* banner by Selene *
(featuring Ian Somerhalder as Harry and Gemma Ward as Luna)

A/N: For Wandmaker who wished for a good-natured, happy Christmas story. I hope you enjoy your present. Written for Harry_Holidays 2006.

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The club had an odd name, but when he learned that one of the co-owners was Neville, the name seemed to fit. While Harry had seen quite a bit of Neville throughout the years, with Neville being married to Ginny, Harry rarely paid any attention to what the others were doing with their lives.

After the defeat of Voldemort and the immediate aftermath, Harry felt he lost his purpose in life. For all his life, he had been “The Boy Who Lived,” even though during his childhood, he had no knowledge of that fact. Hogwarts had given him a real home, had connected him to his family, had given him Hermione and the Weasleys, and had given him Dumbledore. Voldemort had given him a purpose. Harry was meant to defeat the Dark Lord. When that was accomplished, Harry realized he had no idea what he was supposed to do.

So lost in his own dour mood, Harry failed to notice when Ron plopped down beside him. Ron studied his somber friend for a few moments before slapping his right hand on Harry’s left shoulder and announcing himself.

“Harry, you got to get yourself out of the floor,” Ron started.

Harry huffed bitterly, memories of that one Yule Ball flittered in his mind. “I don’t dance, Ron. I rather think you’d remember that.”

Rolling his eyes, Ron answered, “That was ages ago, Harry. Married to Hermione means that I dance. Come on.” Ron tugged at Harry’s sweater. “Just look at Colin. He’s got two left feet, but it doesn’t matter. We’re all friends here.”

Harry glanced over his shoulder at the scene on the dance floor. The music was loud and the bass had been pumped up to what had to be the maximum level. With the dark lighting broken up by the disco lights, he could make out Colin looking like he was having a spasm, surrounded by Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Dean. Just as he was about to tell Ron a resounding no, his eyes beheld the briefest glimpse of silvery-blonde hair floating and glowing ethereally in the neon lights. He blinked his eyes, and when he reopened them the beautiful image was gone.

The hair reminded him of someone, but of whom his mind would not supply the answer. Yet, his body was responding to the vision. His groin stirred; something, which sadly had been an extremely rare occurrence over the years. Without a word of acknowledgement to Ron, Harry discovered his feet carrying him toward the dance floor in search of the blonde hair.

Harry felt Ron’s presence just behind him, and as they grew nearer Hermione, she turned in greeting. A few others noticed Harry’s approach and said some friendly words, but Harry heard none of them. He had a mission again, albeit a rather silly one if he dared stop and think on it. He needed to find the blonde angel.

Harry turned a circle looking everywhere. At first, his search resulted in him feeling foolish. He must have imagined her. Then the music morphed into a slow, hypnotic beat that gave homage to African rhythms. With the music change, some of the crowd started to leave the floor. Harry remained.

His persistence paid off – for there in the farthest, darkest corner gyrated a golden goddess dressed in a periwinkle blue backless dress. Her long blonde hair bounced in time with the beat, as her hips swayed in a manner which made Harry’s mouth water. Long legs and a gorgeous back faced him, and Harry felt cheated. He had no idea who he was admiring.

Harry approached with hands shaking with need. He grabbed the blonde’s hips and pulled her to meet his own. Feeling her initial surprise, he stopped her from immediately pushing away, by encircling his left arm around her waist keeping her in place. He stopped her with his right hand from grabbing for her wand, which he discovered had been tucked behind her ear.

Recognition immediately came to Harry. He’d only ever known of one wizard to ever stow their wand in such a manner. Luna.

“Hush now, Luna. It’s only me,” Harry whispered into her ear. Being so close, he allowed himself to take a small nip at her lobe.

“Harry?” Luna asked, completely gobsmacked. One minute she had been enjoying dancing, and then she’d been grabbed from behind. Her first thought, to her embarrassment, was an attack by a Crooked-Horn Fussagitch. They were known to be attracted to dark places, loud music, and women. Realizing Harry Potter now danced behind her, she focused on the feel of him grinding against her rear.

“Been quite a while, Luna,” Harry said, mustering whatever calm he had left. Her bareback teased his chest, and he itched to remove his sweater to feel her skin on his. He had no idea what had come over him. He’d never been attracted to Luna before this moment. The Luna he remembered – straggly hair, faraway look, radish earrings, and butter beer corks for a necklace – differed greatly from what he now had in his arms.

Harry wanted to see her face. With care and a little reluctance, he turned her around. Understanding Harry’s motive, Luna closed her eyes not wanting this to be a dream and for it to end at this moment.

A sigh escaped his lungs, causing Luna to open her eyes questioningly. She saw shock and awe in Harry’s features, and a sliver of fear crept into her bones. At Hogwarts, she knew all the names and rumors others had directed her way. She never let those get to her, had always acted as if it didn’t matter to her. It had. Harry had never participated in her harassment – that she knew of – but if he was about to start now, he had another thing coming.

Harry’s breath caught in his throat upon seeing the same dreamy, silvery blue eyes he remembered from childhood. Then he realized something was wrong. The dream-like quality disappeared, and now he stared at the bluest orbs of fire he’d ever beheld.

“Luna?” Harry managed to ask. “What…?”

“Harry Potter. I’d rather have been attacked by a Crooked-Horn Fussagitch than to be made the butt of one of your jokes.” Luna remained in his arms, reluctant to leave; however, she prepared to bolt.

Confusion marred his expression until understanding sparked in his brain. Suppressing a chuckle, Harry replied, “No joke, Luna. Just surprised is all. You’ve certainly changed, but I’m happy that not everything has.”

Mollified, Luna settled her arms around Harry’s neck. “Yes. All of us have changed, yet stayed very much the same.”

“Wise as always, Luna,” Harry chuckled affectionately.

Harry looked around briefly, scanning the room. He’d seen something earlier – had to find it again. Finding it, he began leading her toward his goal. Luna just happily followed Harry’s lead unaware of where he was going. She could see over his shoulder various couples snogging – Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Neville, Seamus and Lavender.

Harry startled her out of little reverie by asking, “Still afraid of nargles?”

“Nargles?” Luna’s brow creased.

“Look up,” Harry said, grinning like an idiot.

Luna did as he asked and saw a gathering of mistletoe hanging above their heads. Opening her mouth to warn him that not only nargles were known to infest the plant, Luna got a mouthful of Harry’s tongue instead. As the shock passed, Luna began to participate in the kiss. His lips were warm and softer than she would have expected, and she felt herself melting into his embrace.

As they separated from the kiss, Harry couldn’t resist and dropped tiny kisses on Luna’s cheeks and forehead. “Luna,” he breathed.

Deciding to tease him, Luna playfully chastised, “Well, for once I guess nargles elected not to infest this mistletoe. We’re very fortunate.”

“Yes, very fortunate,” Harry agreed. Licking his lips to recapture her taste, Harry asked, “Will you come home with me tonight?”

“Only for tonight?” Luna queried, biting her bottom lip.

Studying her bottom lip with intense concentration, Harry shook his head. “No, not just for tonight. Now that I’ve found you, I’m not letting you go.” Realizing how possessive and un-Harry Potter-like that sounded, he gulped and mumbled to his shoes, “If that’s all right with you…that is.”

Before she answered, Luna glanced over Harry’s shoulders and saw Ginny and Hermione watching them. Ginny mouthed to her, “Well?” Swallowing a giggle, Luna nodded and winked, to which both her friends began jumping up and down for joy. She saw Hermione whisper something in Ron’s ear, Ron blushing and looking their way, and Ginny kissing Neville with glee.

Over the years, Ginny and Hermione had become two of her closest friends and only confidantes of her unrequited love for Harry Potter. She’d kept her distance and become a successful journalist and Ministry liaison to the Prime Minister. From time to time, she would learn of Harry’s activities, or lack thereof, and would yearn to see him again. Despite her closeness to Ginny and Hermione, Luna purposefully did not allow her path to cross with Harry’s – that is, until tonight. Now, all of her fantasies and hopes were coming true. Harry Potter was standing before her asking her to come home with him for more than a one-night stand.

After several uncomfortable moments of silence, Harry finally looked up from his shoes. He found Luna staring off into the distance with that same faraway look he remembered her having many a time during their tutelage at Hogwarts. A wistful smile graced her face. He thought, ‘How beautiful.’ “Luna?”

Still smiling, Luna turned her attention back to Harry. She silenced any further questions with a sweet kiss. Upon ending the kiss, Luna took Harry’s hand, entwining her fingers in his.

“Yes, I think going home with you is quite all right with me, Harry.”

Kissing her cheek, Harry said, “Happy Christmas, Luna.”

“Happy Christmas, Harry. Now, let’s do like the Muggles say and make like a tree and leave.”

Laughter erupted from Harry, causing everyone in the club to stare. Harry did not care. For the first time in the longest while, he didn’t mind the stares or speculation that always seemed to surround him. He felt free, unfettered, and he knew it was because he had rediscovered Luna.

Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville approached them, and Harry unabashedly placed his right arm around Luna. He heard Luna sigh and then giggle as both Ginny and Hermione almost tackled them. He deduced that the girls had been close friends for all these years and felt like an utter fool that he’d never known.

Harry grudgingly let Luna go talk with her friends and turned to hear what Ron and Neville had to say.

Neville held out his right hand, and Harry shook it. Neville did not let go of his wrist, instead pulling Harry toward him. Whispering in Harry’s ear, Neville threatened, “You hurt her, make her cry, or make Ginny cry because of something you do to Luna, you’ll have to answer to me.” The last said with a crippling grip on Harry’s hand.

“Hate to say, Harry, but same goes for me. I mean, I love you probably more than my own brothers, but I’m married to Hermione and Ginny’s my sister. I’d never hear the end of it, if you bugger this up. So…don’t,” Ron said seriously.

Harry recovered his hand, rubbed with the other, and replied, “Ron, Neville, I cannot predict the future. I was never good at Divination, but from the way, Luna makes my heart feel, I can promise you this. I’ll do my best to protect her.”

“That’s all we need to hear,” Ron said. Shrugging, he continued, “I can tell Hermione we talked to you. Now, if you want to get out of here any time soon, you better get Luna now. Blimey those girls can talk. Right, Neville?”

Ron elbowed Neville, and Neville chuckled. “Yes, they certainly can. Go, Harry, now. We’ll take care of Ginny and Hermione.”

“Thanks, guys.” Harry smiled and happily walked up to Luna, placing a small kiss on the nape of her neck.

“Ready to go, love?”

Luna blushed. “Yes, I think I am. Let’s go.”

Together the new couple exited the club, both happier than they had been since their time at Hogwarts.