A/N: Um. Hey. My first fanfic in the Harry Potter fandom. And my first fic since ages. Thought I'd give writing another try. Anyway. Yeah.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
Summary: In the middle of the main story, unknown by its readers, one person other than Harry saw him, and together had a conversation that never happened.
Strange boy, he is.
He always looked cruel he does. Always taunting anyone he sees, always wearing the proud face that he has. Yet, when he thinks that no one's looking, he would wear a troubled face.
Today she saw him coming out from the girl's bathroom. To any observer it might garner suspicions, but she thinks nothing of it, stranger things had happened, she guess. He looks so weary and tired with those slightly red puffy eyes, gone was his bravado front. She wonders why the bold him would shed tears? Then he realized that she was looking at him. In a flash, she thought she'd seen, dare she say it, fear in his eyes. She gave him a smile, but he just scowled and said, "What are you looking at, Loony Lovegood?"
Alas, he's still as cruel as ever. But she noticed his words lack their usual malice, half-hearted she describes it. Nonetheless, her smile never wavered but with a less cheerful voice she stated, "You shouldn't be entering the girl's bathroom, you know." He gave her an annoyed look and with fists clenched, sauntered straight past her.
She walked towards the bathroom, and just before she opened the door, she said, "Oh, and you should wipe your cheeks. You must have not finished washing it." And she knew he listened because she heard the ruffling of clothes and his running footsteps. Then, she entered.
Moaning Myrtle was in her usual self. But she seemed to be crying much louder than the usual. She wonders why. "What's the matter, Myrtle?"
"Oh. It's you. Must be hard being you huh, with everyone calling you Loony all the time? Loony, Loony. Are you here to cry, too?"
Too? She must be talking about him, she thought, so she didn't ask. Instead, she said, "You are very kind Myrtle, crying for someone else." If she was not translucent, she thought she must've gone red. She scoffed at her and vanished, sobbing harder than before.
She rarely sees him anymore. And if she does see him, he was with company, his two best friends (best friends because she does not like the idea of someone lording over others) in sight. Once, she saw him standing in front of the wall where the Room of Requirements should be. But he was not alone; there were two girls with him. He really is pretty popular, she guessed. He was pacing back and forth while the two girls were nervously looking around. Then one of the girls spoke,
"How long do we have to be like this? I hate this skirt. It's too girly," she said tugging the hem of the skirt down. "Don't complain! And act like one!" He snapped at her. What a rude way of treating girls. But she was not a Ravenclaw for nothing. She knows.
"But we don't like it," the other girl (or is it?) whined. "Quiet!" He hissed, finally taking notice of the pale blonde-haired girl. "What are you staring at?!" he snarled. "Yeah, what are you staring at?!" his friends said in unison. He glared at them, and they gulped.
"What do you want, Loony Lovegood?" He said sneering at her. One of his friends snickered. She ignored them and said, "Hello. You shouldn't treat girls like that, you know." "Why you-" They were clearly offended, she thought. He shot them another glare, making them quiet. "Don't tell me what to do, Lovegood!" This time, she knew he meant it.
So, she bade them goodbye and turned around, starting to walk away. But, before she got too far, she halted and said, "You should be sincere about asking for it, you know. You should really mean it. Good day." She heard one of them gasped and she knew. He listened.
She saw him again in an empty corridor but this time he was alone. But he didn't wear the troubled look anymore. He seemed pretty pleased with himself and relieved. He must've gotten what he wanted. He looked at her and sent her a smirk kind-of smile. She was pretty surprised. It seems pretty smug but it was a smile, nonetheless. She smiled back at him, but his smile instantly vanished and was replaced with a scowl. He must've realized what he was doing. He continued striding, and when they were face to face, he smirked.
"I will not listen to you anymore. Let's see who would have the last laugh, Luna Lovegood." "I'm glad you listened, Draco Malfoy." He looked at her, fully looked at her for the first time, without any hint of his thoughts, void of any emotion, and then marched past.
That was the first time he called her by her real name and she felt that it would also be the last. And maybe she was right.
Strange, how much time had passed. Strange, how people had turned into a new leaf. And most of all, strange, how life had continued normally. The darkness had vanished, but not completely, because shadows still remained. But shadows lie behind the light, leaving the light reigning above them all.
Then just as how strange everything was, she saw him again. She has seen him a couple of times and they nod at each other at times, a sign of acknowledgement. But this time, she sees him in a new light. Strange, how he have changed. Yes, he still remained as proud as ever, but there's guilt inside him, she knows.
And as how life permitted it, she saw him again. She saw him properly. She looked at him fully. He was not the boy he was once now, he is now a man, looking so mature.
He has just come out from a building, and she was sitting on a bench not far from him. He was standing in front of a wishing fountain. She looked on. He hadn't noticed her. He is clutching his pocket and it looks like he is debating whether he would put in a coin or not. Maybe he has not matured so much, he still retained a little of the boy she knew. She stood and quietly walked beside him.
"Maybe you should put a coin or so, you know," she said as she tossed a couple of pennies in. He looked at her, she thinks he was contemplating whether he would reply or not. Then after a while, he returned his gaze to the well and said, "I'd rather not listen to you."
She laughed. "What?" He had those annoyed look again. Some things never do change, she guessed. Still smiling, she said, "Why is that? You listened to me once, right? Hmm. Twice, I think. Or was it thrice?" He scrutinized her with one of those looks again, and she thought that maybe he would deny it. Pride, she thought. But alas, she was mistaken.
"No good will come off from listening to you," he said begrudgingly. She laughed again. This time, he had a confused look now. "What is it now?" "Oh, it's nothing. It's just that, it was your choice, you know." It was your choice to do wrong, and it was your choice to listen to me, went unsaid. Silence passed and he didn't look at her. Instead, his focus was on the gleaming water.
Deciding that maybe, he wouldn't want to talk to her anymore, "I guess I should go now. It was nice meeting you," she beamed at him and turned around.
"It's not my fault." She looked back, surprised. His voice is bitter. She smiled and said, "I know." "And I see that you still had that smile, Luna Lovegood," he smirked; now looking at her, gone was the sulky facade.
And alas, she was mistaken again, because he said her name for the second time. And now, she thinks this may not be the last.
"I think there are lots of Wrackspurts in the air, don't you think?"
She turned around and heard a splash, and another and another.
"I wish your wish comes true."
"To you, as well."
"See you around, Draco Malfoy."
And I see that he still listens to me.
Strange boy, he really is.
- 30-
So. It's not much, sorry. But I did my best, I think.
So what do you think? Constructive criticisms are welcome.
And reviews are nice. (just saying)
