LUNAR (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

Forty Four. Home.

Caiti had cried as Hogwarts had fallen out of sight on the carriage ride to Hogsmeade station, cried more as she boarded the Hogwarts Express for the last time.

She had even cried when she and her parents headed for home, her Hogwarts trunk in tow. It seemed so unbelievable that just like that, her seven years were up. She would never go back to Hogwarts. She would never sleep in that dormitory again. She would never brew another potion in the dungeons. These thoughts (and many others) had kept her weepy the whole train ride home and for much of the afternoon, her mum sitting beside her with a comforting arm around her shoulders assuring her she had felt much the same way when she had finished school.

She was headed to Marlowe's now, and the feeling still had not subsided. She had asked him to please not come to the station. When she saw him again, she didn't want her parents watching. She knew it was stupid to feel as eager and nervous as she did. After all, she had seen him less than a month ago.

Still, Caiti's heart beat so quickly as she hugged her mum goodbye. It was different knowing this time it wasn't just for an hour.

She disapparated, arriving in his yard with her stomach doing somersaults, and Marlowe was out the door and running towards her before she'd even taken a step towards the front porch.

"You're home," he said," catching her in his arms in the tightest, warmest hug. A lump shot up in her throat. It had been such a strange, lonely year.

"I'm home," said Caiti, voice nearly breaking. Her hand went to the back of his head and she pressed her face down into his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut to keep from crying all over again. Marlowe's palm smoothed down her arm and she felt his lips on the side of her face.

"God, that year sucked," said Marlowe, which made Caiti laugh a little. For a moment she squeezed him tighter, but only for a moment and then she kissed him.

"That year," she said, pulling back, "was the absolute worst."

"Never again," said Marlowe. He kissed her again.

She felt so light knowing that she would not be saying goodbye to him in an hour, and when she did, she could see him again anytime she wanted. There was no more waiting. No more separation. No more missing him.

The relief she had expected finally set in.

—-

"Professor Munslow said he'd take care of my plants until I have a place for them. I was too afraid to travel with them and then not have the right conditions set up and everything. I can't risk them all dying. They take so long to grow enough to even be useful and I know I need to start actually trying to use them soon," Caiti was saying.

They had been sitting in the living room talking for the last hour, mostly about how she thought N.E.W.T.s had gone and the last week of school and graduation, but then Marlowe had asked if she was going to give herself a little break on her research before she got back to it, and the longer she talked about her plans, the more antsy he became to show her his project.

"I was going to wait until tomorrow," Marlowe said suddenly, "but I don't think I can."

"Wait to what?" Caiti asked.

"I have something to show you."

"Okay, what is it?"

"Well it's a place," he said. He was nervous all of a sudden. His cheeks felt suspiciously warm.

Caiti just looked at him. She looked so pretty, big loopy curls falling over her shoulders.

"Come with me," he said, and he stood up, holding out his hand to her.