(A/N: This one, as my best friend/beta put it, is "depressing". It's not that bad, at least, I didn't intend it to be depressing. BUT. You, reader, are the judge of that. So, review and tell me if you think so. :) The next two are 'feel good' drabbles, so, the unhappiness doesn't last long.)


7. Rivalry

He's walking down Diagon Alley in a relatively good mood. He's on his way to the Magical Menagerie to go visit Luna. It's been three months since he slipped her his card and they've been owling ever since. Sometimes he takes her out on a date, but they're not official, no, not yet. That's his plan for today: to ask her to dinner and then ask her to be his girlfriend. She's smart, she's pretty, and she talks about the craziest things. She always makes him laugh and they always have fun together.

Just as he's passing Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, he notices something: a girl who looks remarkably like Luna sitting with a red-haired man, eating ice cream and laughing. As for the man's identity, Draco knows not. But, he knows a date when he sees one.

A part of him wants to go up and ask her who the man is, but, no, they aren't exclusive, Draco knows that. Instead, he just goes to the Magical Menagerie and asks Julia where Luna is.

"Oh, some man dropped by to take her to lunch, did she not tell you?" the brunette witch says.

"Oh," Draco replies, looking down at the bouquet of calla lilies in his hand. "Do you know his name?"

Julia sighs. "Something ridiculous. Ralph? Rolando? Oh! It's Rolf. Rolf Scamander."

Draco nods. He's heard of him; a naturalist or something of the sort. He sighs. Handing Julia the calla lilies, he says, "Just tell Luna I dropped by, I guess. That I missed seeing her."

Julia nods, taking the bouquet from him. "I'll tell her. And Draco?"

"Hm?"

"In case you're wondering, he's not a rival, not even close. He may fancy her, but I have a feeling she likes you better."

Rival or not, Draco thinks, this still sucks.