A/N: Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites! :D I really appreciate the support. I didn't think many people would be into this pairing, but hey, why not right?

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Stars and Bold Coffee (Charlie x Luna)

Chapter 03 - March (takes place the same day as Ch. 2)


He had had a long day. After Luna's brief appearance earlier that morning, Charlie had little time to think about anything else other than Henry - a young Welsh Green - with a stomach ache, doing his rounds and how much firewood he could chop before meeting up with Luna. And topping off the current order of fertilizer. He felt refreshed from the quick shower, though his muscles burned sweetly.

Charlie let himself into The Leak and Vine, blue eyes seeking Matilda's distinctive white streaked hair. Dodging around tables, stretched out legs and gesturing hands, he made his way to the kitchen. He pulled the door open just as Matilda came through with two trays loaded with fragrant soups, sausages, cheese and ale. He pressed himself flat against the wall to avoid collision.

"Out of my way! What the matter with you?" Matilda barked as she waddled past to drop off another tray of food and drink.

The air was spiced with the heavy scents of cooked meats and stew. He breathed deeply, rubbing his rumbling stomach in attempt to ease the aches caused by hunger. Charlie stood against the wall, waiting patiently for the landlady's to return.

Matilda interrupted his musings about hearty stew and mead, wiping her hands on a towel. "You want something to go? Or the moon girl?"

Charlie wrinkled his brow in thought, confused by Matilda's last question. "Both?" He rubbed his stomach as it growled again.

"The moon girl help me with room nine." She waved the towel in the general direction of the stairs which led up to the second floor. "She is nice girl. You don't bother her with fun times. She is doing her job. I pack you something."

He frowned. "The ghost is still giving you problems?"

The landlady huffed, rolling her hazel eyes. "Abbie scare off customers more and more. Bad for business and bothersome. Now you shoo, I have hungry customers waiting."

Luna was in guest room number nine as expected, the door creaked as he gently pushed it closed. Blonde hair tied up in a partial bun, the loose wisps were ignored as they brushed the back her neck and around her ears. She had string strung up between the light fixtures, crisscrossing the room much like party ribbon and managed to move the furniture so the pieces stood against the walls. She was on her hands and knees in the middle of the floor, wand clutched in one hand, a piece of chalk in the other and arse pointed straight up in the air. She still wore the tight pants with galaxies shimmering down her long legs. And across her arse.

Charlie thought it would be a shame to not take a moment and appreciate the sight.

As his eyes followed a comet shimmering down the back of her thigh, he noticed Luna was barefoot. He raised a curious eyebrow at that, and his other eyebrow soon followed when he realized she had a partial circle drawn. If the witch heard him enter the room at all, she ignored him in favor of drawing runes around the inside of the circle.

He meant to ask the Luna if she was ready to have dinner, but what came out was, "Luna, why are you barefoot? Where the fuck are your shoes?" Charlie scratched the back of his neck. "And why is there string everywhere?"

Luna completed the circle and stood, dusting off her hands. "It's twine actually, and meant to be a dreamcatcher. It'll catch any bad dreams that sneak in under the door. I expect it will collect bad thoughts as well. My boots are under my things over there. I prefer to be barefoot, it makes me feel closer to Magic."

"O-kay." his gaze followed the blonde as she unclipped the handmade doll from her bag and arranged it on the bed. "Are you about ready to go? Matilda is putting dinner together and we can eat back at the preserve, if that's all right with you."

"Yes, I think so. Abbie hasn't come to see me yet, so I can't do more tonight." Luna slipped on her socks and boots, and the laces tied themselves with a tap from her wand.

Charlie strode over as Luna gathered her things, and cinched her bag closed. He took it from her grasp, shouldering it himself and noted it was heavier than it looked. Either she was much stronger than she appeared, Charlie thought, or she used a feather-light charm.

"Fucking Merlin, do you keep rocks in here?"

"Sometimes," she answered, folding her navy woolen jumper over her arm.

~ o ~ o ~

"Have we met?"

She sat across the table from him in the mess hall. Not one to be confined, Luna insisted on a tour of the small buildings on the preserve. They detoured along the administration offices and small medical wing, peeking in at the Beastiary, a designated sick area for Beasts, before settling down in the mess hall. Charlie didn't mind since Luna promised to keep sight seeing to a minimum today. He was hungry after all.

There were just a handful of wide tables which were used by some Keepers more often than others, like Charlie preferred the Leak and Vine's variety over the small selection of daily entrées. Plus they didn't sell Matilda's home brewed wine which was delectably sweet and wicked strong.

"I suppose the first time we met was unofficial. I remember it was during my Third year at Hogwarts. Harry was competing in the Triwizard Tournament. He was very brave." Luna popped a piece of cheese into her mouth. "The First Task involved removing an egg from the dragon's nest and you were part of the dragon keepers who were meant to subdue them. I watched you from afar while I was collecting ruffled mushroom caps on the edge of the Dark Forest. It wasn't difficult to realize you were one of Ronald's brothers. And he did talk about family from time to time."

Before Charlie could consider if 'watched him from afar' was creepy or not, she continued.

"The second time was also unofficial. We were both busy you see, so I don't blame you for not remembering. I'm referring to your brother's wedding of course. Everyone was dressed handsomely. It was very kind of him to invite us; my dad and I had a wonderful time even though it was a shame we had to leave the reception early."

Charlie mentally flipped through the guests he mingled with but his recollection was hazy at best. His gaze flitted over Luna's face, from her pale hair and brows, to her silvery eyes, down her sloping cheeks and tried to find her thin rosy lips within his memory. Positive he didn't notice her at the reception, the apologetic reply on the tip of his tongue was interrupted by her lilting voice.

"Then there was the Battle of Hogwarts of course." She saw the redhead's expression contort briefly before his face shuttered, no longer friendly and at ease. "Oh, it wasn't my intention to bring up unwanted memories. I'm sorry about your brother. I know it's hard when you lose someone close to you. I was really sad when we lost Mum, so I understand how you feel." Luna reached across the table and patted his hand.

"Yeah, well George is doing better these days. Mum and Dad too." Charlie cleared his throat before taking a sip of water, wishing Matilda included a bottle of wine with their lunch.

"And you? Are you healing all right?"

Charlie nodded in reply, Luna's piercing eyes full of concern. In truth, Luna's long winded answer and then consequent concern to his seemingly safe question unbalanced him. She appeared to be more observant and knew more about him that he knew about her.

"Good. I'm good." He tried to relax and find a topic to steer the conversation to safer territory. "Were you in the same year as Ron at Hogwarts?" Charlie asked before he realized she already answered his question earlier.

"I was in the same year as Ginny. She was very kind to me then. Though I don't often see her any more since we both travel a lot. I see Hermione at the Ministry from time to time and occasionally have dinner with Ron, Harry and Hermione. And Neville," she smiled. "It's nice to have friends."

Charlie swallowed the last of his dinner, and having ate more than he should, shifted a bit uncomfortably in his seat. He wiped his lips with a napkin and leaned back, stretching his aching muscles.

"They're a good bunch. Are you friends with Matilda as well?"

"This cheese is very good. Wish we had some pudding though." She finished off her plate. "I didn't originally know Matilda. Another colleague of mine received the case and I volunteered to take it since I was coming to the preserve. They weren't keen on traveling this far and anyway, I also wanted to visit the Alps. I hadn't been there yet and had planned on a brief detour, but the water spirits insisted that I stay longer. They aren't as shy as the ones that inhabit the Lough Derg, which was nice."

Charlie watched Luna speak, watched as her lips curved up, dimpling her slightly flushed cheeks. Her kind smile was a simple pleasure he enjoyed.