FIC: Moving Pictures Title: Moving Pictures Pairing/Rating: Harry/Luna/Neville, PG-13 Warnings: (Fl)angst, non-linear narrative. Summary:Harry will never tell anyone this, but there's a small part of him that never wanted the war to end. Author's Notes and Disclaimer: Many thanks to aidenfire and tinkerpixy for all of their encouragement, as well as the fast and speedy betas! ♥♥♥ All Harry Potter characters herein are the property of J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic. No copyright infringement is intended.
Moving Pictures
i.
Harry will never tell anyone this, but there's a small part of him that never wanted the war to end.
ii.
They build the cinema where Madam Puddifoot’s once stood. It's strange, Harry thinks as he watches them add the finishing touches from across the street, to see something so clearly reminiscent of the Muggle world sitting in the middle of Hogsmeade.
A gleeful looking Colin Creevey steps outside a moment later, one hand wrapped firmly around his wand, the other waving a paper about. "Oi, Harry!" he shouts across the street, waving him over.
"Hello, Colin," Harry says, plastering a cheerful smile on his face as he walks over to the younger man. "I take it this was your idea?"
Colin nods eagerly, eyes blazing bright with something Harry thinks is excitement. "It's brilliant, isn't it? There are so many here that have never seen a Muggle film before," he says. "I really think this will be a good way to bridge the gap between their world and ours. Don't you agree?"
"Yeah," Harry replies, studying the paper in Colin's hand with a vague interest. "What's that?"
"It's a flyer," Colin answers as he points his wand towards the top of the building and murmurs something under his breath. A moment later the words 'Hogsmeade Repertoire' scrawl across the top of the building and Colin tilts his head back with a satisfied look on his face. "We open on Saturday," he continues, still looking up at the sign. "We're starting with a string of American Westerns." Looking back at Harry, he smiles. "You should stop by, if you get a chance."
"Of course," Harry says. "I will."
He won't.
iii.
Harry kills Voldemort on a sunny Monday morning in late July, fingers clenching his wand as though it will jump from his grasp at any moment, eyes wide with something that is part fear, part awe. It's over, he thinks as he stares at the corpse, it's over.
Luna stands to his left, fingers slipping quietly around his, urging him to let go of his wand. Neville stands at his right, an ever quiet and reassuring presence, strong fingers wrapping around Harry's wrist and tugging him back towards the castle. They pull him away gently, Luna murmuring soft nothings under her breath, Neville trying to get him to breathe.
Harry can't help but wonder why it wasn't Ron and Hermione with him at the end.
iv.
Harry doesn't know why he goes back to the cinema.
Walking into the lobby, eyes studying the vast array of blues all about - every shade he can possibly think of - he tells himself that it's because he's bored. After all, with the rebuilding still in the early stages, there isn't really much to do these days. Hogsmeade is nothing but a mere shell of the bustling, cheerful town it once was.
He won't admit to himself that it's because he's lonely.
Making his way through the crowd, Harry can't help but be surprised by how many people are there. He really didn't expect the cinema to do very well at all, if he were being honest with himself. Most of the witches and wizards Harry had known during the war had never shown much interest in anything Muggle, let alone Muggle films, but it seems that Colin has outdone himself in regards to advertising.
"Hello, Harry," a voice says from behind, and Harry doesn't have to wonder who it is.
"Neville," he replies, turning around to look at his friend. "How are you?"
"M'fine," Neville says, eyes studying Harry. "I haven't seen you around lately," he says finally. "Have you been busy?"
It's been almost a year, Harry thinks about saying. He decides against this, though, because it sounds depressing. I almost never leave my house doesn't sound much better, Harry thinks. He finally settles for the least revealing answer he can think of. "I've been busy," he says, shrugging.
"Right," Neville mutters, looking down at the ground. "Well, I'll see you around, then."
"Okay," Harry replies. "Tell Luna I said hello."
"I will," he replies, giving Harry one last long look. "It was nice to see you, Harry."
"Yeah," Harry says, staring at the spot where he stood a long time after Neville has already walked into the movie.
v.
They catch up with them the second time on a dreary Sunday evening in Worcestershire, where the three of them are following a lead on one of the Horcruxes, Ginny shouting obscenities at Ron even before they come into view, Luna and Neville following behind, silent.
"We aren't children," Luna says quietly, radish earrings swaying as she tilts her head, eyes studying their surroundings with an indistinct sort of interest. Harry watches her, eyes following hers towards a line of trees, and wonders what he would see if he looked through her eyes.
Ron is livid, face turning a nasty shade of red, eyes practically bulging. "If Mum finds out you're here -"
"Who do you think sent us, you idiot?" Ginny shouts. "The three of you have been gone for over a year now! Clearly you aren't having any luck and -"
"I really think you need to leave," Harry says coldly, shifting his gaze away from Luna and over to Ginny, staring at her through a narrowed gaze. "Maybe we'd have more luck if the three of you would stop getting in our way."
It's Neville who speaks then, voice strong and unwavering, and Harry can't help but wonder when Neville stopped being afraid. "It's not us who're getting in your way," he says, and Harry stares at where his fingers are entwined with Luna's. "It's you."
A long silence follows, because no one can come up with an argument for that.
vi.
The second time Harry goes to the cinema, he really isn't. He's walking by - even though the cinema is completely out of his way - and it's only when he runs into a nervous-looking Neville, standing at the door with a bag of popcorn and two tickets that he stops.
"If you're not busy," he begins quietly, "would you like to come see a movie with me?"
No, Harry thinks, I don't.
"Yes," Harry says, reaching for the extra ticket.
vii.
Luna spins fantastic tales of mystical creatures and valiant heroes, and Harry finds himself enchanted by them. He sits next to her, one hand digging into the grass as he holds himself upright, and studies her. "What happened next?" he asks quietly the moment she stops speaking.
She looks at him then, eyes wide and full of things Harry can only dream of, and smiles. "The Hobblerknobs attacked," she says in a hushed voice. "It was very frightening."
"Then what?" Neville asks, rolling his eyes up towards them.
"Then Jack raised his gun and said -"
"- you're making this up." Hermione interjects from her spot next to an old oak. "There's no such thing as Hobblerknobs," she snaps, "and even if there were, cowboys did not fight them." Ron delivers a swift kick to her shin the moment she finishes speaking, an irritated look on his face.
"Of course they exist," Luna says excitedly, not the least bit put out by Hermione's tirade. "You simply have to know where to look."
"I'd like to see one, I think," Harry says quietly.
"Me too," Neville adds, and his arm brushes against Harry's as he sits up. He gives Luna a serious look. "Where do they live?"
Luna smiles brightly, eyes shining with excitement. "They live in the States, you know." she says. "Maybe we can go see them someday."
"Maybe," Neville agrees. "After."
Harry feels something he won't admit is pain when he looks at the two of them. "Yeah," he says quietly. "After."
He wonders if there will be an after.
viii.
The third time he goes to the cinema, it's on purpose. Both Neville and Luna are waiting for him this time, and Harry doesn't even try to pretend that he’s not hoping to run into them. He takes his ticket from Luna, his drink from Neville, and walks inside with the two of them at his side.
"Why are they shooting each other?" Neville whispers nearly an hour later, leaning in towards Harry. "I don't understand."
Harry takes a sip of his drink and leans over to meet him halfway. "The woman that the one in the black - Billy - kidnapped is the Sheriff's girl."
"So they're fighting over her?" Luna asks, lips right next to Harry's ear.
"Yeah," Harry says, feeling warm and content. It's been a long time since he's felt this good, he thinks. Long enough that he can't even recall the last time he was this happy. "Something like that."
ix.
Luna watches him, after. She doesn't say anything, but then she doesn't have to, because Luna has always had a way of knowing what other people are thinking. "It will be okay," she says finally, studying Harry from across the room.
"It's already okay," Harry replies shortly, moving his hand back and forth and wincing as he hears a crack. "He's dead. Everything will be better now."
"Would you like to hear a story?" she asks finally.
Harry laughs bitterly. "Will it be about the valiant hero having saved the day? And how everyone will love him for it?"
"No," Luna says quietly, moving around to look him in the eye. "It's about a man who never learned how to be anything besides a hero."
He flees before she can finish.
x.
The fourth time he goes to the cinema, he walks in with them. Neville stands in the middle, fingers entwined in Luna's, and asks for their tickets. Harry stands off to the side, silent and unsure, and tries to decide if he could make it to the concessions stand before either of them try to stop him.
Almost as though he knows what Harry's thinking, Neville reaches out and grabs Harry's hand with his own, tugging him closer to the two of them. Turning his head towards Harry, he smiles shyly. "Is this okay?"
"Yes," Harry says after a long moment, giving them a small, tentative smile.
Neville's grin grows wider, and beside him, Luna smiles brightly. "I've decided to go to the States," she says suddenly as they walk over to the concessions stand together. "To look for the Hobblerknobs. The Quibbler got a reported sighting somewhere in Texas."
"That's exciting," Harry says neutrally, refusing to look at her. He wonders if this is the end, if this is when they pick up and leave him behind, just like everyone else has. His thoughts drift back suddenly to Ron and Hermione and the looks on their faces when they left. Hermione losing her eye in battle had been the last straw. We can't do this anymore, mate, Ron had said apologetically. We just can't.
"Do the two of you want to come along?" she continues, looking at the two of them expectantly.
"Yes," Neville says right away, squeezing Harry's hand just the slightest. Harry looks up at him. "What about you, Harry?"
"Yes," Harry agrees, all thoughts of being alone suddenly chased away by their smiles. A small smile threatens to spread across his face as he stares at them. This is Luna and Neville, he realizes, and he doesn't have to be a hero when he's with them - he's never had to be a hero when he's with them. He can just be Harry, he thinks, a warm feeling spreading throughout him. He can just be stupid and insecure Harry.
"It'll be an adventure," Luna says happily. "We'll have a great time, the three of us."
Neville grins and Harry laughs, the two of them leading her into the room.