A/N This is a continuation of my one-shot By Her Side. While I suggest that you read that, it isn't really necessary to follow this. I haven't written a chaptered piece in quite some time (a few years) so I'm not sure how great this will be, but I worked hard so I'd really appreciate some feedback! Even if you don't have an account, I allow anonymous reviews, so please drop me a line. Anywho, on to the story. I present to you A Little Bit Loony.
Holding Luna Lovegoods hand hadn't got any less amazing after the past three or so days since she first grabbed his hand. In fact, the thrill he felt every time she laced her fingers with his only amplified over the past few days, to a point where Draco feared he'd become some permanently grinning fool. Yes, it was a good thing indeed to have her slender fingers laced with his own, her small palm flush against his bigger one.
"Nargle got your tongue, Draco?" She smiled over to him as they walked through the corridors, ignoring the strange looks they still got. He couldn't help but smile at her. He'd come to find her belief in strange creatures to be oddly endearing over the past few days. To a point where he would mention them all on his own, not that he actually believed in their existence, but it brought a smile to her face when he did and he so loved to see her smile. He figured he'd do even the most ridiculous things if it meant he could see her brilliant smile or hear her often too-loud laugh.
"No nargles here, Luna. I was just thinking." He squeezed her hand lightly in reassurance. Her brows furrowed as she looked at him, as though she knew he was fibbing to her and intended to get the truth out of him. He knew that she would. Luna had a way of knowing what he really meant, and what he was really thinking. It was as though she were a Legilimens. He knew she wasn't, she just happened to understand him so well, a fact that wowed Draco to no end.
Before three days ago, they had never really spoken to one another passed his scathing remarks, yet here she was, seeming to know him better than he knew himself. "People staring don't bother me, Draco." She said it in her usual serene, airy tone, knowing exactly what to say to his inner musings. He didn't know how she could hold the hand of a former Death Eater with no care in the world, but he was glad that she could.
He recalled the reaction – the very day she interrupted his silence in the courtyard – of Harry's companions. They weren't at all happy to see her with the likes of Draco Malfoy.
Draco could hardly believe the insanity of his situation, him walking through the corridors hand in hand with Loony …no, Luna Lovegood. To say that people were gawking would be an understatement indeed. The whispers were hardly trying to be concealed from others lips and he found himself feeling slightly uncomfortable. Not that he wasn't used to the whispering, but it was the subject of the whispers that made him uneasy. They were whispering that he and Luna were together in more than just their clasped hands.
He looked to Luna who was looking straight ahead, a smile on her face, ignoring all the looks and whispers. He didn't know how she did it, walking around as though she hadn't a care in the world. He envied that about her and admired it both at the same time. "Don't worry about what they say, Draco. We know the truth." Her voice was soft as always, and he smiled slightly. But he didn't know the truth. She had kissed him square on the mouth, what had that meant?
It wasn't long however before they arrived to their destination: the great hall, where lunch was just ending. The students were all out of their seats, ready to walk out when they caught sight of the pair. The whispering came quickly, making Draco unsettled while Luna acted as though no one was looking and pointing their way. When they saw what was left of Potter's group, Draco's heart jumped to his throat. This would not be a good thing.
The look on Hermione's face was – to say the least – absolute shock. The friends around her mirrored her look as they made their way over to the pair, giving very confused expressions. "Luna? What is going on?" Hermione looked to her with her brows furrowed, trying to figure out the situation.
"I've made a new friend. Draco Malfoy." She said it dreamily, and Ginny Weasley stepped forward with a murderous look on her face as she held the hand of Hermione Granger reassuringly. Draco nearly winced, waiting for the venomous words that were sure to come.
"We know who he is Luna. Why are you making friends with him? After all he's done to us?" She nearly spat the words, looking to Draco with a look that far exceeded simple distaste. Luna just looked to her and smiled.
"I can understand why you'd feel like this Ginny, but I know Draco isn't a bad guy." She said it simply, as though her best friend wasn't yelling at her. "I think he had a bad case of wrackspurts before." She gave a slight shrug, and looked to her friends as if conveying that she would be his friend no matter what. But that was only seen if you knew how to look past the perpetually calm look in her eyes.
"Wrackspurts? Luna don't be ridiculous. He was a Death Eater." Hermione spoke up. "He's done nothing but torment you and half the other student body." Her words caused Draco to cringe slightly. Their reaction was deserved, and he couldn't say he felt angry with them for it. They were right, he didn't deserve the friendship of much of anyone, let alone Luna Lovegood, who was by all accounts an innocent, sweet young woman.
"Luna knows how to take care of herself." Seamus Finnigan came up behind the two girls, quickly ending the conversation before it could escalate, and lead the two girls out of the great hall.
"That went splendidly, I think." Draco looked to Luna when she said the words with an absolutely dreamy look on her face.
Draco nearly laughed at the memory of that day. Why she had chosen not to see how terribly the encounter had gone, he had no idea. He was certain that the two girls had tried to talk her out of a friendship with him, if the looks they gave them were any indication, but he was glad to see that Luna didn't pay their opinions any heed.
"You seem troubled Draco." He was snapped out of his reverie and looked to greet Luna's stormy grey eyes looking his way. He loved her eyes, and felt like a lovesick puppy every time he looked into them. It was ridiculous, and some the old him would have sneered at such a thought…or would he? Draco was finding it increasingly difficult to determine whether he ever really was that horrible person or if it was all a façade. Luna was doing a great many things to him, and confusing him was only one of them. Though he couldn't bring himself to be angry. Not when she looked at him like that.
"If it's about yesterday, don't worry. Soon they'll see who I do. I'm sure of it." She continued, giving him a kiss on the cheek before releasing his hand and heading off to her class. When she was clear out of shot, Draco heard a sneering sort of laugh and turned to come face to face with his old friend, Blaise Zabini. Friend was a heavy word, Draco thought, but he didn't know what else to call him.
"Loony Lovegood? Oh how the mighty have fallen." He spat, looking at Draco with absolute disgust. "What next, you and Potter holding hands and skipping through a field of flowers? Honestly Draco, I didn't think you could get anymore pathetic." He continued, shaking his head in a disapproving manner. Draco didn't care much for the approval of Blaise, even if he had once considered him a friend. He had long since accepted that he had no friends…not until he met Luna, anyways.
"Yes, because everything I did before was so admirable. What do you want, Blaise? I've no time for your foolishness." Draco waved him off, hoping it would be the end of the conversation, but Blaise just adorned a further disgusted look, if possible. Draco knew the next words he wouldn't like, he knew that face, he had used it several times himself. They were words that would inevitably start a fight.
"I'm foolish? Look at you, frolicking about with Loony. That dumb bitch has tainted -" Draco's fist clenched at his words and before he knew it, his wand was pulled and Blaise was lying frozen on the floor, staring up at him with shocked eyes.
"Don't you ever talk about Luna again." Draco warned, his wand pointing right at Blaise. "Or it will be more than just a body bind." With that, he walked away, hoping that no Prefects or teachers saw his actions. He was already in enough trouble, what with his past, and he didn't need anything else further condemning him.
But damn it, he didn't care. No one should talk about Luna in such a way. She was not deserving of harsh words, least deserving of anything he knew as a matter of fact. He grumbled profanities to himself as he walked off towards his next class. He was not in a good mood.
This mood would prove to be even lessened when he heard his name and turned to see a professor telling him to make his way to the headmistress's office. The professor walked his way to Draco, grabbed a bit of his robes and started dragging him in the direction of McGonagall's office. Draco gave a groan as he allowed himself to be led, ignoring all the curious looks of passersby. This was definitely not what he needed.
"Using a full body bind on Mr. Zabini, Mr. Malfoy? I would have thought you would know better." The headmistress addressed him sternly as he entered her office, waving the professor out. The look in her eye clearly stated that she was sure Draco was up to no good, as though she had lost all hope in him and perhaps she had. Gryffindor and Slytherin never did get along well, and this wasn't lost on the relationships between teachers and students.
"Care to explain what happened?" She looked at him pointedly, as if trying to figure out why he'd turn a spell against someone who was –up until recently – known as his friend. He shook his head at her question and gave a sigh. He didn't really feel like explaining the situation, because even he didn't really know what happened. He hadn't consciously made the decision to lay Blaise flat on the ground. It was instinctual.
"It seems you've already made your decision about me, headmistress." He said as he looked to the ground, then looking up to see the even more stern look she had adopted. She didn't look happy at all, and he could only guess the type of punishment he'd get. He knew he really shouldn't have taken his surly tone with the headmistress, especially since he knew McGonagall to be the hard ass she was.
"Don't take that tone with me Mr. Malfoy. You will explain what happened this instance." Her tone reeked of authority, and Draco nearly flinched at the look she was giving him. It was absolutely determined, and he knew he'd have no choice but to tell her what had prompted him to send a spell at his former best friend.
"I was walking to my class, after departing my time with Luna Lovegood and Blaise came up out of nowhere saying things about her that were not friendly in the least." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The next thing I know, he's on the ground. I didn't consciously decide to curse him, it was reflexive." He looked to gauge her reaction and saw that her look softened, only just.
"I had heard you were becoming close with Miss Lovegood…but well, I just wasn't sure I believed it." She seemed to like hearing that it was true, but Draco still knew he'd be getting in trouble for his actions. "I should suspend you for doing such a thing but I suppose two weeks detention should do." She gave a sigh, as though disappointed in herself for being so lenient. "Now off with you. Get to class."
He didn't have to be told twice and bowed out of her office in no time, making his way to class in silence. He hoped Luna hadn't heard of his excursions. She would surely be worried, even if she never really showed it. In the past few days, he'd gotten better at reading the subtle shifts in her demeanor. She wasn't always so far away as she seemed, he supposed, because she definitely did seem to worry in some way.
It wasn't long until he got to his class – charms – and he came in late telling the teacher why he was absent. This earned him looks from the students, but he ignored them as he took his usual seat, counting down the minutes until he'd see Luna again. She had a way of doing this to him. Making him a little bit loony.
A/N Well that's the end of chapter one. I suppose this will last another few chapters. I suggest putting this on your subscribe list if you're interested in following, because I can't offer any set times for updates, though it shouldn't be too long. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review.