x

x

It was a chilly night in June 1998. Luna never could fall asleep until the wee hours of the morning, when all was grey and blue, and at the moment all was dark, in the room she shared with Ginny. And across the long expanse of smooth hardwood floor, Ginny's bed was empty. The Moon Girl rose from her own bed, spread with soft, well-worn cotton sheets and beaded comforters, bare feet padding toward the door. She wandered down the hall, ghostly in her light blue, Ravenclaw standard long sleeved cotton nightdress. Her footsteps made no sound on the normally creaky stairs, her hem swishing around the rail as she turned to walk down the hall, past the drawing room. Luna glanced within. Ginny and Harry were curled up together on the settee, talking in whispers about things best forgotten. But neither was very good at forgetting. This was why they had each other though.

Luna drifted on, past her best friend and Ginny's graduated boyfriend, following the faint sounds that were wafting up from the kitchen. Descending into the ancient, cool room, the seventeen-year-old Artemis was met with The Sound Of Silence, and her former DADA professor sitting at the nicked and stained kitchen table. She smiled softly, stepping across the cold stone floor soundlessly, sitting down across from Remus, curling up her legs and sitting on her chilled feet.

Remus Lupin was no longer surprised by anything Luna Lovegood did. He was accustomed to her habit of seemingly materializing out of thin air, apparating from her home planet to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Planet Earth. He lifted his chin from his hands, lacing his fingers together and smiling softly, "Hot chocolate?"

"Yes, please," Luna smiled back, and Remus stood, turning to one of the many cabinets for another mug. Her eyes followed his movements, as he poured her a mug-full from the still steaming kettle on the stove. He passed her the drink, and her small, white hands wrapped around the large mug, absorbing it's warm for a moment. Her face tilted into the steam, breathing in the scent of minty chocolate, "You added the mint extract," She noted. Remus nodded, as he sat back down across from her,

"Using it in those brownies of yours was quite clever," He replied. Luna's rosebud mouth spread in a pleased smile,

"Twas an old habit of my mum's," She explained, "She had quite the impressive rose and herb garden, you know. Attracted Icarus often," A yawn, "Her patch of mint and rosemary was the envy of the neighborhood. She put mint in everything in the summertime…"

"My mother also grew mint," Remus nodded, "When I was a little boy I liked to go out to her garden after it rained, and the whole yard would smell of it…"

Another smile from Luna, and in sync the pair took long, cautious sips from their hot chocolate. Luna turned to look at the record player that was sitting on the table, as it drew to the end of the song. She reset the arm, and The Sound Of Silence began anew, "You have been listening to my records again," She pointed out yet another obvious detail. Yet when she did such, you knew she was searching for the hidden meaning. She was obviously subtle.

"You have excellent taste in music, Luna," He informed her, watching as her slender fingers traced patterns along the splintery table. Really, one of these days he'd have to re-sand the old table and polish it again. Perhaps Harry would help him out, "Icarus?"

"Yes," Luna nodded, taking another more daring sip, "From the Myth. He visited me often when I was little, you know,"

A smile played at the corners of Remus' mouth, "Is that so? Are his wings still melted?"

"Oh no," Luna yawned, the back of one delicate hand coming up to cover her mouth. And the voices like silent raindrops fell, "He remade his wings, now that he's older and wiser," Remus nodded,

"I would think he would be now, after that whole incident," He replied quietly, that small amused smile still on his lips, a few sleepy strands of light brown hair in his eyes, touched with a silver that didn't belong there quite yet, "Such would teach me my lesson,"

"He's a herald now, you know," Luna returned his smile. She knew her words were strange. She also knew Remus would never deny her them, "He took messages up to my mother after she left. And now my father too, I suppose," Luna never said that they or anyone else had died anymore. Only that they'd left. It was a wise move, especially in that house. Her quiet, understated optimism was catching. Echo the sound of silence…

"I'm sure he loves the job," Remus murmured, suddenly reminded of his old friend for a moment. Sirius Black had so enjoyed his muggle Greek Mythology, especially as a teenager.

"You are thinking of him again, Remus," Her voice drifted over to his ears, and he looked at her. She'd never said his first name before, aloud. Then again, she rarely called anyone by any name, so often forgoing formalities.

"You are quite perceptive, Luna," Remus murmured, still looking at her, as the one light above them fell on her long, limp hair and pale eyes. She really was a beautiful girl, lovely like a flower after a downpour. Her smile faded, and her eyes became a bit more luminous, as she leaned forward slightly,

"It can not have been easy, losing a half of one's heart like that," She said slowly, before looking down quickly, "But then, perhaps that is not for me to speak of," Remus tilted his head. That was odd, to hear Luna take back a question. He still smiled though, faintly,

"It's for anyone who understands to speak of, I suppose," He said, taking another drink, "We've all lost a bit of our hearts lately, but," He looked at her, and her face rose again, those light blue eyes of hers meeting his, "I've had some time now to deal with that pain. As you have, I'm sure."

Slowly, she smiled again. The clock struck one, and the vision was still slowly creeping, but Luna was suddenly tired again. She rose soundlessly, picking up her mug and bringing it around the table and to the counter. Turning, she paused, resting a hand on Remus' shoulder for a moment. That one spot would burn with the remembered warmth of her hand for some time. At the moment, he turned his head, and she brushed those graying strands away from his eyes, in a rather motherly motion, "Thank you for the cocoa,"

"Thank you for the conversation," He replied. Though of course, when he thought about it, they hadn't truly spoken much. But they seemed quite able to communicate beyond words. Her hand hovered on his shoulder for a moment, as she pondered…something. With a soft stirring and an intake of breath, she left a feather-light kiss on his brow, before she turned and slipped out of the room.

The next evening, there would be another kettle on the stove, and Luna would remember her slippers.

x

x

x

x

x

x


Author Note: Hee.