AN: Written for Music Awards 2012-A Competition: Own Composition. Prompts: snigger, face, shout, amaze/d/s/ing. And also for Tim Burton Competition. With the #20 Quote: "As if that has anything to do with marriage! Do you think your father and I 'like' each other?"- The Corpse Bride.
Hope you all enjoy this!
A month had passed since Theodore and Luna had returned to Britain. A month that Abelard Nott had passed away-the reason why Theo and Luna had to return. And now that a month had passed the news of the strange couple coming to Britain was boring and finally Luna and Theodore could go out with no one going up to them and ask them if they were planning to take over Britain with the Heliopaths and Crumple Horned-Snorcack she had discovered while taking photos of them and not making Luna worry if her husband was going to hex them for interfering with their privacy.
Having that behind them, Luna was trying to convince Theodore to visit the house she had grown up in. And it was taking a lot on her part to convince him-which was not normal. Theodore was at Luna's knees and would say yes to anything she said, giver her anything she desired. But this time he wasn't saying yes.
The problem wasn't the house itself. Theodore loved that black-colored cylindrical house on top of hill with a stream at the base of it. It had been where Luna and he married four years ago. The problem was the owner of that cylindrical house and his father in law: Xenophilius Lovegood. The eccentric man hated Theodore with all his being. Of course he didn't exactly say it word for word, it was more subtly, more intelligent in the way he showed his hate to Theodore. And Theo had to give the man credit, only a Ravenclaw and a man like Mr. Lovegood could manifest his hate towards him in a subtle but intelligent way.
Besides, Theodore wouldn't kill Mr. Lovegood, that would make Luna terribly unhappy and ruin their marriage. No, he couldn't kill the man. But he knew Mr. Lovegood thought often on ways of killing him.
"Oh Theodore, you know he doesn't like coming to the Manor I've already told him that we cleared up the Wrackspurt infestation but he won't come. We must go." Luna pouted, as she sat cuddled closer to him.
He did not look at her eyes knowing if he did he would relent and say accept. "Even I don't like staying here, Luna." Sighing he continued, "Just give me a few months to put everything in order and we'll go to the Family Manor in Germany, alright." Still not looking at her eyes. "And he can visit us there. Stay for a few days."
Merlin this was hard. He wanted to look into those blue eyes of her but he needed to put his foot down in this marriage. He would not visit Mr. Lovegood, it wasn't an option, it was quite clear that both detested each other.
She shook her head, "No, Theo. I want to see Daddy now."
His shoulders slumped, "Then go, Luna. I have to start on those papers that my father left. And I don't know when I'll finished." He made up a reason-no more like remembered what he had to do.
Instead of cuddling she moved and looked at him straight in the eye.
"I won't go alone. Your my husband and I want you and I to go and visit Daddy." Her face was serious, something that was not frequent in her. Luna was more of the dreamy, loving and distracted expression than the serious and mad expression.
His gaze was on her eyes now.
"Let me at least put on a shirt, you father would pass out if he saw me with bite marks." He said.
...
"Please Theodore. Do this for me, can't you at least try to be nice?" Luna whispered at him as they prepared tea.
Theodore sighed, "I do try to be nice to your father but it's not my fau-" He stopped already knowing what she would say.
"We're married Theodore. I want our marriage to be happy and Daddy and you not being on friendly terms makes me sad." She frowned.
"As if that has anything to do with marriage! Do you think your father and I 'like' each other?" He shouted and then cringed at seeing back away from him, his hand went to her arm. "I'm sorry, Luna." He felt terrible now for exploding, he did it rarely these days, no he never exploded now. "We're civil as can be. But your father does not like me, he doesn't approve, never has. His eyes are filled with hate, he's cold and always makes me know that he wants me far away from you."
Mr. Lovegood had stopped telling him that in front of Luna after she had spoken to him. So now Mr. Lovegood would tell him when Luna wasn't in the same room. He definitely did not like Mr. Lovegood at all.
"Just try for me, please." Her hands held his and both knew that he would be civil and try to be more than polite with his father in law.
...
His green eyes were looking at the photo frame that was above Mr. Lovegood's head. Something that happened often when Theodore visited. He would rather see the photograph that was of a small Luna about four years old blowing bubbles and jumping to catch them than having too see the glare from Mr. Lovegood that was directed to him.
The first time he had visited Luna's home was after the Battle of Hogwarts, the glare was obvious, Mr. Lovegood did not like him, Theo knew the man hated him, for he was the reason why Luna had been kidnapped. Merlin, even he hated himself for it, he had never wanted Luna to be hurt by him. But it had happened and in the end he had saved her and they were together-they were married for Salazar's sake!
He felt Luna's warm hand on his cold scarred one as she talked animatedly with her father. "Oh Daddy you should see the gardens now! Full of life and I've planted so many flowers and maintained it like Theo's mother had it." She smiled warmly and looking at Theodore. Who felt her eyes on him making him look at her with a smile.
"It's true, Luna has done a splendid job on my Mother's gardens." He smiled warmly at his wife.
"Well the first and last time I ever saw Katherine's gardens was when she asked me if I had discovered the ladyider." He said distractedly, his eyes softening a bit, the glare being replaced by memories.
And this caught Theodore's attention and looked at Mr. Lovegood. Not many times did he hear about his mother. She had died when he was seven, by his father. And people who knew her well it meant that they knew more of her than he ever did. He listened in interest.
"Ladyider is a combination of the ladybug and spider, quiet the insect you see, helps flowers grow with happiness. A rare insect that only few know of their existence." Xeno said. And he was about to say more when the kettle began to whistle. Both looked at Luna as she stood up and skipped into the kitchen leaving Theodore and Xenophilius alone.
Theodore was about to ask him on how he knew his mother but Mr. Lovegood's glare was back at him. Theo sighed and ignored his father in law but really it was hard. He was Luna's father and he really did want to improve his relationship with the man-for Luna's sake, knowing that this would make her happy.
"Let's get this straight, Mr. Lovegood. You don't like me nor do I like you. And you don't tolerate me in your house, understandable. After all I was a Death Eater, key word here, was. But I think you have to get over the fact that four years have passed." He said lowly trying not to raise his voice. "I'm married to your daughter and we're planning to have children."
There he said it. They hadn't told anyone, they were very private people. But he thought this would make his father in law hate towards him lessen.
And he caught Mr. Lovegood's surprised eyes.
"I'm saying this for Luna and our children. I don't want nor like seeing Luna look sad when she sees you glaring at me. I really don't want to have a cold relationship towards the father of my wife and grandfather of my children. After all you are the only living grandparent they'll have and I want them not to feel out of place or uncomfortable because their father and grandfather aren't on speaking terms. I want them to love you, I want you to spoil them. And yes I understand this may sound shocking to you but I really do care for your daughter, I did marry her after all. But I am doing this for her, so please Mr. Lovegood it be wonderful if you would do the same."
He breathed out and stuck out his hand to his father in law.
Now he was the once that was caught in surprise. Instead of taking his hand to shake, Mr. Lovegood pulled it and hugged him, patting his back.
Theodore who was much taller than him felt a bit strange and uncomfortable. He did not like being hugged by strangers and Mr. Lovegood wasn't a stranger but he wasn't Luna.
"My dear boy, you really do love her. I see Slytherins will forget about their pride for the ones they love." Xeno said cheerfully a bit of snigger in his voice but Theodore could feel it wasn't malicious. It felt the snigger was directed at Mr. Lovegood himself for believing that Theodore actually never loved Luna.
What a mad thing to consider!
Theo patted the man's back as well and then dropped his hand and pulled away. That was as much of affection Mr. Lovegood would receive from him.
Then he heard clapping, turning around Luna was smiling widely and clapping as she jumped on her toes making her hair bounce. "Ooh! I knew you two would get along! It was just the Wrackspurts that were making both of your brains fuzzing impeding you to think correctly!" She said happily and skipped towards them, hugging them both, making them bend so their cheeks touched hers. "Simply amazing, couldn't choose for a better day to tell you both that I'm pregnant!"
Both Theodore and Mr. Lovegood pulled away with shock, surprised and ecstatic looks on their faces.
She began to giggle at their expressions and was then interrupted as Theodore pulled her to his arms and snogged her right in front of her father. Mr. Lovegood had to cough to remind them they were under his roof and he was present. He pulled away smiling like a fool, "You planned this didn't you?" Theodore asked his wife.
Luna blushed and looked at her father and then back at Theodore.
"Well of course. I had dreamed that I had to tell you both and I knew that today would be the day that you two would finally be on good terms." Luna said dreamily her smile going to him.
He began to laugh and she to giggle. His hands on her cheeks, their eyes on each other. Two years of trying to have children and a month after his father's death and on the day that he finally stands up to Mr. Lovegood is the day that Luna tells them both that she is pregnant with his child. Merlin, maybe it had been the Wrackspurts that were making his brain fuzzy he decided he should have done this two years ago!
Mr. Lovegood wrapped his arms around each shoulder, "Well you know what they say, 'Good things come when you least expect them.' And did they come when we least expected them!"
Luna and Theodore had to agree, since the beginning of their relationship good things happened to them when they least expected it. And it had happened since they were small children-they should have gotten used to it. But then again they were never really a normal couple.
AN: Also part of my head!canon n_n Please review!