Dedication: I dedicate this one-shot to Niffly, my beta on the MNFF Forums.
Luna trampled through the damp grass, absorbing all the different scents. She picked out the distinctive smell of the river moss. Excited by the sound of the rushing steam and the croaking of frogs, she ran off in that direction as quickly as the mud would tolerate.
The approaching, glistening stream looked so warmly inviting, that Luna tore the bamboo sandals off her feet. She didn’t care about the mud. After all, mud could be washed away. She picked up a flat rock and skimmed it across the water. It only made a soft “plop” as it hit the surface and sank.
Luna dipped her toes into the crystal water, then wadded in until she was up to her knees. She clambered up onto a mossy log and rested her stomach on the wood. She crossed her legs and wobbled them back and forth, both hands rested on her chin; her eyes were enchanted by the unfaltering rhythm of the water.
A bright green frog with purple spots down its back croaked and made small hops towards the newcomer.
“Hello to you, too,” Luna replied, reaching out to stroke the frog’s smooth skin. “Awfully beautiful out here, isn’t it? Is it possible to ever tire of something so earthly and natural? You must know. You’ve lived here all your life.”
The frog cocked its head and emitted a small croak.
“The sun always makes me so happy,” Luna sighed. “It makes me forget about all the horrible things going on in the world. It reminds me of…” She faltered and stared at the sun, until her eyes began to water. “It doesn’t matter, anyways. You find the sun pleasant, don’t you?”
A restful hour passed by Luna, her friend frog tucked away in her sundress pocket. Luna was sitting Indian-style in a field of flowers, weaving daisies together to form a crown.
“Oh, don’t worry, Master Frog,” she chortled to her frog when he poked his head out of her pocket. “I’ve picked out a flower especially for you.” She looked up the flower-coated hill and saw the faint outline of a person sitting against a tree.
“Now, who would that be? Surely Hermione wouldn’t be looking for me just yet. I haven’t been out for a dangerous amount of time and it’s barely noon. Come on, Master Frog. Let’s go see who it is.”
Caution battled against interest as Luna travelled adjacent to the trees up the hill. Less than a few trees away, she instantly recognized the man, and her heart thumped louder. There he was, his eyes closed and his lovely hair gently swaying with the breeze. His glasses were off, caught in his closed hand. The thin black shirt hung loosely on his chest and the jeans he wore showed signs of weariness. All the
more, he lifted her heart tremendously. She held tighter onto the coarse bark of the wood.
“Hello, Harry,” she said brightly. Before she could finish her sentence, the man had scrambled to his feat and his wand was pointed directly at Luna. Harry’s eyes were dark and threatening.
Luna blinked.
His eyes suddenly turned from poisonous to sorrowful when he recognized Luna. He lowered his wand, though never failing to loosen his grip on it. He let out a tense breath of air and his posture released all its stiffness. He leaned against the tree, taking deep breaths.
“I’m sorry, Luna,” he answered. “I just… I thought…. Never mind.” He slid the ground, readjusting his glasses.
Luna didn’t blink at the crunching of bark. “It’s fine, Harry.” She was still taken aback by his unexpected action. “Are you alright? You seem rather tense.” She bent down next to him. Harry nodded firmly.
“Have you received any word from Ginny?”
“No,” Harry replied shortly. He seemed uneasy and unwilling to talk about Ginny since she had left, a week and a half ago. The moodiness that lingered around Harry had changed the conversations at the house where Ron, Hermione, Luna, Harry and, until recently, Ginny had been taking shelter in.
The announcement of Ron and Hermione’s engagement was quickly followed by Ginny’s abrupt leave. She was arguing with Harry up to the door. She had slammed it in his face and Disapparated on the spot. Until then, Harry had locked himself in his room, “thinking,” as he had told everyone at breakfast one day.
Harry looked down at a little clump of crab grass sprouting from the dirt. “I don’t think we have a reason to make up for anything.”
“Why not?” Luna interrogated.
“Because we’re not in love anymore! That’s why!” Harry grabbed the clump of crab grass and chucked it at an arching apple tree.
Luna could not suppress her surprised expression. Ever since sixth year, Ginny and Harry had seemed the perfect couple. There was no thought in anyone’s mind that doubted their passion for one another. Even Luna could not imagine them apart.
“You… you don’t love her? Is there someone else?”
Harry looked up at the leaves and began playing with a fallen, red apple. He avoided her question.
Luna tore her gaze away from Harry and rested her back against the opposite side of the tree. Her mouth was open and her eyes darted from the sky to the ground and back to the sky.
Harry was not in love with Ginny. Such news would shock even Hermione, who had sensed some tension in Harry and Ginny’s relationship. Luna would not ask who it was, in case she broke her heart and or angered Harry.
When her heart was stabbed in the sixth year by Ginny’s kiss to Harry, Luna did not cry like a common girl would do. She had actually praised Harry and Ginny, because they were happy. That was all that mattered: happiness. But now, she couldn’t help it anymore. She didn’t know if she could handle it. Harry was again in love, with someone else.
For the first time in many years, Luna began to cry. Never had she cried. And yet, here she was, a single tear with a tale of love and jealously sliding down her cheek.
“It was you,” Harry finally revealed. “It was always you. It is you, Luna. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize it. ”
Luna blinked away another tear. Harry rounded the tree and held her hand. He was inches from her face and on his knees.
“What?” Luna asked. Surely she heard wrong.
“You, Luna. You. I love you. It breaks my heart to say so, but Ginny was only an illusion. Something inside of me didn’t want to confront you, so I settled for the next person. How could I have been so stupid not to see it earlier? It would have saved us all some time. I… I never expected it to happen. I was unconsciously walking around, missing a whole piece of me, and you were there the entire time. Almost waiting.” He laughed. “Here I am, maturing and trying to save the world, but only half of me. No one but you can be that other half.”
“But… why?” There was a mounting desire building up in her chest. A desire to hug, to kiss and to love.
“What does it matter?” Harry asked, his hand shaking. “I love you, Luna. Tell me you do too, or declare me a madman.”
“We’re both as sane as we always were, Harry,” Luna soothed him gently. Her face neared his and their hands intertwined. Harry ran his fingers through her braids. Their lips touched and a future was brought upon them.
Only a frog basking in a ring a daisies was the witness to their long-awaited scene of passion underneath the apple tree, two halves combined as one.
The End.