Sitting beside Hermione upon the swing next to hers, Harry wasn't sure what was going through that head of hers but he was rather curious. Turning his gaze the boy looked to her through forest green eyes and it was then he noted to himself mentally that she was blushing. This caused the male's eyebrows to raise in surprise, he hadn't seen her blush much throughout the years so this? It was something new and Harry had to admit to himself that it made her look even more beautiful. Wait, beautiful? that word, describing Hermione began to swim through his mind. Did he truly think that? Well, sure she was very pretty but.. beautiful? Harry could feel his heart pick up in pace at the thought as he sat there his eyes taking in her appearance as a whole. Whether it was the lights bouncing off the surface of the snow, hitting Hermione's face with a such a tender glow, such the perfect accent of highlighting to her face. Harry was actually seeing a tender side of Hermione, one he'd never fully allowed himself to partake in.
'Hermione…' the image of Hermione descending down the stairs the previous year looking absolutely beautiful in that gown during the ball slowly formed within his mind. 'She looked absolutely breath taking..' in that moment the boy-who-lived actually wanted to give himself a kick in the arse for not sorting through his feelings which at the moment he wasn't sorting through them now but he had an idea that Hermione meant so much more to him than he was actually admitting to himself. 'Why am I feeling this way? why haven't I given myself a chance to see this? why am I seeing this now?' so many questions. It was only night one of their Christmas vacation together and Harry could feel it in his heart that something had been amiss, all this time; and he was just now seeing things for what they truly were. Harry would have been lost in his thoughts if Hermione hadn't spoken when she did but how she spoke got the Gryffindor boy to look toward her with a look of surprise but was soon replaced with a calm smile.
'She's struggling with words, that’s a rarity, at least involving me. I wonder what she could have been thinking about.. could it have been .. no that's just silly.' he dismissed that notion all on its own but the more he looked to her after she spoke the first time he could still that blush was still there and didn't seem to be going anywhere or getting any lighter 'Maybe she's … or maybe she has all this time?' Harry couldn't describe the feeling that was welling in his heart. What was it? As she spoke again, Harry looked about the park and in that moment a sense of warmth enveloped him as he sat there "It's nice, I like it too" feeling her nudge him with her swing causing him to go sideways a tad his smile broadened as he nudged her back and waited for them both to stop swaying sideways before the extended his hand out and took a hold of hers. Hearing her final words the boy gave a squeeze to her hand, a gentle one at that. "I love it, I know we have times where its just the two of us but this? right here? It's.." he tried to gather his words "it’s a new experience. It’s a refreshing moment, a moment that I know in the future I'll look on this and …smile." was that because he finally figured out what he was feeling? What Hermione truly was to him?
At that moment Harry wasn't even sure he just knew that being with Hermione, slowly beginning to realize everything that they had been through, everything that had yet come to pass. He knew she'd be there with him and he knew he'd need her by his side. Hermione always brought out the best in him and he was realizing that now, but was there more?
- - -
Luna Lovegood, oh how she held such a tender and good natured soul, the Time Lord couldn't help but be drawn to her. Her personality, her curiosity and it even surprised him that she didn't shy away or cower, instead she took it on whole heartedly. Once they were seated, the Time Lord could see that something was bothering her. His eyes glanced around the place, there were a few other species that weren't dressed extravagantly and him? Well.. he was always in his suit and tie with converse sneakers so at lot of the times he'd be 'over dressed' for occasions. Hearing her speak finally the Time Lord smiled to her words then that smile broadened upon seeing a blush. As if Luna Lovegood couldn't get any more adorable in his eyes, that blushed suited her perfectly. Once the desserts were served the Doctor didn't move, didn't budge a finger and waited for Luna's pick at the treats she wanted to out. Yet when the Nastro Zuppa was set down on the table, the Time Lord didn't waste a second and reached for the small bowl and took it up in his hands, taking up a spoon he tasted it. A look of joy spread across his features as he took another spoonful into his mouth.
Taking a moment to enjoy the flavors on his tongue the Time Lord finally pulled from his enjoyment, his eyes opening as he looked toward Luna a calmness about this moment, a soothing aura around them both. It was a nice moment, the Doctor was in fact enjoying himself. Which was something he hadn't really gotten a chance to do. Well, with Luna he was able to escape the darker parts of his mind and able to focus on the task at hand without slipping into that dark, dreaded, treacherous areas of his mind and memories. Luna was keeping this Time Lord afloat in the face of Danger where he would have probably done something extremely stupid if on his own. If no stupid then extremely dangerous would have resulted in a force of regeneration upon him. But right now? With Luna by his side? There was just something about her, something that lingered in the air, she held a trait that at this moment he couldn't put his finger on but it was one of reasons why the Doctor treasured this witch before him. Sure they just met, but the connection between the two was ever so strong. 'Where would I be now if it wasn't for Luna? Someplace dark, somewhere I'm more than certain I don't even want to go'
Hearing her final words, the man couldn't help it when a smile touched his lips "You're helping me even now, Luna Lovegood, more than you could possibly know" truth be told the Doctor needed someone in his life to keep him grounded and keeping his thoughts and ideas level headed, to keep from slipping. and right now? Luna was that someone. Not just a companion, he didn't let just anyone into his spaceship, when he chose a companion it wasn't just anyone. He didn't know why he chose the people that he did, he only knew 'who' he chose and what they held to him and right now? Luna Lovegood held so much. "When the problem erupts, and it will. I know for a fact that your brilliance will shine and that inner strength of yours will push through and you will be right alongside your friends fighting the good fight. Because it's who you are, it’s a part of your soul, your very being."
"You, Luna Lovegood, hold such a big heart, you're full of true honesty and dedication, a love for your friends that goes unmatched. You are a truly brilliant being and I'm glad I'm able to see you for who you are. I know things are foggy now" he extended his hand over and placed it over hers a warm smile touching his lips as he stared into her silver eyes "But in time you will figure out who you truly are and I will be here with you every step of the way"
- - -
Rose Tyler, there was something about that spunky human girl, something that perked up and drew in the Time Lord's intrigue of interest. She was fun, easy to talk to and from what the Doctor could remember (With John Smith's memories) she was quite the feisty one too. After dinner then the TARDIS soaring through time and space the spaceship having stopped and hovered above the earth in the planet's constellation of stars the Time Lord threw open the doors to reveal the birth of a new forming star. Standing there the blue eyed man looked to Rose's face after opening the door and actually felt relief upon seeing her smile even more so at her exclaimed excitement followed by her laugh, at this point the Time Lord was grinning and feeling rather proud of himself. Leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest as he gazed out at the star "It's beautiful, all the particles of light forming and merging into a new born star.
Moving over he sat down beside Rose, allowing his feet to dangle beside hers over the TARDIS as his blue eyes shone with the bright alluring glow of the forming star before them. HIs ears picked up on her words "cool, eh?" his eyes moved to focus on her "I think Fantastic works but cool, that's acceptable" he teased her with smile. But as she spoke of Draco and wanting to beat the shit out of Draco his smile turned to more of a smirk "Since I'm now a retired professor I would actually allow that. We both know he deserves it, but he's nothing but a spoiled brat with parent issues. the whole misunderstood child and … though as cliché as that sounds it's who he is really" the Time Lord didn't want to dwell on the blonde snot nosed Slytherin much longer than he had and looked to switching the topic.
Her thanks to him registered in his mind as the Doctor looked to her "No need to thank me, Rose, we both know that this is the perfect scenery to bring forth those relaxing and comforting vibes." he placed his hands on either side of himself and leaned forward turning his gaze back to the cluster light orbs before them "This right here is the universe in its finest. The galaxy expands, things die, others waste away or drift into a pocket of time but this? this is birth, this is how life was created. Particles, orbs, essences. The pieces of life forming into to one mass, one creation." he was drifting into his memories, his voice low. "When you think it's over… Life.. never really ends. Life is born, can be taken away but nothing ends. all of time, all of space. life is reborn" he finally snapped out of his temporary trance.
"Like this star right here, at this very moment." whether he made sense to her or not, he was sure his rambling would be confusing to follow, if she was able to follow it he'd be amazed. Slowly bringing his blue eyes to her the Doctor smiled as he reached up and placed a hand upon her shoulder "Thank you, Rose, for coming with me. " he remembered what it was like to be alone, but to have someone here? It felt amazing. "It feels fantastic to be able to share this moment with someone. someone who will appreciate it and from what I've seen? I know you truly do"