The dimmed sun hang low in the sky as an azure firefly flitted low next to a green pond, a trail of electric blue left behind it. She was closely followed by a second, briefly violet but then stunning crimson firefly, leaving a luminescence of dark lilac where their two trails incorporated.
Both fireflies flew lower and danced into each other, leaving glows and sparkles scattered around the pond, they twisted and turned, spun and spiralled out of control, careless in the oncoming darkness.
"I didn't expect you here, Luna." spoke a low voice from one side of the pond, the gathering darkness making it difficult to make out more of the speaker than a lank figure.
"Well," said a higher voice from the other side, her long supple hair illuminated by the orange sunset, "I do keep my promises."
The other scoffed, disbelieving at such a statement.
"What?" she asked indignantly.
"No one keeps promises," he answered, "they think they do, but the glory of breaking them is too great."
"Well I'm different." she replied shortly, turning to gaze into what she could see of the boy's grey eyes.
"Different?" he considered this for a brief moment, "I like that."
All in a moment, the sun subsided into the horizon, leaving the dancing fireflies the only source of illumination.
"Were complete opposites, aren't we?" asked Luna,
"Yes," replied the boy, "But you know what they say. Opposites attract!"
"When has that been true? Since when can an ex-death eater be attracted to a member of Dumbledore's army?"
"That war's finished now. Nothing anyone used to be matters."
"Okay, then since when can Draco Malfoy like Loony Lovegood?"
Draco faltered with words. He knew she was right, the fact that they were supposedly in love would shock the magical world. They both knew that even with the war long gone, Draco would always be his past, and Luna hers.
"See, Draco?" she asked softly, "We can't be together. It just wouldn't work." she had tried to be delicate, but she defiantly could never love him, how could she? Was there a bigger betrayal of her trust than falling for her enemy? Of course, the war was over. They were no longer enemies, but she would never forget how they duelled in battle, she would never forget the crazed look in his eyes, the look that showed her that he was fighting to the death.
"I understand," nodded Draco chivalrously, and he turned to walk away into the ivory darkness.
Luna stood quietly for a while. She relished in the silence, watching the different fireflies dancing and skimming the emerald pond waters, gliding into and around each other. It was almost as though they knew that one of them was blue and the other red and yet they still danced together into the night.
For the first time, Luna wondered whether she had made the right decision with Draco. Could she, if they had been together, been actually happy for the first time in 10 years? Happy for the first time since her mother had died?
A sudden rustle from the bushes disturbed Luna from her deep thoughts. Instantly alarmed, she lit her wand and looked around frantically.
"I warn you!" she called out to the night, "I know spells even Harry Potter doesn't know!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" said a scared voice from the bushes, "I'm sorry! I was - was just looking for a Jabberwocky!"
Luna's light fell onto the bush, where the frightened figure of a young man stood, crouching and cowering in the sudden light.
Infuriated but also intrigued by the man, Luna loosened her approach.
"Well, I suppose I'm sorry too." she said, "Oh and if you're looking for a Jabberwocky, they only exist in Romania." she told him casually.
"Really?" asked the man intensively, "Have you seen one?"
"No," replied Luna sadly, "but I'd love to." she was actually secretly very happy about this man's sudden appearance. He was very handsome, and had interest in seeing a Jabberwocky!
"Wow." said the man, "I've never met someone before that's even heard of a Jabberwocky, let alone want to see one!"
"Me neither!" said Luna excitably, and the man promptly wiped his muddy hand on his robe then stuck it out towards Luna.
"I'm Rolf." he told her, shaking her lithe hand,
"Luna." she said, and thus they talked into the night about other various rare and wonderful creatures, both happy they'd found someone to share this with at last.
Draco Malfoy watched from the bush that Rolf had been hiding in. He saw how Luna's face lit up every time Rolf mentioned a different creature, and she gazed upon him with a look she had never given Draco before, and Draco knew Luna was right. Opposites don't attract, they never did.
Yet somehow the dancing fireflies managed to flit and fly together forever, leaving their lilac trail behind them until their lights flickered out.
Disclaimer: No, sorry, I'm not JK Rowling and do not have any rights to Harry Potter or the magical world.
A/N: thank you for reading! This was written for lilac butterflies' 'Summer Challenge'
Please leave a review and take a look at the work 'Fireflies on the Water' by Yayoi Kusama, it's very beautiful and an inspiration for this story :)