Luna walked into the hall in the dress robes which she had worn the previous night and walked over to sit by her best friend and the single long table which had been set up in the Great Hall. She wasn't surprised to find that despite the fact that there weren't many people in the great hall, it was still buzzing about the incident in the morning, which she was sure that Ginny spread like wildfire.
"Hey Ginny," she said as she sat down next to her. Ginny was sitting with Ron, Hermione, Harry and Charlie all around her and everyone turned their attention to look at Luna. Luna however was looking down the table and could see Dumbledore, McGonegall, Lupin, Tonks, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were all talking. The only smile that she could see was on the face of Dumbledore and Tonks. Luna was sure that they were talking about Snape and herself.
"What happened? Mum said that Snape didn't do anything to you, but what happened?" Ginny asked. Luna slowly turned her attention to her best friend and at the faces around the table that were staring at her. Now joining them was Percy, the twins, Bill and Fleur.
"Of course Severus didn't do anything to me, it seems absurd that anyone would think that he would," she said as she took a bite of toast in front of her. There was a large smile on her face, which would not go away. Everyone stared at her; they were all befuddled that she had just used his first name
"Severus?" Harry, Hermione and Ron asked. Luna looked up at them and finished the bite of toast in her mouth.
"It is his name," she said as she looked into their eyes. Luna smiled and than proceeded to tell them about the previous night and why she was in his room in the morning. She also told them about how she sleep walked out of bed and when she woke up by Professor Dumbledore who wanted to talk to her. She then explained and told them everything that happened from that point until everyone left, leaving out what she said directly to Professor Snape.
"Professor Snape is still going to be teaching? You're not going to come to Hogwarts anymore?" Ginny asked as she looked at her best friend.
"Yes he's still teaching here and I won't be coming back to Hogwarts. I'm going to get a place of my own," Luna responded. "I can't come back because if I do he will lose his job and I really want him to keep his job. When everyone left he let me write an owl to my dad and I told him that I would not be moving back home, and that I am accepting his offer to work at Quibbler for a chance for me and him to get to know each other once more."
"What are you going to do at the Quibbler?" Hermione asked as she looked over at her.
"I'm only beginning there so I won't be doing much. Mainly sorting things out, filing, running errands for people. Like the job of an assistant, I'll also be working quite a bit with the Jr. Editor with editing and learning what his job is like. After all I will inherit The Quibbler," she responded as she looked at Hermione.
"That's interesting and all Luna, but I need you here. With you gone I'm going to fail potions and Professor Snape is still going to be here," Ginny said as she looked at her friend. Ginny turned around and looked at her friends. She knew that what she meant was that she was going to miss her, but Ginny didn't like to sound needy. She hated it.
"Well Ginny, you can always just do your work and pay attention. Also, you can always owl me if you need any help. Actually I'm going to buy a two-way mirror for us. That way we can talk to each other easily," Luna said as she looked into her friend's eyes.
"Luna I don't understand, it doesn't make any sense to me. Why are you not going to come to school anymore? I don't understand," Ginny said as she looked at her. Luna turned to look at her; the smile wouldn't go away from her face. Luna looked around at her and found that everyone was still watching. She soon turned her attention back to Luna and looked deep into her eyes.
"Ginny have you noticed something different about me?" Luna asked as she looked at her friend. Ginny stared at her and thought for a moment.
"You look much more happier than I ever remember seeing you. I don't think I've ever seen you smile that broadly," Ginny said as she looked at Luna in the eyes.
"That's because I have never felt like this before. I have never before in my entire life felt the way that I do now. This feeling that I feel, it just won't make this smile go away. I can't stop smiling! I don't think that there is anything that could make me lose it," Luna said as she looked at her friend's eyes. "In my entire time that I spent at Professor Snape's Manor, I got to know things about him that I never before knew about him and he knows things about me that not even you know. He was there for me this entire summer, through all the bad things and he's someone that I could count on. Ginny, I fell in love with him and he's in love with me."
"You're in love with Professor Snape?" Ginny said incredulously. Luna nodded.
"You see how happy he's made me, can you please accept it?" Luna said as she looked at her friend.
"All right, but if he hurts you I will go after him. I don't care if he is a teacher, if he breaks your heart, I will certainly break something of his," Ginny said as she looked at her friend in her eyes. Luna smiled but before she could hug her friend she heard a very familiar, velvety voice say something.
"Is that how you wish to start a new year in Potions, a year in which you will not have the help of Luna to pass the class?" Luna shivered at the sound and turned around to see that he was standing behind her. There was a small grin on his face that made him look sexy. Ginny turned around to look at Snape and had to admit that he at least looked acceptable now, with his hair washed and everything. Luna stood up from where she was sitting and wrapped her arms around him, and he wrapped his arms around her and turned his attention to look at Ginny. "And don't worry about having to break any of my bones if I break her heart, for I shall do it myself if I ever do."
"That's fine, just as long as I don't see the two of you snogging, I do not need that image in my head," Ginny said as she turned away and started eating.
"Are you ready to go?" Snape said as he looked at the bottom of Luna's head. Luna looked up at him and looked around.
"Actually there is one last thing that I have to do, but I'll meet you in the entrance hall," she said as she looked up into his eyes. He nodded and placed a kiss on her forehead before turning around and walking away. Luna turned around and walked past Ginny and sat down next to Charlie.
"How long have you known?" Charlie asked as he took a bite of his eggs without turning to look at her. Luna stared at him with a sad glance, but her smile would not fade.
"I think that I've always known, or at least part of me did, but I didn't really realize it until last night," Luna said as she looked at him. He turned around and looked at her. He was a bit melancholy. "I was sitting on the floor in the entrance hall and I heard him say my name, and I think it was than that I realized. Just the way that his mere voice makes me feel, the sound of it and the way that he said my name."
"I think that it's fascinating, your case gives me hope yet. If someone like Professor Snape can find love at his age, with a beautiful young woman, makes me feel loads better," Charlie said with a smile as he looked at her. "Luna I'm fine, I'm perfect. I'm very happy for you, I only hope that Professor Snape treats you well and that he doesn't try and cross any line that you are not ready to cross."
"Thanks for the advice Charlie. I'm glad that you're okay with his. I just hope that you and I can be friends," she said as she looked at him in his eyes.
"Sure, you can come to me whenever you need advice on anything. I'll give you advice like I give all my brothers and my sister," he said as he looked at her and gave her a smile. Luna smiled at him and gave him a hug before getting up and walking out of the Great Hall and making her way to Severus.
TBC…