QLFC Submission Round Four – Out of Context
Chaser #1 for the Chudley Cannons
Prompt: "I don't know how I got stuck under there. It was just a… uh, hilarious chain of events." - Impractical Jokers
Optional Prompts: 6. (word) Forgoing, 14. (creature) Demiguise, 15. (quote) "You two can show off to each other later. You're both very smart. Now shut up." – Skyward, Brandon Sanderson
Word Count: 1021
I ambushed my sister and made her give me the first thing off the top of her head, so you all have her to thank for the Kruna pairing. :)
Luna was beginning to regret telling them about the Demiguise.
She'd been obligated to report the sighting, of course, because Demiguises were not native to England, and the magical creature needed to be taken back to its natural habitat, as quickly as possible, but Hermione and Draco were currently being immensely disturbing to her natural habitat. She wasn't really following what they were arguing about, but whatever it was, they had been arguing about it for the last hour as they tracked the Demiguise.
Why their respective Departments had decided to send them together on this assignment was a mystery. Actually, she suspected Harry was tired of their bickering, too, and had sent them out together so that everyone else could get their work done.
Luna was pretty sure they had got arguing and flirting confused.
"But forgoing those factors," Hermione insisted, voice rising higher, "it really should be quite a simple endeavor, don't you see?"
"'Forgoing those factors'?!" Draco practically shouted. "You can't just ignore all the evidence – I thought you were supposed to be smart?"
"Excuse me?!"
Luna had finally had enough.
"Hey!" she said, whipping around to face them, wand in hand. "You two can show off to each other later. You're both very smart. Now shut up. I won't think twice about using a Silencing spell."
Draco and Hermione obligingly did not speak for another ten minutes. Luna didn't know if it was her threat, or just the fact that she had spoken with such uncharacteristic force. Either way, they were quiet, and no longer disturbing the trees.
"Do you hear that?" Hermione whispered. Luna and Draco stopped.
A faint rustling sound came from off to their left, deeper in the forest, and Luna promptly headed toward it.
"Lovegood!" Draco hissed. "You don't know what's over there!"
"Oh, it's fine," Luna said, brushing him off. "The trees are nice over here."
"The trees are – is she serious?"
"I can never tell," Hermione admitted. Luna quietly smiled to herself.
The source of the rustling came into view shortly after, as they broke through some trees into a small clearing.
It was a large, moving pile of canvas material, that was also swearing. In Bulgarian.
Luna hummed thoughtfully, stepped up to the edge of the fabric, and lifted it up.
"Hello in there!" she called, and the swearing abruptly stopped. There was some shuffling and shifting of material, and then a face popped into view.
Luna blinked. It was that Quidditch player, from the Triwizard Tournament. Something-or-other Krum. She held out her hand to him.
"I don't know how I got stuck under there. It was just a… uh, hilarious chain of events, you might say," Krum said, taking Luna's hand gratefully.
How exactly he had gotten trapped beneath his tent wasn't really the first question she had, Luna thought, as Krum emerged from beneath the collapsed tent wearing pink frilly boxer shorts, and nothing else. (The shorts detracted absolutely nothing from his admirable physique.)
"It wouldn't happen to involve a rogue Demiguise, would it?" Hermione asked. Krum finally seemed to look past Luna.
"Hermione!" he cried with a pleased smile. "And… Malfoy, da?" Draco nodded politely.
"Hello, Victor," Hermione said, looking as pink as his boxers. Luna observed that Draco had suddenly contracted a very large amount of Wrackspurts.
"It is good to see you," he said. "My English has improved, you see?"
"It most certainly has," Hermione agreed. "But, er, wouldn't you like some more clothing on?"
Most definitely not, Luna thought, but Krum had already pulled his wand from the waistband of his boxers and waved it, transforming the pink frilly shorts into a pink frilly onesie.
"Better?" Krum smiled, eyes twinkling. Hermione just sighed, but Draco looked incredulous. Luna did approve of the onesie, despite it taking away her lovely view.
"And you are?"
He was talking to her, Luna realized.
"Luna Lovegood," she said, a tad belatedly.
"What a lovely name," Krum said. "I thank you for saving me from my tent."
"There's a serious wizard-eating tent plague going around," Luna said. "I'm just glad we heard you in time."
Krum threw his head back and laughed, rich and booming. It gave Luna little tummy flutters.
"I am not sure my tent was trying to eat me," Krum said, when he had caught his breath, "but this creature – Demiguise, da? I think I have caught it."
"Really?" Luna exclaimed excitedly. "Brilliant! Where is it?"
Krum cleared his throat and gestured back at the fallen tent.
"Oh, I see," Luna frowned at the collapsed tent.
"Well, luckily I have some experience with these enchanted tents," Hermione said, stepping forward confidently to inspect the tent.
Luna and Krum moved back to let her work, and Draco sidled up next to her, ostensibly to provide his assistance.
When, five minutes later, the two were happily arguing about the placement of the tent poles, Krum leaned over.
"Are they…?" he said, leaving the obvious question unasked.
"Yes," Luna sighed in irritation, and then, seizing her opening, "What were you doing out here, anyway?"
"I wished to try camping, because Hermione has spoken so fondly of it," he said. "But I think I am not good at it." He gave his tent a forlorn look.
"It's not for everyone," Luna agreed.
"I was going to give up and go find some real food," Krum said, "if you would like to join?"
Luna stared at him. He wasn't – oh, he was.
"Yes," Luna smiled. "I think Draco and Hermione can handle the Demiguise themselves, don't you?"
Hermione and Draco were still squabbling about the efficacy and durability of undetectable extension charms on various tent materials.
"Oh yes," Krum smirked, "and maybe they put my tent to better use, da?"
He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and she laughed.
"We ought to at least give them the opportunity," she said seriously.
"I agree," he said, and offered her his elbow. "Shall we?"
Luna took his arm, and they apparated away with a quiet pop, completely unnoticed by the other two.
She received a heartfelt thanks from Harry the next morning by owl.
