Harry tugged on his tie one last time as he looked in the mirror. It didn't feel right. It didn't look right for that matter. He sighed heavily and ripped it off a moment later. Everything had to be perfect. Well, it didn't have to be perfect, but it needed to be pretty close. After all, how many times would his dad marry his mum?

His smile grew at that thought. They were getting married. Finally. Well, actually, they were getting married later that night. But, still, it was only a few hours until they became a real family. A family. A real family. He shook his head as he held his tie in his hand loosely. That was all his parents and he had ever really wanted. To be part of a family since their own families were severely messed up.

At a quiet knock against his door, the young man glanced in the mirror back towards the door. He laughed softly when he saw his dad in a t-shirt and pair of sweatpants standing in the doorway.

"You do realize the wedding isn't for another eight hours, right?"

"Yeah. I know," Harry replied with a nod. "Just making sure everything's ready to go."

"Oh?"

Harry's smile widened slightly. "Well, you have it easy, Dad. You know who you're going with. Me, well, I still am waiting to hear back from Hermione."

"Ah." His dad nodded. "So you did ask Miss Granger then?"

"I did."

"And she has yet to give you answer?"

"Yeah." Harry gave a short laugh when he saw his dad's brow raise. "I know, Dad, but she's the only girl I know." Or rather the only one he was close to was more like it.

His dad opened his mouth to respond when he frowned suddenly.

"Now, who is it?" his dad groaned before he turned and headed back out of Harry's room.

The young man couldn't help but follow. His mind raced with ideas of who it could be outside their rooms. Was it his grandparents? Maybe. Or maybe it was another one of the professors? When he saw the portrait swing open soon after, he stopped in mid-step and stared. Oh.

"Hello, Professor. May I speak with Harry?" He heard Hermione say a moment later.

Harry sighed in response and closed his eyes. Judging that she wasn't dressed yet, this wasn't going to be good. He took one more step to make it less noticeable that he had seen her and was disappointed. He noticed his dad glance at him before his dad swept out of the room to give them privacy. Harry plastered on the fake smile instantly.

"Is everything all right, Hermione?"

She nodded, her hands at her sides. "I'm sorry, Harry, but . . ."

The young man forced a shrug and shook his head. "It's okay. Really it is."

"I wanted to come tonight. I did. It's just with everything going on with Draco and Ron, I, well, you understand, don't you?" Her eyes searched his.

"Yeah. It's fine." Harry's smile widened just a bit as inside he felt sick. It wasn't like this scenario hadn't crossed his mind. He knew that by asking her, he would be putting her into a precarious situation with the other two boys. But he thought that maybe everyone could overlook it for just one night and let him take her. Guess they couldn't. Not that it was all that surprising. The boys had been fighting over her for months now like she was a piece of meat.

"Harry, please." She reached towards him, pausing when he stepped back from her. "I may not be able to go with you, but I did manage to ask someone for you."

The young man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah? Who? Lavender? Pansy?"

"Luna."

Hearing that name was a slap across his face. Luna? She asked Luna Lovegood? He stared back at her, his mouth opening and closing several times. Luna? He hadn't spoken to her in a few weeks now. He always meant to, of course, but with the new baby on the way . . .

"Why?" he managed to choke out a moment later.

It was Hermione's turn to roll her eyes now. "Harry, do I truly need to spell it out for you?"

Not particularly, no, but he couldn't find the words to respond to her properly.

"You like her! It's obvious to anyone with half a brain."

His eyes narrowed on Hermione. Was it really that obvious? He liked to think that only he knew of his confusing and sometimes at odds with himself feelings towards the blonde. He winced inwardly as he wondered who else knew. Did Luna herself know? If she did, he could never face her again.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Of course there isn't!" Harry snapped, sounding strangely like his father.

"She said yes by the way."

He frowned in reply, not wanting to admit that he was rather relieved to hear that.

"She'll be here in a few hours."

"Here?" he repeated, staring at Hermione blankly. Luna was coming down here?

"Yes. Here." Hermione smiled softly.

"But she's a Ravenclaw!" That sounded lame even to him. He pushed on, though. "So maybe Draco hasn't told you this, but the dungeons aren't a real safe place for someone like her to be."

"Someone like her?"

"Yeah, you know, a Ravenclaw."

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "I swear I feel like I'm talking with Ron right now. Slytherins don't have issues with Ravenclaws. In fact, many Slytherins end up dating one at some point. And all that is beside the matter. You have no reason to worry. Really. Everything is going to be just fine."

Fine? Fine?! How was him and Luna attending his parents' wedding together going to be fine? He could barely speak to Luna on a good day, let alone a day as important as this one. And he wasn't a fool either. He had seen the way Draco and his dad acted around their girlfriends. He was ten times worse than the both of them combined around Luna.

"It'll be fine, Harry. I promise." Hermione then gave him a final smile before she left.

The young man couldn't help but sigh as the portrait closed behind her. Going back to bed sounded really good about now. Maybe he'd wake up later and discover all this had been a very bad dream. Well, he could hope at least. He was almost asleep when he heard his dad walk past his room. Where was his dad going? That was the last thought the young man had.