Opertation Surprise
Characters: Neville, Luna Summary: Neville takes marital matters into his own hands
Neville looked at himself critically in the mirror, and then smiled. He had worried at first whether he was going slightly overboard with his plans for the day, but he thought that it was probably impossible to go over the top when it came to Luna. He twisted around, making sure all was perfect, and then bent to dis-attach Swash from his boot.
The kitten had got a bit excited over his costume and was attempting to climb his leg. He raised the small, white creature up so they were eye patch to black eye patch. "You better behave yourself while we're away. No trying to take over the world." He put Swash back on the carpet, and the kitten promptly left the room, probably to go up to the nursery where he liked to spend most of his days. Neville narrowed his eyes, thinking that he definitely wasn't fond of the kitten, not at all.
There was a sudden scratching at the window. It was Elizabeth come to tell him that Laurence was ready and waiting to take over his part of the mission. Satisfied that the twins would be enjoying the rest of their day with Grandad, Neville adjusted his sword. It was time.
Luna buttered the last piece of bread and began slicing the cooked chicken for their sandwiches. She hadn't expected Neville to be joining her for lunch, but he claimed that things were ahead of schedule at the nursery and he wanted to spend the extra time with her. She could have thought of something warm and quick, but she preferred to spend as much of this boon of time with him as well, so cold chicken sandwiches she could whip up in the time it took him to change out of his muddy shirt and wash up it was. Though, he was taking his time changing, she noted as she licked the butter knife and tossed it in the sink.
There was moment of hesitation at the bottom of the stairs, when Neville wondered whether he should have gone a more traditional route, but he shook the doubts off. This day was going to be fun for Luna, with no opportunity for her to get scared. Striding into the kitchen Neville slipped into his role.
"Avast thee, wench!"
Luna slowly turned from the sink, recognizing Neville's voice, but raising her eyebrows at his words. By the time she took in his mode of dress, she'd gone through surprise and back out again. "Did you change your mind about celebrating Hallowe'en this year, then? I do think it's never too late to celebrate as one wants, holidays are just arbitrary places on the calendar."
"This be a more important day than All Hallow's Eve, me beauty," Neville said, just managing to get it out before he started laughing. Deciding that snickering wasn't very pirate like, he jumped straight to the kidnapping of fair damsel. He strode across the kitchen, gave the sandwiches a regretful glance, and then grabbed hold of Luna and lifted her up over his shoulder. Gathering all his magic and concentration, he turned slightly on the spot, squeezed his eyes shut and Apparated.
He stumbled slightly on landing, and then stumbled again when the floor tilted. He let out a loud breath of relief; he had hit his target. He unceremoniously dumped Luna on the nearby bed - he was in character, after all - and growled out an order: "Get changed and then join me on deck. Me ship mate Laurence has your babies now, so you'd better do as I say, or Gawain'll get the blue blanket!" Biting his lip hard, he exited the cabin with a sharp slam of the door.
Luna propped herself up on the heels of her hands and blinked at the door for a moment. If the threat had been any more serious, she might have wondered what the hell had got into Neville, but as it was, she collapsed back onto the bed laughing. "I think you've seriously underestimated Gawain, you dastardly villain," she called out between heaves of laughter. "He could take both of you on without lifting a finger." Wobbling his bottom lip, yes, lifting a finger, no.
That was no reason not to do as Neville had "ordered," though. Obviously Neville was up to another elaborate surprise, and this one looked to be the most fun yet. They were even on a boat, she noted as the floor rolled when she stood to put on the dress Neville had left in the room. It was certainly a "wench" dress: the bodice was low-cut and boned, and tight enough that the front lacings wouldn't pull together properly, leaving even more skin on display. She wasn't sure that purple satin was faithful to the image, but it appealed to her preference toward shiny things at any rate.
If Neville had seen her in it a year and a half ago, he would have covered his eyes and run for the gents.
She smoothed out her hair with her fingers before leaving the room, then discovered that the lack of comb or brush was meaningless, as the wind whipped her hair into disarray within seconds of stepping onto the deck. "I'm only wearing this to spare you the humiliation of being bested by a baby again," she said as she walked over to Neville. The corners of her eyes crinkled.
She looked amazing as she crossed the deck. Neville had known that she would, but still, first sight of her took his breath away - and in just a few minutes she was going to be his for keeps. However, to achieve that he needed to keep to the plan and make this as fun and memorable for her as he could. "I be not afraid of no young'un," he lied. "Ah, but you're a fair wench when properly dressed."
Luna might be playing along with Neville's little scenario, but that didn't mean she had to make it easy. "Only fair? Oh, dear. I have it on good authority that I'm 'too sexy' in attire ranging from spit-up stained robes to nothing at all, if you'd rather a better view." She undid one more button on Neville's shirt, baring part of his stomach as well as his chest, and trailed her fingertips up the opening to his throat. Then she seized his collar and pulled him down to whisper in his ear, "The latter would be the least difficult right now."
Neville swallowed thickly, his eyes glued to the front of Luna's dress. It wouldn't be difficult at all to get those laces undone, but that would be his undoing, and he had a wedding to get through first.
"Ah, 'tis a saucy minx," he said, taking a step back. "But your quick tongue will not save you now. Although, it might help later," Neville admitted. He coughed and clawed his way back into character, but he wasn't a natural actor and he was almost high on his excitement. He drew his sword and used it to point out the other people on deck, including the wizarding minister who was to perform the ceremony with the deck hands to act as witnesses. "Ye has a choice, wench. Wed me, or walk the plank!"
For the second time in a quarter of an hour, Luna found herself blinking at something Neville said. Did he mean... here, now, like this? She turned to where Neville was gesturing with his sword point, only really noticing that they weren't alone now that Neville directed her attention that way. This was quite possibly the last way she imagined getting married, especially with Neville doing the planning.
It was perfect.
"I don't know. I've never walked a plank before," she said, tapping her chin with one finger. "One should always be open to new experiences."
Neville should have known that she might take that option, but he definitely didn't want her to do so now. "Accio veil," he quickly cast, and he caught it as it floated gracefully over to him. He placed it on Luna's head with shaking fingers, and then cast a sticking charm to prevent it flying off again in the buffeting wind. "But it would be a shame to get your mother's veil wet, wouldn't it?" he said, completely dropping his pirate talk as they got closer to the critical moment. "And you have all afternoon to walk the plank if you really want to. Just... marry me first?"
Luna reached up and twined her fingers with Neville's, their joined hands resting on the lace of the veil for a moment before she pulled them down to kiss Neville's knuckles. She might not have had many things planned for her wedding herself, but Neville had remembered both of them. Her fingers tightened on his as a little bubble of panic rose within her, but she knew it would be all right. Neville had promised not to leave her, and this was proof of that fact, so it was ridiculous to be frightened. "Of course," she said.
Her words flooded him with relief and he quickly kissed her. "All right," he said, more to himself. He lifted her hands and kissed them the way she had kissed his, then he tucked one under his arm and drew her across the deck to where the minister looked ready, and still a bit perplexed though Neville had tried his best to explain the unusual situation. "We're ready," he told the man, who had been persuaded to dress up as well.
"Jolly good," was the quick reply. "Er, as Captain of this ship, I am able to wed the two of you on board." The minister looked inquiringly at Neville and he nodded his head, the man had remember the scenario. The minister went on, slipping into his more familiar role now. Neville didn't really hear much of what was being said, he was too busy watching Luna. Her hair was blowing about in the wind, the veil fluttering about her pretty face. The dress had turned out a bit risque in the end, but it was purple, and he hope that it and the veil were enough to keep Luna happy. It was what he wanted most of all, for Luna to be happy.
"Do you, Neville Gawain Longbottom, take this woman, to be your lawful wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish 'til d-" The minister stumbled at Neville's hot look and hurriedly tried to remember what he had been told. "To love and to cherish both in this world and the next, to enchant her and fill her days with happiness, binding yourself both magically and spiritually. And thereto to her do you plight your troth?"
"I do."
Luna might not have been the most well-versed person in the ways of weddings, but she did have some knowledge of how the vows were supposed to go, and therefore what changes Neville had made to his. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask if he was certain, but no, that would be an insult to the complete confidence in his voice as he affirmed the vows that he had altered himself. Instead she stared up at him with sheer adoration, entranced in the midst of one of the moments that she was fully aware of falling more deeply in love with him, rather than realizing somewhere after the fact.
The minister nodded and then turned to Luna. He paused for a moment, eyes turned to the side as he again tried to remember what Neville had told him, then he smiled and began Luna's half of the vow.
"Do you, Luna Cassandra Lovegood, take this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better of for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish in this world and the next, to brighten his days with your colour and energy, binding yourself both magically and spiritually. And thereto to him do you plight your troth?"
"Oh, is that all?" Luna exclaimed, noting the absence of terms like "honor," which she found too ambiguous, and the dreaded "obey." There wasn't anything in that list that she found the least bit troubling, assuming that she already brightened Neville's days. A beat later she realized why everyone was staring at her, and added, "I mean, I do."
Neville let out an explosive breath when Luna finally gave her answer, but grinned at her, too. One of the deck hands stepped forward with the rings and he picked Luna's from the velvet inlaid tray. It was a white gold band, so that it would match with the metal of Luna's engagement ring. While appearing undecorated on the outside, the inner curve had a line of poetry engraved into it. It was the first of the two final lines from one of the few and favourite Muggle love poems he knew: 'But love me for love's sake, that evermore'. Taking hold of Luna's left hand with his own, he recited, "With this ring I thee wed." He carefully slipped the band over her ring finger, then took the engagement ring from her right hand and slid it down so that it rested against the wedding ring. He sealed the promise by brushing a kiss over her fingers.
Luna's fingers lingered within Neville's, near his lips, for a moment before she took the second, larger ring from the tray. It was a plain white gold ring just like the one Neville had placed on her finger, but when she picked it up she noticed that the inside wasn't smooth like the outside. She squinted at it and read, Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity. Smiling at the sentiment Neville chose to have engraved on his ring and making a mental note to check her own at the first available opportunity, she slid the ring onto Neville's finger, repeating his words, "With this ring, I thee wed."
The minister, smiling and appearing strangely relieved, said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Luna beamed back at him, then turned her smile on Neville. The scary part was over. Now there was nothing left except spending the rest of her life, and beyond with Neville's alterations of the vows, loving and supporting Neville and being loved and supported in turn. Perhaps the more difficult part at times, but not scary, no. "You may now kiss the -- " the minister continued, but Luna had already pulled Neville down into a deep, searching kiss. "Ahem. Groom."
The kiss was a good start to married life Neville thought hazily as he tangled his tongue with Luna's and buried his fingers in her hair. A very good start. He pulled away with a gasp, and was glad that the minister seemed to have beaten a quick retreat. "Do you want to walk the plank now?" he asked, his eyes alight with happiness and a smidgen of lust. "Or would you rather get the business of consummation out of the way?" His eyes dropped to the front of her dress.
Luna slid her hands down Neville's back, one groping his arse while the other came to rest on his waist for the moment. "Who says I'm the one who has to decide whether or not to walk the plank?" She stealthily moved her hand down from his waist as she spoke, then whipped the sword from the scabbard of his costume. "I'm staging a mutiny here. Prepare to be boarded." She stepped back and brandished the sword, herding Neville backwards in the direction of the room he'd Apparated them to. It had a convenient bed, after all.
Neville blinked in surprise, and then narrowed his eyes. He should have known that she wouldn't come quietly. Raising his hands in defeat, he obeyed the flick of what was now her sword and moved back towards the cabin. At least she wasn't making him walk the plank, and really, being boarded sounded like it would be fun, and there was a chance while she was sleeping afterwards that he would be able to steal the sword and get their honeymoon back on track; Neville had a couple of weeks' worth of mini adventures planned out, this short boat trip being just the start of it.
By now grinning at his wife, Neville shuffled into the cabin and murmured, "Aye aye, Captain."