.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.


There was a scrabbling on the stone wall that brought Hermione out of her reverie. Setting aside her journal, she turned her attention to the high wall under the spreading magnolia. To her shock and dismay, a figure popped over the top and tumbled down into the lavender patch.

"Hullo," said the girl, shaking back her abundance of hair and adjusting her pince-nez that somehow had managed to stay affixed to her pert nose.

"Hullo," Hermione managed. There was nothing particularly threatening about her, but Hermione palmed her wand anyway.

"I suppose we ought to be introduced," the girl said in a low voice, and made a surprisingly dainty curtsy. "I'm Luna."

"And I'm—"

"Madam Snape, of course. I knew the moment I saw you."

"You did?" Hermione managed faintly.

Luna smiled dreamily and adjusted her necklace that seemed to be made out of seashells and, of all things, driftwood, worn smooth by the waves. "I just had to come down—I live just outside Ottery St. Catchpole. I suppose you haven't managed to see the village yet."

"Well no… no one is to know we are here."

"Of course not. No one does, naturally." And as though she lived there herself, she began to pluck magnolias off of the spreading tree.

Hermione just stared for a moment, but as she gathered herself to ask questions, Luna turned back, setting the magnolias like a crown in her golden hair.

"I believe I will call on you again tomorrow. Tea time?"

"Uh—"

"Lovely." Luna flashed a large smile, the lenses of her glasses flashing magenta and then lavender as she nodded her head. "Don't worry about the wards; they are all fully functional. I'm just on my father's errands today and haven't time to stop." She mounted the first stone, her bare feet finding purchase where there didn't appear to be any.

She peeked back over her shoulder at Hermione, a surprisingly fetching picture with her skirts up around her slender knees, a magnolia crown slipping just a bit to the side, her pince-nez flashing violet and lilac every time she moved her head, a surprisingly tender smile curling her lips.

"Take care, Madam Snape. I sense Wrackspurts about," and with that she hauled herself over the wall and disappeared.

Hermione stared hopefully at the wall for a full minute, waiting for her to appear again.


The tea try was laid out, the cakes cut, and Draco had been sent off to London to accompany Narcissa to her meeting of the upmost secrecy with a lawyer, regarding her absent husband. Hermione couldn't shake a strange feeling of anticipation.

"Madam, a Miss Lovegood to see you," Austen intoned.

Hermione started to rise, but the girl came rushing around the doorframe with a smile. "Oh, don't trouble yourself on my account."

She was wearing a dress at least twenty years behind the current fashion with a wide skirt held stiffly out at the sides with petticoats and hoops. She wasn't wearing her glasses today, but her neck was adorned with a collection of necklaces. Her hair was beginning to fall a bit and she wore no hat.

Luna breezed over to the settee and pressed an unaffected kiss against Hermione's cheek. "Tea? How lovely—you didn't have to go to any trouble though." She settled herself on the couch across from the off-kilter mistress of the house, her gown flowing around her like a waterfall of silk.

Hermione poured two cups. "Miss Lovegood?"

"It's just Luna." The golden-haired woman leaned forward to accept the teacup with both hands, blinking bright grey eyes.

"Of course."

Luna took a long sip of tea and then began dropping sugar cubes in her cup until the liquid reached the edge again. "This is lovely," she finally sighed.

"So you wanted to speak to me?" Hermione ventured, hazarding a guess that it would be useless to attempt subtlety with this strange woman.

Luna smiled and nodded, a lock of pale hair settling on her shoulder. "Well, see you might be more apt. I just had to see Severus's love."

"Love?" Hermione managed faintly, resting a hand over her protruding stomach gently.

"The house seems well appointed, although I think there might be a Blibbering Humdinger in the upper hall," she continued as though Hermione hadn't spoken. She took another drink of tea and added more sugar. "But what you really must be on the look-out for is Umgubular SlashKilters in the kitchen pantry. I could check, if you would like. With the twins on the way you can't be too careful, you know."

"No, I suppose not," Hermione demurred.

Luna smiled dreamily again. "I'll just pop through on my way out, shall I?"

Hermione felt thoroughly confused and only achieved a sip of tea.

"When Severus returns, you will have to come down to the village; everyone will be dying to meet you." Luna jumped conversation points like stepping stones in the flow of conversation.

"Do you have many friends in the village?" Hermione managed.

"A few, I suppose." She shrugged. "I think they think I'm a bit odd, you know. Some people call me 'Loony' Lovegood, actually."[*]

Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

"Well, I've seen you, and you must be tired. I'll check the kitchen on my way out. No, don't get up. If you are bored, I might send over a stack of my father's newspaper. Have you seen the Quibbler?"

Hermione shook her head.

"That's a shame. I'll have them here within the week." Luna stood and used a teaspoon to scrape the last of the tea-soaked sugar from her teacup. "Until next time, Madam Snape." And then she was gone.


[*] Chapter 38 of Harry Potter and the Order if the Phoenix.

Edited for grammar, spelling, & punctuation on August 25th, 2014 [courtesy of renaid, who is gracious and efficacious as ever].

Well, Gentle Reader, I have moved again, gotten a new job, unpacked in a new apartment & decided that the Dream has gone on long enough. It must be finished post haste! Enjoy the end of the journey.