Luna looked through the window of the Hogwarts express. It had been a little more than half a year ago that she had left the school for Christmas. She had not known then that she would not go home. She had not realized it would be quite that long before she'd go to school again.
She had not minded much, staying with Olivander in Malfoy Manor. It had not frightened her, it had not harmed her. Olivander had been glad for some companionship, and the poor man had needed it, what with his health issues. And of course it had allowed her to see Harry again, long for anyone else could.
She just wished her father had not gotten in the crossfire like he had.
Usually, he didn't notice her, but it did seem to have hurt him that she was gone. And trying to sell her friends out like that… She was not sure if he had ever found peace with himself again.
A male cleared his throat beside her. She looked up, she hadn't heard anyone coming in. She was only slightly surprised to see it was not Harry, or Ron who was standing there. It was Draco Malfoy. And he looked really awkward.
She smiled at him.
It did not seem to relieve him of his awkwardness.
"Are you alright?" She asked, cocking her head a bit.
The boy stared down at his feet. "Uhm, yes," he said. "Uhm…"
"You don't sound alright," she noted lightly. "Did you get too close to the water, maybe? You do know that is where the Wrackspurts live, right?"
He took a deep breath. "It is not the Wrackspurts," he said.
"Oh, that is what many people say. It usually is though. They just don't know it." She smiled serenely.
"It's definitely not the Wrackspurts," he said again. " It is… That is to say…" He looked completely at loss.
"I'm sorry," he blurted out.
She looked into his eyes, and saw that he truly was. There was only one thing bothering her.
"What for?" She asked.
He looked at her incredulously. Apparently he seemed to think that she ought to know. But, for the heavens of her, she could not figure out what it was.
"For, you know, taking you to Him."
She was still confused. "To Voldemort, you mean?" She ignored the cringe at that name. It was so silly to fear a name such as Voldemort. It was a quite nice sounding name, too, if you said it lightly. Oddly enough, people usually didn't say it lightly.
"Uhm, yes." Draco Malfoy was still looking at his feet.
"Why would you be sorry for that?" She was still somewhat puzzled. "You had very little control over the matter. It were the Nargles. They have that effect on people."
Draco looked up now.
"No, it was not the Nargles," he growled. "It was me. I was scared, I didn't know what else to do, who to trust. I took you to him. And I am sorry!" He shouted that at her.
She smiled at him. "Of course. I'm sorry, I misunderstood. Apology accepted."
He looked at her with big eyes, then turned and walked away.
She shook her head. There was just no reasoning with some people.