Author's Note: I am writing this because I am a terrible writer and I am trying to practice. I needed a break from my major projects so I thought fanfiction would be a nice way to practice. Since this is practice I would be thrilled if you could constructively tell me what worked or didn't work (if you have time for it :D ).

WARNING: these are practice snippets, please do not get too attached.


Almost

Luna leaned against the brick, her blonde hair sticking to the grime. The fingers on one hand were broken, yet it didn't bother her as much as the loss of her plum earrings; she had worked a terribly long time on them after all.

The sounds of brutality in the Malfoy Manor dungeon had long since diminished, her tormentors having crept along to slumber. She did not want for their company.

Out of all the cells, hers was the only one with a window , barely the width of her uninjured hand. Yet still the moon reached inside the cell, stirring the dust motes, as the night hummed along in silence, and animals (magical and non) scurried about, ignorant of her captivity.

"That's an awfully bloody hand," a voice oozed from the corner, "I could fix it for you luv," the man peeled himself from the shadows, mousy from his brown hair to his squinty eyes. He had been visiting her for weeks, his persistence increasing with the fullness of the gibbous.

"Thank you for the offer, but I still must decline."

"I could definitely get you better digs than this," he mused taking an unneeded glance about," better food too." the man pulled a apple from nowhere, the green skin contrasting against his pale hand. However, Luna's gaze did not move from the window, rather she traced the flight patterns of dinglerings. Even as shoes clacked against the stone floor she dared not turn, until her view was blocked by a tailored suit.

"All you have to do is say yes," the man moved the apple infront of her face, the fruit almost luminescent now that it was in the light." I know they're your favourite."

And indeed, apples were a particular weakness of hers; she had always enjoyed searching for Nargles amongst the orchards tucked neatly behind her house. She remembered warm summers, her mothers long blonde hair disappearing behind the trees, a chiming laugh, the smoothness of red skin beneath her fingertips, the crunch of a bite, the dribble of sweet juice- it would have been easy to take the apple from him. However, the skin was green, and she knew rumor of its bitterness.

"Are you suffering from an infestation of Wrackspurt."

"What." His face twisted into a scowl, "did you call me-"

"they make your brain go fuzzy, they whisper things you know. They like to find people and tell them all sorts of things. " She ignored him, studying her discolored nails instead., " they fill you up with doubt, fear, uncertainty..."

"Why do you resist." he hissed, hands turning the fruit about, tossing it between two slender hands.

Her eyes traced the arch of the apple, it's skin would be mealy and its flesh the bitterest she tasted. It was nothing like the swells of sweet red apples she knew of as a child. Yet, she knew her hunger, was painfully aware of the hollows of her cheeks and the delicate outline of her ribs. She felt the yawning emptiness of her belly even as she moved her lips.

"No"

His face crumpled into fury, eyes glimmering with wickedness. His hand crushed the apple, juice and pulp bursting onto her cheeks, "You will regret not saying yes,"he spat.

She blinked but once and he was gone. Only the bitter juice of the fruit remained on her lips as a reminder of their encounter.

She had been right, it wasn't sweet at all.

And yet, even though she hadn't taken it she had been so close. She had felt doubt and hunger and she feared what temptation his next visit would bring. She prayed to be as free as the almost full moon, dangling beyond the reach of her cell. She hoped for some window grater than the palm of her hand. She even placed faith in a faceless and imagined rescuer.

"Yes" had almost been on the tip of her tongue this time-

Almost.


Word Count: 662

This was a pain to write, I must have revised this seventeen times (I do not exaggerate). However, This chapter is officially longer than the whole collection thus far. I love Luna as a character, I wanted to see her tempted at her weakest moment. Because, demons like wrackspurts like to cloud your mind. I am humbled by the interest you all have shown in this story thus far.

Responses to reviews:

allietheepic7: Excellent :) (you get a request if you so wish), at this moment it's just a series of drabbles. The closeness in which I write each chapter makes them tie in together. When I wrote 'anything' I immediately wondered about Severus when he said "Always". I wondered what James would have to give up to save Harry, what did 'Anything' really mean. In a war where everyone is dying, and unknown mother's die for their sons- what made Lily Potter so special in her sacrifice? So, I imagined a snippet were James would be willing to do anything for the safety of his son.

xDarklightx: I appreciate it- Thank you for reading it this far. Thank you for sticking around to see what other things might occur :)

Cibbsoldlady: Absolutely, I will be more than happy to write a prompt with the word never, it will the next chapter posted :)