351A/N the first: Several terms, and actions that are referenced in this chapter relate directly to chapter one; for example, 'family anchor'. These have not been mentioned during the time Harry, Hermione, and Luna became more than just friends (chapters two and three), but they will come into play again, now that we are going back to England.
A/N the second: For whatever reason, this was a very difficult chapter to write. It is not the end as I planned, but rather than make you wait even longer it will be posted as it is.
Home is where the heart is
The hug Harry was currently receiving was sure to bruise his ribs; of course the hug he was giving back to Hermione was just as strong. As promised, Hermione's parents had requested that Hermione remain with them for the next six months. But Harry felt he needed to check up on Teddy, and the Weasleys. Luna had, after much waffling, decided she was returning as well, both to check her family spell books, and to officially take over the Lovegood estate. So Harry and Luna were about to travel back to England although the route would not be direct. One of the books located in the Grangers' house talked about some of the more unique, non-magical, methods of travel, and Luna wanted to try one of them out. Thus, the international portkey would take Harry and Luna to France, and from there they were going to take a hovercraft across the English Channel.
"You take care of our Luna, Harry," Hermione whispered through her quiet sobs. "And let her take care of you. I expect letters from both of you often. And Mum said to be sure and come back here soon."
Hermione then released Harry and turned to the waiting Luna to give her the same treatment, before slipping out of the building, and heading back into Kaurna's Refuge.
"I already miss her, Harry." Luna whimpered, "I'm not sure how we are going to get through our days without her. I've become dependent on her."
"We both have, dear-heart, but we also still have each other." Harry replied while wrapping Luna in his arms. It was a testament of how upset his little love was that she accepted and even returned the embrace. "If you'll help support me, I'll help support you. Come on, we have our own adventure to enjoy and that'll give us something to write about to Hermione tonight besides the 'wish you were here' type of stuff."
Harry turned, and releasing one arm, he continued to hold Luna to him with one arm as the two of them headed further into the building towards the international portkey pads.
"You know, Luna, for a pureblooded witch, you're becoming quite the non-magical expert." Harry gently teased. "You have seen and done more living in the muggle world…ouch, sorry…than just about any of our magical friends."
Harry rubbed the sore spot on his already abused ribs. Robyn and Evan had requested that they not be called 'muggle' as they did not like the sound of the word. And the three of them were re-training themselves to avoid the word, and Luna had just jabbed her elbow into his side at his slip.
"Harry, you and Hermione have pushed and led me through a lot of growth." Luna announced as if she had only just then seen it. "I don't doubt but for that, I would still be in that house feeling sorry for myself if you hadn't found my Heart's Home."
"And I wouldn't have had the chance to become tied to one of the two most wonderful women in the world, so I think we're even." Harry responded.
A weak laugh sounded at his side, and just before the two of them stepped up to the counter, Luna could be heard saying, "With our tie I think, you have proven the old saying, Harry, home is where the heart is."
Growth and Life
Harry awoke earlier than normal and wondered at the warmth he was feeling next to his back. In the month since he and Luna had returned to England he had spent his nights alone. Luna was continuing to work very hard on her fears, but felt too vulnerable to join Harry in bed without Hermione's presence to buffer Harry's maleness. This morning, however, snuggled up against his back, and sleeping the sleep of the just, was Luna Lovegood. Harry turned as gently as he could and enjoyed just looking at the beauty that formed the calm and accepting part of his triangular family.
Luna was sleeping on her side, and now that he was facing her, he could see Luna's long blonde hair was not in its usual braid, but was framing her face and falling over her back. She was wearing the light blue nightgown Harry had bought for her, and, for the first time since arriving back in England, her face was at peace. The week prior to leaving for England had been hard on Luna. The month that had passed since they returned had been harder. She was missing Hermione more that even Harry was, and Harry was missing Hermione a lot.
As Harry watched Luna sleep he let the warm and fuzzy feeling of love he had for his lady filter through their shared tie. He had other feelings of love for this slip of a woman, but she would not enjoy waking up to them this morning as the huge strides she was making could be set back quite easily. However, it was becoming harder to keep Harry's physical desire for his dear-heart toned down; she knew he desired her in a physical way, and that desire seemed to amaze and scare her every single time she ran into it. Most evenings she and Harry would spend at least a few moments together, and she was learning to enjoy this time they made for kisses and cuddles. A couple of evenings ago, she had even initiated a deeper more demanding kind of kiss, but only once. However the mornings seemed to be the hardest for her and her fears. So Harry, pleased to find her in bed with him this morning, made sure to calm and sooth those fears as much as he could.
It seemed to be working; his Luna was showing signs of waking, without the jolt of fear and adrenalin she often experienced if he needed to wake her in the morning. As her eyes opened, instead of fear, Harry got some warm and fuzzy feelings back. As he watched Luna join the world, she did not put on her determined face, the face she used while actively fighting her fear of men and physical desire. Instead a warm smile started to light her face and one arm surprised Harry as Luna drew him into a tantalizing hug.
"I have so much to learn from you Harry." Luna whispered him, confusing him even more.
"Good morning my blondest love, and while I hate to sound so dumb before breakfast…Huh?" Harry replied while gently returning this surprise hug.
Luna didn't giggle often, she was more of a laugh out loud kind of person, but this time a delightful giggle escaped her before she replied. "Blondest love? That's a new one." A quick sigh later and Luna continued. "I never knew loving people could be so complicated, Harry. I was sure you'd be upset with me this morning; instead I get to wake feeling warm and cherished. And your lovely green eyes are looking at me like they're enjoying the view."
Harry was very puzzled by now, and releasing Luna from their loose hug, he pondered the previous day and continued to come up with a blank. "Upset? With you? Why would you think I would be upset with you? In retrospect, yesterday was what I consider a turning point for you."
"Harry," Luna exclaimed with a slight blush. "How can you not be upset that I was stubborn and willful towards you yesterday? I expected a cold shoulder from you this morning, not the safe cocoon of love you gave me."
Again, Harry mentally reviewed the events of the previous day, and, deciding he would never truly figure out the female mind, took a guess. "Are you talking about us not being able to cuddle last night? I'm sorry, I came back so late. Andy wanted to talk a bit after Teddy was down for the night…"
A soft finger against his lips stopped Harry's flow of words. When Luna was sure he had stopped talking she returned her hand to Harry's back and scooting up a bit, she gave him a gentle good morning peck on the lips before hiding her face in his shoulder, thus muffling her word slightly. "You really don't know? I refused to go with you to see Teddy yesterday. You requested I join you at least three different times, and I said no."
Harry blinked several times and paused to digest Luna's comments, then let his amusement at his dear-heart slide through their tie as he spoke. "Yep, you stood up to me yesterday. I was so proud of you. I need to be reminded every once in a while that my plans are just that, my plans. You shouldn't always agree to them. It'll help keep me humble."
His words so surprised his dear-heart that she removed her face from Harry's shoulder, and stared at him for a moment. Then as his words seemed to penetrate, she sniffled a bit and re-buried her face into his shoulder for her cry.
Luna seemed to be crying into his shoulder pretty often, and it had taken a while for Harry to realize that crying was a release for her. She cried most often after she had beaten back her fears for the moment, or whenever Harry expressed his pride in her efforts. Harry tried to maneuver the two of them till they were in Luna's favored 'crying' position, but she resisted this morning and Harry ended up with an armful of sexy blonde sitting on his lap. Normally, Luna preferred a position where the two were facing each other, but sitting side by side.
After giving her a few moments to release her pent up fears and absorb his words, he gave into his temptations and began a gentle caressing of Luna's back. To Harry's pleasure and surprise, Luna responded, not with the rolling turmoil he expected, but instead returned a sweet and tentative feeling of desire to him. The crying stopped, and Luna murmured a soft "we don't give up on each other" before raising her head and giving Harry the first fully fledged solid kiss he had received from Luna before breakfast since they had left Hermione.
Before the kiss could lead to more interesting things, however, Harry and Luna were interrupted by a soft knocking on the door. The knocking was followed by a soft pop, as their house elf, Ginger, appeared beside the bed.
"Master Harry and Mistress Luna are ups early this mornings." The diminutive creature announced, not at all upset that the two were in what could be considered a compromising position. "Breakfasts will be ready soon. Mistress Luna asked that her bath be ready this morning and is ready."
Harry felt Luna sigh, and for a brief moment, she seemed to melt into Harry giving him a tantalizing taste of what the love of his dear-heart could do to him, and at the same time how much his love for her meant to her. Then the two untangled and Luna whispered a quick "I find I'm loving you more and more Harry", before she slipped off to her suite for her morning bath.
Ginger did not follow Luna right away. Instead the little elf stared at Harry with her big eyes and made a very surprising announcement. "Master Harry is very very goods for Mistress Luna. Ginger is very happy with yous."
"Thank you, Ginger." Harry responded, not knowing what else to say.
The elf nodded and continued. "Mistress Luna was very hurts and Master Harry is beings gentle with Mistress Luna. Mistress Luna was sures Master Harry would be upsets with Mistress Luna. Ginger is happy Master Harry was proving Mistress Luna wrongs." The Lovegood family retainer then followed her mistress out of the room.
Harry and Luna had been pretty busy since returning to England dealing with the management and red tape that comes with taking over the reins of two different wealthy estates. And frankly both of them had found themselves in over their heads. It had taken nearly a full week of doing nothing but meeting with the goblins at Gringotts to sort things out. In the morning, the meetings generally dealt with the Lovegood estate and, in the afternoons, the Potter estate, although there were a couple of times that the Lovegood business bled into the afternoon as well.
Once all was said and done, Harry found that, along with Grimmauld Place, he owned one manor house and several smaller 'get away' locations scattered across England and Europe. Luna found she owned three manor houses; one was so huge it nearly rivaled Hogwarts in size, and three smaller places. One of the smaller places had been the house Luna had called home (which was now being repaired), and in a very pleasant surprise the other two were across the Atlantic and Pacific. One was somewhere on the American continent, and the other was somewhere in Australia. After getting the basics of estate management, and a firsthand glance at the paperwork involved, the next week had been spent traveling between the different manor houses and get away locations within England, leading to the discovery of their current residence. It was one of the smaller of the Lovegood manor houses (smaller being a relative term), but both Harry and Luna had seemed to relax when they entered the front door. Ginger had been found at the Lovegood castle, where she, along with two other elves, had been keeping all of Lovegood manors in fairly good repair. Ginger and the other two elves, named Emm, and of all things, Mike, had been very pleased to take on the additional work of cleaning and starting repairs on the Potter manor house.
They had also promised to try and rehabilitate Kreacher, although Harry was sure he did not want to keep him. Harry had given Emm and Mike a month to turn Kreacher around, after which time Harry then would have to swallow his bile and contact Narcissa Malfoy to see if she would like to trade one of the Malfoy elves for him.
Trading Kreacher to the Malfoys had been Hermione's idea. She had been incensed when she had discovered the Lovegoods owned three elves, and Harry was glad that the conversation had taken place long distance. But Ginger had saved the day by popping over to Hermione and having a long heart to heart with the upset lady. Both Emm and Mike had also been to see the missing one of Harry's ladies, the result was an armed truce and a re-direction of SPEW's objectives.
Harry sighed, and making his way to his own bath started to clean up for the day. Owning the Potter and Lovegood residences on top of Grimmauld Place, Harry knew that they might need to convince Hermione that an additional two or three elves would be needed, and Harry was not sure he was up to that fight yet.
After dressing, Harry exited his suite and found Luna waiting for him. A gentle hug later, the two of them wandered down the hall, and then down the stairs to the morning room where Luna liked to have breakfast. Once the excellent meal was history, Harry pulled a page and quill from a waiting bin, and they started the ritual of planning their day.
"Harry." Luna started. "I would like to revisit Gringotts this morning, as the family spell books I need seem to have been moved to one of the Lovegood vaults. Do you have anything you need from any of your vaults?"
Harry frowned as he both thought about her request and wrote the item on the left side of the paper. Then he shook his head and answered. "No, I can't think of anything I might need and we have a bit more to do before cataloging the contents of our vaults floats to the top of our 'needs to be done' list." Harry paused and continued, "I think I will stop postponing the trip to Hogwarts. We are missing this year's schooling and I know Hermione has been quite put out with our failure to arrange to either make it up, or re-enroll. Her last letter said she was about to take a non-magical university entrance exam as well, so I expect you and I will soon also be taking some mundane classes."
Luna's face didn't so much as fall as it slipped into the dreamy mask Harry hadn't seen in some time. And it surprised Harry at how much seeing her 'Looney' face hurt him. "What dear-heart?" he asked.
"I really don't want to go back there, Harry. Even with you in school with me, we're in different houses, and my defenses aren't as strong as they were. You and Hermione have pretty well demolished them."
Harry sat back and thought a bit before frowning. He had really missed Hogwarts, and had been looking forward to being there without the worry of dying and Death Eater attacks. Before the trip to Oz, Hogwarts had been Harry's favored home. But Luna had no such fond thoughts about Hogwarts. The abuse by nearly the entire school did not engender pleasant memories for his blonde love. With a bit of a pang Harry realized he could not go back. Not if he wanted to keep Luna. And keeping Luna was more important than Hogwarts.
"How about we see if McGonagall or Flitwick know about some tutors we can hire then Luna?" Harry offered. "I really do want to meet up with Ron again, and as you know the Burrow is empty, and the 'WWW' shop was closed when we checked in Diagon Alley."
"Hermione expects us, or at least you, to go to Hogwarts, Harry…" Came the tentative reply.
"Hermione has forgotten how you were treated; she won't want you to go there once we remind her." Harry answered back. "The thoughts of going back had blinded me for the moment as well."
"You can go back, Harry; I know you want to. I just don't think I could face that kind of a life again." Luna continued, sure that she did not want Harry to avoid the school because of her.
"No, the saying, 'you can't go back' is true. I've more important things to do than try and relive the good times I had at Hogwarts, between the times I was abused, tortured, and nearly killed." Harry responded, firmly. "My first duty is to my family, and one of the most important parts of that family hated it there."
A slight blush warmed Luna's cheeks as a warm feeling of thanks slipped through their emotional tie. That tie was still growing, and the way both of them were learning to use that tie to 'talk' with each other was a new development. The surface emotions, the ones that everyone feels everyday were not so much ignored as filtered. But now both of them were able to manipulate their end of the tie and send emotional messages across it. Some of their evening conversations, the ones while cuddling, would be very confusing to an observer with only every third or fourth thought being spoken.
Harry put 'Hogwarts' on the right side of the page in front of him, followed by 'tutors' and 'Weasleys'. "So I will check out Hogwarts, both to sound out what happened to the Weasleys and to start hunting for an alternative method of schooling. You want to check the Lovegood vaults, looking for some of the family spell books you remember." Harry said, bringing the conversation back to the matter of planning their day. "I expect you will be in your study afterwards?"
Once they got Hermione to visit the home they were currently occupying, both Luna and Harry were sure she would agree to make this the threesome's primary residence. The library was huge, although only partly filled with books, and had several studies off of it. One of those studies just screamed Hermione, with its large worktable and writing desk; perfect for their missing love. The study next to it was Luna's place. A bit smaller, with a smaller work desk, it had a more homey feeling. This was the place Harry expected Luna to disappear into with whatever family spell books she found in the vaults. Harry found himself most comfortable in the library proper, as opposed to one of the remaining studies. It was a part of the charm of this place. It did not matter what you wanted to do, there was a room in this manor house where you would feel great doing it.
Not only was the interior of the manor house welcoming with plenty of room, but the grounds were also large and well designed without being overwhelming. It bordered on a muggle, er non-magical, country road that did not see a great deal of traffic, but was not too far from a major roadway. Harry had already started the process of bringing electricity to the house and grounds, having asked Hermione to research how to combine at least some of the modern mundane comforts with magic. Yes, he knew no one had figured it out before, but then they hadn't had the genius that was Hermione coupled with the out-of-the-box thinking that was Luna. Plus they had, not one but two very full bank vaults to purchase any necessary supplies. And with Hermione taking the college classes as well as magical tutoring, Harry was sure a way would be found to make it work.
"Yes Harry, assuming I find the book I want, I expect I will disappear until dinner." Luna roused Harry from his thoughts. "Do you plan on eating in or out tonight?"
"Even if I find Ron and perhaps Ginny, I plan on eating here tonight. I missed dinner with you last night, and I don't want to miss another." Harry responded as he added 'in study' to Luna's side of the page.
"Harry?" Luna started and then paused before continuing. "I really want to make a trip to my garden tomorrow. Would you please come with me?"
"Sure dear-heart, I think we can plan on that." Harry answered after a minute's thought. Even if they wanted to meet tutors or such it would likely need more than one day to make the appointments.
Luna gave Harry her 'thank you very much' emotional message through their tie while calling Ginger and planning the menu for dinner. Harry looked at the short list and decided that if too many more days had such short lists, they would need to stop wasting paper and ink. During the days the two of them had been sequestered with the goblins, a list with the things to do sometimes took two full pages.
After giving Ginger an absent thanks and kissing Luna firmly, Harry got his winter cloak out and left the room to floo to Hogsmeade, and from there up to Hogwarts.
Catching up on the gossip
"Harry! Harry! Damn, Harry!"
Harry came back to himself when an armful of beautiful and agitated blonde landed in his lap. He had been lost in his thoughts and not paying any attention to the time or to his Luna.
"Omph!, Luna…"
"Harry James Potter!, you come back to me this minute! I can't stand to be locked out of your heart this way!" Luna exclaimed, before grabbing him in a death grip hug.
Harry looked around and found he was sitting in the great room next to the fireplace that was attached to the floo network. Based on the light and shadows, he had been sitting in this room for over two hours. Harry turned his attention to the young woman that was sitting on his lap, and holding him so tightly, it was hard to breath. Checking their tie, Harry found he must have been so closed off, that he had managed to ignore the rather urgent almost panicked emotions rolling through it.
"Shh love, I'm back now." Harry crooned while he began to rock Luna back and forth.
"Please Harry, don't do that again!" Luna was beginning to calm now that she could feel Harry again, and nothing seem overtly wrong. "You were so focused inward that I could not reach you. I was about to panic and send Ginger with all of the elves to see if they could get Hermione here."
"While I really do want to see Hermione again, I do not want to face her wrath if we sent the elves to kidnap her. Really Luna, I'm back. Shh love, I have you, I haven't gone anywhere you can't find me." Harry was concerned that Luna wasn't calming as much as she usually did when they were both pushing care and love through their ties.
"That's just it Harry, you did go somewhere I couldn't reach you. And that scares me more than you can know." Luna replied. "What happened at Hogwarts to put you in such a state?"
"Hogwarts started out not being a problem." Harry started to explain. "But part way through our conversation, Headmistress McGonagall dropped several bombshells on me."
"What? Surely Riddle is not back again?" Luna was starting to panic again, so Harry tried to calm her through their tie again.
"No, nothing quite that bad, but Flitwick retired suddenly from teaching at Hogwarts. In fact, part of the blame for that can be laid at our doorstep." Harry announced quietly. "I have some contact information, and if you want we can see if he would be willing to be one of our tutors."
"Wait. What did you say? Flitwick is no longer at Hogwarts, and it is our fault?" While Luna was no longer panicked, calm would not best describe her.
"It seems some of the students that were hiding your things were feeling a bit guilty about it, and when you didn't turn up at school, they assumed they were at fault. They went to Flitwick about your past treatment and confessed their part in your abuse." Harry paused for a moment and went on with a serious note to his voice. "By the time all of the students that were still in school were interviewed, Flitwick was so mad he had a heart attack. According to McGonagall, it nearly killed him."
Luna gave a gasp, and burying her head in his shoulder asked. "He is ok, right? I mean he is better now, right Harry?"
"It seems to have taken his will and desire to teach away which is why he left. He blames himself for failing to see what you were going through. It seems he gave his house a last talking to before he left the school. After that talk, the entire first year class of Ravenclaws demanded to be resorted, so they would not be tied to the house of bullies that Flitwick labeled them."
"And McGonagall?" Luna asked.
"She asked me to confirm some of your treatment, and was a bit put out that you felt you couldn't come to any of the teachers. But when I explained you felt you would be treated even worse if you had 'tattled', she let that go." Harry answered and then re-asked. "So do you think you would like Flitwick as a private tutor, Miss Lovegood?"
"I like Flitwick, Mister Potter. I would love to have him teaching me again, and in a place where I won't have to hide the more important of my things as well." Luna answered with a bit of a grin. "Did you even get to ask McGonagall about the Weasleys?"
"Yeah, I even got to see Ron for just a bit." Harry answered quietly, while starting to close down again.
"HARRY! Don't you close me out again!" screeched Luna.
"Sorry dear-heart, it's not really good news. I'm having problems dealing with it." Harry admitted.
"What happened, Harry love? I can't try to help fix it, if you won't share." Luna answered back.
"I don't know where to start, love. To put it bluntly and in what I think is in order: Ron has lost half of his left arm; Ginny is at St. Mungo's in a long term care ward, although I understand she is expected to get out by summer; and WWW was closed and all of it's assets sold to try and pay Ginny's medical and legal bills." Harry put it just as bluntly as McGonagall had put it to him.
It might have been not the right thing to do, as for a moment, Harry thought Luna was going to shutdown much like he had, but his blond then rallied and cuddled into his chest.
"Okay, Harry. Let's take that list one item a time, and with a bit more detail this time."
Ginger popped in with a writing desk, paper and quill, and announced that dinner would be served when they were ready. And after Luna and Harry both thanked her, she popped back out while Luna got off of Harry's lap, and taking a paper she divided the page into quarters. She then labeled each quarter with one of the items Harry had listed, dividing the closing of WWW and medical bills into two headings. Finally, she looked at him and waited.
"As you recall, in our last episode," Harry started while drawing a bit of a grin out of Luna, and her grin drawing one out of him. "We left Ron about to head to the Burrow to try and rescue Ginny. According to Ron, it didn't work and he ended up back at George's to talk to his dad. That is one good thing; Mr. Weasley stopped mourning Fred so much and started living again. He was even trying to re-establish himself as the family anchor. But Molly didn't give it up without a fight, and Ginny was the rope between them in their tug-of-war."
"Poor Ginny." Luna whispered while Harry paused for a second.
"Yes, poor Ginny." Harry continued, "She is the one that snapped, and cast an overpowered curse at her dad. Ron pushed Mr. Weasley out of the way, but his left arm was hit. Ginny's Expelliarmus was so overpowered, it shattered the bones in his left forearm so badly hurt it basically died and turned septic before he could be treated. The healers removed the arm at the elbow before it could kill him."
"Can it be regrown?" Luna asked.
"If they had been able to afford the treatment in the first two weeks, it could have been." Harry answered. "Ginny had to stand trial though, and the solicitor's fees, and then the medical bills while they evaluated her, precluded that possibility. Now it's too late."
Harry paused while Luna was writing, and then continued. "As I said, Ginny was evaluated and the healers found some left-over stuff from when Tom's diary had possessed her. That saved her from jail, but she ended up in St. Mungo's full-time while they work on healing that. And the bills for that treatment forced George to close the shop and sell all of the stock. Percy is working at the Ministry again and paying his share; Mr. Weasley is still working there as well. George swallowed his pride and is working at Zonko's. Charlie and Bill are both sending all the money they can from their jobs, but with Fleur being pregnant, Bill can't send as much as he would like. Oh, Percy is about to be married. In fact Audrey, his fiancée, is the one preparing meals and keeping some kind of order. Mrs. Weasley is spending all of her time with Ginny."
"So the family is healed?" Luna asked, pouncing on the apparent good news.
"Yes, the Weasley family is healed of its rift." Harry could say, "They are even becoming prideful again, as Ron said they wouldn't really like it if I just came in and paid all of Ginny's bills; especially since I am now committed to two people that are not Weasleys. Ron sends his congratulations by the way, and I am to say the same to Hermione in my letter to her tonight."
"Ron said that? Who was polyjuiced as him?" Luna teased Harry as she made her additional notes on the page, underlining the notes about money.
"As you mentioned way back before we found Hermione, family issues helped Ron to grow up a bit. That, and he has a steady girlfriend now who seems to be more effective than Hermione was at curbing his bad habits." Harry wasn't above teasing Luna back.
Harry stopped and waited. Luna looked up from her notes and waited. Harry smirked and waited some more.
"Damn you Harry Potter! Who is Ron's girlfriend?" Luna couldn't wait any longer.
"Are you sure you want to know, dear-heart? After all you had a crush on Ron a while back. I might need to protect my interests." Harry teased, a full blown smile on his face while watching Luna's frustrated one.
Luna's face then made an interesting transformation and instead of frustration, a look of wonder appeared. Luna put the quill down and carefully moved the desk a bit out of the way and then she got up and gracefully reassumed her position on Harry's lap. The kiss that Harry Potter then shared with Luna Lovegood would rank forever as one of the most patronus worthy events of his life.
"Merlin, Luna that was beyond wonderful!" Harry finally exclaimed when he was allowed to breathe again. "If I had known not telling you Ron's girlfriend's name would have gotten me a kiss like that, I would have made one up ages ago."
"It wouldn't have worked ages ago Harry." Luna's eyes were sparkling as she settled into his embrace. "You have told me many times how much you love me. It only really sank in when I realized you could be hurt by my loving someone else."
There was a slight pause in the verbal conversation while the two of them shared emotions back and forth. Harry could feel her fears, but she wasn't fighting them any longer, instead she was accepting them and acknowledging that her Harry wouldn't hurt her. He loved her and Hermione, and encouraged Luna to love both him and Hermione.
The wonder and joy Luna was feeling reminded Harry of the joy he could feel when the two of them were no distance apart from Hermione.
"Harry love?" Luna finally spoke again. "I am sure I am about to put your legs asleep, and my stomach is telling me it's past time to eat dinner. We can think about plans to help the Weasleys while we eat. But I do want to know who has taken on the task of taming Ron's bad habits."
Melvil
Dinner started out as a quiet affair, with some discussion and a couple of initial plans to help the red-headed clan without much initial success, although two ideas were eventually worked into shape. The first wouldn't require meeting any of the stricken family, while the second, the more direct assistance, would require only Ron, and perhaps his special friend; whom Harry still hadn't identified. A third idea would have to wait until Ginny could be approached by Luna.
"So Luna, enough of my day, how did your day go?" Harry finally turned the conversation away from the Weasleys. "Did you find the books you were looking for?"
Luna's face broke out into a wide smile as she answered. "Yes, I found all the books, and I even found Melvil!"
"Er, Melvil?" Harry asked. "Is that a pet or something?"
"Well no, not a pet, or even really living, but he is beyond wonderful." Luna responded, her smile getting even bigger. "And you don't need to be jealous, Harry, I've known Melvil most of my life, and you are way better at cuddling than he is. Come, now we've finished eating, let's get him set up and introduced."
And with that, Luna bounced up, and grabbing Harry's hand, she pulled him into the library. There sitting on a table were Luna's wand and what Harry first thought was a very big book, taller and thicker then even Hogwarts, a History. But when Luna hefted it up, it did not open like a book would have. "Melvil was one thing Mum and Daddy did together. I'm pretty sure they were planning on making another, smaller, one for my own books, but never got it right before Mum died."
Luna handed her burden to Harry, and grabbing her wand led him towards the center shelf. 'Melvil' was not as heavy as Harry expected, just too large to carry easily.
Harry had noticed that this shelf had a very thick end and what he had thought was a niche for a vase, but as they got closer, Harry decided this niche was about the same size as his burden. He was proven correct when, with Luna's help, the niche was filled by the book-like thing with what would have been the front cover looking out. That cover was embossed with some runes and just a hint of a face. Luna placed her wand on one of the runes and frowning in concentration said "catalogo cominciare". As Harry watched, Melvil seemed to merge with the shelf, leaving no sign they were once two separate items, and a soft hum could be heard.
Luna was bouncing up and down much like a three year old would while waiting to open birthday presents, her wand again perched in its usual place behind her ear. "It will take a few minutes for Melvil to learn what this library has, and then the hum will go away." Luna said. "See it is already softer; let's go to my study."
Luna again grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him to the study she had claimed as her own, and sitting at her desk, she then put out her hand and said, "Melvil, Lovegood Family Spell book on Heart Magic please". The shelf in her study shuttered, grew an arm, and pulling a book from the top shelf, gently tossed the book to Luna's waiting hand.
"Melvil is connected to all of the shelves in the library and studies; even this little one on my desk." Luna explained. "I can ask for any book we have and it will be retrieved. I like Melvil to practice throwing the books, but for the really heavy books, I would ask him to retrieve the book, and he would transport it to the shelf of whatever desk or work table I am sitting at."
Harry had sat down with a slack jaw at the demonstration, and just had to ask, "Can Melvil transport things besides books?"
"As long as they are on a shelf in the libraries or studies attached to the library, yes." Luna answered. "To include the rest of the house, he would need to be much bigger."
Since Melvil was already bigger than was easy to transport, Harry dropped that line of thought and asked a new question. "Did your parents document the making of Melvil, Luna?"
"I think so why?" Luna responded.
"I can just see Hermione wanting to see how they made Melvil. For that matter I want to see the work that went into making him." Harry answered, and then continued. "Were you able to get much studying done before you came to look for me today?"
Luna frowned a bit and settled into her chair while answering. "Yes, a bit, but nowhere near enough yet. But if want to join me, we can look into joining Hermione to our bonds together."
Harry smiled, and getting up from the loveseat where he had collapsed, crossed over to Luna where he lifted the surprised girl up and crossed back to the loveseat, sitting them both down on it. "I missed my cuddling with you last night, and after the wonderful kiss you gave me earlier, I have no intention of missing it tonight."
The two of them did against all odds get a good deal of studying done, and some of it really did come from the book.
Interlude
The next day, Harry made sure they didn't get to Luna's garden as early as she might have wanted. He didn't know all that much about how Luna's mum and dad had been able to actually appear in the neighboring garden. And if it was only during the time from dusk to dawn, he wanted to ensure he and Luna would be there during that time. He had a question to ask, hopefully not while Luna was listening. As was expected, Luna's garden was nearly overflowing with the rocks Luna described as precious stones. It was just dusk when they finished gathering the six bags full of stones. While Luna puttered, putting the start of a new meandering path to the waterfall of her pain, Harry traced the spiral path of the garden next to Luna's. Reaching the center, and sitting on the bench, he pushed his love and desire for Luna into the surrounding ground, and hoped his call would be heard. The answer was almost immediate, a calm and friendly presence seemed to flow from the ground, and shortly after that, a second 'person' joined the first. After asking and receiving his answer, Harry called Luna over, after she reached the bench, Harry gave her a gentle kiss and left her to speak with her parents.
Rendering Assistance
"What do you mean? Why would you want to give me some rocks?" Ron exclaimed.
After arranging this meeting with the headmistress, Harry and Luna were sitting in Hogsmeade with Ron and his steady friend Hannah Abbot, along with Neville Longbottom and Susan Bones. Ron and Neville were catching up on the Granger hunt and subsequent events, while Luna and Harry were being brought up to date on the major events in magical England; including the introduction of Susan as being engaged to Neville. After congratulations had been passed all around, Harry had hefted a large sack onto the table, and after telling him they came from Luna's garden, pushed them over to Ron and told him they were a gift from Luna.
Hannah peeked into the bag and pulling out a fair sized stone, she first grew very pale and then in a no-nonsense tone of voice told Ron to shut up.
"Wh…where did you get these?" Hannah finally managed to ask Luna.
"My Heart's Home," responded Luna with just a bit of a smirk on her face.
That got Susan's attention as well and looking into the bag, she also became very pale and turning to Luna asked, "You have a Heart's Home?" Pausing at Luna's questioning face, she continued. "I thought they were a made-up tale. Nev's gran has been teaching me some of the history and traditions of the Longbottom family, and she mentioned a Heart's Home as something quite important in their past, but lost to them now. Hannah has been a great sport and has been keeping me company during these lessons."
"Will you please tell me what is so special about Luna's garden?" Ron queried.
Susan and Hannah both turned to Ron and in nearly the same voice and tone asked. "You mean to tell me you have seen Luna's Heart's Home?"
"Well yeah, back a couple of years ago she asked me to come with her. She later told me I was safe, as we were not really compatible. The magic of the place did not let me stay very long at all. I didn't even know she was thinking of dating me before we went. And after telling me, I admit I was so confused I missed some of what she was saying. So please tell me now. What is so special about Luna's garden? It just seemed like a pretty garden to me."
"Thank you Ron," Luna started. "I am glad you think my 'garden' is pretty." Then Luna smiled her really big smile and dropped the next bombshell. "I found Harry asleep in the very center of my Heart's Home that night Ginny kicked him out of the Burrow."
Susan and Hannah turned and stared in open amazement at Harry after the pronouncement. Then Hannah shook her head and gave the stone she was holding to Ron. "What do you think this stone is worth, Ron? Have you ever seen any others like it?"
Ron's face scrunched up and then he frowned as he first looked very hard at the rock, and then answered. "I don't think the rock is worth anything, it is a pretty sort of red, but there were bunches in Luna's garden, and that does not answer my question about a Heart's Home."
While Susan now stared at Luna, Hannah tried to answer Ron. "You are holding a ruby in your hand. A very large but uncut ruby, and if that stone is unflawed, once it is cut, it will be worth more than the Burrow twice over. As for Luna's garden, according to Nev's gran, a Heart's Home is where a person's hopes and dreams are magically placed." Hannah paused and glancing at Luna, she continued. "Although, Luna will be able to tell us more and better since she has one of her own."
"I guess you could say hopes and dreams. Really though, it keeps my emotions safe. Before Harry and Hermione pulled me from that safe cocoon, and back into the real world, it was the reason I could survive the teasing and abuse I suffered at Hogwarts." Luna answered, and then continued. "Of course the fact I was so un-connected to the world around me might've had a bit to do with why I was so treated. Ron, we, that is Harry and I, know your family does not want Harry to barge in and hand you a sack of galleons. But can I give you some rocks from my garden?"
It was an amazing thing to watch as Ron fought a war within himself, and Harry watched as Hannah sat next to him and let that fight take place. It seemed he and Hermione were too aggressive, Ron needed time to think things through. Hermione could have analyzed the issue and have had three lists of why Ron should choose one reason or another already; and here Ron was still thinking it through. Ron was really good at chess, but chess, as played by Ron, was a slow affair with time to consider each move. No wonder Ron and Hermione had argued so much, Hermione wouldn't ever let him come to his own decision. Hannah, on the other hand, was sitting there giving him the support of her presence without the pressure of what she thought. Ron and Hannah could be very happy together, if they could continue in this vein.
Finally, after what seemed like three lifetimes, Ron's face cleared and turning to Luna he asked. "Why? Why would you give me some very valuable stones? You and Ginny are no longer very close, and I know Ginny was a big part of the reason you aren't. You, Harry and Hermione could need those stones. I was a pretty big prat towards you many times, and did a pretty good job of ignoring you after the victory. So why would you want to help me and my family now?"
Before Harry could try and answer, he felt Luna warn him against saying anything through their tie as she waited a bit longer. Their patience paid off a few minutes later as Ron continued speaking.
"Harry and you don't need to be giving us this kind of stuff, I was just beginning to feel like we were going to make it, and without any interference we were going to put the family back together. How can I accept this now?"
Luna reached across the table and started speaking, "How can you not? Ron, you and your family were just about the only people that helped me and Daddy when Mummy died, so if you need a reason or event in the past to allow for some kind of payment that can be it. Pulling yourselves back from the problems your family has had is great, and you did it yourselves, yes. But you have also paid a bigger price than we, Harry and I, feel you should. We do not want to make you feel any less for what you did, but we do want your future to be not as rocky as your immediate past. You are one of Harry's best friends; Harry would want to help just for that reason. I feel a bit responsible as I started the events that led to you being cursed by your sister. And to be quite honest with you, I have three vaults full of these kinds of stones. I will not miss this small bag."
"Three…Vaults?" Both Hannah and Susan chorused, eyes as wide as they could be.
Harry turned to Neville and just had to tease the girls a bit. "Nev, did you know that our little Luna, the girl that was shunned and mistreated by her own house had enough precious and semi-precious stones in her vaults to buy the Malfoys? She has one family castle that is nearly as big as Hogwarts." And turning back to Ron, Harry continued. "Ron, I am nowhere as wealthy as Luna, but the two of us combined could do just about anything, including buying the Cuddly, er, I mean Chudley Cannons and giving them to you as gift without denting our accounts." Harry ignored the expected glare Ron sent his way and continued. "Luna and I cleared six bags of stones from her garden yesterday. One for you; one for Ginny when she gets out of 's; and two so George can reopen his shop. We plan on opening a non-magical account for the Grangers, and the money from the last two will go there."
Harry took a breath and continued. "Ron, you and your family were about the only good things I had in my life before Tom's final defeat. I want to help you get back on your feet. You, and yours, have had a rough time of it recently, and I want to help. I hope you keep enough of these rocks back for yourself so you can have a comfortable start after you leave school, but really I expect most of these will go to help your family re-establish themselves. Ginny's bag can be used to help her re-learn all she has missed from school. It sounds like she will need to repeat more than just this year. As for George, his bags are not really a gift, more an investment so he can start earning his own way again. If he can get Percy and Arthur out of those dead end jobs and to join him at his shop, I expect that, in time, your family could repay us all of this and more."
Ron had once been accused of having the emotional depth of a teaspoon. This was not that same Ron; he stared with wide eyes, first at his best friend, and then at the bag of rocks in front of him. He then turned to his girlfriend and in a pained voice said, "Help?" Hannah proved her worth again by just holding his hand and instead of telling him what she thought, asked what he wanted. Harry was quietly impressed with how Hannah helped his friend untie his jumbled thoughts and emotions. He had to show Hermione a pensive of this moment. He and she had not helped their friend with their constant demands, Ron needed time and space to make his decisions and even when he wanted help, it often was not that he wanted the answer; he wanted someone to help him reach the answer.
The other surprise was how Susan and Neville were patiently letting this happen. They were not trying to rush Ron, nor were they acting at all anxious at the turns in the conversation between Ron and Hannah. It humbled Harry a bit to realize how much being his friend must have been painful for Ron. Hannah was showing Harry that you shouldn't go with the first thing out of Ron's mouth. Instead it was better to let that thought go past, and several others as well, while Ron worked through his options.
Luna cuddled into Harry's side and, in a soft whisper that was anchored in their tie, expressed her own happiness at this turn of events in Ron's life. When Ron and Hannah were finished, Ron turned to Luna and thanked her for her gift to his family, and asked if he could be used to get the other 'bags of rocks' to his other family members. Hannah mentioned they would likely only ever describe them as rocks until after they had been received. A prank on the pranksters by of all people, Ron.
Oz Part the Second
"Mione!" Luna nearly screamed as she and Hermione met in a collision that left Harry sure there would be some bruises. He and Luna were again in the land of Oz for a short visit. Harry paid the taxi driver and hefted the luggage on to the lawn before being struck by his very own brown haired missile.
"Harry!" Exclaimed his much missed love and she proved she had been missing him as well when Hermione claimed his lips in a very possessive kiss that prevented his answering her directly. When breathing was required, they broke apart for a moment, so Luna could join them; and the new rejoined threesome enjoyed the fact that their circle was made whole. Harry remained mostly silent as Luna and Hermione seemed to speak rapidly and at cross purposes as they worked at erasing the pain of separation. There wasn't any real news being shared; Harry and Luna had been writing Hermione nearly daily, and had been getting letters from her just as frequently. Still being together again felt so good.
After a few minutes of enjoying how complete he felt, Harry let his two ladies go and picking up the luggage, he crossed to the front door where Evan and Robyn had been watching their daughter express her joy at the visit. The adult Grangers were holding each other in a loose embrace, with wide smiles of welcome on their faces. After telling Harry to put his burden down on the front step, Harry found himself again in a three way hug. This time, instead of feeling his missing love, he actually felt a surge of welcome and family from Evan and Robyn. He would need to discuss this with Luna when he had the chance. But in the meantime he returned their embraces and in a not so steady voice, thanked them.
"Posh, Harry!" Robyn replied, "You're in so much trouble young man, we expected you here for a visit weeks ago. It's only that you and Luna have been describing what you've been going through with the estates that you've started to manage that has cut you any slack."
Evan seconded his wife's comments. "And hearing our daughter moan about how thoughtless she had been to suggest Luna go back to that Hogwarts place, nearly drove me up a wall. Thankfully you found this Flitwick bloke and Hermione thinks well of him. So I expect only two or three days of Hermione trying to apologize to Luna. Then I hope we can start enjoying your visit."
"In fact our daughter has started the process now I think." Robyn mentioned, before raising her voice. "Hermione, you promised to not abase yourself till at least after dinner, we would like to say hi to Luna as well you know."
A slightly embarrassed Hermione then led Luna to her mum while Evan grabbed one suitcase and told Harry to follow him. Evan guided Harry upstairs and into a room that could only be Hermione's. Evan put the suitcase he was carrying down and surprised Harry when he turned and took the other suitcase from him and put it down beside the first.
"Harry." Evan started in a different tone of voice. "Robyn and I are going to trust you in this. Hermione has sworn that the two of you have not become completely intimate, and that Luna isn't ready for that kind of physical contact yet. Please do not get carried away by your feelings and take your physical expressions that far while under our roof."
"Thank you sir." A very surprised Harry managed to stutter. "I..I..we, that is Luna and I are grateful, Sir."
"I don't think Luna slept in the guest room even once when you two where here before, so she won't be very surprised. You're the exception, I'm worried about. But you three seem to be truly committed to each other. A group of three is something which Robyn and I have no experience of, and even less understanding. But we owe you the chance to explore those bonds. I would normally be asking what your intentions towards my daughter are, in full rabid father mode." Evan smiled a bit at the thought before he continued. "But Hermione has shared many of your letters, so I know your intentions." Evan paused again and took a breath before he continued. "I have no idea how the three of you work, I couldn't do it I am sure. But there it is; all three of you are working at being together, and it is rare to see youngsters that understand that being in love is not a promise of living happily ever after. It takes more, and all three of you are giving that extra bit of attention, that willingness to give on something either small or large in order to continue working together as a family."
Evan again surprised Harry by throwing an arm around him and hugging him for no apparent reason. "Now Harry, do you have something you want to ask me?"
Harry blushed a bit nodded and closing the door, turned to the only living father figure he knew. Embarrassed as much by the fact that this was Hermione's father as what he wanted to talk about…
Dinner was a pleasant surprise, with a buffet serving style of mostly leftovers. It seemed the Granger family did not want to spend much time cooking while Harry and Luna visited and had been making a bit extra of several of the meals since the visit was planned. This left the table not as crowded as it could have been, and had allowed Robyn to spend most of the afternoon with Harry and Hermione. Luna had been captured by Evan since he had complained he had not had much of a chance to just talk with her. Whatever they discussed hadn't touched many tender spots though, as Harry had kept a weather eye on their tie while Evan and Luna went somewhere to get some 'needed supplies'. Their shared tie had spiked only once and that had calmed almost right away. And several times Harry felt Luna … well melt was the only description he could describe for the sensation. After the way Evan had both calmed Harry's embarrassment earlier, and his even and simple answers to most of Harry's questions, Harry knew he needed to spend a bit more time with Evan.
Hermione was extremely lucky in her parents; both of her parents. The time Harry and Hermione had spent with Robyn had been just as pleasant, and looking back Harry was sure Robyn had pumped him for a lot more information than he had really expected to give out. And watching them together was something of a new type of schooling. Once again Harry promised himself that if at all possible, he was going to try to learn from these two remarkable people.
"Harry, you have been very quiet during dinner. Are you okay?" Robyn jolted Harry out of his thoughts, and thus surprising the truth out him. "I was just marveling at how lucky Hermione is by having you as parents and hoping I can become even half as good as you are at creating a home and family." Harry gulped and started to look for somewhere to hide as he realized exactly what he had said.
Luna, however, came to his rescue with just a touch of her hand to the back of his, and a soothing pulse through their tie. Then she added her own thoughts. "You do fine just as you are Harry, though I do agree, Hermione is most lucky in her parents. They seem to be very apt at reading behind the spoken words. And I have no idea how they manage to remain so focused on the important things and not be distracted."
Hermione stared at first at Harry, then at Luna before transferring her gaze to her parents. Robyn and Evan shared a glance and grinned at each other for a moment before Robyn turned to Luna. "Practice Luna dear, practice, Evan and I have always been in tune with each other; that was one of the reasons we were so attracted to each other when we met at dental school."
"Robyn and I are very pleased you think Hermione is so lucky, we happen to be a bit prejudiced on her behalf, but we generally think we are lucky in our daughter. And in our daughter's loves." Evan took up the threads to run with it. "But what pleases us the most is that you two are being as open with us as you have been. We have been able to have some very personal conversations already, and that surprises us. Even Harry just blurting out his thoughts is a part of the signs that we are accepted as more than just the people that separated you from Hermione for a while."
"I know I wanted to hate you when I heard you wanted to keep Hermione here when I knew I had to return to England." Luna spoke first. "And I was an emotional wreck that morning Mrs. Granger and Hermione were to try and make up. But Harry was my anchor and he looked at what you and Mrs. Granger were doing. Mrs. Granger took both Harry and I aside and basically told us we were family here with or without Hermione. Even before they made up, Harry and I were to be family. I was too wrapped in my imagined grief, but Harry could see past the separation. His willingness to be family here has colored my own reactions. I can't tell you how much knowing we were going to be missed by all in this house has come to mean to me."
"Harry?" Evan turned him. "It seems Robyn and I owe you a debt. We were both a bit surprised that Luna didn't start hating us that morning."
"There is no debt here, Sir." Harry tried to make the words flow. "Being told I was expected here not because of Hermione, but because you wanted and accepted me was…is… I can't express just exactly how much that means to me. I am mostly a stranger, one that threatens to bring out that 'Rabid Father' in you. And you and your wife looked past that and looked at my life. You didn't even have your memories back and you knew I had been abused as a child. Did you make a big thing of it? No, you just accepted me and later told me I was family." Harry had to pause a moment before he could continue. "I don't, well didn't, have many adults I could trust since I killed Tom Riddle." Harry paused again trying to make sense of his feelings. "I now have a home in Luna and Hermione. And in you it seems. Before we found you I was having the best time of my life. I had not one person but two with me that didn't see me as the savior of magical England, but rather as Harry. And they were thinking warm and tender thoughts about me anyway."
Harry had to wince when Luna 'poked' him through their tie, but continued. "Then we found you, and in the aftermath of regaining your memories, you made time to tell both Luna and I your plans and that you were pleased to know us." Harry stopped his ramblings and shook his head. "There is no debt between us for my helping Luna past her shock and grief; I would have done that anyway, and besides, for all her upset, Luna did try to help Hermione reconcile."
"Well then we thank you both." Robyn said, "And now on to other subjects; tell us how your studies are going."
The Plan
Harry paused to take a breath and then entered Hermione's bedroom. Hermione and Luna had retired a bit earlier, but Evan and Robyn had asked for Harry to remain long enough to give a few more details about the estate he had inherited. A small light was still on and both his ladies were awake and at least Luna was waiting for him. Hermione appeared to be a bit surprised though. "Harry, I can't tell you how pleased I am to see you, but are you going to get us in trouble from Mum and Dad?"
"Your Dad asked that we be very careful about what we do together, but he is the one that put my suitcase in your room." Harry answered as he walked over to the side of the bed.
"He said much the same to me during our afternoon." Luna supplied, as she twisted around to engulf Harry in a hug. Then she turned and attached herself to Hermione. "Harry, you slip in on the other side. This night is about our Hermione."
Hermione's "But…" was only half hearted and once Harry had made the short trek around the bed and attached himself to Hermione's other side, she whimpered a bit and whispered at how happy she was as she wrapped an arm around Harry and Luna. Hermione then gave a very happy sigh, and whispered that she could finally feel them again.
Morning came and Harry, with Luna's shy assistance, gave Hermione a very pleasant good morning. Luna managed to enjoy her morning nearly as much as Harry and Hermione as they gently caressed their surprised love. The morning playtime ended with Hermione greatly embarrassing Harry as she starting to instruct Luna on the differences between men and women, using Harry as the demonstration dummy. Luna later claimed it was one of the most amazing things in the world as she watched and even helped with Harry's 'blood flow problems'. The three of them all managed to shower with some savings of water and get down to the breakfast table before it was too late. The Grangers had closed their surgery for the day, and they did express a bit of surprise that the three of them got downstairs as early as they did.
While Harry blushed and stammered, Luna smiled her smile that could light a room and gathered both of Hermione's parents in a hug as she spoke. "Oh good morning Mum and Dad Granger, Mione and I have already embarrassed our Harry enough for the morning. And I really do want to thank you for letting us share the way you are."
"You're welcome little miss moon." Evan started, while both he and Robyn had surprised looks on their faces. "Hermione has been very pleased to have us, but not very pleased at not having you and the-boy-that-heals around, she would get upset with us if we tried to interrupt her when she was writing you two."
"And when you announced this visit, she alternated between great excitement and greater worry about eight times a day." Robyn continued as Luna released them both and walked around to the seat she seemed to have claimed for her own.
Luna prompted Harry a bit through their tie and he managed to take the hint and shyly went up to Evan and Robyn to hug them good morning as well, while Hermione let out a "Mum!, Dad!" Harry decided he quite liked the smile Robyn gave him as he separated from them to go around the table to sit next to Luna.
"Shush, Mione love; you need to hug your Mum and Dad good morning so we can get on with our meeting."
"Meeting?" Evan asked as he pulled his daughter into a gentle hug before passing her to Robyn. "Please don't tell me you want to be serious this early into your visit."
"Well, serious it is, but Harry and I can't stay as long as we would like, and we also don't like being separated; from Hermione or from you." Luna started while Robyn hugged a shell-shocked Hermione and then sat her at the table next to Harry before she and Evan also sat down.
"Mione." Luna continued. "We, that is, Harry and I have learned the spell that will let you join your heart to our heart tie. But there is a bit of a problem. All three of us will need to remain close together for two days. Except for trips to the loo, we will need and want to be in the same room. That will put a strain on us and your parents. Even after those two days, we will want to be very close for a longer time than Harry and I can afford to be away from England. This will put our new tie under even more stress, and put your parents in a very uncomfortable position."
Harry picked up the thread, as he and Luna had discussed things before arriving. "You are still rebuilding your relationship with your parents, and since you are the only one of us three to have parents, and since they have been so welcoming to both Luna and me, we feel they should be involved in this conversation as well."
"I understand the pressure on my folks, but I don't think I could stand another long separation from either of you." Hermione started, Harry could tell she was trying to give the issue serious thought, but the end of her statement had sounded like the start of a whine.
"Which brings us quite nicely to the next thing we want to discuss." Luna interrupted Hermione. Turning to Robyn and Evan, Luna popped the first big question of the day. "What would it take to get you to move back to England?"
Harry added to the question as well. "And by moving back to England we really mean taking up residence in very close proximity to the house, well mansion, we plan on living in."
All three Grangers stared in surprise of varying degrees. Evan took Robyn's hand in his and placing it on the table, they then looked at each other for several moments. Harry was sure they must be communicating in some manner. Hermione took the opportunity to take Harry's hand as well and then reached across him with her other hand to take the hand Luna was offering. Harry took Luna's other hand and then placed both of his hands on with the hands of his ladies on the table as well. Instead of a circle their hands from the center of a three pointed star. Not a symmetrical star, but still not the circle either.
Evan finally broke the silence, "Robyn and I wondered if us moving to England again would be discussed, but we are a bit surprised."
"And pleased." Robyn interjected.
"That you want us to be close by. But with all of the moves we have done while here, we don't have the money to close shop and move again."
"Since we want you close to us, would you let us help you with the finances?" Luna asked.
"We wouldn't want to be a drain on your own accounts." Evan answered after a moment of thought and a glance at Robyn. "While it seems you are pretty well off, I expect you could become overextended and we don't want to be the cause of that. It would only hurt your dealings with us later."
"Actually Sir, we aren't well off; as a family we are filthy rich." Harry interjected. "The problem isn't the money; it is how much can we give you? Or more correctly how much will you let us give you. We, that is, Luna and I, opened a bank account in your name just before leaving to come here." Harry put the black leather booklet on the table. "We think that would be enough to move you back to England and build a house of your design on the property. You would be close enough to see us every day, but separate enough that we could go weeks without seeing each other."
"Although that had better not happen." Luna added her two knuts. "Harry actually thought of letting you build on the grounds next to the road. But I think it is a grand idea. You will be close enough for us to come over for breakfast nearly every day."
Evan picked up the cheque book, and glancing at the starting balance, he paled before passing the open book to Robyn.
"Before the dentists could start protesting, Luna interrupted their thoughts, "What do you know about a Heart's Home? Did Hermione talk to you at all about the heart tie Harry and I share?"
"She tried, a couple of times actually, but we never could figure out where the facts separated from the fiction." Evan answered.
"The money in that account did not come from either Harry's or my family's bank accounts. That is only a part of the money we pulled from my Heart's Home. It was literally lying on the ground waiting to be picked up. If it isn't enough to do what you want we will be glad to add to it. But the question really is what Harry said. How much will you let us give you?"
"You found this lying on the ground? And what does that have to do with the home for your heart?" Evan asked while Robyn continued to just stare at the cheque book, seemingly at a loss for words.
"Heart's Home Daddy," Hermione corrected, "I know I tried to explain, but I had forgotten the money factor. I never actually saw that part." Hermione turned and looked at Luna. "Why did you have so much, Soleil? You never mentioned spending much time crying."
"I cried a bit fairly often, Mione." Luna answered her, "I cried because you weren't there; I cried because I was so scared sometimes; I cried when Harry was extra gentle with me; I even cried happy tears when I beat back my fears for a bit." Luna then turned to Evan and tried to answer his earlier question. "A Heart's Home is a physical place, a garden, which magically holds my emotions and feelings. Because it is a physical place when I cry, or get angry, or am hurt; a physical change can take place in my garden. When I cry, precious and semi-precious stones can 'grow' in my garden. I now believe the happier the tears, the more beautiful the stones. Likewise, when I hurt or become angry, other types of stones grow in my garden. I need to clean my garden regularly, but between my trip with Hermione and Harry while looking for you, and then taking on the estate management, it had been too long. Harry and I gathered six bags of valuable stones. Your account is the worth of only two of those bags."
Harry turned to Hermione, and with their hands still joined he pushed comfort at the presence he felt from her, knowing that Luna was doing the same. "Hermione, I really do want you and your parents to rebuild, but I am hoping that they'll agree to let you come back to England with Luna and me. And then live close enough that all three of us can start to build a relationship with them. Your mum once told me off for thinking of you as more important than I am. She and your dad have both taken our Luna under their wings. I am hoping you will be willing to share them with us like we are sharing with each other."
"Well not exactly as we share with each other." Luna impishly interjected with a very big smile. "But I am looking forward to having a mother again. I have so much I want to say and learn from one."
Robyn came to Harry's rescue as he blushed and tried to find someplace to hide. "Thank you, Luna, I hope we can enjoy that kind of relationship as well, but for now, would you three let Evan and I talk about this a bit? We knew Harry has some money; to hear that Luna has quite a bit more is unexpected. You don't act like you have money my dear little moon."
Hermione grinned at her folks and stood taking Harry and the now embarrassed Luna into the front room saying she wanted a bit of cuddle time, and a chance to talk about the spell that would allow her to become heart tied as well.
Interlude, the second
It was Harry's last night in Oz. He and Luna were leaving again in the morning. Evan and Robyn had discussed and negotiated a bit, but they had agreed to accept the money and return to England, and promised to at least consider building and living on the property. They were going to close their practice here, sell the house and furnishings, and let Hermione finish her non-magical school term. Then, in about a month, Harry and Luna would be back as the five of them boarded a cruise ship and spent three weeks traveling to England. The cost of the trip was being split with Evan and Robyn paying for their share while Luna paid for Harry and Hermione.
Luna had confessed that she really wanted to see more of the non-magical world and this was one step in that direction. Harry marveled at his blond love. This trip to visit the Grangers had changed her. Feeling Hermione's love for her again and understanding that the three of them were going to make it work had gotten her over the hump. Her fears were in full retreat, and Harry couldn't be happier. Luna had become a great deal more playful and could lift the spirits of an entire room of strangers just by being in the same room with them.
Hermione had confessed that she also was feeling so much better. Her time in purgatory was set. At the end of her school term she would join her parents and the two people she loved on an enjoyable vacation. And once in England it would be only days before she could become heart tied with Luna and Harry. As for Harry himself, he had his ladies, and he was getting Evan and Robyn as parent figures. Life was overly wonderful.
A/N: The Hovercraft ferry continued running until October 2000, and so was running during the time of this story.
This is not the end. I had intended to finish with this chapter, but ended up writing myself into a corner and scrapped what I had and started over. Rather than make you wait even longer, I will publish this now, and continue towards the finish. Next up, Hermione gets to join the tie.
Melvil came from "Harry Potter and the Wand of Uru" by alienyouthct and is used with permission.