All characters still belong to JK.
A/N: Thanks to my lovely reviewers—excessivelyperky, Hermione09Weasley, Look Far Woman, MaritimeStars, duj, notwritten, debjunk
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My next set of tests comes back positive--I'm doing better than anybody imagined I would and my Healers are pleased. Of course, I know and Dr. Bella knows that part of the credit goes to Severus' potions. But what Dr. Griffin doesn't know won't hurt him.
I come home from the appointment, and guess who's moving into the flat upstairs? Luna Lovegood!
At first I'm thrilled she's here--finally, to see somebody from the old days. But Luna has changed. She's definitely one of the casualties of the War. I'd heard her father died shortly after the Battle of Hogwarts from complications of Death Eater torture. Then she took over management of the Quibbler. And it seems she's doing a great job--circulation has doubled under her leadership. But Luna herself? Well...
She's always been a little odd, but I don't mind that so much. And she's friendly enough, but she just seems so lost. It's actually a little scary--her attention just drifts in and out of the conversation. And then there's the matter of her clothes. I mean, I don't want to judge anybody on the way they dress, but I'd think she'd have more sense than to try to look like Professor Trelawny. But there goes Luna, dressed in this gauzy, diaphanous get-up, with bracelets all up and down her arms and rings on every finger and flowers--yes, flowers--in her hair. I'm not sure if she's trying to be a gypsy or a hippie. And the way she smells--it's myrrh, she tells me when my nose wrinkles. I don't mean to make a face, but I can't help myself. I mean, it's not a bad smell, it's just so strong.
"It keeps Devonshire pixies away," she explains.
"I think you mean Cornish pixies," I correct her, although I never heard they were affected by myrrh.
"No. Devonshire pixies are an entirely different species. And they cause mental confusion if they get too close to you."
I secretly think she's confused enough already, pixies or no pixies.
But I invite her to our flat for some tea, and when I make it by hand, she asks why immediately, so I tell her about the Artinem's.
"I bet you never heard about it..." I start.
She interrupts me. "No, Hermione. I have heard about it. Only muggleborns can get it. It's fatal in every case. And it's caused by stoogenanny scratches."
"You're kidding me," I say. Stoogenanny scratches? I can't even pretend to take her seriously anymore.
"Not at all. Some people are afraid of their bite, but they don't actually have any teeth. Their claws?--ah, that's another story. They're filthy because they make their nests out of giants' refuse, and they..."
"Oh, come off it," I break in. "There aren't any giants in England and you know it."
"Of course I know it," she sounds injured. "But stoogenannies migrate."
The teakettle whistles and I turn away to pour the water.
"I know a bloke who knows a bloke," she offers. "Actually, it's Mundungus, but anyhow, he can get a really good potion to fix you up again right as rain."
I can only imagine the kind of potion Mundungus Fletcher would bring me. Probably ninety-eight percent ethyl alcohol and two percent gillyweed. So I'd wind up drunk and funny-looking. "Thanks, but no. I have two very competent Healers and my husband on the case."
"Healers," Luna snorts. "What do they know? But Snape, on the other hand..."
At that moment Severus arrives home and Draco is with him this time. Merlin, but those Malfoys are like mold--impossible to get rid of permanently. I smile at my husband and I'm about to introduce him to Luna, but I look over at her and she's blushing and flustered. At first I think it's Draco who's making her react, but when I look closer, I realize it's Severus! Now I'm racking my brain to try to remember if she ever had a crush on him in school, but I can't remember. Well, tough luck. She better stay away from him. Magic or no magic, I won't tolerate her playing up to him.
She leaves soon afterward, and then after what seems to be an eternity, Draco leaves, too. Finally we're alone and I breathe a sigh of relief.
But I'm not able to let it go, not completely. That night, when it's quiet and we're entwined in each other's arms, I mutter, "Luna's really changed."
"Hmm..." Severus answers as he's trailing kisses down my neck.
I'm getting goose bumps and close my eyes, but I don't stop talking. "You
must have noticed how different she is," I insist.
He pulls me closer and sinks one of his hands into my hair. "Frankly Hermione, all my ex-students look the same to me," he murmurs.
"Liar. You remembered Donna Bella."
"This really isn't the time..." he says just before his mouth finds mine.
I let him kiss me for just a moment before I pull away. "But you saw Luna, what did you think?"
With a frustrated sigh he props himself up on one elbow and looks down at me. "Do we have to talk about this now? Seriously, I don't want to talk about or think about Luna Lovegood at this moment. This is not the time. In fact, there never will be a time. Understand?"
"Yes." And I slip my arms around his neck.
Good. That's the answer I wanted.