Luna found herself in the company of Hermione, Ron, and Harry in the grass near the Black Lake.
It was their last week before Summer Break, and Luna suggested the idea because Hermione was going out to read anyway. She also told them that the more time they spent in the fresh air, the less likely Wrinkleports would make them dizzy in the confinement of the castle walls.
She allowed the breeze to brush through her hair, and she closed her eyes with a smile still on her face.
It was something she could get used to, the peaceful movement of the winds; not like the fighting that always occurred between the Houses. Slytherin and Gryffindor were the main Houses that were in conflict with one another and had been apparently for years.
Luna never understood where the hostility came from, but she was never one to give it. She preferred the peaceful route; besides, the Nimtruckles were the vigilantes towards bullies.
So when she heard the conversation between the boys, rather, Ron talking about the Slytherins, Luna was going to drown him out in hopes that she wouldn't be pressed into saying anything she didn't agree to.
However, she heard him talking horridly about one Slytherin in particular, their Prefect, Draco Malfoy, and "Don't you think so, Luna?" so she had to step in.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with Draco," Luna said, "in fact, I think he's simply misguided through the hate given to him because of his parents' influences."
"Are you insane?" Ron demanded, "Why would you defend him?"
Luna tilted her head, looking at Ron curiously. "Why not?"
"Because..." Ron began sputtering out reason after reason as to why she shouldn't have defended Draco. She nodded her head as he continued on, listening to his every word. However, when Ron was finished, Luna simple smiled.
"The Nargles might have gotten blurred your thinking, Ron," Luna said, "as Draco has never done anything to me."
Ron's mouth was agape, opening and closing like a fish. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose while Hermione buried her head back into the book she was reading.
"Your points are valid, yes," Luna continued, "but they are generated from your own personal feelings towards him, not my own."
The redhead held up a finger and prepared to continue arguing his point, but he was prevented from doing so by his best mate.
"Give it a rest, Ron," Harry said with a sigh, "if Luna wants to think that Malfoy is redeemable from being the git that he is, then let her."
Ron sucked in a breath, going to say something to Harry, but he was interrupted once again.
"Listen to Harry, Ron," Hermione piped in, not looking up from her book, "it's a futile argument. Let it go."
Ron mumbled under his breath and sat back on the tree trunk. "Fine," he grunted out.
Luna's smile was soft and serene. "If you didn't let the Rumplebits crawl around you then your mind would be more open," she said to Ron, "they're pestering little things, always moving about like spiders."
"S-Spiders?" Ron squeaked, standing up quickly and shaking his legs to remove any creepy crawlies that may have crept up his pants.
Luna watched Ron amusingly while Harry shook his head. Hermione had kept her attention into her book, clearly unphased by Ron's behavior. After his episode was over, Luna laid back in the grass, allowing her hair to spill freely in it. She looked up at the sky, mentally describing the shapes of the clouds as creatures that she learned about throughout her life.
She was always one to observe others from afar, being that it was easy to be secluded because of how others treated her. Lune sensed things about people and wasn't afraid to tell them about her senses.
Except she didn't sense that there was someone who had seen the exchange between her and Ron at the Black Lake.
The rest of the time spent near the Black Lake had been peaceful, with the exception of Ron looking around for something resembling a spider. The trio had left some time afterwards, leaving Luna alone to her own thoughts.
That was perfectly fine with her, but that solitude did not last for long as she heard the shuffling of someone sitting down next to her.
Luna glanced over at the person, recognizing them immediately from their lean body to the blonde hair unkempt on their head.
"It's not combed back today, Draco," Luna said, glancing back at the lake.
"Finished flying not too long ago," he replied in a clipped tone.
"That's not why you're sitting next to me," Luna replied, turning to face him again.
A snarl formed on Draco's face. "Why did you defend me earlier?"
Luna only looked amused, setting a hand on his knee. "Why not?"
It was a simple response and gesture that Draco must not have expected because the snarl disappeared from his face; he didn't move her hand away either.
Luna thought her response made perfect sense, because she had no reason not to defend him. He may have a reputation as a bully to others, yet he had never targeted her.
For that, Luna would always believe that Draco was a pleasant guy, and he would grow up into a pleasant man. He just needed to know that there was someone out there that would ask, "Why not?"
Written for HSWW (Challenges and Assignments) and a birthday fic for Aldira!
Assignment #1 Care of Magical Creatures; Task: write about a pacifist having to defend someone or something
Insane House Challenge: 722. Title - Why Not?
365 Prompts Challenge: 245. Restriction - characters from only one era
Peculiar Day: Write about someone who's considered strange
Restriction of the Month: (character) Luna Lovegood
Dueling Club: Juniper Wand: (word) press, (AU) Voldermort never existed, (pairing) Draco/Luna
Stickers Challenge - Hufflepuff Collection - Fat Friar: (trait) kind
Word Count: 909
Note: The creatures that Luna has mentioned are simply names I made up lol