Silver Mysteries
Pairing: Dudley Dursley x Luna Lovegood Words: 1,575 You can also read this on AO3. This is for the nonnie that requested this pairing! This is also for the @hprarepairnet Winter Challenge and their weekly prompt about New Years Eve!
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Dudley remembered her from Harry's Christmas Party the year before.
Her blonde curly hair was longer the year before, but her eyes were just as grey. They reminded him of his mother's old silver china she used only for specific occasions; mainly when his Aunt Marge would come to visit and berate Harry's entire existence. He remembered the way his mother would look down into the china as Marge yelled and the way her eyes would shine as though she saw a ghost. Dudley even wondered now if they were tears threatening to fall. Maybe she saw his Aunt Lily through that china, or maybe she only saw herself and what she was doing to an innocent child.
Dudley would never know, but he did know this: this girl's silver eyes displayed the truth; hopefully her truth was purer than his mother's past.
He at least hoped they were full of forgiveness if she knew about his old nature, if forgiveness was even what he deserved. Years had passed since Harry offered him his hand in forgiveness, but Dudley still didn't believe it. Every year when he would come around for the parties that Harry would invite him to, he wondered if it was all a prank. But as soon as he saw his cousin's relaxed smile, that's when he knew, the boy who lived had grown up, and so had he. He hoped every day that he proved that he was now a better man.
He remembered his heart racing as he caught sight of her the year before. She was laughing an airy laugh and brushed her hand gently against Neville's shoulder. Her smile was whimsical; almost if she came from a dream. He had never seen a sight so pure, he wondered if he even deserved it to unravel her mystery.
He had been standing alone at the party that night - still too awkward to interact with Harry's friends. He could still feel Hermione's distrusting glances from across the room, even if Ron would give him a reassuring smile. It was all just a reminder that maybe he still did not deserve the forgiveness he was given years before.
He was drinking a glass of ale and watching the crowd. Harry's old classmates laughed as Ron cracked a joke, and others were around the snack table sharing memories from their days at Hogwarts. Dudley was willing to admit then that he was always jealous of Harry's experience with magic, much to his father's dismay. He credited his openness of his jealousy as to why he no longer spoke to his father. He was done with his poison toxicity; he hoped his mother would someday join him.
His eyes had glanced away from her only for a moment that night, and when he turned his attention back to where she had previously stood, he was shocked to find that she was no longer there. He was startled moments later when he heard a delicate voice to his left.
"I wonder if mistletoe from the Muggle world is full of nargles as well, what do you think?"
He looked down and realized it was her. He had no idea what nargles were, and he could feel his face morphing into a puzzled look. He hoped she wouldn't take his look the wrong way. His throat was dry, so he took another sip of ale before he tried to respond, but she beat him to it.
"You're Harry's cousin, aren't you?"
Dudley looked down guiltily and nodded. He didn't say much else; that's when he felt her grasp his arm gently. He watched as her head motioned up above them. That's when he realized that's where the mistletoe hung. It was not a random question about mistletoe, it was true curiosity. Her smile was innocent as she gazed up at him, he even interpreted as expectant. It was then that the moment became too much. All he remembered next was walking away without looking back, with her eyes still imprinted in the back of his.
He had never seen her again since that night. He never even caught her name, until now.
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He wished he had kissed her. He had thought about it for over a year since then. He even avoided Harry's New Years Eve party the year before out of shame.
Why had he not just kissed the girl? But was that what she even wanted? He didn't even know her, yet.. she felt all too familiar. It was like he had met her before in a dream, or maybe, he really was just crazy.
This year, he still felt like he did not deserve Harry's forgiveness, but he felt more comfortable in Harry's crowd of friends. Most of them knew him at this point, and he even smiled when Ron cracked a joke. Rather than ale, he chose to drink champagne. He could feel his cheeks burning from intoxication; he had hit his perfect buzz.
She had arrived late; her long blonde curls were now cut to her shoulders, but her eyes were just the same. He had not forgotten them; he wasn't sure he ever could. They were the most striking eyes he had ever seen.
Dudley wasn't sure where he packed up the courage from, but he leaned into Ron as he took a swig from his stout, "Who is that girl?" he asked.
Ron followed his gaze, and he smiled, "That's Luna Lovegood. I'm surprised she didn't make herself known to you yet after all these years."
Oh, she had, Dudley thought, but he didn't say anything more. He just shrugged, "I had seen her around, we just have never really talked."
It wasn't a lie necessarily, she talked, and he didn't. He was about to ask Ron another question, but he was being swept away by Neville as a game of Muggle beer pong was about to begin. Ron motioned for him to join them, but he shook his head in response. He was too dazed by the girl with the silver eyes.
Deep in his thoughts, he didn't hear her approach him again. It was like de ja vu.
"Still wondering about those nargles?"
He felt his cheeks heat up again, but not from the alcohol, and looked down in her direction. She had a playful smile on her lips, but she did not look as though she was teasing him. She seemed rather serious with her question. She was an anomaly.
It must of been the champagne that gave him the courage to respond, so he asked, "What even is a nargle anyway?"
"Just a magical creature I am trying to prove exists. Many do not believe me."
"Why not?"
He wondered if he asked her too much, and just to double check, he looked above his head. No mistletoe this time; he felt disappointed even though the butterflies in his stomach had seemed to settle down.
He could see from the corner of his eyes that her eyes looked away dreamily as she answered him, "Because many people do not believe in things they cannot see. What about you, Dudley Dursley? Do you believe things exist that you cannot see?"
She looked back at him now, and her silver eyes were full of curiosity. She was studying him, as he was studying her. He wondered if this was a double-sided question, but Dudley knew he was probably over-thinking as he always seemed to do these days.
"I used to not," he answered her truthfully, "But after being absorbed into Harry's world, I think I do."
She tilted her head slightly to right, and her hand moved up behind his ear. He flinched away slightly from her touch, but she did not seem offended. It was then he saw that she had grabbed a sparkle away from his ear, "It must have been from Ron's party hat," she explained to him, "When you were asking him about me."
Stunned, Dudley felt his eyes widened, "How did you-?"
"I thought you said you believed in things you couldn't see? Sometimes people just know when they are being talked about."
Baffled, he wanted to have more of an explanation, but he didn't push her for it. Instead, she continued on with other random conversation. He listened to her soft voice intently, and she made him laugh throughout. Her smile made him feel at ease, and those eyes, those eyes made him start to love mysteries when before he used to despise them. Dudley wanted an answer for everything, he had gotten that trait from his father to his own detriment.
It was moments before the strike of midnight. Luna turned toward him and asked, "Do you now know my name?"
He knew she meant if he knew her, or if he wanted to know who she truly was as the clock stroke midnight into the new year. He wasn't sure how he knew that is what she meant, but it was something he could feel. It was something you couldn't see, only know. She wanted to know if he was drawn to the mystery of what they could be.
As he heard the chime of Harry's clock strike midnight and the party around them cheer, he did what he should have done under the mistletoe all those days and weeks before. He kissed her, and when he pulled away, he looked into her silver eyes and whispered, "Luna."
