Double update cuz you guys are so amazing!
Lucius Malfoy was not pleased, not pleased at all.
He came to Hogwarts as soon as he'd gotten word that Draco had fallen off his broomstick during a Quidditch match. Lucius went straight to Dumbledore's office and berated the old, pathetic excuse for a wizard on Draco's well being. Having his son play in such harsh weather was simply unacceptable, though Dumbledore went on to insist that Draco had had a choice in whether he played. Dumbledore added that he'd rescued Draco and no harm had come to the boy, he only passed out from the shock of the fall.
It still made the Malfoys look bad, terribly bad, and Lucius wanted Dumbledore's job for such a crisis. Dumbledore listened to Lucius rant before the self-righteous blond went off to visit his son in the infirmary.
Draco laid unconscious on one of the hospital beds, circled by several concerned Slytherins. One of them was a girl who was crying and barking orders at the nurse. Lucius was pleased to see this; at least his son was surrounded by the right crowd and support he needed.
The girl with the tear-stained face noticed Lucius and then rushed over to him, "Oh, Mr. Malfoy, it's awful! I thought we'd lost him for good, I just can't believe-" She paused, covering her mouth as more tears dramatically slid down her cheeks. Lucius finally recognized the girl; a Parkinson. Parkinsons were surely not the most rich family of Pure Bloods, but they were socially acceptable; their loyalty ran deep. "How could this have happened?"
How, indeed. Lucius eyed his son's sleeping form with utter disapproval; Draco was supposed to walk in his footsteps, carry on his legacy, but sometimes he failed. He could disappoint his father in those moments.
"I trust my son will be given the utmost care and attention," Lucius stated, eyeing the nurse coldly.
Madam Pomfrey held back the urge to snappishly say "He's not even hurt", and simply forced a smile and nodded. "Nothing but the best care will be given," she went on to insist. No one spoke to Lucius Malfoy in any manner they pleased, even this common nurse understood that much.
"Miss Parkinson, I must be on my way," the elder man said, turning to the Slytherin girl, "Tell Draco I've already replaced his broomstick and it will be waiting in Dumbledore's office for him. Also, continue to watch after him."
"Of course, Mr. Malfoy," Pansy nodded, sniffling.
As soon as Lucius turned to take his leave, he heard something. A voice. His son's voice.
"Luna..." Draco weakly muttered, his light eyebrows tugging together as he shifted uncomfortably like he was having a nightmare.
Lucius froze, looking over his shoulder, "What did he say?"
Pansy came to Draco's side, shoving between Crabbe and Goyle.
"Luna..."
"I think he's saying 'Luna'," said Goyle, earning a harsh look from Pansy.
"Don't be stupid, Goyle, why would he say that?" Pansy asked sharply.
"Luna..." Draco said more clearly and twisted around, "Don't go."
Pansy's eyes widened with shock and disbelief.
"Who the devil is Luna?" demanded Lucius.
"Isn't there only one Luna in Hogwarts?" Crabbe mentioned, "The wacky one, from Ravenclaw."
"Shut up," hissed Pansy, causing Crabbe to look down at his shoes.
"Don't leave me," Draco groaned, reaching out with his eyes still closed. He was possibly having a nightmare.
"This is ridiculous!" cried Lucius, "Wake him up at once!"
Pansy obliged, nudging Draco desperately and calling out, "Draco. Draco!"
Draco sprang up, sitting up and planting his hands on either side of him to balance himself as he looked around frantically. He breathed in and out rapidly, dazed and disoriented, not quite sure what was going on.
"It's okay, Draco," Pansy murmured, attempting to soothe him as she touched his arm, "It's me, Pansy. You're okay now."
His heart sank at the image of the first face his eyes captured; disappointed that brown eyes were staring back at him, instead of an owl-like gaze that saw into his very soul.
Luna was badly shaken ever since the Slytherin-Ravenclaw Quidditch game. Seeing Draco fall so helplessly, it rattled her and she could not deny that she'd reached for her wand in that moment. Dumbledore, however, saved him first. Luna was a bright witch, but her poor reaction time had been her own fault. Maybe if she hadn't been so shocked, she could have done something. But then what? Draco never appreciated a thing she did, or tried to do, for him.
It wouldn't have resulted in anything good. He still looked down on her, and her mother's beliefs. Luna had to remind herself that she couldn't forgive him for that.
Luna still went to the infirmary and peeked discreetly inside. He was always surrounded by Slytherins, so she never got a full view of him, and she wasn't going to walk inside to speak to him whether there were Slytherins there or not.
It was her intent to drop him from her life completely, but Luna had never been a bitter person. She yearned to talk to him, ask if he was okay, but resisted these urges. She walked away from the infirmary, feeling a hole deep within her chest.
More days went by with that same empty feeling. Draco may not have been the kindest fellow, but there was something about Draco she felt inexplicably drawn to. He was much like her, even if he denied it. People tolerated Luna, pitied her. But no one knew what it was like to feel all alone while standing in a crowded room; Draco did, though, and so did Luna. And when they talked, a particular joy filled her up. She felt complete.
Perhaps that was too much, though. Draco detested her and here she was, thinking about him constantly, believing at some point he'd made her happy and even completed her.
It was silly to think she might be accepted wholly by someone.
"Luna?" Harry broke her concentration and she looked up from her food, towards him. She was eating at the Gryffindor table that day.
"Yes?" she asked softly.
"Are you okay?" Oddly, Harry's face was filled with concern and even a bit of panic. She couldn't fathom why.
"Of course. Why do you ask, Harry?"
"Because you're crying," he said, reaching out to touch her face.
Luna blinked several times before Harry's thumb brushed against her pale cheek and indeed it felt wet. He pulled his hand back, looking at her in a stunned silence, eyes large behind those glasses.
"I wonder why this is happening," she murmured, blinking more so the rest of her tears could stream down. Harry was beginning to wish Hermione or Ginny were here, they would know what to do. Harry was an absolute wreck when it came to girls crying. And Luna crying? Well, that was simply too much to believe.
But here she was, crying. And not even knowing that she had been crying.
Typical Luna.
Harry had asked something but his question fell on deaf ears, because now Luna was looking past Harry, toward the Slytherin table. Draco, who sat parallel to Luna, was looking at her in complete shock. Could he tell she was crying? More tears built up and spilled over, tumbling from her large eyes that just stared at Draco.
She really had no idea what has happening to her. It's not like she was upset or angry at the moment, the tears just came out of no where. Harry followed Luna's gaze. "Is he the reason you're crying?"asked Harry, about to hex Draco into oblivion depending on Luna's answer.
Not that Luna heard him. She leapt to her feet, grabbed her bag, and rushed out of the Great Hall. "Luna!" Harry called to her, debating whether or not he should run after her.
He saw Draco follow the Ravenclaw out the large doors, and eventually, Harry left too.
"Luna!" Draco shouted, hurrying after the retreating Ravenclaw as fast as his long legs could carry him, "Fucking Salazar, Luna, if you don't stop this very instant-"
She stopped. Luna gave her cheeks a quick brush with her sleeve before spinning around, smiling weakly at Draco, "Hello Draco, you look quite well after what happened"
"Cut the crap, Loony," said Draco, closing the distance between him and her. The sunlight pouring into the window of the corridor caused Luna's eyes to glitter, though that could also be from the series of tears that had unexpectedly fallen. Draco still found himself engulfed by them. He'd never realized it before, but Luna's eyes were truly beautiful.
"What do you mean?" Luna strictly continued her airy nature, afraid her desperation and longing for him might emerge, and then he would truly make fun of her and make her feel absolutely worthless.
"You haven't talked to me in weeks and just now you were... you were..."
"I believe it's called crying, Draco."
"Why?" he whispered, resisting the urge to reach out and touch her, to wipe away a tear just as Potter had done.
"The moisture in the air, I suppose."
Luna, always the one with odd responses.
"That's bullshit and you know it," he nearly growled at her.
"I don't see why it is of concern to you, Draco, we're not friends."
"I'm not concerned," he spat out defensively.
"Alright then-"
"But how dare you," Draco stepped toward her, pent up aggression coloring his face and tone, "refuse to acknowledge me in the halls. How dare you ignore me like I'm some fucking nobody. You, Lovegood, how fucking dare you-" As he spoke, he continued stepping closer and closer, causing Luna to back up. He had her up against a wall now, placing his hands against the surface so that his arms were at either side of her head. The small girl shrank away little by little, cowering under Draco's intimidation, wishing she could just sink into the wall behind her for protection. "How dare you just throw me away," he said at last, slowly and angrily.
"You insulted my mother-" Luna started, but was cut off by Draco slamming the flat part of his fist down against the cold wall next to her head.
"Your mother was a fool!"
"You have no right to say that!" Luna squeaked.
"I have every right," He hissed, "How can you get so upset with me for speaking the truth?"
"Because your version of the truth is warped, Malfoy," again with the last name, "And it is incredibly disrespectful. What if I spoke of your father?"
A glint of something deadly gleamed in Draco's grey eyes, "Don't even-"
"You are so hypocritical," she muttered, "Nothing but a product of your parents shallow belief system."
"You are crossing the line, Lovegood!" He hollered straight into her face, lowering himself so they were at eye level. "My parents are good people. Respectable Pure Bloods. You should be looking to them as idols," he growled, his hot breath hitting her face that was only centimeters from his. He could feel the short, quick breaths she was taking, keeping eye contact with him and never so much as blinking. She really could pull herself together to defend what she loved and honored, another similarity between them.
"I would never want to be like your parents," she said in a low voice.
That did it. Something inside of Draco snapped, and he actually raised one of his hands from off the wall, looking like he was about to hit her...
Luna waited to be hit, waited for something to happen.
But the unexpected occurred. For once, Draco was taking her completely off guard. He flattened the palm of his hand against her damp cheek instead of striking her.
Her eyes went huge as his soft lips crashed upon hers.