I'm Baaaaaack. :-) Miss me?

Sunrise the next morning was spectacular, but in Number 12 Grimmauld Place, only Luna was awake to see it. She perched, legs curled under her, in her favorite window seat, as usual, wrapped in a violent orange afghan that she'd knitted herself and that enveloped her small frame like a fiery cloud. She clutched a mug of tea in her delicate hands. The steam rose around her face, wreathing her as the mist wreathed the hazy landscape outside her window.

Luna sipped her tea and watched as the world outside shifted into focus. She loved these moments, when the day was still so full of promise, when anything might happen. These were hers, these indistinct morning moments. No one else in the house ever rose early enough to see them, and it was easy to pretend that she was the only human in existence, watching the world as it first formed.

First came the trees, shadows at first as they swam through the slowly fading mist. They were still indistinct – could still be anything. Luna bit her lip and clutched her mug closer, dropping her nose to the rim to breathe the fragrant steam, flicking her trailing bangs away from the violet liquid just in time. Then the shadowy forms trembled, and the bones of the trees appeared. Luna relaxed. They were all there, right where they were supposed to be. She always worried that they wouldn't be, and was always relieved when they were.

The mist cleared further, and the leaves and flowers began to fade in, color leaching into the pale outlines. As the world painted itself into existence outside her window, Luna smiled. She took one last sip of her tea and sighed happily, flinging the window open to invite the morning in.

When she was certain the world had reformed properly, and the birds began to sing, Luna took her empty mug and slipped into the kitchen to help Kreacher with breakfast. They worked in companionable silence, the ancient, stooped house-elf and the barefoot, waif-like girl, dancing lightly around one another, and soon delectable smells drifted through the house.

Teddy was the next to wake, impatient for morning, as babies often are. Andromeda and Narcissa soon glided down the stairs and into the kitchen, passing the exuberant child between them and exchanging yawns and smiles. Luna directed them to seats at the table, tapping it lightly with her wand to enlarge it as she danced by. She slid heaping plates in front of them and whisked Teddy away for a whirl about the kitchen.

"Thank you, Luna." Andromeda smiled gratefully at her.

"Yes, thank you," echoed her sister. "This is delicious."

Next down the stairs were Hermione and Pansy, groaning and blinking.

"Salazar, it's bright," Pansy griped. "You need to work on that sobriety charm, 'Mione."

"I know," Hermione groaned. "That's the next thing I'll do, once I can see properly."

Luna waved them to their seats, Teddy perched comfortably on one hip, and slid each a steaming plate and a glass of something blue.

Hermione frowned blearily at her glass, setting the flecks floating in it gleaming as she lifted it into a beam of sunlight. "Um, Luna?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yes, 'Mione?"

"What is this?"

Luna grinned at her. "Oh, it's something Sev and I cooked up last week. It's a hangover potion, mostly, with a bit of pepper-up, and some other things."

"Why is it blue?" asked Pansy, eying her own glass suspiciously.

Luna grinned at her. "Because it's pretty. And it makes it taste better. Now, drink up!"

Hermione lifted her glass, studied it dubiously, then shrugged and clinked it against Pansy's. "Can't be worse than that stuff George gave us last night. Cheers, Pans."

Pansy nodded at her, and they downed the liquid together. "That...wasn't half bad," Pansy said thoughtfully.

"You and Severus might have something here," Hermione added.

Luna grinned, and opened her mouth, but her reply was interrupted by the three boys who staggered down the stairs and then slumped at the table.

"Morning, Ron," Hermione said brightly. The only response was a groan.

"Merlin, 'Mione!" Neville whimpered, "Keep it down, will you? My head is killing me!"

"Drink up boys," chirped Luna, delivering the three their own glasses of garishly bright potion.

"Um, Luna?" Pansy gestured at the glasses, frowning. Luna grinned and put a finger to her lips.

Ron gulped his down, then screwed up his face as steam trickled out of his ears. Neville and Blaise were similarly affected.

"Merlin's pants, Luna," Ron croaked, "what is this? It's vile!"

Hermione frowned. "What are you talking about, Ron? Mine was perfectly pleasant." She picked up his glass, eying the bright green drops clinging to the rim.

Luna giggled. "Sorry, Ron, but it had to be stronger. You boys drank a lot more." Then she caught Pansy's eye and mouthed sobriety charm. Pansy snorted. Hermione, who'd caught the exchange, slapped a hand over her mouth to hide her giggles.

Blaise grimaced. "And we're never doing that again!"

Luna grinned and swapped their empty glasses for heaping platters of food. "Eat up," she advised. "It'll mask the taste."

Ron looked skeptical, but picked up a bacon-and-egg sandwich anyway. He chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds, then broke into a grin. "Hey! She's right! Good going, Luna!"

Luna colored lightly at the praise, and ducked into the pantry before he found the broccoli hidden inside his sandwich. She doubted he would be as happy about that. Or the raisins. She cocked her head, frowning and chewing her lip. Perhaps raisins weren't right for that sandwich. Now that she thought about it, she really ought to have used prunes.

She waited for the gagging to subside before braving the kitchen again.

The others were nearly finished with their breakfast when Severus and Lucius shuffled in, very carefully not looking at or touching one another. They were also looking rather rumpled.

"Miss Lovegood," Severus said, as he dropped into a chair, "a glass of that potion, if you will. Not the green one," he added, grimacing at the glasses in front of the boys.

Luna grinned. "Coming right up, Sev."

Severus opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again, groaning, and dropped his head into his hands. "I hate you all."

Lucius nodded emphatically, not even bothering to raise his head off his folded arms. Narcissa stroked his hair, biting her lip to hold back the giggles that threatened to escape.

Luna quickly delivered their drinks – blue, like Hermione and Pansy's had been – followed by plates of food. They downed the drinks quickly, then tucked into the food.

After a few bites, Severus grimaced. "Miss Lovegood."

"Yes, Sev?"

"Is this a green bean in my sandwich?"

She leaned over his shoulder to peer at his plate. "So it would appear. I was wondering who'd got that one."

"Miss Lovegood..."

"How else am I to get you to eat your vegetables, Sev?" Luna asked, shaking her head. "I've never met anyone who avoids vegetables as passionately as you."

Ron choked on his pumpkin juice. "Passionately?"

Luna and Severus ignored him. "I do not need to eat vegetables, Miss Lovegood. I am a grown man, and I should think I know how to take care of myself without you interfering."

Luna hummed thoughtfully. "Your hair wouldn't be so greasy if you ate more vegetables, Sev."

"My hair is hardly – really?" The annoyance on Severus' face melted into interest, and Luna grinned.

"Oh, yes. I should think a few weeks of eating vegetables would do wonders for your hair."

Severus tugged at a lock of hair that even he would have to admit was greasy. "Well, I suppose I can try this mad scheme of yours." He tried to sound bored and annoyed, but didn't quite manage it.

Lucius stared at him in horror throughout the exchange. Narcissa caught Andromeda's eye and grinned.

-----

Meanwhile, in Harry's room, Draco had just opened his eyes.

To Be Continued....Don't kill me! ;-)