Luna had not insisted he share a bed with her that night, and for that he was grateful. And yet, he tossed and turned in the bed a few doors down wondering if her lack of invite meant he had irreparably damaged their growing connection, or if it was simply Luna's uncanny ability to understand his needs even when he himself did not.
With very little rest, he slipped down to the kitchen the following morning and drank his tea brewed extra strong in silent solitude.
"London seems nice." Luna mused as she watched the street from the window of the sitting room when he found her, her own nearly empty tea cup in her hands.
"Have you seen much of it other than the Leaky Cauldron and St Mungo's?" Severus replied.
"The Ministry of course." She sighed, likely momentarily lost in difficult memories of her encounter with Death Eaters while helping Potter on one of his foolish quests. "But not really. My father always said I belonged to the countryside, like a wildflower. That the city was a tough place for a wildflower. Will you show me? Or maybe we can even go to Diagon Alley. We could both use a little trip out, don't you think?"
He sighed. "I am not sure that is a good idea."
"Maybe just a nice walk around the neighborhood then? Please? I just want to pretend for a moment that everything is fine."
"If everything was fine, it would not be me with whom you would be window shopping."
"How do you know?" She grinned as she approached him. "Maybe we met as we both stopped to pick up our orders at Apothecary. I turn to leave to see you standing behind me dressed in your usual fashion, your face unreadable as you glance in my direction. I ask you to join me for ice cream, and you oblige. Being the gentleman, you offer to carry my packages. And we share a sundae while discussing our plans to return to Hogwarts in the fall. Then you ask me to join you for a drink which leads to dinner and then pretty soon we are living together." She giggled as she brushed a hand down his arm.
He huffed. "That is ridiculous. I don't even like ice cream."
"Tea at Rosa Lee's or cauldron cakes at Sugarplums then. Certainly you like chocolate?" Her eyes twinkled.
He looked down his nose at the petite blonde before him. "You don't strike me as the type to ask a professor out for sweets, Ms Lovegood."
"Former professor. I would know nothing of your plans to return to Hogwarts nor you of mine until after I did so. And I very well would if the opportunity presented itself. I've always found myself curious about you, Severus. Of course, you always managed to avoid me indulging that curiosity at Hogwarts."
Because he knew even then she was too damn perceptive. "For good reasons, apparently."
Laughing, she stepped nearer. "Would you like to join me for cauldron cakes, Sir? You look like you could use a treat."
He raised an eyebrow. "Ms Lovegood?"
"Unless you prefer something else? But I've only got galleons."
He leaned in. "Are you asking me on a date?"
She nodded. "Yes I am. It is about time, don't you think?" She cocked her head.
He looked out the window. How much of a risk could a bit of a walk be? And if it meant bringing Luna some small pleasure after some of the recent pain he'd created, wouldn't some risk be worthwhile?
There would certainly be talk if the two of them appeared in Diagon Alley together, especially considering that Luna's pregnancy was starting to become obvious. Was Luna really as immune to the judgement of others as she seemed? Was he?
Luna sighed. "I guess I can just ask Kreacher or Ginny to bring us some cakes instead."
"No. I think a trip out would be rejuvenating for both of us. But perhaps we should stay close by today."
Luna turned to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Perfect. Thank you. I will go change."
Luna met him at the entryway dressed in purple and blue knee length dress over green leggings and a pair of brown sandals. He wondered if she had made a conscious effort to go with something that concealed her changing figure as this did well, or if it was just a convenient coincidence of Luna's eclectic fashion. Either way, it did nothing to hide the anticipation on her face as he escorted her from their hiding place.
They stopped at a small coffee house down the street from 12 Grimmauld Place displaying an array of cakes and scones in the window. "I think we might be able to find something chocolate here." He motioned to the doorway.
"So you do like chocolate?" She raised an eyebrow.
"On occasion." He guided her into the cafe with a hand on her elbow.
"But not ice cream."
"No. I much prefer a dark chocolate tart to a scoop of ice cream of any sort."
She glanced up at him with a mischievous look on her face. "Good to know."
They approached the counter and glanced up at the menu. "What would you prefer?" He asked.
The young woman behind the counter smiled. "I recommend the bread pudding. I just pulled it from the oven."
Luna sniffed the air. "That must be what smells so delightful. Yes. I will take that, and a cup of black tea."
"And for you, Sir?"
"The chocolate scone and tea."
He paid for their order and led Luna to a small table next to the window. "Will this do?"
"Perfect." She sat and smoothed down the blouse over her midsection.
He sat in the chair opposite, facing the entrance, after a quick glance around the shop and into the street.
"Are you worried we are being watched?" She followed his gaze.
"An overabundance of caution."
She nodded. "If you would be more comfortable back at Harry's, we can take our orders to go."
"That won't be necessary." He cleared his throat. "Now please, tell me how we go from meeting in line at Apothecary to living together again?" He raised an eyebrow.
Luna laughed. "Well, of course that is only one way it could happen… perhaps we meet at Ceridwen's Cauldrons or Gringotts. Or maybe you sent some fan mail to the Quibbler?"
He snorted. "Not likely. You've read one of the few personal written correspondences I've ever chosen to pen. Too permanent. Too traceable."
"Oh." Her face flushed briefly as her eyes sparkled. "I am so glad I kept it then."
He thought of his scribbled apology tucked away in her school trunk. Strange witch. "No matter. Your unconventional charm wins me over, you said?"
"It's my daydream afterall." She shrugged. "So of course. Now that I am no longer your freak of a student."
"Don't use that word." His teeth clenched as he pushed away memories of Petunia Evans taunting him Lily in the park all those years ago.
She looked down at the table and nodded. "Yes, I-".
He sighed. "I meant, you are not a freak."
"Here you are." The barista interrupted as she set down their teas and desserts before them with a quick smile before retreating back to the counter.
She looked up at him. "Loony then. I've heard it all, you know."
He nodded. So had he in reference to the witch. He felt the dull pang of regret for not saying something to those students he'd heard disparaging the girl back then. But then again, even he'd also thought some unflattering things of her at the time. Thankfully, he could not remember ever speaking them aloud to anyone other than behind closed doors in the staff room.
"But no matter. I think my curiosity would bring me to question your wellbeing if we were to meet in such a way. 'I hope you are well, Mr Snape.'"
"And how is it you imagine I would respond?" He raised an eyebrow as he attempted to play out Luna's visions in his own head. She'd probably have her wand twisted up in her hair and some insect or acorns hanging from her ears or about her neck. Her bright, innocent eyes would lock into his as she perceived his reaction likely correctly.
"As surly as ever." She cleared her throat. "And what does it matter to you, Ms Lovegood?" She added in a gruff voice. "Or something to that effect." She laughed.
"Yes. A distinct possibility." He took a long sip of his tea to hide the smile threatening to cross his features. He easily imagined such an exchange but knew also that she would just smile in response, unperturbed by the tone that usually sent others scattering.
"But I would not be put off. I would probably tell you the same thing I told you in St Mungo's. That I am grateful for all you did and wish you only happiness."
He nodded.
"I imagine I would receive another abrasive response, something like 'Your gratitude is misplaced and unnecessary.' And I would smile and reply, thank you none-the-less, 'Sir. You look like you could use a treat. Would you like to join me for tea and cauldron cakes?'"
He shook his head as the ridiculousness played out in his own mind, finding it fairly accurate to how he would suppose such an exchange would go had it been his imaginings. "And you think I would agree?"
"We're here, aren't we?" She took a big bite of her pudding.
"Indeed, Luna, indeed."
She tilted her head. "It's okay to smile, Severus. It suits you better than that lour."
"Says the witch that thinks flubberworms are attractive."
Luna scrunched her face. "Cute… not attractive per se. And not at all the same. But everything has its own beauty."
The idea that anyone found beauty in him was laughable, but then again, if anyone could, it would be her. "I will take it under consideration." He allowed a half smile.
"That's better." She took another bite of her pudding.
"So what happens next in this hypothetical encounter?"
"I buy you some chocolate and tea and you would humor me because you have to admit your own degree of curiosity."
"I would never admit aloud to as much." But there was truth in it. If such an occurrence took place, he would have found it curious and perhaps at least initially considered the witch's offer.
"I would not expect you to, but what harm would there be in me trying. The worst that could happen is you would decline, and I would continue on with my day." She shrugged and sipped her tea.
"Indeed."
"And because I was no longer your student and you were no longer living the life of a spy, just maybe you would let your guard down a bit."
"Unlikely." He took a bite of his scone.
She laughed. "It's my daydream. And in it, you do."
"Fair enough. Do continue." But she may not be that far off from the truth. The unassuming witch had a way past his usual defences no matter how much it pained him to realize.
"And we have a lovely conversation and you realize how nice it is to talk with someone that doesn't want something from you, and I realize I was right about you all along." She watched him over her cup of tea.
And there it was, Luna's keen perception. He sighed. "You are much too young to be so wise, Luna."
She giggled. "Wise? Is it really wisdom to look beyond the surface?"
"For most. Especially at your age."
She tilted her head. "Okay." She nodded, her eyes distant.
The desire to dive into those thoughts poked at him, but this time he pushed it away. He would not repeat that error so soon.
They sat in silence, enjoying their sweets and tea for a while before Luna looked to him. "This is nice. Thank you."
He nodded, setting down his empty tea cup. "It is. Thank you."
She smiled as she finished her last bite of pudding.
"Are you finished?"
She stood. "Yes." She reached for their dishes and returned them to the barista. Returning, she took Severus by the arm. "What next?"
He shook his head as he looked down at her. "I thought this was your daydream."
"Oh yes. Let's go." She led them from the shop and down the street. "Window shopping would be lovely. Muggle shops always display such interesting things."
"I suppose they do," he mumbled as they walked. To a pureblood witch such as Luna, many Muggle things would seem quite foreign.
They passed by a tailor shop, a shoe shop, and a pharmacy. Luna paused at each to take in the displays. When they came to an antique shop, she stopped. "Let's go inside. This place has something special, I can feel it."
Luna ducked inside ahead of him.
As he absently wandered through the cluttered shop, his gaze caught something on display in the front glass case; a ring with a large, dark, iridescent stone swirling with blues and greens, set in a band of gold with black stones.
"Oh!" Luna whispered as she approached his side. "A black opal. Such a lovely one too."
He nodded, glancing back at the ring.
"That one feels very balancing. Just looking at it brings me peace. I bet it is very old." Her eyes widened before she stepped back from the case, humming to herself.
He could not help but note that Luna was the witchy embodiment of a black opal, impervious to the negative energy and toxicity often all around her; unique, rare, and beautiful. He watched as she moved through the shop, her delicate fingers hovering over the various treasures and trinkets as her bright eyes took in every detail. Just looking at her brought him some peace; undeserved peace, but welcomed.
As she rounded back to the entrance she looked to him. "Ready whenever you are."
As he approached, she took his arm again, and they left the shop.
"Let's get you back for some dinner, shall we?"
She smiled up at him. "See? Just as I said, you invite me for dinner and soon we are living together."
"Ah yes. So you said."
A/N: I need honest feedback on this chapter... while it is setting up some important events to come, I wonder if it stays true to character. What are your thoughts? More to come soon.