Blue Skies In Their Place
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Summary: An important day plus the oh-so mysterious workings of Luna Lovegood's mind. [One-shot. Happy fic.]
Disclaimer: Everything Harry Potter is J.K. Rowling's and co.
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"Don't keep everyone waiting long. Harry's probably about to burst from nerves!" Ginny urged in an almost-whisper. Luna nodded vaguely before turning to examine the other woman's handy work. Ginny was a whiz with makeup, something Luna found extremely funny considering she grew up surrounded by boys, but then again, perhaps that was the reason she clung to anything feminine.
Luna's skin was glowing faintly in the magical lighting of the tent where she sat. Her tiny lips were only shaded a bit and her eyes already prominent eyes were only slightly accented. Her hair was curled into loose ringlets around her face and flowed wonderfully down her bare back.
Her dress robes were a tan that was distinguishably lighter than her skin, and quite beautiful in all their modesty and splendor. No one would ever imagine her to be the same girl that once wore radishes for earrings, though she was sorely tempted to ruin Ginny's hard work by applying clown make-up, just to get a reaction, of course.
Standing, she smoothed her dress over her stomach and picked up her bouquet. It had no flowers, consisting only of droopy grass like plants and ferns. It was distinctly Luna-ish, as Harry often called her quirkiness.
She stepped out of the tent, and all outside fell silent. Somewhere music began playing. She didn't really notice it. For a brief moment, her eyes locked with those of her soon-to-be husband, and he visibly relaxed. She smiled and looked up towards the sky.
It was a summer morning, and the sky was the clearest blue one could imagine. The color was so crisp, Luna was struck with a thought of how out of place it was.
The ground was shades of brown on dirt, mossy greens in the forests, or even just plain green on grass. Trees were the same, dark brown and different shades of green. Even buildings had a grayish hint to them, sometimes, for the daring, spreading to tan or brown. Everything was muted. Everything was calm. Everything was simple, even plain, perhaps, except for the sky.
The sky could be muted like everything else in nature, during rain showers and even in cloud cover, but not that day. That day the sky was a bright blue. That day the sky was vivid. It was singularly out of place.
The sky should perhaps be an off-white, or even gray, to match everything else.
Luna was half way down the aisle, half way towards reaching the platform where Harry stood with Dumbledore.
She smiled at them again, and once more turned her eyes towards the sky.
She decided she was being unfair, saying the sky didn't match the rest of the world. Maybe it was the rest of the world that didn't match the sky? Maybe it was the brown dirt that missed the memo on color coordination. She smiled at the thought of fuchsia topped trees and grass.
The dirt could become a bright lime green, and the bark of trees a sunny yellow. And instead of white, plain clouds, they could become a pastel orange, while rain clouds turned scarlet.
Yes, she decided, it was the rest of the world that didn't match the sky, not the other way around. Luna instantly felt like she had gained a new friend. Often times people had called her crazy, loony, odd. Of course, such mockeries became less persistent after her fourth year, when Harry started sticking up for her.
But before all that, she had known what it was like to be different. She was like the sky in many ways.
She reached the platform where Harry stood. She faced him first, before they turned together towards Dumbledore.
The ceremony proceeded like a dream. The couple exchanged vows and Dumbledore pronounced them wizard and witch.
"You may now kiss the bride, Harry," Dumbledore said.
Harry leaned down slowly, savoring the moment, but before he could come in contact with Luna's lips. But those lips bypassed his own and went straight to his right ear.
Into it, she whispered, "I've decided what color I would like our lawn to be."
Harry pulled back, looked at her with a questioning look, before breaking into a broad grin and leaning down to kiss her again. This time he did not miss.
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