Sleep refused to find him that night as he considered the difficult conversations ahead. The unease built in his chest as he chided his absurd sentimentality, and he tossed and turned until his joints ached. Cursing under his breath, he stepped from the bed and crept into the hall.
Pulling open the kitchen door, he found Luna already sitting at the table in an oversized Ravenclaw jumper, stirring her tea absently.
"Nice pajamas," she mumbled as she looked up, her eyes rimmed with fatigue.
He glanced down at his black silk button down shirt and matching pants, faded with age.
"Do you own anything that is not black?"
He huffed. "I have a matching set in Slytherin green."
She smiled. "I'd like to see those."
"Not sleeping again?"
She rubbed her abdomen. "He gets quite active at this time." She pulled out her wand from behind her ear and levitated a second teacup to the table. "Join me?"
He sat across from her, and she filled the cup with milk and tea from the milk bottle and tea pot before her. Taking a long sip, he leaned back. "Is something bothering you, Luna?"
She tilted her head. "Nothing specific really, and you?"
"The usual insomnia," he lied.
She nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He shook his head.
Luna nodded. "Then do you want to feel him?" She caressed her growing figure, and his eyes followed her fingers.
"I would," he replied looking up at her.
She smiled and moved her chair beside him. As before, she took his hand and placed it on her midsection.
"I feel it," he whispered, feeling the tension fall from his shoulders as he awed at the wonder beneath his fingertips.
"I think he likes your tea."
"That might defeat the purpose of a sleep tea." He cocked a brow.
She laughed and the kicks within increased. She placed her hand on top of his, and yawned. "No, I think it is doing a fine job." She placed her head on his shoulder, her hair falling onto his chest, the scent of dandelions drifting over him.
"Let's get you up to bed."
"No, this is nice." She yawned again.
He closed his eyes and inhaled the witch's scent. This was nice. He wrapped his other arm around her shoulder and closed his eyes. He would miss this, he admitted to himself. Not just the ease at which Luna relaxed into him, but more the way her presence lifted the fog of loneliness that always hung about him. "Come, Luna."
He stood, and she reluctantly followed him from the kitchen and into the sitting room. He pulled open the door to the staircase and guided her heavy steps up the stairs, watching her fair slender bare legs as she ascended the steps ahead of him wondering if they were as soft as they appeared.
When they reached the door to her room, she turned to him and took his hand. "Severus?" She looked up at him, eyes wide with that begging look of hers.
He raised an eyebrow, feeling his breath catch in his throat.
"Would you...um, tuck me in?" She pulled him into the room.
The lamplight cast an intimate glow in the small bedroom, lighting up the colors and images Luna had apparently painted on his walls.
He turned from her, to look at the scenes.
"They are just charms, nothing permanent," she said softly, moving to stand just behind him. "That one is the view from my window at Shell Cottage. Isn't it lovely? Bill and Fleur are so lucky to have that place. It is like a dream." She pointed to the dunes rising from the sea with the bright sunset in the background. "That is the Forbidden Forest." She pointed to the images of unicorns and thestrals among the tall, dark trees. "But you probably already knew that. And that is the hills in Sweden where Dad and I hunted the crumple-horned snorkack." She pointed to the third wall. "We never found one, but it was a beautiful place."
He nodded as he admired the quality charm work, following the waves of color, so bright and whimsical. "An interesting talent. Where did you learn it?" And when did she do them? Perhaps she was not sleeping as well as he had assumed.
"I'm not sure. Dad said I was doing it even before I got my first wand. Probably something my mother would have done." Her fingers brushed against his hand.
He turned to her, swallowing.
"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." She bit her lip, pressing closer.
"Shhh, you need rest, Luna." He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her over to the bed. "In you go."
She climbed into the bed with another yawn.
He pulled the blankets up over her form and patted her shoulder. "Good night, Luna."
"Good night, Severus." She smiled.
Severus moved out of the room and closed the door. Resting his forehead against the door frame, he sighed. How had he gotten here?
He stepped from the loo a few minutes later, heading to his room when he heard the master bedroom door creak open. Luna stepped out, her hair wild about her head and shoulders, her jumper hanging off one shoulder, and her eyes still closed. She stepped out into the hallway and headed to the stairs.
He stepped in front of her, suddenly reminded of patrol duties at Hogwarts, finding the witch trembling with cold, barefoot in various parts of the castle unsure how or why she was there. "Luna?"
She did not respond so he reached for her shoulders and attempted to steer her back to bed. The witch resisted his efforts. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Luna. Wake up?"
She pushed against him. "Mmmm," she purred. "Severus, is that you?" Her eyes fluttered open. She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. "Sleepwalking again?"
He nodded slowly as he looked down at her, feeling the curve of her changing body against him through the thin silk of his night clothes. "Yes."
He spun her around back toward her room, his hands on her shoulders.
Luna hopped back on the bed with a sigh.
"What is it?"
She looked up at him as she reached for his arm, her delicate fingers stroking down the silk. "I think we would both sleep better if you stayed in here tonight."
"Do you?" His mouth was suddenly dry.
She nodded. "Please?"
He licked his lips and swallowed hard. He should not be tempted, but yet he could not pull away.
She pulled back the linens, her eyes locked on his as if trying to pull him in with her mind.
He swallowed again as he slipped between the sheets beside the witch, his eyes still on hers.
She smiled as she moved to give him more room.
He leaned back against the headboard and looked to the ceiling to find Luna had charmed a painted night sky there.
Luna reached over him to turn down the lamp. "Good night, Severus," she whispered as she settled herself against him. "Thank you.
With a deep sigh, he settled down into the bed and closed his eyes. He would regret this. So probably would she. "Sleep well, Luna."
He woke to the witch still asleep at his side, her arm rested across his chest, her hair draped about them both. He reached and stroked the locks where they fell alongside her arm, again appreciating the faint earthy scent of soap.
She had not been wrong; he had slept soundly knowing being so close meant he could better protect her and apparently she had as well. He stared at the enchanted ceiling, now with painted clouds slowly drifting across it. Luna's world was so different from his own, filled with color, joy, and optimism; always finding the silver lining in everything and seeing the good in everyone, even those that did her wrong. Even with all the bullying she experienced at Hogwarts, he only knew of her to anger once, and that was over insults toward her father, not herself; so unlike his own reaction to similar taunts and attacks during his time as a student.
She stirred against him, turning and curling into his side as she looked to him. "Good morning." Her fingers played with one of the buttons of his pajamas.
"Good morning." He met her eyes, finding them bright and alert and absent of the fatigue he had been noting there recently.
"What time is it?" She mumbled.
"No idea." He patted her hands.
"That's wonderful." She laughed. "Thank you for staying with me. Can we make it a habit?"
"I will take it under consideration." He looked back to the ceiling as Luna settled into his shoulder.
"Something is on your mind, I can see it in your eyes."
He nodded.
"Can I know it?"
"I was considering how different the two of us are, and yet how similar."
"Were you? That is nice. I've often considered that same thing."
"Have you?" He looked over to her.
"Oh yes. But I realized I don't really know all that much about you, I mean really know. I have suspicions on many things, but not many facts." Her lips tightened.
"And what is it that you suspect about me?" He raised a brow.
She pushed herself up onto her elbow and looked down at him, her other hand still on his chest. "Well, if this home is your childhood home, I get the feeling that you, as a child I mean, did not feel very welcomed here. Unless you changed it drastically since then, it seems quite void of childhood pleasures. No evidence of milestones like doorframe growth charts, saved favorite toys or children's books or art, and no color. I imagine you did not spend very much time here, once you were able to leave."
He nodded somewhat impressed that these walls gave up so many of his secrets. "A fairly accurate assessment."
"And no family portraits. In fact, I do not believe you have any pictures at all."
"I do still have an old poster of the Falmouth Falcons hanging in the other bedroom. And a Slytherin house photo on the desk from my first year." He thought also of the torn photo of Lily hidden in the drawer.
She nodded and her eyes danced as she thought. "Hogwarts was more your home and your classmates more your family." Her hand rested on his chest.
"Also accurate." He swallowed.
"But you also had difficulties there…?"
He nodded, jaw tight.
She chewed her lip for a moment and watched him as if unsure whether she should continue. "Like me, you were probably an easy target due to perceived differences; the way you dressed, the way you thought; or maybe who your parents were?"
"Yes, Luna. Perhaps you understand me better than either of us knew." He looked away from her inquiring eyes.
"So why do you keep the house?"
He sighed. "Because some of the few good memories I have of my childhood are connected to this place." His thoughts went to the park down the way where he first encountered Lily.
Her hand still toyed with a button over his chest. "Yes. Well, I hope you can find some other happy memories here in the future."
He looked back to her and reached for her hand.
She looked at his face and gave him a sweet smile, dimple on full display.
He knew it was improper before he felt his lips touch hers, but once she pressed back against him he no longer cared. His fingers laced into her soft hair as she grasped his silk pajamas.
"Oooh, I've never been kissed like that," she whispered when he pulled away. Her lips chased his, pushing him into the pillow as her hair fell in a curtain around them.
Gods, she tasted wonderful. Her scent washed over him and through him as did the subtle pulse of her magical energy as she pressed her body tighter onto his. His hands moved down her flanks to rest on her hips, fingers caressing her soft curves.
Her hand reached for his jaw, as their lips met again.
He groaned when his conscience caught up with his actions. "Luna, we-"
"Shhh, you do not need to say anything." She pulled back and smiled. "I understand." She settled in beside him again. "It was lovely though, thank you."
He nodded, believing that she might actually understand and grateful this time how easily she seemed to be able to read him.
He pulled himself up as she pulled away, a slight blush on her fair cheeks.
"Breakfast?" She asked.
He looked at the bright glow coming through the small window. "It is probably more likely brunch, but yes."
She giggled. "My turn to cook."
A/N: Thank you all for your amazing support so far. As always, I love your thoughts and feedback here. But as things are starting to heat up between these two, I also need your inspiration. Is there a song that reminds you of these two? A poem? Artwork? Please share. Thank you again!