~Touch~

Luna was still awake. Whether she couldn't sleep or simply wouldn't, Harry didn't know. Either way, her restlessness had woken him from his slumber. She was more wiggly than normal, which was how he could tell she wasn't sleeping, and her breathing was more controlled. She wasn't making much noise, but every once-in-a-while she let out a shaky breath and twitched. One of her feet was pressed against his right calf; small and cold against his skin. The slight contact was a comfort to Harry. Growing up he'd never received much physical touch.

After several more, lengthy moments of suffering through Luna's insomnia, Harry rolled over to face her. Her back was to him and when he placed a hand on her shoulder she stiffened slightly.

"Luna?" he whispered, his voice hoarse from sleep. She didn't respond at first, so he shifted a little closer.

"I know you're not asleep," he said. She brought a hand up to her face before turning around to face him.

"Can't you sleep, Harry?" she asked. He couldn't make out all the details of her face in the dark, but from the crack in her voice he could tell she'd been crying.

"What's wrong?" Harry sat up and leaned on his hand. He made to turn on the lamp stand light but Luna grabbed his hand and pushed it down with her own.

"I'm okay. There's nothing wrong."

He wasn't convinced. Luna, when she was really trying, could usually fool him with her soft voice and gentle assurances.

Not this time.

"Why are you crying?"

Luna sighed and some of her hair fell on Harry's arm. Without thinking, he caught a few strands in his free hand and started playing with them.

"I don't know," Luna said.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Nightmares weren't uncommon for either of them, but Luna's bad dreams were far more violent and vivid than Harry could ever remember his being.

"I didn't. Really, I'm okay," Luna tried to pull out of Harry's space but he scooted to follow her.

"It hurts to see you upset," he said, gauging her response. Her eyes were getting brighter as his own adjusted to the dark. She smiled.

"You can't see me very well," she said. She sounded a bit less weepy, but that sad crinkle was still visible around her eyes. In response, Harry leaned in to kiss her nose.

"I don't have to see you to know."

Her nose lightly brushed against his, sending a delightful shiver through Harry's body. Then, she sighed again and pulled away.

"How much do you love me?" she mumbled up at the ceiling.

Harry's brow furrowed, "What?"

"It's nothing. Just something Cherie said."

Cherie was the young couple's next-door-neighbor whom Luna liked, but Harry thought was a tad eccentric. Not a Luna kind of eccentric, mind you. The mad kind.

"What did she say?" he asked, feeling more wary. Luna didn't answer immediately. Harry knew he'd already pressed her enough, but he hated how curiosity was taking a hold on him.

"Did you have fun with Ginny today?" Luna finally asked. Her voice was lower than usual.

"Ginny?" Harry was confused with her abrupt change of subject. Ginny and Neville had visited them that afternoon for a few hours when they were in the area. "What does she have to do with this?"

"Well…you like spending time with Ginny…" Luna's voice trailed off before she shook her head. "Cherie said you were looking at her with a dreamy expression on her face. I explained that you used to date, and she made an odd quip about the way the two of you were flirting with each other."

Harry let out a huff of annoyance. He wasn't at all annoyed with Luna – though she was normally not so jealous – he was more upset with Cherie for planting such a rubbish idea in her sweet head. He draped an arm over his wife's waist and drew her closer to him.

"Luna," he said, holding her close, "I don't have any romantic feelings for Ginny, and we certainly were not flirting. I love you. I married you. I didn't marry Ginny."

Luna nodded, "I know that," she said. Her breath tickled Harry's collar bone.

"I married you because I want to be with you, and I want to be with you because I love you. I love you, Luna." He said. Luna smiled against his chest and brought her head up to kiss just beneath his chin. Harry gave her a gentle squeeze and brought his lips to her ear.

"One," he said, and kissed her ear. He moved slightly to the left to kiss her cheek.

"Two." He dusted two more kisses across her cheek and on the side of her nose. "Three…four…"

Luna snuggled closer, "Harry," she sighed. Harry smiled.

"Five," he kissed her forehead.

"Six," her chin.

"Seven," her eyebrow.

"Harry!" Luna giggled, "what are you doing?"

Harry moved to her right eye, "I'm counting," he said, and kissed her eye, "Eight."

"But why?" Luna sounded a bit breathless, giving Harry a warm feeling in his stomach. She was so easy to please.

"You wanted to know how much I love you," he said, kissing his way down her nose. "This is how much I love you."

His lips brushed against her collar bone. "Thirteen," he murmured.

Luna giggled again and wrapped her arms around him. "I think perhaps the Nargles have gotten to you, Harry," she said.

"You're right," Harry kissed the hollow of her throat, "because love isn't a number. It just is."

"Yes," Luna said. She brought him up for a proper kiss, "I'll still help you count, anyway."

"It will take us forever," Harry said, returning her kiss.

"Forever," Luna agreed.