A/N: I love the reviews that I've gotten so far! I really want to hear about how you all got into supporting Druna, as it is such a rare pairing, I feel that more and more people are coming to like it. So feel free to share, but after you guys read this new chapter! Now, enjoy. :)
"Luna?" Hermione approached the long-haired blonde hesitantly. Ginny was at Hermione's side, glancing between the blonde who sat in the library studying, and the fellow female Gryffindor.
There was minor tension in the air, that Luna sensed almost immediately when she looked up, pale eyes wondering, "Hello."
"Hey Luna," Ginny smiled.
"Can I help you?"
Long pause. "Uh...you see...Luna, it's like this..." Hermione's struggle caused Luna's head to tilt slightly. Ginny nudged Hermione, who frowned and then finally went on. "We wanted to talk to you about something..."
"Go on," said Luna breezily.
"Uhh-"
"We wanted to know if you were going on the trip to Hogsmeade soon..." Ginny cut in, impatient.
"I can't," Luna answered, and her gaze fell back into the chapters of her book.
"Why not?" Hermione demanded.
"I have to study for Snape's upcoming test."
"Oh that's right! It's a hundred questions this time, which is totally unfair because the last test was only-" Hermione managed to stop her rant when Ginny's fierce glare hinted toward shutting up. "Sorry," whispered Hermione, blushing.
"Aren't you in Ravenclaw? You'll do fine; come with us," Ginny encouraged, now looking brightly at Luna, who could not deny such a friendly request.
"Okay," Luna chimed, "I will come."
"Great!" chirped Hermione, who quickly turned round to leave with Ginny. "That went well."
"The hell it did," Ginny hissed, "Next time someone brings up a test, try to control yourself."
"I'm sorry, I really can't help it..."
Luna blinked, staring at their backs as they walked and then disappeared behind the shelves. Then Luna tipped her face back into her book, humming softly.
Pumpkins floating in the air of the Great Hall, Luna had almost forgotten; Halloween was coming, and along with the holiday, a crisp chill in the air. Luna rather liked the cold, though. That was why after breakfast under the Halloween decor, she decided to continue her studies in the courtyard on a stone bench. Her feet kicked back and forth off the ground, and she hummed a lovely tune as she remembered paragraphs upon paragraphs.
Draco was walking down a nearby hall, his robes long and brushing against the floor, but at least he was warm against Autumn's weather. He tugged on his green and grey striped scarf, displaying his Slytherin pride, and glaring at anyone that walked by in red and gold scarves.
Draco tormented a first-year Gryffindor in particular, yanking the lad up by his scarf until he was pracically hanging in the air, gasping for breath. Draco enjoyed watching the fear in his eyes. "M-malfoy-"
"What? Can't breathe, can you?" Draco snickered darkly, "Stupid kid." Draco dropped the scarf, and the first-year scrambled off, wailing. Some bravery that was - then again, Draco had a habit of assaulting the emotionally weak, or children in other words. As he sauntered, looking rather proud of himself, he came across the archway that lead out to the courtyard. He intended on passing through; only an idiot would linger out in the drastically changing weather.
But an idiot was out there... reading.
Draco glanced at her once, frowned, and turned to change his route. Yet he couldn't walk away, and so he turned back to the archway, straightened his posture, and walked outside with more swagger and arrogance.
It automatically annoyed him that Luna didn't seem to notice him struting past; the only thing changing was her tune as she hummed, and she flicked a page in her book. Draco paused after walking five feet away, looking over his shoulder, his eyebrows dipping closer and his lips curling. Notice him, notice him...
He intentionally sighed loudly, his breath rolling into a visible cloud of white in the cold air. Luna's head lifted until she locked eyes with him. "Hello Draco," she chimed.
Draco's sneer never wavered as he backpeddled to the bench, eventually standing over her. "Whenever I think you can't get more barmy, you prove me wrong."
Luna blinked.
"You're reading in the cold," he remarked pointedly.
"I am aware," her voice remained blissful, gaze falling down to read. Her feet discontinued swinging and settled upon dirt. She didn't wear any shoes.
"Are you trying to get sent back to Madam Pomfrey's?" he asked critically.
"Not trying...but I don't think I will get sick anymore...not soon anyway."
"And why not?" he demanded.
"Because I've drank plenty of orange juice this morning. Vitamin C is good for the immune system and even clears out Wrackspurts-"
"I didn't ask you any of that," Draco lowered onto the stone, sitting on the very end of the bench and not looking at Luna. Stubborn as always, he refused to admit that her company was getting much more tolerable.
"You were bothering that boy..."
He was stunned and his head whipped around to accidentally catch a glance at her soft face and blonde locks blowing around it. He swallowed, and then shifted his face away. "You saw that?"
"The courtyard has a good view of the hallways."
He couldn't read her tone or her expression, and he didn't like it.
"So you saw me coming?" he assumed.
"I did."
"And you refused to acknowledge me first?"
"I was studying."
His sneer returned, "Studying in the cold. Fucking barmy."
Silence. A gentle breeze. She turned another page.
"Do you enjoy bullying?"
Her straightforward questioning began and Draco truly could not understand the one at hand. Was she calling him a bully?
It's not his fault he's better than these Hogwarts prats.
"What?" he couldn't find a proper response.
"Do you enjoy bullying?" she calmly repeated.
Draco felt the need to defend himself, "What the hell are you trying to say, Lovegood?"
"You're a bully."
"And you're a-"
"The boy did nothing to you...and yet you scared him."
"He's a Gryffindor, that's reason enough. And the fact that I can't stand kids."
"You also bully my friends."
"You have friends?"
"Harry-"
"Potter," Draco hissed.
"Ron, Hermione, Ginny..." Luna listed further. It was astounding that she could study and still conversate efficiently. "You bully all of them and they're not kids."
"Don't get me started on saint Potter, dirt-poor Weasleys, and the Mudblood."
Luna noticeably flinched at the string of insults and she shut her book, placing it in her lap. She stared forward with a deep frown. Draco was almost thrilled; had he finally upset the Loony? He wanted to cause her the same frustrations she caused him. He wanted to prove she was not pure or light, but her expression changed in a moment, unreadable again. His insults weren't good enough; she went on.
"You're a hard to please fellow, Draco Malfoy."
"Fellow? Did you just call me fellow?"
She softly giggled. He found nothing funny. Nevertheless, they both looked at the yard spread out in front of them, and the multi-color leaves spiraling across in the wind.
"The season's changing," said Luna.
"Your observation skills are fan-bloody-tastic," spat Draco with sarcasm.
"I suppose I should tell you Happy Halloween..."
"Halloween isn't until tomorrow."
Her pale hand extended out from under her Ravenclaw robes, and he looked down to see an small box in the palm of her hand. "Happy Halloween, Draco," she offered, and he snatched the present, baffled.
"What the bloody hell is this?" He shook the small box, hearing something light rattle inside.
"Candy," she answered innocently and rose with her book in hand. She bounced away, leaving Draco sitting there.
"Blaise?" asked Draco, although he was staring at the box in his hand, moving it back and forth between long and white fingers. Blaise was tending to some homework, but still looked up at his seatmate on the leather sofa. "Do you think I am a bully?"
Blaise snickered, instantly earning Draco's harsh glare.
"Is this a trick question?"
"Don't get smart with me, Blaise!" Draco mumbled some other things before he popped the lid off of the box, revealing an oddly shaped chocolate candy. It had bumps and curves in places no treat should- it didn't even look edible. Draco made a disgusted face as he tossed the box, eyeing the candy now.
"You're not going to eat that, are you?" Even Blaise seemed to lose his appetite, observing the chocolate in Draco's hand.
No. No way in hell should he eat it. After all, it was given to him by that Loony. She probably handmade it herself - all the more reason to ditch the chocolate, or give it to Crabbe or Goyle, two Slytherins who ate everything.
"I don't think so," Draco remained unsure, "Bloody hell, what was that girl thinking...?"
"What girl?" Shoot. Blaise had caught that.
"Just... some stupid girl gave me this Halloween treat. She probably fancies me," A believable cover, even though Draco dreaded to think about the Loon ever fancying him. That would be the worst experience of a lifetime.
"Tell her she needs to brush up on her cooking magic."
Draco brought the strange chocolate up to his smirking lips, about to bite down when Blaise spoke again, "You know, Parkinson won't be happy to know she's in competition for your feelings with whoever this girl."
A fair warning, not that Draco cared. Pansy may not be his main priority, but she would always be a girl of interest. Always. And with that, Draco bit a piece off the end of the chocolate and chewed. His grey eyes slowly looked to Blaise.
"Well? How does it taste?"
Draco swallowed, eyes narrowing sharply, "Disgusting. What did you expect?"
Blaise chuckled under his breath before getting off the couch, going to attend other things... and Draco scarfed down the rest of the chocolate not a second after.
"Happy Halloween," Luna's sweet tone rang as she moved about the corridor. No one returned the words, but she wanted to say them all the same. "Happy Halloween~ Happy Halloween~"
Draco was coming down the stairwell Luna stopped at the foot of. He glared defiantly down at her, "I just want you to know that your little chocolate was a disgrace. For a Ravenclaw, you certainly don't know how to do much, and I almost died forcing myself to eat it. Happy Halloween."
Luna made sure to step aside as Draco stormed past. He was furious. Luna smiled.
"Happy Halloween," she chirped, going up the stairs, "Happy Halloween~"
/
Review Responses
Rin Blackfire: I really am trying my hardest to keep Draco in character. Thanks so much for reading!
Crystal Bluebell: Thank you. Draco and Luna have such distinct personalities, so the fact that I'm portraying them well makes me happy :)
DZAuthor : SQUEE! Draco cares, deep, deep down. xD
NeverCriticizeRomeo: Aww thank you!
..Rebels: I'm going to try to make the chapters longer. I'm usually very impatient with posting, so I rush with them D: sorry!
