May 30, 2011 Prompt: Amethyst

XXVI. On Your Doorstep

Luna was gone a couple days later. Severus wasn't surprised, after all it had been what he was expecting.

She had of course, said she would keep in touch, and even invited him to come see her whenever he wanted. This should have been somewhat of a comfort to him, as it meant she wasn't cutting him out of her life.

However, he still felt.. well devastated really. Now that she was gone, he rather felt like there was a gaping hole inside of him, and he didn't know what to do with it.

He rather loathed himself for it. He wasn't sure how this had happened to him. He'd lead most of his adult life, putting up walls around himself to keep people away. How had he let Luna walk through all those barriers as if they didn't exist?

However, it couldn't be his fault. He wasn't sure there weren't any barriers that Luna could not cross. She was really just not of this world. And with her out of his life... she felt even more surreal than ever before.

And Severus didn't know why he was thinking about this silly nonsense. All it did was remind him of Luna and he wondered whether the way her mind worked was contagious. Surely spending so much time with her had caused severe damaged to his previously logical mind.

He tried to tell himself that Luna was just a girl, one that used to be his student. As a rule, Severus had always hated his students, especially those that in some way or other bugged him more than most. This included idiots, insufferable-know-it-alls, arrogant prats, and lunatics. Luna, though she had been a relief to him, even when she was younger, still annoyed him like nothing else. Though he had gotten used to her as the years went on, she still absolutely confused him and even vexed him at times.

But she was still, or had been, one of hist students. He knew that he should not be thinking of her at all, much less desire to see her. As a rule, once students left school, you didn't usually speak to them regularly or see them again. Not unless you were Horace Slughorn, which Severus was certainly not.

And yet, despite rationalizing it all he wanted, he couldn't get the nagging feeling out of his stomach. Not anymore than he could feel the slight throbbing in the cavity where his heart should be. Severus yet marveled at all that he had one, though he knew he did only because it tended to ache dully.

For the first time, at least since he first woke, he wondered why he was still here. He wondered why whatever power there was in the universe that decided the fate of mortals, why they felt the need to torture him longer in this life. What purpose did his life have anymore?

Severus knew that for him, this thoughts were unacceptably maudlin. He supposed that being in Spinner's End wasn't helping. A trip to Diagon Alley's Apothecary, would surely help clear his mind. Or at least help him be prepared for the long hours of being down in his Potions Lab to keep his mind thoroughly occupied.

Unfortunately he merely got to the door. Just as he opened the door, he found Luna standing there, with her face absurdly close to where his door had just been.

"Oh hello, Professor," she suddenly said, turning her bright blue eyes at him as a smile sprouted across her lips. "Did you come to investigate the Nargles scratching at the door?" she asked while nodding sagely.

Severus wasn't sure what it was. Later, he would blame it on the tension, or the fact that without her, however odd it may sound, he felt as though he was going out of his mind. Or perhaps it was the absurdity of actually having missed her and feeling so lost without and then finding her on his doorstep, something he should probably have foreseen considering how strange she was, doing something equally strange.

However whatever the reason, the sight of her, while sending his heart into a violent attack, made him suddenly burst into laughter. An event that had not happened... well as long as he could remember.

When he managed to get control over himself and straighten up, he found Luna standing in front of him with a wide smile on her face. "You laughed!" she said, sounding both pleased and deliriously happy as she looked up at his eyes. Severus struggled to regain control over his features, however, for once he was unsuccessful. Her smile was so wide, almost crazy looking, but it was contagious, and he could feel the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, rather rebelliously.

"Yes contrary to belief, I can laugh," he said sarcastically, finally able to stop himself from smiling. He hated it. Made him feel like an idiot. Placing a scowl on his face, he crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you doing here, Miss... Luna?" he asked, shaking his head and correcting himself at the end. His voice was not as cold as he wished it would be. Rather it sounded gentle.

"I've been meaning to visit, but I've had a lot to do," she replied, clasping her hands suddenly behind her back and sort of swaying on her feet forwards and backwards as she started looking around. Briefly Severus wondered if Luna perhaps had some sort of attention deficit disorder.

"Well, I was heading out," he stated, looking down at her. Today she was wearing a light blue summer dress, that seemed to bring out the blue in her eyes and make them more intense. He felt he could melt under her gaze when she suddenly turned to look at him.

"Oh," she said, sounding mildly disappointed. Although, Severus told himself that was absurd and probably just his imagination. "Well perhaps another time, it was nice to see you," she said, suddenly turned and skipping away.

"Luna," he called out, before he knew what he was doing.

She spun, her hair fanning around, looking like pale gold as she turned to look at him. "Yes?" she asked politely.

Severus felt a flush creep up his cheek. "I was going to Diagon Alley, I was wondering... that is if you wanted... or had time..."

"To go with you?" she asked, smiling slightly as she tilted her head to gaze at him. Severus shut his mouth and averted his gaze as he nodded. Why was he blithering like a stupid teenager? "I'd love to."

TBC...

A/n: Please review. Sorry for the wait, been busy.