Goodnight, Harry - Harry/Luna - 1/1
Title: Goodnight, Harry
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Harry/Luna
Prompt: #033 - Too Much
Word Count: 1411
Rating: PG
Summary: Sometimes it's the quiet companionship.
Harry apparated into his darkened flat, pulling off his robes and tossing them haphazardly onto a lounger in the corner. The sigh he had been holding in all night finally escaped his lips as he pulled off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table before flopping back onto the couch. He sat forward, elbows resting on his thighs and the heels of his hands pressing against his closed eyes as his forehead rested in his palms. He clenched his fingers in his unruly black hair and closed his eyes tighter together as if to shut out the demons that haunted him.
Tonight had been meant to be a simple raid on a Death Eater hideout. They had done it many times before, more times than he could even count. It was nothing new and yet tonight…
Tonight had turned out like no previous raid.
Tonight, they had walked into a trap.
In the end, only five of the eight Death Eaters had been taken into custody. In the end, two of his own people had been injured and transported to St. Mungo’s for care. In the end, one had been killed, a classmate he had known since his first year at Hogwarts.
And in the end, he had failed his team.
The infamous Boy Who Lived could defeat the darkest wizard known to mankind in a single night of battle. And yet he couldn’t keep his friends, his colleagues, from getting hurt during an everyday raid.
“Harry?”
He was lost in thought about how to properly notify Susan’s parents in the morning when he felt a whisper of fingers running through the hair at the nape of his neck. Harry finally looked up to see Luna, wearing one of his old faded Chudley Cannons T-shirts and boxers, approaching from around the sofa. His lips curled into a small frown as she sat down beside him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you, Luna.”
Even in the dimly lit room, he could see her eyes shine with an aura of calm as she smiled softly at him. “You didn’t wake me.”
Harry scoffed quietly in disbelief. “Lu, it’s four in the morning.”
“And you weren’t home yet,” she stated with a shrug. “So I wasn’t asleep.”
Harry hated when she worried, especially when it meant she lost sleep over him. And recently, he could only imagine she was losing sleep a lot. The Aurors had been busier than they had been in previous years. With the fall of Voldemort, the Death Eaters who had escaped after battle had become the main priority, and that unfortunately meant many nights out into the wee hours searching and hunting and trying not to be killed.
He had always known Luna to be a light sleeper, and she seemed to sleep even lighter on the nights he worked late on dangerous missions. He would come home at all hours of the night, exhausted and bruised, and no matter what hour it was when he slipped under the covers beside her, he would be greeted with a softly mumbled “G’night, Harry” before she would turn over and lay her head against his shoulder.
Harry never thought that two simple words could have such an effect on him.
But after a day filled with the worst life had to offer, something about hearing her voice before she moved her warm form against his, always seemed to bring him to a better place before he finally dozed off.
“I’m sorry for worrying you then,” he finally said.
Luna replied with that same peaceful smile as she began to braid her long blonde hair that matched his in unruliness. “Oh, don’t be silly, Harry. I knew you’d come home eventually.”
His frown only deepened as his thoughts returned to Susan .
And how, unlike him, she would never be returning home.
Harry laid his head back against the couch, closing his eyes again as he absently rubbed at his scar. Silence returned to the flat, the only exception being the quiet squeaks of the cushions as Luna settled into her spot beside him.
She never questioned him when he came home like this. She didn’t push him to talk, drown him in questions. And for that he was grateful.
He had spent so many years answering to people. Defending his beliefs. Talking about feelings he didn’t particularly want to share. Answering questions and demands from reporters, colleagues, and even friends. So Luna’s quiet companionship was a welcomed contrast to every other person in his life.
She always seemed, no matter what, to know what he needed when he needed it. Before he even knew he needed it. And it was one of the many things he loved about her.
“Susan Bones died tonight,” he finally said, opening his eyes to stare up towards the darkened ceiling.
There was silence for a moment, and in response, Harry turned his head to gaze at her. Luna pulled thoughtfully on her newly formed braid before returning the look.
“I won’t tell you that I’m sorry,” she replied in a soft voice, a hint of a frown on her face. “I certainly am. Susan was a very nice person, and she and I got on quite well. But I also know how much you hate it when people say that.” Harry simply watched her, waiting for her to continue because she always did. “But I’m sure you did everything you could, and in the end, I’m sure her death was not in vain.”
Harry exhaled deeply, lifting his head from the back of the couch. “I’m not sure her family would agree.”
“Susan died fighting for something she believed in. Much like family before her.” Luna paused with a tilt of her head. “It was a noble death, Harry.”
Harry leaned forward in his seat again, returning to the position he had been in before Luna had joined him. He sighed as his fingers clenched in his hair. “You’d think after all this time, I’d be used to it. The people dying. The aftermath.”
“I would hope not.”
Taken aback by that calmly stated response, Harry turned his head to gaze at his girlfriend. “You would hope not?”
Luna nodded. “I’d be worried if you did become accepting of the deaths. That’s what has always separated you from him, you realize.”
“My ability to brood?” Harry joked weakly.
“Your ability to care.”
Harry returned her piecing blue stare momentarily before dropping his gaze back to the carpet at his feet. He sighed again before finally finding his voice. “Sometimes, it’s just too much, you know.”
“I know.”
If it had been anyone else, he would have lashed out at those two simple words. He would have told them that they didn’t know, that they could never know, what it was like to be him. To be inside his head.
But this was Luna.
And if there was one thing she knew outside of nargles and crumple-horned snorkacks, it was him.
“And you’ll make it through this like you always do,” she said, her fingers trailing the nape of his neck.
“And how can you be so sure?” he mumbled in response.
“Because you’re Harry,” she stated matter-a-factly before leaning over and placing a kiss on his temple.
Harry allowed himself the first semblance of a smile all night as he released his hair and looked over at Luna. “You don’t have to stay up with me, Luna.”
“I don’t have to, but it’d be quite rude of me to go to bed without you,” she replied in a serious tone.
Harry laughed softly, leaning over and gently taking hold of her face in his hands. His thumbs softly grazed her cheeks as he planted a kiss on her forehead before placing a second one on her lips. When he pulled away, Luna blinked at him, a content--yet puzzled--smile on her face.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“Thank you,” he replied simply.
She stared at him as if unsure what she deserved thanks for, but her smile brightened and she shrugged her shoulders slightly as he brushed a few loose strands of hair from her face. “You’re welcome.”
Harry smiled softly and released her face with a quiet sigh, settling back against the couch cushions. Luna scooted closer to him, Harry draping his arm around her and pulling her body flush against his. He leaned his head back against the couch, shutting his eyes and trying to block out all the thoughts that haunted his subconscious.
“G’night, Harry,” Luna mumbled against his chest.
And with those two words, Harry’s worries began to drift away.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Harry/Luna
Prompt: #033 - Too Much
Word Count: 1411
Rating: PG
Summary: Sometimes it's the quiet companionship.
Harry apparated into his darkened flat, pulling off his robes and tossing them haphazardly onto a lounger in the corner. The sigh he had been holding in all night finally escaped his lips as he pulled off his glasses and placed them on the coffee table before flopping back onto the couch. He sat forward, elbows resting on his thighs and the heels of his hands pressing against his closed eyes as his forehead rested in his palms. He clenched his fingers in his unruly black hair and closed his eyes tighter together as if to shut out the demons that haunted him.
Tonight had been meant to be a simple raid on a Death Eater hideout. They had done it many times before, more times than he could even count. It was nothing new and yet tonight…
Tonight had turned out like no previous raid.
Tonight, they had walked into a trap.
In the end, only five of the eight Death Eaters had been taken into custody. In the end, two of his own people had been injured and transported to St. Mungo’s for care. In the end, one had been killed, a classmate he had known since his first year at Hogwarts.
And in the end, he had failed his team.
The infamous Boy Who Lived could defeat the darkest wizard known to mankind in a single night of battle. And yet he couldn’t keep his friends, his colleagues, from getting hurt during an everyday raid.
“Harry?”
He was lost in thought about how to properly notify Susan’s parents in the morning when he felt a whisper of fingers running through the hair at the nape of his neck. Harry finally looked up to see Luna, wearing one of his old faded Chudley Cannons T-shirts and boxers, approaching from around the sofa. His lips curled into a small frown as she sat down beside him.
“I didn’t mean to wake you, Luna.”
Even in the dimly lit room, he could see her eyes shine with an aura of calm as she smiled softly at him. “You didn’t wake me.”
Harry scoffed quietly in disbelief. “Lu, it’s four in the morning.”
“And you weren’t home yet,” she stated with a shrug. “So I wasn’t asleep.”
Harry hated when she worried, especially when it meant she lost sleep over him. And recently, he could only imagine she was losing sleep a lot. The Aurors had been busier than they had been in previous years. With the fall of Voldemort, the Death Eaters who had escaped after battle had become the main priority, and that unfortunately meant many nights out into the wee hours searching and hunting and trying not to be killed.
He had always known Luna to be a light sleeper, and she seemed to sleep even lighter on the nights he worked late on dangerous missions. He would come home at all hours of the night, exhausted and bruised, and no matter what hour it was when he slipped under the covers beside her, he would be greeted with a softly mumbled “G’night, Harry” before she would turn over and lay her head against his shoulder.
Harry never thought that two simple words could have such an effect on him.
But after a day filled with the worst life had to offer, something about hearing her voice before she moved her warm form against his, always seemed to bring him to a better place before he finally dozed off.
“I’m sorry for worrying you then,” he finally said.
Luna replied with that same peaceful smile as she began to braid her long blonde hair that matched his in unruliness. “Oh, don’t be silly, Harry. I knew you’d come home eventually.”
His frown only deepened as his thoughts returned to Susan .
And how, unlike him, she would never be returning home.
Harry laid his head back against the couch, closing his eyes again as he absently rubbed at his scar. Silence returned to the flat, the only exception being the quiet squeaks of the cushions as Luna settled into her spot beside him.
She never questioned him when he came home like this. She didn’t push him to talk, drown him in questions. And for that he was grateful.
He had spent so many years answering to people. Defending his beliefs. Talking about feelings he didn’t particularly want to share. Answering questions and demands from reporters, colleagues, and even friends. So Luna’s quiet companionship was a welcomed contrast to every other person in his life.
She always seemed, no matter what, to know what he needed when he needed it. Before he even knew he needed it. And it was one of the many things he loved about her.
“Susan Bones died tonight,” he finally said, opening his eyes to stare up towards the darkened ceiling.
There was silence for a moment, and in response, Harry turned his head to gaze at her. Luna pulled thoughtfully on her newly formed braid before returning the look.
“I won’t tell you that I’m sorry,” she replied in a soft voice, a hint of a frown on her face. “I certainly am. Susan was a very nice person, and she and I got on quite well. But I also know how much you hate it when people say that.” Harry simply watched her, waiting for her to continue because she always did. “But I’m sure you did everything you could, and in the end, I’m sure her death was not in vain.”
Harry exhaled deeply, lifting his head from the back of the couch. “I’m not sure her family would agree.”
“Susan died fighting for something she believed in. Much like family before her.” Luna paused with a tilt of her head. “It was a noble death, Harry.”
Harry leaned forward in his seat again, returning to the position he had been in before Luna had joined him. He sighed as his fingers clenched in his hair. “You’d think after all this time, I’d be used to it. The people dying. The aftermath.”
“I would hope not.”
Taken aback by that calmly stated response, Harry turned his head to gaze at his girlfriend. “You would hope not?”
Luna nodded. “I’d be worried if you did become accepting of the deaths. That’s what has always separated you from him, you realize.”
“My ability to brood?” Harry joked weakly.
“Your ability to care.”
Harry returned her piecing blue stare momentarily before dropping his gaze back to the carpet at his feet. He sighed again before finally finding his voice. “Sometimes, it’s just too much, you know.”
“I know.”
If it had been anyone else, he would have lashed out at those two simple words. He would have told them that they didn’t know, that they could never know, what it was like to be him. To be inside his head.
But this was Luna.
And if there was one thing she knew outside of nargles and crumple-horned snorkacks, it was him.
“And you’ll make it through this like you always do,” she said, her fingers trailing the nape of his neck.
“And how can you be so sure?” he mumbled in response.
“Because you’re Harry,” she stated matter-a-factly before leaning over and placing a kiss on his temple.
Harry allowed himself the first semblance of a smile all night as he released his hair and looked over at Luna. “You don’t have to stay up with me, Luna.”
“I don’t have to, but it’d be quite rude of me to go to bed without you,” she replied in a serious tone.
Harry laughed softly, leaning over and gently taking hold of her face in his hands. His thumbs softly grazed her cheeks as he planted a kiss on her forehead before placing a second one on her lips. When he pulled away, Luna blinked at him, a content--yet puzzled--smile on her face.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“Thank you,” he replied simply.
She stared at him as if unsure what she deserved thanks for, but her smile brightened and she shrugged her shoulders slightly as he brushed a few loose strands of hair from her face. “You’re welcome.”
Harry smiled softly and released her face with a quiet sigh, settling back against the couch cushions. Luna scooted closer to him, Harry draping his arm around her and pulling her body flush against his. He leaned his head back against the couch, shutting his eyes and trying to block out all the thoughts that haunted his subconscious.
“G’night, Harry,” Luna mumbled against his chest.
And with those two words, Harry’s worries began to drift away.