This was dedicated and written to Emmeebee as part of my gift-giving. I still have some months available on my profile, so if you'd like me to write you a story, PM me! I used the pairing and prompt: HarryLuna and Rain.

Written for the Months of the Year Challenge. August - write about freedom. Prompts: (emotion) happy, (item) ice-cream, (genre) family

When It Happens, It Happens

"Higher, Daddy! Push me higher!"

Harry smiled as little Lily squealed with delight as he pushed her on the swing. She laughed and giggled and wiggled her feet while she was thrown into the air.

"I'm flying!" she said.

Laughing, Harry turned his attention to his two sons. Both, although they had claimed they were too old to go to a playground, were looking delighted to be digging holes in the ground. James was even claiming he'd found some new species of bug.

It was nice being able to do this with his children. After a year of being separated from Ginny, it had been a real struggle. She hadn't done it intentionally, it was simply her job. Whenever she had the kids, she needed to go away for work. That meant he couldn't even go over to see them.

Moments like these, he greatly treasured, for they were far and few in between.

Lily slowed down her swing, and in one fluid motion, jumped from it and ran over to her brothers. She peered eagerly into the hole they'd dug, scrunched up her nose, and went over to another activity.

Harry sat on one of the benches. He had loved the time he'd spent being a family with Ginny, and he loved his three children more than anything, but he now understood that sometimes things just weren't meant to be. Eighteen months ago, they'd confessed to each other that they were unhappy, and for the next six months had tried everything to make their marriage work. In the end, they agreed they were only doing it for the kids.

When Ginny moved out, Harry realised how trapped he'd felt in a relationship that had gone stale. He still thought about it at times, but he realised now how free he felt from the constraints. It wasn't Ginny's fault – she'd felt the same – and now whenever they saw each other, they could laugh and smile and hug one another without it feeling forced.

Albus had taken the separation the hardest out of the three children. Ginny had told him that for a very long time he'd refused to speak to her, for he blamed her for what had happened. Harry assumed it was because she was the one to move out, while he'd kept the house. It was different to him.

James and Lily hadn't really talked much about it, but they hadn't showed any signs of long term effects of the separation. They were happy to move from one house to the next, and seemed to be okay with the fact that Harry would come over for dinner a few times a week, and Ginny would do the same.

Now all they were doing was waiting on the divorce to be finalised.

Harry was so lost in thought that he didn't even notice when somebody joined him.

"Hello, Harry."

The voice startled him so much, that he jumped to his feet, his heart pounding in his chest. But then he smiled. "Hi, Luna."

Luna sat beside him, watching as the children played. "They are so beautiful," she sighed.

Harry nodded. "Yes."

Luna was a completely different story to Ginny. She was somebody who got Harry's heart racing, who he was glad to see every time that he did. She was just so different to any other woman he knew, and he liked that.

After his separation, Harry spent a lot more time with Luna. She was a comfort, a friend, who understood. She was there for him when he needed somebody, and a shoulder to lean on.

Harry already loved her, but after the separation he saw her in a different light; he loved her in a different way. They went to dinner a few times, and after the third, they shared an unexpected kiss.

Luna was more than just a comfort now; she was a rock in his shaky life.

He fell in love with her.

A few short months with Luna had made him happier than he had ever been with Ginny.

The kids loved her, too, though they did not appreciate their dad loving somebody who wasn't their mother. They viewed her more as an aunt.

"Are you ready to go?" Luna asked him.

"Yes," Harry said again. He stood, and a drop of water ran down his nose. "Good timing."

He called the kids over, who obliged, but grumbling as they did.

"It's raining," Harry informed them. "And we need to get you back to your mother's. She'll have my head if you get a cold."

"Can we get an ice-cream first?" Lily asked as they left the park.

"Please, Dad!" Albus and James asked.

Harry grinned. "As long as you eat your dinner, too."

"Are you staying for dinner?" Albus asked.

Harry hesitated, looking at Luna. That was something he'd never pushed with Ginny – having Luna with them, too.

"Please, Daddy?" Lily said. "Luna can come, too!"

Harry smiled down at her. "Well see," he said. "Now, what ice-cream do you all want?"

As he handed over some Muggle coins to his children, he turned to Luna. "I love you," he said.

She smiled. "I love you, too, Harry."

"Want an ice-cream?"

"I'd love an ice-cream. Do they have strawberry and cream?"

Harry took her hand. "Let's find out!"

I've always liked the HarryLuna relationship. Was totally rooting for them at the end, so I happily wrote this. I hope you enjoyed it :)