Together Harry and Luna left the Hospital wing and descended the moving staircase. He put his arm around the small of her back and she did the same to him, linked arm in arm they approached the Great Hall together.

Harry’s stomach was now starting to growl with hunger, and he was looking most forward to his Christmas dinner with all the extra trimmings.

Upon entering the hall, everyone was sitting at a large round table that filled up most of the perimeter. Many were chatting excitedly about what presents they had received, and Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were sitting closer than normal. In-fact if they could, he felt that Hermione and Ron would just share the one chair and eat from each-others laps.

Neville and Ginny were holding hands on the table top and Molly Weasley had an approving smile across her face.

It took a few moments for everyone to realise that Harry and Luna had made their grand entrance.

“Harry dear, how are you feeling?” asked Molly, as she stood up from the table to approach him. It was then she looked again to see that he and Luna had their arms entwined and she merely whispered a small “oh” while putting her hand to her chest gently, in a way of an apology or shock, Harry wasn’t quite sure.

Ron looked up with a gaping mouth, Hermione nudged him in the ribs and quite disdainfully he shot her a frown.

“He’s hooked up with Loony” whispered Ron to his girlfriend who in turn went to nudge him again but he quickly moved out the way.

“Ha ha, Not so quick that time was you Mione.” He joked.

Hermione tried to hold back a smile but it didn’t work, Ron knew how to make her laugh, he always had, and now she was relieved that she never had to hide it.

“Well it looks like a congratulations is in Order.” said Karis with a pleasing smirk.

Albus Dumbledore had a glint in his eyes which told Harry that he already knew this was likely to happen. He also found it off putting sometimes as he felt he would like to feel in control of his own destiny and feelings, and yet he knew in the presence of Albus and Karis that he never really would be.

He also knew though, that he would never want to be without them; but right now, he had Luna, and for Harry that was enough.

Karis held up her wand, and magically two seats appeared beside Ron and Hermione, who in turn beamed at the approaching couple. They were pleased for Harry; Ron especially, as he had started to feel a little guilty about spending most of his time and his wondering thoughts with Hermione.

“Well Well, Harry and Luna ay!” mocked Ron, with a wink and raised eyebrows.

Harry started to blush a little and made himself busy with piling his plate up with mounds of Turkey with sage and onion stuffing.

“Hey, well done you two.” said Neville with a nod. He then turned to the rest of the DA. “I guess Harry finally found himself a bird after all.” shouted a confident Neville Longbottom over the table.

Ginny nudged him in the arm and shook her head in a way of an apology to Harry and Luna.

Luna however laughed rather loudly and replied. “He just took his time in waiting for the right one Nev!”

There was many a mocking laugh at the table and Harry seemed to go slightly pinker, it even managed to reach the tips of his ears and it was then Luna realised that alone with her he was the confident one, he could express his feelings, and yet in public he found it unnerving, so she quickly spoke a quiet apology in his ear. He however just smiled and touched her hand, again resulting in Luna trying to hold the butterflies at bay by placing a hand on her flat stomach.

Ron leaned over to Harry and whispered in his ear. “Don’t listen to them, they are happy for you Harry, they really are, so are me and Mione.”

Harry turned to his red haired speckle faced friend. “Thanks Ron, I really do care for her, she is quite unique is Luna.” he chuckled.

“Well, like I said, your only sixteen once, right Harry!” Ron replied with a wink.

Harry smiled at the memory of when Ron first said that. Harry felt isolated and alone, he didn’t believe he could ever get close to anyone in that way. The war and Sirius was all he thought of back then, but now he could say he understood, and even agree.

“Yeah, we are, and I’m hoping to make it past sixteen if you don’t mind.” replied Harry, his lips curling at the corners.

Ron laughed. Raising his eyebrows he replied. “Yeah, I think you will, I’ve seen Luna angry Harry, that night at HollowValley when you came out with your hand all burnt. I think if we let her run in and curse Voldemort herself she would have.” Ron managed to keep a straight face, which made his statement even funnier in Harry’s eyes and he laughed out loud.

Luna and Hermione looked up and smiled warmly to each-other. They both had a moment, an understanding moment for the first time, a realisation that their objective was one of the same. Harry was laughing, which meant Harry was happy.

Harry was proud of Ron, because he too had many realisations of his own in the past five months. Ron was no longer afraid to say his name, and by Ron’s standards, that was something Harry knew was a large step for he had grown as a confident wizard; ‘more than Ron even realises himself at times’, Harry thought.

“Oh Harry, before I forget, Karis thought it best that us four open our presents together after dinner, she wanted to make sure you were up, and well, I didn’t want to open anything without you anyway.” interrupted Hermione.

“I have presents?” asked Harry, with an embellished look of surprise.

“Harry, you will always have presents from us, and…well Luna too, now that she is your girlfriend.” replied Hermione, again casting another smile at Luna.

Harry stared at the table, his eyes dreamy and a large smile spread across his face that lit up his eyes. “Thanks, I love you guys!”

“Oh dear! Luna what have you done to our DA leader?” chuckled Ron.


Luna scoffed in amusement, then held out her hand and grasped Harry’s while entwining her fingers with his.

“On a serious note mate, I love ya too, now stop with the mushy and lets get chomping on this lovely lot.” replied Ron, while patting his friend on the shoulder and passing him the brussel sprouts.

“Alright, but firstly there is something I need to say to you Ron.” said Harry.

“What’s that?”

“You were a really cute baby! replied Harry with a fantastically witty tone. “You didn’t have as much freckles then, and you couldn’t talk too well like today, which in my opinion was a delightful thing.” Ron threw Harry a frown, while Harry ignored him and continued.

“You had cake all over your face Ron, and then you rubbed it all in your hair, it was hilarious!” stated Harry with a laugh.

“What the bloody hell are you talking about Harry?” asked a very dubious Ronald.

“Ron, I saw you in my memory at my first birthday, you were there!”

Ron knitted together his brow in disbelief, trying to relive the memory himself but not recalling anything remotely recognisable, while trying to take in what Harry was saying, he glanced over to his Mother, Molly, who was chatting animatedly to Bill and Karis. Who seemed to be enjoying one another’s company.

“I was at your first Birthday party?” Ron questioned sceptically.

Harry chuckled at the stumped expressions on all their faces, then he held out his arms and put them around Ron and Luna’s shoulders, he couldn’t quite reach Hermione’s. “Gather round you three, I have something to tell you.”

-

Harry continued to tell Ron, Hermione and Luna about his experience of his lost memory.

When he had finished they remained sat there in silence. Hermione had one tear escape down the right side of her face, but she smiled to Luna who had grasped Harry’s hand rather hard, which in-turn made his fingers turn shades of blue and purple.

Ron had his head down, taking in the news that he and Harry had met before that day on the Hogwarts Express train on the first of September, in their eleventh year.

“Mum never told me.” Ron whispered, breaking the silence.

“I don’t think Molly was there, I didn’t see her.” replied Harry.

Hermione spoke “She would have been heavily pregnant with Ginny.”

“Oh yeah!” said Ron ardently as the realisation hit him.

“I think you may have come with Neville’s parents Ron, as they too were in the Order and knew my Mum and Dad well.” said Harry.

“Are you going to tell Neville?” asked Hermione

“I think you should Harry, he may like to know, especially as you are all such good friends now.” interrupted Luna.

“Yes, you’re right.” replied Harry, turning to his girlfriend with a comforting smile. “I will tell him tonight.”

“Our lives Harry are just like a chess game, our pieces have been put into place, now we just have to work out how to play them.”

Harry smiled, as did Hermione, who now took hold of Ron’s hand.

“If that’s the case Ron, then I’m glad we are playing on the same side.” replied Harry with a warm smile.

Ron nodded and returned the kind smile, and quietly the four of them got up from the table and left to celebrate the opening of gifts together.