Harry didn't miss the irony of Luna's look and had he not been as serious as he was, he would have laughed. "I do like you, Luna. You're one of my best friends and I care about you just as I would the others," he assured her, his hand still held out for hers. "Hand-holding isn't just reserved for those who are dating. I've held Hermione's hand before and we've never dated. It's about comfort and, right now, I don't want to hold anyone else's hand. I want to hold yours."
He didn't mention the fact that life wasn't like the story books. Things never went smoothly and some times there was no happily ever after. He didn't want to take that away from Luna. She wasn't cynical like the rest of them and that was part of the reason she was so easy to be around. He knew, in the end, if a time arose when she needed to be serious, she could be. Harry, however, wasn't going to complain about the less serious version.
"Besides, it's only for a little while," he shrugged, offering her another smile. "Just down the Alley a little ways."