Logic and Illogic

by: coolhacker1025

Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters involved. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, et. al Warnings: possibly Harry!bashing, femmeslash, eventual Hermione/Luna

\\/

Hermione Granger had unusual friends. Her first friend at school was Harry Potter, a boy who'd somehow managed to defeat Voldemort as a baby, and then multiple times as a student. While he didn't have the best work ethic, he clearly was better than her at certain subjects, like when they had Defence Against the Dark Arts, as taught by a competent professor.

Her second friend, Ron Weasley, was from a large family. She noticed that this seemed to give him a very large inferiority complex. He was very lazy, and spent most of his time playing chess or talking about Quidditch (especially his favourite team, the Chudley Cannons). This year had gone even further: Ron had gained a spot on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, and was not spending much time on homework or revising at all. It was only due to her hard work forcing him to revise for exams that allowed him to pass with a score better than "P".

Hermione's third friend was an enigma. She was an enigma by the name Luna Lovegood. She was a Ravenclaw fourth year, and one of the brightest students in the school. Hermione hadn't really noticed this until she started to encounter the girl more often, due to the DA and the fact that Luna's father owned a newspaper that was considered in opposition to the official Ministry story.

What caused Hermione to go crazy was the fact that Luna claimed to believe in so many creatures that Hermione was sure did not exist. Part of Luna's being was that she would believe something with very little proof, and then look for clues that it was true/did exist/whatever applied to the situation. This was completely in opposition to Hermione's need for facts.

Somehow, due to the increased contact with the girl, she'd become friends with her.

\\/

"Umbridge let you out early tonight, mate?" asked Ron as his best friend Harry walked into the Common Room.

"Something to do with the Twins, I believe," said Harry. "Where's Hermione?"

"Dunno," said his friend. "She's been sneaking out almost every time you have detention with She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named or a 'remedial potions' class with Snape. I thought she was keeping an eye on you."

"I don't think she is," said Harry. He really hoped that his best female friend wasn't doing something completely stupid, like collaborating with the Twins to overthrow the Toad-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

"Funny thing is, she always has her homework done, just like usual," said Ron. "Come to think of it, she usually arrives before you do most nights."

"This is Hermione we're talking about," said Harry. "She's probably just gone to the library."

He noticed her walking into the Common Room.

"You're back early," said Hermione. "Umbridge distracted by something?"

"The Twins, I think," said Harry. "Where were you?"

"The library," said Hermione, slightly flustered.

Even Harry could tell that she wasn't being completely truthful.

\\/

Hermione had seen Luna around the school many times over the years, but they didn't really meet until Hermione's fourth year. Hermione was in the library when the strange girl came over to her and started to correct her runes translation.

"How do you know so much about runes?" Hermione had asked the girl.

"Oh, Daddy does an article about them every so often," said the blond-haired girl in that airy voice of hers.

"I don't want to be rude," started Hermione. "But who exactly are you? I don't think that you are a fourth-year, as I've never seen you in class."

"I'm Luna Lovegood," said the girl. "Ravenclaw third year."

"Why exactly did you come over to see me?"

"The Nargles told me to," said the strange girl.

"The what?" asked Hermione.

"The Nargles," repeated Luna. "They are quite mysterious and mischievous creatures. They are known to infect Mistletoe."

"But why did you come here?"

"You needed it," said Luna. "Perhaps you need someone to talk to. Other than Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley."

Luna does have a point, thought Hermione.

\\/

The second time that Hermione met Luna was before the Second Task when Hermione was helping Harry to research ways to complete the task.

"You don't want that section," Luna told her. "Magical plants will help Harry Potter with his goal. I don't know which, but asking someone might help."

"Which what?" asked Hermione.

"You are a thoroughly confusing individual, Hermione Granger," said Luna. "I meant which plant. Although I suppose that I could have also meant which goal. The Wrackspurts interfered with my line of thought."

"I could say that you are also a thoroughly confusing individual, Luna," said Hermione. "I've never heard of these Nargles or Wrackspurts before."

\\/

"Perhaps I'll take a look on the Map the next time," said Harry after they'd gone to the dormitories. "See what or who she's doing."

Something was telling him that he should keep a closer eye on her; he failed to realise that he was beginning to feel jealous of the girl and her mysterious activities.

\\/

Aside from a couple of meetings in the hall, Hermione didn't see Luna again until the next year. Hermione had become a prefect, and was on a carriage with Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny.

"Who's that?" asked Harry.

"Oh, her?" laughed Ginny. "That's Looney—I mean, Luna Lovegood. She's the same year as me, except Ravenclaw."

Hermione noticed the way that Luna held her copy of the Quibbler upside down, wearing those ridiculous glasses that were supposed to see Nargles or whatever.

She noticed the way that Luna put her wand behind her ear.

"She's actually quite brilliant," said Hermione. "She knows almost as much as I do."

Hermione blushed at her admission, but nobody, not even Luna, noticed.

\\/

Hermione didn't know how she and Luna became good friends, but it happened that year. They were together more often due to DA meetings, and had gradually become friends.

It was one of Hermione's stranger friendships, but it was a friendship.

Hermione found herself meeting Luna in the library much more often, as both boys were at Quidditch practise, and therefore didn't need her supervision. They would talk about all sorts of things, even things that weren't related to schoolwork. It was hard sometimes for Hermione to remember that Luna was a year (and some) younger than she was.

There was just something about the illogic.

\\/

"Well, she's in the library now," said Harry, stalking Hermione through the Marauder's Map. "She's there with Luna. I wonder what they are doing?"

\\/

Luna was much more advanced than her age would indicate. She knew potions that Hermione was just learning about (and could correct Hermione's papers if need be), her Transfiguration skills were amazing, her charmswork was awesome.

Yet she kept talking about all of her creatures, and how the Minister was murdering Goblins, baking them into pies. And Hermione kept listening.

Is there an ounce of truth in Luna's statements? Hermione thought to herself. Luna's illogic was outstanding.

\\/

"Now, they've disappeared off the map," Harry commented later that year. He'd been monitoring Hermione when he could, due to his ardent belief that she'd do something stupid without him and Ron, or that Draco would corner her. "But that's impossible."

Somehow, concern for Hermione became something darker.

\\/

Somehow, friendship turned to love. The combination of logic and illogic was astounding, but it worked.

Their first kiss was a mistake. Rather, their first kiss on the lips was a mistake.

It was after a DA meeting, and Hermione and Luna were the only ones left in the Room. Even Harry had already left.

She only meant to kiss Luna's cheek, but Luna moved at just the right time. They kissed on the lips. Then, by some unspoken agreement, they continued to kiss for another minute.

Just because something is a mistake doesn't mean that it can't be good.

Hermione used her prefect status to escort Luna back to the Ravenclaw Common Room, where Hermione met the bronze door-knocker in the shape of an eagle.

"Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?" it asked.

"No password, just a riddle?" asked Hermione of Luna, who nodded before answering the riddle.

"A circle has no beginning," answered the younger witch, who turned to Hermione and kissed her again before going through the now-open door to the Common Room.

Hermione smiled as she went back to Gryffindor Tower. She almost wish she hadn't gone back to the Tower.

"Where have you been?" asked Harry. "You could have been attacked or caught?"

"I was using my prefect status to escort a friend home," she replied. "Not that it's any of your business."

"He's back, Hermione," said Harry angrily. "He won't hesitate to curse you, maim you, rape you, just to get at me!"

"Come off it, Harry," said Hermione. "I am more than capable of defending myself. If I choose to have company, then so be it. Also, I am a Big Girl. I don't need anyone, especially not 10 months my junior, telling me what to do."

She stormed off to the Girl's Dormitory.

"She is right, Harry," admitted Ginny. "I would hate it if you or Ron kept as annoyingly a close eye on me as you do Hermione."

Harry growled in response.

\\/

"What happened, Hermione?" asked Luna the next time they met. It was a couple of days later, in the library.

"Harry's being an ass," said Hermione. "An overbearing, overprotective, stalking ass."

"What's he doing?"

"Warning me about not being near him as much as possible," Hermione replied. "Stalking me with a family heirloom that shows the location of everyone in the school. I don't know what he'd be like if he thought that we were more than friends."

"Harry Potter is infested with Wrackspurts, Hermione," said her partner. "He can't understand why suddenly you abandon him after all these years."

"I'm not abandoning him!" exclaimed Hermione, albeit quietly, as they were in the library. "I just lo...I'm just more fond of you at this point."

Luna held her hand up in a placating gesture. "I know that you aren't abandoning him," she said. "You're just using your time more efficiently. I give you excellent incentive to get your work done quicker."

"Luna!"

"You know that you love me," said the younger witch.

"I do, Luna," said Hermione, not wanting to actually repeat the sentence yet. She knew that she loved Luna, she just wasn't sure whether she could vocalise it yet.

\\/

Luna and Hermione continued meeting for the next couple of months, until the DA was found by Professor Umbridge. She and Luna managed to escape, only because they ducked into a nearby bathroom and cast a Disillusionment Charm on themselves. They still managed to locate each other and start to kiss.

Sometimes raw emotion overcomes everything else.

The next morning, Luna and Hermione passed each other on their way to classes. "I saw Marietta last night before they took her to the Hospital Wing," said Luna. "Very creative of you. Cho isn't quite as happy with you or Harry, but she's never liked me."

"Perhaps the Humdingers?"

Luna laughed, a sound that always brought joy to Hermione's ears.

"You have to watch out, though," said the Ravenclaw. "Umbridge certainly knows the perpetrators of that group now. She'll have it even more in for you than usual."

"I've thought of that, and I accept that," said Hermione. "There are some things worth getting expelled over."

"What about me?"

"I'd get expelled and then smuggle you out," said Hermione. "We'd have to lay low for a couple of years, as it would technically be kidnapping and a whole lot of other charges, but we'd get out. Together."

"Exactly what I wanted to hear," said Luna. "Except, try not to get expelled. Kidnapping charges are so hard to beat."

\\/

It was after another studying session when Harry confronted Hermione again.

"Why are you spending so much time with Looney Lovegood?" he asked angrily.

"She's a good friend," said Hermione. "And like I said at the beginning of the year, she's brilliant."

"She's a year younger than us," said Harry.

"But her knowledge clearly exceeds yours, Mr Potter," said Hermione, getting annoyed. "If that damn map wasn't one of the only things you had from your father, I'd burn it. Or worse, turn it in to the current authorities. That would end your power trip over me real quick, wouldn't it?"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I would dare," said Hermione. "Worse, I'd tell Mrs Weasley, too. In a nice letter. Something like, 'Dear Mrs Weasley, Harry has an enchanted map of Hogwarts that insults you and has been using it to monitor the movements of Ginny and I. The Headmistress has no clue that Harry has been using it for illegal purposes. Hope you are well, Hermione.' So, yes, I would. And her name is LUNA, not Looney."

"Merlin, is this what we usually sound like?" asked Ron. Neville and Ginny both nodded. They were pretty sure that they heard Hermione call Harry an asshole.

"I don't think that they will be friends much longer," said Neville.

"I never noticed what type of guy Harry is," said Ginny. "That's unfortunate. I was hoping to date him in a year or two. If I had ten Galleons, I would put them on Harry saying something incredibly stupid any minute now."

"He might change," said Ron, trying to reassure his sister.

She shook her head.

"It's not him I have eyes for any longer," she said. She may have made a subtle nod to Neville, who truly had been looking rather good this year. Add to that the amount of power he was showing, due to his increased confidence, and that really caused a girl to go nuts. It didn't hurt Ginny's case that he was one of the nicer Gryffindors.

Unfortunately for Ginny, Harry did not immediately say anything stupid, but instead stomped off to the Dormitory.

"He's bang out of line, mate," said Ron. Nearly everyone in the Common Room nodded their heads in agreement. Even the Twins had stopped their nefarious planning to listen to the shouting match. He lowered his voice, as Hermione sat down on the couch next to him in tears. "You like Luna, don't you."

"She's a wonderful girl," said Hermione. "That's not a problem is it?"

"Hell, no," said Ron. "Personally, I go both ways. I've had a crush on you and Justin for the longest time. I just recognised that we'd never work out."

"I can't believe my former best friend would treat me this way!" exclaimed Hermione. "I can't even write a letter to...to...to Snuffles, as all of the mail is being monitored."

"Remember that package he gave Harry this Christmas?" asked Ron. "It looked to be a communications mirror. I might be able to get it for you, if you want."

"Thanks," said Hermione as Ron walked off. The Twins came over. "Did we hear you say that the Map is a family heirloom?" they asked in an excited, but quiet voice.

"His father is Prongs," admitted Hermione. "You were living with Padfoot and Moony over the summer at You-Know-Where, and had Moony as a professor two years ago."

"We were living with two Marauders?!" exclaimed the Twins in their chorused voices. "You mean, the owner of the place we were in is Padfoot and Professor Lupin is Moony?"

"And Wormtail is Scabbers," said Hermione. "Also known as the person who betrayed the Potters, Peter Pettigrew."

A minute later, Ron came back down the stairs from the dormitories. He was carrying the Marauders' Map and a package. Hermione took the items, and ran off, thanking Ron.

"How'd you do that?" asked the Twins.

"Stupid fool didn't have Constant Vigilance," said Ron. "I stunned him in the back."

\\/

Hermione ran to the Room of Requirement where, curiously enough, Luna was waiting for her.

"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, I felt that I was needed here," replied the other witch.

"You realise what I'm about to do is illegal?" asked Hermione. "And that I will be contacting a known, but innocent criminal?"

"Are you calling Stubby Boardman?" asked Luna, jokingly. "I never believed that either of them would do that."

They activated the room, and it turned into a nice sitting room. "Cozy," commented the younger witch, sitting down on the sofa. Hermione sat down next to her, took the mirror out, and called "Sirius Black."

"Huh?" came a voice from the mirror. A second later, the picture activated. "Hermione? What's wrong?"

"Harry's changed, Siri," she responded. "He's been so mean and overbearing lately."

"Wait, start from the beginning, please?" asked Sirius. "And who's your lovely friend?"

"My very much underage friend is Luna Lovegood," said Hermione. "Her dad publishes The Quibbler."

"I thought I recognised the name," said Sirius. He turned his head towards Luna. "You look a lot like your mother. I knew her in school. Great in bed."

"Sirius, shut up about Luna's mum!" said Hermione. "And listen to my story!"

Hermione started from the beginning all the way up until the events of the night.

"He's never gone that crazy on me!" she exclaimed. "We never have shouting matches like that. Ron and me, yes, all the time, but Harry and I, never!"

"I don't suppose that you're asking me to do anything about this?" asked Sirius hopefully. "I could transform into Padfoot and take a dump in his bed. Or set up a convoluted series of traps that activate each other and then cause something embarrassing to happen to him."

"Sirius, you have to stay in the house," she said. "I was just wondering: is it possible that Harry is possessed by HIM?"

"Not likely," said Sirius. "But I'll bring it up the next time Dumbledore is here."

"Thanks, Sirius," said Hermione. "He's just been so different this year. By the way, the Twins know your true identity now."

"I liked those troublemakers of Molly's" responded Sirius. "They are truly heirs to the Marauders tradition. Oh, by the way, Luna, I love your father's articles. They've kept me going the last two years."

They closed the mirror, and went to their Common Rooms.

\\/

Luna and Hermione didn't have a lot of time together for a while, since exams were coming up, and this was Hermione's OWL year.

Somehow, Ron managed to maintain a tenuous relationship with both Harry and Hermione, even after the two feuding Gryffindors had reduced themselves to last-name basis.

The next time they really got to meet was after Harry had a vision of Sirius being tortured in the Department of Mysteries. Of course, she didn't hear it from Harry, she heard it from Ron. Harry was going off halfcocked, and had decided that Umbridge's Floo was the best way to contact Sirius.

Unfortunately, he was caught, and dragged out to the Forest by the Toad-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, after claiming that Dumbledore had a weapon in the Forest. After a while, he emerged from the Forest without Umbridge.

"What's the plan, Harry?" asked Ron, one of the few people Harry hadn't openly offended that year.

"I go to the Ministry and save Sirius," said Harry.

"I think you mean that we go," said Ron. Neville, Ginny, Luna and Hermione all volunteered to go.

"Thank you," said Harry. "You're all nuts, but thank you."

"I'm not doing this for you, Potter," said Hermione. "I'm doing this to save Sirius."

"Nor am I," said Luna. "I'm doing it for Hermione."

They took thestrals to the Ministry of Magic.

They quickly were ambushed by Death Eaters as soon as they retrieved the Prophecy from the shelves. Hermione, Luna, Ron, and Neville were separated from Harry and Ginny, and were fighting in another area. Luna got knocked unconscious, but Hermione quickly revived her. They chased the Death Eaters into another room. Neville was fighting like a maniac. Luna and Hermione were holding their own. It was then that Hermione noticed a Death Eater trying to sneak around to attack them from behind. She spun around, silenced the Death Eater, and the Death Eater had a momentary look of shock before he smiled insanely.

A purple curse hit Hermione, and she fell to the ground. Luna started to fire high-powered and very lethal curses at the man, who managed to evade all but two. He collapsed to the ground, presumably dead.

Luna rushed over to Hermione. Neville was kneeling next to her. "She's got a pulse," he said. "She's still alive."

Luna saw Harry running towards Bellatrix Lestrange. This cannot be good, she thought.

"I killed Sirius Black!" screamed the insane witch. Harry hit her with a Crucio, but it barely harmed her. Apparently, he didn't have the right type of anger to cast something like that.

Then Voldemort came, and fought Dumbledore to a well-fought draw. Best of all, the Minister for Magic saw the magnificent fight so he could no longer deny the fact that Voldemort had returned.

Luna rushed back to Hermione, where she collapsed, crying over her girlfriend's body.

\\/

When Luna woke up, she was at St Mungo's hospital. A nurse came in to check on her.

"Where's Hermione?" asked Luna, desperately.

"She'll be just fine," said the nurse. "There will be a bit of a scar, perhaps forever, but we managed to stop it before it went too far."

"Why am I here?"

"You were clinging to Miss Granger and were magically exhausted," said the nurse. "You must have cast some powerful spells down there."

"I did," admitted Luna. "Quite a number of them. What happened to Dolohov?"

"Dolohov?" confirmed the nurse. "He's dead. Official report says he got caught in the crossfire."

"Good," said Luna. She usually wasn't this vindictive, but usually her girlfriend wasn't in this much danger.

"Am I free to visit Miss Granger?" asked Luna.

"Just as soon as I finish up here," said the nurse.

\\/

Despite what the nurse said, when Luna went to see Hermione, she still looked to be in bad shape. But everyone on the ward was very optimistic that she'd make a full recovery. She went over to Hermione's bedside.

"Pull through, Hermione," Luna said. "You're the most important thing in my life, except my father."

That's where the Weasleys found Luna a couple of hours later when they came to visit her. Molly forced Luna to eat, and Ginny was frequently hugging Luna.

"Get better, girls," said Mrs Weasley as the Weasleys left a while later.

It was a few days until Hermione woke up and was able to leave the hospital, and they were some of the longest days of Luna's life. Even longer than the days surrounding the funeral of her mum.

Then, all of a sudden, Luna heard the word she'd been waiting to hear for the last couple of days. It was her name. It wasn't her name that she wanted to hear, of course, but rather the person saying it.

"Luna" said Hermione from her bed.

"Hermione?" asked Luna excitedly. "You were nearly dead."

\\/

The next day, the Healers decided that they were healthy enough to go back to Hogwarts. When they got there, Professor McGonagall pulled them aside.

"May I speak to you for a minute, girls?" asked the Deputy Headmistress.

"Of course," they replied, so McGonagall led them to her office. McGonagall set up many different types of wards and silencing charms before beginning to speak.

"After an examination of Mr Potter, it seems that your suspicions were quite correct, Miss Granger," said the professor sombrely. "Your friend had been influenced by You-Know-Who for the majority of the term, and is being treated at the very place you six sneaked off to, the Department of Mysteries. It is uncertain whether he will be able to make a full recovery or not."

Hermione started to cry on Luna's shoulder. Luna had been getting good at comforting Hermione this year. "If only I had told you or the Headmaster," said Hermione through her tears. Despite their recent falling-out, she still cared for Harry, as he had been her first friend.

"I don't want to tell you what the backup plan is," said McGonagall, even more sombrely. "That is, if You-Know-Who gains control of Mr Potter again."

Both girls gulped, as they had a fairly good idea what the 'backup plan' was, and it would not be beneficial to Harry's health.

"What happened to Umbridge?" asked Hermione curiously. "The last I saw, she was going into the Forest."

"She was recovered by the Headmaster, the True Headmaster," answered the professor. "She was badly wounded. According to the centaurs, she made her usual statements, and they were...unamused."

McGonagall dismissed them, and they went to one of the unused classrooms, where they talked about the Battle. After recounting the great battle of Voldemort v Dumbledore, Luna leaned in. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Yes," admitted Hermione, unsure whether or not she actually wanted to know.

"I killed Antonin Dolohov," said the younger girl in a low voice.

"Won't you get in trouble for that?" asked Hermione. "And how do you feel, knowing that you took a life?"

"The Aurors have determined that Dolohov died in the crossfire," said Luna. "The Lovegoods weren't always as crazy as we make ourselves out to be. We're closely related to the Black family, you know. I have theoretical knowledge of many curses that I'm not sure that you could find anywhere other than our house, and the Black's House, wherever that is."

"And you?"

"It is not something that I will make a habit of," said Luna. "If you were to genuinely die, I'd likely go out in a hail of spellfire, while trying to take as many of them with me as I could. My soul remains whole."

"But I want you to be happy, not get yourself killed in a suicide run," exclaimed Hermione.

"Then don't get yourself killed on the battlefield," said Luna, cutting off all attempts at a rebuttal by kissing the older witch.

The two girls talked a while longer before Hermione went back to the Common Room.

"Hermione, you're alive!" chorused Ron and Ginny, sounding eerily like an opposite-gender version of the Twins. They rushed over to hug her.

"Easy, I just got out of the hospital," she said. They sat down on Hermione's favourite couch. "Did McGonagall tell you about Harry."

"Yes," said Ron. Ginny nodded as well.

"I'm not sure how much of his behaviour this year was the possession," said Ginny. "There's part of me that has a sinking suspicion that he was almost welcoming it."

"If only we would have realised sooner," lamented Ron.

"It seems my brother does a rather piss-poor job of that," said Ginny, though the slight grin revealed that she was joking, at least a little.

"I heard that Luna went nuts after you went down," said Ron. "I was attacked by the brain things, so I was already out of the fight at that point."

"She was very brave," said Hermione. "She...fought off Dolohov on her own."

\\/

Harry didn't come back from the hospital for the rest of term. Honestly, Hermione was more than a little worried about her former friend, but she put it aside to go on with her life. When the school year was over, Hermione managed to convince her parents to allow Luna to come over for a week, and then allow her to visit Luna's house.

"How exactly do you feel about this girl?" asked Dan Granger, Hermione's father. He had been afraid that this day would come sooner or later. He just didn't think that 'that day' would also come with a girlfriend, instead of a boyfriend.

He couldn't be as threatening to a girl.

"She's my absolute best friend, and I love her," responded Hermione.

"You love her?"

"Yes, Dad, I do," said Hermione. "She is the sweetest, most brilliant, oddest, wonderful person I've ever known."

"What about that Harry bloke that you went on about for the past five years?"

"Harry changed this year, Dad," she replied. "He was possessed by an evil person, but seemed to be welcoming the possession. He used to be my best friend, but no longer."

That flustered Dan enough to agree, but 'the girls have to have separate bedrooms.'

"Of course, Dad, we're not ready for that yet," said Hermione. "In fact, we won't be ready for that until 13 February 1998."

"Luna's birthday?" asked Dan, knowing that was the most probable answer. Hermione nodded.

Luna came over a couple of days later, and got along quite well with the Grangers, especially Emma, who seemed to be an older version of Hermione.

Luna had not heard any updates on Harry's condition, not that she cared all that much. From her point of view, he was a selfish, self-centred prig who'd just made it easier for Hermione and her to fall in love with each other. She obviously did not voice this viewpoint in front of her girlfriend, as she knew that Hermione still hoped that Harry would recover fully.

Over the next couple of days, Hermione introduced Luna to all sorts of Muggle things, like London, theme parks, the Underground, clothing stores.

Hermione didn't like to go clothes shopping. She never had. She wished that there was a way to buy clothes on demand and not have to deal with the hassle of looking for her size. This time, however, she had someone else, her own age, with her. A someone who had never experienced the horrors of clothes shopping.

"Damn, it's too bad I'm still underage," complained Hermione. "I'd just buy a bag and cast Undetectable Extensions Charms and Featherweight Charms on it. That way, we wouldn't have to haul all this around."

Luna just looked on, thinking. Should I tell her that I could easily get around the charm at my place?

"If you were at my house," said Luna, "You would be able to. The Ministry can only detect Magic. They can't tell who's casting the magic. My house is a known Wizard Residence."

\\/

One thing that Hermione noticed about her girlfriend was Luna's ability to rile up Dan Granger, using some of the same tactics that she used with Hermione—talk about her strange creatures and go off on ridiculous tangents. She'd even prepared new material concerning the Prime Minister.

Sometimes logic and illogic come together. Their names were Hermione and Luna.

\\/

After a couple of weeks in the Muggle world, Hermione left her house and went to Luna's. There, she met Luna's father, a man who truly looked like an older, male, version of Luna. He seemed to be even more strange than his daughter.

"Mummy was always the sane one in the family," Luna said later that night. "Once she died, Daddy started to believe even more in all of the animals, the conspiracy theories, and everything he printed in the paper. It was all quite sad. I'm not sure whether he will ever be more sane again."

Hermione noticed that Luna had a mural of the two of them on her ceiling, liked by a chain that said 'Best Friends'. It was rather odd seeing her own face staring down at her.

"I wasn't sure how to do the animation charms, see," said Luna. "Otherwise, it would've been a fully moving portrait."

Hermione thought about Luna's mum, and how wonderful a woman she must have been.

Sometimes logic and illogic come together. Their names were Selene Pandora Lovegood and Xenophilius Lovegood.

\\/

The two girls got to see the Weasleys a couple of days later. Molly was happy to see them, but was distressed as there had been no news about Harry.

The day before Luna and Hermione were set to go to Diagon Alley with the Weasleys, they got news. Not news of Harry, but news of another sort.

Voldemort had attacked Diagon Alley, but Dumbledore had fought Him and killed him. For the second time in his life, Dumbledore was the hero of the day. Unfortunately, there were many causalities on both sides; for the light, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Nymphadora Tonks, and a large number of civilians were killed; for the dark, Voldemort, and most of his Death Eaters, including all three Malfoys and all three Lestranges, had been killed.

There were a lot of their classmates now without parents. Hermione wished that Harry was here. He would be able to help with the economy, and making sure everyone had homes. He had enough money for that.

Arguably, Harry Potter had the most money in the Wizarding World, due to the fact that the Malfoys and Sirius had been killed, as Harry was Sirius' heir.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you," cut the voice of Luna Lovegood, jolting her out of her thoughts.

"He was my best friend, my brother," explained Hermione. "You heard McGonagall: this is literally a life and death situation."

"I just worry that you'll go back to him," said Luna.

"Don't you ever think that, Lu," said Hermione. "You are the most important person in my life. I would kill a Death Eater for you."

A few days after Voldemort's defeat, Hermione received two letters. One was from her parents, inviting her and Luna to join them in Paris. The other was from Gringotts for the Will Reading of Sirius Black. Curiously, Luna was invited to that one as well.

Hermione immediately accepted both offers.

"Paris will be fun," said Luna. "They have the second largest Magical Alley there."

"There's also the Eiffel Tower, and the museums, and all that stuff," said Hermione. "The Muggles call it the 'City of Love' as they find it romantic."

"Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren't you, 'Mione?" asked Luna.

\\/

Sirius' will gave Hermione and Luna both exorbitant amounts of money, along with their pick of books from the Black Library.

It was after the Will reading that they got any information on Harry. Dumbledore escorted the girls back to the Rookery, home of the Lovegoods, where he made himself at home in their living room, after putting up secrecy charms that would put Mad-Eye to shame.

"Your friend Harry will be physically alright," said the Headmaster. "Unfortunately, we are unsure whether or not he will be able to be restored to his previous mental health. Remember that locket at Headquarters, Miss Granger?"

Hermione nodded, and then gasped. "It felt wrong," she said. "But we threw it away. How did he get it back?"

"Kreacher has been serving at least three masters for a good part of a year now," said Dumbledore. "First, his begrudging master Sirius. Then, his beloved Bellatrix Lestrange and her family. Finally, Harry, with the promise that he'd give Kreacher to the Blacks. Around October or November, Harry ordered Kreacher to retrieve the locket."

"But why?"

"He was the only one to put it on," said Dumbledore. "It connected with him. Have you ever read The Lord of the Rings, Miss Granger? It's like the One Ring. The Compulsion was there. Harry was already fragile, as we discovered when we examined him, as there was evidence of a connection with Voldemort."

Hermione had a good understanding of this.

"The locket had a curse on it that caused it to allow Voldemort to possess the wearer," said Dumbledore. "Unfortunately, it was a much more powerful curse than what was put on Miss Weasley, though you shouldn't say that to her. I'm sorry that I have to bring you such ambiguous news."

"How did you defeat Voldemort?" asked Luna. "The paper said that there was a fantastic duel."

"Oh, there was," said Dumbledore. "But, for the second time in my life, I defeated a Dark Lord by accident."

"Really?"

"I accidentally knocked Grindelwald off a cliff after our Great Duel," said Dumbledore. "Reinforcements didn't come for a couple of days, and they decided that they would embellish the story, and give me credit for defeating Grindelwald."

"And this time?" asked Hermione. She was unsure whether or not she actually wanted to know the answer.

"Remember the incident with the buffalo that Professor Flitwick is so fond of using?" asked Dumbledore, and both girls nodded, starting to giggle a bit, as they knew where this was going. "We had the magnificent battle, and then I was going to banish some debris at him, and he ended up under a buffalo. I quickly vanished the buffalo, but it managed to kill Voldemort."

"Will Harry be back for next year?" asked Hermione.

"I certainly hope so," replied Dumbledore.

\\/

It was sad when Luna and Hermione had to go their separate ways after being within feet of each other nearly the entire summer. Luna was starting her OWL year, and Hermione was starting her sixth year. They wouldn't be able to have classes together at all.

True to Dumbledore's hope, Harry did appear, looking a little worse for wear. He joined his classmates at the Gryffindor table. He seemed to forget nearly everything that had happened the previous year, and was a bit fuzzy on the previous years, as well.

After the meal, Dumbledore gave his announcements. "We are welcoming an old friend back to the castle: please welcome Professor Slughorn, who will be taking over potions and as Head of Slytherin House."

The roar of approval was overwhelming. Everyone had hated Snape.

"Due to the fact that our previous Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was severely injured at the end of the year, she has decided not to join us," said Dumbledore to just as much applause. "Taking her place will be Professor Kingsley Shacklebolt on loan from the Aurors."

There was a polite applause for the Afro-Caribbean Auror. Hermione figured that his classes would be good—he'd assigned decent textbooks.

"Last year, Harry Potter made the unfortunate discovery of a cursed object from Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore to the double gasps of the students. "This object...possessed him, and he has very little recollection of what he did whilst under the object's thrall. I sincerely hope that you can forgive his actions of last year. Voldemort has ensnared wizards ten times Harry's power."

There were whispers around the Great Hall at this proclamation. He looked at his watch. "Well, I should think that I've bored you quite long enough. You have classes in the morning to prepare for, so pip pip off to bed. Prefects and Head Students, please lead the first-years to their dormitories."

Hermione stood up, her prefect badge on her uniform. "Gryffindor First-Years, follow me!" she called. She looked at some of the First-Years. Ron had been right the previous year—they did seem smaller. It's probably all a relative size thing.

She waved to Luna, who was heading towards the doors. Luna waved back.

\\/

Back in the Common Room, Harry apologised to everyone, multiple times.

"I'm really sorry for going all stalkerish last year, Hermione," said Harry. "And being rude, calling you names, especially 'that' name."

"You'll never be my best friend again, Potter," said Hermione. "But, we can work on being friends. But, in order for us to be friends, you need to accept my relationship with Luna."

"You're gay?" asked Harry.

"I might be," said Hermione. "I just know that I love Luna. If you can't accept that, we cannot be friends."

"I'm perfectly okay with that," he said. "What you do is your own business, as long as it doesn't harm me or someone I like."

He put out his hand. "I'm Harry Potter."

Hermione responded with, "I'm Hermione Granger," as they shook hands. Perhaps they would be friends again.

\\/

That year was free of any distractions of tournaments or crazy dictatorial professors or threats from Voldemort, so Luna and Hermione spent a lot of time together. It was almost disconcerting for Hermione when her girlfriend, a year younger than her, was able to point out things in the texts that she hadn't noticed.

Or fix grammar that Hermione didn't even notice needed to be fixed.

And Hermione was able to quiz Luna on nearly everything she needed to know about the exams. Their relationship was quite strong, and Hermione intended on proposing the minute that Luna turned seventeen. It might not be completely legal, but it would be a nice thing for them.

Harry, on the other hand, was doing poorly in his sixth year classes, despite the marks he received on the OWLs exams. Dumbledore had transferred him to mostly fifth year classes, so that his education would be more well-rounded and complete. Harry didn't dissent, as he knew that he was having a hard time. He would be retaking the OWLs at the end of the year, and his educational future would be decided after that.

Privately, Harry told Hermione that he wasn't fancying being an Auror any longer—Aurors have to deal with cursed objects all of the time, and he realised that he seemed to have a weakness for them.

"Maybe I'll do Quidditch for a couple of years, and reevaluate from there," he told her. He also told her that he was very supportive of her and Luna's relationship, despite the Dursleys saying that same-sex marriages were evil. "If they said something was bad, it either was good or really, really, bad."

Hermione was proud that Harry was thinking about his future, and Luna was glad that she didn't have to worry about him poaching her girlfriend. Hermione had said it would never happen, but due to the events of the previous year, Luna was wary of Mr Potter. The sooner that she didn't have to deal with him any longer, the better.

The next year, Hermione was made Head Girl, and proceeded to abuse the associated privileges quite often. The Head Girl had her own dormitory office, so Luna was often there. This was technically against the rules, but all of the professors turned a blind eye. Some of her Ravenclaw classmates complained that she spent as much time in Gryffindor Tower as she did in Ravenclaw Tower. They conveniently forgot that they'd been bullying her and trying to get her to leave for the past five years.

Hermione and Luna had advanced their relationship to sleeping in the same bed, just sleeping. Professor Flitwick knew of this behaviour, but did not complain, seeing as his Ravenclaws' abuse of Luna had been pointed out to him.

\\/

Luna's birthday was on a Friday that year, so Hermione wanted to make it a weekend long combined Luna's birthday and Valentine's Day celebration.

During the Christmas holidays, Hermione had gone to see Xenophilius Lovegood and ask for permission to ask Luna to marry her. Mr Lovegood was very pleased. He always wanted his little Moonbeam to be happy, and now she was about to be 17. Hermione had also sneaked away to get Luna a ring—for that she used some of the money that Sirius had given her.

Most of the money she'd invested in supposedly safe investments, but she had kept enough to pay for her daily needs, and a ring.

Early in the day of Luna's birthday, Hermione told her that her biggest present would come after dinner. In the meantime, Hermione gave Luna an enchanted razor for her legs and a watch, along with books about the Muggle world (mostly written by Muggle-borns, Muggle family members, or Squibs). Luna was excited for the gifts she already received that she couldn't imagine how Hermione could top this.

After dinner, Hermione encouraged Luna to just go to the Gryffindor Common Room. She had negotiated with Dobby so that a chocolate cake (Luna's favourite flavour) would be delivered to the room. Everyone in Gryffindor plus Luna could have a party.

As always, Dobby had gone a bit overboard. He'd provided a couple of cakes, drinks, and various other candy items, a large table with a nice tablecloth, and large stacks of plates and cups. Hermione made sure that everyone got back to the Common Room first, so that she could surprise Luna.

"SURPRISE!" screamed everybody as Luna walked in. She seemed to be happy that everyone liked her so much. In the middle of the party, Hermione pulled Luna off to the side a little bit, got down on one knee, and took a box out of her bigger-on-the-inside pockets.

"Luna Selene Lovegood, you are most important person in my life, and I would like to go Crumpled-Horn Snorkack hunting with you," Hermione said. "Luna Lovegood, will you make me the happiest woman on this planet by agreeing to marry me?"

"Oh, Hermione, you can't be the happiest woman on the planet, because that's me!" said the stranger witch. "But of course, I will allow you on a Hunt."

She laughed at the look on Hermione's face. "Of course I will marry you." Hermione put the ring on Luna's finger, and the room started to applaud. There were squeals and other various noises when the girls started to kiss.

That night, after the party was over, Luna and Hermione were in the Head Dormitory. "I really am going to miss this, you know," she said.

"What?"

"The room, being able to be with you all the time," replied Luna.

"Don't tell anyone, but Professor McGonagall has offered me an apprenticeship," said Hermione. "She and I would split the classes for a few years, and we would work together on an Advanced Transfiguration project. That means, you only have to leave if you want to."

"I'd like that," said Luna. "Would it be one of those deals where you have to stay here a certain amount of time?"

"No," said Hermione. "Either of us can end it when we want. It even comes with a small stipend, and quarters. Quarters that are not connected to the host teacher's quarters."

"Take it," said Luna. "This is one of the best things to happen to you."

"I know,"

\\/

A couple of months later, Hermione left the school for the last time as a student, and with some of the highest marks known to Wizardkind. Privately, Dumbledore had told her that her grades were likely to be just a few points behind his and that was saying something.

Harry had been on track, but he was still considered a sixth-year.

Hermione met her parents at the train station. She had told them about her engagement, and her actions getting off the train confirmed it, as Hermione was holding her fiancée's hand. They kissed before going over to meet Hermione's parents.

"Mum, Dad, this is my fiancée, Luna Lovegood," introduced Hermione, even though they'd met last summer and a couple of summers ago.

"Congratulations," said Emma Granger. "You have to tell us all about it."

"And don't forget to tell them your other news, as well," mentioned Luna.

"What other news?" asked Dan Granger, in the tone that clearly stated that he would not be happy if certain words were the next ones out of her mouth.

"Professor McGonagall wants to take me on as an apprentice," said Hermione. "It is a great honour, and is a path to becoming a teacher at the school."

Both of the Granger parents hugged their daughter, telling her how proud they were of her.

That night, Luna and her father came over for dinner. "So, what is the magical world's view on...this?"

"On gay people?" asked Xeno. "There are spells available for female gay people to have children, and we believe that they are perfectly able to have a family and get married. It's really only a subset of the Muggle-borns that have a problem with that."

"Spells to have children?" asked Dan, intrigued.

"For women, there is a spell that mixes the magical essence of the two parents," said Xeno knowingly.

"Think mixing DNA, dad," said Hermione.

"What happens when two men fall in love?" followed up Dan. "I know that Hermione's friend, Ron, likes a guy."

"There is a spell for men," said Xeno. "But it requires a host. The two men choose a carrier, generally a poor, uneducated girl, and use the spell to implant an embryo in the female. It pays rather a lot, but each girl can only go through the procedure once. All other pregnancies have to be done the normal way."

"So there's no such thing as male pregnancy?"

"Merlin's beard, no!" laughed Xeno. "Only in the tabloids that print material even more outrageous than my paper."

"Is there a limit with two girls?" asked Dan, wanting to know how many possible grandchildren he could have.

"Only a self-imposed one," said Xeno.

Hermione noticed that her future father-in-law was speaking more coherently than usual, making fewer references to the things his paper wrote, and generally a charming man. It seems some time out of the Rookery was doing him some good.

\\/ Epilogue: 19 years later

Luna and Hermione Lovegood-Granger had been married eighteen years. Their marriage had produced three children, the last of which was now entering Hogwarts.

They were on the platform, saying goodbye to their children, when Luna saw Harry, along with his wife (whom Luna didn't recognise), and their three children. She whispered to Rose, their youngest, "You beat them on every test, okay?"

"Don't go spoiling them against the Potters," said Hermione. "Julia is a perfectly nice woman, and her children are nice as well."

"What if I'm in Slytherin or worse, Ravenclaw?" asked Rose timidly.

"Rose, you are smart enough for Ravenclaw," said Hermione. "If you keep your mind in this world, you won't face any problems. In any case, whichever House you get in to will receive a wonderful young woman. You can ask it for Gryffindor if you want. It doesn't mean that it will acquiesce to your request, but you can try."

"Okay, mummy," said Rose.

"Go find your brothers," said Luna. "Have a good time, learn a lot, and go Gryffindor!"

Rose laughed as she went to find her brothers Daniel and Sirius.

Daniel was a Gryffindor fifth year, and a prefect. He was good on a broom, but also loved to learn.

Sirius was a Hufflepuff third year. He was the star chaser for the Hufflepuff team the previous years. Sirius, however, was quite similar to the person he was named after, as he loved to create trouble.

Rose, of course, was entering into her first year at the school. Both of her mothers had a suspicion that Gryffindor was in her future. She was quiet and kind, and had read most of the library at least once. However, there was that spark of Gryffindor-ness in her that they hoped the Hat could find.

"I can't believe that they're all at Hogwarts now," said Hermione.

"I know," said Luna. "Time flies so quickly."

Hermione Granger had many friends, in many walks of life, from Herbologists to Quidditch Players to Aurors, but none of them was as strange and illogical as her wife, Luna. That said, none of her friends were as sweet as the crazy girl she married.

A/N:

Luna is 513 days (1 year, 4 months and 25 days) younger than Hermione: 19 September 1979 and 13 February 1981

In a previous draft, the Common Room blowup was a lot bigger than it turned out to be, and Luna actually used the Killing Curse to defeat Dolohov and then mused how Harry wasn't able to get a revenge shot in (at Bellatrix)

Hermione turns 17 on 19 September 1996 (at the beginning of sixth year), Luna turns 17 on 13 February 1998 (Hermione's seventh year, Luna's sixth year)

Omake or Second Epilogue (Harry's life and times)

Harry Potter, of Godric's Hollow, was very happy with his life. The possession that he'd endured during his original fifth year had really changed his outlook on life. Harry continued to play Quidditch after he left the school in 1998, playing most of his career at Ballycastle. He made the national squad three times before he retired.

He eventually married a fan, Julia Ivanova, and had three children: James, Sirius, and Lily. Ironically, their children were around the same ages as the Lovegood-Granger children, and were somewhat good friends. Not best friends, but decent friends. The first two were both in Gryffindor, and Lily was about to be Sorted.

Julia and Harry lived a good life. As they were leaving King's Cross after dropping their children off, Harry glimpsed his scar in the mirror. It had not pained him in twenty years. All was well.