Beyond Fear

Harry barely slept through the night, and when he did, he dreamed of kissing her rosy lips.

In the morning, he woke up sweaty and hard.

What kind of mess had he gotten himself into?

He showered and decided to head to the kitchen to make coffee and think of something to say to Luna.

The sun poured through the kitchen window as Luna descended the stairs. She was wearing a light robe, her loose hair falling messily over her shoulders. Her steps were almost silent, but Harry, leaning against the counter while sipping his coffee, noticed her presence immediately.

He looked up, his gaze fixed on her for a moment before hastily looking away. “You came down on your own,” he murmured, his voice low, almost hesitant.

“Good morning. I came down slowly,” she replied, crossing the kitchen toward the kettle. She felt the tension in the air like a taut string between them, almost audible.

While she prepared a cup of tea, Harry remained silent, stealing glances at her. He opened his mouth to speak, but Luna was quicker, her voice cutting through the space between them.

“You kissed me yesterday,” she said bluntly, still with her back to him.

Despite the fear rising in his throat, Harry set his mug on the counter with a muffled thud that seemed louder than it should have. “Yes.”

She turned to face him. Her silver eyes were impassive, but there was something there, a spark Harry couldn’t decipher.

“Why?” The word sounded like a challenge, her tone firmer than he expected.

Harry crossed his arms, leaning against the counter, trying to appear calmer than he felt. “Because I wanted to.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “You wanted to. That’s all?” She seemed incredulous.

He tilted his head slightly, assessing her. “That’s enough for me. Isn’t it enough for you?”

She stepped closer, closing the gap between them, and Harry felt his breathing quicken. “It’s not that it isn’t enough, Harry. I just want to know what you really meant by it.”

“Do you want me to say something more?” he asked, his dark eyes now locked on hers, challenging.

Luna stopped a few steps away, her posture straight and her lips slightly parted. Harry felt the heat between them, something dense and undeniable. “I want you to be honest with me,” she said, her voice softer and more uncertain.

He stepped forward until the distance between them was minimal. “I was honest. I kissed you because I couldn’t resist. Because every time we’re this close, all I can think about is doing it.”

Luna took a deep breath but didn’t step back. “I thought you did it out of pity.” Her eyes revealed vulnerability.

Harry laughed, but there was no humor in it. He was close enough now for her to feel the warmth of his body. “Do you really think I’d kiss you out of pity?”

“You were just trying to help. I understand, really.”

“No. I wanted to show you that I’m here with you, but I didn’t need to kiss you for that. I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”

She didn’t respond immediately, but her eyes flicked to his lips, a subtle movement that didn’t escape his notice.

“And if I kissed you again right now?” he asked boldly, his voice hoarse, charged with challenge.

“Then you’d better prove it’s not out of pity,” she replied, the tension in her voice matching his.

Harry didn’t hesitate. He held her face with one hand, his fingers tangling lightly in her hair, as his lips met hers. The kiss began intense, a jolt that made both of them let out a surprised sigh. Luna responded immediately, pulling him by the shirt, pressing their bodies together.

The heat between them was palpable, the sound of ragged breaths filling the silent kitchen. Harry deepened the kiss, his other hand sliding to hold her waist, pulling her even closer, her belly pressing against him. Luna let out a low moan against his lips, which only served to ignite something more ferocious within him.

When they finally parted, both were breathing heavily, their eyes fixed on each other, as if the world around them had disappeared.

“Did that feel like pity to you?” Harry asked, the corner of his mouth curving into a challenging smile.

Luna opened her mouth to reply, her lips still swollen from the kiss. “No. But you’ll have to prove that again.”

“I can do that,” he replied, his tone laden with promises.

She smiled, a gleam in her eyes, before turning to grab her cup of tea.

Harry watched her, a slow smile forming on his face.

The two sat down in silence, comfortably eating their breakfast.

Luna broke the quiet.

“It was a letter from my dad.”

It was the first time she’d brought it up with Harry.

“I figured,” he said softly.

She stared at her toast in silence, and Harry waited.

“He just said he was restarting The Quibbler and still couldn’t come home.”

Harry watched her closely, letting her pour out her heart.

“He just abandoned me. Didn’t even look back. I was the one who was kidnapped, tortured, and abused...” Her voice cracked on the last word, and Harry held her hand across the table. “But he’s the one who can’t stay?”

Her face was filled with anger.

“He’s my only family, and he abandoned me. What kind of father does that?” With her free hand, she wiped away a tear. “He did this when my mom died, too, disappeared into his own world and shut me out, leaving me to take care of the house and wander alone until he decided to have a daughter again.”

Harry hadn’t expected this; Luna and her father had always seemed so close.

“I’m sorry, Lu,” was all he could say.

“I feel like that nine-year-old girl again, alone and lost. The difference is, now I know loneliness well; we’re old friends. But for some reason, this time, it hurt more. Maybe it’s because of everything I’ve been through.”

Luna didn’t look at him.

“Lu…” he called her softly, and she looked into his eyes. “He’s not your only family. I, James, and Albus are your family too, and we’ll never leave you alone.”

“Promise?” She sounded like a lost child.

“I promise,” he said firmly, leaving no room for doubt.

She gave him a shaky smile, but it was a start.

“Should we get back to painting the room?” he tried to lift her spirits.

“Let’s,” she replied, this time sounding a bit more cheerful.

Harry cleaned the dishes and carried her upstairs. This time, the closeness felt different. Holding her so close set his entire body on fire.

He tried to breathe calmly, but Luna didn’t make it easy. Her fingertips brushed his neck, and then her arms wrapped around it. He felt her chest press against his.

When they reached the room and he set her down, his arms didn’t completely let go of her, as if they had a will of their own.

Her arms were still around his neck.

“I want to kiss you again,” he said quietly, once again surprised by his courage.

She licked her lips. “Then kiss me.”

He didn’t wait a second, holding her face in his hands and kissing her. The kiss was strong and full of desire. He explored her mouth with his tongue, and Luna matched him, which drove him wild. Harry bit her lip and sucked on it, groaning when Luna sucked on his.

Kissing Luna was unlike anything he’d experienced with Cho or Ginny. It was overwhelming, pushing him to the edge of excitement while also filling him with a sense of possession and protection.

When they finally broke apart for air, Harry rested his forehead against hers, panting.

“If we keep this up, we won’t get anything painted,” Luna said, her voice filled with laughter.

Harry groaned in disapproval but released her and stepped back.

“Then let’s finish it, so I can kiss you again.”

She laughed out loud. “I didn’t know you were such a flirt, Harry Potter.”

Neither had he; even with Ginny, he’d been shy and reserved. “Only with you,” he said, winking at her.

He remembered how good it had been to kiss her the first time, but now it was different, free from the weight of the occasion. Harry reflected that Luna had probably never kissed anyone before him, which made him incredibly happy, even if it was selfish.

He didn’t want to stop kissing her, but he restrained himself while she seemed so happy and focused on her mural. Harry was cleaning the paint stains off the walls and preparing the new color, but his eyes kept drifting to her. She was truly beautiful. Her light blue dress reached below her knees, and its simple neckline revealed the swell of her breasts. She wore a brown apron over it, with two large pockets for brushes, and her prominent belly was visible. Her face was serene, as if she poured her whole heart into her work, and her long blonde hair was a little tousled from Harry’s hands.

“You’re staring, Harry,” she said softly, without looking at him.

Harry blushed and turned back to his painting. He heard Luna laugh behind him and couldn’t help but smile sheepishly.

Despite his constant urge to kiss her, he never stopped worrying about her health and made sure she took frequent breaks.

Luna hadn’t expected Harry to kiss her that morning.

She was still wondering if she’d dreamed it, but then he kissed her again and seemed like he wanted to kiss her yet again.

Honestly, she didn’t know what to do with this. She didn’t know when it had started for him or where they were headed, but despite her apprehension, she couldn’t wipe the silly smile from her lips.

Luna couldn’t force herself to rationalize it. She wanted him; her nerves were on edge, and the pregnancy had left her much more sensitive and full of desire. When he touched her, it was as if he’d poured fire into her veins. That was something, considering everything she’d been through. But this was Harry, the only man who had ever made love to her, who had shown her how good it could be. And the last few months of his friendly touches had been both delightful and torturous.

Luna planned to enjoy it for as long as it lasted and try not to regret it in the end.