A/N- This is my first Luna/George, because I have recently begun liking this pairing, so here we go!

- oOo -

"Hello, George Weasley"

Whether he had ever mentioned it or not, George Weasley had always had a peculiar fascination with Luna Lovegood. He didn't see her much during school, seeing as they were three years apart and in different houses, but the few times he did happen to stumble across her, she was usually by herself, reading a book or the latest issue of The Quibbler, humming to herself. Other times, she would be sitting or standing with Ginny or Harry, no doubt talking about creatures that existed only in the imagination of her and her father. Every time he saw her though, regardless of what she was doing or who she was speaking with, she would always stop, look up at him, and say: "Hello, George Weasley." If Fred was with him, which was more often than not, she would greet him as well. She didn't greet Fred with his last name, though; only George. This may have been to avoid redundancy, but it made her greeting to George feel more personal all the same. He hadn't seen her since the war though. That was three years ago. After that, she had gone MIA, not completing her last years of Hogwarts, as would have been expected, and no one had heard from her, or knew what she was up to. That's why it came as a shock to George when she came knocking on the front door of his flat one Sunday afternoon.

George was in his room reading up on memory-altering potions for an invention he had thought up. The details of said invention were still a bit fuzzy, but he knew that he wanted it to be about the same taste and consistency of a Muggle soda, so he had an array of cookbooks and how-to books scattered around him on his bed as well. He was getting to the effects of certain ingredients when he heard three soft knocks in the front room. George dog-eared the page he was on, and set it down before getting up to see who it was.

He felt a heart shattering pain as he passed the closed door of Fred's room. (George had long since come to terms with the fact that his twin was gone, but that didn't make each day without him any less painful).

He briefly wondered if he should have thrown on a different pair of pants, since he was wearing the same blue-and-white-plaid pajama bottoms he wore yesterday, but decided that this was his flat, he'd wear what he wanted, and he'd be damned if some unannounced stranger would incline him to change.

He approached the front door, and opened it without looking through the peep-hole first. He was rather surprised to see Luna Lovegood standing in front of him, her long, white-blond hair tied back in a low ponytail, and a sheet-covered something by her side.

"Hello, George Weasley," she greeted him in her soft, airy voice.

"Er, hey there…" Despite the fact that he knew her by face, her name seemed to have escaped him. It had been so long, and he hadn't really interacted with her much in school anyway. He remembered that she had a reputation for being mad as a hatter, though, and that this was incorporated with her nickname, which was a play on her name. What was it…. "Loony Lovegood," he muttered aloud, then widened his eyes, realizing that he had just spoken aloud. "Luna! Luna, Luna, I'm so sorry, I just-"

"It's quite alright, I know you forgot my name," she said with a smile. She said it with such a cheery disposition, that George was a bit put off. "May I come in?" she inclined her head toward the door.

"Oh, er, yeah, of course." George stepped aside, and Luna entered his living room, bringing the sheet-covered thing with her.

"How are you, George?" she asked, her voice sounding far-off, like she was distracted. She looked at George with her impossibly wide eyes, staring so intently, it was like his answer was the most important thing in the world, and he knew he wouldn't live up to that expectation.

"Alright, I suppose. I've been better," he rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, I'm sure. Fred's death was very hard on you, and I'm sure it's still quite devastating," she stated bluntly, nodding. George didn't quite know what to say to that. "I'm sorry; I've upset you, haven't I?" Luna apologized.

"No, no…" George breathed, trying to gather himself. "No, it's just… well no one every really brings up Fred's- Fred's death around me," he stuttered, shaking his head slowly. "It's like they're afraid I'll go to pieces if I so much as hear his name," he said quietly.

"I'm very sorry," Luna placed a hand on his forearm. "It must be very difficult not to."

He gave her a sort of half-smile. "It is. But I know there's nothing I can do, so… you know." Luna nodded. "So how have you been? What have you been up to for the past few years?" George asked.

"Oh, I'm quite well, thank you for asking," Luna smiled brightly. "I was off with Daddy, searching for Crumple-Horned Snorkacks-" she began. George expected that. "-But we weren't having much luck-" George expected that as well. "-So I went off to France to study magical portraits and paintings," she said. That, he had not expected. "That's where I was up until a few months ago, when I came back to London."

"Wow, Luna, I didn't know you were interested in that."

"Oh, I've always been rather curious. The way I see it is that life is short, so we should learn as much as we can, while we can," she said, with a look of innocence that made it seem like she had no idea that what she had just said was actually quite wise and agreeable. "Carpe Diem," She said. "Seize the day. Live in the moment. Learn what you don't know, do what you haven't done yet, and if you want something, take it before it's too late. That's why I brought this." She gestured to the sheet-covered mystery object by her side.

"Yeah, I was going to ask what that was," George said.

"It's for you," Luna smiled dreamily. "Up until Fred's death, Carpe Diem seemed to be a motto you lived by. From what I've heard, you seem to be living in the past, more than the present. I know it's probably too soon for you to get back to being your old self, but I thought that this would at least help move you along." With that, she removed the sheet.

At first, George thought it was a portrait of himself, but after looking at it more closely, he saw that the figure in the painting had two ears, and a faint scar on his left eyebrow… It was Fred. He was sitting in a magenta armchair in a pale blue background, fast asleep. He wore the same clothes that he had worn the day of the battle; green jacket, beige turtle-neck shirt, green jeans, and black trainers. The only difference was that he was clean, blood-free, and unharmed.

George looked at Luna, speechless.

"I don't… I can't… I don't know what to say…" he managed in a hoarse whisper.

"I've only just put the finishing touches on it yesterday, so he won't wake up for a few days," she explained, as though it were completely normal. "He's got another frame and background at Hogwarts, in the main corridor. Professor McGonagall actually requested it. I thought it was a wonderful idea, so he won't have to stay in your flat all the time… he can visit his third home and meet his fans. You two left quite a legacy behind you know."

"Yeah, we sort of figured… didn't know we had any fans, though," George shrugged, still gazing at the portrait.

"Oh, yes. Everyone knows who you are at Hogwarts. You've become sort of… famous, I suppose."

"That's really neat… I didn't know that," George grinned.

"Well, you learn something new every day," Luna stated, her smile never leaving her lips.

"Yeah, I guess you do," George nodded, drumming on his thigh.

"Well, I should probably be going," Luna said after a silent moment.

"Are you sure? You don't have to."

"Oh, no, it's alright. I can tell you're uncomfortable. You're just too nice to say anything."

"What? Oh, no! Luna I-"

"It's alright, George, I don't mind," Luna's smile widened. "Just let me know when Fred wakes up. This is the first portrait I've ever done."

George grinned. "Will do, Luna," he said. He opened his arms for a hug, and Luna looked quite taken aback. George almost tried to pass the motion off as stretching, but Luna stepped forward and accepted the hug." "I'll see you in a few days then."

Luna smiled and looked up at George with her big, blue eyes.

"Goodbye, George Weasley."

"G'bye, Luna."

- oOo -

A/N- I'm actually very proud of this fic… I think it's one of the best I've done. I hope you liked it! I might do a few more Lorge stories later.