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Harry had been restless for quite a while, he had nothing to do anymore now that Voldemort was dead and remaining Death Eaters in Azkaban. The journalists were busy with discovering Tom Riddle’s history and following Hermione’s justice campaigns. Ginny was training for the Harpies and Ron was helping George with the shop’s expansions. Harry wasn’t needed anywhere and because his life had always controlled by someone else, he didn’t know what to do with his new independence. So he wandered.
And now in muggle London, he had run into Luna Lovegood with a backpack so large she could probably fit inside and her dirigible plum earrings. He had accidentally knocked a book onto her head and was apologizing profusely when they recognized each other.
“It’s alright. My mother used to say I have a thick skull,” she said, tapping her temple.
“Still, I’m really sorry- it must’ve hurt,” he cringed and without thinking gently stroked the top of her head. Luna’s eyes widened a bit and he drew his hand away quickly as he felt his ears grow hot. She quickly grabbed his hand, gently uncurling it from a tight fist.
“Don’t apologize. Why don’t you make it up to me with coffee instead? I know a place nearby I can get it for free and well. I haven’t talked to any...friends...in a while.” Harry really couldn’t say no, especially to her gentle smile, so he nodded and let her lead the way out the bookshop, down the street, and around the corner to a little rickety table outside of a tiny cafe. Luna let go of his hand and he suddenly missed the warmth and strange texture of dried paint, as if their hands had been together for much longer than their short walk. She dropped her bag with a heavy thud and darted into the shop, coming out just a minute later with a tray of two large mugs and several pastries. They sat quietly for a while, Luna gulping at her coffee and picking at a treacle tart and Harry taking a small sip (he hated black coffee) for every pastry he ate. When he had finished both scones and a chocolate croissant, Luna caught him eyeing her uneaten treacle tart and passed it to him with another slight smile. He passed her his coffee and she began to speak while he inhaled the sweet.
“Last week I started traveling around. I borrowed a family friend’s car but I’ve gotten three tickets and stuck in one of the swirls for a few hours, so I gave it back and decided on backpacking.”
“Swirls?”
“The circles you have to drive around.” Oh. Roundabouts. “I haven’t seen anyone from Hogwarts but I’ve met several interesting people so I haven’t been as lonely as I thought I might be. Dad says he misses me a bit but still tells me about creatures I can find wherever I'm going. Sometimes I miss him, since we were together a lot after I got back from the war. I feel like I can't leave the country yet. It’s been lovely, though.”
Harry placed his fork down 9/10 for the food, 0/10 for coffee though the company makes up for it. Luna reached over and absently wiped a spot of cream off his chin, replacing it at his lip. His tongue darts out and catches the cream and he wills his cheeks to cool.
“Why do you have so much stuff?” Harry blurts, wanting to fill the sudden silence.
“I’ve been painting a bit,” and for the first time since he’s met her, she seems shy, “one of the strangers I met told me it’s good to paint from life. She gave me a set of acrylics and brushes. I’ve got watercolors too and I’ve already filled one notebook. Oils were too troublesome to travel with- you know they take forever to dry- and I’ve discovered muggle fountain pens have you used them before? The ink just comes right out.” Harry laughed a little. She took a deep breath, “sorry. I just get a little-”
“Enthusiastic? Don’t worry, its interesting. You’re interesting,” Harry smiles, deciding to just go ahead and make a fool of himself since they’ll be parting soon anyway. He remembers her painting of their friends and his heart aches a little.
Luna beamed and Harry thought it was the equivalent to the feeling of seeing the sun peaking out from the clouds. “Well what about you?”
He blinked, surprised, then slightly panicked, “oh just this and that.” I spoil my godson and sit at home in sweatpants or nothing, eating ice cream out of the carton and forgetting to shave. Sometimes when I’m feeling adventurous I act like a decent human and socialize and when I’m piss drunk I lock myself inside and set up obstacle courses that sometimes include flying and once chasing Kreacher dressed as the Lord Farquaad mascot. But I can’t tell you that. “Honestly, not much. I take a lot of long walks but I don’t really go anywhere, just wandering. It’s getting a bit boring honestly,” he laughs.
Luna hums and her foot taps against his shin as she crosses her leg. Harry shifts so they stay in contact. It seems silly but her warmth makes him feel more calm than he has in a while. They're both silent for a while, Luna staring thoughtfully at the area round his head and Harry staring at her kind eyes, the way her hair falls messily from her ponytail around her face, how her hand pushes against her cheek and the way her lips purse slightly until:
“Do you want to come with me?”
His mouth drops open in surprise.
“It might do you some good to get out of routine. Or wander somewhere else.”
Harry looks down at the table with his brow furrowed, “the last time I went traveling with friends, we were hunting pieces of Tom Riddle’s soul.” He feels more than sees Luna’s spirits falling and adds quickly, “so yes, I’d love to travel with you if it’ll be better than that.”
Luna laughs and nods, “of course, I have no intention of dealing with any serious business.”
“Perfect,” he says.
“Great. I’ll find you tomorrow somehow,” she says, standing to leave.
“Where will we go?”
“Australia, I think. Its summer there.”
“And how will we get there?”
“We fly, of course”
“Thestrals?”
“Do you have any?”
“No...but I have a hippogriff”
“That’ll work. See you tomorrow then,” she smiles again and walks away.
He stands staring at her back until he loses sight of her and turns to walk in the opposite direction. A small voice of uncertainty pops into his head but he squashes it down. He’ll need to say goodbye to Teddy and meet with Hermione and Ron and Ginny, maybe roping them into helping him pack. Hermione might think he’s “running away from his problems” but he hasn’t got any problems to be running from. Ron will protest because “you’re going away with Loony Lovegood?” and Ginny will say, “Don’t call her Loony, and I think its a great idea.” And Harry will thank her and dart around excitedly because he’s going on an adventure with a girl who smiles like the sun and wears dirigible plum earrings and thinks his head is full of wrackspurts.