Spoilers: Dunno. Everything, I guess. LOL.
Disclaimer: I totes dun own any of this stuffs. It's all JKR's, even if she did put gorgeous Harry with that looser Ginny. :[ Anyway, I'm just playing in her sandbox for a while.
Author's Notes: So, this is definitely AU from the end of Order Of The Phoenix. I'll probably draw ideas from the last books, but that's it. OBHWF FTL!

Luna Lovegood looked through the compartment and sighed. She had hoped things would be different after last year, but over the summer everything had settled back down into the same sort of boring sameness that had her scurrying for her books.

She and Neville had staked out this compartment as they entered the train and were now waiting to see if anyone else joined them.

Harry and Ginny poked their heads in. "Hello, you two," Ginny announced casually, strolling in.

Luna flipped her long, blond hair out of her wide, cerulean eyes. She set aside her copy of The Quibbler. "Hello."

"Hey there, Harry," Neville said.

Harry and Ginny tossed their trunks in the overhead rack and sat down. There was the usual round of how-was-your-summer-ing until Luna finally said, "Where are Hermione and Ronald?"

"They…," Harry trailed off.

"They're prefects," Ginny announced.

"Oh." Luna digested this and finally fell silent.

"I'm sure they'll be by eventually," Harry shrugged.

The four of them settled down to the usual chats about what they expected for the school year and how horrible Snape was and how Voldemort was going to try to kill Harry this year until the cart came. Harry bought some snacks and finally Luna could get back to her Quibbler.

And she had just gotten properly into an article on Hornbilled Toads in South America when the door to the compartment slid open.

She looked up, expecting to have to make conversation with Hermione and Ron, only to see Draco Malfoy and his two friends, Crabbe and Goyle, standing there.

She sighed, and looked up expectantly, awaiting whatever insult they chose to throw at Harry. Since it was entirely predicable that they would do so, she hoped that they at least said something interesting.

"So, Potter, I see you're still hanging out with the same losers?" Draco sneered.

Luna really looked at Draco for the first time since she'd first encountered him and suddenly realized that she felt bad for him. He really had nothing but his meanness, and that was sad.

Draco turned to her and their eyes caught each other. Luna felt a pull in her stomach and blinked in surprise. She'd looked at Draco any number of times before and somehow he'd never seemed so... So... Well, whatever it was that he seemed, he seemed a lot of it.

"You know, you really are quite attractive," was out of her mouth before she had time to think about it.

Every single face in the vicinity turned towards her. Draco blinked. For a moment he seemed almost pleased, but then a mask of disdain shrouded his features and he sneered.

"I suppose you're reading about another...what d'you call'um? Snarfblat? Bloody stupid idiot," he said.

Harry leapt to his feet. He, Neville, and Ginny whipped their wands out all at once. "Say that again," Harry snarled, low and dangerous.

Luna looked at Harry. "It's alright. Don't you see he can't help himself? This being mean? It's all he's got."

Draco had his wand out and pointed at her so fast she couldn't even follow it, and that was all the other three needed. Harry, Ginny, and Neville all shouted a jinx. Draco and his two friends toppled over, weird pox-marks covering their faces.

Ron and Hermione choose that moment to stroll up. "So, what happened to those three, then?" Ron asked.

"Wand malfunction," Ginny shrugged. "We're not sure why."

Ron and Hermione clearly didn't buy it, but neither of them seemed overly concerned, either. They entered the compartment. Hermione moved to take a seat by Harry. Luna had a feeling they'd be getting together soon. The rest of the train ride to Hogwarts was passed in companionable chatting and squabbling. And finally they arrived at the Hogsmeade station.

They all got off the train and Luna found herself separated from the rest of her group. She sighed and went to the back of the line of carriages. She'd always ridden in the one farthest back anyway. The same thestral that always carried her was hitched to that carriage and she stopped to stroke its velvety nose. But when she saw the first carriage start moving, she sighed and climbed inside hers.

Just as the carriage lurched forwards, the door opened and Draco Malfoy swung himself inside.

"Your friends are dangerous with their wands," he sneered.

"You were threatening me. Harry has dueled with Voldemort. You shouldn't cross him," Luna answered.

"Potter or The Dark Lord?" Draco asked.

"Either, but I was referring to Harry," Luna shrugged.

"So, Potter is just that powerful? Don't make me laugh," Draco said with a rather feral look.

"Fine. Don't believe me. Don't blame me, either, when you end up growing tentacles on your face again."

Draco blinked. "You heard about that?"

"Fred and George told me over the summer. It was quite funny," Luna said, although as she looked at Draco's face, she could see he didn't agree.

"Yeah, hi-bloody-larious," Draco said, looking out the window.

"Why are you always so mean, anyway?" Luna asked.

"That's what Slytherins do, isn't it?" Draco answered with no small amount of bitterness. "We're just rotten to the core, aren't we? So what if I'm mean?"

"It doesn't make you happy," Luna said.

"No one cares if I'm happy. People need someone to define themselves against," Draco answered.

"Only if they are too weak-minded to define themselves." Luna looked at him seriously. "There's no rule that says you have to fit the stereotype. You should do what you like."

Draco blinked. The carriage lurched to a halt. He bolted out of it.

Luna climbed down, looking after him curiously. What had just happened?