Beyond Fear

When Harry left Gringotts, he stopped at the Owl Post and sent a message asking Hermione to meet him in an hour at the mall he was heading to.

He bought a television and a DVD player and spent most of the time selecting movies. He didn’t know any, as the Dursleys never let him watch TV. So, he picked various films from different categories, with the help of the store clerk, who was slightly shocked at the sheer number of movies Harry was buying. Harry hoped his choices were good, unsure of what Luna might like.

In the end, Harry had to find an empty spot to shrink the boxes and bags. Unfortunately, the only place he could do it was in the parking lot.

Harry decided to sit and grab something to eat. As he was finishing, Hermione appeared at his table.

“How did you find me?” he asked, slightly surprised.

“You messaged me so early, I figured you might be hungry, so I came here first.” She laughed smugly.

“Good guess.”

“So, why are we here?” she asked curiously.

“Luna’s clothes don’t fit her anymore, and she can’t go out shopping. I thought you could help me pick some until she’s able to come with me.”

“Well, I don’t know exactly how her body is now, but we can try to figure it out based on her pregnancy stage.”

“Her belly is about 19 weeks along, and it’s roughly this size,” he said, gesturing with his hands to demonstrate. “Her breasts have also grown.” When he realized he had said that last part out loud, his cheeks turned pink.

Hermione raised an eyebrow. “And how do you know that?”

“I live with her, Hermione. Obviously, I’d notice.” He tried to sound casual, silently praying to the gods to escape this situation. Even though he wasn’t doing anything wrong by helping Luna with her bath, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Hermione looked at him as if she knew something he didn’t.

“You know, Harry, I’ve known you for almost eight years. That means I know you very well.”

Harry tried to avoid looking at her. “What do you mean by that?” he asked, frowning.

“I used to think it was just Ron who had the emotional range of a teaspoon, but apparently, you’re the same—or worse...” She rolled her eyes.

“Hey… I’m not that bad!” he protested, not understanding why she was saying this.

“Come on! Let’s go pick out some clothes for Luna. Only Merlin knows her taste in clothes can be questionable.” They both laughed because, although Luna had changed in some ways, she remained the same in many others.

They went into maternity stores and picked out some sleepwear, dresses, tights, and sweaters, as autumn was approaching. Hermione also chose some larger bras while Harry pretended to be interested in other items.

Harry ended up taking longer than he had planned and was already impatient to return home. He thanked Hermione and arranged for her and Ron to come over for dinner before they left for Hogwarts.

When Harry Apparated to the doorstep of the Rockery, he heard laughter from inside. He entered and saw Neville and Luna sitting on the rug, playing wizard chess. He couldn’t help the wave of jealousy that washed over him, but it was quickly replaced by happiness at seeing Luna so cheerful. If anyone deserved to be happy, it was her.

“I’m back,” he said, walking into the room.

“Oh! Hello, Harry,” Luna said, smiling widely. “I hope everything went well!”

“Yes, I got everything I needed,” he replied proudly. “Have you eaten? I’ll heat up some lunch,” Harry said with concern, as if he had been away for a week and not just three hours.

“I made tea and toast earlier, so I think it’s about time she ate lunch,” Neville said, sharing Harry’s protective tone.

“You both talk as if I haven’t eaten in a week,” she tried to sound annoyed, but Luna never got angry; she was always serene. Harry had only seen her sarcastic once, and he hoped never to see her like that again.

“Do you want to come sit at the table?” Harry said, removing his cloak.

“I can’t stay. I’m meeting Hannah.” Neville smiled shyly as he grabbed his cloak, kissed Luna on the cheek in farewell, and waved goodbye to Harry.

“Hannah Abbott?” Harry asked curiously as he helped Luna stand and sit at the table.

“Yes, I think they’re great for each other,” Luna said in her dreamy voice.

“Yeah.” Harry had never thought about it before, but now he realized they were a good match—both calm and shy. He also felt relieved, knowing Neville wasn’t interested in Luna. He scolded himself internally; Luna deserved someone nice like Neville, but the thought of her with someone else made his stomach churn.

Harry heated up some leftover pie from dinner, and they began eating.

“I picked out lots of movies. I’ve never seen one because the Dursleys wouldn’t let me stay in the living room when they watched TV, so I chose from a variety of genres. We can figure out what we like as we go,” he said, excited.

“I’ll love watching them with you, Harry Potter,” she replied gently.

When she smiled at him like that, Harry felt a warmth spread through him, and he couldn’t look away. He wondered how she had kept her spirit so kind after everything she had endured.

She was so strong, he thought, admiring her.

“I have a surprise for you.”

“Really?” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Yes… Come on! You’d better sit on the couch.” He used magic to clean the plates and led her to the sofa. Then he began unshrinking the shopping bags filled with clothes.

“I know most of your clothes don’t fit anymore, and you can’t go out to buy new ones yet, so I asked Hermione for help, and we picked some things for you. I hope you like them!” He looked at her, afraid she might not.

“Harry, that was so thoughtful. I’ll like anything you’ve chosen for me.” She began opening the bags, and Harry watched as she looked at each item, smiling. “You bought so much,” she said, surprised.

“Some are for when your belly gets bigger. We also picked some warm clothes since summer’s almost over.”

She nodded but still thought he had bought too much. She tried not to think about how expensive it must have been. Then she grabbed a bag and began pulling out beautiful lace bras, a size larger than her usual.

“So, you don’t want my breasts popping out of my dress?” She smiled, her eyes glinting mischievously. Harry immediately turned red, as she knew he would.

“Er, uh, Hermione picked those,” he stammered, trying to justify himself, blushing furiously.

Luna began laughing. “You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed.”

“Hey, I spent an hour picking things out for you. Is this how you thank me?” He was laughing too.

Luna stopped smiling, set the bag on her lap down on the floor, and shifted closer to Harry on the sofa.

“What are you doing?” He was still smiling.

“Thank you, Harry. That was the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.” Then she leaned in to kiss his cheek, just as Harry turned his head to say she didn’t need to thank him. The kiss, meant entirely for his cheek, landed on the corner of Harry’s mouth instead, leaving both of them startled. But neither moved away immediately. Harry and Luna couldn’t tell if it had lasted several minutes or only a few seconds. What they knew was that both their hearts were racing. The kiss had been chaste and innocent, yet it sent a shiver down Harry’s spine.

“So, are you going to show me the television? I’m curious to see it,” Luna asked after pulling back from the kiss. She spoke naturally, not seeming embarrassed by what had happened. Harry decided he wouldn’t feel awkward either, despite his racing heart.

“Errm… Yeah, I’ll unshrink it.”

Harry and Luna picked a spot in the living room for the television and DVD player. Harry unshrunk the boxes and pulled out the television. He stifled a laugh at the way Luna eyed the TV, as if it were some strange creature. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction when they turned it on.

Harry tried his best to explain how the devices worked, but he wasn’t entirely sure himself, so they started reading the instruction manuals together. Harry was grateful Luna was a Ravenclaw. As they struggled to make sense of the directions, they laughed and laughed at their complete ineptitude. By the time they had all the wires set up, Harry’s stomach hurt from laughing so much.

Luna cast the spell they had practiced, and the two of them stood side by side, not blinking, waiting for something to happen. Seconds turned into minutes, and their hope began to fade.

It was Luna who spoke first. “Maybe it’ll work if I use a bit more focused energy in the spell.”

Harry nodded silently.

He didn’t want to admit it, but having a television and being able to watch movies made him feel like he was reclaiming a small piece of the childhood that had been stolen from him.

Luna cast the spell again. A few seconds passed, and then the red lights on both devices flickered on. Harry and Luna exchanged surprised looks before Harry grabbed the remote and pressed the power button. The television sprang to life, images flickering on the screen. Harry’s smile was so wide it showed all his teeth. Luna’s eyes were as wide as saucers as she tried to understand how people had ended up inside the box.

“We did it!” Harry gave Luna a brief hug. “You’re a genius!” He meant it. Luna was the smartest person he knew, sometimes even rivaling Hermione, with the added ability to see beyond books and understand people on a deeper level.

Luna blushed lightly, giving him a shy smile that Harry found completely endearing.

“How did those people get in there?” she asked, still curious.

Harry grinned and did his best to explain, but in the end, he concluded it would be better to ask Hermione.

“So, are we going to watch a movie now or study for the NEWTs first?” Harry’s hopeful gaze made Luna smile. She knew how much this moment meant to him.

“Let’s watch! You haven’t shown me the movies you picked yet,” she said, her voice dreamy and excited.

“I picked a lot—they’re all here.” He unshrunk three bags, revealing over fifty movies.

“Muggles made all these films?” Her eyes widened even further, if that was possible.

Harry laughed at her amazement. “They’ve made far more than the ones I chose.” He brought the bags closer to the sofa, and they began reading the synopses together.

Eventually, Luna was captivated by The Lion King’s description, and Harry, who had read the story in primary school and enjoyed it, supported her choice.

It took them some time to reread the manual and figure out how to start the movie. When they finally did, they settled on the sofa, with Luna returning to her usual spot with her feet on Harry’s lap. At first, Harry had to pause the movie to explain what an animated film was (which left Luna thoroughly impressed) and what Disney was. After that, they watched in complete silence. Occasionally, Harry found himself glancing at Luna’s reactions—her smiles, her surprise, her moments of fear, and the tears that fell. He was enchanted by the innocence she radiated, reminding him of the fourteen-year-old Luna he had met at Hogwarts.

By the end, both were utterly charmed. Experiencing their first film together had been magical. As the credits rolled, they sat in silence, staring at the television.

“Aaah, I loved Timon!” Luna said distantly, and Harry thought it was fitting, as the two shared some similarities. “I want to watch more movies!”

“Me too!” Harry replied, animated and thrilled by the experience.

“We can watch another during dinner. But I suppose we should stick to Hermione’s schedule for now,” Luna said, though Harry noted the lack of enthusiasm in her voice. She wanted to keep watching as much as he did.

At dinner, Harry decided to Apparate to the small town near Luna’s house and buy pizza. When he returned, they sat on the living room carpet and chose their next film. Harry picked Titanic, knowing it was famous because he had seen its advertisement in his uncle’s newspaper the previous summer.

“This movie tells the true story of a Muggle ship that sank,” Harry explained as he started the film.

Halfway through, Luna was lying with her head on Harry’s lap while he gently stroked her hair. They didn’t take their eyes off the screen, so engrossed were they.

By the end, both had tears in their eyes.

Harry thought that watching films might be comparable to Quidditch. It was incredible!

Luna sat up, gazing at the television with a pensive expression.

“Did you like it, Luna?” Harry asked, noticing how quiet she had become.

“I want to be like her,” she said softly, her eyes still fixed on the screen.

“Who?” Harry asked, unsure whom she meant.

“Rose. I want to be like her. To love someone unconditionally, for my entire life and beyond the veil.” She turned her gaze to Harry, her eyes tinged with sadness, surprising him.

Harry held her gaze and realized he was like Jack—impulsive, fearless, and willing to give his life for the ones he loved.

Luna gave him a gentle smile. “Yes, you’re like Jack,” she said as if reading his thoughts. It felt as though they were speaking without words. This was one of the things Harry loved most about Luna: her ability to understand him without needing to say anything.

He justified it as a natural consequence of the time they spent together, but the thought that he had never shared this connection with Ginny unsettled him.

They talked more about the film, agreeing it was extraordinary. Though they had little experience with movies, they knew this one was special. They chatted until Luna began yawning every five minutes. Harry decided it was time to put her to bed.

“Let’s go to bed—you’re almost asleep,” he said with a smile. Picking Luna up, he marveled at how natural it felt to hold her. She fit so perfectly in his arms. Holding her closer, he relished the warmth of her body against his and her scent, which seemed to intoxicate his senses. Everything about Luna was soft and kind.

He felt a sense of pride realizing how comfortable she was with his touch, something significant considering all she had endured.

Harry laid Luna down on her bed and helped her into her new, comfortable pajamas. He bid her goodnight and went to change and complete his nighttime routine. When he emerged from the bathroom, her light was still on, so he went to check if she needed anything else (not because he was reluctant to leave her side entirely).

Luna sat on her bed, finishing a side braid. She looked almost childlike with her colorful pajamas and simple hairstyle.

“Do you need anything else?” Harry asked, standing in her doorway.

Luna looked at him steadily. Once, her gaze might have made him uneasy, but now he understood it was her way of observing him.

“You know you can sleep here with me, right?” she said gently, her voice calm.

Harry froze. He was torn between not wanting another night plagued by nightmares and worrying it would be inappropriate to join her in bed. He wondered why it would be wrong. They were friends, expecting two children together. They had faced a war and bore deep scars. Would it be so terrible to seek a little solace, like sleeping without drowning in nightmares?

Harry made his decision.

He stepped into the room and walked toward the bed.

That night, and many nights after, Harry and Luna slept without nightmares, their hearts at peace. Neither commented on the fact that they started every night apart and woke up intertwined. Some things simply are, and there’s no point in questioning them. Harry reassured himself every night that it was all innocent—something shared between friends.