AUTHOR NOTES

Been busy the past few days so i couldn't type this up. But tadaaaa! I'll add another chapter later today.

Neither of them mentioned their late night kiss the next day when Nico learned more spells. Nico was a bit surprised; he expected her to talk to him about it. Frankly, he wanted her to. He was so confused about all these new feelings he had, and he wondered if she felt them, too. It was impossible to love after such a short time though. Could he really love her? Or was he just kidding himself?

"Your eyes are particularly unfocused today, Nico." You're the reason for it, he thought glancing up at her. "Take a deep breath to expel the wrackspurts. There, now - " What little focus he had gained was lost in an innocent glance at her lips. They looked so soft - if only -

"Nico? Try the spell on me." Her voice brought him back to reality, whatever reality was anymore.

"What was it again?" he asked for what seemed like the millionth time. Luna smiled and chuckled.

"Flipendo. Say it with me now; Fli - pen - do." She nodded in approval. "Good. Now, try it on me." Nico hadn't paid enough attention to know what it did, but if she was offering herself up as a test subject for him, it couldn't be terrible.

"Flipendo!" Nico shouted. Blue light shot out of the end of the wand and Luna went flying backwards, landing on a large sand dune. Nico just stood there like an idiot for a minute, unable to believe what he just did to her, and then rushed to her aid.

"Strong for a new user. . ." Luna remarked, standing up and brushing the sand off of herself. She winced once or twice.

"My gods. Sorry, Luna." He said some other variations of this to her as they headed back to the cottage. Her eyebrows furrowed. She was thinking.

"Gods?" She asked after a silent moment.

Nico was revealed. Damn. He scrambled for an answer that would make sense to her.

"Yeah. Like, the Greek gods. I like the myths a lot." He told her hastily.

"Oh! You do?" She smiled and took hold of his hand in admiration. "I quite like them too. Especially the bits about demigods. I can relate to them a little, I suppose." Luna looked thoughtful. Nico smiled in spite of himself. If only she knew she was holding hands with one right now. . . "Oh. Nico, if you can do a Knockback Jinx like that on Death Eaters - " Nico laughed at the name. He couldn't help it. Eat death? " - I'd like to be on your side." She looked up at him and her gaze had respect and honor written all over it. If she knew him, really knew him for who he was, that look would have hate and everything else bad in it. By now they had long passed the cottage, but neither of them wished to stop.

"Nico?" Luna asked suddenly.

"Yeah, Luna?"

"Do you believe in love?" Luna took Nico's arm and put it around her shoulders. The question took him off guard. He never would have said the answer he said before last night.

"Yes, Luna. I do." He answered with confidence. She smiled at this.

"What about fate?" she pushed further.

"Yeah, that too. Because, well. . . Luna. . ." He started to blush and it showed clearly on his pale skin. She didn't seem to notice. She was listening to him intently. "Luna, I'm beginning to think you're part of my fate." She smiled at this and wrapped her free arm around his torso.

"I think that too. But it's much more then just fate." She whispered in his ear. She was too close for comfort, but Nico did nothing about it. He really liked the feeling of having her clsoe to him. He wanted to protect her. Protect her like he couldn't do for Bianca. He kissed her forehead affectionately. The cottage was merely a speck in the distance now. Nico glanced behind him then allowed himself to fall backwards onto a dune, bringing her with him. She laughed and laid her head on his chest. He was happy to just lie there with her and do nothing more.

Most importantly, though, Nico was finally happy. He heard Luna's breathing slow down, and felt his own eyelids getting heavy. He succumbed to sleep willingly.

The dream was dark again. Like the other, he knew a powerful force was in the place, he couldn't tell which, though.

When they rose from sleep, it was getting dark out. Fleur was calling their names, with French words added in there. She sounded upset.

Luna was up immediately, unlike Nico, who took more then a few seconds to get up.

"Fleur, it's alright. We are here." Nico could hear the sigh of relief even from as far away as she was. Fleur came closer, and when he finally got to his feet, her eyes narrowed as if she remembered an unpleasant piece of information. She had put the puzzle pieces together like any person would. Oh, shit. Nico thought, shoving his hand in his pockets.

"We just took an afternoon nap." Luna explained calmly. She wasn't blushing furiously as Nico was.

"A nap that stretched from noon to nearly 8 o'clock," Fleur said in an accusing voice. "Did you not sleep at all last night?"

The truth was, Nico didn't. After the initial kiss, Luna had stood and ran her hand over Nico's head. Then she headed back inside. He didn't know if Luna had gotten some sleep; from the way she'd been snoozing with him, he supposed not.

"Actually, I didn't really, Fleur." Luna was deadly honest. "It's not anything to do with the hospitality you've given to us. There's been a lot on our minds lately." Because Nico was sure anything he added in would make Fleur more suspicious, he just let Luna do the talking for both of them. Fleur still had that accusing look on her face, but she bought the story - for now. She beckoned Luna to her and whispered in her ear. Nico wished that he knew what they were saying.

After a moment of the whispering, Luna smiled and nodded at Fleur. "Thank you, it will aid in future desicions." What? Desicions? Oh gods, what did Fleur say? Fleur motioned for Nico to follow the both of them back to the cottage.

"You must be hungry." She said to Nico and Luna. Nico's stomach growled in response, and the girls laughed. Nico just smiled.