Twittering Bumbergal

I was slowly walking, dragging my feet down Diagon Alley, going nowhere, and not trying to get anywhere. I was angry with myself. Why hadn't I stood up to my father? Oh yeah, that's right, because Voldemort would have killed me. But now Saint Potter had defeated the Dark Lord, and the world was right again. Don't get me wrong; I was just as happy as anyone else, I was even glad that my father had gotten imprisoned in Azkaban again. It meant I wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. He had, after all, gotten me into that mess in the first place. I passed by those Weasley Twins shop: Weasley's Wizard Wheezes or whatever it was called and considered going in since they seemed to be the only ones around right now. I could see them through their shop window, Fred or George saying something to the other one, both their faces etched with the same lines of misery and grief. I wanted to tell them I was sorry for the loss of their brother, Charlie, but I couldn't make myself do it. They would, I was sure, still see me as that bastard Draco Malfoy as they must have remembered me as being, back at Hogwarts. No one had really seen how the war had changed me. I was now always continually drowning in regret and feeling like a horrible person. I wanted so badly to apologize to Potter and Weasel-bee and even mudblood Granger for all of it. I did owe them my life after all, but it was more than that, I truly felt sorry. I'm not even sure when the last time I had a real conversation with someone was. And that's when I heard it, a dreamy voice that sounded vaguely familiar calling for help. Something was off though, the voice didn't sound scared so I couldn't understand why they'd be calling out in the first place. I sped up my pace anyhow though, walking quickly in the direction of the voice. I turned one more corner and found myself face to face with non-other than Loony Lovegood. Her eyes were closed and she was waving her hands over her head ask if something was trying to land on it.

"Uh Lovegood, what are you doing?" I asked the most polite voice I could manage.

Her big blue eyes opened.

"Oh! It's you Draco; I hardly even recognized you since you look so different."

Did her voice always have that dreamy quality to it? I wondered. Then I looked down. I was still wearing my black suit and my hair was still white blonde and I was sure I was still pale, probably more than normal actually. What did she mean I looked different?

"Err sorry, but what do you mean?" I questioned her; surprised I could talk so casually.

She blinked and looked at me like I should already know the answer to my question.

"I didn't mean your appearance, I meant your expression." She explained.

I pondered that for a few seconds. Perhaps the cold sneer that used to be on my face 24/7 had finally disappeared. I cleared my throat.

"So what are you doing here anyway, Lovegood?" I said, looking around.

We were standing in a dark passageway, not very close to any of the shops. She was wearing a sweater and jeans, her long dirty blonde hair tied back in a braid and her wand behind her ear.

"I was walking around, and then a Twittering Bumbergal was trying to land on me, but don't worry, your voice scared it away." She answered, as if it made perfect sense.

I just stared blankly at her.

"A Twittering what-ergal?"

"Twittering Bumbergal…..you know they're little fairy type creatures that like to nest in hair." Luna explained.

I just shrugged, giving up.

"Well I ought to be getting home." She said quietly and started to walk around me.

I quickly stuck out my arm to stop her; she couldn't leave me here alone.

"Do you want something Draco?" She asked me.

I found it so strange that she called me by my first name.

"Do you really have to go, or will you come with me to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink?" I replied, having no idea what made me say it, it just popped out of my mouth.

She looked very surprised, her already big eyes widening even more. Luna's gaze traveled over my face and I wondered what she saw there. Was it hope?

"I…Yes… I suppose I can go with you Draco."

Talking

She swished the umbrella around and around in her drink. I took a sip of my fire whisky. Neither of us had spoken since Luna had said she could come with me. We were sitting at a booth far away from anyone else. I stared out the window, feeling awkward. Why did I invite her? I asked myself. It had been a stupid thing to do. She must have felt very uncomfortable too, sitting across from me. I think I must have used to tease her, at Hogwarts. Maybe not, she was a year younger than me after all, and I'd saved most of the sneering for Potter. Damn me. Why was I such a little bastard back then? I blamed my father; he was the real bastard after all. Then Luna cleared her throat and I looked at her, I'd almost forgotten she was even there.

"Why did you ask me to come with you Draco?"She asked me.

And before I knew it, all of it was coming tumbling out if my mouth. I told her how I hadn't talked to anyone in so long and I'd just been wandering around Diagon Alley lately. At least I managed to shut up before I got to the part where I wanted to apologize to the famous golden trio.

"So really, I invited you because I needed company and you're the only one who hasn't glared at me when they recognize me as a Death Eater." I finished lamely.

She looked sympathetic as her big blue eyes roamed my face again. Then almost like she couldn't help it she asked

"And are you a death eater?"

I felt the all too familiar anger boil up inside of me, and I had to take a few breaths. I didn't want to take my anger out on her and scare her away; she was the nicest anyone had been to me in a long time.

"No! No I swear I'm not!" I said a little more loudly than I perhaps should have.

A few heads turned our way. She placed her tiny white hand on top of mine. My reaction was to pull away but I forced myself to not move. She took her hand off mine anyway, but not until after she said

"I believe you."

I smiled for the first time in forever. It didn't feel right, like it was stretching my skin, and I quickly stopped. She smiled back though as if in encouragement.

"Well this was really nice but I do have to get going."

"Wait. When will I see you again?"

Just like last time, I said this without thinking. She smiled softly to herself.

"How about we meet here tomorrow, at the same time?" She asked.

"Sure! Wait Loveg...I mean Luna, what time is it?"

She laughed and stood up.

"It's 11am, and I much as I enjoy talking to you Draco, I think you should talk to other people as well."

I just nodded slowly and stood up too. Not like I was going to hang around with that creepy old landlord.

"See you tomorrow Draco"

"Bye...Luna. "

The name still felt odd on my tongue, I wasn't used to saying first names. She patted me on the shoulder lightly and before I knew it, she had skipped out the door and disapperated. I stood there staring at the spot in which she had disappeared, until the bartender tapped me on the shoulder.

"Are you going to pay Mr.?"

I turned around deliberately slow, knowing what would happen when he saw me. He gasped, just like I had predicted and backed up a couple steps.

"Here" I said, shoving a few sickles and a few galleons in his hand.

"Keep the change,"

And I dashed out without looking back. Once I was standing in the street, what I had to do became clear to me. I did need to thank Potter, Weasley and Granger, but there was something that had to be done, I needed to know where they were first all, and this was the only solution I could think of. And on top of that, it would be what Luna wanted, I realized with a chuckle. This would mean talking to someone else, or on this case, two people.