See Me

Chapter 3 – The Letter

Luna closed the door of the Owlery behind her, gliding ghost-like through the halls after Malfoy's path. She couldn't help the nerves that were flitting through her stomach at the moment, and even less could she stop replaying the way Malfoy had stared after Ginny when she'd ran. Something was going on, undoubtedly with Malfoy. And Ginny, well, she was just strange, but it was something that Luna had grown to enjoy, and even rely on at times for comedic relief.

She turned the bend in the corridor, and crashed into the hard chest of somebody, and looked up – way up – into the warm brown eyes of none other than Blaise Zabini. When he saw who had crashed into him, the skin of his face darkened noticeably, and he backed up, giving her space. Neither of them spoke.

Luna stared him in the eyes, watching as his dark orbs perused her figure down to the floor, and then returned up again to her face. Blaise looked at her, silent, and for a moment they stared at each other.

Finally, Luna gave a loud cry of exasperation and whirled away from him, marching down the hall away from him. Blaise watched her go for a moment, confusion etched into the lines of his face, and then followed her, running to catch up to her.

"Where's the fire, Lovegood?" he asked, teasing as he looked towards her.

In response, Luna continued walking away, speeding up and moving to the right side of the hall. At risk of crashing into the wall, Blaise was forced to fall back, but a look of determination was taking over his face, and he ran up to her other side.

"Are you afraid of me?" he taunted, smirking down at her tiny form.

Luna sped up again, and veered towards him. Ready for her, he backed off and came up on her other side again. However, as they continued speeding down the hall, he noticed the upcoming door, and began to herd her to her side of the hallway. Just as the open doorway was parallel to them, he gave her a bump on the hip with his body, and she was flung into the room. Blaise closed the door, and looked around, realizing that they were in what had to be an unused office, as the small room was devoid of anything but a dusty looking desk, and a bookshelf with a chipped mug on it.

In front of Blaise, her hands hanging limply at her sides, Luna stared back at the seventh year Slytherin boy before her. Her pale eyes were flashing at him, and her cheeks were flushed from their little chase. The long tresses of blonde hair that framed her fair face were wild, and had she been wearing white, Blaise would've been sure that he was looking upon an angel; A furious angel, but an angel nonetheless.

"You seem afraid of me, Lovegood." He said softly, his voice low. Having heard Malfoy speak to dozens of girls during their knowing each other, Blaise had picked up on a few of his devices for how to speak with them. "Are you afraid?"

Luna stared at him, lips still pursed together. And what lovely lips, Blaise couldn't help but think.

"Do I worry you?" he began, and took a step forward, and another with the next question. "Do I intimidate you?"

Luna's soft voice echoed eerily around the empty room, "Intimidate me? Size means nothing. Anyone who knows anything would know that the Jarvey is one of the most dangerous creatures in the world, and it's only twelve inches tall. So your size does not intimidate me. Rather, you anger me."

Looking slightly taken aback, Blaise's mouth fell slightly open. "I anger you?" he repeated.

"Do not deny Mr. Zabini that you spoke falsely about me." Luna's voice dropped to imitate his low pitch, and the slow way that he had spoken to her at first.

For a moment, Blaise's composure wavered. "Falsely?"

"According to one Draco Malfoy, I am notoriously talented at handling your wand." Luna carefully watched Blaise's face, noting as it fell slightly. "Is this why you cornered me in here? So that you could reap the benefits of my wand talents?" Though her voice was soft and musical, the anger was evident in the dissonant tones she as creating.

"Listen, Luna..." Blaise took another two steps towards her, until she'd backed up against the desk and he was only a foot in front of her. "You have to understand –"

"No, you listen, and understand me; don't use my name like you know me. You don't know me. And don't tell people that anything has happened between us. Because you and I both know that it hasn't, and it won't."

Blaise's face went void of emotion, and he nodded. Luna sidestepped him and moved to get around him. Just before she stepped through the door, he reached out and caught hold of her hand to swing her around to face him.

"I'm sorry." He said, his voice gentle, but genuine.

Surprised, Luna stared at him for a moment, before wordlessly turning, and leaving him there.

That evening, even as the students in the Ravenclaw had mostly trickled of to bed, Luna sat on her bed with the curtains drawn, a pile of crinkled parchment scattered around her. She was bent over her current attempt at the letter she was writing, the glow from her wand casting strange shadows around her. Finally, the sound of her quill scratching on the parchment came to a halt. Luna looked down at the unsigned letter before her, and then folded and sealed it with an air of finality.

She took a deep breath, and ran up to the Owlery, where she quickly selected a school owl, posted her letter, and watched it fly away before returning to the Ravenclaw common room, a barely noticeable smile on her face.