Parkinson, wait Draco called after the dark haired figure walking away from him towards the castle.
Draco, stop. We re over, you arrogant, self-absorbed, git! Pansy yelled over her shoulder and then turned away from the lake and into the entrance of Hogwarts.
Draco Malfoy kicked a rock into the lake and then sank down onto the beech tree s lower branch.
Whatever , Draco assured himself, She didn t deserve me anyways .
The palm-sized bronze rock was shot back at him and landed on his foot, scuffing his shoes. He looked around for his thrower, and saw that the merpeople that lived in the lake had thrown the stone back at him. They hissed at him and screeched something in their language, and sunk back under the black water.
Stupid breed, merpeople said Draco.
There was a rustle in the bushes as a figure walked towards him.
It s not entirely their fault. That lake is probably swarming with Nargles, you know said a dreamy voice.
Draco turned around to see the speaker. She was about his height with blonde hair that flowed down to her waist. Her soft blue eyes caught his piercing grey ones and then they looked back down to the article she was holding.
The Quibbler? You actually read that piece of junk? Draco asked his voice aloof.
Oh yes, said the dreamy voice, My father s the editor. They re doing a whole article about Nargles this week. Apparently they like the water she said.
What the devil is a Nargle ? Draco asked, trying to sound disinterested but failing.
Oh, they re invisible little creatures that cloud your brain and make it fuzzy. You have some swarming around your ears right now as a matter of fact. I can sense them she said.
Draco nervously swatted the space around his ear.
Oh no, no she giggled. You don t get them like that. Here she moved closer to him and pinched the air around his ear. There. They re harmless, you know and she unclenched her forefinger from her thumb, releasing the Nargles.
Draco was on the fence between This girl is quite interesting and I should run as fast as I can back to the Slytherin common room .
Oh, I leave you alone then. I can see you were in a deep thought. I can see it disappearing in your eyes as we speak she said, about to turn her back on him and the Nargles.
Wait Draco almost shouted. What s your name?
Luna. Luna Lovegood Luna said, putting away her Quibbler. I must go though; I heard they re serving pudding in the Great Hall tonight. I do hope it s butterscotch, although tapioca would be splendid too... she trailed off as she turned and walked away with a wave behind her. Goodbye, Draco. I ll see you later; a person isn t that hard to find even in a big school like this unless you re looking for them and then Luna disappeared out of sight.
Draco was left staring after her, not even wondering how she knew his name.