[fic] we can burn brighter than the sun ; hp, ginny/luna

[delacourtings]

we can burn brighter than the sun. harry potter. ginny/luna. g. 954. lj. ao3.
for @hpfemslash_minifest's august september prompts: magical creatures, changes, broomstick.

“don’t you love it when the seasons change? everything feels new. like an endless amount of possibilities.”

 

“Don’t you love it when the seasons change?” Luna asked, raising her arms up and toward the nature all around them. “Everything feels new. Like an endless amount of possibilities.”
 

 

Leaves were strewn about the dying grass, light brown mixing with orange, yellow, red, and green. The sun was shining, just slightly, and the air was crisp and cool.
 

 

Ginny didn’t have particularly strong feelings about seasons apart from Quidditch season but she did love the way Luna’s face lit up whenever the seasons changed. Luna was always bright, an ever-constant sun in Ginny’s sky, but she seemed to truly glow whenever summer turned to fall or winter turned to spring. Ginny could stare at her forever when she was like that. She was a beam of light. If she was being honest with herself, Ginny could stare at her forever on any day.
 

 

But she wasn’t sure if she was ready to tell Luna that if she was ready to shake the delicate tightrope on which their friendship rested.
 

 

But with Luna looking this, like sunshine and eternal happiness and everything Ginny has ever wanted, she felt the urge to take the risk.
 

 

“Ginny!” Luna said, her voice hushed. She grabbed Ginny’s hand with her own. She interlaced their fingers and squeezed.
 

 

Ginny tried, and failed, not to keep her eyes fixed on their interlocked hands.
 

 

Luna leaned close, close enough that Ginny could feel Luna’s breath waft against her ear, and whispered. “Look.”

 

Ginny followed Luna’s extended arm to where her fingers pointed and looked out at the open field before them. She didn’t see anything at first. But then, just barely visible at the other end of the field was a glimmer of gold.
 

 

Ginny gasped. “Is that—-?”
 

 

“An Abraxaban!” Luna said, whispering excitedly, squeezing Ginny’s hand again.
 

 

Ginny squinted but the image didn’t become any clearer. A voice in her head that sounded like her mother said, “See! I told you you needed glasses!” Ginny studiously ignored it.
 

 

“It’s so far away. I can barely see it.”
 

 

“Oh, no!” Luna sounded genuinely distressed that Ginny couldn’t see the creature before them.
 

 

She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a pair of binoculars painted in an array of neon colors.
 

 

“Here,” she said, handing them to Ginny.
 

 

“You don’t need them?” Ginny asked.
 

 

“No, I have perfect vision,” Luna said simply. She then appeared to realize this could possibly offend Ginny and gently said, “But I’ve had lots of practice spotting animals across long distances.”
 

 

Ginny smiled. She loved the way Luna always made sure her words weren’t hurting people. If Ginny had been through what Luna had, she wouldn’t be nearly as kind or determined not to insult anyone.
 

 

Ginny lifted the binoculars to her eyes. She had expected to see a magnificent being but all she saw was a blurry rainbow.
 

 

“I don’t think it’s working,” Ginny said, frowning.
 

 

“You just have to calibrate it,” said Luna. “Here, let me help.”
 

 

Instead of taking the binoculars from Ginny like Ginny had expected her to do, Luna stepped behind her.
 

 

The hairs on the back of Ginny's neck stood up. Her heartbeat tripled its speed.
 

 

She resisted the urge to shiver as Luna spoke, her breath hot against Ginny's skin.
 

 

“You just have to recalibrate it.” Luna reached her arms around Ginny and twisted a knob on the binoculars.
 

 

She could smell Luna’s perfume, a combination of honeysuckle and black currant.
 

 

“There,” Luna said. “Is it better?”
 

 

Ginny looked through the binoculars. In the tall grass stood a large horse with golden skin, a white mane and a tail, and a large set of wings made up of blue feathers. When it moved, Ginny noticed its eyes shone red.
 

 

“Wow,” she breathed. She’d never seen an Abraxan in the wild before.
 

 

“Isn’t it magnificent?” Luna asked excitedly.
 

 

“It’s beautiful,” Ginny said, breathless.
 

 

“It reminds me of you,” Luna said. “Strong and beautiful. A bit dangerous.”
 

 

“That sounds more like you,” Ginny protested.
 

 

She turned her head to look at Luna only to find Luna already staring at her.
 

 

They were so close. Ginny couldn’t help but glance down to Luna’s lips. Before she could force herself to look back up, Luna’s lips were on hers.
 

 

Kissing Luna, finally, after all this time, was incredible. It felt exhilarating and tranquil all at once, like riding a broom.
 

 

Luna pulled away with a smile.
 

 

“I’m so glad you did that,” Ginny laughed. “I didn’t know if I’d have ever worked up the courage.”
 

 

Luna’s nose scrunched up in a way that made Ginny want to kiss it. So she did. Luna dissolved into a fit of giggles that sounded like music to Ginny’s ears.
 

 

“You’re the bravest person I know,” said Luna.
 

 

“Well, you’re the bravest person I know.”
 

 

They both gazed at each other, smiling until a noise broke the bubble of contentedness surrounding them.
 

 

They turned around to find the Abraxan standing a few feet away from them. They both waited with bated breath for it to notice them. But the horse didn’t seem to notice them.
 

 

“We should thank him,” Luna whispered.
 

 

“For what?” Ginny said.
 

 

Luna smiled at her. “For getting us together.”
 

 

Ginny squeezed Luna’s hand. “As grateful as I am for that, I’d rather not be attacked by a wild animal before we’ve even had our first date.”
 

 

Luna’s eyes twinkled. “You don’t want to go on date with me where we chase potentially dangerous wild animals?”
 

 

“I’d go anywhere with you.” Ginny’s cheeks turned the color of her hair. She hadn’t meant to say that. It had just slipped out. “I—-”
 

 

Luna cut her off by kissing her. “I’d go anywhere with you too.”