the moon [h.s.] - EDITING

fifty-nine.

DECEMBER TWENTY-FIRST

Something has changed. Luna has been smiling more. He doesn't know if the side-effects are wearing off, or if it's the support group meeting and two therapy sessions she's had over the week. Either way, she's smiling and helping him pack in his bedroom and he couldn't be happier. He sees his Luna again.

"I just realized, I won't be able to hide your Christmas gift from you. You'll probably see it if I try to sneak it on the plane with me," Luna says. She's rolling up his t-shirts as a way for him to have more room in his luggage.

A week ago, he didn't think they would be going to his hometown for Christmas. He was alright with staying home and looking out for Luna, but she assured him that she still wanted to go. They leave the next day, early in the morning, to spend Christmas week with his family. He couldn't be more excited. "My Christmas gift?" He looks at Luna and smiles wide. "Luna, you know you didn't have to get me anything... What is it?"

She laughs and bites down on her bottom lip. "I wanted to give you something!" She stops rolling up his clothes for a moment. "I brought it here, actually. It's in your living room by my suitcase. Since I can't take it without you finding out what it is, what do you say I give it to you now?"

Harry stops what he's doing as well. He's smiling wide. "It's here? Luna! You really didn't have to..."

"I'll be back! Stay here," she says. She giggles then gets off of his bed to leave his room.

He's still smiling and he isn't sure what to expect. He has a gift for her as well that he planned to give her on Christmas morning. It was a small gift, though. Now he's worried. What if his gift is lame compared to whatever she has given him? He's about to find out.

She walks into his room again holding a guitar case and Harry's eyes instantly widen. "Merry Christmas, Harry." She brings the black case onto his bed. She lays it flat and smiles as she's opening the case. "Since your guitar was probably pawned by your ex... I thought I'd get you a new one so you'll play for me."

Harry is smiling, still. He hasn't seen what is in the case. The case is open, but it's covering his view of the guitar. Finally, she pulls it out and it's beautiful. She's holding a black and shiny acoustic guitar. She's walking closer to him, holding it out for him. He gasps as he reaches and holds it for himself. He's looking at the art. A magenta pink is vibrant around the soundhole of the guitar. It fades outward. Just beside the bridge, a crescent moon is painted. He runs his finger across the shiny finish and he can't help but smile at the fact that it's her. She's a part of the guitar and he couldn't love it more. There's still more to the guitar. On the body of it, a wolf-like figure is painted in blue. The wolf has blue and magenta-colored cactuses on each side. Lastly, light dots matching the color of the moon are scattered all around like stars. "Luna," he finally says.

"You don't like it, do you? Oh, god... I can take it back if you'd like?" She's freaking out. It's probably because he hasn't said much. "One of Zavier's friends from work customizes guitar artwork on the side."

He looks at her and laughs. "Baby, stop. I love it. I love it so much! It's beautiful and... you're a part of it. The moon is my favorite part. Ah, thank you! This is actually the best gift anyone has ever given me," he tells her. He steps closer to her as he gently sets the guitar down. He pulls her in for a hug.

"Oh thank goodness," she whispers as she hugs him back. "At first, I wasn't so sure about it. I'm so happy you love it."

He pulls back from the hug and looks at her lips. He leans in to kiss her. He smiles against her lips. "I love you," he mumbles then pulls back again. "I love the guitar. It's amazing."

"I love you," she says back and laughs. She runs her hands down his chest and gently nudges him. "Can I finally hear you play?"

It's been a while. He hasn't played in such a long time, but he nods anyway. "Sure, but first... your Christmas gift, I'd love to wait till Christmas morning to give it to you."

Luna grins and tries to wave him off. "I don't need a gift, Harry."

"Well, you have one, but I want to wait. Only because I can hide it from you," he says and laughs.

She nods and takes a seat by his rolled-up clothes again. "Fine... Wait, you really wait until Christmas morning to open your gifts?"

"You don't?"

"No! Ever since I can remember, my brother and I would open our gifts on Christmas Eve. I guess we were always too eager," she tells him and laughs.

Harry hums as he takes the guitar strap and puts it around him. He holds the guitar by the neck. "My mum made me and my sister wait," he says with a small pout. He then looks down and strums the guitar. It's perfectly in tune. He doesn't know what to play, but his fingers are positioning themselves on the right strings against the right frets. He strums an E major first, then shifts to an F sharp minor, a G sharp minor, and back to an F sharp minor.** His strumming moves the same with every chord. He's nodding his head as he's playing something familiar. He always liked making up his own tunes. He then stops strumming and he has a grin on his face. He scrunches his nose, only because he suddenly feels shy and embarrassed in front of Luna.

"Wow," Luna says. She's looking at him in admiration. "You said you might be rusty. That, baby, was anything but rusty. I don't recognize it though. Who's it from?"

Harry takes the guitar off of him and laughs. "It's from me... It's something I put together. It's nothing."

"What?! What do you mean it's nothing? That's something! You're so talented, Harry."

He waves her off this time and smiles. "No! It's just a hobby. I love music, but writing is my passion."

"Do you write songs?"

He hasn't really tried. Maybe he can. He's written beautiful poetry that can pass off as lyrics, but he isn't musically educated enough to know how to form them into songs. "I haven't really tried," he tells her. He walks over to the case to put his gorgeous and precious guitar away. He can't wait to play more with it.

"I think you should try," she says and continues helping him with packing. She then lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I've always wanted to have a song written about me."

Harry catches her smile. He closes the case and walks over to where she is sitting. "Maybe I should. I have a million words that come to mind when describing you. Imagine the songs that could come out of that," He grins as he climbs onto the bed to hover over her. He presses a kiss on her cheek once she lays back underneath him. He then kisses down to her jaw.

She hums from his kisses then giggles as her hands run through his hair. She brings her thighs up to his sides. "Oh yeah? What kind of songs do you think you can write with those million words?" She closes her eyes the moment his lips are on her neck.

"I'll tell you," he whispers. "Maybe I can write a song about how much I want you... or about how I get so lost inside your eyes... or maybe about your skin... or maybe... just maybe about the way you taste... like strawberries on a summer evening or something," he tells her by her ear. He's smirking as he could feel her breathing pick up.

"Oh," she lets out. Her eyes are closed. She then feels Harry kiss her. She kisses him back and they forget all about packing.

———

** intro to two ghosts.