For Janine.

"I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word, but so sad. I've found it now." "What word?" "Alive. I'm alive." "Alive isn't sad." "It's sad when it's over."

Luna was very comfortable. In that moment and also in that period of time. With the War over and the Battle won, she'd found herself closer to Hermione, Neville, and Ginny – and therefore the rest of the Weasleys, Harry included. She didn't mind much – she separated her Sundays between dinner at the Weasleys and brunch with Neville and his grandmum in a feeble attempt to make the awkwardness that his new girlfriend's presence made not so noticeable.

She was currently at the Burrow, listening to Hermione hum under her breath when she thought no one was listening as she leaned against her friend's legs, as she was in the beanbag and Luna was on the floor. Harry and Ginny were nearly dozing on each other on the loveseat, while George, Fred and Lee were sitting in a rare silence on the couch. The fire was on in the fireplace, and Luna could hear her own breathing straighten out and Hermione's as well.

Until a much taller blonde appeared in front of the two girls and made them look up as she frowned at them.

"You two need to be taught," Fleur said, her French accent still prominent in her voice.

"Pardon?" Hermione said with a frown as the others' attentions were captured.

"You two are as single as lost socks – you need to be taught to flirt," Fleur said.

"What?" Hermione's eyebrows rose as Luna sat up on her own, staring up innocently at the older woman. She had nothing against Fleur – she'd been civil to her when the Triwizard Tournament was going on, and had even been kind in making the other students stop teasing her once or twice – so she couldn't find reason to particularly hate her.

"Oh Merlin," Fred laughed on the couch, his hand covering his eyes. George was leaning on the arm of the couch, his hand covering his smile as he watched the scene, Lee shaking his head with Harry as Ginny tried to keep her own chuckles to herself.

"Fleur, I'm busy," Hermione stated before she saw her eyeing the book, "Well, not right now, but I'm far too busy with my life to go out and start dating."

"Classes will begin next Sunday before dinner – come two hours early," Fleur said anyway before twirling on her heel and walking off.

"Two hours?!" Hermione called back incredulously. She shared an unbelieving look with Luna, who only shrugged back at her.

"Fleur, with all due respect, flirting depends on the two people involved," Hermione said once Fleur shut the door to Ginny's old room. "You can't teach us how to flirt."

"I can teach you generic ways to flirt," Fleur said before softening a little, "Hermione, I understand that you are terribly smart in all things, but when it comes to actually flirting, I believe that you are rather scared. I only wish to bring out that confidence that I and everyone else knows you have."

"I don't want to be confident!" Hermione huffed childishly, "I want to be me, and me – I mean, I – don't flirt."

"She's just flustered," Luna told Fleur as she hung off the loft bed by her knees, arms stretched towards the floor. "The topic of love always makes her red." She grabbed on to the railing and flipped over before staring back at Fleur. "I would like to know, though, and conduct an experiment."

"Experiment?" Fleur and Hermione echoed.

"Yes," Luna nodded, "I have quite the crush on someone, and would like to know all possible ways in which I might convince them to return my feelings."

"Oh," Hermione said blankly, blinking at her as Fleur brightened.

"Hey Luna," George said as he shelved some boxes, "What brings you here today?"

Luna smiled at him as he paid attention to his work, glancing up at her for a moment or two before going back to his work, "'Lo George, I'm just here to see if you have any tips on flirting for me."

George gave out a strangled sound and nearly dropped all of his boxes, yelping and catching them quickly as Fred came up curiously.

"What?" he asked, looking between the two.

"Luna wants flirting tips," George said shakily, his cheeks red as he went back to his task.

"Oh, well in that case –" Fred was cut off by Hermione marching through the store, giving him a very harsh glare, and setting a rather large box into his arms before turning on her heel and walking out, no doubt back to her job at the Ministry.

"Well, I've found out how Fred flirts," Luna said offhandedly as Fred winced and started to turn a bit pink, giving her a sheepish grin. "How about you, George?"

"Ahh – same," he managed as Fred set the box into his arms instead, making him glare at his twin as Fred arched an eyebrow at Luna.

"Why do you want to know how we flirt, Luna?" he asked as the box gave a lurch, making George's eyes widened and his eyebrows shoot up.

"I'm going to conduct an experiment, after I've asked a friend for help," she stated before turning on her heel and skipping out, the two watching her go curiously.

"You want me to take you to different similar universes to flirt with some bloke?" the Doctor asked, an eyebrow arched ridiculously high. He had crazy brown hair and a rather long nose, his hands currently stuffed into the pockets of his pinstriped suit as he rocked back and forth on Converse clad feet, his trench coat swaying with him. Luna had met him not long after the War was over, and was ever so pleased when he asked if she wanted to come along with him. She declined, however, because she'd miss her friends too much. He still visited often, and even gave her a strange Muggle thing that had been tinkered with so she could call him. He found her pleasant to talk to and joke with, and treated her much as a daughter most days, and a best friend a lot of the time.

"Yes," Luna nodded, smiling brightly at him. He frowned at her, considering this before taking another calculating look at her. "It's for science," she stated, feeling it would help.

"Well, if it's for learning…" he grinned, making her throw her arms around him before she hopped into the TARDIS behind him.

"Hey, Luna, we're closed if you wanted to buy something," George said, shutting the register with his hip, "If it's just for company, then we're open for business." He grinned as she smiled back, hopping up on the counter and peering down at him. "How'd that experimenting go?"

"Well, I haven't actually flirted with the person of my affections yet," she said, "I have a friend who let me universe jump and test each one out. I've tried Fleur's way, which ended nicely. I've tried Ron and Harry's way, which was sports, and it ended well also. I've tried Mrs. Weasley's, which was food, and that ended messily in the physical sense, but that ended in good terms too. Lee and Fred's were pranking, and that only started in a Prank War, but in the end I got it sorted. And now I've only got one more way to try, and I think I'll try it on the person in my universe this time."

"What way is that?" he asked, attempting to be polite. Really, all of this was breaking his heart. It was bad enough only having one ear, even worse was having his heart ripped out of his chest and served to him on a platter by seeing the girl he fancied flirt with another guy. And in different universes! His head was wobbling.

Luna smiled and leaned closer, placing her lips on his and making a pleasant smacking sound as he stared at her in awe. "My way, of course."

"Of course," he said after a few moments, his eyes still wide and a smile creeping onto his face.

"Good luck, Luna Lovegood," the Doctor said as he watched the two through the shop's window across the street. "You be good." He turned slowly on his heel, smiling at his friend as the redheaded man ruffled up her hair, giant grins adorning both of their faces, and took a deep breath before settling his torso the right way and walking down the street.

Oh and PS - Hermione was with Fred all along.

"Goodbye." "No...hello. Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you."