Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.

Badlands

"Luna! Wait … wait for me!"

Harry bent over, his hands braced against his knees. He tried to catch his breath. They had been hiking for hours, out in the middle-of-nowhere somewhere in the American West. The last few hours had been solely lit by the stars and the light of their headlamps, and they were now just able to watch the sun break over the horizon.

Luna paused atop one of the hills they were scrambling and turned around. Her golden hair caught the light of the rising sun and she waited patiently for him to catch up. She seemed so perfect.

It was in moments like these, that Harry wished he could tell her how he really felt.

"Mate," Ron had said, a touch sarcastically, "you're traveling halfway across the world to search for one of her imaginary creatures. I think she might have an idea of how you feel."

"I'm going as her friend!" Harry had protested. "And I'm sure she feels the same way about me!" Ron had snorted at that statement; even Hermione hadn't been that impressed by his arguments, or lack of.

"At little more than a friend, don't you think?" she had teased. "You've been spending a lot of time with her, helping with the research and preparations. She hasn't grown tired of you and she laughs at your jokes. Have you thought that maybe — just maybe — she cares for you, like you do for her?"

The problem was that he didn't know how she really felt because even he wasn't sure of his feelings. It wasn't like he had had a lot of positive role models in his life. Was what he was feeling really love? He had thought he had loved Ginny, but just look how that turned out.

Love? Where in Merlin's name did that come from? he thought in amusement. I just think Luna's really pretty and smart … friend. A really pretty and smart friend. But my world's been so much brighter since she's been a part of it. Sure, she can be odd … talking about invisible creatures. But the way she talks about them makes me want to see them, too…

Shaking his head at his own foolish thoughts, he scrambled up the rest of hill.

"Hey," Harry said, admittedly a little more breathless than he probably would have liked. He grinned at her, however, and watched as her eyes seemed to light up. "We should stick together! I wouldn't want to lose— I wouldn't want us to get lost."

I wouldn't want to lose you, went unsaid, but seemed to tangibly hang in the air.

Luna shook her head and easily returned a gentle smile.

"We're magic, Harry," she said in her usual light, ethereal tone. "We can never get lost."

"Oh," Harry responded, blushing slightly. "Right, sorry. I forgot about apparition."

Luna giggled at his reaction. Normally, he would have felt embarrassed, but with Luna it was something different. She wasn't making fun of, or belittling, him — he was pretty sure she didn't have that in her. Leaning forward, she kissed him softly on the cheek.

That was new.

"And spells," she teased.

"Huh?" he asked, his mind still stuck on the fact that she had just kissed him. On the cheek, but still! He decided to take it as a sign that she was interested in him. Maybe.

Now laughing out right, she teasingly poked his side. "You forgot about spells, Harry," she repeated. "Are you sure you don't have an infestation of Wrackspurts? You've been very distracted recently."

"I'm fine," he replied. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair. Should he just kiss her? Was she interested? No, he didn't know if she would appreciate that. She hadn't said anything out right. Wait if…

Courage, Harry, he told himself.

"—and those enchanted mirrors Hermione insisted we bring with us," Luna was saying. He pulled himself out of his thoughts and focused on her animated speech. "Oh! And the colony of fairies we saw a little ways back! I'm sure they would love to help us. We would just have to trade them something for their assistance— eep!"

Harry abruptly grabbed her hand and spun her into a close embrace. He found himself staring directly into her sky blue eyes. She wasn't hexing him … yet. Good progress.

"Is this okay?" Harry asked softly. Merlin, he loved this feeling, her body so close to his.

"Yeah," she replied, a tad breathlessly. "Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming with me," Luna said. He was lost in the intensity her eyes held.

"Wh-What are friends for?" he replied, trying to cover up the nervous fluttering in his chest.

"Or something more."

Harry felt himself freeze. Did she really just say what he thought she said?

"That… I…"

"Yes?" she teased gently.

"Canikissyouplease." The words tumbled out of his mouth into one big mess. He grimaced slightly, while Luna continued to smile up at him.

Smooth, Harry. Real smooth, he thought sarcastically.

But Luna, as she always seemed to be able to do, understood what he was trying to ask her.

"I would like that very much," she whispered sincerely.

Harry grinned and captured her lips into a soft kiss. She sighed happily and he knew that this was heaven. It was nothing like what he had experienced with Ginny. This kiss was Luna was light and perfect — like he was finally coming home. After a moment, they broke away; their foreheads were pressed together. A warm feeling blossomed in his chest.

So this is what love feels like.

"How is it that you do this to me, Harry?" Luna asked softly.

"Do what?" he queried hesitantly. Had he done something wrong?

"You make me feel … everything," she replied. She reached up and gentled ran her finger down the side of his cheek. "You make me so happy."

"I'm glad," Harry responded. He felt like he was on top of the world, and he suddenly felt a little cocky. "And there's one answer to your question, that you're just simply forgetting."

Luna tilted her head slightly. "Oh?" she said.

He smirked in response.

"Don't you know? We're magic."

Prompt (Prompt of the Day — The Golden Snitch): (song) Till You're Loved - Mr. Probz

Word count (not including title and author's notes): 1035