Muggle Ghosts
~Holes?~
The November air was crisp, cold and calming. Draco Malfoy found himself perched on a windowsill, letting the cool breeze calm his anxieties. Multiple things were bothering him, and he needed to get his mind around certain problems that had just dug themselves deeper under his skin.
The biggest problem was that his father was expecting certain things from him. To be the best on the Quidditch field. To get the best grades. To be the most popular. To not show a side that would be an embarrassment to the Malfoy name. However, Potter was a Quidditch prodigy, and Granger's mark of perfection seemed so far above his head, it was frustrating.
He was also finding that everyone, not just Potter, Weasley and Granger were annoying him. Crabbe and Goyle were too stupid, and he had to keep an eye on them. Flint was a major pervert. Pansy was all… weird on him. Nott wanted to be friends with him only due to who his father was. And Zabini looked down upon him for some reason.
Then there was one Yoruichi, his own personal stalker. At least, that was the best way to put it. The cat was defiantly worse then Mrs. Norris, and with the prettifications, it allowed Yoruichi to lose the past time she had rather enjoyed, thus she increased the amount of time she spoke to Draco. "So… why was it you said it was holes?"
Draco blinked a couple of times then turned towards her. "Why are you here? I thought since you had disappeared for a few days, you got eaten by a hole?"
"Excuse me?" the cat Shinigami narrowed her eyes as she jumped up next to him.
"Well, excuse me for hoping you, who are trying to turn me into a goodie-two-shoes, was out of my life," Draco muttered.
"Explain why you thought it was a hollow that did this?" Yoruichi commented.
"Just… some things I heard from my father," the small boy stated. "About when the chamber was opened before. I wouldn't be surprised if that buffoon could see holes and might not try to make one his pet."
"Who is this exactly?" the black cat asked.
Draco gave the cat a dirty look. "Forget I mentioned my father mentioning anything to me. He would skin me alive if he ever found out I mentioned this much."
"What are you more afraid of, your father, or hollows," Yoruichi asked, licking her paw."
"Holes, not hollows," Draco muttered.
"Actually, that is a misterminology. Soul Societies world wide use the term hollow," Yoruichi stated. "Something is definitely bothering you, isn't it? You know I can't exactly tell others… I mean, options are Flint and Luna… not much of a choice is it?"
"That question you asked me, about what I fear the most?" Draco pulled his knees in close, resting his chin on top. "How to put it... Normally, Muggle Ghosts and Holes… Hollows… stay outside the manor grounds. But one day, an old death eater… I think… died on our property. He didn't stay a Muggle Ghost for long, if he was even one at all. The bastard became a bloody hollow!"
"May I ask how you, with a high reiatsu level… though you probably don't know what I am talking about there, survive?" Yoruichi asked, causing the boy to blink.
"Regulus Black… one of my dead relatives saved me. My father tanned my hide afterwards for running around like an idiot," Draco has a far away look on his face. "I don't trust him fully, to tell you the truth, but don't you say that to no one. The hole… hollow, didn't recognize me, so when my father dies, he won't either, will he?"
"I guess if you look at it that way, my question was rather stupid. To you there isn't a difference," the cat purred. "And Draco… you may not believe me, but I can guarantee you, that this wasn't the work of a hollow."
"Sure…" Draco was about to argue the point, when he heard footsteps and decided to quite down.
"Oh... come on Ginny, you haven't spoken to anyone or made any friends, so why not take us up on the offer?" the familiar voice of the youngest Granger, who snubbed me when we first met.
"I can understand Luna Lovegood, as she's the type who'll make friends with anyone, but…" there was a small pause from the red haired girl. "As I recall, Granger, you snubbed me when we first met."
"Well…" Elizabeth started. "I thought you dressed the way you did because you had no fashion sense."
"I don't think that was the right thing to say," Luna chimed in, all three coming into Draco's line of site. The other two girls didn't notice him, but Luna did, taking time to wave at him, and umbrella over her arm, even though today was completely cloudless.
Ginny's cheeks turned as red as her hair. "No fashion sense!"
"But then I found out that your family is poor…" Elizabeth dug herself in deeper.
"Granger!' Ginny turned on her heels and made for a supposedly empty classroom, only to let out a small "eep."
Her face turned bright red, this time from embarrassment, rather then anger. Elizabeth and Luna peeked in, then gave each other funny looks that were also rather shocked… as funny as Luna's relatively bank, emotionless face could possibly go. Elizabeth glanced at her. "Any comment on what sort of invisible creature might have caused this?"
Luna opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened again. "Too many multiple possibilities really…"
Draco and Yoruichi, finding this unusual, decided to go over to investigate. Of course, Draco had to be snarky. "What are Loony, Mudblood and Weaslette up to?" Suddenly Luna's umbrella hit Malfoy on the head, hard enough to cause a few tears to well, but not fall. "What the hell was that for?"
"This?" Luna looked at the umbrella. "My Don Kanonji horoscope said my lucky item today was an umbrella."
This gleaned three stares from the others around her, shocked looks in their eyes. Draco shook his head. "I didn't expect you of all people to hit me. Why did you do that… you trying to get jinxed?"
"There was a cumeco on your head making you use bad words. It had to be gotten rid of before you made a fool of yourself and…"
"Can it… I know what you are up to Lovegood," Draco suddenly snapped.
"Shhh…" Ginny became frantic. "He'll hear you!"
"Who?" Draco went to the classroom and opened the door, just in time for Yoruichi to sneak in and for Draco to catch a glimpse of something he would rather have not. "Hey! Weasel! Clear Pimple! Peeves is absconding with candles… he said he plans on setting the tapestries in the great hall on fire."
"What… on no… it's just Malfoy," Percy stated as his face turned red as his hair, as did that of his girlfriend.
"Just Malfoy hun…" Draco's face was a little on the queasy green side. He swung the door open, revealing the three first years. "I wasn't the only one who caught you snogging."
"Malfoy… you git. Ginny!" Percy had a livid look on his face, as he moved forward, causing his sister to dart away. "Get back here!"
Penelope hurried after him. "She's your little sister!"
"That was so gross…" Draco muttered, still green in the gills and feeling as if he was going to throw up.
"That was so cool!" Elizabeth perked up, a huge smile on her face.
"Mudblood…" however, he found himself getting whacked over the head with the umbrella. "Are you going to do that every time I say that word Lovegood?!"
"Depending on what my lucky item is," Luna suddenly opened the umbrella inside the building.
"Lovegood, you moron, that is bad luck!" Draco's eyes went wide and he suddenly backed away from the girl.
"No… it's my lucky item." Luna held it up so that they could see the underside. A blue sky appeared on the bottom. Like the roof of the great hall, it was charmed to show the weather outside.
"You are nutty… both of you. Luna especially, but you thought Weasel and Clear Pimple snogging was… cool…" Draco gave Elizabeth a dirty look.
This caused the blond haired Granger to stick her hands on her hips. "You are completely stupid. Come on Luna."
"Oh… coming. Watch out for Nargles Draco!" Luna waved at him.
"Who said you could use my first name Lovegood!" Draco yelled after the two girls.
Yoruichi was rolling over on her back laughing. "Oh my! Oh my! You are completely clueless!"
"Shut up cat…" Draco fumed.
M
Half a month after the last geist club meeting, which was better than monthly meetings, the club met again. The point was to yet again try to come up with something everyone could do together, not to mention a more frequent meeting schedule. However…
The topic of discussion quickly turned to the event of the day, Potter getting hit by a bludger. But the getting hit by a bludger wasn't the big deal. The big deal was Lockhart's bungled attempt at trying to heal Harry's arm. The whole effect was…
"That was absolutely cool!" Fred spoke up, a smile on his face.
"I knew Lockhart was a right old git," George also laughed.
"Everyone makes mistakes," Hermione muttered, a slight blush coming to her cheeks as her idol was being admonished.
"I vote the club starts a petition to get Lockhart banned from the school Quidditch grounds," Draco stated. "Before he accidentally vanishes a vital organ or something."
"Malfoy!" Cho and Hermione snapped.
Fred and George suddenly looked at each other, their eyebrows rising. "Malfoy came up with that before we did?"
"I vote we find some snarkles and put them in his classroom," Luna suddenly offered.
"We had problems with the Cornish pixies," Neville muttered, reaching for his ears.
"Wet light fireworks…"
"… in his britches."
"I know… let Yoruichi into the classroom at night so she can claw off the smiles on his faces… I don't think she likes him," Draco suddenly stated.
"I like… and I might just do…" Yoruichi chuckled.
"Your cat's making that weird noise again Elizabeth," Hermione scowled.
"That's because she hates Draco's idea," Elizabeth cooed, snuggling the black cat in an awkward fashion. Yoruichi didn't have to finish thinking that thought because Luna scooped her out of Elizabeth's arms.
"Maybe Yoruichi doesn't like Mr. Lockhart because she is motherly and over protective of Lizzy and 'mione?" the girl smiled her weird smile, causing everyone to give her odd looks.
"Odd duck, I should introduce you to Urahara… once this mission is over though," the cat purred. "You two definitely think alike…"
"Seriously, stop picking on him," Cho folded her arms.
"Even that was a woozy…" Cedric sighed. "I think the petition is a good idea… but completely asking him to stay away is too much."
"How about one saying he has to let the other staff do his job?" Neville piped up. "I meant…"
"Saying he has to let the rest of Hogwarts staff do their jobs and not butt in?" Draco smirked.
"Hurray Longbottom sempai!" Luna raised her hand in the air and cheered.
"All in favor of Neville's idea, raise their hands!" Cedric called out, getting everyone except Elizabeth, Cho and Hermione to raise their hands.
However, Hermione suddenly raised her hand. "I have to admit… other than Snape… the professors shouldn't have Lockhart butt in… Jt isn't fair, even if he is a genius… just don't expect me to help with this petition or sign it."
Cho and Elizabeth sighed, then also agreed to the plan, but not to help.
"I think Lee might be open to helping…" Fred commented.
"Could we possibly open it up to outside club members in some way?" George muttered.
"Hold on… what about the club secrecy," Draco protested.
"We just have to say it's a project that Cedric and Neville cooked up," Cho muttered. "I only say that because, even though Draco came up with the original idea, there are some people who really don't like him, and Neville just doesn't carry as much weight as Cedric does."
"Of course… he's older," Luna sighed, causing groans to come from everyone else about her misunderstanding.
M
While the meeting could be concluded as successful, the agenda of the meeting remained unfulfilled and likely would be unfilled until after the winter holiday. Hermione found herself blaming Draco for the whole matter. However, there really was nothing she could do about this, so in her huff, she just began to walk back to the dorm room.
"Stop following me Granger… your bloody house isn't this way," came the very rude comment.
"Excuse me? I was not following you," Hermione rolled her eyes at the boy. "Your common room isn't this way either, Malfoy."
"I decided to take the long way so I could think," the boy suddenly snapped.
"You're not the only one, so shove off," Hermione stated. "It was your bloody comment that started the petition thing."
"My bloody…" Draco suddenly became miffed. "Lockhart seriously is a git!"
"He's not, you are," the bushy haired girl replied.
"I'm a… Mu…" Draco closed his eyes tight. "Why is it all the girls think this guy is perfect? He's a load of rubbish!"
"A load of…" Hermione felt her nostrils flare.
"Not saying I like Potter, I hate him. But I'm freaked that Loony Lockhart will do something like that to me," Draco shuddered.
"Isn't my name supposed to be Loony?" came a soft voice causing them both to spin around. There Luna stood, Yoruichi in her arms, something around the cat's neck.
"What is that?" Hermione stated, pointing at Yoruichi.
"A grim," Luna smiled.
"You've called that cat that multiple times, I all ready know that and that isn't what Granger meant, Loony…" Draco folded his arms across his chest. "She means the thing hanging from the neck of what you like calling a grim."
"Oh… that is one of the petition boards. I've chosen Yoruichi as one of the three other Ravenclaws to help."
"Draco and Hermione, despite the fact they truly didn't like each other, couldn't help but glance at the other, their jaws dropping, wondering if Luna was actually serious. They then realized what they had done, and turned away from each other in a huff. Suddenly, Luna asked, "Do I hear someone crying?"
"Maybe a first year got locked out of their house common room," Hermione frowned.
"So… let the perfects… hey, get back here!" Draco muttered, following after them, not understanding why, as if they got caught, so would he.
"Colin Creevey?" Hermione suddenly stated, completely in shock.
"Granger… you can see me? None of the adults earlier could," the small boy blubbered.
"Is you chain still attached to your body?" Luna asked.
Collin glanced down, then stuck his head through the door of the hospital wing. "Yes… oh no… here comes Mrs. Norris."
"Only a select group of people can see you," Hermione murmured, trying to comfort the boy. "Same with Mrs. Norris, so need to worry."
"But this is lonely…" the boy continued to become more depressed.
"The school ghost can see you," Luna smiled.
"Oh, I'm so sure he wants the Bloody Baron speaking to him," Draco muttered, folding his arms across his chest.
Colin began to sob again, pointing at the Slytherin. "Please tell me he can't see me… he'll pick on me!"
"Of course I can't see you," Draco growled.
"Oh… good," the small boy sniffed.
Hermione bit her lip, wanting to say something, but receiving a dark glare from the blond haired boy, she could only comment under her breath. "Great… constant denial…"
"If we promise to come play, will you go get some sleep?" Luna smiled. "Else cipus will get you."
The boy nodded his head and disappeared. Hermione then stated loud and clear. "You slipped up Malfoy…"
"And what is that supposed to mean?" two silver grey eyes glared at her.
"You heard him ask the question and answered him, which proves you can at least hear Muggle Ghosts," she stated, her eyes glinting with triumph.
"Who needs you!" Draco snapped and then stormed off.
"You're right… constant denial," Luna smiled. "I never denied I'm on the… fruity… loopy… side."
"Thank you Luna," Hermione sighed, knowing that the words could have both good and bad meaning to them.
Author's note -
What is up with Luna's special items? It is meant to be another way to bring in something Bleach related. The idea for her umbrella actually came from the Anime, 'sola' I believe it is called. I thought it was mondo cool. I am looking for more ideas for odd ball items for her to use, as I don't want to reuse them. Next chapter, which is part way written… from that long ago too, has an item already for when she needs to use it.
What is up with holes? I thought I explained this before, but possibly not as well as I should… but Hollows is the English translation used for the Anime and Manga. I figured, they don't have knowledge of the Manga and Anime, or Soul Society, so they would come up with their own names for them, right? That wouldn't be the same as what is really used.
What is up with Black? Some people think that Sirius Black has shown up all ready in the fanfic. He hasn't broken out yet. Think very carefully about where and how the name Black was mentioned. It isn't Sirius who is being spoken about. I will say not more.
What about these people? Tonks, Lupin, Barty Crouch Jr. … those are up in the air. As for Bellatrix… hmm… I am not going to say what I've come up with that one, and I have reasons.
What is your opinion of Draco/Hermione? Well, it is one of the pairings that I will be using here… which may be one of the reasons I don't have that many people reading. But, I agree with one of you reviewers. I don't like rushed romance that doesn't work out for ANY pairing. That's one of the reasons I've started Luna and her item thing…
You didn't reply to my review… I only put this because, I am quite sure, there is a review I missed… and I don't like that, personally myself that is…
Betaed by Ayriannah on 10/12/2009.