AN: This was supposed to be the Fourth Year shot in Loony Snape, but when I typed "It was odd; watching this strange little fourth year.." it hit me: Luna was a Third Year in The Goblet of Fire. I'm a genius, I know... I felt this was too good to completely erase, so here we are. Like it says in the summary (as I'm typing this out, anyway), I have no idea where this is going to go. May end up being a LL/SS pairing, friendship, or LL and someone else. Who knows? Anyway, I hope this turns out alright. Happy Reading & Blessed Be!~
Long, dirty, tangled blonde hair was haphazardly flung behind her as she pushed it out of her face in near-agitation. The boy sitting next to her was muttering to himself whilst poring over an old Herbology textbook. Luna uncrossed and recrossed her legs, as her left one was going numb. With a sigh that wasn't so dreamy, she flipped a page in her book and quickly scanned the pages. She had a sudden and fierce desire to fling the book across the room, run to the Ravenclaw Common Room, and flop herself onto one of the plush couches in front of the fire that was probably just beginning to die down, as it was nearing curfew. She quickly smothered it, though a few embers remained. The silence in the Library was broken only by Neville's muttering and the scratching of old pages being turned quickly in waning patience. The turn of each page seemed to fan the embers of her longing until it mounted and sparked. Her tongue darted out and she wet her lips. Luna took a deep breath to ensure she wouldn't blow up at Neville for keeping her here all day-though it wasn't his fault, really. He was just being a good friend to Harry; helping him find a solution for that breathing underwater problem. She had, after all, volunteered herself for a Saturday in the Library-after all, what else was she to do? It wasn't as if she had any other friends who'd be willing to spend their free day with Loony Lovegood. She turned slightly and opened her mouth, ready now to politely inform Neville that a Snaggle-Tooth Burmfly would target them if they sat still any longer (not that a Snaggle-Tooth Burmfly actually lived in these regions, but Neville needn't know that), when the murmuring boy let out a high-pitched squeal and launched out of his chair, throwing his arms in the air and doing an odd sort of tap-dancing maneuver with his feet. The sudden transition from bated silence to... this... took Luna by complete surprise and caused her to jerk backward from surprise, which in turn caused her chair to tip back, spilling her onto the floor.
Three things happened at once. One was the cry of dismay from Neville. Another was the hiss of pain from Luna. The last was the enraged snarl from the aisle in front and to the side of the table they had been studying at for hours.
Neville rushed to his fallen friends side, leaning down over her face and stuttering what sounded remotely like, "L-oo-, are-right? 'Ound it, then-fell!" Then, as a cold, distinctive voice began to berate the two for the obnoxious interruption, "Gillyweed!"
"And what is the cause of this obscene outburst, Mr. Longbottom? Why in the world is Ms. Lovegood on the floor?" Snape sneered at them while simultaneously kneeling down and gripping Luna's fore-arm. The girl in question pulled herself up to her elbows-not without a tug from her Professor-and blinked heavily, scrunching up her face. When she opened her eyes, she looked up at the two males hovering above her curiously. She sniffed.
"Are the both of you devoid of thought? What is the meaning of this ruckus?" Snape inquired again, though quieter than he usually would have done. It became clear to Luna that Neville was incapable of answering; his fear of his dreaded Potions master was causing him to suck in air in short little gasps.
So she answered for him. "I believe Neville found the thing we've been looking for. Haven't you, Neville?" She and Snape turned their faces expectantly to the boy, who fumbled for words, growing redder with each stutter. Snape growled, and Neville looked as if he were about to pass out. She quickly came to his rescue. "Since we've found it, why don't you go to bed, Neville? Tell me 'bout it tomorrow."
Jerking his head up and down enthusiastically, he mumbled something about hoping she was well and "the answer." He all but ran from the Library.
Snape turned to her with a bemused expression. She just gazed back up at him, her eyes slowly clouding; the tell-tale sign that she was forming some nonsensical idea in her mind. He tugged the girl to her feet, and righted her chair. She stood lamely by him, her eyes still locked on him. They looked at each-other for a few moments before he grew impatient, and slightly uncomfortable.
"Miss Lovegood, I must ask that you refrain from tipping your chair backwards, as you could have knocked your head and caused damage to it. Though it might serve to knock some sense into that globe on your neck, it is not an acceptable past-time."
Her eyes flickered to the chair that was now tucked in, and then back to him. She nodded, slowly.
"That is a reasonable request, sir," She started, as if he had asked her opinion on the matter, "I will try not to do so. Neville just startled me."
"Longbottom... startled you?"
"Bit."
"And does his 'startling' have something to do with the feminine squeal that bombarded my ears before you added the unnecessary crash of your chair to the noise?" He asked, sarcasm dripping from his words.
She nodded and confirmed his words with a painfully bright smile. He smothered the urge to roll his eyes, instead telling her to get to her dorm. She bit her lip and her eyes narrowed ever so slightly before she jerked her chin downwards and turned to pick up the books they had been flipping through all day. With a long-suffering sigh, Snape sent the books flying back to their rightful place on the shelves with a simple flick and twist of his wrist. Luna found herself wishing she could be even half as elegant as he-he made it looks so natural, unlike many who foolishly waved their wands around, making it look clumsy and slightly humourous; like a muggle-child playing with a stick and calling it a wand. Realizing her observation of him was border-lining on staring, Luna tore her eyes away. They widened slightly when she saw her shoes hanging under the table. Her mouth formed a comical "o" of surprise and delight.
The insane little dunderhead dropped to the floor at his feet and scuttled on her hands and knees beneath the table. With brows furrowed in utter confusion, Severus leaned down and peered under it after her. She was laying down with her legs drawn up, pointing her wand at the table where the laces to a pair of ridiculous shoes dangled down. From the looks of it, they were Charmed to the table, making the removal difficult. With a "Finite Incantartum," the shoes fell down, nearly colliding with her face. Luckily for the chit, his reflexes were honed to precision from years of being a basket on the arm of the Dark Lord. With a wandless and quickly-thought Hover Charm, the shoes stopped millimeters from her face. She grabbed them from the air, and shoved her feet into them, right then and there. It was odd; watching this strange little Third Year tie her shoes while lying on her back. She finished securing her polka-dotted shoes-he noted that she tied them thrice before tucking the laces down into the shoe so they didn't flop around-and crawled back out.
He arched an eyebrow as she looked up at him, her tangled hair falling in front of her face. He resisted the urge to brush it back, which she did mindlessly seconds after the inane thought fluttered through his head.
"Goodnight, Professor! Until Tuesday!" She offered him another dazzling smile before skipping out of the Library. He turned on his heels to go back to searching for the particular book he needed, when her voice floated back to him. "Thank you, sir. G'night, sweet dreams, Professor."
The door swung back silently, cutting off the faint hum of a lullaby she was singing to herself.
AN: Yeaaa... not satisfying enough for a One-Shot... any thoughts? Please, I'm utterly clueless as to what to do here. :p Thanks for your time!