Ron tried to yawn discreetly as Luna spouted out information about her research on the Wongleeboo Beetle Queen, who apparently had been re-discovered recently in a well-hidden colony of Wongleboo’s in the north of Wiltshire. It confused Ron too much to think about this so called magical creature existing in the first place so he quietly nodded, bobbing his head up and down in agreement when it seemed right.
Unfortunately, his mouth and jaw had a mind of their own and, before he could stop himself, a full-blown yawn made its way out on its own accord. Ron blushed deep red and shifted his eyesight to observe Luna’s reaction, grimacing at being caught. To his astonishment, she was smiling discreetly.
He smiled back slightly before tentatively reaching out for her hand. As soon as their fingers touched a comforting warmth spread through his body and soul. It was a familiar warmth -- one he had felt many times in the last year while dating her. One that he yearned for almost daily.
“I’m sorry, I’m boring you, Ron,” Luna muttered with her eyes downcast as he took a firmer grip of her soft hand.
“What? No, Luna! I love listening to you about your research. It’s just I’m not quite sure I know what you’re talking about…” he trailed off, embarrassed at being caught yawning.
Luna, in her own special way, let out a mirthful laugh that made his heart constrict painfully with love, before squeezing his hand. “Ron, I love you, but you don’t have to humor me by pretending to know what I speak of, I’m well aware that schoolwork was never one of your strengths. But I appreciate you just listening, even if you do pretend sometimes.”
Ron blushed a deeper crimson and began spouting out excuses while Luna patted his arm, smiled knowingly; Suddenly she leaned forward to give him a peck on the cheek; his skin burned and the lust within spread all over his body in a very urgent manner, he unknowingly closed his eyes to enjoy the skin on skin contact. It was so rare to have private moments with Luna now that she spent so much time away doing research that he cherished everyone single one.
He moved his face at an angle to capture her soft lips with his to hopefully get a good snog, but instead felt empty air. Opening his eyes, Ron noticed that she had pulled away and had a quizzical look on her face.
“Luna?” he asked.
“Yes?”
“Are you okay?” he prompted, knowing full well that he should be used to her puzzled looks by now. Ron smiled to himself as he thought back on the many expressions of surprise that Luna could come up with at times.
After they had shared their second kiss, several months ago, knee-deep in snow, Luna had a befuddled look for a moment, mixed with worry, before a quizzical clarity crossed her face. Then she had smiled as if she had a secret she couldn’t share with anyone else, and smiled dreamily at him before saying, “dreams do come true.”
Ron had also stopped trying to figure out Luna months ago. It was easier if he just went with her ideas and thoughts rather than argue with her because well, he couldn’t really argue with her. Luna was the most impossible person to argue with in Ron’s mind. She’d smile or wave off his tantrum, and he would be left speechless wondering if she did it on purpose. Many times he suspected she did. Then, of course, it was useless trying to argue with her about the existence of the magical creatures she claimed exist. Much more so when one of them turns out to actually existed. It drove him barmy, at first.
After one particular one-sided tantrum, on his part, in front of his entire family, his father had pulled him aside and given him some advice.
“Do you love her?” he had bluntly asked as soon as the door closed to his old room.
“What?” Ron blurted out.
“Do you love Luna, son?”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“It has everything to do with this, Ronald.”
“Yes,” he answered, blushing.
Arthur looked him up and down before continuing, “How much?”
“What?”
“How much do you love her?”
“What--”
“Everything, Ronald Bilius Weasley.”
Silence encompassed the two men in the room for a lengthy period of time before Ron finally answered. He dropped his head to the floor and stated, “I’m madly in love with Luna Lovegood. It kills me inside that others think she’s ‘Loony’ and I don’t know what to do about it. I want it to stop because I’m not embarrassed to call her my girlfriend, but I’m ashamed of the narrow-minded views others have of her. She’s a bright witch. I mean, she’s a Ravenclaw. But--”
“But you should be proud of her for who she is, and not who you wish her to be, or how you wish others would perceive her,” his father interrupted sternly. “As long as you stand by her, proud and tall, she’ll have someone on her side, who doesn’t question her beliefs, who loves her for who she is, and regardless of what anyone else YOU will always be on her side.”
Ron smiled at Luna as she kept staring into space. He lovingly pushed her blonde straggly curls behind her ear, and gently squeezed her hand. He loved that he knew little ways to bring her back from the place he secretly called “Luna’s La-La Land.”
He’d only been dating Luna for six months, but he couldn’t help but love her with all of his heart.
“Luna, I love you,” he blurted it out without thinking.
Courting the Wongleboo Queen by mgle_teacher
Chapter Notes: After writing The Wongleboo Beetle Dance for a Ravenclaw challenge, I fell in love with Ron/Luna as a pairing. This sequel has been screaming and beating down on me until I finally decided to sit down and start it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Thanks to Sly Severus for giving this the quick one-over. She's the love.
I disclaim from owning anything in the Harry Potter universe.