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Love, becca

Chapter 5

"Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to."

---George Seaton

Draco headed back down to the dungeons, since it was almost time for his first period class to start.

Upon entering the classroom, he looked around for Crabbe and Goyle. "Where are those silly blokes..." he muttered to himself. He took his usual seat in the back of the room, and pulled out some parchment and a quill. "Ow!" he shrieked, as a rather large hand struck the back of his head.

"You bloody bastard!"

"What the hell is your problem?" screeched Malfoy, standing up quickly. It was Milicent Bulstrode, glaring angrily at him.

"How dare you treat Pansy like that!" she wailed, attacking him with another blow on his right arm.

"D-d-don't touch me!" growled Draco, rubbing his arm. "You just stay out of my business."

"Oh, and how can I? With you're ex sobbing uncontrollably in the Slytherin Common Room because you broke up with her!" Crabbe and Goyle walked into the classroom at this time, just in time to see Milicent attack Draco for a third time.

"Hah. He's going to let himself get pushed around by a girl," said Goyle to Crabbe, chuckling.

"Shut up," said Draco. "And, you! Milicent! Go away!"

"Oh, I'll go away, Draco Malfoy. But I'll be back. You're going to pay for this... I'll see that you will!"

Crabbe and Goyle were laughing hysterically as they took their seats on either side of Draco. "Good God, what flew up her skirt?" said Crabbe. "And you, Draco, you should've punched her!"

"I bloody well would have, Crabbe, if she wasn't so damn huge!" Draco scowled angrily at the plump boy, who was still laughing uncontrollably.

"What did I tell you about taking your vitamins?" said Goyle.

"Oh, be quiet you pig."

The Potions Door slammed shut, and Professor Snape whisked into the room, his robe billowing out behind him. "Good Afternoon," he said coldly, not facing the students. "Because of the accident yesterday in the classroom..." Snape eyed Neville angrily, "...we do not have all of the ingredients needed for class. So today, you will be taking notes off the board." He tapped his wand twice on the blackboard and immediately notes appeared. "No talking! You may get started."

Potions class dragged on slowly. The only sound audible was the scratching of the quills on parchment. Not one student dared to speak to another in fear of the frightening punishment they may receive. Draco's mind wasn't completely on the notes he was taking, though. Instead, it was more so on Luna and Ginny. He wondered what Luna would say... and if there was a way Ginny could ever see the good in him. He wondered if there was even any good in him in the first place...

Riiiiing! Finally, Potions class was over. Draco was the first student out of the classroom....right behind him was Milicent Bulstrode.

"You bastard!" she shrieked ramming her Potions text book into Draco, causing him to run into Hermione.

"Watch it, mudblood!" he hollered at her, but for some reason felt a bit bad about saying it. Hermione shot him an evil-eye glare, and continued walking with Harry and Ron.

"Milicent... you're psycho!" His back was aching even more from her Potions book. This made her smiley devilishly.

"And you.... Draco Malfoy...are a greasy headed little weasel!"

"Actually," said Ron, turning around, "I'd classify him more under the Ferret species, Milicent. Can't you just see it in his eyes?"

"Shut up Weasley!" said Draco. How dare him insult me!

"Oh, you pig-headed Weasley. I'm not too friendly with you Gryffindors..." said Milicent, fiercely looking at Ron.

"Come to think of it, you're damn well disagreeable with all Hogwarts students," retorted Ron, chuckling heartily.

"Ron," said Hermione between clenched teeth.

"THAT'S IT, BITCH YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" screamed Milicent, charging blindly after Ron. He dodged her, and she went sailing down onto the floor.

Draco couldn't help but laugh. "Nice going, Weasley. Certainly did raise my expectations of you..." he said. His silvery eyes sparkled at the proud Ron, who was standing rather tall and puffing his chest out.

"What can I say? I'm not too shabby," said Ron, running his hands through his red hair.

"Ron, we're going to have to talk about this. Gryffindor Common Room. Now."

"But Hermione I—"

"YOU HEARD ME."

"Yes, mommy."

"Wow... got that one by the balls, she does," muttered Goyle to Crabbe and Draco.

"Ugh. That can't be too good. Hope I never find out what that's like," said Crabbe.

"Me either," said Draco, cringing as he thought of Pansy.

It was lunchtime in the Great Hall. All of the Slytherins were seated together, happily chatting, except for Milicent and Pansy. They were quietly eating their lunch at the end of the table, shooting mad looks at the rest of their classmates.

"Wow Malfoy. You're one brave soul... trying to break it off with that one. She's going to be on your ass for years," said Marcus Flint.

"I can picture it now—" said Vincent Crabbe. "You're forty-three... trying to buy a new house..."

"Shut up, Crabbe," said Draco. "She's perfectly fine with it, Marcus. Hasn't said a word about it in several hours."

"Yup. That's because she's been crying it up in the Slytherin Common Room. Saw her myself."

"Well, she'll get over it eventually."

"I hope she does," said Crabbe, wiggling his eyebrows. "She is a babe..."

"You dirty bastard!" said Goyle, elbowing Crabbe. "She totally doesn't go for your chubby lot. Slim Fast, anyone?"

Luna Lovegood entered the Great Hall by herself. She looked around with squinted eyes towards the Slytherin table. She saw Draco, smiled, and started walking towards him. "I need to see you for a minute, Draco..."

"Ahoohoohoo!" said Flint, Goyle, and Crabbe. "He's got the ladies lined up for him!"

From across the lunch table, Pansy spun around. When she saw Luna Lovegood, her eyes bugged out, and her chest started heaving quickly. "What...is...that... bitch...doing...talking...to...Drakey?!"

"Luna! We have to get out of here." Draco shot around to look at Pansy.

"Good Lord!" Luna's blue eyes looked icy and frightened, and she turned with Draco to leave. "I didn't mean to cause that girl any anger!"

"She's like that a lot. Kind of like a rabid dog. Best if you ignore her. Where shall we go... the library? Pansy won't be found in there..."
"Very well, then, Draco." They walked in silence down the hallways. Once they arrived at the library, Luna pried the heavy door opened, held it for Draco, and immediately took a seat at a nearby desk. "I talked to Ginny this morning. I told her that you were really a nice, loving person. That she just needed to discover things for herself. I told her you were a good friend to me..." She trailed off, glancing down.

"And..." he said quietly. There's no hope for me. Luna did all she could and Ginny still won't have a thing to do with me. Good God... I have the worst luck. Why does it always have to be like this?

"She didn't seem too happy about you being brought up. Something that happened last evening between you two?"

"Yeah... I-"

Luna waved her hand. "No, don't worry about it. I'm not trying to pry into anyone's business. I want to help you, and I am friends with Ginny. And all I can tell you is, I'll keep trying."

"Luna... I can't thank you enough."

"It's okay. Like I said, Draco, I don't mind helping people out."

"Luna... do you think there's any hope for us left... any...at all?"

Luna smiled, and placed her hand on top of Draco's. "Faith is believing in things when common sense tells you not to."