Title: Brighter Day
Author: Sweetiedogood
Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling and associates own these characters. I am writing this story for fun and not profit.
Beta: None
Wordcount: 1,500
Rating: PG-13
Warning: AU.
Pairings: Hints at HP/LL
Summary: Luna gets attacked; Harry saves her.
Authors Notes: A stand alone AU ficlet written with the QuillIt Prompt (1) Wicked, Mission Insane: Ice-Cream and 10fics Angel.
Brighter Day
Luna was always in her head, that's why she didn't hear them approach. The corridors of Hogwarts were so droll that she normally painted them with her mind as she walked through them, a mentally taxing task. By the time she was focused enough on reality she was surrounded. They were animals in her eyes. Instead of hands she saw claws, instead of lips she saw snouts. Their bodies were blurred, shifting from cloak to feathers and back again.
"Are you all okay?" Luna asked them seriously tilting her head to the left. She squinted at their fluctuating forms. "Do you need help?" Perhaps it was an animagus experiment gone wrong. The animals didn't speak, they just tightened their circle around her. The closer they got the harder it became for Luna to breathe.
"We don't want you here Lovegood," Fairchild barked and Luna's eyes widened further. She took a step back. She didn't know what he said, she didn't speak dog, but the hostility in the air was tangible. Luna hands began to tremble the animals raised their wands. She deftly managed to dodge the second spell, but not the second, or third.
"It's all your fault Lovegood," squawked Dennett as she aimed a swift kick to Luna's stomach. Luna's eyes watered with tears and she gasped for breath. She locked both of her arms at her sides to keep her from doing something she would regret. She wished there was some way to convey to them that she couldn't understand what they were saying, that they didn't speak the same language.
"If Harry Potter would have done his fucking job instead of saving you-" Swann's screech cut off abruptly as she crumpled to the ground. Three more spells flew in rapid succession flooring three more of the animals.
Luna felt him before she saw him. His power was immense, filling the entire corridor with rage hot and heavy. Two more fell clearing the way for Luna to see her savior, his aura burning black and red with sharp white tendrils around the edges. Her assailants cowered under the assault of his power, Luna leaned into his fury.
"P-P-P-Pot-" another animal fell. Luna looked up from the floor as Harry stood before her. He fell to his knees surveying her. He didn't seem to know whether to help her up or heal her. His aura was so bright Luna thought it would burn her if she touched it. Pure. Almost like an angel.
"Luna, do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?" He asked gently his aura ebbing away from white and blurring with concern. "Are you hurt? What curses did they use? I'm so sorry I'm late-"
Luna put a finger to his lips and smiled. "I already reversed the damage," she said baring her inner wrist to him and showing him the wooden bracelet with strands of hair woven through it.
"That's a wand?" He asked her incredulously and she as she looking past him.
"Why didn't you put up a shield?" Harry demanded. "Why didn't you curse them back or-"
Luna placed her finger to Harry's lips again. She wondered if he ever listened to himself speak. Instead of answering him she stood, reaching out her hand to help him up.
"Luna are you sure you don't need to go to the Hospital Wing?" Harry asked seriously and she nodded again, taking her main wand from her pocket and twirling it in her hand. There was a tense silence where Harry stared at her his eyes seeking. Luna wondered if she had it and if she did have it, if he would find it.
Harry looked away sliding his hands into his pockets. Luna's lips quirked. This was her savior-her guardian angel? It was these moments that she cherished, the ones were Harry was just Harry. She stuck her wand behind her ear where it belonged and looked around sadly at the animals on the ground.
"This happened to you because of me..." Harry trailed off. "I'm sorry."
"For saving my life?" Luna asked him furrowing her eyebrows in confusion.
"No-noo! Never that, I'm sorry I wasn't good enough to save you and defeat Voldemort both-"
"So you're sorry you don't have the ability to be in two places at once?" Luna clarified tilting her head to the left. "That's a sorry reason to be sorry although that ability would be rather fun..."
"No! Luna, why are you making this so bloody difficult?"
"Because it shouldn't be happening," she told him with what she hoped was a blinding smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I could have defended myself against them, and I didn't. My choice, though I am very thankful for your rescue." She grabbed his hand and began walking them both through the bodies Harry fell.
Luna hadn't known that there were so many animals. She'd been so focused on reversing their spells before they could do damage, she never realized how many she was reversing. Pack animals, obviously. She wondered what she did to make them consider her a threat.
"Why didn't you Luna?" He asked her again and she paused standing near Fairchild and dropping his hand. They stood there in silence before she spoke.
"When I was younger Harry my mother and I took walks in the woods. One day we ran across a really hurt cat. My mother managed to conjure a cage and we took it home. She gave me the big girl task of spraying the antiseptic on it, but every time I got close to the cat it would scratch me. I got so mad and was in so much pain that reached out my hand to hit the cat back, but my mother stopped me." Luna paused to look directly into Harry's eyes.
"She told me I'm more aware than the cat is. All it knows is that it's hurting."
Luna felt comprehension flash in Harry's aura and began to hum with happiness. She turned to leave when Harry caught her wrist gently turning her back around so that they were facing each other.
"I don't like it when people hurt you Luna," Harry said seriously taking both of her hands into his own. His aura was soft, blurred around the edges and in his hands she could feel his sadness. "Please don't let them."
His eyes were so green but his aura so blue. Harry wasn't being fair, but Luna found herself promising anyway. "I won't," she assured him softly and he smiled at her.
"We should eat some ice-cream," she said decisively as she slid her hands from his and turned to the direction of the kitchens.
"Erm-why?" Harry asked confused and Luna shrugged.
"Because it's good?"
Harry laughed and Luna felt his aura fly. It made her want to do somersaults.
"It is good," Harry agreed. "You walk on ahead," he said and Luna glanced back at him as he rubbed his head sheepishly. "I want to check on these guys and make sure I didn't hurt them. I was a little angry. Tell Dobby I'm coming, he knows what kind of ice-cream I like."
Luna smiled at him and nodded skipping away. As soon as she was far enough the smile dropped from Harry's face. He began to walk through the fallen Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs.
"You heard me, I don't like it when Luna is hurt." He used his foot to push a limp arm out of his way. "She shouldn't have to protect herself... from anyone." He turned another body over with a slight kick. "This is your warning. Your only warning. I know your names, I know your faces, I know your hearts... if any of you attack Luna again... I promise you they will stop beating."
Harry waved his arm and dropped the stunning spell he'd put on all of them. He began walking towards the kitchen when a voice called out to him.
"Why did you do it Potter?" the female asked her voice thick with anguish and tears. "Why did you pick her-one person over all of us-over the entire Wizarding World?"
Harry paused. If they couldn't see it now, they never would. Luna was the only reason he could make it through these dark nights, the only reason he'd made it thus far. Without her in his life he'd get lost.
"There would have been no reason to kill Lord Voldemort, if there was another Dark Lord ready to take his place."
Shaking his head Harry sped up his approach to Luna and the kitchens. He always kept her waiting, his progress through the darkness was always slow, but soon he'd make it to her and they'd live on the sun together.