Avant Notre Vie Commence
Story for:sweetcarolanne
Title: Avant Notre Vie Commence
Pairing: Gabrielle/Luna
Rating: G
Summary: "Other people will always say something, but what they say is not always right. I listen to them, but I never believe them when they're wrong."
Additional Notes: I very much hope that you enjoy this, sweetcarolanne, and that it is not too far off from what you wanted. This was beta-read by C and D.
To Luna Lovegood, today was the most perfect of all days. The sun shone high overhead, steady yet not too bright, and the wind had a refreshingly crisp edge to it. The air, occasionally sent into a brief, swirling torrent, smelled of slightly damp earth and promise.
Careful not to ruin her dress, Luna sank against the trunk of a tree and sighed contentedly. Blades of grass tickled her bare toes; she wiggled them delightedly in response. From the crooked, stretching branches above her, red and yellow leaves fell-one by one or two by two, flashes of color that were almost too quick to distinguish.
Luna blinked once, her expression serene, and then she closed her eyes. She hummed softly beneath her breath; had anyone heard her, it might have been remarked upon that the tune was backwards. However, as no such comment was made, her pensive mood was left undisturbed. She had no way of knowing-not yet-that she was not quite as alone as she believed.
After several minutes passed-during which time she had begun to enthusiastically conduct the song she was humming with her finger-she heard a subtle snapping sound accompanied by a loud cry of frustration. Luna slowly opened one eye, closed it, and then opened the other, searching for the source of the outburst. When she found it, she was not surprised by what-or rather, who-she saw.
"Hello, Gabrielle Delacour," Luna smiled, the name rolling from her tongue as it had done many occasions before; it was almost like a laugh and a sigh combined into one. Though outwardly she seemed calm, her heart suddenly began to flutter.
Gabrielle frowned and shook her head slightly. As she did so, the silvery ringlets which collected about her ears bounced. "I am very sorry," she murmured, her pale cheeks blossoming with pink. "Eet ees bad luck, non, zat I 'ave seen ze bride before ze wedding?"
Luna tilted her head to one side in puzzlement. "I don't think so. I thought it only mattered when there was a groom. But if you'd like, we can pretend we didn't see each other."
"Ce n'est pas necessaire," Gabrielle said, lowering her gaze demurely as she carefully suppressed a smile.
Luna watched this display unabashedly. She traced the lines of Gabrielle's lacy white gown with her eyes, pausing briefly to admire the intricate pattern upon her sleeves. Then her eyes swept as if of their own accord along Gabrielle's slender neck and to her face. Luna was really quite fond of the way Gabrielle's lower lip protruded in a natural pout, and the way faint freckles that she had not quite been able to conceal dotted her nose. (Luna never understood why Gabrielle wished to hide them, saying insistently that they were tokens of good fortune from the Winkletides. Unfortunately, this had only fallen upon disbelieving ears.)
"You are wearing ze yellow dress," Gabrielle commented hesitantly. Under anyone else's scrutiny, she might have preened. "I did not theenk you would…"
"It's a lovely color, isn't it?" Luna inquired happily. "I do always try to wear it to other weddings, so I'm glad I'm finally able to wear it to my own."
A mild look of disapproval spun across Gabrielle's features. "Eet ees…" She struggled to describe what it was that she wished to say. "Could eet not be a leetle different? Comme ça?”
Luna looked downward to find that her once-bright dress had been bathed in a soft, buttery hue. She paused for a moment, considering.
"Yes, I think that's quite right," she declared at length, her lips curving into a smile. She liked that Gabrielle never attempted to change her drastically from who she was, only brought forth what already existed.
"Parfait," Gabrielle nodded, pleased with what she had done. After regarding the grass for a brief moment, she sat beside Luna, smoothing the folds of her gown. One hand hovered above the ground, hesitant, until Luna automatically clutched it in her own. Their fingers entwined, soft skin against white satin gloves.
"Are you… frightened?"
Luna arched her brows in surprise. "I didn't think there was anything to be frightened of." Suddenly, she frowned in worry. "There won't be any Romanian Tortlens, will there? Daddy says they're quite fearsome, though I haven't seen one yet. He says they mostly haunt weddings. I hadn't thought to worry that Ronald's brother-"
"Non," Gabrielle interrupted impatiently, almost in frustration. "Zat ees not what I meant."
Luna blinked and looked at her, patiently waiting for elaboration.
"Eet ees only… we are so young. I… I am not twenty. And zees ees so very different from what I always thought… I know zat eet ees not a mistake, but I cannot 'elp but feel afraid. Eez eet ze same for you?" She bit her lip; Luna could feel her shivering.
"It doesn't seem too frightening to me. I would only be afraid if you didn't want to get married anymore. I wouldn't know what to do for a while…"
"But I do want to be married to you!" Gabrielle interrupted, gripping Luna's hand more tightly.
"I'm glad," Luna nodded, pleased. "That's why I'm not afraid."
"And you do not care what ozzer people say or believe?"
"Other people will always say something, but what they say is not always right. I listen to them, but I never believe them when they're wrong."
"'Ow do you know when zey are right or wrong? 'Ow ees eet zat you are always so certain?"
Luna frowned.
"'Ave I made you speechless?" Gabrielle laughed, tucking a stray ringlet behind her ear.
"No," Luna replied gently. "No one can ever be speechless. I just don't know what to say."
Gabrielle laughed once more, her warm breath causing Luna's skin to tingle.
"I suppose zat zere must not be an answer, zen."
"Perhaps not. It's difficult to tell sometimes, what questions have answers and what questions don't."
"You are… I do not know 'ow to describe you, ma lune. You always 'ave answers, even when questions do not. I am lucky zat you love me, out of all ze ozzer people."
Luna flushed. "I think we both must be lucky."
"Oui, certainement."
"Are you still frightened?"
"Non. Thank you. I do not quite know 'ow, but I feel much better… and ready, just like zat."
"Just like that," Luna repeated to herself thoughtfully, as if finding something particularly significant in this phrase.
She glanced upward, gazing at the sunlight as it peeked through the branches, and then she looked back at Gabrielle. Without unclasping their hands, she rose to her feet, pulling Gabrielle up beside her. Silently, they walked out from beneath the tree, and one by one, leaves fell and twirled in their wake. The pair stopped only once, when Luna paused to kiss the tip of Gabrielle's nose and she, in retaliation, kissed Luna's lips. Then they steadily continued on, without questions or doubts.
It was the perfect day in a life that was only just beginning.
FIN
For reference:
Non - No
Ce n'est pas necessaire - That's not necessary
Comme ça - Like that
Parfait - Perfect
Ma lune - My moon
Oui, certainement - Yes, definitely
Title: Avant Notre Vie Commence
Pairing: Gabrielle/Luna
Rating: G
Summary: "Other people will always say something, but what they say is not always right. I listen to them, but I never believe them when they're wrong."
Additional Notes: I very much hope that you enjoy this, sweetcarolanne, and that it is not too far off from what you wanted. This was beta-read by C and D.
To Luna Lovegood, today was the most perfect of all days. The sun shone high overhead, steady yet not too bright, and the wind had a refreshingly crisp edge to it. The air, occasionally sent into a brief, swirling torrent, smelled of slightly damp earth and promise.
Careful not to ruin her dress, Luna sank against the trunk of a tree and sighed contentedly. Blades of grass tickled her bare toes; she wiggled them delightedly in response. From the crooked, stretching branches above her, red and yellow leaves fell-one by one or two by two, flashes of color that were almost too quick to distinguish.
Luna blinked once, her expression serene, and then she closed her eyes. She hummed softly beneath her breath; had anyone heard her, it might have been remarked upon that the tune was backwards. However, as no such comment was made, her pensive mood was left undisturbed. She had no way of knowing-not yet-that she was not quite as alone as she believed.
After several minutes passed-during which time she had begun to enthusiastically conduct the song she was humming with her finger-she heard a subtle snapping sound accompanied by a loud cry of frustration. Luna slowly opened one eye, closed it, and then opened the other, searching for the source of the outburst. When she found it, she was not surprised by what-or rather, who-she saw.
"Hello, Gabrielle Delacour," Luna smiled, the name rolling from her tongue as it had done many occasions before; it was almost like a laugh and a sigh combined into one. Though outwardly she seemed calm, her heart suddenly began to flutter.
Gabrielle frowned and shook her head slightly. As she did so, the silvery ringlets which collected about her ears bounced. "I am very sorry," she murmured, her pale cheeks blossoming with pink. "Eet ees bad luck, non, zat I 'ave seen ze bride before ze wedding?"
Luna tilted her head to one side in puzzlement. "I don't think so. I thought it only mattered when there was a groom. But if you'd like, we can pretend we didn't see each other."
"Ce n'est pas necessaire," Gabrielle said, lowering her gaze demurely as she carefully suppressed a smile.
Luna watched this display unabashedly. She traced the lines of Gabrielle's lacy white gown with her eyes, pausing briefly to admire the intricate pattern upon her sleeves. Then her eyes swept as if of their own accord along Gabrielle's slender neck and to her face. Luna was really quite fond of the way Gabrielle's lower lip protruded in a natural pout, and the way faint freckles that she had not quite been able to conceal dotted her nose. (Luna never understood why Gabrielle wished to hide them, saying insistently that they were tokens of good fortune from the Winkletides. Unfortunately, this had only fallen upon disbelieving ears.)
"You are wearing ze yellow dress," Gabrielle commented hesitantly. Under anyone else's scrutiny, she might have preened. "I did not theenk you would…"
"It's a lovely color, isn't it?" Luna inquired happily. "I do always try to wear it to other weddings, so I'm glad I'm finally able to wear it to my own."
A mild look of disapproval spun across Gabrielle's features. "Eet ees…" She struggled to describe what it was that she wished to say. "Could eet not be a leetle different? Comme ça?”
Luna looked downward to find that her once-bright dress had been bathed in a soft, buttery hue. She paused for a moment, considering.
"Yes, I think that's quite right," she declared at length, her lips curving into a smile. She liked that Gabrielle never attempted to change her drastically from who she was, only brought forth what already existed.
"Parfait," Gabrielle nodded, pleased with what she had done. After regarding the grass for a brief moment, she sat beside Luna, smoothing the folds of her gown. One hand hovered above the ground, hesitant, until Luna automatically clutched it in her own. Their fingers entwined, soft skin against white satin gloves.
"Are you… frightened?"
Luna arched her brows in surprise. "I didn't think there was anything to be frightened of." Suddenly, she frowned in worry. "There won't be any Romanian Tortlens, will there? Daddy says they're quite fearsome, though I haven't seen one yet. He says they mostly haunt weddings. I hadn't thought to worry that Ronald's brother-"
"Non," Gabrielle interrupted impatiently, almost in frustration. "Zat ees not what I meant."
Luna blinked and looked at her, patiently waiting for elaboration.
"Eet ees only… we are so young. I… I am not twenty. And zees ees so very different from what I always thought… I know zat eet ees not a mistake, but I cannot 'elp but feel afraid. Eez eet ze same for you?" She bit her lip; Luna could feel her shivering.
"It doesn't seem too frightening to me. I would only be afraid if you didn't want to get married anymore. I wouldn't know what to do for a while…"
"But I do want to be married to you!" Gabrielle interrupted, gripping Luna's hand more tightly.
"I'm glad," Luna nodded, pleased. "That's why I'm not afraid."
"And you do not care what ozzer people say or believe?"
"Other people will always say something, but what they say is not always right. I listen to them, but I never believe them when they're wrong."
"'Ow do you know when zey are right or wrong? 'Ow ees eet zat you are always so certain?"
Luna frowned.
"'Ave I made you speechless?" Gabrielle laughed, tucking a stray ringlet behind her ear.
"No," Luna replied gently. "No one can ever be speechless. I just don't know what to say."
Gabrielle laughed once more, her warm breath causing Luna's skin to tingle.
"I suppose zat zere must not be an answer, zen."
"Perhaps not. It's difficult to tell sometimes, what questions have answers and what questions don't."
"You are… I do not know 'ow to describe you, ma lune. You always 'ave answers, even when questions do not. I am lucky zat you love me, out of all ze ozzer people."
Luna flushed. "I think we both must be lucky."
"Oui, certainement."
"Are you still frightened?"
"Non. Thank you. I do not quite know 'ow, but I feel much better… and ready, just like zat."
"Just like that," Luna repeated to herself thoughtfully, as if finding something particularly significant in this phrase.
She glanced upward, gazing at the sunlight as it peeked through the branches, and then she looked back at Gabrielle. Without unclasping their hands, she rose to her feet, pulling Gabrielle up beside her. Silently, they walked out from beneath the tree, and one by one, leaves fell and twirled in their wake. The pair stopped only once, when Luna paused to kiss the tip of Gabrielle's nose and she, in retaliation, kissed Luna's lips. Then they steadily continued on, without questions or doubts.
It was the perfect day in a life that was only just beginning.
FIN
For reference:
Non - No
Ce n'est pas necessaire - That's not necessary
Comme ça - Like that
Parfait - Perfect
Ma lune - My moon
Oui, certainement - Yes, definitely