Happy holidays, harpsi_fizz! (Luna/Hermione, PG) Title: (A Way To Escape) Ordinary Days Author: ??? Recipient:harpsi_fizz Rating: PG. Length: ~1,720. Pairing(s): Luna/Hermione. Summary: Deciding to reconnect with old friends, Luna brings lunches to a busy Hermione. Warning(s): Brief mentions of lawyers. Note: Shout-out to B_W, who put up with and did a fine job with some last-minute beta-ing. Title taken from "Miracle" by Joanna Pacitti. To my recipient, I hope you like this!
Although always hidden under her work robes, Hermione never fails to wear a proper suit, the crisp white button-down carefully pressed. Doing so gives her a sense of normal adulthood, of normal hard work rather than a still-too-young girl who had been caught up in the front lines of war. So Hermione wears her suits that no one sees, and she loves her job. The plaque on her door reads "Hermione Granger, Head Civil Rights Legal Consultant, Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures" -- a position created only after she joined the Department, a position that she is incredibly, indescribably proud of. Her workload often goes home with her, but things are calm except for the occasional controversial case, and Hermione knows she is doing some good in the world.
She's happy.
After a while, Luna begins to visit her at her office. It’s completely unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome.
"Ms. Granger," one of the secretaries says, opening the door slightly, "someone is here to see you. Luna Lovegood?"
Hermione raises her eyebrows, but instructs him to show her old schoolmate in. Luna pokes her head in, smiling, and Hermione waves her in. Her bright pink oversized sweater is paired with a patterned purple headband, but, Hermione notices, the girl she hasn't seen in years has grown into a woman who fits her looks and style, toned down but no less striking.
"Luna! Hi." Hermione motions for the other woman to sit down. "We haven't seen each other in forever. How have you been?"
The blonde balances her big, neon yellow bag on her lap. "Oh, I have been doing well, thank you. I have been doing a little traveling for Daddy, and when I got home after being away for so long, I thought about how I had not seen any of my friends for such a long time." She reaches into her bag, pulling out two smaller brown paper bags. "I know how hard you must be working, so I made us a lunch. If you aren't too busy to have lunch with me, that is?"
"I--," Hermione looks down quickly at the case file on her desk -- a House Elf kept against her will, unpaid, due to her mother's service, complicated due to legalities despite a more obvious moral answer, and scheduled to be presented next week -- and then looks back up at Luna. "You know, it's almost time for me to take a break. Sure. Let's have lunch," she replies. She’ll just take the file home again.
*
Lunches with Luna become a routine, and Hermione learns to look forward to them. After a few visits, her secretary stops informing her of Luna's arrival, simply letting the other woman into Hermione's office, giving the curly-haired lawyer a bit of a scare one day.
This time, Luna brings sandwiches and some kind of pie. Hermione cautiously tries the pie, then quickly follows it with a second, third bite.
"It is vegan chocolate pudding pie," Luna says, reading her curious look. "Isn't it delicious?"
"This is really good, Luna. I didn't know you could cook!"
Luna nods, smiling. "I quite enjoy cooking. It's very soothing. You can relax and focus on the smells, ingredients, and process, instead of your troubles."
Hermione manages to wrestle a verbal version of the recipe out of Luna. After Luna leaves, Hermione calls for her secretary. "Mark," she begins, drawing the name out slowly. "Since when has anyone been allowed to just walk into my office without you notifying me?"
"I'm sorry. I thought the two of you were, ah, dating," he replies.
Hermione pinches the bridge of her nose. "I don't care if you think I'm dating the Minister of Magic himself -- Merlin forbid -- I still expect you to tell me when someone is here to see me before letting them in. Now, could you please find me the file for Murcus v. Macnair? Thank you." She waves him out, promising that she doesn't hate him and he's not going to lose his job, and then turns back to the work on her desk.
*
Hermione recalls that during their time at Hogwarts there had been numerous whispered rumors about who Luna was or was not dating. She assumes it was inevitable, and to Luna's credit, she treated it exactly the same as any other gossip about herself. She was not overt, but she did not hide it, either. She was quietly proud, Hermione realizes, when she thinks back on it. Once or twice, on a late night trip to the library, Hermione would see Luna leaning casually into a girl with dark curly hair. Luna had looked away from the other girl and her eyes had met Hermione's, and Hermione had smiled.
At the time, she had been pleased that Luna had gained other close friends -- she deserved them, after all -- and hadn't given much thought to Luna's hand resting softly on the other girl's arm, leaning near to whisper something into her ear. Despite that, it had always been at the back of her mind.
And now it is all she can think of.
It is still all she can think of when Luna skips into the room, bundled up in a coat and matching rainbow hat and scarf, covering the papers Hermione is looking at with her hands. "Up, up! We are eating outside today."
"Luna, it must be freezing out there!"
"That is what warming charms were created for, Hermione. Well, perhaps not for escapades in the middle of winter, but rather just for staying warm. Did you know they used to use the fat of the Blibbering Humdinger to increase the warmth of candles? I am glad we have developed more humane methods now." She grabbed Hermione's hand, tugging the other woman up.
Laughing, Hermione says, "Okay, okay, one second." She takes her coat off the rack, buttoning it up quickly, and shouts to Mark -- who was allowing himself a self-satisfied, knowing smirk -- that she'll be back shortly, then follows Luna out into the biting cold. Luna leads her to a tree not far away, with perfect snowflakes falling suspiciously only in that area. She has laid out a blanket and a basket, and sits down, pulling Hermione with her. She casts the promised warming charm first, and then begins to unpack the basket. Hermione can't help herself -- she grins, and helps Luna lay out the food. "This picnic is really great, Luna, but why?" Luna looks at her, eyes unblinking. "I do have a life beyond work. I go out with Ron and Harry, you know."
Luna shakes her head, signaling that's not what she thought. "No, I know."
"I would like to thank you for making and bringing me lunch," Hermione says. "It's always nice to be able to take a break."
Swirling a peppermint stick in her tea, Luna says, slowly and quietly, "You are welcome. The work you do is wonderful but I think sometimes you forget that you deserve time only for yourself, too. Normal is good, but sometimes you want things too normal. I understand, but everyone needs to have a little magic, beyond the wand-waving, in their lives."
"Luna, I--" She leans forward, brushing her lips softly against the dark blonde's. Luna straightens up hastily, eyes wide. "Oh, Merlin's beard! Oh, I'm sorry, apparently even after all these years I haven't gotten any better at anything having to do with relationships."
"No, don’t apologize. I was just surprised. It was very, very okay." Luna smiles and drags Hermione back over to her. She tilts her head up, and meets Hermione for another kiss.
*
Ron is pacing around her kitchen. "You're dating Luna Lovegood?"
"I would like to remind you that I made you an exception to the Apparation Ward for emergencies, not so you could invade my flat and lecture me about my love life. I don't see what the big deal is, Ron," Hermione says, rolling her eyes.
Harry reclines on the sofa, deciding, wisely, to say nothing. "I am wisely saying nothing," he informs them.
"You know I don't have a problem with you dating a girl--"
"-- So glad I have your approval for that, Ronald, I don't know how I'd go on with my life without it --"
"-- but," Ron continues, ignoring her interjection, "can't you go out with someone like Lavender Brown, maybe? What about Ginny? Ginny's dated a couple girls."
"I went out with Lavender just last weekend, actually. And her girlfriend Pansy."
"Pansy? As in Pansy Parkinson?"
"Yes," Hermione sighs. "It seems like some people have managed to get over their past prejudices as well. Fancy that."
"Well, I think Luna is good for you," Harry cuts in, forgetting his previous vow. "She's nice, and she might be a bit unusual, Ron, but she's not that odd. Plus, she makes Hermione happy."
Throwing his hands up, Ron says, "Fine, fine. I am happy for you, Hermione. It's just not something I would have seen happening."
"We all know you didn't do that well in Divinations." She checks her watch, and as if on cue, a pop resounds in the room and Luna appears, smoothing down her two identical braids.
"Hello, Harry and Ronald. Are we having dinner together tonight?" Luna asks, hugging both men.
"Luna!" Hermione kisses Luna in greeting. "No, they were just leaving. Weren't you, boys?"
"Leaving," they say in unison, waving goodbye and Disapparating.
Hermione goes to start the tea, and Luna follows her. "I so love being able to see everyone again. They are both great friends. I do not remember if I told you, but when I returned from all my traveling, I literally bumped into Harry." Luna rifles through the cabinets, searching for what to make for dinner. "I asked about you, and he suggested I surprise you. I thought it was a lovely idea."
Hermione laughs. "He set us up! Look how that turned out." She wipes a spot of flour away from Luna's cheek, pressing the other woman up against the counter. Luna makes a pleased noise, wraps one hand around Hermione's neck and fists the other in her white button-down.