Heart's Home
by Aealket
Disclamer:
All standard disclaimers apply. I do not own Harry Potter, or any of the other recognizable characters in this tale. I am not making any money from this drabble.
A/N:
The idea of Heart's Home came from two books by Anne Bishop: "Belladonna" and "Sebastian". While these gardens do no act like the Landscaper's gardens from those books. The idea of a garden being able to reflect what is in someone's heart was twisted from Belladonna's gardens. The idea of pain and anger creating stones does come directly from "Belladonna". The idea precious and semi-precious stones being in a garden also came from "Belladonna", but I modified it slightly as in the original book, tears were not what created them.
A/N the second:
Several people notified me of a couple of canon errors that I hope are fixed now. I was also told of many errors and typos. I have fixed several, but I am sure there are still some lurking.
Finding her heart
Harry Potter was a hero according to some. He did not think so; too many people he knew were dead. Because of a trick, Sirius died. Tonks and Remus died because he could not keep them from the fight. Dobby died, Hedwig died, even professor Snape died. And the person causing the current problem died. Fred's death was leaving a hole a lot bigger than any one person should have. Fred and George had been more than just twins; they had defined living life according to their own rules. With Fred's death, all of those rules came crashing back down.
Harry was wandering with no real aim or purpose. He and Ginny had just had a major argument. Not about Fred, but about Harry wanting to get away from the place the Burrow had become. Even for just a couple of days, Harry wanted to get away. He was tired of hearing how much the remaining family could not believe Fred was dead, and in the next breath tell Harry not to blame himself. Mr. Weasley had become quite depressed, and didn't say much of anything. Mrs. Weasley made up for that and then some by talking and crying pretty much nonstop every day. George had stopped coming to the Burrow, which was another thing Mrs. Weasley couldn't seem to stop talking about. The fact was, George couldn't be in the house more than ten minutes before the gloom and fussing from Mrs. Weasley drove him back out. George had his own mourning to do, and he couldn't do much to help himself, much less help the others in the house. On top of the doom and gloom presided over by Mrs. Weasley, the near constant fighting between Ron and Hermione kicked the discomfort and pain of staying in the house up another level It was hard to believe they considered themselves as going together. And both of them seemed to expect that Harry would mediate between them. So Harry had asked Ginny if she would like to go visit Teddy. It was the wrong thing to say. Ginny was staying, and if she had anything to say about it Harry would be staying as well. Or he wasn't her boyfriend any longer. So Harry backed down for a couple of days, and then asked again. Ginny again made a volcano eruption look like a gentle summer breeze, and Harry again backed down. This afternoon Harry had asked one more time. This time Ginny had told Harry to leave, not to see Teddy, but to just leave. "We will talk again in the morning after you sleeping outside in the fields has mellowed your temper." His temper? It had not been his temper, at least not until Ginny kicked him out of the house.
Night was coming on, and Harry aimed for line of trees he could just make out off to his left. He was not too sure how far he had come, some time back he had left the road he had started on, and was now hiking cross country. No doubt he could get himself home, well that was not quite right, while he was slowly becoming more comfortable at Grimmauld place, it was not home. So here was as good a place as any to spend the night…
Several of miles away, a witch sat up from the couch where she had been relaxing. Someone just tripped the wards to her special place, her heart's home. When the second line of wards registered an intruder, she got up and went to change into something more practical than the night gown and robe she was currently wearing. There were several "Notice-Me-Not' charms on the area as well as some muggle repelling charms. In theory no one that had not been keyed into her family's household wards should be able to even see the place, much less enter.
The less than full moon gave only a little light to Harry as he stumbled and crashed through the underbrush. This 'little' clutch of trees was much bigger than he had thought. Still, as he tripped and staggered through, he was sure he was getting closer to a group of small lights that attracted his attention. Having nowhere else he wanted to go, he felt drawn towards those lights.
The witch was getting worried; the intruder was closing in to her heart's home. Thoughts of running over were put aside, she quickly ran back to the house she had just left, and started looking for her broomstick.
Harry stood and stared. It was beautiful, very beautiful. He had found those lights, and he was sorry Hermione was not here to see the sylphs or air elementals she claimed did not exist tend to two gardens he had found. There were two gardens, he was sure of it, while they seemed quite alike where the shared a common boundary, the one the left could best be described as ordered chaos. Plants seemed spring up from the ground at seemingly random places. A path, if you could call it a path, meandered through the plants with so many twists and turns it could almost be called a maze. The garden on the right was much more ordered. Plants appeared at regular intervals, with a path that was more of a spiral starting near the shared boundary, and circling in towards a bench at the center. But for all of the order and beauty, Harry was most drawn towards the center of the wilder less regular garden. Instead of a bench, the center of this garden had a small patch of grass surrounded by some large white flowers. Flowers that were open, even though it was now full dark. The sylphs had been startled when he arrived, but after flying over and looking him up and down, several times, they seemed to lose interest in him and continued with the tasks they had been doing before he interrupted him. Being very careful to stay on the twisting and turning path, Harry made his way to the center of the garden and carefully sat down in the lush grass.
The witch nearly fell from her broom when the intruder invaded her heart's home, and quickly flew down to the ground. If the intruder were to step off the path, or alter the landscape even a little, or Merlin forbid, try to weed, the pain would have more than she could stand and still remain on her broomstick. Minutes went by, and the expected pain did not come, instead the young witch felt the intruder carefully follow the path and gently, very gently finish the invasion. He, she could tell he was a he now, did no damage, and he was quiet while the magic of the heart's home began to work on him. When after several minutes the witch felt no pain, she remounted her broomstick to continue her journey. But no longer flying as fast as she could, and just skimming over the ground in case the intruder did something that hurt her.
Harry was amazed, as he sat here he no longer felt the chill of the evening, it was warm here. Warm and peaceful. Peace seemed to seep up through the ground and surround him. He could not remember feeling this peaceful, well ever. After sitting for only a few minutes he could feel the tension from his earlier argument, being pulled out, then the guilt he was feeling over being alive, the pain of watching Ron and Hermione hurt themselves and those around him with the arguments they where having also left him. Even the stress and shame from the years of abuse from the Dursley's seemed to fade. Within minutes he was dozing; and as he stretched himself on the grass, a half thought that he was letting his guard down flitted against his conciseness, only for that too to be absorbed by the peace of this place…
The witch stared at her sleeping intruder bemused and confused at his presence. She knew this young man, and had the privilege to call him friend. But being a friend should not be enough to find her heart's home in the first place, and certainly not to be comfortable enough to sleep in the very center of her heart. In a ritual that she had practiced since she was nine, Luna Lovegood first communed with her dead mother's heart, and then set about clearing her own emotions and problems. Then deciding that of all the people she called friend, Harry needed, and deserved the release sleeping here could give him, and feeling a guilty pleasure that she would be able to awake with someone next to her in the morning, Luna stretched out beside the sleeping young man, and wrapping her arms around him, she began a magical ritual that her father had taught her right after her mother had died. Had Harry been awake, no doubt he would have fought this, but being asleep, and having already had some of his pains pulled from him; his magic accepted the magic Luna invoked. As Luna slipped into a trancelike sleep herself, she promised her mother's heart that this boy/man would be made whole if she and her heart had any say in the matter.
Tending the garden
Harry was waking up slowly, leisurely. Something he almost never was able to do. Even now with Tom Riddle truly dead, his nightmares seldom left him. Most often he now saw Teddy trying wake his mom and dad up; something that never really happened, but generally woke Harry up in a sweat. Sometimes he saw the death of Fred, or the moment when Dobby was stabbed. But this morning something was different, he was sure he had dreamed, but not the normal nightmare like things he generally dreamed. Sunlight was warming his face. Something he could not quite figure out as he didn't remember sunlight ever invading his room at the Burrow before. Ron was not snoring either. As Harry tried to make sense of his waking, he heard something. Long deep breaths and he was being held by someone. Not tightly, but someone he could not see was hugging him from behind. As more sensations began to register Harry remembered he had been kicked out of the Burrow by Ginny; he had found a couple of gardens being tended by sylphs; and had fallen asleep (alone) in the center of one of those gardens. The anger of Ginny kicking him out was gone! Not just forgiven, but gone! Harry remembered the event quiet well, but the emotion of anger that had come from the argument was missing. As additional information began to filter through, he decided that he was being held by a female, but not Ginny. Ginny had developed more than a little that year he, Ron and Hermione had been away. Physically developed, and Harry had felt those developments once or twice from behind before. The developments currently behind him and pressing firmly against his back were in the wrong spot, were not as big, and felt wonderful. Harry was also lying on the wrong side. No matter what he wanted, Ginny always made Harry lay on his left side, and he was currently on his right.
Harry started to get worried; waking up with a strange female should have gotten some kind of reaction. A start of discovery, or jumping up the checking for foes, or something, but here he continued to lie. No adrenalin pumping through his veins, just a calm acceptance. Wait, this reminded him of someone. Someone that could and would accept abuse from her classmates and never show even a bit of annoyance; someone named Luna. And Luna talked about things no one believed in; including the sylphs Harry had seen last night. And if Harry had been asked to imagine what a garden created by Luna would look like, the ordered chaos like garden he had found last night and had fallen asleep in would and could spring to mind.
"Luna?"
"Good morning Harry Potter."
"Umm, Luna, what am I doing here? Er what are you doing here?"
"Physically, I am hugging you Harry Potter. You fell asleep in the center of my heart, so of course I joined you. I expect you are feeling a bit better this morning Harry. We have quite a few stones to remove from my heart's home."
"Huh?!"
Harry was not sure if he had ever heard the blonde Ravenclaw giggle before, but the giggle that escaped Luna after his intelligent query brought a smile to his lips. It also moved her developments quite nicely against his back.
"Luna, what do you mean by heart's home?"
"Harry Potter, you are lying on my heart, and this garden is my heart's home."
"Huh?!"
"As much as I find lying here with you in my arms enjoyable, we really must get started removing the stones you put in my heart's home."
Harry was quite sure his hearing was not impaired, as he was able to make out all of the words Luna just said, but making sense out of them was beyond his current abilities. Luna released her hug and removed her developments from Harry's back, and as he sat up and turned to face her he noticed the rocks. Rocks he was sure had not been there last night now jutted up through the soil of Luna's garden.
"Luna I didn't do this! I would never knowingly hurt your garden this way. I wouldn't do this intentionally to anyone's garden. I promise I didn't do it."
Luna surprised the young man by scooting over and wrapped him back in an even nicer but short hug from the front. Then she stared at him for a few seconds while her eyes took on the dreamy quality he was so used to seeing.
"Harry, what do know about a heart's home?"
"Er, it is just to the left of center in a human's chest? Do you think the sylphs I saw last night put all these rocks here?"
"So you saw the guardians as well? That is strange; they normally don't let others approach."
"The looked me over for a while, and then just ignored me."
"My physical heart does in fact reside in my chest."
Luna took Harry's right hand and then placed it firmly over her heart. Harry was startled for the first time that day, but Luna was not allowing his hand to slide any lower, and he blushed a bit since his hand was very close to touching an area of her anatomy he would normally only dream of touching in real life. As he took a breath to try and relax, he noticed Luna's heartbeat. Strong and steady, and not overly fast.
"But this is my heart as well."
Luna release his hand and gestured to the patch of ground the where sitting on.
"My emotional heart, and the garden that guards my emotional heart is known as a heart's home."
Luna stood up and moving to the start of the path she started picking up some of the rocks that Harry was sure were not there last night. Something she said began to make sense.
"I didn't hurt you by sleeping in your heart did I Luna?"
"No, thankfully you were quite the gentleman. You could have hurt me quite badly if you had failed to walk on the path."
Harry moved to the other edge of the path and also began picking up some the offending rocks, and with Luna's warning in his ears, Harry was careful to stay completely on the path.
"Harry, never pick up more that five or six rocks before traveling to the sorrow's ground. Come let me show you."
"Luna, you have more than the five of six rocks in your hands…"
"Harry, they are not my sorrows and anger."
"Huh?!"
"Harry, you have said that already. Please follow me to my sorrow's ground."
Since Harry had no real clue what was going on, he quietly followed his strange friend back though the twists and turns of her garden's path. Once away from the garden she called her heart's home, Luna turned and followed another path. He had not seen this path last night, but none of the sylphs had been working in this direction. There at the edge of the small clearing that held the gardens of stood a large pile of rocks. Luna stopped in front of the pile, and then kissed each rock she held and placed it gently on the pile. Turning to Harry she raised an eyebrow and waited. Feeling pretty foolish, Harry started to copy her movements, but as he kissed that first rock he felt something. Some kind of magic working through his body, and centered in his heart. Unbidden a flash of memory, Dudley and his gang chasing him home from school one day. Then the memory faded, and the pain and fear from that event faded as well. Gently Harry placed his rock on the pile, and looked at one of the other rocks he held. A rock with in an irregular shape with several colors running through it lay in his hand. It was an ugly rock in Harry's opinion. Harry kissed this rock as well, and again felt the magic course through him. The hated memory for that day in the Wizengamot court room after the Dementors had attacked Dudley and himself. Fear for himself; sorrow that Dumbledore would not meet his eyes; anger that he was not believed; all those emotions flashed and faded. Harry stared at the rock for a moment, and then he noticed it didn't seem as ugly as before. Confused he looked up to his mentor and friend in this sea of confusion. And Harry stared at the site of Luna Lovegood crying as she watched him.
"Harry, leave it to your cursed luck to pick one of the multiple stones on your first try."
"Luna, I didn't hurt you did I?"
"No Harry, I am crying for you, not because of you."
Since he had already sounded stupid two or three times in front of his friend, the 'Huh?!' was only spoken internally.
"Put the rock down Harry, and please give me the others in you hands."
Dumbfounded Harry did as requested and watched as Luna completed this ritual for the other stones he had held. Then she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.
"I'm so sorry Harry! This is hard for me, I have never had to explain to another, and it is not working as I was hoping it would."
"… Luna? … Luna! You are scaring me. You didn't do anything, you have been nothing but a help today."
"Let's try this again Harry. Please come with me."
Releasing the hug, Luna took one of his hands and together they walked back up the path to the gardens. But instead of her heart's home, Luna pulled him into the more ordered garden. Once at the center the two youngsters sat on the bench there.
"Harry, a heart's home is old magic. Very old magic, I know of only one living person that has a heart's home, and that is me."
"What is this we are sitting in then? Is it not a heart's home also?"
"Yes this is also a heart's home; Daddy brought me here years ago."
"Then we are sitting in your dad's heart right now?"
"No, the heart's home we are sitting in is my mum's."
"But I thought you said…?"
"I did say, but a heart's home can last past death. It is after all a garden. A garden with magic for its soul, but still a garden. When a heart's home is created, the magic creates a connection between the land and the emotions held by the person for whom the garden is created. When a person with a heart's home dies, they still die and pass on, but if they want, the tie between themselves and heart's home can continue for some time. One reason I know for truth that I will meet my mum again is this garden, her heart's home. Here I can feel her love for me in more than just an intangible memory. Here it lives for me every day."
"Wow! I wish my family had heart's homes."
"Right now so do I Harry. But I got side tracked, as I said the connection between the emotions and the land. Last night while you slept I cast a spell that tied you to my heart's home temporarily. The hard emotions, the fear and anger that would have tormented your sleep, passed from you into the heart's home, creating the rocks."
"So I did create all of those rocks? Luna I am so sorry!"
"I am not Harry that one is the purposes of a heart's home. By picking up the rocks, kissing them, and placing them in a pile here you are 'kissing your cares away'."
"Muggles have a saying like that. Wait I thought you said you felt your mother's love here."
"I do Harry, but that is a side affect, one that I make use of as often as I can, but still a side affect. The purpose of a heart's home is to hold safe your emotions. Your love and happy emotions can create things of great beauty: a pond, or a waterfall, or perhaps a beautiful plant. Your hard emotions, your fear and anger will create stones or rocks. Anguish and sorrow, tears create other things. Combined they can create wonderful things. In order to for your love to create a waterfall, you first have to have some anger or fear to create the rocks for the waterfall to fall from. I have visited one of my uncle's heart's home. It is a beach full of small pebbles or rocks. But over the rocks splash the waves of his wife's love. And the joy of his children has created the appearance of a sunset. My uncle never removed the stones from his heart's home; he used them to create a balance."
"Is this how you were able to survive the abuse and teasing you got at school?"
"In part, in part it is the reason I was so abused. As I have told you, I saw my mum die. I was not mature enough to witness that event, and it left me with several emotional scars. Daddy did the only thing he could think of to help. He brought me out here to mum's heart's home, and tied me to her heart just like I tied you to mine last night. Thus I was able to feel her love, and overcome the guilt I was suffering from. Daddy removed those stones. I should have removed yours. I'm sorry about that Harry; I had forgotten that in the pleasure of being able to share my heart's home."
"Luna…I,"
"Harry, it is not your fault, that one is mine and mine alone. Don't worry about it, as guilt goes this is small. Daddy noticed that I was being teased by several people and that my emotions were still too frail to take that kind of battering, so he again brought me out here, but this time, he cast the spells to make my own heart's home. Next to mum's so I could be taught how to use it correctly. The problem was I was too young, both in age and maturity. So rather than getting over my being teased, and learning to tease back, I changed all of those feelings into rocks, and then removed them from my heart's home. Thus I became different. What the other kids did to me did not cause a reaction, so they tried harder, and I had more rocks to remove. By the time daddy figured it out, the cycle had become normal for me."
"Luna, I'm sorry."
"For what Harry?"
"That you had to go through so many years at school with out a friend. You were a true friend to me, and I did little to repay that."
Harry decided that it was time to give as well as get and gave Luna the same hug treatment she had been giving him just minutes before.
"Can you teach me how to avoid the multiple stones? I really should take responsibility for my own emotions. We should get back to cleaning your garden, your heart's home."
"Harry? ... I …"
Harry guessed that he was doing the right thing. Luna gave a very deep sigh and tried to mold herself into his side. After a few seconds they released each other and stood up. As they traced their way out of her mom's garden and then back into hers, Luna started to explain what the different rocks looked like and how the colors affected them.
Back to the Burrow
Harry could not remember having a more pleasant day in a very long time. Working with Luna he took the small stones, or the ones with only single colors, leaving the nasty stuff for Luna. He started to feel guilty about her having to experience his bad memories, but Luna would have nothing to do with that. She had more knowledge and experience with the memories, and since they were not hers to start with, they did not affect her quite as much. Although there was one that after kissing the stone she came over and again molded herself into his side. When he asked what was going on, she stared into his eyes and declared in a voice that would not accept any room to wiggle that "Harry Potter you are not a freak!". After she peeled herself from his side they talked as they worked, and Luna explained about Nargles, and Snorkacks (crumpled horned as well as common); Harry explained what he knew about muggles and how they could fly in planes, and what electricity was, and how it could be used safely. He even talked a bit about his home life with the Dursley's.
Then taking her broom the two flew to the house Luna had taken for brunch. It was not the rook like house Harry remembered; rather it was a small place, but it held the warmth of a home instead of the feeling of just a house of wood and stone.
"Luna?"
"Yes Harry? Do you want another sandwich?"
"No I have a question about your heart's home."
"Ask then, I will answer if I can."
"Can others be helped by using your heart's home?"
"I am not really sure Harry. You see, you should not have been able to sleep in my heart's home at all. Ginny can not even get within a few meters, and as Ginny's your girlfriend I expected you to resonate in harmony with her. Not with me."
"Was my girlfriend, was not is. She kicked me out of the Burrow to sleep in the fields because I wanted to get away for a while."
"Oh! Oh dear."
"What?"
"What is Mr. Weasley doing?"
"Nothing much, he is nearly as depressed as George is."
"That is not good Harry. Mr. Weasley was the anchor for the Burrow. Without him holding the house steady Mrs. Weasley will pull it way out of shape."
"I know I have said it before Luna but Huh?!"
"Did you ever wonder why you felt repelled by Malfoy?"
"Because he was a git! What are you trying to say Luna?"
"Each of us has a different heart. And for a person to truly find his or her happiness in a mate, their hearts have to resonate in a comfortable way. They do not have to match, just as long as they resonate. As children, we learn from our parents, family, and then friends. As we grow and become our own person, our hearts begin to change according to our own decisions. In each family, there are one or two people that establish and maintain the heart for that family. They anchor the family. Mr. Weasley is the anchor at the Burrow. Or rather he was the anchor. If he is not longer the anchor, then Mrs. Weasley's heart will be holding sway; and her heart is very troubled. It has been for many years. If I am correct it will become hard to even enter the Burrow now."
"I admit I was very pleased to leave the place, but that may have been a part of the argument I had with Ginny."
"Ginny's heart was hurt back in her first year when she was possessed, and because of that; Ginny will follow her mother's heart without a backward glance. If you want to keep Ginny as a girlfriend you will need to get her out of the Burrow until Mr. Weasley re-establishes his anchor."
"I wish I could see the hearts and how they resonate."
"I could teach you a spell if you want. Daddy taught it to me when I was first learning about my heart's home. I have not used it for a long time. It always made me upset at how many people could not resonate. But then you need to return to the Burrow."
It was late in the afternoon when Harry got back to the Burrow. Harry could tell exactly when he crossed over onto the land attached to the Weasley's homestead. He got an itch between his shoulder blades. He was not half way to the house when he found Ron staring at the house with an expression of confusion.
"Hey mate, what's up?"
"Harry! There you are. Ginny's been beside herself that you were not at the front door pleading to be let back in."
"I am sure she was, but what about you? You look, well not like all is well in your world."
"Mum kicked Hermione out! Mum sent me to get some supplies, and while I was gone, she kicked Hermione out much like Ginny kicked you out. When I came back, Hermione was gone, and Mum was claiming that she wasn't good enough for me. When I went to Dad, he and Mum had a huge blow up, and now Dad has left the house! I do not know what to do, Hermione wants to go and look for her parents, but I can't leave my family like this! What do I do?"
"Do you know where Hermione is now?"
"No, I'm told she ran out of the house it tears."
"How about your Dad? Do you know where he is?"
"He said he was going to the shop, to talk to George."
"Ron, I fear you need to choose between your Mum and Dad. This not a little thing, I need to try and get Ginny out of that house before your Mum make's it worse for her."
"What happened? How can I choose between them?"
"What do you know about a family's anchor?"
"Well that is an old old story, and… Damn, Mum is currently the anchor, and Dad was until Fred died!"
"Yes that is what I believe. You need to make your own choice, but I am afraid that unless your Dad can re-establish his anchor, I will not be spending much time here. I need to get Ginny, and then hunt for Hermione."
"Mate, how did you know about our anchor?"
"Luna found me last night, and this morning she explained all that I know."
"Harry, you do not want to go and get Ginny! Once she finds out you spent even a part of the day with Luna instead of begging for permission the be with her… well a day spent in Snape's dungeon brewing would seem like a pleasant holiday in comparison. I will get Ginny out and to Dad. You try to find Hermione."
"I thought Luna and Ginny were friends?"
"When they were younger they were. But since Ginny sorted into Gryffindor and Luna into Ravenclaw, they grew apart, and after Ginny was possessed, she has spent as little time as possible with Luna. They worked together at Hogwarts while we were away this year, but Ginny has said a couple of times since then that she no longer really likes Luna. Harry, even after we get away from Mum, Ginny will not forgive this apparent slight. I will send Pig when I have her away from Mum and to Dad."
"You are sure Ron? You and Hermione were doing pretty well…"
"We were arguing nearly all the time Mate. Some of that may be from Mum's anchor, but she and I will do very well as siblings, not as a couple. You take care of her Mate, and help her find her parents."
"First I have to find where she is, but I will let you know Ron."
"Harry, you don't have to feel guilty about this, Mum may have chased her off earlier than I would have, but she was not going to be comfortable with me long enough to matter."
"That is something like what Luna said."
"You found her heart's home?"
"You know about her heart's home?"
"There was a short time we thought we liked each other. She took me to her heart's home to see. While I can be a friend, she and I did not 'resonate' enough to be more. How did you find it?"
"I fell asleep in it last night; I didn't know what it was until this morning."
"You slept in her heart's home?! I can not believe it, I could only sit beside her garden, and I could not take even one step on to the path there. Makes sense though what with you and her being able to talk about the hard stuff… Once you find Hermione, you can take her to Luna's. The two of them can help each other."
"What does Luna need help with Ron?"
"You don't know? Ginny! I will so get her for this!"
"Ron, make sense!"
"Luna's dad died a few days after they got him out of Azkaban. She has been alone all of this time. Ginny said she would break the news to you, I guess she felt you would try to go over and help, and the current Ginny will not share like that."
"Oh! No wonder the house felt empty. She seems to be doing ok though. But you are right, I will stop by Luna's to let her know you are getting Ginny and what happened to Hermione, then I will start looking for Hermione. After that it will depend on where I find her."
The Second Invasion
Ron went back into the Burrow and returned with one of the older brooms.
"It is not as fast as your old broom, but it will be faster than walking."
"Thanks Ron, I will send word if I find Hermione. You send word when you get Ginny to your Dad."
"Harry? Remember what I said both about Hermione and Ginny. Ginny will not be forgiving of your spending time with Luna, and Hermione and I are not going to be a couple. When you find Hermione, let her know I will continue to love her, but more like the sister that always argues with me, instead of the man with whom she should live her life."
"You know Ron; you're not acting like your self much."
"Someone needs so to hold the family together till Dad can do it. I'm not really ready, but I will not let my family down the way I let you and Hermione down. Now go, it is going to be bad enough getting Ginny out, I don't need to fight her about it after dark."
"Good luck Ron. And you won't let any one down."
Mounting the broom Harry flew quickly back to Luna' house. There he found Luna at the front door, holding her own broomstick. She looked a bit surprised to see Harry, but mostly she looked worried about something.
"Harry, I did not expect to see you back, but I am glad you are here, there is a second intruder at my heart's home."
Instead of answering directly Harry wrapped Luna in a hug, and did not let go.
"Luna, I am so sorry, I didn't know about your dad! You must hate me for being so callous."
"You didn't?"
"No I didn't. I met with Ron; he said Ginny promised to tell me, he currently believes she did not want to share me for even that. I am sorry about your Dad."
Luna let out a sigh, and accepted the hug.
"Harry I am been attached to your side so much today, someone would think we were joined at the hip."
"More like joined at the heart Luna. I think more like joined at your heart's home."
After a few seconds, Luna let go the tears she wanted to shed when the people she counted as her friends did not come to see her after her Dad had died. And after a brief cry, she got the ball rolling again.
"Harry, we need to go visit my heart's home again, the wards were tickled a while ago. I was about to leave when you showed up. And as we go you can tell me what happened."
Harry ran inside and grabbed a handful of nuts and made a quick sandwich for later. The pair mounted brooms, and as they carefully flew back towards the thicket they had slept in the previous night, Harry explained his meeting with Ron, and his warnings about Ginny, and that Hermione was missing.
"So as soon as we get your gardens back in shape, I need to start hunting Hermione. Ron recommends I bring her to your house once I find her."
"We will find her Harry. I intend to look as well. Staying at home alone is not really my favorite thing to do. This grief and hardship is having a positive affect on Ronald. I hope he becomes the better for it."
"Shhh, Luna, we are getting close. You said you could feel it when I entered your garden, has that happened again?"
"No, both sets of wards have been tickled, which is strange as generally they either go off, or they don't. But no one has actually entered my heart's home."
The two landed just short of the tree line, and leaving their brooms quietly entered the wooded area. The light was fading but not completely gone and it was easier to see where they were going. Harry thought they were making excellent time, but Luna was beginning to radiate worry, and trying to hurry even more she broke into a half run half trot as she tried to get to her garden. As the two broke free of the trees into the clearing, Luna suddenly stopped hurrying and turning back to Harry, she pointed to one side of the garden and whispered; "That is what I expected to find last night Harry; I did not expect to find you sleeping in the center of my heart's home."
At first Harry could make no sense of what he was seeing. Colors whirled in a random but rapid way in what seemed to be a very physical shield. As the two of them walked over the kaleidoscope appearance began to make a bit more sense. The sylphs that had looked Harry over and then gone about their business were acting more like the guardians Luna had named them only this morning. As Harry and Luna approached with wands drawn, a couple of the sylphs noticed them, and leaving the shield wall that they had been a part, they came over to check out the two newcomers. As soon as the scouting pair got to within a meter or so of them, an unspoken command must have been given as all of the guardians stopped massing in the one area, and calming down they dispersed though out the two gardens and started tending them as Harry has seen them do last night.
Harry tapped Luna on her shoulder and motioned her to let him lead and made himself invisible with a quietly cast disillusioning spell. As soon as Harry could peek through the trees the guardians had been guarding; Harry cancelled the spell and ran through the break in the trees to drop beside the person he had intended to search for this night.
Hermione looked the worse for wear. Her cloths were not torn, but it was obvious that she had been wearing them for a while. Her hair was even more untamed than normal, and what Harry could see of her eyes worried him. They were wide and unseeing as she stared toward the place that recently had been a shield designed to prevent her from going forward. Luna stood in that place now, and Harry began to get worried as Hermione did not respond to either Luna's or his own presence.
"Hermione? I have been worried about you. Are you ok? Hermione? Hermione!"
"Harry? Can you get Hermione to over to the path to my mother's garden? Carry her if you need to; I will let the guardians know it is ok if she comes in."
In the end it took both Harry and Luna to move Hermione. Instead of stopping at the path's edge though Luna pulled the two gently onto the path. A short time later Hermione was seated on the bench at the center of the garden Harry knew to be the heart's home of Luna's dead mother. The bench was just wide enough for all three, and Luna sat Hermione in the middle and promptly wrapped Hermione in one of the hugs Harry had enjoyed so much earlier. When Harry made to get up a shake of Luna's head had him sitting back down beside his friend. A quick glare later and Harry cautiously wrapped his own arms around Hermione.
The three sat like that for what seemed to Harry to be at least half an eternity. It was most likely only a minute or so when Harry felt the difference. The air warmed a bit, and a feeling of care and concern tickled at Harry's senses. Harry turned to look at Luna, but she was still holding on to Hermione in an attempt to fuse the two of them into a single being. Deciding the Luna knew more of what was going on and since her glare had spoken quite eloquently what she thought about his leaving, Harry turned his attention to his unresponsive friend.
The warm feelings continued to grow until Harry could almost see the love flow from the ground and be absorbed by the three sitting on the bench. Some to Harry; a bit more to Luna; and most flowed into Hermione. Although Harry was not really good with the warm and fuzzy feelings; this was for Hermione. She needed him this time. Harry tried to channel the love he was receiving into his still unresponsive friend. And when that didn't seem to work, Harry added his own affection for the lady at his side.
As Harry added his own affection to the mix it was as if the affection was siphoned from him into the body of his friend. More importantly it made a difference as Hermione shuddered and tried to lean even closer to Harry. Harry started remembering some of the little things that made this person different from any other. From their time in the wilds Harry knew she was absolutely miserable if Hermione could not brush her teeth. Their shared time at the Burrow had taught Harry that Hermione was also very picky about her tooth brush. Using a hand held one rather than use one of the simple spells the others at the Burrow used to clean their teeth. While she would shower in the morning if she had to; Hermione would really rather shower in the evening and just sponge off in the morning. Her dentist parents had discouraged Hermione from enjoying candy, and as a result she really rather have fresh fruits. Harry remembered how he felt when she was restored to him at the end of second year.
Hermione shuddered again, and became a human. Instead of sucking the warmth and feelings all into her self some of the affection she had for Harry himself began to leak back to him. Harry was stunned at the emotions he could pick up from his friend. No friends, some of the emotions he had started to feel were coming from Luna.
Hermione have a huge sigh and relaxed a bit. Her hands flexed and began to open and close like Harry would do if he was trying to get the feeling back in one if it became numb. As Hermione began to move again Harry relaxed his hold and felt Luna do the same.
"Harry?"
Her voice was rough and tight, but Harry didn't care.
"Hey Hermy!"
Harry didn't care that he was treading on thin ice using the hated nickname.
"Prat!" Came the reply, and Hermione turned to face him. It was full dark now, and the moon was mostly hidden behind some clouds, but Harry could swear there was a light behind Hermione's eyes. Freeing her arms Harry expected the patented Hermione swipe at his head and instead found his friend filling his arms as she gathered the two of them together. Again with no distance between to two of them Harry could feel something he could only call love flowing from Hermione and into him. Harry responded by giving his own love and affection for her back and the two of them changed into something a bit different.
When Hermione moved, Harry released his friend, and was surprised when Hermione turned and wrapped herself around Luna. Based on Luna's expression, she was surprised at Hermione's actions as well, but after just a moment Luna sighed and returned the hug.
"I never knew Luna. I am sorry I never guessed."
Luna sighed again and relaxed even more into Hermione's hug. After a few seconds Luna released Hermione and grabbing Harry's closest hand stood up. Harry taking the cue also rose and following Luna's lead turned and sat on the ground in front of the bench.
Hermione looked around for the first time and after a quick glance she started to pay more attention, looking over the gardens with care.
"Harry? While I am very glad to be here, what is this place?"
A Heart's Pain
Harry shot a quick glance towards Luna, and answered his friend, "Luna can explain it better than I can. This area is special for her family."
"Luna?"
"Hermione, have you ever heard of a heart's home?"
Hermione frowned a bit and Harry could almost see the young lady search and sort through her memories and reading. After a few moments her frown deepened a bit more and she did the one thing Harry knew she hated to do…
"No Luna, I don't remember hearing or reading anything related to a heart's home."
"I am not really surprised Hermione, it is a form of old magic that is mostly lost to the witches and wizards of today. However, the Lovegood family knows and still practices the heart's home magic. It is one of the reasons we are mostly all considered to be a bit odd. You are currently sitting in the middle of the heart's home that was created for my mother just after I was born."
Harry watched Hermione as Luna explained again the purpose of a heart's home, and then went over how the garden next to the one they were sitting in belonged to Luna herself. Hermione did not interrupt even once while Luna made her explanations. She stirred a bit as Luna talked about feeling connected to her mother here, even though her mother had died several years ago but said nothing. When Luna went over how she had over used her garden to escape the teasing of her peers, Hermione leaned down and took one of Luna's hands, but did not say a word.
Harry summoned a ball of light so three of them could see in the dark, and then conjured two glasses of water as Luna finished her explanation, and handed one to each of the young ladies. As Harry drank his own conjured water he was struck by the thought; Hermione and Luna were ladies. Friends first and foremost, but not girls, or even teens; they were ladies to him now. When did that happen? He was so wrapped in his thoughts that he stopped noticing what was going on around him till he felt a sharp nudge in his side.
"Ouch! Luna!"
"Harry? Do not let the wrackspurts get you here. They are hard enough to get rid of as it is."
Harry replied while rubbing this now tender side, "Sorry Luna, I was thinking."
"I know you don't do it too often Harry, but now is not the time to get too lost. Hermione just tried to ask you your opinions of what I have said."
"Hermione?" Harry decided to ignore the dig about not thinking very often.
Hermione sighed and sat back into the bench.
"Harry, I asked what you thought about the heart's home Luna has been telling me about."
"I believe her, one hundred percent believe her. I don't know exactly what she said as I was woolgathering as you noticed, but she and I worked on her garden yesterday, and everything she said about her heart's home was accurate. So I believe her mom's garden and heart's home would act the same way."
"Also didn't you feel the emotions flowing through you a few minutes ago? I know I could feel them, and they were not from you, and I could feel Luna's, and I hadn't started to feed my emotions to you yet."
Hermione had a shocked expression as Harry came down so heavily in favor of the story Luna had been telling her. Then her expression changed as she got the far away look she often had while working a problem through in her head.
"You're right Harry; I did feel three sets of emotions… Luna was that you mother? Why would she help me out? We never met and I have not believed in all you creatures."
"She helped because I asked her to help Hermione."
"But, Luna? But, What? I mean… What?"
"Hermione, you might not have believed; but you did not tease me either."
"Of course I didn't tease you! That would have been cruel."
"Hermione that did not stop most of the rest of the school teasing me, or worse. Now how did you find this place, and what caused you to be so unresponsive to Harry?"
Harry at first watched Hermione, as she explained her last couple of days, and then watched in awe as Luna started drawing out more and more of the Hermione's fears and insecurities. Just a word here, or a question there, and Hermione was reliving the troll attack back when Harry first became friends with her. Then a shift of questions, and Hermione was telling about her first accidental magic discharge and how scared she was at the time. Harry had not heard that story, and was amazed at how Luna was getting his friend to open up. Catching a movement out of a corner of one eye, Harry turned and noticed a rock had grown up among the some flowers close by. Glancing behind him, Harry found more rocks. Luna must be feeding Hermione's fears to the garden, just like she had taken Harry's fears and focused them though her own garden. Well not exactly alike, Luna had focused his fears though his sleep. Here Luna was focusing them through a conversation.
The handful of nuts and somewhat smashed sandwich was split into portions and saw to it that Hermione had something to eat. It helped keep her distracted from what she was saying. Luna took some of the food as well and gave Harry a major smile in thanks. Harry could almost hear the approval behind that smile and smiled back with a wink took the remaining sandwich and nuts to sake his own hunger. Harry was again lost in his own thoughts when he noticed Hermione had stopped talking, and was looking at Harry with a shocked expressing and a bright red blush staining her cheeks.
"Harry, do you remember the tears I cried earlier today?"
Totally taken of guard by Luna's change of subject, it took Harry several seconds to process the question and answer.
"Hmm, Yes Luna I remember."
"They also will have created a type of stone in my garden; could you please start gathering them up? Do not take these stones to the sorrows ground, but rather stack them outside the garden by the entrance. We will take them home with us."
Finally figuring out that Hermione had just embarrassed herself with one of her statements, and that it was either about himself or Ron; Harry agreed and casting a lumos spell, Harry excused himself from the ladies and started looking for the different rocks.
The rocks where of different size, and had different shapes, but it was easy to tell they were not rocks created by sorrows or fears. Starting at the edge and working his way towards the center of Luna's garden, Harry had found several of the different stones.
"Harry! James! Potter!"
"No! Hermione! uhhh!"
Harry spun around and stared at Luna crumpling to the ground while Hermione took a second step into Luna's garden!
"Accio Hermione!"
If it wasn't so serious Harry would have enjoyed Hermione's face as she flew towards him. But she was not pleased when as soon as Harry caught her he cast "Petrificus Totalus", followed by "Wingardium Leviosa". Grabbing her by the hair Harry ran back along the path to the clearing; dragging the floating girl behind him. There he deposited Hermione, turning her to face the writhing Luna. Then again staying on the path Harry made his way to his fallen friend.
"Luna!"
"(sob)… it hurts Harry…(sob)…it hurts bad…(gasp)"
Harry gathered the blonde witch up in his arms and retraced his steps back to Luna's garden, and then all the way to the center of her heart's home, and laid her back down.
"How do I help Luna? … Luna?"
Tears where streaming down Luna's face, and once Harry had put her down she curled up into a fetal position. Leaving Luna for a second Harry raced back to Hermione and released the girl.
"How do we help?!" Harry demanded.
Hermione was staring at Luna with a shocked expression and did not answer right away.
"Hemione!, How do we Help Luna?!"
"I don't know? What happened to her?"
"You! You happened to her! Didn't you listen at all? Luna told you she was tied to this garden! See that footprint! And that one! You are what happened! Now how do we help her?"
"I…I did this? Harry I didn't know."
"Bah! Stop this! We don't have the time! How do we Help? Did Luna go over any spells with you?"
"I…I didn't know Harry! Please believe me!"
"If you think of anything to help let me know! Otherwise you have done quite enough and stay here!"
Turning away Harry retraced back to Luna and lay down beside the suffering girl; he curled up next to her and started casting every healing spell, he knew, and some he had just heard about. Nothing seemed to help, Luna remained mostly unresponsive.
"Come on Luna, share some of this pain, let me help you."
"It…It's to big…Har…I can't diiiv…divide…it."
"How? Luna How?"
"…Mmmummy…"
The last was not an answer, but a plea for help. But Harry un-curled and after a moment's thought he decided to leave Luna in her own heart's home; and he ran back through the garden passing Hermione who was watching with her own tears falling; then on into the next garden, finally to the bench in the middle. Sitting on the bench where Luna had sat before; Harry closed his eyes and pushed some of his worry and concern for the young Lovegood into the soil around him. This was not something he was used to doing and it took long seconds before he felt the magic of this place respond.
"I do not know you."
The voice sounded inside Harry's head and without opening his eyes he responded as best he could speaking the words clearly, hoping that would help focus his thoughts.
"Luna needs help, and I do not know how to help her. Another stepped, no ran across her garden."
An anger slipped though Harry's thoughts to the memory. Then receded.
"You were not the one and you seek honest help."
"She called out to you. I left her in her heart's home; I can bring her here if you can help her best here."
"No, you did well to leave her in her own heart's home. What did she say, and what do you know of the heart's home magic?"
This last came from a different mental voice. A male voice.
"Mr. Lovegood? It's Harry Potter sir. As near as I can tell, she said the pain was too big and she could not divide it. I know almost nothing, I just ran into this clearing yesterday, and other than the heart's home somehow taking fear and anger and turning them into stones, I really don't know anything."
The two sprits that loved Luna the most sifted once more through Harry's thoughts.
"Harry, the magic to help Luna is not without a price. I see the affection and friendship you have offered my daughter. Are you willing to continue and even increase that support? To help her now, you must become heart tied to my daughter."
"Mrs. Lovegood I do not know what that means. But Luna supported me in many ways; I will do what I can to support her now."
Mr. Lovegood continued; "Being heart tied is not like a life bond, nor does it require you marry each other, although those so tied often do marry; but once heart tied each will feel all of the emotions that the other feels. And to become heart tied you will need to learn all of Luna's thoughts. You will need to accept each and every one of them, acknowledge them and help Luna separate the pain that is embedded in them. Some of those thoughts will involve you, and your friends and they may not be pleasant. Some will involve secrets Luna has not shared, and most likely would not be willing to share. Once tied you and Luna will share all of your emotions, including the ones you feel about each other and the emotions about others you would normally not be willing to share. Once you are heart tied, you are tied for all time."
"Does that mean when I die, Luna would die?"
"No although it is not pleasant, the death of one such tied does not mean the automatic death of the other. I am proof of that. I am heart tied to my wife; it is the only way I could be here with her in her own heart's home and speak with you. And I lived many years past the death of my wife. They were not good years for me as I can see now; but still many years."
Harry thought about what he had been told: he would have to share Luna's most private thoughts; and if successful the two of them would feel all of the other's emotions.
"Once tied do we share just our emotions, or will our thoughts be shared as well?"
"Emotions are always shared; with time those that are heart tied can lean to share thoughts as well, but that sharing is voluntary and not all encompassing."
Looking across to the other garden at the blonde Harry made his decision.
"How do I help Luna? What do I need to do?"
Mrs. Lovegood again browsed through Harry's mind.
"My daughter is blessed to have you as friend Harry. There are no incantations for this magic. In fact there are not incantations for most of the magic related to a heart's home. Here is what you need to do…"
Standing Harry re-traced his step to edge of this garden and looked down at Hermione who was sitting where she could see Luna. The tears had mostly stopped, but she cringed as Harry came back up to her.
"What can I do Harry?"
"There is a way, but it means she and I will become heart tied. Do you know what that means?"
"A little, it was mentioned in a couple of books I was skimming while looking for something to help against the Horcruxs. You two will share your emotions."
"Before I do this, do I need to know anything about what you were talking about?"
"Luna likes me."
"So, I like you too what has that-"
"No! Harry, Luna really really likes me, as in not liking boys."
"Oh…uh, well, uh… So what do you think about that?"
"I'm trying not to just yet. Luna had just told me about your conversation with Ron, and well you kind of know what happened next."
"Ron? What did my talk with Ron have to do with how mad you were?"
"Did he really assign you to tell me that he and I were through?"
"I guess you could say that…I was more worried about finding you in the first place than what Ron was going on about."
"Oh, you were worried about me?"
"Of course I was worried Hermione. You were missing, and had last been seen running from the Burrow in tears."
"Oh…I was mad about Ron being too gutless to tell me himself and you didn't say anything after I started talking."
"Hermione, you were doing the talking, I was just amazed at what Luna was getting you to say. Then I got caught up in my own thoughts stopped listening to what you were saying. Two days ago I thought being yelled at by Ginny was my whole world, and Ron and you were doing pretty much the same thing. My last couple of days has been weird even for my general kind of weirdness. Now is there anything else I need to know? Luna is still hurting, and according to the Mr. and Mrs. Lovegood, this is going to take a while."
"Mr. and Mrs. Lovegood? Harry what are you talking about?"
"Hermione, go back to the bench. Please use the path this time. Sit down and think about Luna. I will talk to you more after Luna is doing better."
Harry retraced the maze like path of Luna's garden till he got back to his friend.
"Luna please know that if there was another way I would not willing do this."
"Har…Harry? Help…me…please?"
Harry lay back down next to his friend and curled up against her slender form. Threading his right arm through tightly curled arms and legs he rested his right hand above her left breast where he could feel her heart beat. Earlier her heart beat had been slow and strong, now it was weak and rapid.
"Hang in there Luna, I am here to help. Trust me, please and do not fight me. Your mum and dad told me what to do."
"I…have…always…trusted…you…Harry."
"Even when you shouldn't have, I know. Here goes nothing."
Harry stopped counting time; Luna became the only thing he could see, the only thing he could feel. Using the spells he had been taught Harry could see a metaphysical representation of Luna's mind. Her thoughts and memories would normally flow though what appeared to be a sphere. But all Harry could see now was a black syrup that was the pain which was consuming Luna's being.
Manipulating that pain was Harry's current quest, but according to his dead teachers, he needed to be sure he separated the pain from the normal, or the Luna he knew would become lost to the world, never to wake up. Pull at the pain; comb out any memory that belonged; and pinch the pain away and out of the sphere; then repeat. As the pain was separated from the sphere it would fly away, and a part of Harry felt a stone grow in the garden.
After a seemingly endless number of repeats Harry found the first memory that belonged and should stay. The death of Luna's mother replayed for Harry several times while he combed, filtered, and distilled the pain away. Some pain belonged; and it was difficult to determine the pain from the violation of Luna's garden from the pain attached to the memory. Then Harry remembered what Mr. Lovegood had said; "Each memory would need to be acknowledged". This time instead of playing the memory, Harry tried to live the memory. It was his mother that died in his arms… It worked; the pain from the garden was different and could not flow with that memory leaving it where Harry could pinch it out of the sphere.
New memories intruded as more of the garden's pain was removed. Some memories had no pain of their own. Like the day when she was four years old that Luna's mom got her a pretty yellow dress with frills and lace. The garden's pain could be combed out of these with ease. But other memories were harder. Like the one when Luna had her first period while at Hogwarts. And being unprepared ended up running to the medical ward afraid she was dieing. Harry had a hard time living that memory but he was finally able to distill out the garden's pain. But this pain did not fly away as quickly. When Harry finally felt the stone grow, it still felt wrong somehow. Harry took inventory of him self; all seemed ok there. The sphere of Luna's mind was much less black; a few lights that represented thought and memories could be seen. Hesitantly Harry broke the spell and extracting himself from Luna he looked around. A black glass like rock with shape edges and all shining in a faint light lay scattered though out the garden. There were some larger chunks, but most seemed to be about the size of a fist.
"Is she going to be ok?"
Harry turned and found Hermione sitting nearby. Harry guessed she was the one who had cast the light spell. Hermione still looked worse for wear but she was not crying any more.
"I hope so. I have made good progress but I think the garden has all of this rock it can take."
"Can I help you remove it?"
That question was asked in a manner not at all in keeping with the Hermione Harry knew and had joined in the horcrux hunting mess.
"What happened to you Hermione?"
"I had a very long conversation with the Lovegoods. Well that and I have never seen you that angry at me before."
"I am sorry about some of that, but Luna was hurting"
"And I both caused the hurt and was doing nothing about it." Hermione finished for him.
"Well, yeah. I would be pleased to have help with is rock stuff."
"Obsidian"
"Huh?"
"The rock is obsidian. It is a kind of volcanic glass. Where should we take it when we remove it from the garden? Luna mentioned a sorrows ground of some kind."
Harry thought about that for a moment, and reaching into his own heart he started to feel Luna. The start being heart tied he guessed. Down into his own heart, and the heart of his friend. A very lonely friend based on the memories he had seen so far. Harry decided that being heart tied to someone deserved a memorial of some kind, and looking around at Luna's garden he picked a corner where nothing seemed to be growing. It wasn't bare, just not really a part of the whole yet. There was a sight rise in the ground falling into a slight dip.
"No, not out of the garden, but rather moved and put into a shape. See that corner? I remember Luna telling me about an uncle of hers that used the stone in his own heart's home to build a beach. I think a stream is more in line with how Luna thinks. A stream, babbling over rocks with bends and curves would be a very Luna thing."
"How can I help?"
"First lets get this rock out of the places it has grown, and over to that corner of the garden."
"Alright, and Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks"
"Huh? For what? I was pretty upset at you earlier, and as I recall I pretty much told you that you had done enough damage for one day."
"For letting me help now. And for not stressing I should stay on the path while we gather the obsidian."
Harry stood and after stretching, he started to gather the rock nearby.
"I believe you won't make that mistake again. While we work, why don't you tell me about your visit with the Lovegoods. Is there anything they might have said that might help me here?"
"Harry it was amazing to talk to them like that. Well it was amazing after they were done ripping into me. And Mrs. Lovegood would have gone on for a while longer if Mr. Lovegood had not reminded her that I had not hurt Luna intentionally, and then told her that I was counted as one of Luna's special friends. Apparently Mr. Lovegood can only visit Mrs. Lovegood's heart's home for a bit; but they spend some time together on the other side. They would not tell me much about that though."
Harry let the conversation wash over him as they worked. It filled a need that he hadn't realized he needed. He had spent so much time working with Luna's pain he had started to forget how to be Harry. As the two gathered the stones they discovered that the edges were sharp enough to cut and while they tried to work quickly it was important to handle the rocks with care. Once the stones were gathered they started on using the stones to build a dry stream bed. There were several discussions about how it should look, but Harry pointed out this was Luna's garden and the stream should be random in its turnings instead of ordered. Once the basics were in place; Harry told Hermione about his being worried about get lost in Luna's mind. So Hermione promised to not gather any rock with the idea that Harry would need to break his trance to gather the stones. Thus giving him a chance to regain his own sense of self.
Harry was heading back to Luna for the next session of pain management when he noticed two silvery sprits at the edge of the garden next door. Getting Hermione's attention the two of them made their way to the two Lovegoods although Hermione did not appear enthused about the upcoming meeting.
"Harry, you do not know how happy we are at the help you are giving our daughter."
"Am I doing it right? And is there any help or advice you can give me? I feel like I was losing my self within Luna's memories."
"Harry, I/we can not help, but we can give you some advice. You do not need to remove all of the pain. In fact you can not. Some of pain inside of Luna does not come from the garden, it comes from other sources. There is one memory from Luna's third year at school which has affected her greatly. Do not try to filter the pain away from that memory. That pain will need to be drained from the real world. As the pain from the garden is diminished, Luna herself will be able to helping you. It will no longer be so strong that she is overwhelmed by the pain. Hermione, your help has also been noted. You have a good heart beneath all that book learning. You will need to grow beyond your learning or your books are all that will define you. Please remain I would like to speak to you again. Do not flinch child, my anger has abated. You can finish something I once started."
Harry noticed that Mr. Lovegood had disappeared sometime during his discussion with Mrs. Lovegood. So giving Hermione a quick squeeze of support, he retraced the paths to the place Luna lay and dropping to the ground he molded his body against her back. Harry could feel Luna's emotions welcome him back. Harry threaded his arm under her arm to place his hand again over her heart. Luna moved slightly as Harry was doing this and instead his hand ended up cupping her left breast. Harry froze with embarrassment as Luna gave a start and when he did nothing she gave a little sigh and relaxed. Harry felt first a burst of anxiety; then a sense of contentment as whatever she felt in return from Harry allowed her to regain her composure. Harry slipped his hand up and centered it once again over Luna's heart. Then re-casting the spells the Lovegoods had taught him, Harry again plunged in to the sphere of Luna's emotions.
There was a considerable difference between the sphere from even when Harry had last seen it. More of the memories were visible floating and the blackness was less. It appears the Lovegoods were right, Luna was starting help and was no longer as in so much pain that she could not longer act. As the metaphysical Harry drew near to the metaphysical Luna, he could feel his heart tied welcome him back. It seems he was missed, and more than a little. As Harry started back to work he was no longer alone. Luna's memories would herd and corral bits of the black pain towards that area Harry would favor; it became much easier to remove the pain. Then a memory floated by that was bloated with pain. Harry reached to start filtering away the pain just as he had some of those other memories…
It was both a very long and a very short night for Harry. Once more Harry felt the garden fill to the brim with the volcanic glass. He and Hermione again gathered the stone, but once the stone was gathered, Harry asked Hermione to join him on the bench. Once the two were settled Harry shuttered and asked Hermione to hold him.
"Hold you? I don't mind, but that is not like you."
"I found the memory Luna's mom was warning me about…Luna was physically abused and nearly raped her third year at school."
"What?! Who? When?"
During the Triwizard tournament. !- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} - As to who; I don't know. Luna's memory is blurred. Whoever he is he made her swear an oath not to tell anyone. He was about to force her during the third task, they were interrupted by the seventh year girl's prefect from Hufflepuff. She had become suspicious but thought the two were sneaking off for some fun and intended to surprise the two of them just to scare them into behaving. So she heard the threats and insults from the boy and the cries of pain from Luna. She managed to get the boy expelled quietly and took Luna under her wing for as long as she could. But since she was graduating that was not long enough.
"Harry? Is this why Luna believes in the made up creatures?"
"No, as near as I can tell Luna has always believed in them. Moreover, Hermione, in some cases she has seen some of the creatures she has described. Not all of them, but some. I have seen those memories now. They were not dreams and did not appear to be pranks. So no, the abuse did not scar her that way. Instead, her dad rebuilt his daughter that summer. That is the reason she doted on him so much."
"And you want me to hold you why?"
"I got too close to this memory before I found out what it was about. I am going to need a few more minutes being Harry. Hermione, Luna is not going to be pleased I told you this. She is going to like my knowing even less."
"So don't tell her?"
"Merlin No! When she found out later that we had known for a while it would devastate her. And something this big it is not an 'If she found out' but a 'When she found out'."
After a few minutes of comfort given and received, Harry complemented Hermione on her progress and returned to his charge. As Harry molded himself to her back Harry got a quick burst of cheer from his heart tied, and again Luna moved so his hand rested on her breast for a second. The cheer was followed by a mischievous sense of success. Harry guessed that Luna was soon going to be playing tricks on him…
Harry slowly came back to himself and looked around. A faint light showed that dawn was not far off. Turning Harry found Hermione working on the black rocks in the corner and only one or maybe two of the obsidian stones still in Luna's garden. Beside him Luna groaned and moved a bit.
"Hermione!"
His brown haired friend looked over and Harry waved his hands, motioning her towards him. Hermione glanced over to see Luna stirring and putting down the rock in her hands trotted over the path's entrance to trace her way to them.
"Harry?" Luna was still in some pain, and but it was down to manageable levels. Harry could see where the pain had left its mark on her. Giving her a wane smile he pushed some of his relief and affection towards his prone friend.
"Harry! I felt that!"
The rest of what Luna had to say was cut off as Hermione came up to the two of them and very carefully drew Luna into her arms.
"Hermione?!"
"Merlin Luna! I am so sorry!"
"Well you did not really know. I should have explained it better."
"Luna!, I swear! Do not take this so lightly! I nearly killed you!"
"Hermione? This is not at all like you. What happened while I was not paying attention to anyone but myself?"
"Your parents made a couple of appearances and they had a rather heated discussion with Hermione while I was helping you."
"You saved me you know Harry."
"That was my hope."
"There is more isn't there. I could feel you as you helped me. I can still feel you even though we are not as closely tied. What did you do? And what do mean my parents. That is my mother's heart's home I know, but daddy's heart's home is miles from here."
"As your mom explained it, in order to help you enough to make a difference, I had to become heart tied to you. I hope you don't mind too much since"
Luna interrupted Harry with a gasp.
"Heart Tied?! My mother?! My mother actually spoke to you?!"
"To both of us. And your father as well."
"Daddy?! You spoke to DADDY?!"
"Luna!"
"What Hermione?"
"Look over there."
Almost invisible in the early dawn's light the two adult Lovegoods stood at the garden's boundaries and waved.
"Mummy! Daddy!"
Luna was unsteady on her feet, but even in her clumsiness, she stayed on the paths and met her family at the bench. Harry and Hermione stayed where they were and gave their blonde friend a few minutes.
"This was a good thing you did Harry Potter."
"Yeah, and for once no one appears too much the worse for it. Although all three of us are exhausted, will need to crash soon. Come on, let's finish getting these last stones and finish the stream bed."
Harry and Hermione quietly gathered the few remaining stones and it seemed in just a few moments had the last of their monument to the pain and lessons of the previous day.
"Harry? What have you two built in my garden?"
Un-noticed Luna had finished speaking with her family's dead and had wandered over to see what the two living friends she had here were doing.
"Hi Luna, did you have a nice visit with your folks?"
"It was very nice actually. I did not know that daddy could visit me through mummy's garden. I am happy they are able to be together now. Harry, what have you two built in my garden?"
"I am glad that he was able to Luna, your mom was pretty upset with me earlier and your dad help calm her down."
"I am glad too Hermione. Harry? What is this?"
"I thought you needed a memorial to being heart tied to someone, and I remembered you saying you had an uncle the gathered the stones, but built with them. Hermione and I gathered you pain's stones and built this with them. Something to remind you that you are not alone. And I hope you will understand; you will never be totally alone again. You are in my heart. And I am now in yours."
Harry took Luna's hands in his and pushed his love and affection though her heart and into the garden while Hermione stood behind Luna and put her own hands on Luna's shoulders. Harry could feel her push her own affection and even a bit of the guilt at causing her friend so much pain though the bond Harry had with Luna. The garden took only a moment to respond and as Luna stared in amazement as a stream of water started to flow through the paths created by the obsidian.
"You? … You both? … Did this for me?!"
Aftermath
In retrospect Harry should have known it would be too much for Luna. She had: 1) just lost her father; 2) none of her friends had attended said father's funeral; 3) she had just had a very painful night; 4) she had just discovered she was heart tied to someone not of her choosing; and 5) she had just 'seen' her father in her mom's garden when she hadn't thought that was possible. Luna folded over and collapsed into a heap on the ground. Hermione was beside the fallen girl before Harry had done much more than recognize that Luna wasn't standing anymore. Getting down on ground beside his two friends Harry discovered Luna crying into Hermione shoulder. They were not the heart rending sobs he was sure he expected, but rather sniffles and soft sobs. Feeling more than a bit awkward and useless a the moment Harry got back up, and traced his way in the morning light back to the brooms that he and Luna had used to get here several lifetimes ago. Bringing the brooms back to the clearing Harry found the two girls sitting close together and Hermione was holding Luna's hand. That warned Harry that something was up; Hermione was not really physical in her affection and to be holding Luna's hand would mean Luna had been about to run away, either physically or mentally.
Harry's danger sense was correct as Luna turned a panic stricken face towards him as he settled down beside her.
"You told her about my third year Harry? Why?!"
Harry took hold of her other hand firmly, but not holding it so tight is would hurt.
"Luna, I needed to tell someone, and Hermione was here. I needed to tell because to be honest I got too close to that memory and it sucked me in its emotions. When I came back to myself I needed Hermione to anchor me as Harry instead of as Luna's emotions. And since that was a very un-Harry thing to need, Hermione wanted to know what had happened. I was tired and feeling very overwhelmed at the time, and I told her. Now before you even have a chance to get started; I Will Not Give Up On You! While I am very sorry you were hurt that way, it does not mean that I will stop being your friend. Nor does it mean I am ashamed to know you. It means I now know why you were able to help me so much when I was hurting after the DOM comedy of errors. You had not only suffered through the death of a parent; you knew what it was to be abused. You helped me more at that time than I can ever say. Now it is time for me to start repaying that debt."
"Harry is right Luna. I will not give up on you either. You and I may not see eye to eye, in fact your mother pretty much told I had built a wall with my book learning, but that does not mean I think you are below me. I am not ashamed to say you are one of my friends."
Luna was not an attractive sight with red eyes and a still too pale face, but the eyes that always gave the impression of being surprised were even wider.
So quietly Harry could almost not hear her words.
"You… You don't think… that I am… dirty?"
"I think we all three have covered in dirt this morning. But no Luna I am proud to have you as one of the people that have stood by me. You are not dirty inside. You are not tarnished. You have one of the most beautiful souls of anyone I have ever known."
"It has been a long night for all three of us Luna. Look at me. I Hermione Granger am proud to know you. And I am looking forward to your friendship."
"but…?"
"No buts Luna. We are all tired and hungry. Let's go to your house; clean up; eat; and sleep for about a week."
That got a weak giggle from Luna, but she agreed. Soon all three were disillusioned and flying towards the Luna's current house. Hermione was in front of Harry on his borrowed broom since she had not been to this house of Luna's before.
It only took a bit to get to the house. It took a while longer to get clean as there was only one bathroom and all three of them need quite a bit of scrubbing to get the real and imagined dirt off of them. While Hermione cleaned up first Luna and Harry started preparing a simple meal that included some hearty soup. When Hermione finished with her cleaning, Harry shooed Luna into the bath while he finished with the meal. All three sat down to eat before Harry took his turn at the shower. Thankful that the hot water was heated magically and so was not going to run out, Harry scrubbed him self clean twice and washed his hair three times before getting out, drying and after slipping on a robe he found, started searching for the other two.
He found the two girls in the only bed room sitting on the bed. Hermione explained she was in a browed night gown she had transfigured to a better fit and handed Harry what had to be one of Mr. Lovegood's old night shirts. After changing to the unfamiliar garment Harry asked about some sheets to put on the couch in the other room.
Luna was looking much better and firmly explained to Harry that there was only one bed, and she was not up to sleeping on the couch. And since she was the hostess, there was no way she was going to let Harry sleep on said couch. When Hermione gave a faint giggle and Harry gave her 'the look' Hermione explained that Luna had pretty much used exactly the same arguments on her when she tried to volunteer to sleep on the couch.
"Harry? Please, I know this is a bit strange for you, but I really do think I need you beside me tonight. Well it is only late morning and not night at all, but I still do need you here. Hermione, this bed is plenty big enough for all three, and to be honest Harry and I are not up to doing anything beyond sleep. And since you have been awake more that twenty four hours yourself, I expect you won't be able to take advantage of us either."
Fifteen minutes later Luna got her way Harry again found himself lying beside the blonde and facing her back although the bed was a lot more comfortable than the garden's ground. Hermione really was too tired to fight very hard, and lay on the bed on the Luna's other side facing the two of them some what stiffly. Luna gave a huge sigh of contentment and gently hugged Hermione to her for a moment.
"Hermione? I know this is not what you expected, but I really do thank you for this. Harry would have felt my heart tug at him to join me since we are heart tied, and that tie will develop more quickly if we remain in close proximity to each other for a while. But your help in my garden and your declaring to be my friend means very much to me. I… I have been too much alone since daddy died."
Harry discovered that Hermione was made of flesh and blood. She was not able to resist the plea in Luna's voice. Her eye's softened, and while she did not snuggle up to her blonde bedmate she did scoot a bit closer to kiss Luna's forehead.
"Luna Lovegood, you are one of my friends. And I look forward to being a better friend to you than I have been in the past. Sleep sweet my friends."
Harry had never heard that expression before, but it made perfect sense to him for this morning's nap.
"Sleep sweet Hermione; sleep sweet Luna."
"Sleep sweet? … Yes, that describes it well. Sleep sweet Hermione. Sleep sweet heart tied."
And sleep sweet all three did.
Making Plans
Harry did not know how long he had been asleep, but he woke up slowly to the comfortable sensation of being loved. His heart was filled with a quiet joy. If this is what being heart tied to Luna was going to be like, he was very glad he had not given her a chance to refuse.
Harry began to take stock of his surroundings. It seemed that yet again he his hand was cupping Luna's left breast. But Hermione had shifted closer to the Luna as she slept as well and Harry's hand was now caught in a sandwich with Hermione's right breast pressing into the top of his hand. Both girls… correction both young women were in those night dresses, so no flesh was touching flesh, but Harry was quite sure he was embarrassed about how his hand had roamed while he slept. And now with his hand trapped as it were, Harry was not sure how to escape without waking either and thus facing the wrath of both.
The burst of embarrassment proved that being heart tied did have some disadvantages as Luna stirred slightly and woke. The pleasant feeling of loving and being loved intensified followed by a spark of pleasure, as Luna realized that she was not alone and was in fact surrounded. The spark grew a bit as Luna took stock of the sensations around her and Harry could tell exactly when Luna became aware of where Harry's hand was placed. The next sets of emotions were a jumble that included some anxiety and a bit of fear, but shortly after settled into another spear of joy and mischievous pleasure. Taking pity on her heart tied, Luna gently leaned back into Harry's back and twisted her left side away from Hermione. Once his hand was freed Harry released his hold and disentangled himself from his partner. Harry excused himself quietly and made a needed trip to the loo.
Coming back into the room, Harry found a giggling Luna in the midst of trying to slip herself from a gentle hug that was being provided by a still sleeping Hermione. Harry was about to leave again when she stopped giggling and quietly asked for his assistance. Checking the time and deciding that they had slept a bit more than 3 hours, instead of helping Luna get up without waking Hermione, Harry slipped to the other side of the bed and blew gently into Hermione's ear.
Hermione did not start awake so quickly that she could strike at her tormentor, but she was awake and sitting before she could realize just how close to Luna she had ended up. This earned a glance of thanks from Luna while Hermione was scowling at Harry.
"What did you do that for? I was quite asleep and enjoying being asleep."
"We slept for more than 3 hours, and if we are going to sleep at all tonight we will all three need to stay awake for the rest of the day."
The scowl did not fade much from Hermione's face, but she did finally agree that Harry was correct. Harry agreed to meet the ladies in the family room, left to magically clean the only clothes he had at the moment get out of the night shirt he was currently wearing.
Hermione, when she arrived a few minutes later was dressed in clothes that suited Luna's coloring instead of her own, and Harry guessed that they had been magically made a bit bigger to fit the bigger of the two ladies, but they were not the clothes she had been wearing the previous two days.
Luna shortly came in her self also wearing a clean set of cloths and all three moved to the kitchen table and sat. The silence was quit loud. Harry could tell Luna was unsure about how to go on, but Harry had the glimmerings of a plan, but he needed to bit to think it through some more. So picking one of Hermione's known weak spots, he moved to occupy the two ladies in a manner they would both likely enjoy and also let the two get to know each other a bit more.
"Luna? You explained to me that the heart's home was old magic. Do you have any books on it? Hermione wanted to know what spells I was using but last night I did not have the time to show her."
Both ladies gave a glance of thankfulness to find a subject they both could embrace and Luna excused herself to get the promised book.
"That was well thought of Harry. I promised to be a better friend but had not clue how to start."
"I have the germ of an idea starting Hermione, and I wanted a chance to mull it over for a bit. Do you have some of you own clothes somewhere other than the Burrow?"
"Hmm, Yes I do not want to go back there at the moment. I do have some clothes at my parent's house."
"Let's plan on appariting this evening to get some cloths. But please plan on coming back here tonight. Luna needs us, and I think it would be bad to leave her alone tonight."
Un-noticed Luna had come while Harry was speaking.
"Yes! Please come back Hermione! Harry too!"
"Shhh Luna, quietly. I for one will be back tonight. I hope Hermione will join us, but I will be back. But I do need more changes of clothes. Hermione will feel better in her own clothes as well."
"Oh! … Yes you are right Harry. Hermione, please consider coming back this evening. I … I … Please say you will consider it."
"Ok, Luna I will consider it. But first before we have to deal with clothes and such you were going to teach me about this old magic I experienced last night."
"I? I teach you? Hermione are you sure?"
"I need to interact with you more Luna, and yes, you get to teach me. I know only what you taught me last night. And that does not explain anything that I saw Harry do, or why you were in so much pain, or why your mum was able to speak to us.
"To be honest, I did not know mummy could speak to you at all. Daddy never went to see mummy's garden after mummy died. I thought only I could."
"Perhaps you will lean something then while you are teaching me."
Harry paid only a slight bit of attention to the following discussion. He considered himself an ok student, but nowhere close to the level of his bushy haired friend. And now that he was watching Luna in action as well… Harry decided to just be glad they were willing to be friends with someone as dense as he was.
"Harry! You stop that right now!"
"Huh?! What did I do?"
"You are quite smart enough and I will not have you feeling inferior to me!"
Ouch! Harry would need to work on not feeling quite so loud.
"Stop That Too!"
"Unn … sorry?"
It did not help that Hermione was smirking at him. Luna glared at him for a few more moments and only relaxed when he sent an apologetic burst of sorrow to his heart tied.
"That is so weird! Do you read each other's minds now?"
"No we can feel each other's emotions. Harry was feeling inferior to the two of us and somewhat stupid. When I called him out on it he felt guilt and then tried to damp his emotions so I would not feel them any longer. Harry? I am sorry if I am pushing. Please don't regret being heart tied to me."
"Are you kidding? Luna, do you have any idea how wonderful it was to wake up to the joy in your heart after our nap?"
"Eeep?!"
Harry and Hermione were treated to an embarrassed blush that traveled down Luna's face, down her neck, only to be hidden by the clothes Luna was wearing.
"I will gladly put up with your calling me out and preventing me from becoming a depressed maniac if I can have the chance to feel your joy of life like that."
Harry was surprised to find himself on the floor having been tackled by a blonde streak. Luna's eyes were staring square into his as she whispered.
"You don't regret being heart tied to me?"
"Not so far. To be honest I was afraid you would regret being saddled with me. I did not give you a choice after all."
"whimper…"
As Luna collapsed against Harry's chest he became the first male of the species to understand what women where talking about whenever they spoke of happy tears.
Hermione left the room after a few moments to give the two a chance to regain some balance. And half an hour later she returned with a suitcase. Harry and Luna were again sitting upright at the table and talking quietly.
"Is it safe to come back in?"
"Yes Hermione. Harry has agreed not to make me cry again for at least the night."
"Luna, I expect you needed that cry. And I have decided I don't want to be alone tonight, so I am taking your invite at your word, and you are stuck with me playing chaperon."
Luna grinned at her invited guest and stuck her tongue out at her in mock disgust at having a chaperon.
"Hermione, Luna and I have been talking, and I would like to propose an idea to you. I know you want to go hunting for you parents. I do not want you to go by your self. Yes you are a big girl and are capable of taking care of yourself, but I still don't want you to go by yourself. I also do not want to leave Luna alone right now. How about you wait to look for your parents until all three of us can go? It should only be week longer before we could all go together."
The stunned face on Hermione's face caused a couple of giggles from Luna and Harry was sure his smile was as big as a smile could get.
"Say yes Hermione. I want to go somewhere away from here for a bit, and Harry would like to pretend he can help."
"Hey! I can too help; even if it is just act as a bit of dross to the beauty of you two ladies."
"Dross Harry? I think not. As I remember it you clean up quiet well. It is a good thing Luna will with us to help me beat the fan girls off of you."
"Fan girls? Ewww!"
"With you? Oh Thank You Hermione! Thank You! This will be ever so much fun! Harry! Off with you. You need to get clean clothes. By the time you get back Hermione and I will have the trip all planned. And yes you should feel helpless right now. Your fate has been decided."