Together We Make an Ocean.
#20 Green: "You know," she said, "You are green, I'm blue, but together we're the sea!"
Draco was wandering the grounds of Hogwarts alone, none of his house mates had returned when the school opened again after the war. He had no friends and was always ahead of his work because of this. Into the start of the Christmas holidays he found this to be a disadvantage, as he was rather lonely. To say the war changed Draco slightly would be an understatement, it had changed everything. He no longer called anyone Mudblood, he was nice to Hermione and first years and he had outgrown his 'pureblood' antics, no longer strutting around like he owned the place; and on rare occasions he smiled. The war also changed his family; his father had lost his job and reputation. He was nearly sent to Azkaban as well as his mother, until Potter had stepped in and saved them, the Ministry even offered Father his job back, but he refused and instead him and Mother were somewhere in the world on their year long second honeymoon, to reacquaint themselves with each other.
As Draco walked down towards the Quidditch pitch he contemplated all that had happened in the last three months back at Hogwarts. Hermione and he were civil to each other, even sitting together in the library to complete the extra study sheets they decided to do for Arithmancy. His Slytherin housemates in the younger years disapproved of this, but she was the only person in the school who could relate to anything he'd been through. Even the Weaslette warmed up to him when she joined Hermione in the library, having trouble with her Transfiguration homework and he had jumped in, immediately knowing how to tackle her problem. As he turned around the side of the castle and looked towards the forest he was met with an odd sight, very odd indeed. There under the Whomping Willow, which was swinging its branches in wild swaying music was a bright blue blob; from this distance it might have been a dress. Draco started to head over to investigate his curiosity thoroughly aroused.
Getting closer but not to close Draco could just make out dirty blonde locks of hair flowing in the slight breeze, and a long bright light blue dress. He recognised the person in the dress immediately, how could he not, she had been the sunlight to his dark world during the war, even though she had been in his dungeon. Luna Lovegood. She wasn't the prettiest girl he had ever seen, but there was a certain attraction to her trust and hope in the world. Plus she had the deepest green-blue eyes he'd ever seen. Draco thought he might be more attracted to her than he'd like to admit.
"Oi, Luna! Are you mental?" he yelled out to her, still staying what was considered a safe distance from the Whomping Willow.
"Maybe … probably sometimes." Luna replied dreamily.
"What exactly are you doing?" asking only so he could be in her company a little longer.
"I'm dancing with the Whomping Willow; I thought that would be obvious." She smiled and put her hands above her head and did a series of twirls. "I'd ask you to join, but I'm rather sure the Whomping Willow will get jealous."
"Isn't it kind of dangerous?" he asked worried as a branch swooped past her body, mere inches from hitting her.
"Since when has dancing ever been dangerous?" She replied philosophically, 'Ravenclaws' he muttered under his breath while rolling his eyes. "There is nothing wrong with being a Ravenclaw" she replied, obviously he muttered too loudly. He sat comfortably watching her dance a little while longer, but he had lingered to long so he decided to leave.
"Well see you later, I better finish my homework" He said as an excuse and hurried off back towards the castle.
It was just after Christmas when he saw her again, she was wadding in the shallows of the black lake and he had been brooding about being lonely again. She was wearing dark purple leggings and a bright yellow top with her hair in a bun and her wand behind her ear.
"Again Luna, I must ask if you are mental. It's bloody freezing out her and you've decided it's a good time for a swim in the black lake?" he asked amused.
"Actually, I can't swim. Nobody ever taught me how. Will you teach me?" Luna replied only turning when she posed her question to Draco.
He blushed and muttered "It's not exactly my kind of weather for swimming" not wanting to deny her wishes as his affections for had grown over the last couple of weeks as he watched her between and in some cases during classes.
"Thank-you Draco, I'd appreciate it." She sighed, got out of the water and headed back to the castle, he noted people were still stealing her stuff and she had no shoes to wear. He stood there for a few moments longer before blushing again at the thought of Luna in a swimsuit and headed back to the castle.
*When it got warmer in March, Draco confronted Luna. "I think I owe you those swimming lessons, don't you?" He said rather confidently.
"Oh, that would be lovely. What are you doing this Friday evening?" She said slightly less dreamy than usual and more excited.
"Nothing, I don't have homework yet and even if I do it won't be anything I can't do over Saturday and Sunday." He replied, giving her one of his not so rare anymore smiles. "I'll meet you by the lake at 3, yeah?" and not waiting for a reply he wandered off to his class confidently.
Friday didn't come soon enough, and his luck was holding. It was a warm day but not so sunny that enough people ventured outside to watch their little lesson, Draco was grateful for this. He was hovering under a tree by the lake in pale green swim trunks and an old t-shirt with his towel draped over his shoulder when Luna wandered over in a pale blue one piece swim suit and a bright pink bag on her shoulder. As she approached Draco couldn't help but gape, he swore he'd never seen a more beautiful creature, and he'd been there at the Triwizard Tournament when the girls of Beauxbatons had entered the Great Hall. He was about to say something when her rather shy voice said.
"Well you look rather dashing don't you Draco" She smiled at him and all Draco could was blush and mutter a quite thank-you to her.
Regaining his composure and 'straightening' his swim trunks and said "So shall we get started?" Luna running towards the water was her reply. After Draco had more slowly gotten into the water he taught her to float, then float a kick bubbles and then finally about an hour later he deemed her ready to learn some strokes. Luna was a fast learner and before long they were both swimming and splashing in the Black Lake as the sun set over the castle.
Back in the shallows Luna approached Draco "Thank you so much for teaching me to swim!" she gushed excitedly "It's the most fun I've had since … well forever!"
"No problem Luna" Draco said with one of the biggest smiles his face ever had "I enjoyed it too"
"You know," she said, "You are green, I'm blue, but together we're the sea!" This struck a cord in Draco, how innocent her statement was didn't matter, but it did make him realise something. He took a hold of her wrinkly hand from all the water in his and said quietly "I really like you Luna, more than I've liked anyone" he started to blush again; it was getting annoying that she could do this to him.
"I really like you too Draco" she smiled at him and he thought for once that she might actually be on track, so he leaned in and right there in the shallows of the Black Lake as the sun set he kissed Luna Lovegood, resident loony of Hogwarts. There were no fireworks, but he didn't expect any, just her strangely soft warm lips against his cool ones with both of their eyes shut and hands still held. It seemed to last forever but only lasted the blink of an eye. "Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me on the next trip?" she nodded with the dreamiest and most wide eyed expression he'd ever seen on her face, he decided he liked it. So he kissed her again.
Fin
Inspired by Steve Zissou's Fifty (LL/DM)
Um I hope this wasn't to lovey dovey or mostly out of character, I know it probably wasn't to brilliant but I was an idea that struck me while reading 'Fifty' and I just had to get it down. Hope you liked it, reviews are love! :D