For the prompt: ( Modern AU Theo and Luna ) Luna bumped into Theo and his paint box fell and his stuff spilled out everywhere. Oh God, I’m so sorry! ~Thank you!! <3
It was the time of year you could, if you looked carefully, find will-o-the-wisp nests in trees, or so the article in The Quibbler had said, and Luna had spent the afternoon walking, chin tilted up, searching for the nests. Foglike, the article had said, and easily hidden when branches were covered in snow which explained why they had their young in winter, which might otherwise seem a suboptimal time.
The day was cold enough that most students had stayed indoors, happier with cocoa and homework and roaring fires than cold toes and creatures three different Ravenclaws had told her didn’t exist in tones ranging from amused to condescending.
Honestly, she’d expected better from them. That Gryffindors didn’t believe in anything they couldn’t stab with something pointy was no surprise, but Ravenclaws were supposed to be curious.
Pity most of them confused wit with cruelty.
She was squinting up into one especially promising tree and so didn’t notice the other student until she stumbled into him. “I’m sorry,” she said automatically as he threw his hands out to keep her from falling backwards onto her arse in the snow. He caught her and yanked her forward and she looked up at his pale face and dark hair trying to place him. His scarf was green, so Slytherin, but other than that she didn’t think they’d ever spoken.
Of course, most people rather avoided her. Looney, and all.
“Think nothing of it,” he said. His voice had a rough burr, as if he didn’t use it often, but the accent was as posh as any at Hogwarts.
Paints had dropped out of his hands when he’d moved to catch her and lay on the snow along with a hard case she assumed was his paper. One sheet had landed face down and she could see the colors bleeding through the paper and running as the paint made contact with the snow. She’d ruined his work. “I’m so sorry,” she said, and moved to bend down to gather his things back up for him.
He held on for a moment more. “Really, it’s fine,” he said. “I’m not very good. Have we met?”
“Luna,” she said and stuck her mittened hand out. He let go of her to take it and squeezed it and she thought to herself that he looked kind. He looked shy and a little miserable and as if he were using manners as a crutch so he would know what to say, but he looked kind.
Kindness was undervalued at Hogwarts.
“Theodore Nott,” he said. “Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
“Yes,” Luna said. She smiled at him. “Want to go get cocoa in the kitchens?”
theartofmadeline
jbbartram-illu
pixelskylines
blakekathryn
kianamaiart
areudirty
