Heaven ♡ Luna Lovegood

18.

For too long, Annie thought, wizards had accepted magic was a part of everyday life. But the war had taught her that magic was a responsibility above all else; it could so easily be misused otherwise. That really should be something wizards and witches teach – that magic can never be used lightly, should we avoid this turmoil from ever happening again.

"I thought I'd find you down here."

So lost was Annie in her thoughts and her work that the whispered words caused her to jump, water from the can spilling out and almost drowning the plant she was watering. Her nerves still frayed from the battle, Annie whipped around and pulled out her wand – until she recognised the girl in the entrance, that was.

"Luna," Annie breathed, stowing away her wand. Her heart beat frantically in her chest as she looked at the girl in a way that made her want to return to her solitary task of caring for the plants, and block Luna out.

Oh yes, she was scared by the way Luna made her feel, and was definitely scared knowing that Luna felt the same way. Now the battle was done and the dust settled, Annie was unsure how to proceed with Luna. What they'd said and done, had been done with the fear of possible death looming over them both, and sheer desperation to find comfort in one another. Now that was gone, Annie just felt vulnerable, and uncertain – Merlin's beard, she was terrified by the way her heart quickened as Luna walked ever closer.

Luna didn't speak until she was stopped by Annie's side. Her blue eyes had lost their dreamy quality as a result of the horrors of battle, and instead were filled with concern and a deep sadness.

Luna wiped away a streak of dried blood from Annie's forehead. "How are you?" she whispered.

Annie shrugged. "Alive." It was all she could bring herself to say.

"I think that's the most of what any of us can say at the moment." Luna gazed around the greenhouse. "It's calming in here."

Annie nodded. "This room is full of life," she whispered. She glanced down at the plants she'd just been tending to; small saplings, just starting to poke out from the soil. "Look, Luna. These small plants are growing strong. They'll have a long life... Longer than the lives of those who we lost today."

Annie choked and her vision was blurred by sudden tears; she could feel a sob building up in her throat. Luna's face fell, though she opened her arms and, her own voice thick, whispered "Come here, Annie."

Annie wiped her eyes with her dirty jumper sleeve and wrapped her arms tightly around Luna.

They stayed like that for several minutes, Annie shaking, while Luna rubbed Annie's back, tears in her own eyes. Though gradually Annie's shakes lessened, and the tears dried from Luna's eyes as they found comfort in each other.

When they broke apart, Annie stared directly into Luna's eyes. "What do we do now, Luna?"

Luna smiled sadly. "We get through this," she murmured, taking Annie's hands. "Rebuild our lives."

"Not just that, Luna... But us. What do we do?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're both alive... We've kissed. Does that mean we're... Together, now?"

Annie's breath hitched in her throat as she awaited Luna's answer. She stared so intently at Luna's face that she caught every minor movement.

"I'd say so," Luna mused, her response almost immediate. "We both love each other, don't we?"

Annie's heart skipped a beat. Love. Merlin's beard, did she love Luna. Luna meant more to her than Annie could ever hope to describe in words.

"We do," the redhead whispered. She then bit her lip. "But... won't others condemn us for it? I don't want to make you an outcast, Luna."

That was what scared Annie the most about her feelings for Luna. She didn't know how everyone would react, and there was no way she wanted to drag Luna into that should it happen. A part of her told her she was being silly, that their friends cared too much to push them away and the people who did avoid them were people they were better off without anyway, but she couldn't stop herself from feeling slightly afraid.

Luna frowned. "If people can come between us and divide, then we didn't love each other very much, did we?" She stepped closer to Annie so no space separated them. Her expression softened, the dreamy quality returning, and her lips tilted upward into the smallest yet most affectionate of smiles. "I love you, Annie, and the way I feel about you is all I care about."

"Luna..."

Annie blinked, and then her face broke out into a smile. "That's all I care about, too."

Luna's face brightened; her eyes shone, and her smile lit up not just her face, but the world. Annie's smile broadened into a wide grin as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against Luna's and they stayed there, locked in embrace, as the new day dawned around them.

**********

guys.....

this is the final chapter. the epilogue is next.

i'm actually in shock i'm going to miss writing these two, so much.