"Ms. Lovegood, what did you mean when you claimed something bad was going to happen?" Severus finally managed to ask the next day, as they had lunch together before the blonde left for her afternoon classes. She'd done a fine job teaching his class and he'd checked on her regularly, making certain she was having no problems with his students.
It was while he was supervising Draco as he brewed that he couldn't take his mind off of her words.
Something bad? The girl did seem to have a way of knowing things and he wondered what it was she was coming up with now.
"Oh, it's really quite simple Professor, it could be something as drastic as the coming of a new dark lord, it may be something as simple as indigestion." She smiled, her voice dreamy and melodic as always.
"Truly only time will tell." He blinked at her, watching her for any sign that she knew more than she was letting on.
Finally, he took a deep breath and shook his head, returning to his meal. He had finally worked his way up to near entire meals, it was rather impressive, considering he'd not had much an appetite at all until the blonde had entered his life, trying to coax him into eating, and drinking Gillywater.
He took a drink of his Gillywater, still not pleased with the flavor though it was easier on his taste buds than it had been in the beginning, and of course there was that happy look that crossed her face whenever he took a drink.
He wasn't sure why he liked it when she smiled at him- she smiled at everyone for Merlin's sake, but it felt like he was earning something when she gave him that dreamy grin.
She left him when they'd finished eating, bidding him a good day as she always did and assuring him she would return to assist him with his grading and lesson plans after dinner. He watched her go, eyes lingering on the sway in her walk, the way she kept her head up, and of course, her bare feet against the cold stone. He really did feel like he needed to do something about her shoe situation.
Luna sat outside, reading her usual evening edition of the Quibbler, taking in all of the articles with interest and ease. She laughed at some of them, smiling to herself as she read over the words of people she'd known since she was a child. Her father being the owner and editor of the Quibbler obviously had something to do with that.
"Loony Lovegood, Loony Lovegood…" A few girls sang as they walked past her, their shoes crunching the dying grass underfoot as they strutted by. It was always the younger years that did such things and she wondered if they considered it a rite of passage.
Come to Hogwarts, make fun of Luna, find your place in Hogwarts society.
She laughed a little to herself at her thoughts and turned to her right when Ginny and Hermione fell into place sitting beside her. Hermione on the other side of Luna.
"You'd think they'd grow up and get over it eventually." Ginny commented, shooting a glare at the girls' backs, Luna smiled, shrugging her shoulders and carefully folding her paper as she always did. Certain to keep the nasties that came when one did not fold their papers properly away.
"It really is no problem, everyone needs something to make them feel better after all, and projecting their insecurities onto someone else is the easiest way for them. It really is quite logical when one thinks about it." Ginny gave her a baffled look and a crooked smile.
"You always know just how to take things without ever being upset don't you?" Hermione commented, giving her a look from around Ginny, Luna smiled at her.
"I know you thought me strange when you first met me but everyone has their differences, I'm very pleased we could work through ours to become friends. It means so very much to me to have you all so near to my heart." She smiled again and then stared off into the distance, her mind wandering.
"So, what has you looking so- well- I suppose it really is forlorn for you?" Ginny asked, squinting at her and examining her face. Luna turned back to her, eyes wide and a surprised look on her face.
She was so accustomed to being the one doing the observing she hardly thought others observed her as well.
"Well, to be truthful I think I may fancy a gentleman quite a bit. Though I'm certain he does not, nor could he ever return my feelings." She admitted, staring over at the lake, the sky was turning dark and she had duties to attend as an assistant soon.
"Oh? Who, do tell?" Ginny waggled her eyebrows, Hermione gave her a long look, curiosity burning out of amber eyes.
"I've never heard you say something like that before Luna, it must be very serious." The brunette smiled. Luna fingered the wand she kept hooked behind her ear, the carvings in the wood soothing her nerves. Why did her stomach feel funny at the mere thought of him?
She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way.
"I think it is, I have dreams about him." She hummed thoughtfully, not looking at her friends who were both giving her wide-eyed looks.
"Well, who is it!? Out with it!" Ginny huffed impatiently, eyes boring into the side of her face, Luna turned, giving them a ditzy smile.
"Well Professor Snape of course, who else?" They both blanched, their faces turning as pale as hers as they stared over at her.
"Pro- Professor…"
"Snape?" Luna finished for her girlfriend, bright brown eyes wide on Luna's face as she looked over at them.
"Why yes, is that really so surprising? He's quite a bit different from me don't you think? I really find his presence to be quite lovely, a bit overbearing at times I'll admit, but I don't mind it." She smiled again. She felt like she was missing something. Something big.
Something that had her friends' mouths hanging open as if they were a carnivorous plant attempting to catch flies.
"Wow, well, does he know you fancy him?" Hermione was the first to come to her senses, closing her girlfriends mouth with two fingers as they still watched Luna, Luna who had turned back to stare up at the sky.
"Well, I'm not sure, I would presume not, considering he is constantly thinking about other things. No. I highly doubt he would have even noticed something like that, even if it was completely obvious. As an aside he finds me irritating, not quite grounds for a relationship." She trapped her tongue between her lips thoughtfully.
"Well, I have to go! Take care, and be safe, I have a feeling something bad is going to happen." She breathed as she stood and drifted casually away, her friends staring at her back as she went.
"If there was ever a perfect girl for Professor Snape." Ginny shook her head, giving Luna's retreating back one more look.
"She'd be the one, nothing ever upsets her, he could be mean to her all-day long." Hermione hummed thoughtfully laying her head against Ginny's shoulder.
"But she doesn't quite deserve that kind of treatment, does she?"
"Who knows, perhaps he is nice to those he cares about." Hermione smiled as Ginny turned to look at her.
"Who's to say he will ever care for her?" The brunette extended her neck, catching the redhead's lips with her own. Both smiled into the kiss, deepening it in a battle of tongues. Hermione hooked her hands into Ginny's hair, smoothing them through the soft locks until they pulled away from one another.
"Who's to say he won't?" She grinned and the redhead immediately launched herself at her again, knocking them back into the grass where they continued to snog until they would be forced to go inside.
"Ah, there you are." Professor Snape spoke when she entered the room, she was a bit later than usual for her meeting with him but she'd hoped he wouldn't mind. She'd gotten quite caught up in talking with Ginny and Hermione.
"I have something for you, Ms. Lovegood." He disappeared into his office and she glanced at the boy who sat with his head bent over a parchment, writing lines.
I will not mess up potions intentionally and threaten the lives of my peers. He wrote, over and over. She smiled dreamily when Snape came back out of his office and she drifted toward him, curiosity consuming her over what he had in the box in his hands.
He handed them over, watching her closely as she opened the box to find a pair of simple black shoes, but when she touched them they turned bright blue and she gave a little gasp of shock and excitement.
"Oh! But whatever will I do when they steal them?" She looked up at him, wide eyed. She adored them, but she would be very upset is something like a gift were to be stolen. He nodded and pulled his wand.
"I've charmed them so that they will return to you when taken, they won't stay anywhere they are placed that is not within your care." She couldn't help the bright smile that took over her face. Nor could she stop herself from throwing her arms around his waist, wrapping him in the biggest hug she could ever recall having given.
He stood stiffly, for a long moment, his arms extended awkwardly at his sides when she didn't release him right away.
"Do stop your staring, Mr. Gaving, or I would be happy to add to your lines." She released him at his biting tone and stepped back, eyes on the ground at his feet.
"Well Ms. Lovegood, put them on, this grading cannot be put off." He grumbled and handed the shoes over to her, turning away and striding the rest of the way to his desk. She slipped the shoes onto her feet, grinning as they turned from blue to pink, and resized to fit her feet.
She would need to find a gift for him now, something to return the favor.
"Thank you so much, Professor Snape, I'm certain I'll enjoy them forever." She hummed as she took her stack of grading from his desk and moved to sit at the table the boy writing lines occupied.
Snape cleared his throat.
"You may sit up here this evening as I have a student in detention, I would hate for him to distract from your work." He cast her a quick look as she turned to walk back up to the desk, snatching and pulling a chair with her as she came back up to sit at the side of his desk.
She couldn't help but cast surreptitious glances at him from the corner of her eye. Of course, she also couldn't stop herself from wiggling her toes in her new shoes.
So perhaps someone aside from her friends did realize that she had feelings, after all.