Luna exited professor Flitwick's class, she had just been to thank him for the wonderful lesson they had had today. She liked Charms; it was one of her favourite subjects. Professor Flitwick always taught them something new and interesting. Humming to herself, Luna turned a corner and as she passed a window pressed her face against it to see if she could catch a glimpse of the stars through the frost pane. While her face was pressed against the pane of glass she heard footsteps drawing nearer. They stopped a couple of feet from where she was standing.
"Hello!" said Luna, turning around.
Standing in front of her was a tall boy, with white-blonde hair and funny grey eyes that reminded Luna of clouds of smoke. She would have called the boy handsome if he hadn't a nasty smirk on his face. His name was Draon - no, no it wasn't. Draco yes, that was it, Draco Malfoy. He was a sixth year Slytherin, it said so on his badge. Luna had heard Ginny talk of him, and the things she said were not good. Luna would have to be careful about what she said.
"Hello Loony," he smirked.
Luna stood tall and told him what her father had told her, "I'm not loony, I am just unique."
Draco snorted, "That's one way of putting it!"
"No," Luna replied calmly, "it's the only way of putting it. Everyone is different."
Realising he was fighting a losing battle, Draco changed the subject. "Why do you put your wand there?" he sneered pointing at her ear. "It looks stupid." Luna took a little time to explain that it was always there when she needed it if she put it behind her ear.
"Barking," Draco muttered, knowing she could hear him.
Luna ignored the comment like she did with all the others she got. "Why don't you like him?" she asked, tracing her finger down a large crack in the stone wall.
"Don't like who?" Draco asked.
"Harry, he seems very nice to me."
"Potter is an idiot and if he and I were friends, which we will never be, my father would kill me," Draco snapped.
Luna looked shocked. "He was the one at the ministry wasn't he?" she said. Draco didn't reply so she assumed she was correct. "You don't have to follow them, you know."
A spider ventured out of the crack in the rock. Luna caught it and played with it, watching as it ran across the back of one hand and then onto the other.
"Who?" Draco snipped.
"Your father and the men who wish to do us all harm. You are better than them. They should not control your future or the way you think, you should. Mars is bright, brighter than it has been for years. We are nearing war; don't be on the wrong side."
Draco stared at his feet, feeling for once sorry for himself wishing he could be away from his father and with Dumbledore. If only that Harry Potter and his loser friends weren't on the good side.
"Sometimes we have to swallow our pride," Luna said as if reading his mind. "Follow your heart, not your father. Do what's right not what's easy."
Draco looked up, but Luna had gone. Follow your heart, not your father. The words rang in his ears. It was always harder to put speech into action, but he would have to try.