back.

Harry saw that Ron hadn't died yet, so he cast Sectumsempra at the Death Eater, which caused Ron to die quite painfully.

"You tortured my parents, prepare to die," chanted Neville in between spells. Bellatrix was having a hard time evading very lethal spells from four different sources. Neville cast a Reductor to her chest, and she flew backwards.

He disarmed her, and stood over her. "I could kill you, you realise that," said Neville. "I just won't kill you. Not yet."

He turned to Harry. "Should I blow her limbs off or completely wipe her mind to start?"

"You know how to do that?" asked Harry.

"Well, no," said Neville. "But that doesn't exactly matter now does it?"

He then decided to blow off her limbs, and then used a nasty spell to remove all of her hair. She was almost orgasmically screaming in pain as he did this.

"I guess she gets off on pain," commented Neville. Harry started to cast a couple of spells that Hermione didn't even know that he knew, and was joined by Neville.

The two boys grasped hands and said, "Together!" before casting the spells that ended Bellatrix's life.

Harry and Neville were exhausted, but running on adrenaline, as were Hermione and Luna. "Let's go check the rest of the Alley!" called Harry, and they rushed through the Alley.

They could see bodies littering the streets, some of which were recognisable, like the Malfoys or Lupin. When they got near the Leaky Cauldron, they saw Voldemort facing off against Dumbledore again.

All of a sudden, a giant buffalo appeared over Voldemort's head and fell on him. The buffalo quickly disappeared and Harry rushed in to help Dumbledore. Together, they cast a cutting charm that removed Voldemort's head, killing him for good.

A great cheer came from the survivors as they saw what happened, just as Harry and the others collapsed from magical exhaustion.

\\/

It was later that day that the children woke up.

"You didn't have too many major injuries," said the Healer examining them. "You were just exhausted. You four cast a lot of magic. You cast more magic in a couple of minutes than I usually cast in a month. And your cores are recovering nicely, too."

Luna looked around to see that Harry and Hermione were in beds right next to her, but that both were awake. She noticed that Hermione was looking around as well, looking confused.

"There are Muggle-repelling charms on this tent, Miss Granger," said the Healer, as if she was reading Hermione's mind.

The tent seemed to be an entire floor of a hospital. It was very much bigger-on-the-inside.

"Now, I'd like you four to take it easy for at least 24 hours," said the Healer. "Don't stress yourself for about another week, and you should be good, medically. You lot are very lucky. There aren't many people who've taken on both Bellatrix Lestrange and You-Know-Who and lived to tell the tale."

The Healer walked off, and Albus Dumbledore came over to their beds. "You brave children," he said lovingly.

"How many died, Headmaster?" asked Harry.

"Too many," said Dumbledore. "On both sides. So far, we've found Severus, the Malfoys, Lupin, and Tonks, and we're trying to sort out who each of the other dead are."

"I killed three people today, Headmaster," admitted Harry, sadly. "I killed my former best friend, I helped to kill Bellatrix Lestrange, and I helped to kill Tom."

"It is the fact that you feel sadness, remorse for those that have been killed that sets you apart from Tom and his Death Eaters," said Dumbledore wisely. "I once had to do battle with an old friend. He remains in prison for his crimes."

\\/

"You're thinking about Harry, aren't you," asked Luna a couple of days later.

"He's my best friend, and my brother, 'Lu," replied Hermione. "He just killed the first friend that he ever had that was our age. I can't imagine what it must be like to kill three people in one day."

"I just worry that you'll go back to him," said Luna.

"Don't you ever think that, Lu," said Hermione. "I don't love him that way. You are the most important person in my life. I would kill a Death Eater for you. I would never do that to you. Harry would never do that to you. He loves us both too much to interfere in our love life."

A few days after Voldemort's defeat, the girls received a couple of letters. The first was from Hermione's parents, inviting them to join them for a holiday in Paris. The other was the more sombre news of the Will Reading of Sirius Black, that both of them were invited to (read: required to attend).

Hermione looked at Luna for a moment and then accepted both letters.

"Paris will be fun," said Luna. "They have the second largest Magical Alley there."

"There's also the Eiffel Tower, and the museums, and all that stuff," said Hermione. "The Muggles call it the 'City of Love' as they find it romantic."

"Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you, 'Mione?" asked Luna.

\\/

Sirius' will gave Hermione and Luna both exorbitant amounts of money, along with their pick of books from the Black Library.

Harry received the title of Lord Black, Number 12, a ludicrous amount of money, and various possessions.

A couple of days later, Luna and Hermione were on their way to Paris. They ended up having quite a good time there, going to museums and the magical alley.

\\/

It was sad when Luna and Hermione had to go their separate ways after being within feet of each other nearly the entire summer. Luna was starting her OWL year, and Hermione was starting her sixth year. They wouldn't be able to have classes together at all.

After the meal, Dumbledore gave his announcements. "We are welcoming an old friend back to the castle: please welcome Professor Slughorn, who will be taking over potions and as Head of Slytherin House."

The roar of approval was overwhelming. Everyone had hated Snape.

"Due to the fact that our previous Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was severely injured at the end of the year, she has decided not to join us," said Dumbledore to just as much applause. "Taking her place will be Professor Kingsley Shacklebolt on loan from the Aurors."

There was a polite applause for the Afro-Caribbean Auror. Hermione figured that his classes would be good—he'd assigned decent textbooks.

"This summer, Mr Potter and I defeated Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore to shudders and roaring applause. "There were many casualties on both sides. I would like to have a moment of silence to remember those who were killed."

He looked at his watch, and after a minute, he concluded his speech. "Well, I should think that I've bored you quite long enough. You have classes in the morning to prepare for, so pip pip off to bed. Prefects and Head Students, please lead the first-years to their dormitories."

Luna got up from the Ravenclaw table and saw that Hermione was leading the Gryffindor First Years up to the Common Room. Hermione waved, and Luna waved back.

\\/

That year was free of any distractions of tournaments or crazy dictatorial professors or threats from Voldemort, so Luna and Hermione spent a lot of time together. It was almost disconcerting for Hermione when her girlfriend, a year younger than her, was able to point out things in the texts that she hadn't noticed.

Or fix grammar that Hermione didn't even notice needed to be fixed.

And Hermione was able to quiz Luna on nearly everything she needed to know about the exams. Their relationship was quite strong, and Hermione intended on proposing the minute that Luna turned seventeen.

Harry was also doing quite well with his schoolwork. Being an Auror was a secondary career choice for Harry now. He'd already killed too many people, and wasn't sure that he could do that again. That said, he was getting top grades in all of his classes, including potions, now that Snape was no longer teaching.

"Maybe I'll do Quidditch for a couple of years, and reevaluate from there," he told Hermione. He admitted that there were some times that he felt guilty, and that he had nightmares of the battles, but that he was still mostly fit mentally.

The next year, Hermione was made Head Girl, and proceeded to abuse the associated privileges quite often. The Head Girl had her own dormitory office, so Luna was often there. This was technically against the rules, but all of the professors turned a blind eye. Some of her Ravenclaw classmates complained that she spent as much time in Gryffindor Tower as she did in Ravenclaw Tower. They conveniently forgot that they'd been bullying her and trying to get her to leave for the past five years.

Hermione and Luna had advanced their relationship to sleeping in the same bed, just sleeping. Professor Flitwick knew of this behaviour, but did not complain, seeing as his Ravenclaws' abuse of Luna had been pointed out to him.

\\/

Luna's birthday was on a Friday that year, so Hermione wanted to make it a weekend long combined Luna's birthday and Valentine's Day celebration.

"I have your biggest present for you after dinner," said Hermione on 13 February 1998. "But I have a couple of presents for you now. It's not every day that someone turns 17, is it?"

Hermione produced a pile of gifts from her bag. It always amazed Luna how much bigger-on-the-inside Hermione had made the bag. She unwrapped her gifts to find an enchanted leg razor, and a multitude of books about the Muggle world that were written by the foremost experts on Muggles: Muggle-borns, Muggle family members of Magicals, and Squibs.

"Thank you," exclaimed Luna, jumping to hug her girlfriend. "How the hell can you top this?"

"You'll see," replied Hermione, with a coy grin. "Just come to the Gryffindor Common Room after dinner."

"SURPRISE!" screamed everybody as Luna walked in. She seemed to be happy that everyone liked her so much. In the middle of the party, Hermione pulled Luna off to the side a little bit, got down on one knee, and took a box out of her bigger-on-the-inside pockets.

"Luna Selene Lovegood, you are most important person in my life, and I would like to go Crumpled-Horn Snorkack hunting with you," Hermione said. "Luna Lovegood, will you make me the happiest woman on this planet by agreeing to marry me?"

"Oh, Hermione, you can't be the happiest woman on the planet, because that's me!" replied Luna. "But of course, I will allow you on a Hunt."

She laughed at the look on Hermione's face. "Of course I will marry you." Hermione put the ring on Luna's finger, and the room started to applaud. There were squeals and other various noises when the girls started to kiss.

That night, after the party was over, Luna and Hermione were in the Head Dormitory. "I really am going to miss this, you know," she said.

"What?"

"The room, being able to be with you all the time," replied Luna.

"Don't tell anyone, but Professor McGonagall has offered me an apprenticeship," said Hermione. "She and I would split the classes for a few years, and we would work together on an Advanced Transfiguration project. That means, you only have to leave if you want to."

"I'd like that," said Luna. "Would it be one of those deals where you have to stay here a certain amount of time?"

"No," said Hermione. "Either of us can end it when we want. It even comes with a small stipend, and quarters. Quarters that are not connected to the host teacher's quarters."

"Take it," said Luna. "This is one of the best things to happen to you."

"I know,"

\\/

A couple of months later, Hermione left the school for the last time as a student, and with some of the highest marks known to Wizardkind. Privately, Dumbledore had told her that her grades were likely to be just a few points behind his and that was saying something.

Harry had also gotten good marks, which were not quite as good as Hermione's.

Luna had managed to convince her father to leave The Rookery, and it seemed to be doing him some good. From what Luna could tell, her father was a lot more coherent than he had been in a while. He was waiting for her at the train station.

Hermione met her parents at the train station. She had told them about her engagement, and her actions getting off the train confirmed it, as Hermione was holding her fiancée's hand. They kissed before going over to meet Hermione's parents.

"Mum, Dad, this is my fiancée, Luna Lovegood," introduced Hermione, even though they'd met last summer and a couple of summers ago.

"Congratulations," said Emma Granger. "You have to tell us all about it."

"And don't forget to tell them your other news, as well," mentioned Luna.

"What other news?" asked Dan Granger, in the tone that clearly stated that he would not be happy if certain words were the next ones out of her mouth.

"Professor McGonagall wants to take me on as an apprentice," said Hermione. "It is a great honour, and is a path to becoming a teacher at the school."

Both of the Granger parents hugged their daughter, telling her how proud they were of her.

That night, Luna and her father came over for dinner. "So, what is the magical world's view on...this?"

"On gay people?" asked Xeno. "There are spells available for female gay people to have children, and we believe that they are perfectly able to have a family and get married. It's really only a subset of the Muggle-borns that have a problem with that."

"Spells to have children?" asked Dan, intrigued.

"For women, there is a spell that mixes the magical essence of the two parents," said Xeno knowingly.

"Think mixing DNA, dad," said Hermione.

"What happens when two men fall in love?" followed up Dan. "I know that one of Hermione's friends likes another guy."

"There is a spell for men," said Xeno. "But it requires a host. The two men choose a carrier, generally a poor, uneducated girl, and use the spell to implant an embryo in the female. It pays rather a lot, but each girl can only go through the procedure once. All other pregnancies have to be done the normal way."

"So there's no such thing as male pregnancy?"

"Merlin's beard, no!" laughed Xeno. "Only in the tabloids that print material even more outrageous than my paper."

"Is there a limit with two girls?" asked Dan, wanting to know how many possible grandchildren he could have.

"Only a self-imposed one," said Xeno.

Luna looked over at her fiancée and smiled.

\\/ Epilogue: 19 years later

Luna and Hermione Lovegood-Granger had been married eighteen years. Their marriage had produced three children, the last of which was now entering Hogwarts.

They were on the platform, saying goodbye to their children, when Luna saw Draco, along with his wife (whom Luna didn't recognise), and their three children. She whispered to Rose, their youngest, "You beat them on every test, okay?"

"Don't go spoiling them against the Malfoys," said Hermione. "Astoria is a perfectly nice woman, and her children are nice as well."

"What if I'm in Slytherin or worse, Ravenclaw?" asked Rose timidly.

"Rose, you are smart enough for Ravenclaw," said Hermione. "If you keep your mind in this world, you won't face any problems. In any case, whichever House you get in to will receive a wonderful young woman. You can ask it for Gryffindor if you want. It doesn't mean that it will acquiesce to your request, but you can try."

"Okay, mummy," said Rose.

"Go find your brothers," said Luna. "Have a good time, learn a lot, and go Gryffindor!"

Rose laughed as she went to find her brothers Daniel and Sirius.

Daniel was a Gryffindor fifth year, and a prefect. He was good on a broom, but also loved to learn.

Sirius was a Hufflepuff third year. He was the star chaser for the Hufflepuff team the previous years. Sirius, however, was quite similar to the person he was named after, as he loved to create trouble.

Rose, of course, was entering into her first year at the school. Both of her mothers had a suspicion that Gryffindor was in her future. She was quiet and kind, and had read most of the library at least once. However, there was that spark of Gryffindor-ness in her that they hoped the Hat could find.

"I can't believe that they're all at Hogwarts now," said Hermione.

"I know," said Luna. "Time flies so quickly."

Luna had lost contact with her interdimensional creatures a while back—shortly after leaving Hogwarts for the last time as a student. She was a lot less strange because of it, but it always felt to her as though something was missing. But her head was more in this world, so all was well.

A/N: For epilogues two and three, see Chapter 2

Luna is 513 days (1 year, 4 months and 25 days) younger than Hermione: 19 September 1979 and 13 February 1981

In a previous draft, the Common Room blowup was a lot bigger than it turned out to be, and Luna actually used the Killing Curse to defeat Dolohov and then mused how Harry wasn't able to get a revenge shot in (at Bellatrix)

In a previous draft of this chapter [Luna's perspective], she had a blowup in Flitwick's office, accusing him of not doing anything against her bullying. She then went to Dumbledore's office and explained everything, and Hogwarts itself removed her from Ravenclaw (EDIT: turned into parts of a new story involving Lunar Harmony H/Hr/L)

Hermione turns 17 on 19 September 1996 (at the beginning of sixth year), Luna turns 17 on 13 February 1998 (Hermione's seventh year, Luna's sixth year)

OMAKE (Additional scene not in continuity):

Hermione brought Luna's trunk into the Head Girl dormitory, and opened it. Her trunk was very much bigger-on-the-inside, and had what looked to be a very large arsenal of Muggle weapons. It was mostly guns and similar, but there were semi-automatics and automatics and gatling guns (properly: miniguns).

"What the hell is all this?" asked Hermione.

"That's my arsenal in case we're ever under attack," said Luna. "You might notice that there's a costume in there, as well. I've been reading a lot of comics the last couple of summers."

"How the hell did you import these?" asked Hermione. "Most of these, if not all of these, are illegal in Britain for personal use."

"I have connections," said Luna. "Friends in low places. You can call me Hit-Girl."

"I knew giving you those comics was a bad idea," said Hermione. "Why couldn't you have read something nice like Spiderman?"