Date: Sunday, June 29 Time: Evening Location: Luna's Flat Characters: Luna Lovegood and Harry Potter Rating: PG-13
Harry was tired, but now that Teddy was on the mend and his parents were happily united, he decided that it was time for his own happy ending... or... beginning? He'd purchased two dozen roses, all in pink. He somehow thought that pink suited Luna far better than any of the other colours... maybe it was her rosey personality. Anyway, he made his way to her house, dressed smartly in a black button down shirt and a nice pair of jeans. With a deep breath, he knocked on the door, hoping quietly that he'd catch her at home.
Much of her day had been spent finalizing her contribution to the month's edition, but she managed to get home nearly an hour earlier than normal. Her evening had been occupied by reading on her couch a book about the potential relationship between nerherders and the popular muggle pet: hamsters. She'd been so absorbed that she started quite suddenly when there was a knock at her door. As far as she could recall she hadn't made plans with Ginny or Ron. Pulling her fingers through her hair to smooth out the locks that had been from laying on the couch, she made her way way to the door. She wore black pin-strip trousers and button down shirt, not having bothered to change when she came home. Pulling the door open, she could scarcely believe her eyes. "Harry!" she gasped. "I didn't think you'd be home so soon!" Noticing the roses in her hands, she could feel her cheeks pink as she stepped back to invite him in.
Harry smiled broadly when she smiled. God, he loved that look, the flush of her cheeks. He handed over the roses and steped into her home without saying much. Finally he spoke as he closed the door behind him. "Well... I wasn't expecting to be home so early either, really... but things happened and now I'm back." He hadn't really thought about whether or not to tell her he was now unemployed. He felt a bit shameful about that, but he knew he'd find a new job soon enough. "So... I took a chance and hoped you'd be home. I'm relieved I was right. I'm not sure I'd like to be sitting on your steps indefinately." he chuckled.
His reply perked her curiosity but found her delight with his presence, for whatever the reason, completely distracting as he handed her the roses. The idea that he might have simply waited on her steps until she came home inspired a flutter in Luna's stomach. "Thank you," she smiled, running her fingertips over the soft, velvety petals. She clasped his hand in her for a moment as she looked up at him. "I'm glad you're back." Giving his hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it, she walked to the kitchen to pull out a vase from the cupboard. Looking back over her shoulder she asked, "When did you get in?"
His stomach tightened just a bit at her squeeze to his hand. He felt more content just standing, watching her get a vase than he'd been in the weeks since he'd gone. Before that, even. "I got in a few days ago. My Godson, Teddy, was in St. Mungo's. He alright now, but I stayed with him until he was better." He figured he'd keep his reunion with his dead mother quiet for a bit longer. He wasn't sure if Luna knew about the dead yet... he didn't really want to be the one to tell her. "Do you need help reaching that vase?" he asked, stepping into the kitchen with her.
Luna had been about to reach for her wand to get the vase off the shelf, but since Harry had offered she replied, "That'd be lovely, thank you." As she stepped back her smile diminished a little. "I'm so sorry - will he be okay?" she asked, concern lining her voice. She had known that Harry had been named the godson of Remus' son, though didn't recall who she'd heard it from. Idle fingertip return to graze the tops of the blossom once again as she leaned back against the counter.
"Oh, he's fine." he nodded, tipping the vase from the shelf into his hand, and handing it to her. "His Grandmum and placed him in a muggle daycare and so he was exposed to lots of things he'd never been before. He got a muggle sickness that's really common, but St. Mungo's didn't know how to deal with it. I happened to know what it was because I'd had it before. He just needed some muggle pills, that was it." he shrugged, leaning against the counter. "So he'll be perfect... little bugger gave his poor Grandmum a terrible fright." he chuckled.
"I knew it," she sighed, taking the vase. As she filled it with water she went on, "The last time I saw my father we talked about exactly that - the unintended consequences of pushing together two populations that had been generally divided for so long. You, part of me thinks it's time to start writing for the Quibbler again. If this whole integration thing isn't done properly plenty of innocent people could get hurt in the transition." She realized she might have been on something as a rant, but as she placed the flowers in the vase, sitting in the in center of the counter that opened out to the living room, her smile returned. It wasn't surprising in the least that Harry had rushed home when someone he considered family was ill. Though if that was why he'd come back, she suspected that he'd probably have to be returning to Wales rather soon. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear she asked with a bit of hope in her voice, "Any idea how long you'll be staying?"
He was shocked that she felt the same way he did. It was an unpopular view in wizarding society as a whole, and for her to voice it so openly to him... it was amazing! "That's what I've been saying as well... not only do we have diseases, but there's tons of things. One of the things that I always think about is everytime wizarding society mixes with muggle society, muggles get hurt. Best to leave everyone where we are. What's it hurting to have two separate societies, anyway?" he asked, watching her fill the vase. When she asked about his next departure, he knew he couldn't avoid telling her he'd quit, and took a deep breath. "I'm not going back. I left it all. Told 'em to piss off." he said with as much casualness as he could muster. "The Ministry is missguided as usual, and I won't be a part of it anymore. They weren't going to let me go see Teddy either. I asked my supervisor more times than I can count, and they said no that I couldn't leave. So... I left without their permission." he said quietly. "And I quit."