It's good to have inspiration come back to this story after it had set for so long. I couldn't get past the writer's block, but thankfully I'm past it now. Reviews aren't expected but they will be appreciated. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Lastly, of course, I don't own HP.
Moonchild
Chapter 21
Luna
I hope he snaps out of this soon, Luna thought as she made her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I know he needs time, but I do wish he needed less of it.
The DADA class came and went fairly uneventfully. The Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors had been focusing on wards that would reflect a spell back at the caster. Their homework was to practice with wards, attempting to progressively decrease their casting time.
"Too bad we didn't work with these spells a few years ago," Ginny said as she and Luna walked towards the grand staircase as they headed for lunch. "They would've come in handy at the Ministry."
"Quite," Luna agreed. As they rounded the corner, they were met with a terrible sight.
"Ginny!" Luna cried as they rushed over to where Seleneo lay. "Ginny, go get help, quick! The library's right there, go get Madame Pince!"
After a few hectic minutes, Seleneo was being moved to the hospital wing. Luna noticed a small handful of berries on the floor where Seleneo had lain; she pocketed some of them to see what they were.
"You can sit if you want," Madame Pomfrey said, "but there won't be much point. We're keeping him unconscious until the poison is completely out of his system."
"That's alright," Luna said. Madame Pomfrey gave her an understanding nod and then led her to where Seleneo lay. He was, as Madame Pomfrey had said, unconscious, and covered in sweat. Luna sat in the chair next to his bed and took his hand in hers. It was hot and clammy, very unlike how she remembered his hands to be.
"What happened to you," she said softly. She knew he wouldn't wake even if she'd shouted at him; Madame Pomfrey had him out like a light. Still, she felt like she should be quite. She sat for a long time until finally she couldn't stay any longer without being late to class. She brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead. "I'll come back, moon boy."
Come back she did. Every evening she would go and sit with Seleneo until Madame Pomfrey kicked her out. She requested that Madame Pomfrey let her know when Seleneo was awake, and soon enough, that day arrived. Luna nearly sprinted there the first chance she got.
"Luna…" Seleneo said quietly as she entered.
"Seleneo Kavouri Moonchild, what the FUCK!" she shouted, very uncharacteristic of her, and earning a scolding from Madam Pomfrey.
"Luna, what on earth?" Seleneo moaned. "First day awake and you carry on like that? And what happened to not liking that kind of language?"
"Extenuating circumstances," she said, trying to compose herself as best she could. Silently she chided herself for losing control like that. "Now, can you explain these?" She showed him the berries she had collected from where they had found him.
"They're berries," Seleneo observed.
"Yes they are," said Luna. "Specifically, they're belladonna berries. Madame Pomfrey said you ingested enough of these to kill a normal Muggle adult."
"Good thing this place is crawling with wizards," Seleneo said, attempting to lighten the mood with humor.
"Very funny," she said, not at all impressed. "What were you thinking, eating these? You know they're poisonous."
"I didn't realize they were there," said Seleneo. "I was eating blueberries, and the next thing I remember you were in here cussing at me."
"Sorry," Luna said sheepishly. "I just…I thought you had done it on purpose and I couldn't understand why. I've been worried about you."
"No," said Seleneo. "Like you said, I know they're poisonous. I wouldn't have eaten those if I'd known. Why would you think I'd have done that on purpose though?"
"I honestly don't know," she admitted. "You've just been acting so odd ever since we came back from break, you lied to us about your plans for Christmas, the not you gave me via Professor Lupin, and I also know that Professor Slughorn had some belladonna berries go missing, and I know that you were down there the day before they went missing."
Seleneo sat quiet for a moment. "I can see why you would come to the conclusion you did," he said. "I didn't realize he had that kind of stuff out where anyone could get; I thought he kept the really poisonous things locked away in his office."
"What are you suggesting?" she asked.
"Well, I ate poisonous berries that I didn't know I had, which to me suggests that they were knowingly put there."
"You think somebody tried to kill you?" Luna's head was spinning. She couldn't believe what he was saying, but he sounded sincere. Maybe he was, at least in his belief of what had happened. "Who would even want to do that?"
"I can only think of one person -"
"Neville wouldn't try to kill you," she said firmly. "Don't give me that look, I know that's who you were thinking of. But he wouldn't, I know it."
"I didn't say I thought he did," said Seleneo. "I doubt he's got the nerve to actually follow through with it. I'm just saying he's the only person I can think of right away who would want to. Unless, of course, I've made more enemies than I thought."
"Listen to me," she pleaded. "I know Neville much better than you. Maybe he does still have feelings for me in spite of what he says, and maybe is jealous of you, but he wouldn't do something like that."
"Can we," Seleneo groaned. "Can we just, like, talk about this some other time?"
"You're right," Luna said. "I'm sorry I went off you like that. I was just so worried."
"It's alright," he assured her. "I would've done the same thing in your shoes. Assuming they weren't strung up somewhere." He thought he saw the ghost of a grin on her face when he said this. Then with total sincerity he said, "Thank you for staying with me."
Electricity surged through him as she laced her fingers together with his. "Always," she said.
