Chapter 21

New Friends

Draco sauntered along the corridor with Crabbe and Goyle on his way down to Snape's room for potions class. It had been three days since Luna had thrown Granger and Potter from the living room; Weaselette had attempted to speak to Luna that morning, luckily he had been around and had intervened informing her to stay away from Luna.

Luna had given him a questioning look at his forceful demand but it had been easy for him to sooth her. All he'd had to do was give her the warmed concerned look he had perfected for such an occasion and tell her it was for her own good. She couldn't have all this constant worry and anxiety, it wasn't good for the baby and it wasn't good for her. She needed to make the break and stay away from them. It wasn't good for him either worrying about her all the time.

She had given him her usual dreamy look and smiled agreeably as he knew she would and she had promised to stay away from Ginny.

All in all the last few days had been pretty good for him. Everything had worked out according to plan and half of it wasn't even his own doing. Blaise, Goyle and Crabbe and been full of their own self importance at the way they had handled Ron; regaling Draco with the story again and again making him laugh more each time he heard it. He still wished it had been possible to see the look on the Quaffle King's face but he had to be satisfied with a second hand account.

He turned and sniggered at Crabbe and Goyle as they rounded the corner coming abreast of Potter and Granger huddled together on the outskirts of the group of Gryffindor's who hung around Weasley.

Looked to him as though Luna had been right and everyone was forced to take sides in this new war that raged through the Gryffindor house.

A new idea suddenly came to him of how he could inadvertently cause even more trouble, irritate Potter some more and look like the caring guy he was supposed to be to Luna.

Clearing his throat noisily he said, "Hey, Ron, I was just wondering…."

Ron cut him off icily. "Look, Malfoy, I'll stay away from Luna alright, Ginny's already told me that…. Hang on. What did you call me?"

"I called you Ron. That's your name isn't it?" He asked dryly.

"Yeah, but I didn't think you knew that." Ron replied sarcastically.

Draco shrugged. "In the past, Ron. And I wasn't going to ask you to stay away from Luna. I was going to ask you to come round actually."

Ron looked at him suspiciously, "Why?"

"To speak to Luna. She's still pretty upset over the whole thing. You were the only one who didn't turn up ranting and raving in my front room the other night as well. So, well, thanks for that I guess." Draco shrugged again and moved round the huddle of Gryffindor's to enter the class room, Crabbe and Goyle following behind him dumb-struck.

What the hell was Malfoy up to now?

Ron looked at Neville for confirmation that he was wide awake and that he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating, that he had in fact just had a civilised conversation with Malfoy with no insults or threats involved.

By the stunned expression on Neville's face Ron knew it had just happened and he frowned. This was turning into the most bizarre week of his life. Making a I-have-no-idea-what's-going-on face at Neville he followed the Slytherin's into Snape's room.

Automatically he made his way to the usual seats in the back where he sat with Harry and Hermione. He paused in the middle of the aisle. He couldn't sit there with them now could he? Where was he going to sit?

"Hey, Ron, you can sit here if you like."

Ron stared stupidly at Draco who was smiling encouragingly at him indicating a vacant seat to his left. "Alright." He agreed uncertainly, but couldn't help feeling pleased when he caught sight of the shocked look on Harry's face as he passed him to get to Draco.

He slid into the seat next to Draco who grinned at him raising his eyebrows menacingly at Harry as though daring him to object.

Harry didn't object but averted his eyes instead and led Hermione up the back of the classroom; contenting himself with glowering at the back of their heads.

Glancing round to make sure everyone was pretty much watching them, or at least trying to fake disinterest in the new turn of events Draco said clearly. "You know, Ron, you're the only one who was decent enough to keep Luna out of things. In her condition it's not good for her to be upset and yelled at like that, as if it's all her fault. I mean it's not her fault is it?"

Ron shook his head, "No it's nothing to do with Luna, Ginny knows that, she was just mad the other night. She wants to apologise now."

Draco nodded thoughtfully. "Well, no offence, but I think it's best for Luna to stay out of things with your sister completely. But I know she would like the opportunity to speak to you. Just to make sure your not mad at her."

"Ok, sure. I'll talk to Luna. I'll explain things to Ginny as well. She'll stay away." Ron told him.

Draco grinned easily swinging back on the legs of his chair. "That's good. You don't want to get Luna mad. She cracked Granger one right in the face."

Ron's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Luna hit Hermione?"

Draco nodded, "one hell of a slap." He was satisfied to hear the rumble of hissed voices as everyone turned to their neighbour to discuss the new piece of information.

Ron grinned back at Draco. "Funny, but I didn't get to hear about that."

"Typical of a mud-blood isn't it? Only tell you what they want you to hear," he added as an after thought.

Angrily Hermione stood up and marched to the front of the class her hands on her hips glaring at Draco. "If you have something to say, Malfoy then say it."

"I have nothing to say to you," he replied giving her a filthy look. "But if I did then I would say it. I'm not the one who keeps secrets."

Hermione felt her face turning warm, she had walked right into that one. Why did she let Malfoy bother her so much? He was bound to be even more vile to her than ever before now that he had Luna on side and had driven a wedge between Luna and all her friends.

She spun round and stalked back to her seat as Snape crashed through the door.

Silence settled over the room and all eyes reverted to Snape awaiting his instructions. He looked momentarily stunned to see Ron sitting next to Draco but quickly recovered himself and launched into an explanation about an invisibility potion.

Half listening half plotting Draco turned to the relevant page and began to follow along as Snape's voice droned on and on. Ripping a piece off his parchment he scrawled a note to Ron.

Ifwe'reluckyperhapsPotterandGrangerwilldisappearaltogether.

Ron grinned when he read it shooting a look out of the corner of his eye he smirked at Draco.

Draco couldn't wait to see the look on Potter's face when he put the next part of his plan into action. It was un-necessary for him to become involved any more, he had got what he wanted. But Draco liked to stir things up and cause trouble; and he saw no reason to stop annoying Potter even though he was out of Luna's life.

Luna had skipped her transfiguration lesson, McGonagall had said it was ok for her to leave halfway through, she wasn't feeling very well. Her back hurt badly and her feet had began to swell. She hobbled along the corridor actually glad of an excuse to be anywhere but in transfiguration where she was always partnered up with Ginny.

Ginny had kept her distance since Draco's demand this morning just saying hi when she passed, waving or smiling at her if she wasn't close enough to speak. Luna figured that Draco would come round in a few days. He was still mad over Hermione's speech.

He hadn't said anything but Luna had the feeling he had been quite upset when they had gone back up to bed. It had taken her a while to drop off to sleep but Draco had been wide awake when she had been dozing. He had held tightly to her and she had woken up in the exact same position that she had fallen asleep in.

Luna licked her lips absently, she had tried everything to make Draco happy again. Anything he had wanted she had given in to. Even though he seemed the same as he had before Hermione she still didn't feel right. She still felt that there was something wrong with him, that he was worried about something.

He couldn't think that she believed Hermione did he? Hadn't she stood up for him? Hadn't she shown him that it was him who she believed and trusted?

Hermione didn't know what she was talking about. The viciousness of her former friends words had stung Luna; she could only image the effect they'd had on poor Draco. She chewed on her lip thoughtfully, surely there was something else she could do to prove to him that she didn't believe any of Hermione's accusations?

She rubbed her lower back stopping to stretch it out, it was no good, her feet were aching too much as well. Squatting down carefully she removed her shoes before continuing on her way to her room. She was going to have to speak to Madam Pomfrey about this back ache, perhaps she could give her something for it, the feet she could handle, but her back was in half most of the time.

"Huffledrups." She stated the password and clambered into her front room. Where were Crabbe and Goyle when she needed them? They were so good about helping her carry books and her bag from lesson to lesson when Draco wasn't around.

"Oh." She stopped short looking in surprise at Ron lounging back on her sofa as though he had been there for some time. "Hi, Ron. What are you doing here?"

"Draco brought me. He let me sit with him in potions class." He replied. "He mentioned that you were upset about the other night with Ginny. I just wanted to let you know that I don't blame you for anything. And neither does Ginny,"

"Oh, well that's good to know," she was at a loss for anything else to say. Ron was in her front room and referring to Draco as Draco and not Malfoy. This was new. "Where's Draco?"

Ron jerked his thumb towards the ceiling shifting over to make room for her to sit down. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh I'm alright, except for the back ache, and the swollen feet." She sank onto the sofa next to him stretching her legs out on the coffee table. "Would you pass me those cushions for my back?"

"Yeah sure. I hear that you slapped Hermione."

"Well, she deserved it." Luna replied firmly. She still felt a hot bubble of anger in the pit of her stomach whenever she recalled Hermione's face, and her words. Who did Hermione Granger think she was sticking her oar into everyone else's lives?

"What are you doing here? Why aren't you in class?" Draco appeared behind her leaning over the back of the sofa.

"Back ache. McGonagall said I could leave early, Cho is going to bring my homework by later."

Draco sat down in his favourite chair watching Ron closely he said carefully, "Cho huh? That's nice of her. Is she coming by here?"

"Possibly. Or I might see her at lunch time. Baby's kicking again. Do you want to feel?" She asked Ron.

"Um," he replied uncertainly glancing over at Draco for confirmation. He didn't really want to go prodding at Luna without Draco's say so.

Draco just grinned and nodded. "Go on, Ron,"

Ron let Luna take his hand and place it over the rippling skin. "That's mental," he laughed when he felt the kicking against his hand. "It's weird to think that I was like that once."

Luna tilted her head, "you wouldn't have felt Ginny kicking would you? Your not that much older than her."

"No, but Charlie says I used to kick a lot when he touched mum's stomach." Ron told her grinning.

Luna smiled serenely, "I think I'm just going to stay here for a while. I don't feel like doing much else today."

"Ok, you do that, Luna. Come on, Ron, let's go." Draco jumped back up and headed for the door with Ron behind him.

"Wait, where you going?" Luna called after them.

"Quidditch pitch. Just helping Ron with his blocking." Draco called back before leaving the room.

Luna stared after them blankly. That was the most extraordinary thing she had seen in ages. It wasn't a sight she had expected to see. Draco and Ron friends? She shrugged, at least it was better than enemies wasn't it?