Shopping for Attention (PG; Luna/Pansy, Male Character; 630 words)
eaivalefay prompted me with Luna/Pansy: record, defiant, Bible.
Shopping for Attention (PG; Luna/Pansy, Male Character; 630 words): Luna does a little shopping.
Luna rounds the corner of a shelf in Prince and Son's Old Books and comes face to profile with Pansy Parkinson. She's biting her lower lip as she examines a book.
"Oh, that's the Bible," Luna says, startling Parkinson. "If you're interested in Muggle myths, there's another section over-
"I don't need your help."
Parkinson's expression is defiant; of what, Luna doesn't know. "Well, all right, then."
"What are you doing?"
Luna hastily finishes scribbling. "Updating the record I'm keeping of all the books I've read this year. I lent this book," she says, pointing to What Religion Means to Muggles, "to someone before writing down the author's name."
Parkinson, she notices, is noticing her, at least, noticing her mouth. That's where her eyes are fixed. Luna decides she likes her attention, even if she doesn't like Parkinson.
"Why would you do something stupid like that?" Parkinson asks.
And that's the sort of thing that makes me not like you, Luna thinks, shrugging.
"Oh, come on, Lovegood. There has to be a reason."
"Well, I do attend a book club, and the ladies-"
"Ladies?"
"The club's just for ladies," Luna says.
"What sort of ladies?"
Luna laughs. "Ladies who like to read who like other ladies," she says, blithely.
Parkinson flushes and turns away. "I don't like this book. It's a lot of rubbish."
Luna watches the rise and fall of Parkinson's breasts and decides that she's nervous. Lonely, too, which isn't surprising. Well, perhaps it is a little: they're very nice breasts. "Would you like to come?"
"Would I what?"
"To the club meeting?"
"How dare you assume that I-"
"Do shut up, you stupid girl," Mr Prince says, entering the section to shelve a book. He turns to Luna. "Don't waste your time on her."
"That's a mean thing to say," Luna tells him.
He smirks. "My store. My meanness."
Parkinson's lower lip is trembling now.
"Is the customer always right, Mr Prince?" Luna asks.
"Oh, bugger. Yes, so says Mam. Why?"
"Well, I think it would be right if you left us alone to shop. You know how cross it makes Eileen when you're rude to customers."
Grumbling, he stalks off.
Pansy's lower lip is still trembling; Luna reaches out a finger and presses it against her mouth. "Don't mind him. He's very bitter-from lack of sex, I think. Is that what's bothering you?"
Pansy bites Luna's finger.
"Well," Luna says, shaking it, "you can't fault me much for asking. You are terribly unpleasant, and I never see you with anyone."
"When do you see me?"
"You window shop along the Alley all the time, and you're always alone. It's sad."
Tightly, Parkinson replies, "Leave me alone, Lovegood."
"You should come to the meeting-if you like reading and like ladies who like reading, that is. Then you wouldn't be alone, and I might decide that I like you."
"Why should that matter to me?" Parkinson asks darkly, but the hopeful rising of her eyebrows and tone tells Luna that she's intrigued.
"Because I know how to use my tongue for other things than talk-"
A splutter emanates from the direction of the shop counter.
"-ing, and if I decide that I like you, I might show you what they are."
"I'm not like that," Parkinson whispers, blushing.
"Oh, don't worry. I can teach you-how to be nice, I mean."
"Merlin, you're odd."
Luna smiles, enjoying the way Parkinson's breath catches. "Thank you." She scribbles down the date, location, and time for the club's next meeting and presses it into Parkinson's hand.
"I don't . . . I didn't ask for this," says Parkinson, stalking off just as Mr Prince did.
No, but you didn't throw it away, either, Luna thinks, hoping that Parkinson will wear a tighter jumper to the meeting.