Well. Have I broken a record with the lenght of this chapter? You bet. Why? Because I love my readers.

Yes, you.

All my wishes of safety, prosperity, and happiness to you, beloved.

第14章

12:30 a.m.

The campus gates were long shut.

The convertible pierced the twilight mist under the city lights as Draco sped down the shortest circuit to Malfoy Manor, flirting with the speed limit. A weary exhale slipped through his lips. A sporadic pulse announced an upcoming headache in his temple. He hadn't felt this spent in a long time.

He entered the dormant manor like a penumbral specter. A cushion of light glowed beneath the door of his father's study. He knocked and entered.

Lucius, ensconced in his reading chair by the fire, seemingly absorbed in his thoughts, looked up at the unexpected visitor.

'Son,' he greeted, 'you're back.'

'Good evening, Father. What is keeping you up so late?'

'One loses the notion of time when they retire.' He adjusted himself in his seat with a grunt, having been fixed in one position too long, 'You come at a timely moment.' He gestured at the chair opposite from him, 'There is something I must discuss with you. Take a seat.'

Draco obeyed. He reached for the crystal decanter of carbonated water and poured himself a glass. His throat was unnaturally dry. 'What is it, Father?'

'It's about the question of your marriage, son. I have taken it into thorough consideration.'

Draco's hand suspended the glass before it reached his face. He appraised his father for a moment then allowed the drink past his lips.

'I assumed you had opted out of it,' He said.

'Of course I haven't. I realize what an important and urgent step it is right now.' Lucius wore his dealmaker look, and Draco sat back expectantly. 'I believe I have reached the perfect arrangement for you.'

'What?'

'You went to school with her, didn't you? Daphne Greengrass. Mason and I had an important discussion while you were away this weekend. He and I both are for it. A meeting was planned.'

'You surprise me.' Draco said, taking another chug, feeling more drained by the second. 'I never expected you to move so fast.'

'I have taught you this already, Draco.' Lucius spoke pedantically. 'Time waits for no one. The faster you make an informed move, the higher the chance for success. Contrariwise, the slower you are to act, the higher the chance of loss.'

'You want to pair me up with a Greengrass sister?'

'Miss Daphne Greengrass is a perfectly sound choice, considering our ties with the family.'

'She's a rising figure skater.'

'She understands her duties and will put you first, Draco.' Lucius said, responding to his insinuation, 'Do you forget that Mason has been the one to secure the best medical help for me? He's given you plenty of business advice, too, during your internships. He took you under his wing.'

'Salazar took me under his wing.' Draco corrected.

His father scowled.

'Son, this is your chance,' he exhorted, 'act now.'

'Why was I not consulted?' Draco asked slowly, too tired to get excited, 'How far have you gone in your discussions?'

'I don't imagine why you would decline when you it is in your best interest to accept. The annual meeting is near.'

'Father, how far have you gone?'

'We've arranged the date of the meeting, and the venue for the wedding after that. I happen to know that Daphne, by her father's account, is not opposed to the idea, so why hold back now? It is all nearly settled. I want this done and behind us as quickly as can be arranged.'

Draco allowed his head to fall back wearily against the padded back of the chair. Daphne wouldn't throw her career prospects out of the proverbial window for marriage. Was she being forced into this?

He had to meet her in private.

'Did you stop to wonder whether I want to marry Daphne?'

'Who else suits your rank, my son? You would not look at the suitresses and you have not the luxury of indecision. Your mother and I have discussed this, she expressed her approval. Daphne is a good choice, a safe choice.'

'I have already made my choice.' Draco sighed tiredly, his glass hanging down in his loose hold.

'Well, that certainly complicates matters.' Lucius said stiffly. 'Who? Whose daughter is she? Not Parkinson, is it? I don't expect it is after your public rejection of her advances this summer.'

'Not Parkinson,' Draco said, 'A girl recently transferred to Hogwarts, incidentally my new ad campaign creative director.'

'You're already courting her?' Lucius asked somberly.

'Define courting.'

'Dating, if you prefer.'

'No, I don't need the trial period. My mind is made.'

Lucius leaned forward in his seat, a rigid jerk to his brow.

'She's not a commoner, is she?'

'Define commoner.' Draco placed the glass on the accent table to his left and pinched the bridge of his nose, moving to massage his temples. 'Do you think it's common for me to choose a wife?'

'Don't play with words, Draco. Someone out of your social circle is out of the question. Marriage between incompatible people is a fool's fantasy, it cannot last.'

Draco sighed. 'I want her, Father.'

'Don't tell me you fancy yourself in love, now, do you?'

'No, I am not in love.' He said soberly. 'I am making a choice.'

'What is it, then, attraction?' Lucius urged, listening for a flaw in his son's thinking, his dissuasive discourse branching out neatly in his mind.

'I can't explain it.' Draco admitted. 'She has something I need. Something I miss. I just know I must have her.'

'I never objected to your writing hobby,' Lucius groaned, turning toward the fire, lending his lean face to its veil of yellow light, 'but I do wonder whether it hasn't muddled the good sense your mother and I gave you with romantic exuberances!'

'Interesting accusation. I neither read nor write romance.'

'Well then, has she accepted your advances?'

'No.' Draco said, conceding the point to his father. 'But she hasn't refused me.'

'So she's wasting your time, too, while she's at it!' Lucius scowled indignantly.

'She's known me for a week and I'm this close to scaring her off as it is, having no taste for convention and no patience to pretend otherwise. I can't expect to have her agreement so soon, not to mention the personal turbulences she's traversing at the moment.'

'Draco, I am a man of facts. The fact is that your advances are unrequited.'

'You're right, but I'm hanging to the one thing I can see; she's not indifferent to me.'

'Not indifferent? Draco, do you know who you are? You are my son! Your fortune, your achievements, your name! It's a commoner's dream! You suppose she's taking the time to sort her feelings? She must know her games well! Playing hard to get, getting this far under your skin!'

'She'd gotten under my skin before we'd even met, by no design of hers.'

'What do you mean?'

'That she belongs with me, effortlessly.'

'I trust this isn't the basis for your hiring her?'

'I've hired her for her potential. By her work alone, I predict she won't be a commoner for long.' Draco watched his father's face contort as it usually did when something evaded his control.

'Father,' Draco breathed, too tired to stretch this argument any longer, 'won't you support me?'

Lucius, on the other hand, was in great shape.

'Support you? When it's this blatantly misguided?! Heavens, a commoner! I never thought you would be one to forget your duty to your own name! This,' he pointed at the blazon embossing his ring, the Malfoy arms, silver snake embedded in green emerald, 'isn't just decorative work, son, and you will do well to remember that. This is lineage, our pride and glory, everything we work and sacrifice and live for. It must be preserved. I have raised you to the image of our values. You must live up to who you are!'

'I have done everything you've asked of me, Father. Everything I've done to please you, to earn your pride and respect, to let you rest; carry no worry. Am I not doing enough?'

'There comes a time when a father must reason his son for his own good. This is marriage. There is no history of divorce in our family because our marriages are never left to chance; our partners come from our very circles: we understand our duties, and t nbhey understand theirs. Don't think that you'll do better with an outsider who doesn't understand our codes, you will watch her cave under the pressure, and no impression of love she might have for you can withstand the trials of society, etiquette, Malfoy Motors, the lot of it! She'll leave you and she'll take your fortune with her before you can blink!'

'Your prejudice is yours alone, Father. Are status marriages that great?' Draco laughed bitterly. 'Of course they work, glued together with a web of lies and deceit and numb debauchery, barely disguised too. You and I can both think of the same names this very moment, so don't deny it, Father.'

'You wish to simply deny the merit of sensible marriage by generalizing? You think I don't love your mother? You think I haven't kept my vows to her?'

'The exception doesn't make the rule.'

'Are you trying to rebel from your responsibility?'

'Rebel? I'm not the hyperactive tyke you had to ply with meds and guard all day. I wouldn't make such an important decision for the heck of rebellion.'

'She hasn't even accepted you!'

'She will.' Draco said.

'If she doesn't?' Lucius challenged.

'If she doesn't,' Draco gave an acceding nod, 'if my understanding turned out to be wishful thinking, I'll marry Daphne, or Astoria, or whoever you think is the sensible option.'

'I am not ready to welcome some nameless child into this family, Draco.'

'Is that your final decision?'

'You're far too young to understand what's good for you.'

'But I'm not too young to run your company and study for my university program? You think it's been a walk in the park? I can barely…,' Draco checked himself. He didn't need his father thinking that he was having trouble keeping everything together, that his weekly sleep quota didn't even match the number of hours in a day. Even now, the room swayed lightly and his vision blurred from pent up fatigue. 'Never mind,' he said, rising to his feet. 'I'm going to bed.'

'Dinner in two days with the Greengrass father and daughter at Honeydukes Resort. 8 p.m. sharp. Don't be late.' Lucius called.

'You will thank me later.'

暂停

Draco knew when he woke up at dawn that moving out of bed was a mistake. He made it anyway.

His morning seminar over, he stepped away from the lectern, down the rostrum, shook hands with his speakers, shared the formal platitudes with his guests, informed Dorothea he was taking the day off, and quickly made to his car. The symptoms he'd been fighting off all week condensed past the overtures to an orchestra in full swing, demanding to be felt.

His unfocused sight made an unfortunate return and his nausea ramped up slowly. He'd hushed off his body's warnings a little too long, so now it would take the rest it was denied by force. Smart, it knew it wouldn't get it otherwise.

By the time he made it to campus after a risky drive, he was downright unwell. He savored the irony of actually being onsite in time for class for entirely the wrong reasons. Well, if he was going to collapse from exhaustion, let it be done in the privacy of his dorm room, not under the hypercompetitive eyes of his mostly-male classmates at Quirell's ergonomics class; Quirell being one of the professors who'd been petitioning to get him expelled. He quickly pressed the code of the male residence building and carried himself to the second floor. Blaise wasn't there. He grabbed a cool bottle of water from the mini fridge and plopped back on the couch, eyes closed, breathing strained. He considered a painkiller but opted out; he'd developed a hatred for meds as an adult; the vestige of his hyperactive, hyper-medicated childhood. Deciding sleep was his best resort, he carried himself to his room, dressed down drowsily, slipped under his quilt, and buried his face in his pillow, hoping the ache would simmer down after a long nap.

As he struggled against his psychogenic fever, the realization that he wouldn't be meeting Luna tonight drew a noise of displeasure from his throat. As he crushed the pillow under him in a stranglehold, the waves of fever warping around him fanned his uncertainties.

Could she have wanted to meet him to nip his proposal in the bud? Did she dislike that he wasn't more conventionally-wired with patience for courtship? Was he mistaking her natural sweetness for some shared interest, or in the least, curiosity?

Draco shook off the pesky trail of thought. He didn't question himself, he functioned linearly, conquering his goals one at a time with no prospect of apology, but insecurities had been spurred on by last night's fire chat with his father and the fire currently raking through him.

He had no strategy for Luna; no card up his sleeve, no conquering trick except telling her exactly what he had in mind for her and appraising her response, daring her to resist him. His fever didn't help stave off the vision of her with him now…he tightened his hold on his pillow, face flushed. He was strapped for time; he was expected to come affianced to the annual meeting, but his rush could very well repulse the object of his desire.

Consumed by strain and having no definite answer to feed to his nagging mind, he breathed deeply and spoke his summons like a spell.

Come ye ole sleep, I surrender.

Sleep came sweeping.

暂停

Luna and her team completed the schedule for their working program moments before 7 p.m., having tweaked and perfected it until the last minute. When Luna rushed to Draco's office to deliver it, anxious with anticipation, she found the doors locked.

Worrying that she had missed him, she paced down the corridor to Mrs. Kreecher's office. The assistant gave her a cursory look.

'Miss Lovegood, Mr. Malfoy left early. He would like you to drop the document he asked for in his campus residence mailbox.'

'Oh,' Luna recovered from her surprise, 'I will.'

A great many questions spawned in her head as she headed down to the lobby, ready to leave in her warm coat and fluffy scarf. Disappointment gnawed at her. Had Draco forgotten about their meeting? He didn't strike her as someone who forgot his appointments. Something must have arisen. He was, after all, extremely busy. She stood by the revolving doors, shivering slightly in the evening chill. The outfit she had picked for the day was her favorite A-line maxi dress; a pretty blue chiffon with a climbing Victorian collar—alas, not her warmest for the season. She had picked it with the prospect of meeting Draco in mind, she couldn't deny as much. She had replayed the brief moment spent in his company last night in her mind too many times—from him walking in on her waiting self to him catching her from falling on her bum. She had nearly drowned in his eyes then; an enthralling mixture of warmth and nervousness and a guarding safety she couldn't explain, all enveloping her, fitting against her like a blanket of pleasure. In the open honesty of pre-slumber feelings, she conceded to liking him a good deal more than was safe in case he lost interest in soliciting her as quickly as he had manifested it, though his reasons for doing so she could not imagine to go past necessity. Someone so used to polished beauty and expensive elegance, the male picture of both himself, could hardly conjure the need to ask for her hand unless he wanted her help in some measure that women of his rank were either unqualified or unwilling to give. She had hoped to clarify his need for her help tonight. She owed him so much already, if helping him by…marrying him was the only way to pay back her debt…would she do it? A business-grade marriage? She remembered a petite brunette from the capital, a short acquaintance she had made during a large business fair where had she occupied a stand with her father. The girl had then looked to Luna like she could use a listening ear. Clarissa, her name was, had taken her up on her offer and told her about her recent wedding to a businessman who needed to get married to please his parents. 'He is married to his work, you see,' she had said at last. 'I am the ancillary wife. But it works. He gives me what I need, and I give him his space.' Then Clarissa had dabbed off a treacherous tear. 'I suppose if he loves me one day, I might let him.'

Luna wondered if Clarissa ever got her wish.

Would she and Draco have separate lives then too? Would he be kind to her nonetheless? Would he still look at her like he did now from time to time? Would he let her miss the sound of his voice before he called? Would he learn to love her after she inevitably fell deeper into his waters?

Now that she envisioned this future, Luna realized how strong Clarissa must have been. She directed a silent prayer for her. Perhaps one day, they would meet again.

Suddenly, a black passenger door was pushed open before her. Dobbs tilted his head decorously from the driver seat. Luna hurried inside.

'Good evening Miss! Had a fruitful day?' The old man asked in good cheer.

'Yes…' Luna said distractedly, 'Um, thank you.' She added quickly. 'And yours?'

'Uneventful, so I looked forward to our customary drive. Is it just me or are you preoccupied with something, Miss Luna?'

'Er…well…do you know why Draco had to leave early? Is everything all right?'

Was that worry? Ah yes, music to Dobbs ears. He decided to play a little game.

'Well! Praise the Lord for this piece of technology! Why don't we call him and find out?'

He clumsily set up his phone on speaker.

Before Luna could word a protest, the ringing sound filled the closed space.

'Young Master?' Dobbs spoke first.

'...It better be important,' Draco muttered, his voice rough with sleep. Luna felt her heart give a tiny lurch at the sound.

'Oh very sorry, have I woken you up? Is everything all right?'

'Just a fever. Don't tell Mother. Or anyone.'

'Oh!' Dobbs directed a pointed look at Luna. 'Young Master, have you been neglecting your health?'

'Just my sleep.'

'Oh yes, you're pressured and tired, how nice it would be if you had someone to take care of you, take some of the brunt off your—'

'Dobbs, did you call for a reason? You just woke me up.'

'My mistake, my mistake, I'm sure.' Dobbs nodded, an unrepentant smile on his face.

'I'm hanging up.'

'Wait a moment, Young Master, do you need a doctor?'

'No, Dobbs. I need sleep.'

'Oh, Dobbs knows exactly what you need. You need a good, long rest, yes. Another incentive to get married soon so that you can enjoy a nice honeymoon with your bride away from—'

'Are you with Luna, right now?'

Luna flushed deeply at his sudden mention of her name.

'On the way to picking her up,' Dobbs lied, making Luna raise her eyebrows silently at him, cheeks still tinged pink. He made a grandfatherly shushing expression—funny grimace and all.

'Tell her I can't see her tonight.'

'Young Master was seeing Miss Luna tonight?' Dobbs's smile widened unabashedly. 'What is Dobbs to understand, I wonder!'

'Don't.'

'Should I specify the reason?'

'No need.'

'I believe I shall.'

'Dobbs—'

'Toodles, Young Master, have a good rest!'

The call ended, Dobbs turned to Luna with a redoubtable expression on his face. In that moment, he looked so animated and purposeful that he surprised her.

'Miss Luna, the code to Master's residence is 4569.'

Luna's surprise turned to shock.

'I'm sorry…what…?'

'He wants to see you! Didn't he just mention your name after I mentioned the word honeymoon? Is that not a sign? Ma foi! It's a blooming good sign.'

Luna flushed deeply.

'I believe it was said on an unrelated note.' Luna bit her lip. 'Out of convenience, since you are driving me to campus and he has a message for me.'

'Are things ever unrelated? Doesn't the word honeymoon have moon in it? And what is your name, pray tell, my dear?'

Luna's eyes widened at his thought process. She wasn't sure if it was a great stretch or poetry.

'A pure sign!' He decided in her stead. 'And didn't you have something to discuss?' He continued, undeterred, 'I do not know the nature of your relationship, because the stubborn boy wouldn't tell me a thing, but I know that Young Master doesn't go seeing people, and I mean women, after his work hours. If it happens, if I may be so prophetic, it is, ahem, once in a blue moon.'

Dobbs gave a pointed look to her blue dress. What signs, what prophecy! He was a pearl and he knew it.

Luna stared at him. 'Truly, I'm speechless, William.'

'A good flow to it, isn't there?' He beamed. He pocketed the concept for his wedding speech, which he now had more than enough signs at his disposal to believe would take place sooner or later.

'I suppose I will need the code of his residence to deliver a paper to his mailbox,' Luna pouted, flicking her hair behind her ear. '4569…' she scribbled in a small notebook.

'Yes yes, but here is my idea, Miss Luna. Isn't it better to deliver it to him personally? Wouldn't you say? Since he's, you know, unwell and shouldn't move around too much?' Dobbs sighed with pure theatrical genius. 'Ah! He takes terrible care of himself, Young Master does. I suppose he hasn't even eaten all day!'

'Oh,' Luna turned to him quickly, an idea gracing her mind, 'do you think he likes rice porridge? It's a wonderful healing food.'

'Healing food!' Dobbs repeated aloud, in the tone he might have used to shout Hallelujah. 'Yes, of course, what a fantastic, thoughtful idea!' He smiled. 'A great thing, to hire such a thoughtful girl, Young Master did.'

'It's nothing, really, I brought my camp stove for the purpose.' Luna said. 'I catch colds easily myself.'

'A fine strategist, you make.' A fine wife, I mean.

Luna did wonder why Dobbs was in such good spirits as she walked to her residence, drawing her scarf closely around her frame.

She welcomed the warmth of the heated flat as Ginny sprang into her vision, lying back half-dead on the sofa, tapping an idle rhythm on her stomach and curling her toes to make her duck socks smile.

'Welcome back…' she said, glancing up at Luna. 'How was work? Did you meet the Malfoy?'

'He's unwell,' Luna said.

'What? He gets sick?' Ginny shook her head disapprovingly, 'I suppose that cancels the robot theory.'

'I'm making some rice porridge for him.'

'Oh, no way?! Are you like friends now? You told us he hired you because you're artsy last Friday but is there something more there?' She smiled silkily. 'Are you trying to get promoted?'

'I'd like to be his friend,' Luna said truthfully, rounding up her ingredients and getting to work. Ginny tiptoed up to her, watching her, doing a spontaneous waltz in the background.

'Where's Hermione?' Luna asked.

'Someone from her family came back from abroad so she went to see them, she'll be sleeping at her parent's tonight. Didn't you check our SnitchApp group?'

'Oh, no, sorry, I am a bit scatterbrained tonight.'

'Is your job like difficult and stuff? It is a big company.' Ginny asked, pirouetting around to forget her case of the munchies.

'It's certainly new, but we take it step by step and discuss things thoroughly enough, so thankfully, I don't feel too lost. There's a lot of work ahead, but I'm looking forward to it.'

'Hmm,' Ginny placed her chin on Luna's shoulder, 'Hey Luna, do you think I can come with you when you deliver the porridge?'

'I would appreciate that; it's rather embarrassing to go alone.'

'Oh don't thank me…my intentions are entirely selfish…' Ginny's stomach growled. 'If you know what I mean.'

Luna laughed. 'Oh yes, I'm sure I do.'

Moments later, they arrived in front of the male residence. Luna was loaded with a white tureen with flower patterns on it. Ginny rubbed her hands together.

'I can't believe we're doing this,' she hissed, 'but don't worry, partner, I've come prepared.'

Luna watched in confusion as Ginny took out cosmetic powder from her red and white Hogwarts bomber.

'Watch my spy double life get revealed,' she grinned, grating some of the compact powder with the tip of her finger and blowing the loose resident at the digital smart lock. 'Tada! See that? The fingerprints magically appear!'

Luna leaned in, assessing her friend's work. The numbers that had been pressed by the male residents were now visible to the two girls.

'See!' Ginny clapped. 'But how do we know the order of the numbers though? Wait, let me Floo search it…'

'I know the code, Ginny.' Luna said sheepishly.

'Oh….wait, ha?! Who gave it you? Don' t tell me it was Malfoy?!'

'No,' Luna's cheeks pinked at the thought, 'it was William, his butler.'

'Oh, the one who drives you around? I can't believe what you've managed to do in your first week when all I've set to achieve was sample the whole cafeteria menu. But…why did he like, just, give it to you?'

'Oh…I have a file to deliver to him urgently,' Luna said quickly, unsure what else to answer, 'can you press in the code please? It's 4569.'

Ginny made an excited noise and pressed in the digits. She whistled as an unlocking sound was heard and the heavy door parted automatically. They pushed it back, stepping inside. 'A small step for girls,' Ginny declared in a gruff voice, 'a big step for…er…uh…yeah I got nothing. What's their flat number anyway?'

Luna looked around the mailboxes until she spotted the names Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy.

'Second floor, number 207,' Luna said.

'I'll clear the path, follow me,' Ginny said, mimicking a slinky spy, making Luna laugh.

'Is this it?' Ginny asked as they stood down the corridor in front of number 207. 'Oh man, this is where Malfoy lives! Is this what the paparazzi feel like?'

'Press the bell for me, love,' Luna asked.

Ginny did, extending her finger hesitantly then withdrawing quickly at the bell's sound.

Blaise opened the door, bluetooth headset on his head.

'Holy Japan!' He gaped at the girls. 'Sorry Rick, gotta zap,' he snatched off his equipment. 'Luna? Ginnette? What brings you ladies to these faraway parts of the world?'

'Wherever there's food, I'll be third wheeling.' Ginny smirked, tucking her hands in her bomber with the airs of an established street gangster.

'I don't see anything the matter with that philosophy.' Blaise smiled perplexedly. 'But to what do I owe the honor?'

'Not you,' Ginny said, 'her sick boss! She's delivering a document and something warm as a bonus.'

'This is some okayu, Japanese rice porridge.' Luna explained. 'It should help a little with Draco's fever.'

'Rice porridge?' Blaise opened his mouth, impressed. 'The anime food they give to sick people?'

Luna smiled, nodding.

'And can I have some?!' Blaise pleaded.

'I'm definitely having some,' Ginny shrugged.

'Of course,' Luna laughed, 'there's more than enough for everyone, it'll warm you up.'

'In that case, itadakimasu,' (I humbly receive) Blaise took the tureen from her extended arms. 'Come on in.'

'That's not necessary for me.' Luna said, taking out a large A4 envelope from her bag. 'I just have this document for Draco, if you could please pass it onto him?'

'Please do come in, Luna, you should have a bowl as well. And Ginny…' He gaped at where she stood a second ago, now an empty outline, 'where did she go?'

'Here!' Ginny called, having already slipped inside, looking like a she-sheriff prospecting her new town. 'So this is what a male flat looks like. Your tiles are a different color.'

'Thanks for the report, inspector.' Blaise quipped. He turned to Luna. 'Do I need to heat this up?'

'No need, it's still hot. I'll put this paper here for Draco, please let him know.'

'Let me know what?'

Luna turned her face toward the voice, nearly starting back. She watched in awe as Draco stepped out of the bathroom fresh off the shower, clad in a dark green shirt and light grey bottoms, his hand halting the drying motion of his towel over his hair as his eyes reached for hers.

'Oh…I thought you were…asleep.'

'A certain William blew that one.' He said, holding her gaze.

'I…' Luna began, unable to look away, even though her face was growing visibly warm, 'I brought the file.'

'And some rice porridge.' Blaise added, sweeping past them with a tray of soup bowls and carrying it to the living room coffee table.

'And a hungry chaperone!' Ginny raised her hand, gingerly sidling close. She washed up Draco with a thorough, investigative look. Should she sneakily immortalize the picture he made with her phone camera? Surely she would make loads of money. No, she deliberated, better earn his trust. She would have to stick to The Fluffy Pancake Operation to get her interview and, eventually, her fluffy pancakes.

'This is Ginny, one of my flatmates.' Luna introduced.

'I know Blaise but I don't believe we've met. I hope I'm not intruding,' Draco turned his gaze to Ginny, saying nothing, which had the effect of making her grin awkwardly before running to Blaise for shelter, 'your porridge smells nice, Lunes,' she sing-sang.

'Come over, Drake,' Blaise called, 'Luna's got you anime food for your fever, mate. And she's generous enough to share with us.'

Draco nodded, looking at Luna. He didn't trust himself to speak.

'Please,' Luna said, gesturing toward the table around which Ginny and Blaise were seating themselves on the breakfast table chairs. Draco moved to sit on the sofa, looking over his shoulder at her as she removed her shoes and padded inside, settling down directly on the carpet. 'I like to sit on the floor, if you don't mind. Here.' She plucked a bowl from the tray and lifted it toward Draco, who sat close to her left, combing back his damp hair from his face. He didn't mind at all.

'Thank you,' he accepted the bowl, watching her intently as she gave him a little smile and turned away, allowing her hair to curtain down, blocking her reddening face from his view.

'Is it all right?' she asked Blaise, who had slurped down half of his bowl.

'Luna, you're a dream come true.' He said. 'If I were Draco, I'd give you a raise.'

Luna shook her head, hiding her face behind her own bowl as she took a sip.

She turned instinctively toward Draco, whose proximity was sending a prickling sensation down her nape. 'Is it to your taste?' She asked him. He looked down at her as he took a first sip. Cushiony warmth flooded him. It hit him then; the reason why he wanted the girl sitting quietly on his flat floor, an arm's length away from his reach. Funny thing was, writer as he may be, he didn't have a word for it.

So while Blaise and Ginny guffawed at something on Blaise's phone, Draco reached down to Luna and picked a grain of rice from the corner of her lip…before bringing it to his, his tongue swiping it off his finger.

'It is,' he drawled softly.

Luna had felt it then. A stirring in her lower belly, a sudden desire to climb up onto his lap and seek the tongue that had just stolen her grain of rice.

'I…I'll…' her own tongue had ceased to work, it would seem. What on earth possessed her to imagine something so...what would Draco think of her? The idea was mortifying. 'I'll get going.'

'Let me grab your soup container,' Blaise said, running up to the kitchenette area and returning with the tureen. 'Thanks Luna, you made my night.'

Luna took it distractedly. They'd stayed little over five minutes, she was still in her coat. 'My pleasure...'

'Let's go,' Ginny said, appearing by her side and slipping her arm inside hers. 'It was good to meet you, Mr. Malfoy sir.' She made an extravagant flourish, punctuated by a bark of laughter from Blaise.

'Have a good rest,' Luna said, her eyes shifting to Draco, who hadn't stopped fixing her every move, his arm stretching over the back of the sofa. 'I've left the document on the counterpane,' her own eyes widened at what she just said, 'I mean the countertop. I must be getting sleepy...' she mumbled. 'Um...good night.'

Draco watched her leave with an unhurried smile on his face, a different kind of fever settling over him.

Well, this was new.

Maybe he hadn't scared his little girl off, after all.

MuffinMoe, your reviews always inspire/ amuse/ push me to update quickly. I love your new eyebrow waggling thing xD.

And oh, as someone who dabbles in both art and writing I literally think of this story as an aquarelle, how lovely of you to use the word!

You're the best.

L.