Title: Lunar Eclipse of the Heart
Summary: Meeting her had been an accident, but not an unhappy one.
Pairing: Max/Luna
Hello everyone! This is a short one shot of the pairing but I haven't been able to get out of my head for months for some reason. If I do decide to add anything to the story, it will be short scenes of Max and Luna's time together, but this is their overall story and I'm not sure I'll have more.
This story is not Beta'd, I looked over it several times but if you find any typos let me know and I'll fix them. Hope you guys enjoy.
Lunar Eclipse of the Heart
The castle made an imposing picture atop the Scottish hillside. Through the fog, that seemed to have come out of nowhere, Max could still make out much of the massive structure before her (thanks crazy scientists for the beyond perfect vision). She couldn't help but find herself slightly intimidated.
Growing up in a cage, Max wasn't exactly used to traveling to for pleasure, or extravagant gothic architecture.
She shuffled slightly in the damp dirt road before stopping, not wanting to ruin her new (and only) pair of platform heels she bought especially for tonight. She wanted so badly to make a decent impression (for once in her life) but could not help but feel inadequate and out of place standing at the castle, and this was only the outside. From what she had been told, the inside would be even more decadent and otherworldly.
She sighed. This really wasn't her idea of a great night. Max would much rather be at home stuffing her face with real New York style pizza, than dressed to the nines in Scotland, attending a party where she knew she would be helplessly outclassed.
She turned her companion, complaints at the tip of her tongue, begging to be released, when she started suddenly. Breathe suddenly gone, Max took in the visage of the woman beside her.
Platinum blonde hair, luminescent even with the dense fog. A small delicate smile gracing her pale pink lips. A slender, curved figure draped in pale blue silk. Finally, eyes that seemed to hold all the questions and all the answers that a person could ever have met her own.
Max could not help but release a small tender smile.
She remembered now, why she was here. For the creature that stood beside her; someone more mystifying and beautiful than a thousand Scottish castles. The woman she would do anything to make happy and secure.
Max subconsciously fiddles with the simple silver band containing a small opal gem on the ring finger of her left hand.
A flutter, not at all having to do with the cold humid climate, made itself known in her stomach. Because nothing could go wrong, everything would be fine. As long as Max was with her. Her shining, brilliant Luna.
"Ready to go in?"
...
Flashback: 5 years ago
...
Meeting her had been an accident, but not an unhappy one.
Since moving to the UK Max had been B-O-R-E-D bored.
As a newly liberated bird girl with the world at her feet and erasers/mad scientists no longer at her heels, she was expecting to feel more … fulfilled.
Not that she really missed being on the run (the lack of food and bathrooms- no thanks) but was it too much to ask for a little excitement in life. Somewhere between being a soccer mom that heads the PTA and an international criminal would be nice.
Since reuniting with Dr. Martinez and Ella, Max had been catching up on a lot of lost family time. It had been wonderful, a couple of months with fresh cookies and having a family to come home to. She'd even been taking some online college courses to try and reintegrate herself with society again.
So yeah it had been nice, but Max had been starting to get a little stir crazy.
That's why when Dr. Martinez said she had an opportunity to move and start a new job across the pond, Max couldn't wait.
Finally, something new and different; Max couldn't help but be excited.
But so far the UK was a major disappointment. It hadn't stopped raining since they had stepped off the plane three and a half weeks ago. Max had been keeping busy unpacking but now the house was done, Dr. Martinez was working at her new place, and Ella was starting at a new university in town.
And Max was bored.
But beyond that she was concerned.
As a mutant freak she hadn't let herself believe she had many career options when she was younger. Busy taking down corrupt government and trying not to get her assed kicked, all while being the single mom (basically) to five other runaways and making sure they didn't starve or get torn apart by scientist and, eventually, helping them to find their families/happy endings.
But now … now she had life ahead of her.
She had never considered that scenario, and hadn't prepared for it. She barely had a high school diploma, and her files were dodgy as fuck. She didn't have a social security number for crying out loud! She had little skills apart from foraging and fighting bad guys.
Without any plans but nothing to occupy her in the meantime, Max felt listless and agitated.
What she really needed, Max finally decided while watching the fifth episode in a row of the Allen Carr show, was to get out and clear her head the best way she knew how: flying.
Mind made up, Max finally emerged from the too comfortable love seat and grabbed a pair of ratty sneakers that she'd had forever.
Then, she was in the sky, soaring in just above the clouds. For the first time in a while, Max felt at peace.
Up in the sky there were no responsibilities, no disappointing other people, no insecurities. Just Max, her 14 foot wingspan, and the open horizon.
It made sense on some level that she felt more secure in the air than on solid ground.
Max was part bird after all, although she never truly bothered trying to understand the genetic manipulation that seemed impossible on paper. Max had long accepted that she was neither completely human nor avian. She had learned to just trust herself and her instincts, and never to question how at ease she felt while in the air.
She found such little peace anyway, she couldn't imagine what she would do if she couldn't shake off her human facade and take to the sky whenever she needed to.
She basked in the glorious freedom of flight for as long as she could. Flying aimlessly, dipping down and around clouds, attempting to stay as dry as possible in the ever gloomy British weather. She followed a group of geese for a bit, attempting to blend in and see how long it would take them to find out she wasn't one of them. She watched a group of school children exit a small brick school building and head immediately for a small ice cream shop across the street.
When she finally broke from her reverie Max realized she must have been up their longer then she anticipated. In fact, it must have been hours. The sky had become a dark sapphire as the last bits of sunlight disappeared into the dusk.
She became suddenly aware of the ache in her wings and the pain in her stomach.
That's right, she thought, flying does burn way more calories than being a couch potato.
She began searching for the markers of her new neighborhood: the red roofed house of the little old lady down the street or the small dinosaur themed park down the road.
But there were no signs of civilization beneath her: no street lights or roads or signs.
She saw nothing but tree tops.
Max didn't panic easily, but she was getting a little stressed.
Had she been so out of it that she got lost?
Shiiiiiiit, she thought, and of course I left my phone at home.
She stopped flapping and relied on the small wind to glide slowly lower to the ground.
Then she saw it.
A lone house stood, maybe two stories, in a clearing surrounded by trees and shrubbery.
Wait; is there a neighborhood below me? Maybe I'm not too far after all.
She was nearing the house in front of her, and looked for any neighboring homes. As she looked, she decided the small rural house was the only one around ... so perhaps private property and not a neighborhood after all.
New plan: maybe the house had a phone. One embarrassing call to Dr. Martinez was better than spending the night in the rain. The owners might even be kind enough to give her some tea and biscuits (tea time was a tradition that the every country should observe in Max's opinion).
The house was coming up a few hundred feet in front of her. Max continued her descent, planning on landing a bit outside the property to tuck in her wings when she suddenly came to a forceful stop.
A painful sudden forceful stop.
In mid air.
About thirty feet off the ground.
Max felt herself freeze and couldn't help but release a small, shocked "oof".
Max had no time to react before she began to slide (SLIDE) slowly, then with increasing speed towards the forest floor.
Stunned as she was, Max couldn't even think to cushion the fall as she slipped around the dome shaped air and plummeted to the dirt and bushes.
She landed none too gracefully, still pretty confused, and let out a small groan of pain from the impact.
What was going on? Was this some sort of camouflage technology that only appeared invisible?
From the ground, Max turned and tried to find some seam, some edge, something to distinguish the wall she felt from the plain old air and nothingness that she was staring at now.
So engrossed was she in trying to figure out the only interesting thing to happen to her in months, that she didn't register the footsteps until she was staring up into a pair of piercing pale eyes.
"Hello there".
...
Present Time
…
When Max saw the Great Hall of Hogwarts she nearly tripped over herself.
The fall would've been quite the scene with her natural near six foot height plus the extra five or so inches from her shoes. Luna stabilized her elbow in time, and Max is grateful that her entrance won't be a complete disaster.
"I guess magicians really don't half-ass anything" Max murmurs to herself, surveying the room filled with hundreds of floating candles and some sort of creature statues mounted to the wall, holding up flames that appear self contained and almost alive.
Not to mention the spread.
There are tables lining the edges of the room filled to the brim with all manner of feasts: some Max recognizes as the normal British fare, but most that she's never seen before. Her mouth waters a bit and she hold herself back from sprinting to the buffet, yet.
It has been, after all, at least 4 hours since she's eaten and the notorious teenage bird kid metabolism has not slowed any even now that she is closer to the big 3-0 than she would like to admit (or would ever confirm out loud).
Max thinks absentmindedly that in the past the idea of making it past 18 would have been a miracle, and now she's complaining about making it 10 years longer than anyone would have thought. Bitching over the slight inconveniences of advancing age, almost like she was normal person.
It makes Max a bit happy; her life had always been devoid of any semblance of normal.
But, however nice her life had become, old habits die hard.
Max scans the great Hall for any exits, should things go south. She decides the beautiful decorative Glass windows will do in a pinch. The thought of embracing Luna, breaking free and flying off into the sunset appeals to her and she fights down the urge to suggest they leave early.
This is for Luna after all. Her Hogwarts 10 year reunion (another thing normal people do, how strange) and she hasn't seen some of her friends in years.
Inexplicably, Luna also wants to introduce her to said friends. Max is not used to being introduced. The idea of her mere existence had been denied for YEARS by most of America. Yes, Max was used to her affairs being hush-hush, high clearance, no more than you need to know type of shtick.
But the magic community was just that, a community. Almost like a small town; gossip spreads faster than a wild fire and everyone is busy sniffing up one another's butts.
If she wants to stay with Luna, and she has never wanted anything more, then she'll have to accept some of this lifestyle and make an effort.
Luna takes her arm softly, and the feeling of her bare skin against her own comforts Max. She feels herself relax on instinct, not before realizing she was even tense.
Luna smiles, "It looks like most everyone is here tonight. We best begin the rounds or we shall be here forever".
Max returns a strained smile back and follows her lovers' gentle tug towards a group on the right side of the room.
Max thought I need a drink.
...
Flashback: 5 years ago
…
The next thing she knew, Max was seated in an insanely comfortable fabric rocking chair.
The house in the forest is strange, the girl who found her is even more so.
Luna, the girl who had graciously helped Max's stunned ass off the ground and welcomed her inside, had been explaining the concept of 'wards'. The 'wards' were meant to keep unidentified persons and creatures out of the house.
Max could honestly say she was surprised she was right, and further fascinated by the idea of such technology.
Luna continued to murmur the value of such 'wards' as she stood and ventured to the other room, probably to gather some newly brewed tea she had promised Max
The mood in the house was tranquil. For all she tried, Max couldn't find anything about the situation that screamed 'danger', no matter how strange the entire experience had been.
Max knew that there was more going on than just a simple house in the country. There were small things about the house that didn't add up. She had seen the home from an aerial view, but the interior seemed larger than it should have been. Every once in a while, she would swear that a painting would suddenly look away from her, as if it had been staring, or change its facial expression.
Luna finally emerged from the messy kitchen with a tray of scones and tea.
Luna was unlike anyone she had ever met: Bubbly, excited, but with an ethereal edge that made Max pay attention. Her strange dress and terms only added to the allure. Max couldn't help but find herself amused and eager to learn more.
The girls chatted over the snack, topics light and eyes curious.
Eventually, Max was able to get directions home and had to say goodbye, it had been a rather long and strange day after all.
With the promise to return tomorrow, Max began to walk off with a simple backwards wave.
Max got to the edge of the 'wards', preparing to take off before she realized: her wings had been out the entire time.
She stopped suddenly.
Luna hadn't said a word.
She hadn't shown the least bit of surprise either.
Luna hadn't made Max feel less than a person as she had sat in that fabric rocking chair. Had looked in her eyes, accepted her into her home, spoke in that gentle whispery tone, that Max secretly wanted badly to hear again.
With a small smile, Max launched into the sky.
It became a pattern after that.
Traveling almost daily to visit her strange new acquaintance at her strange home.
Now, apparently the 'wards' would let her through because Luna keyed in her information into them. Max didn't completely understand, but didn't push the issue. She simply filed it away under the numerous mysteries of Luna Lovegood.
Luna never asked about how she came about her wings.
When Max came the second time, wearing a bulky jacket and feeling slightly uncomfortable about the topic, Luna had immediately told her to make herself as comfortable as possible: keep them out or fold them in, whatever Max wanted. And that had been that.
Max had smiled and the conversation began flowing as naturally as a spring.
She learned much in time about the other girl.
How she inherited her house from her parents, both dead. How she took over her father's news paper and had been slowly rebuilding its reputation. Max promised to buy the next issue (and secretly promised to buy all the papers she ever wrote if it would make the girl smile at her like that again).
Slowly, as the visits increased, Max began to realize her growing fascination in the other girl was more than mere curiosity or a cure for her life boredoms.
Max began to notice things. Small things, but things one only notices when they're really looking.
How Luna would purse her lips when she was trying to find the right words for something. How her eyes twinkled when she laughed, how she loved to laugh at the things Max said. How Luna would wear different vegetables as earrings depending on the day of the week, always with a specific rational (usually having to do with some manner of creature Max had never heard of). The way Luna always pushed up her strange 3D movie looking glasses with her left hand when they began to slip down her nose.
Max also began to notice how Luna looked at her.
From the start Luna as looked at her in a way that put her at ease, but it seemed to be changing. The atmosphere in the house was growing warmer by the visit, as was Luna's gaze.
Her eyes trailed over Max's face, mapping the details, sliding over the curve of her neck, glancing farther down occasionally when feeling brave, though never in a way that seemed untoward.
The way Luna looked at Max made her feel... well she wasn't quite sure.
She enjoyed spending time with Luna; she could talk to her for hours and still have boundless questions about the other mysterious girl.
But the gaze sent tingles in her finger tips, made her feel alive in a way she hadn't since she last fought for her life, blood and sweat and adrenaline pumping.
Max didn't have much experience with feelings outside of hunger, rage and tired.
Growing up in a cage and constantly facing the fear of death by some cruel operation or injection, Max wasn't used to friends or trust or the other, softer emotions.
The flock being the obvious exception.
Bound as they were by mutual danger, they had become a family. A family she sorely missed.
She had believed that they would be the only people Max would be able to form a real connection with, but now she wasn't sure.
Because as Luna continued to look, Max could see something she recognized in the stare; something broken and familiar.
Pain and longing and loneliness.
The look in the eyes of a person trying to piece themselves back together; The look of someone who has experienced trauma, who has to remind themselves everyday of that one thing that keeps them going.
Whatever that one thing is that keeps them from being consumed by the darkness, that inspires them to not only keep living, but to be alive.
Max could empathize.
It was similar to what she saw in her own eyes whenever she inadvertently caught her reflection in a mirror.
People with eyes like that were like puzzles with a few pieces missing; fallen between the couch cushions of life and lost forever.
People like that that were always looking for something else, something that could fit into those blank spaces.
Max couldn't help but hope that the look in Luna's eyes, although a different type of broken than her own, could fit in with her own empty spaces.
Max knew it was strange for her to want to trust someone like this. The other girl was basically a stranger she had known only a few months.
She couldn't help it.
She had noticed something else as well: other feelings beginning to gather in the pit of her stomach.
They grew heavier with each visit, each smile, and each kind word; really it was almost ridiculous how quickly the feeling seemed to be spreading.
This was a feeling she almost recognized.
She had once thought herself in love with Fang after all. He had been her rock for so long: her confidant, best friend, and a light in the fight to escape the darkness that constantly followed the flock.
But in the end, their relationship had been more familial than anything. There had been a few kisses, but they had always felt... not right.
There was always something missing, or perhaps it was always something too much. Perhaps they had been too similar, too damaged in the same way to ever be able to fully heal each other in the way they both craved.
Whatever it was, they just didn't fit as well as Max had always thought they would.
Without the constant adrenaline and stress of the life of a mutant on the run, they both realized there was no real romantic spark between them and had gone their separate ways to be with their respective families.
They remained friends and spoke often, but they knew a relationship between them beyond that wouldn't be possible.
Max couldn't help but wonder if it would be different with Luna.
If kissing Luna would feel like coming home: like warm chocolate chip cookies or falling into a freshly made bed.
Or if it would be electric; if kissing Luna would shock her very nerve endings, if her hair would stand on end and her body would shake and her legs would buckle.
Max blushed and shook the thoughts from her mind.
How silly and romantic and completely off base.
Max struggled to focus back on the topic Luna had been talking about (Max loved how Luna could talk softly for hours as Max was usually rather taciturn and it was nice to not feel pressured to move the conversation along).
However for once, Luna was terribly silent.
Luna stared at her, with a burning ferocity Max had never seen from her before. Max couldn't stop the small outbreak of pink on her cheeks and neck. Her body betrayed her.
She was utterly entranced by Luna's eyes on her own. Unable to look away, body dead still, air charged with some unnamed tension (that Max secretly could name but dared not to).
Suddenly, eyes still looked on hers; Luna let loose a breath shattering smile that shined with blinding intensity.
Max felt something small break within her.
She was moving before she even registered it.
Striding across the small distance between them and bending over the smaller girl sitting in the adjacent rocking chair.
She froze inches from Luna's still smiling face and breathed in the sweet and spicy aroma that clung to the other girl.
Luna, still smiling, slowly raised her pale delicate hands to gently hold Max face and pull their foreheads together.
The gesture so sweet and deliberate and everything Max needed in that moment.
Max struggled to keep tears at bay and knew, from that moment on, she was done for.
...
Present Day
…
Max was struggling.
She was not suited to social gatherings.
She had met six of Luna's professor is already, and could feel her lips straining to maintain her polite smile.
It wasn't as though she was having a bad time per se. She just couldn't really rid herself of the uncomfortable feelings she always had when she was in enclosed spaces with lots of people.
Really, everyone so far has been entirely pleasant. Making small talk, asking about Luna's work and her newspaper, introducing themselves to Max.
Everyone so far had also been entirely accepting and happy about the couple.
Max was glad to know that the professors Luna looked up to so dearly approved of her relationship with their former student.
But now came the real test.
The professors had just been a warm-up. Just small authority figures from Luna's adolescent life; special to her of course, but not the opinions that mattered most.
Now Maxed would meet Luna's friends and comrades. The group that had risked their lives together during the magical war Luna had explained to her.
After grabbing a second flute of the strange champagne tasting liquid in the glass flutes around the room, Max steeled herself and allowed Luna to gently guide her to a group of five.
"Luna!" Exclaimed the first one of the group to notice them, a brunette with a friendly face, curly hair and slightly bulging lower stomach (either just having given birth or in the early stages of pregnancy).
She smiled beautifully and hurried to hug Luna.
The rest of the crowd looked up and Max took them in and knew almost immediately who they were from Luna's stories.
There were three men: one with black hair and piercing green eyes (Harry) the man beside the woman hugging Luna (Hermione) with red hair (Ron) and the tall slender brunette man (Neville). That meant the woman beside Harry with red hair who must be Ron's sister and Harry's wife: Ginny.
Hermione pulled back from Luna and turned to Max jovially.
"Hello! You must be Max, Luna has told us so much about you and I'm so glad we finally get to meet you! I'm Hermione and this is my husband Ron" she gestured to the male ginger and continued introducing the group as she held Max's gaze with her perceptive brown eyes.
Max let out a tentative smile and introduced herself in return.
The men reached forward to shake her hand and, nervous as she was, may have squeezed a bit too hard. The three winced slightly afterwards and we're all slightly surprised at the strength of the model-esque woman that came with Luna.
Yes, the group was quite surprised by their friend's companion. She was nothing like they would have imagined.
Harry and Ron had always assumed Luna and Neville would end up with each other and were slightly disappointed they went their separate ways after the final battle.
But Harry understood, everyone copes in their own ways. Luna had withdrawn; had wanted to be alone and threw herself into research and the paper.
Truthfully, her friends had been worried.
The vibrant girl they went to school with had eroded after the war, influenced by the death and cruelty of the battles. She had responded less to their invites and letters after leaving Hogwarts. They all turned to her newspaper, the Quibbler, to assure themselves their friend was all right.
They had visited in the beginning, but as they became consumed with their own work and began having children, there seemed less time to venture out to their secluded friend. They had always continues to owl, though they usually recieved no response.
Then something had changed a little over five years ago.
Luna began reply.
It was slow and impersonal at first; updates on her research, inquiring about the children and careers.
Then she began sharing her actual life and opening up to them once more; it was almost like the group was back at Hogwarts.
Luna was once again amazed and fascinated by the world. She seemed energetic about life, something they feared she would never recover after the war being secluded in the old house.
She had divulged to Hermione alone the reason for her sudden turn of good mood.
Although all her friends had failed (and hated) the art of divination during their time at school, Luna had enjoyed it. She would go so far as to say she had a knack for it, and her friends could sense this even if they never discussed it aloud.
They had learned to consider the seemingly mysterious and often nonsensical statements Luna supplied as more important than their face value. Some of her predictions had indeed proved vital to not only finding the horcruxes and defeating Voldemort, but evading death eater attacks post war.
Yes, Luna's 'madness' as many had assumed during school, had saved countless lives during and after the war.
So Hermione didn't take for granted when Luna wrote to her of experiencing a sign.
In her tea leaves, drawn in the ground, arranged in the clouds, Luna had seen it everywhere and knew that something would change soon: The figure of a beautiful soaring hawk.
Luna had felt no malice with the ever present predictions, only anticipation. She shared her excitement with her closest female friend and she had waited (impatiently) to see what her prediction would yield.
Until one afternoon, a golden skinned, dirty blond goddess of a woman had flown into her life and made a nest in her heart.
Hermione knew that it was the influence of this woman, this Max that Luna had even agreed to come to this reunion after having rejected offers of similar get-togethers for years.
With a small gathering of tears in her eyes, Hermione smiled at Max, drew her into a fierce hug that would no doubt please the matriarch of the Weasley family, and whispered a soft "Thank you".
Max hugged the petite brunette back, only slightly uncomfortable, and gave a small smile back.
Hermione pulled away and discreetly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Well now that introductions are over, we mustn't waste this feast! Both of you, come on, let's get some food and find a table".
Max decided that she liked Hermione, and with and eagerness that Ron seemed to share, she glanced back at her fiancé, saw her nod, and bounded to the buffet.
The evening was beginning to really look up.
...
After the group had eaten and settled into a small round table in the corner of the hall, they began to chat.
Hermione in particular dominated the conversation, and was exceedingly courteous to include Max.
She asked Max about her family, how she came to live in England and how the non magical world was faring.
Max did her best to explain, talking of how she had been reunited with her birth mother and half sister recently. How she had moved in with them and eventually they had moved for the sake of Dr. Martinez's work.
"I'm sorry to say I don't know too much about England yet. But back in the states they just elected the first African American president, and that was a pretty big deal".
They all chatted pleasantly and Max felt at ease with the group. They seemed all accepting of her as well, which further calmed her nerves.
Luna suddenly reached for her and Max unconsciously grabbed her hand in response, linking their fingers together (a move which did not go unnoticed by the keen eyes at the table).
Max turned to her.
Luna smiled. "Let's dance for a bit". Max stood immediately, she didn't think there was a request she would ever be able to deny Luna.
Luna and Max politely excused themselves from the group.
They made their way to the dance floor as a smooth, slow song began to play from the levitating orchestra at the back of the room.
Eyes around the room followed the couple. Some old classmates couldn't quite believe that the woman in the dramatic red dress was with 'looney' Luna.
The small sweater Luna's date wore did nothing to disguise her devastatingly beautiful figure. One long slender leg peeped from a slit on the right side of the dress as she moved to twirl Luna about the floor.
The pair seems to fit exceptionally well: the tall, tan American fitting nicely against the pale, slender witch.
Her friend's eyes followed the couple as they became engrossed in each other and the music.
Hermione smiled again. Her friend had a protective hawk circling her. She knew Max would be there to strike any danger or misfortune that came for the smaller woman.
Yes. Luna would be just fine.
…
"Time for the annual scrimmage match! All those who wish to participate, please come fill in your name and we'll arrange teams shortly".
Almost immediately Ron and Harry made a mad rush for the front of the room where the announcer was waving a piece of parchment paper through the air.
Max glanced up at her companion in confusion. They had settled nicely back at the table with Luna's friends after dancing through a good portion of the evening.
Max had slipped back to the buffet for her third plate before sitting with Luna back at the table. Later on, Luna had suddenly planted herself on Max's lap. Max happily wrapped her arms around the other girl and rested her head on her shoulder as they continued to chat quietly with each other and Luna's friends.
The announcement had shaken Max from that small world.
"They were Quidditch players in school, rather obsessed really". Luna explained, only raising more questions.
She had explained many aspects of the magical world but sports wasn't something Luna was particular knowledgeable about and had never really broached the subject.
Neville took pity on Max, and quickly explained the basics of the sport.
It seemed … interesting.
"You could try it. I think you would make an excellent beater." Luna whispered to Max.
It wasn't a terrible idea. The game seemed simple enough; she would knock the balls away from the players on her team, toward the players of the other team. And Max would get a chance to fly and work off some energy.
Max agreed and gently lifted Luna off her lap into the seat next to her.
She made her way to the front where Ron and Harry were standing and said she would like a chance to try the sport as a "beater".
The next thing Max knew, she was walking hand in hand with Luna, following the large crowd outside towards a giant field.
There were four distinct stands around the field (she supposed for the four houses of the school) and Luna gave her a small peck before climbing the steps and sitting with Hermione, Ginny and Neville to watch the game.
Max followed the two men she knew as they explained she would be a beater on their team, quickly again going over what her job would be and also the danger associated with the position (and really the game in general).
Max wasn't very concerned about that. She could handle herself thank you very much.
She was actually looking forward to showing off a little. She was fairly athletic, both nature and nurture had seen to that, and she was ready to hit things and feel that raw adrenaline and power.
Plus, the air was basically her domain. She would show she wasn't some useless non-magical person.
She was Maximum Ride. She played to win.
With a smile, she went to line up with the rest of her team as the referee readied to begin the game.
Harry and Ron were extremely confused by her refusal to use a broom but she just insisted she was much more aerodynamic without it.
The referee threw up the ball and the game was on.
She shrugged off her sweater and placed it on the ground and picked up her bat.
Next thing anyone knew Max was soaring through the air with the rest of her team, long beautiful wings stretching out from her back.
Max smirked, she knew her wings were impressive, even in the magical committee.
She used the shock of her competitors to make her first move. She glanced at the ball bounding towards her from the corner of her eye, racing through the air. She raised the bat, flew forward and threw her weight into the swing.
She smiled when the opposite team underestimated her strength and almost did not dive of the path of the ball in time.
Luna was right, this was fun.
The game continued and the other team adapted to her style quickly, not making the mistake of underestimating her swing again.
She dodged and swung and lost herself in the game. She was almost sad when Harry caught the small buzzing ball and they were declared the winners.
The flying balls were called away and the players descended to shake hands. The other team all expressed how well she had played and how impressive it was for her first time picking up a bat.
Max decided that she would have like to go to school here once upon a time. The traditions and sports and camaraderie were evident to her as a visitor. Hogwarts seemed a place filled not only with magical persons, but with a magic of its own. One that helps mold its students: allows them to form bonds and grow into confident adults.
Max understood why Luna had been so excited to come back.
Max made her way back to the group in the stands as she talked with Harry and Ron.
"Bloody brilliant wasn't she! Could go pro if you wanted. You should talk to Ginny, the harpies have been looking to scout a new beater!" Ron said animatedly.
Max smiled back.
Truthfully, that game had been phenomenal. She wouldn't mind playing again; perhaps she would talk with his sister.
"I've never seen anything like that, and that flying you do was amazing! It's not even against the rules. The official rule book never states the players have to ride brooms, just that they can't touch down until the end of the game! Bloody brilliant!" Ron smiled brightly.
It was clear he was a fan of the sport and Max was glad to have a common interest to talk with him about.
"Well done!" Hermione called out to them as they reached the rest of the group.
Luna smiled and came down to give Max a hug, which Max returned.
She quickly tied her sweater around her waist, no point hiding the wings now, and it felt so nice to have them out. It was much more comfortable than squishing them against her back. It was truly an extraordinary feeling to not have to hide them, to just be herself in front of people outside Luna and her family.
They all made their way back inside for drinks and dessert.
To Max's disappointment, and to Luna's extreme satisfaction as she knew (like she always seemed to know everything) that Max would enjoy herself despite her misgivings, the night was winding down.
Most of the other attendees had already left.
Luna and Max made their goodbyes to the group, promising to get together soon and keep in touch (and obviously they demanded invited to the wedding whenever the couple actually got around to planning it).
Luna and Max walked hand in hand back to the front of the castle, nearing the gate.
Luna stopped and looked longingly back at the castle.
Max understood. This place had been a sanctuary: the place where Luna had grown and come into herself. It was a safe space she missed and tonight must have felt like a beautiful dream; being at Hogwarts again with her old group of friends and professors.
Luna suddenly looked at one tower in particular and seemed consumed in some lost memory.
Max smiled down and gently kissed her forehead, extracting the woman from her thoughts.
"There was one other place I wanted to see while we are here" Max stated. She gingerly lifted her fiancé in her arms and launched into the air.
Luna's twinkling laugh filled the air, never tiring of the feeling of being secure in her lover's arms and soaring in the air, where Max seemed most in her element.
Max flew them up the small window on the top of what she had assumed must be Ravenclaw tower. She set Luna down on the edge and sat beside her.
Luna sighed and looked out over the horizon. She soaked in the view and basked in the memories: how she would escape to this very spot during school. Whenever the students stole her things or teased her for her beliefs. Before Luna had met her friends, back when she relied on the tranquility of the castle and the surrounding landscape to calm her soul.
She glances at her companion only to find Max was staring back at her.
Luna smiled.
She had lived this tower, and was forever grateful for how it cared for her when she lived here. But now she knew she didn't need this place anymore.
She leaned over and captured Max's soft lips with her own. Moving softly in their familiar rhythm as Max's hand came up to cup her face and her thumb gently wiped a lone tear than had escaped from her eye.
Luna drew back and placed one, two, three small pecks on her lover's lips before hugging into her chest.
She had found her strength. She knew all that the tower had provided her, but she wasn't the unstable youth she had once been. She had found her footing, could stand her ground, with this woman by her side.
Luna was more excited for the future than she ever had been. She closed her eyes.
"Let's go home".