I have to give credit where credit is due: the title of this story comes from the Moaning Myrtles' song "Nargles in the Mistletoe" from the wizard rock Christmas album Jingle Spells 2. I was listening to that song when this plot bunny hopped into my head. I've never written from Luna's perspective before, but hopefully this turned out okay.
~Nargles in the Mistletoe~
Luna Lovegood stood alone at the edge of the cherry-paneled ballroom, sipping butterbeer from a delicate crystal goblet and observing her surroundings. Wreaths of holly adorned the walls, interspersed with large, red velvet bows. A tall evergreen stood in each corner, decorated with twinkling fairy lights and enchanted snow. At the far end of the room, fluffy snowflakes drifted down outside the towering, arched windows. People stood in groups of three or four, dressed in their holiday best and chatting over small plates of hors d'oeuvres.
Despite the festive atmosphere, Luna was not enjoying herself. She had had high hopes for this Christmas party, but her fellow members of the British Magical Naturalist Society were once again proving that they had no use for her or her ideas. She had received a few polite "hellos" and "glad you could make its" at the shrimp cocktail table, but the friendliest reception she'd had so far had been from the house-elf who had taken her cloak.
Luna sighed and swirled the butterbeer in her glass. If she had to be perfectly honest with herself, the only reason she was here tonight was a silly hope she'd been harboring of earning a smile and a "happy Christmas" from Rolf Scamander, the most popular member of the Society, thanks to his fascinating, newly published report on bowtruckles' role in protecting wand trees from parasitic lichens.
Unlike most of the other naturalists, Rolf was very friendly to Luna and often interested in her less-mainstream research. She could see him now, tall and lean with a strong jaw and playful gray eyes, surrounded by friends and admirers in the shadow of one of the Christmas trees. He chuckled at something someone had just said, and even at this distance his smile made Luna feel fluttery and unsure of herself, a feeling to which she was unaccustomed and did not particularly enjoy.
Ginny had assured her that the feeling was perfectly natural. Luna had respectfully disagreed, attributing it instead to an overabundance of blibbering humdingers in the hall where the Society usually met. As the feeling became more and more frequent, however, Luna began to wonder whether Ginny might be on to something. Surely there were no blibbering humdingers here at the party (it was common knowledge that they eschewed the scent of pine), and yet one glance at the tittering women gathered around Rolf provoked an emotion inside her that she could only assume was jealousy.
She had been completely unprepared for the strange feelings she had been experiencing since joining the Society six months ago, as she had explained to Ginny earlier.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm not me anymore," she had sighed. "Maybe nargles have taken over my brain."
Ginny frowned. "Don't nargles usually live in mistletoe?"
"Yes."
"Well then I doubt they've taken up residence in your brain. Having a crush on someone can make you think and feel and do lots of things that you wouldn't normally, but you're still very much the same you."
Now Luna frowned. "I haven't got a crush on Rolf," she insisted, remembering with disdain the simpering third- and fourth-year girls gathered around Roger Davies every night in the Ravenclaw common room.
"Luna," Ginny said patiently, "there's nothing wrong with being attracted to a guy and hoping he's attracted to you too. And I know you hope he's attracted to you; otherwise," she said as Luna opened her mouth to argue, "you wouldn't have asked me to Floo over and help you get ready for this party."
Luna sighed. Maybe she did have a crush on Rolf. She did find him attractive, and she couldn't deny that she'd felt warm and tingly down to the tips of her toes when he had complimented her radish earrings a few weeks ago. She hadn't even minded that her new article on erumpents had been blatantly ignored at last week's meeting, because Rolf had asked her about it afterward, wondering about her research trips and her father's horn collection.
It was just so nice to finally have someone who was genuinely interested in the truly interesting creatures. Rolf was not that familiar with the Quibbler's regular features, but he seemed eager to learn. He had been very impressed with the newspaper's high-quality reporting, and Luna felt that was high praise from a man who could turn a dull subject like lichens into a fascinating read....
"Luna," Ginny interrupted gently. She was quite used to witnessing her friend drift off into dreamy reveries. "Luna, hadn't you better start getting dressed? You don't want to be late."
"Hmm? Oh, yes." She had almost forgotten Ginny was there. She went to her closet and took out a set of green satin dress robes covered in tiny red beads arranged in different-sized stars.
"I made these, but now I'm not sure I should wear them," Luna muttered. "They're a bit odd, aren't they?"
Ginny smiled. "Different, yes. Odd, no. I can guarantee that no one else will be wearing anything like them, but I think they're beautiful and you'll look beautiful in them."
"You're sure I should wear them?" Luna asked. "I think the entire Society already thinks I'm a bit mad."
"Since when have you ever worried about what other people think of you? This man really has you all helter-skelter," Ginny chuckled.
"I don't find it so amusing," Luna grumbled, feeling distinctly disgruntled by her out-of-character behavior.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," Ginny said kindly. "It's just that you always stand out in a crowd, and that's a good thing. Who cares what all those other stuffy naturalists think? I'm sure you captured Rolf's attention because you're so unique."
"I highly doubt he's interested in me."
"From all you've told me, I'm pretty sure he is," Ginny assured her. "Trust me, men are not that mysterious once you get used to them. Harry is still romantic and spontaneous and all that, but there's very little that's mysterious anymore."
Luna gave the dress robes a long, appraising look.
"Wear them," Ginny insisted. "They're perfect for you. I'll do your hair, and you'll look gorgeous. Rolf won't be able to keep his eyes off you."
So Luna had gotten dressed and Ginny had used a sweet-smelling potion to twist her hair into soft, golden curls. By the time she had charmed little white beards and Father Christmas hats onto her radish earrings, Luna was feeling rather lovely for the first time in a long while.
Standing alone in the ballroom, however, she felt quite foolish. There had been no point in coming to this party.
It's time to go, she decided. I'll just take one more of those tasty cream puffs, and then I'll get my cloak and go.
She cast one final glance at Rolf. To her surprise, he met her gaze and smiled. She smiled back, feeling the familiar fluttery sensation building in her stomach, but it fizzled as two more stylishly dressed women appeared at his elbow and diverted his attention.
Maybe I'll have two cream puffs, Luna thought morosely. She gulped the rest of her butterbeer and deposited the empty goblet on a passing waiter's tray. Turning her back resolutely on the object of her affection, she started toward the pastry table.
She was just reaching for a cream puff when a wheezy voice said, "Ah, Miss Lovegood. So glad you could make it."
She turned around to see Wilfred Benson, the ancient president of the Society. He was a tiny man, even shorter than she, but his mustache rivaled that of Horace Slughorn. Even tonight he looked as stuffy as ever, and the gentleman next to him looked even stuffier.
"Hello, Mr. President," Luna said dutifully, though she really just wanted to leave. "Er...the decorations are nice."
"Oh, thank you," he said dismissively. "Charles, have you met Miss Lovegood?" he asked his friend, a tall, wispy man with rimless spectacles. "She penned that fine article on cowering violets that appeared in the July publication."
"Hmm, cowering violets..." Charles mused, sounding rather bored.
"I've also written extensively on the habitats and mating rituals of erumpents and on the life cycles of nargles," Luna volunteered. She simply couldn't understand why the entire Society lauded the short paper she'd cobbled together from a few observations on a pretty but plain flower, yet they always ignored her long works based on years of research on fascinating creatures.
"Erumpents and nargles, yes," Benson muttered, looking rather uncomfortable. "Ah, Mr. Scamander! So good to see you!" he exclaimed suddenly.
Luna whipped around to see Rolf approaching the pastry table. She tried valiantly to summon her earlier feelings of frustration, but all she could muster was the observation that he was even more handsome at this close range.
"Good to see you, Mr. President," Rolf said politely. "Charles; Luna," he added, nodding at each of them and smiling at Luna.
"Mr. Scamander," Benson charged on, glancing nervously at Luna, "I was just telling Charles a little while ago about your marvelous new research on lichens."
"Thank you, sir, that's very kind. Please pardon me for a moment, though; I've found something that Luna absolutely must see. I think I've spotted some nargles."
Luna's eyes grew wide. "Really?" she gasped.
Rolf nodded. "Yes! Please excuse us, gentlemen," he said to the two men who looked rather flabbergasted, and he motioned for Luna to follow him.
"You've really seen nargles?" she asked excitedly as they started across the long ballroom.
"I think so," he said, "but I wanted you to have a look. You're the expert."
Luna blushed, something that happened very rarely. "I've done a lot of research, but I'm no expert."
He smiled, causing her stomach to flutter like nothing else could. "Don't be so modest. In this crowd, you're certainly the expert."
"That's only because no one else in the Society seems to have any interest in nargles. Besides you," she added hastily.
"I'm so glad you introduced me to them," Rolf said sincerely. "Sometimes I don't understand where these people's priorities lie. Lichens are cool and all, but it's Christmas! Nargles are the species of the hour."
"I'm glad someone else feels that way," Luna said. "Though I'm very glad everyone is so interested in your new work."
He waved a hand dismissively. "I think some of these people are more interested in bowtruckles and lichens than I am. We're at a party, for Merlin's sake! I've been trying to get across the room to talk to you all evening, but people just kept popping up out of nowhere wanting to talk shop," he said apologetically.
"Oh, that's okay," she said. "I was alright."
"You looked lonely. Very pretty, though," he said, and Luna was sure she had imagined a hint of nervousness in his voice.
"Thank you," she said, making a mental note to take Ginny out for ice cream. "You look quite nice yourself."
"Thank you," he said, and then he put a hand on her arm to stop her. "Look," he said, pointing with his other hand.
They had nearly reached the ceiling-high windows at the far end of the ballroom. A bundle of mistletoe sprigs was hovering in the air a few feet in front of the windows.
"Is this where you saw them?" Luna asked.
"Yes," said Rolf. "I thought I saw a couple peek out from among the leaves."
Luna took a few slow steps toward the mistletoe and paused. The key was to approach cautiously to show the nargles that your intent was not aggressive. She took a few more steps and craned her neck as far as she could, but she could see nothing.
She moved forward in small increments, and Rolf followed a short distance behind.
"Do you see anything?" she asked. "You're taller."
He shook his head. "No...not now. I might have imagined what I saw in the first place."
"Maybe not. It's been suggested that nargles may have powers of invisibility," she said, moving right under the mistletoe and indicating for him to follow. "There's one more thing we can try. Come a little closer...closer...there," she said when they were standing toe-to-toe. She had never been this close to him before, and the spicy scent of his cologne was more than a little distracting.
Concentrate, Luna, she told herself firmly. You have nargles to catch.
"What do I do?" Rolf asked earnestly.
She looked up and swallowed. His gray eyes were even more dazzling at this close distance.
Focus.
"You hold your hands up under the mistletoe," she instructed, taking out her wand, "and catch anything if it falls. Nargles usually don't bite humans," she added.
"Okay," he said. With his arms over his head, he could nearly touch the mistletoe.
Luna aimed a gentle gust of wind from her wand into the green leaves, and they waited.
Nothing happened.
"Try again," he suggested, and she did, but again nothing happened.
"I guess the nargles got away," she sighed. "They're quick little things, and they're smart."
"I'm really sorry," Rolf said.
Luna shrugged and stowed her wand. "There's no reason to apologize. I'll catch a nargle someday. And I had fun trying with you," she added with a smile. "You know, a lot of people don't believe that nargles even exist."
"I know," he said. "They're mad. But who cares about them as long as we know the truth, right?"
Merlin, he's amazing, Luna thought. "Rolf, I don't know what I'd do without you," she admitted.
He smiled and shook his head, as if her needing him were a silly idea. "I don't know what I would do without you. I was planning to deactivate from the Society, you know – too many stodgy old folks unwilling to accept new ideas and too many young backbiters just trying to publish something that'll make them famous.
"But then you came along with your erumpents and your nargles, and meetings suddenly got a whole lot more interesting. I was so intrigued that I decided to stay on just to get to know you, and I'm so glad I did." He took both of her hands in his. "Luna, you've changed the way I think and the way I see the world. You've changed everything."
Luna was too surprised to formulate an adequate response. Then the words "I really like you" tumbled out before she could stop them. She clamped her mouth shut in shock and embarrassment. What on earth just possessed me to say that?
Rolf chuckled. "I really like you too," he said, rubbing the backs of her hands soothingly with his thumbs. He glanced upward. "We're still under the mistletoe," he observed.
Luna's breath caught in her throat. "We are," she whispered.
"Mistletoe means more than just nargles," he reminded her, and then he kissed her.
Luna had not often thought about kissing, and when she had, she had mostly wondered what could possibly be so wonderful about it as to make other girls sigh and shriek and giggle and try to ambush boys in the Astronomy tower. Now she understood. As she kissed Rolf, she felt important, accepted, and a greater sense of belonging than she'd ever felt anywhere, even in the Room of Requirement. She felt more energetic than if she had been bitten by ten garden gnomes, but she was perfectly content to simply stay here with her lips pressed to his.
She had no idea how much time had passed when he finally broke the kiss. "I'm pretty grateful to the nargles for getting us over here," he murmured, "even if they did disappear on us."
Luna smiled. "Me too."
A mischievous grin spread across Rolf's face. "You know, I'm pretty sure there was some mistletoe hanging in the entry hall. I wonder if there are any nargles living in it?"
She raised her eyebrows. "I'd say it's likely. Maybe we should go investigate..."
-.-.-.-.-
Thanks for reading! I wish you and yours a very merry and blessed Christmas, and if you're not celebrating, I wish you a happy day anyways. Please leave me the gift of a review!
--A Chocolate Frog