A/N: So sorry for the long wait!

Love,

Christine (suckr4romance)

Chapter Seven: Peacemaker

So, Ginny had been putting it off. Maybe it was her intolerance; maybe it was her stubbornness. Whatever it was, it was preventing her from approaching Malfoy about the whole "tutoring" fiasco.

She didn't want to talk about it, but something had to be done. If she hadn't improved in her potion-making by the time Monday's class rolled around, Slughorn would probably have her drop his N.E.W.T. course.

Currently, Ginny was sitting at a table in the library, attempting to pour over the textbook in front of her. The book happened to be Advanced Potion-Making. She was failing miserably. The words swam together, her eyes blurring. It was then that she realized she was crying.

She wiped a tear away using her little finger. How was it she could cry over Potions, and not over the war? For some reason, in starting her sixth year at Hogwarts, she had grown out of her habit of crying herself to sleep every night. All summer, she'd done just that. And she knew it was more than just Harry making her feel that way. She most often thought of her brothers, her parents, other Order members, and even Fleur, on occasion.

She suddenly felt very small…what could little Ginevra Weasley do to help in the big scheme of things? She couldn't even pass in Potions class, let alone hold her own in some epic battle scene.

The tears were a combination of all the things bothering her, and this utterly stupid thing with Malfoy had broken the barriers for the waterworks. She wouldn't let this happen. Malfoy wasn't the root of her problems and he certainly wasn't worth thinking about.

Ginny sniffed and wiped her face clean, resolution present in her expression. If she couldn't resolve her argument with Malfoy, she knew she had to do everything in her power to better herself in potions on her own terms.

"Ginny?" A soft voice seemed to call to her from afar. Ginny looked up.

"Hullo, Luna," she sighed.

"You look tired," Luna observed, her translucent eyes wide and earnest.

"I am." Ginny's tone was a bit grouchier than she'd intended.

"You know," Luna began as she sat down opposite Ginny, "people say the strangest things sometimes."

"You don't say?" Luna was one of those people, so Ginny was a little interested to see where this was going.

"Anthony Goldstein said something in N.E.W.T. Muggle Studies today and it made me wonder…"

"Wonder what, Luna?" Ginny was growing impatient.

"Well…you weren't with Draco Malfoy just now, were you?" It was pretty mental for Luna to be talking like this; her words sounded similar to something Lavender Brown or Parvati Patil would say. "Anthony said that he heard the most awful things about the two of you."

"What? What kind of things?" Ginny's face paled and her eyes grew wide in horror.

"I don't believe them, of course. I know you better than that. You hate Malfoy!"

"Damn straight," Ginny muttered.

"What I was wondering was, why have people been spreading that around, if it isn't true?" Luna wondered, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Luna, it seemed, had an almost naïve worldview, to think it strange people would spread rumors.

"Malfoy's my Potions tutor," Ginny divulged to her friend. "But people won't be satisfied with that explanation; they just have to keep—"

"Your Potions tutor!" exclaimed Luna, a little too loudly. Ginny shushed her.

"Sorry," Luna apologized.

"It's all right," Ginny whispered. "I just don't think spreading the word is the best idea."

"You're right. It would only make matters worse. People are already saying that you're using Malfoy on the rebound from Harry…Ginny, are you quite all right?"

Ginny's complexion was pale as a ghost, her face whiter than before. She didn't answer Luna, only staring off into space.

"Ginny?"

She blinked, coming to. "Luna, who's saying all this?"

"I'm not sure, because I only overheard Anthony. I suppose someone else first said it, but as to who did…" Luna trailed off, her normal dreamy, thoughtful look about her features.

Ginny's mind reeled as she considered possible suspects. A Slytherin or a Gryffindor? No, her housemates would be on her side about this…unless of course it was Lavender, who very obviously resented her entire family now. But Lavender, Ginny assumed, was not so creative as to start a whole rumor by herself. Sure, the girls could pass one on and fudge it up a bit, but beginning from scratch? Ginny had her doubts.

Just as Ginny had settled on the rumor-monger being a Slytherin, Luna chose the moment to speak.

"Ginny, I know what to do."

It was one of the clearest, most decisive statements Ginny had ever witnessed come from Luna's mouth. She nodded, encouraging her friend to continue.

"I'll just go ask Draco Malfoy what he thinks," said Luna, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

Ginny hesitated. "Oh, Luna, I don't think you should do that. It'll just create more friction where there needn't be any—"

"I think it's for your own good—his and yours," Luna assured her. "Stay here; I'll be back shortly."

Luna left without another word and all Ginny could do was gape after her helplessly. She did as Luna instructed, finding herself unable to move an inch, frozen in shock. In the hands of Luna Lovegood, what could one do but sit back and watch as her life unfolded before her very eyes?

Draco had just finished cleaning up his mess (he had decided to brew the potion himself, to get his mind off things) in dungeon number four and was locking its door when he heard someone's footsteps from down the corridor. Probably Pansy, come to bother him about the Weaslette again. She'd never cease to annoy him; it was an awful fact he'd have to live with the rest of his life…if only he could be spared of that living Hell…

But, upon turning, Draco found that it was not Pansy Parkinson he'd have to deal with at the moment, but the bright-eyed blonde from Ravenclaw who loved drawing attention to cloud formations during Quidditch matches.

"Hello, Draco Malfoy," Loony Lovegood greeted him cheerily.

"Hullo," he replied dully. He began walking up to the main level of the castle, not caring if she followed him or not.

She stayed on his tail the entire time, so closely that he finally turned on her and said, rather agitatedly, "What the hell do you want, Lovegood?"

"Thank you for asking," she said sincerely. "I wanted to ask you about Ginny."

"I have absolutely nothing to say about her," Draco said automatically.

"That's not true. You said it too quickly to mean it."

Damn, that girl was observant. "I don't feel like talking to you. In fact, I don't feel like talking at all. So leave me alone, and go find your Crud…Hoary…whatever."

Luna looked at him pointedly. "You really should talk to someone. And why not me?"

She was being stubborn. Two could play at that game. "I'm not pouring out my guts to you, Lovegood. Deal with it."

"I've heard rumors, of course," Luna went on, ignoring Draco's protests. "But Ginny's assured me they're all lies."

"Of course they are," Draco snapped. "And you'll do well to remember that. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be going to dinner."

"Not so fast, Draco," Luna said in a calm voice, slipping her wand from within her robes. Draco was instantly reminded of a Muggle film he'd once heard of, in which a dummy supposedly came to life. Luna looked like a woman possessed; her eyes were all wide and innocent (not that she'd ever looked any different). She was going to force him into talking. The situation would have been laughable, had he not been at her mercy.

"You're one scary lass, Lovegood," Draco remarked. He said this in a sarcastic tone, but he wondered if his eyes were betraying his building unease.

"All I want," she said cheerily, "is for you to tell me what you've been spreading around about you and Ginny."

"And all I want is for you to go the hell away."

"People make crafty comments when they're in tight spots," Luna sang. "People avoid the subject at hand when they want to hide something."

Draco found himself backing against the wall, and Luna inching closer and closer to him.

"Still nothing, I see," she said after another minute.

"I'm not going to admit to something I didn't do. I don't even know what the hell you're talking about!"

"Admitting that there is a problem is the first step," Luna told him.

"What is this? A bloody session with Healer Lovegood? I'm not staying here for this!"

"Anger management issue…" Luna seemed to be taking a mental note of his 'state'…hell, Lovegood was mental.

"Bloody hell, this witch is certifiable…"

"You're talking to yourself," Luna informed him. "Clearly a sign of either stress or insanity."

"And you talking to yourself isn't the same thing?" Draco considered this for a moment. "Well, I suppose it's normal for you…"

"Follow me, Draco Malfoy," Luna said, ignoring his insult. She gestured up the stairs.

"What? Where are you taking me?"

"The library. Don't make me force you."

Draco didn't want to be forced. How would it look, with Luna Lovegood, of all people, leading him around Hogwarts with her wand up his…? And he'd thought the tutoring fiasco had been bad. He didn't imagine things could get much worse.

Doomed—that's how Ginny was feeling. Once Luna provoked Draco, she was sure the so-called ex-Death Eater would lash out, in some catastrophic way. That naïve, foolish girl!

Luna, as it soon appeared, was coming back. The calm Ravenclaw, Ginny saw as she passed between bookshelves, was not alone, but leading someone along with her.

Draco Malfoy had one of those sneering frowns on his face as Luna prodded him in the back with her wand.

"Hey, watch where you point that thing!"

"I could point it other places, if you'd like." Ten points to Luna Lovegood for her display of Gryffindor-worthy sass.

Malfoy gaped at her in shock. His mouth alternately opened and closed. For the first time in her life, Ginny saw Malfoy speechless. She laughed, unabashed.

"Think it's funny, do you, Weasley?" Malfoy finally said. He turned on Luna. "What makes you think you can talk to me like that?" he demanded.

"Intuition, I suppose," Luna vaguely replied. "Now, Draco Malfoy, please have a seat."

He looked at her as if she were mad. …And, in truth, maybe she was.

"I did say 'please'," Luna reminded him.

Malfoy grunted so like Goyle Ginny would have sworn the gorilla himself was present, and he plopped into a chair farther down the table from the two girls.

Luna seemed satisfied, and then she sat down herself and began.

"So, I have heard the two of you are currently Potions partners," she said.

"Tutor and tutee," Malfoy corrected her. "And we're not anymore."

Luna went on as if she hadn't heard him. "I understand that if Ginny hasn't improved in Potions by next class, she won't be able to take the N.E.W.T. any longer."

"What are we doing, reviewing the facts?" Malfoy complained. "And why would I care, anyway? Whatever happens to her doesn't affect me."

"But it does," said Luna, "because Professor Slughorn appointed you as her tutor. You're supposed to help her."

Malfoy glared haughtily at her. "Lovegood, this isn't any of your business."

Luna considered this for a moment. "I guess you have a point. But I am looking out for my friend's"—she gestured toward Ginny—"best interests, and she needs help."

"Then why don't you help her, if you're her friend?"

"I'm not advanced enough in Potions."

"She can teach herself. This is her own problem, so she can figure it out by herself. She doesn't listen to me, ever, so why should I help her?"

"Because without your help, she will fail."

"And you know this how?"

"She was crying over her Potions textbook when I found her here."

Ginny, who had been observing this heated discussion (at least on Malfoy's side) and not even reminding them that she was right there and being ignored, even though the conversation concerned her, sharply turned her head away. Crying over her Potions textbook…why, Luna? Why?That was a piece of information Ginny hadn't wanted to share with anyone, let alone Draco Malfoy, of all people.

Draco was battling with himself, yet again. And he had no idea why. For some reason, Loony Lovegood mentioning the Weaslette crying had…affected him. He shuddered. Sympathy wasn't in Draco's job description. So, he put all thoughts of that aside.

Loony was challenging him, which was something Draco was finding a little hard to resist. Slytherin ambition made him itch to prove to Lovegood that—HA!—he could do it; he could save the little Weasley from failing N.E.W.T. Potions.

But that would be considered a 'nice' thing. Draco Malfoy simply did not do 'nice' things for people. Not even for his friends. He had always believed it showed weakness in a being, when one had compassion.

His thoughts drifted to the previous summer. He had done something nice, even thoughtful, for Severus Snape, by writing the man's mother and burying his body. Draco vaguely wondered if it even counted as 'nice' when you were carrying out the wishes of the dead. Maybe it did.

But…maybe it didn't.

An idea struck him. He could get something out of this, couldn't he?

"What's in it for me?" he suddenly asked.

Luna answered him. "The feeling of a job well done, of course. And a 'thank you'."

"That's all?"

The Ravenclaw returned his sharp glare, striking him with surprise.

"What if I don't want his help?" spoke a different voice, from the other side of the table. Ginny Weasley was sitting up, observing them attentively.

Luna looked serious as she took Ginny's hand in hers. "You need his help, Ginny." She said this with big, truthful eyes.

Those eyes affected Ginny more than they did Draco. Ginny's gaze flickered to Draco's. She brazenly held her eyes in his for a minute, and finally agreed, "Okay."

"I haven't given my answer yet," Draco huffed importantly. "Weasley's only one side of this, after all."

"Then what do you have to say?" Luna asked him, her manner demanding his accord.

Draco spoke with a hard resolution—he had difficulty in saying his words. "Fine. If she's civil, I'll be civil. That's the problem."

"It shouldn't be a problem any more," Luna sang happily.

"How could you promise a thing like that?" This time it was Ginny challenging Luna.

"Well, I suppose you could take an Unbreakable Vow…"

"No!" Draco and Ginny shouted in unison—a fact that made both of them recoil awkwardly.

"Then, let's make a pact," Luna suggested. "You cooperate with each other."

"Those are the only terms?" Draco wanted to know.

"Unless you can think of anything else."

Draco thought for a few seconds, but then shrugged. It wasn't worth the fuss, was it? Besides, what did he have to lose? His reputation was already down the drain, and the more he considered it, the more appealing the idea of being a loner was. If it meant not dealing with Pansy and the rest of the good-for-nothing Hogwarts student body, he was all for it.

"All right, I'm in."

"Good, then," Luna resolved. "You two really should get to work. I heard from Michael Corner that we're starting a Calming Draught on Monday."

And that was the end of that.