Unexpected (Chapters 1-2)
Title: Unexpected
Author: kijani
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Hermione/Luna
Rating: Older Teensish?
Summary: Hermione finally has her dream job, but when everything else comes crashing down, who will be there to help her pick up the pieces?
Hermione Weasley had finally been offered her golden opportunity: a dream job at Hogwarts teaching one of her favorite classes from her school days. The post of transfiguration professor hadn't been open long, but the woman took the chance as soon as it came up.
A smile played on her face as she stood in front of the entrance to the castle. No matter how many years had passed, no matter how much she'd grown up over that time, Hogwarts still seemed to loom over her. Butterflies of excitement fluttered around in her stomach as she stood there and drank it all in. Back at the castle again...and this time, she would be the one giving the grade. She couldn't even describe how it all made her feel, how being back in this place once again had such a strong effect on her every emotion.
"Fancy meeting you here, Professor." It took Hermione a moment to realize just who was speaking to her. Pivoting on her heel, Hermione's eyes met with a pair of striking blue orbs. They were situated on a pale face with a long mane of very blond hair. So familiar...but it had been years...
"Luna? Luna Lovegood?" she gasped, unable to hide the surprise from her face.
"The one and only...and it's Professor Lovegood around the kids. I teach Divination around here now, you know..." Luna's smile was so genuine that it seemed to light up her whole face as she took a step towards her old friend.
Hermione nodded complacently, her own feelings for the topic of divination bubbling to the surface for a moment before she swallowed her pride. "That's great, Luna. I'm...me too! A professor, I mean. Transfiguration."
Luna nodded with a knowing smile. "Yeah. They told us you'd be coming. I figured you'd like a welcoming party. Neville would be here too, but there was a little mishap in one of the Herbology greenhouses..." Luna paused a moment, her gaze flickering off to one of the high tower windows. "And I'm sure Ron is just getting ready for your arrival. Come on! I'll show you where you can put your things!" Luna jumped forward, clasping her hand around Hermione's and pulling the other woman towards the door. It was the same sort of childish excitement harbored towards the start of the Hogwarts school year when they were kids. Of course, things were a little bit different now, but Hermione couldn't help but allow Luna's mood to rub off on her just a little bit.
"Welcome back, Miss Granger! Err...Weasley..." Hermione recognized the voice of Professor Flitwick almost immediately, and flashed the man her best smile. "Good to see you back here again."
"Couldn't stay away, I guess..." she shrugged, waving as she and Luna passed him in the hallway.
Almost as if she could read the other woman's mind, Luna spoke up. "Flitwick is still here, and Hagrid and Binns of course. Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfrey are likely to never leave, and Professor Addison Dilworth teaches Potions now. Been here for three years now." she explained. "McGonnagal is still headmistress of course...she'll want to see you once you've gotten yourself settled..."
"Okay...got it..." Hermione nodded, smoothing out her robes absentmindedly in anticipation of seeing her old friend and former professor again. This was going to be a very long day full of a lot of surprises, but she knew she could handle it. That was why she was here, after all.
"Your room is right this way. I'm sure you'll recognize everything. It is your old house, after all..."
"Are they sure? Ron should have gotten..."
"Ron insisted you take the position, 'Mione."
A small frown settled on Hermione's face for a moment before she let out a long sigh. Her frustration was short-lived however, as she and Luna passed the empty transfiguration classroom-her classroom. "What about...?"
"You still have two weeks to get ready for the students. Don't worry about that. Do be careful of the nargles, though. They stole a whole batch of Hagrid's flesh eating slug repellent the other day."
"Honestly, Luna..." Hermione's sentence died an early death as her eyes wandered around the hallway. It was dark and somewhat barren...nothing like she remembered when she was a girl wandering the hallways. Her mouth formed a tiny 'O' as they made their way through the silent halls. It took her a moment to realize that Luna had stopped, and a tiny blush made its way onto her cheeks when she realized she'd nearly left the other woman behind. "Why are we here?" she asked.
"It's the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, silly!" Luna smiled.
Recognition flooded Hermione's face, and she took an eager step forward. Ron. This was his classroom. She hadn't seen him in over a week! Of course, he knew she was coming, but she still couldn't help but feel that little bubble of excitement when she thought about it. She always missed him so much during the school year, and now they would share the halls. It was wonderful to think about. She reached a hand out, her fingers closing around the handle as she moved to push open the door.
"Hermione...I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice was familiar, but one she never expected she'd hear again. Glancing up, she noticed the disembodied head of none other than Remus Lupin poking out of the top of the door.
"Remus!" she smiled. "It's so good to see you!"
"Don't do it. Luna still hasn't shown you the...lovely renovations she's made to the Divination classroom..."
"Nonsense, Remus! What is it? I'm sure it's nothing Hermione hasn't seen before..." Practically leaping forward, Luna pushed the door open. It creaked on its hinges as it swung back. Above them, the ghost of Remus Lupin looked as though he would cry if he could.
"Ron!" Hermione's face went red as the heat rushed to her cheeks.
"Addy? Oh, gods..." Pivoting on her heel, Luna slammed the door shut. Without a word, she grabbed Hermione by the arm, practically dragging her up the stairs. Only when they had reached the safety of the Gryffindor tower, the safety of Hermione's room, did Luna try to speak again.
"I...I didn't know, Hermione! I swear I didn't! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
***
Hermione's face maintained its red taint, but she said nothing. Her eyes were narrowed at the door, almost as if she expected someone. Maybe he would come find her? Surely it was a mistake? Surely she had imagined it all...? It was some kind of nightmare. That's what it was.
"Hermione?" She blinked, and Luna's voice pulled her back down to reality. "Are you alright? I..I mean, obviously you're not alright, but...talk to me. Please..."
Hermione shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, Luna. There's nothing to..." She blinked, hot tears stinging her eyes as she kept her gaze on the door. No one was coming. But he owed her that much, didn't he?
"Hermione that's fluff and you know it." Luna's voice was perhaps a bit more stern than she meant it to be, and she recognized as much almost immediately. Her eyes glassed over slightly as she looked away from Hermione, a slight pink tint coming to her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I don't want to upset you any more..."
"There's nothing to talk about, Luna." Hermione's voice was slightly more forceful this time, and for a moment, Hermione's gaze met the blond's. "Drop it."
Luna opened her mouth, but just as she was about to say something else, there was a soft knock on the door. Hermione's head snapped back, and her eyes narrowed, but she did not get up to answer it.
"'Mione...?"
"Don't open the door, Ronald. I swear to Merlin I won't be responsible for my actions if you do."
"But..."
"How long, Ronald?"
For a moment, there was only silence beyond the door. "Six months." The reply was barely audible, and had the woman not been waiting for it, she probably would have missed it.
Next to Hermione, Luna's eyes widened, and she reached out a hand to comfort her friend. Hermione shrugged it off, her eyes never leaving the door. "I see." She replied simply. Luna noticed the change in her voice. It was softer, broken...and it was his fault.
"Don't you want to talk about it?" Ron's voice came through the door once more.
Hermione shook her head, although he would not be able to see the gesture. "There's nothing to talk about, Ronald."
"'Mione..."
"Don't you dare, Ronald Weasley." she snapped before he could finish his sentence.
After a moment, there was no more sound beyond the door, and Hermione visibly relaxed. Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, shaky sigh, closing her eyes as she looked down at the ground.
"Hermione...?" Luna whispered. "Are you alright?"
It seemed like ages before the curly-haired woman looked up again. She took another deep breath as her eyes met Luna's, and a slight smile came to her lips. She stood, grabbed her wand, and reached for the door.
"Hermione! Hexing him won't do any good!"
Hermione blinked, almost as if she had just realized that Luna was there, and shook her head. "I'm not going to hex him, Luna. I was going to go to the Hog's Head for a bit. Want to come along?"
Luna's jaw dropped slightly, and her features took on an air of skepticism. After what she'd just witnessed, this all seemed a little strange. And that smile...something about the small smile on Hermione's face had Luna a little more than concerned for her old friend. Outside, the campus was shadowed by cloud cover. Ironic, but fitting. Sighing, Luna stood, nodding in Hermione's direction. "Sure. I'll come along. You need someone to watch out for you in a place like that anyway..."
"Nonsense. I'm a big girl...but thank you for coming."
Luna nodded, her heart aching for the woman in front of her as the two of them exited the small room. It was going to be a long night. That much she already knew, but just how long and what all was in store wasn't really up to her. She would be there for Hermione. That's all she knew, and it was all she really could do, short of hexing the red-headed cheater herself. Of course, the thought had already crossed her mind on several occasions, but she managed to squelch it with much happier thoughts of what everyone else would do to the fool when they found out. That at least put a smile on her face.
"What're you planning on doing at the Hog's Head, 'Mione?" Luna asked, curiosity in her voice.
"I'm fine, Luna. You don't have to babysit me, you know. I know how to behave."
"That's not what I..."
"Two glasses of firewhiskey for me and my friend here!" Hermione smiled, patting Luna on the back.
Luna could only shake her head. "Um...just a pumpkin juice is fine for me, thanks..." She couldn't help the look of worry she gave Hermione for a moment, although the other woman didn't seem to notice. How was it possible for her? How did she simply pretend everything was alright like this? Luna knew she'd never be able to do such a thing...not after what they'd witnessed earlier. Not after something like that.
It was hard to tell how long they were actually there. Outside, the sun had already began to sink below the horizon, but other than that, the blond woman had no real concept of just how much time had gone by. She nursed her pumpkin juice as though it were the only glass she would get. Occasionally her gaze flickered to the woman on the stool next to her. Hermione had said almost nothing since they'd arrived, and was on her second glass of firewhiskey. She was already starting to look red in the face, but Luna couldn't tell if that was the alcohol or her own emotions. That question was answered pretty quickly.
"Six years, Luna. Six bloody years, and he..." Hermione shook her head, swallowing a lump that had suddenly grown in her throat. She downed the remainder of her firewhiskey in one quick gulp before her gaze met Luna's again. Her eyes were glassed over with unshed tears, her cheeks pink, her jaw set angrily...but it was the sadness in those brown eyes of hers that Luna noticed more than anything else. "Why did he have to...what's wrong with me, Luna? What's so wrong with me?"
Luna's heart nearly broke at her old friend's words, and she sucked in a deep breath to calm herself before she could reply. Her hands were balled into shaky fists in her lap, but luckily Hermione seemed not to notice. "No, 'Mione...no. There's nothing wrong with you. Nothing. Got it? Ron Weasley doesn't know what he just gave up..."
Slowly, very slowly, Luna reached for the empty firewhiskey glass, shooting the bartender a death glare when he moved to try and refill it.
"No, there's...somethin's...wrong...with me." Hermione insisted, her speech slower and a little slurred as she continued to fight back the tears she was so unwilling to shed. "I'm not...not good enough..."
Without a word, Luna reached forward, her hands tightening around Hermione's arms as she met the woman's gaze with a fierce one of her own. "Stop it!" she commanded, shaking her roughly as she spoke. "Don't be an idiot, Hermione! You know what it is? It's not that you're not good enough, love. You're too good. And I'm not going to sit here and watch you drink yourself into a stupor anymore. We're going home. Now." She stood, jerking Hermione to her feet and leading her towards the door.
"Luna, I don't want..."
Luna jerked Hermione's arm again, this time pulling her towards her. For the briefest of moments, their lips crashed together. It took Luna a moment to realize what she'd done before she pulled back. "I don't care, Hermione. We're going home. You need to sleep..."
Hermione's fingers brushed across her lips in disbelief, and her eyes widened. "Didjoo jus'...?"
Luna shook her head. "No, I didn't. You're imagining things. Now come on. Let's get you home..."
Author: kijani
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Hermione/Luna
Rating: Older Teensish?
Summary: Hermione finally has her dream job, but when everything else comes crashing down, who will be there to help her pick up the pieces?
Hermione Weasley had finally been offered her golden opportunity: a dream job at Hogwarts teaching one of her favorite classes from her school days. The post of transfiguration professor hadn't been open long, but the woman took the chance as soon as it came up.
A smile played on her face as she stood in front of the entrance to the castle. No matter how many years had passed, no matter how much she'd grown up over that time, Hogwarts still seemed to loom over her. Butterflies of excitement fluttered around in her stomach as she stood there and drank it all in. Back at the castle again...and this time, she would be the one giving the grade. She couldn't even describe how it all made her feel, how being back in this place once again had such a strong effect on her every emotion.
"Fancy meeting you here, Professor." It took Hermione a moment to realize just who was speaking to her. Pivoting on her heel, Hermione's eyes met with a pair of striking blue orbs. They were situated on a pale face with a long mane of very blond hair. So familiar...but it had been years...
"Luna? Luna Lovegood?" she gasped, unable to hide the surprise from her face.
"The one and only...and it's Professor Lovegood around the kids. I teach Divination around here now, you know..." Luna's smile was so genuine that it seemed to light up her whole face as she took a step towards her old friend.
Hermione nodded complacently, her own feelings for the topic of divination bubbling to the surface for a moment before she swallowed her pride. "That's great, Luna. I'm...me too! A professor, I mean. Transfiguration."
Luna nodded with a knowing smile. "Yeah. They told us you'd be coming. I figured you'd like a welcoming party. Neville would be here too, but there was a little mishap in one of the Herbology greenhouses..." Luna paused a moment, her gaze flickering off to one of the high tower windows. "And I'm sure Ron is just getting ready for your arrival. Come on! I'll show you where you can put your things!" Luna jumped forward, clasping her hand around Hermione's and pulling the other woman towards the door. It was the same sort of childish excitement harbored towards the start of the Hogwarts school year when they were kids. Of course, things were a little bit different now, but Hermione couldn't help but allow Luna's mood to rub off on her just a little bit.
"Welcome back, Miss Granger! Err...Weasley..." Hermione recognized the voice of Professor Flitwick almost immediately, and flashed the man her best smile. "Good to see you back here again."
"Couldn't stay away, I guess..." she shrugged, waving as she and Luna passed him in the hallway.
Almost as if she could read the other woman's mind, Luna spoke up. "Flitwick is still here, and Hagrid and Binns of course. Madam Hooch and Madam Pomfrey are likely to never leave, and Professor Addison Dilworth teaches Potions now. Been here for three years now." she explained. "McGonnagal is still headmistress of course...she'll want to see you once you've gotten yourself settled..."
"Okay...got it..." Hermione nodded, smoothing out her robes absentmindedly in anticipation of seeing her old friend and former professor again. This was going to be a very long day full of a lot of surprises, but she knew she could handle it. That was why she was here, after all.
"Your room is right this way. I'm sure you'll recognize everything. It is your old house, after all..."
"Are they sure? Ron should have gotten..."
"Ron insisted you take the position, 'Mione."
A small frown settled on Hermione's face for a moment before she let out a long sigh. Her frustration was short-lived however, as she and Luna passed the empty transfiguration classroom-her classroom. "What about...?"
"You still have two weeks to get ready for the students. Don't worry about that. Do be careful of the nargles, though. They stole a whole batch of Hagrid's flesh eating slug repellent the other day."
"Honestly, Luna..." Hermione's sentence died an early death as her eyes wandered around the hallway. It was dark and somewhat barren...nothing like she remembered when she was a girl wandering the hallways. Her mouth formed a tiny 'O' as they made their way through the silent halls. It took her a moment to realize that Luna had stopped, and a tiny blush made its way onto her cheeks when she realized she'd nearly left the other woman behind. "Why are we here?" she asked.
"It's the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, silly!" Luna smiled.
Recognition flooded Hermione's face, and she took an eager step forward. Ron. This was his classroom. She hadn't seen him in over a week! Of course, he knew she was coming, but she still couldn't help but feel that little bubble of excitement when she thought about it. She always missed him so much during the school year, and now they would share the halls. It was wonderful to think about. She reached a hand out, her fingers closing around the handle as she moved to push open the door.
"Hermione...I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice was familiar, but one she never expected she'd hear again. Glancing up, she noticed the disembodied head of none other than Remus Lupin poking out of the top of the door.
"Remus!" she smiled. "It's so good to see you!"
"Don't do it. Luna still hasn't shown you the...lovely renovations she's made to the Divination classroom..."
"Nonsense, Remus! What is it? I'm sure it's nothing Hermione hasn't seen before..." Practically leaping forward, Luna pushed the door open. It creaked on its hinges as it swung back. Above them, the ghost of Remus Lupin looked as though he would cry if he could.
"Ron!" Hermione's face went red as the heat rushed to her cheeks.
"Addy? Oh, gods..." Pivoting on her heel, Luna slammed the door shut. Without a word, she grabbed Hermione by the arm, practically dragging her up the stairs. Only when they had reached the safety of the Gryffindor tower, the safety of Hermione's room, did Luna try to speak again.
"I...I didn't know, Hermione! I swear I didn't! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
***
Hermione's face maintained its red taint, but she said nothing. Her eyes were narrowed at the door, almost as if she expected someone. Maybe he would come find her? Surely it was a mistake? Surely she had imagined it all...? It was some kind of nightmare. That's what it was.
"Hermione?" She blinked, and Luna's voice pulled her back down to reality. "Are you alright? I..I mean, obviously you're not alright, but...talk to me. Please..."
Hermione shook her head. "There's nothing to talk about, Luna. There's nothing to..." She blinked, hot tears stinging her eyes as she kept her gaze on the door. No one was coming. But he owed her that much, didn't he?
"Hermione that's fluff and you know it." Luna's voice was perhaps a bit more stern than she meant it to be, and she recognized as much almost immediately. Her eyes glassed over slightly as she looked away from Hermione, a slight pink tint coming to her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I don't want to upset you any more..."
"There's nothing to talk about, Luna." Hermione's voice was slightly more forceful this time, and for a moment, Hermione's gaze met the blond's. "Drop it."
Luna opened her mouth, but just as she was about to say something else, there was a soft knock on the door. Hermione's head snapped back, and her eyes narrowed, but she did not get up to answer it.
"'Mione...?"
"Don't open the door, Ronald. I swear to Merlin I won't be responsible for my actions if you do."
"But..."
"How long, Ronald?"
For a moment, there was only silence beyond the door. "Six months." The reply was barely audible, and had the woman not been waiting for it, she probably would have missed it.
Next to Hermione, Luna's eyes widened, and she reached out a hand to comfort her friend. Hermione shrugged it off, her eyes never leaving the door. "I see." She replied simply. Luna noticed the change in her voice. It was softer, broken...and it was his fault.
"Don't you want to talk about it?" Ron's voice came through the door once more.
Hermione shook her head, although he would not be able to see the gesture. "There's nothing to talk about, Ronald."
"'Mione..."
"Don't you dare, Ronald Weasley." she snapped before he could finish his sentence.
After a moment, there was no more sound beyond the door, and Hermione visibly relaxed. Her shoulders slumped, and she let out a long, shaky sigh, closing her eyes as she looked down at the ground.
"Hermione...?" Luna whispered. "Are you alright?"
It seemed like ages before the curly-haired woman looked up again. She took another deep breath as her eyes met Luna's, and a slight smile came to her lips. She stood, grabbed her wand, and reached for the door.
"Hermione! Hexing him won't do any good!"
Hermione blinked, almost as if she had just realized that Luna was there, and shook her head. "I'm not going to hex him, Luna. I was going to go to the Hog's Head for a bit. Want to come along?"
Luna's jaw dropped slightly, and her features took on an air of skepticism. After what she'd just witnessed, this all seemed a little strange. And that smile...something about the small smile on Hermione's face had Luna a little more than concerned for her old friend. Outside, the campus was shadowed by cloud cover. Ironic, but fitting. Sighing, Luna stood, nodding in Hermione's direction. "Sure. I'll come along. You need someone to watch out for you in a place like that anyway..."
"Nonsense. I'm a big girl...but thank you for coming."
Luna nodded, her heart aching for the woman in front of her as the two of them exited the small room. It was going to be a long night. That much she already knew, but just how long and what all was in store wasn't really up to her. She would be there for Hermione. That's all she knew, and it was all she really could do, short of hexing the red-headed cheater herself. Of course, the thought had already crossed her mind on several occasions, but she managed to squelch it with much happier thoughts of what everyone else would do to the fool when they found out. That at least put a smile on her face.
"What're you planning on doing at the Hog's Head, 'Mione?" Luna asked, curiosity in her voice.
"I'm fine, Luna. You don't have to babysit me, you know. I know how to behave."
"That's not what I..."
"Two glasses of firewhiskey for me and my friend here!" Hermione smiled, patting Luna on the back.
Luna could only shake her head. "Um...just a pumpkin juice is fine for me, thanks..." She couldn't help the look of worry she gave Hermione for a moment, although the other woman didn't seem to notice. How was it possible for her? How did she simply pretend everything was alright like this? Luna knew she'd never be able to do such a thing...not after what they'd witnessed earlier. Not after something like that.
It was hard to tell how long they were actually there. Outside, the sun had already began to sink below the horizon, but other than that, the blond woman had no real concept of just how much time had gone by. She nursed her pumpkin juice as though it were the only glass she would get. Occasionally her gaze flickered to the woman on the stool next to her. Hermione had said almost nothing since they'd arrived, and was on her second glass of firewhiskey. She was already starting to look red in the face, but Luna couldn't tell if that was the alcohol or her own emotions. That question was answered pretty quickly.
"Six years, Luna. Six bloody years, and he..." Hermione shook her head, swallowing a lump that had suddenly grown in her throat. She downed the remainder of her firewhiskey in one quick gulp before her gaze met Luna's again. Her eyes were glassed over with unshed tears, her cheeks pink, her jaw set angrily...but it was the sadness in those brown eyes of hers that Luna noticed more than anything else. "Why did he have to...what's wrong with me, Luna? What's so wrong with me?"
Luna's heart nearly broke at her old friend's words, and she sucked in a deep breath to calm herself before she could reply. Her hands were balled into shaky fists in her lap, but luckily Hermione seemed not to notice. "No, 'Mione...no. There's nothing wrong with you. Nothing. Got it? Ron Weasley doesn't know what he just gave up..."
Slowly, very slowly, Luna reached for the empty firewhiskey glass, shooting the bartender a death glare when he moved to try and refill it.
"No, there's...somethin's...wrong...with me." Hermione insisted, her speech slower and a little slurred as she continued to fight back the tears she was so unwilling to shed. "I'm not...not good enough..."
Without a word, Luna reached forward, her hands tightening around Hermione's arms as she met the woman's gaze with a fierce one of her own. "Stop it!" she commanded, shaking her roughly as she spoke. "Don't be an idiot, Hermione! You know what it is? It's not that you're not good enough, love. You're too good. And I'm not going to sit here and watch you drink yourself into a stupor anymore. We're going home. Now." She stood, jerking Hermione to her feet and leading her towards the door.
"Luna, I don't want..."
Luna jerked Hermione's arm again, this time pulling her towards her. For the briefest of moments, their lips crashed together. It took Luna a moment to realize what she'd done before she pulled back. "I don't care, Hermione. We're going home. You need to sleep..."
Hermione's fingers brushed across her lips in disbelief, and her eyes widened. "Didjoo jus'...?"
Luna shook her head. "No, I didn't. You're imagining things. Now come on. Let's get you home..."