It was close to eight in the morning when Draco decided he was properly transformed enough to go downstairs and get some breakfast. Opening the door, he was surprised to find Luna waiting for him. She smiled in greeting, her necklace charms dangling quite loudly in the morning, then mutely grabbed his arm, wrapped herself around it, and started to lead him down the stairs. It took a moment for Draco to recall that she had pined him into going to Hogsmeade yesterday and desperately, he searched for an excuse.
"I haven't eaten-" Draco started.
"Don't need to eat," Luna said cheerfully. "We'll eat at Hogsmeade. Is the transformation getting better?"
"Uh…" Draco had to wait for his mind to catch up with the conversation. "Yes. I didn't even notice last night."
"That's good," she said, looking straight ahead.
Were girls always so comfortable grabbing each other or was Luna just this extreme exception? The way she draped herself on his arm was slightly too intimate for his tastes.
"Luna…?" Draco mumbled, staring at their conjoined arms.
"Yes?"
"…Nothing," he sighed, letting it go. Girls were weird and he'dnever understand them, even if he was one.
After calmly discussing (whining) the fact that Draco was starving, Luna stopped long enough to grab a couple of hot cinnamon rolls, fresh from the open bakery. They steamed warmly in the chilly air, winter climbing towards them in the sunny morning. A short walk away and they were at Luna's store that she had gushed about yesterday. She only gave him a proper moment to suck off the frosting from his fingers before Luna snatched up his arm again and dragged him into the shop. When he walked through the doorway, Draco was ready to recoil from the dirt. He had always heard that second-hand stores were filthy places with dust building up layer after layer and…well, just the fact that someone owned these before you and wore them made them a little tasteless. Luna left him at the doorway, drawn to a jacket that was near and snatched it off the hanger.
"This is great," she whispered, eyes bulging. Draco had never seen her so excited before and stared at her and the jacket wearily.
"Its multiple colors," he pointed out. The jacket had every color on it, but they were muted colors--slightly tired looking --of red, blue, green, and black.
She tossed it to him and Draco caught it instinctively. "Try it on."
"Absolutely not," Draco said, holding the jacket away from his person.
"Davina," Luna said sternly. "Just try it on."
"Hello, Luna," the shopkeeper greeted her, bursting out from behind a rack of clothes in the back of the store. She walked to them and Draco was drawn to staring at the chopsticks in her hair and the large earrings dangling from each ear. She wore colorful clothes as well, a deep red and pink shirt with a green sash over flaring tan pants. She jingled every time she moved; maybe because of the earrings or the little charms on her green shawl.
"Who's your friend?" she asked, staring at Draco with alarmed eyes.
"This is Davina," Luna introduced. "Davina, this is Ms. Cutler. I'm trying to get Davina to come out of her shell and be herself."
"Oooh, you've come to the right place then," Ms. Cutler gasped, grabbing Draco and drawing him deeper into the store.
"Being myself includes silk and velvet," Draco protested loudly, before he was shoved onto a cushion that was made for plopping your feet on. He sat, bewildered as Luna and Ms. Cutler set to work and started bringing him handfuls of clothing. How about this? they'd ask. Or this? This would look great, Davina. On and on. They forced him to try on jackets, shoved him in the changing room to try on pants and shirts. Nothing that Draco would even consider wearing because they were tasteless bright colors and old Wizard fashions. One hat they shoved on his head reminded Draco of the hideous hat he sported third-year and thought was very brill. Besides, it was weird to be trying on girl's clothes and Draco felt his manhood was in serious jeopardy with the way Luna was forcing him to embrace his feminine side. So at first, Draco resisted. He refused everything they showed him, stuck his nose up in the air, and ignored whatever he was forced to put on, never looking at himself in the mirror. Then Luna, fed up, dragged him off of his high horse, forced him into the colorful jacket she had found when they first walked in, and shoved him in front of a mirror, holding his head in place. His long, tangled hair washed over the old jacket, so ancient that Draco couldn't even distinguish the time that someone would willing wear it to be cool. It contoured to his shape nicely, accenting the breasts he Didn't Have, and had large pockets on the side that could easily hold his hands and wand. It was ridiculous, but the thing was so beyond its prime that he had gone into 'retro', and…
Draco's face was beat red when he admitted that he liked it.
Now there was no stopping him. Three hours later, Draco was putting clothes on and off his body with supernatural speed, trying on clip-on earrings, and throwing on as many necklaces as he could manage. It was uncomfortable at first to accept his odd shape, but after a moment, Draco began to pretend that he was simply dressing up someone like Pansy or something and let it go. When he caught Luna yawning from the corner of his eye, he felt guilty…then grabbed her and started making her try on the clothes he didn't like. Now he was acting like a girl and complimenting Luna on that jacket, how did she find those earrings, can I try that on next? If it had been anyone else with Draco, he realized, he would never allow himself to act like this. But Luna…was Luna. She smiled and looked at him like he was someone else. REALLY someone else…or she was trying to draw someone out of him that only she saw. She didn't tease him when he let out his girly giggle. She didn't say a thing when he started dressing her like an old friend. For those three hours, Draco was no longer himself. He wasn't a Malfoy or an heir to a Death Eater. He was just the new girl at school who was going shopping with a new friend. For those three hours, he was a girl, a real girl, Davina, and there was no Draco in sight.
"Thank you for your business!" Ms. Cutler called as they walked out the doors, waving as best as they could with all the bags in their hands. They laughed as they left, trying to maneuver themselves out of the door side by side, when they looked up and saw him.
Harry dodged another mud puddle as he walked with Cidy to Hogsmeade. Her hair was pulled up in a red bun, her green eyes sharp in the morning sun. She was shifting her book bag irritably and kept glancing at Harry pointedly. He didn't understand what she wanted from him. After breakfast, he had asked her out to spend time with her - just like she wanted (and complained about). But she still didn't seem to be happy, even after taking her hand and letting her show him off to all of her jealous friends. Harry was beginning to get angry about the entire situation. What more did she want from him?
"Harry," she huffed finally. "Would you please carry my bag?"
"Oh," Harry mumbled dully, slipping it off of her shoulder immediately. Why didn't she just say so? He wasn't a mind reader; he was a GUY.
"Thank you," she said, but she didn't sound grateful. Harry sighed as he heaved the thing onto his own shoulder. Whatever.
"How is Quidditch practice?" she asked lightly, playing with a fiery strand of hair.
"Boring," Harry admitted honestly. It WAS boring. Because...there wasn't any competition. All of the Slytherins had thrown themselves into hiding when Draco had disappeared from their lives. There was no more taunting from the stands when they had the pitch. There were no more fights over who had it this Saturday or the next. Now that their leader was gone, they didn't know what to do with themselves. Harry needed competition. He needed to fight with someone!
Damnit, Draco had no RIGHT to ignore him like this.
"You look angry," Cidy said, squinting up at his expression. "Is that Draco Malfoy not giving you any peace again?"
"Just the opposite," Harry answered, fixing the strap on his shoulder. Christ, the bag was heavy. No wonder Cidy was being cranky. "I haven't seen him yet."
"I heard that he quit," Cidy said softly, looking away. "They're going to have try-outs soon."
"Why would he quit?" Harry demanded, turning wide eyes on her. Malfoy couldn't quit, Malfoy never backed down when it came to challenging him. It was just...The news completely flabbergasted Harry. Why hadn't he heard about this?
"How should I know?" Cidy sighed, leaping over a puddle as the town came in sight. "He bought his way onto the team anyway. You know that, Harry. Why not have someone with talent challenge you?"
Harry looked away and refused to think about that.
"What do you want to do first?" Cidy asked after a moment and Harry shrugged uselessly. He didn't want to decide. What he really wanted to do was go back to Hogwarts and...well, what?
How is it that life had become so boring for him all of a sudden?
"I don't know," Harry answered, looking around at the opening stores. "Why don't we just...window shop first?"
"All right," and she gave him a smile. Harry stared at it for a moment, his tense shoulders relaxing. Yes, this was why he liked her. Because when she smiled, when she wasn't in a bad mood, she was a person Harry liked to be around. She made him feel good, when she would touch his hand for no reason other than to hold it. They walked quietly together that morning, drifting down those shops that yawned widely with open doors. Cidy would catch his hand whenever she saw something she liked and Harry squeezed back, because he knew she held onto him because she wanted to. No one was paying them any attention here.
They were just about to go back toward the center of town, talking about which store they should go intofirst, when two laughing girls came out of a shop that Harry had barely noticed. He was about to dismiss them, about to turn back to Cidy, when a flash of white hair caught his attention.
The laughter died like it had been shut off abruptly.
"Luna?" Harry choked out, finally noticing her presence beside Davina. Luna straightened her shoulders, throwing a bag over her shoulder.
"Hello, Harry," Luna said neutrally, but her eyes were focused on his left ear. The sharp look of awareness that she had just been carrying was fading quickly to that hazy, far-away look she was known for. Davina stood behind her defiantly, holding bags of purchase loosely, and looking at Harry like he mud she just got all over her new shoes.
"What...What are you doing with her?" Harry asked, astonished. Of all the people...!
"We're friends," she said, now looking at his right shoulder.
"Friends?" He repeated, not willing to believe that Luna would choose someone so lowly, someone who was so -
"Harry-" Cidy started.
"How can you be friends with her?" Harry shouted, pointing right in Davina's face. The girl puffed up indignantly, mouth open to spit remarks back in his face. Luna stepped in.
"Are you to tell me who I canbe friends with?" Luna asked, her voice as hard as her eyes. They were focused on him now.
"It's funny, Harry," Luna said thoughtfully. "You haven't talked to me since fifth year and now you have something to say about who I spend my time with?"
"Luna-"
"I believe you have no right or place in the matter," she said politely. She looked down the street.
"Are you ready to go, Davina?"
Davina looked torn. Her hands were balled up and gripping her bags tightly now, her furious eyes switching between Harry and Cidy. If she were a cat, all of her hair would have been standing on end in a puffy display. Her lips were parted in fury; obviously trembling with words she was barely holding back.
"Davina?"
"Go on, Davina," Harry spat, furious with this situation, furious with this entire THING. "Your friend calls for you."
"That's a pretty bag, Potter," Davina snapped back. "Tell me, did you put those flowers on it yourself?"
"Davina-"
"Harry-" Cidy started.
"It's my girlfriend's-"
"How sweet," Davina cooed, though her eyes sparked flames. "Carrying her bag around like some pet-"
"I AM NOT A PET-"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake." Cidy, fed up, stalked away from Harry.
"Cidy!" Harry called, about to step after her.
Davina laughed cruelly and repeated his words back to him. "Go on, Potter. Your girlfriend calls for you."
Harry stared at her for a moment with furious eyes, clenching Cidy's bag before dropping it to the ground. He remembered all too well the time she had humiliated him. He thought it was time to repay the service, especially with a street filled with so many people. Davina's eyes widened a fraction as he came near her, stepping back fearfully, before he leaned forward and swept her off her feet, knocking all her new possessions onto the ground. She was still for a moment, looking completely shocked, and that was all the time he needed. He took two steps then promptly dropped her again - right into a huge mud puddle. Dirty water splashed everywhere and the mud sucked her startled body right in. She blinked widely at her surroundings, before jerking furious eyes up at Harry. He couldn't even manage a laugh at the hilarious position she was in; instead, everyone in the street, students and adults alike, was doing the laughing for him. He glared back at her before turning and leaving.
"Davina, are you all right?" Luna asked, offering her hands to help Draco up.
Draco was burning from the inside, his body stiff from anger and humiliation. He knocked Luna's hands away from him at first, trying to pull himself up but he only succeeded in slipping and falling chest first back into the mud. People started laughing uproariously all over again and Draco's cheeks burned. This time, he took Luna's hands and she dragged him out. Draco's breath was hitching when he stood up.
"Come on," Luna said softly, taking his hand - her other hand clenching the bags of their new clothes - and led him through the crowd of crowing onlookers. Draco tried to keep his head up high, glared at everyone he passed, but it just made them laugh harder. In the end, Draco could only bend his head, eyes squeezed shut against all the pointing, all the loud laughter. He let Luna lead them through it all; he was too busy holding himself back to navigate. When he finally opened his eyes, they were nearing the Three Broomsticks. Madame Rosmerta swung the door open as Luna reached for the handle, like she was waiting for them the entire time. She had been.
"I heard!" She fumed, her cheeks an angry red and her hair like afurious tornado behind her. "I heard what Harry Potter did to you!" She immediately ushered them into the warm bar, taking the bags that were slipping out of Luna's hands. She threw them on the counter, and then started tending to Draco like an overbearing mother. She smoothed his long, muddy hair back and for some reason wiped his cheeks and underneath his eyes.
"Don't cry, honey," she said, smiling. Draco blinked at her, jerking. He WASN'T crying…was he? As Rosmerta started taking off his muddy school robes, Draco swiped at his cheek and came away with a salty wetness. He stared at his fingers in shock.
"Go near the fire, you two," Rosmerta ordered, rolling Draco's robes up in a dirty ball. Draco was too numb to really move, so Luna took his hand again and helped him towards the back of the bar, where they sat quietly. Luna was staring at the flames and Draco was staring at his hands. The numbness from having Rosmerta mother him was receding. Now his anger was returning. He was startled when Rosmerta shoved some butterbeer underneath his nose. He blinked, then mutely took it.
"-a despicable display if I ever heard one," Rosmerta ranted, putting her hands on her framed hips. "No excuse would ever suffice for this outrageous treatment. Harry Potter should know well enough how to treat a young lady no matter what!"
Draco managed a small smile as he took a sip from the butterbeer. He didn't feel much better until he took a bite of chocolate that Luna offered him. God, women were so weird.
"Anyway, those are on the house, dears," she said, deflating slightly. As if on instinct, she smoothed back Draco's hair again. Usually, Draco wouldhave jerked away from the contact of a stranger, but instead he straightenedup for the touch and smiled back at Rosmerta, his eyes stinging in that one moment of tenderness. Girls were very touchy, weren't they? Draco wondered as he watched Madame walk away.
Draco and Luna fell silent again, feeding themselves on butterbeer and the chocolate Luna had dug out. It was just barely pass noon when Luna finally spoke up
"How do you feel, Davina?" Luna asked, jerking her eyes away from the fire.
Draco calmly finished a piece of chocolate before wiping his hands clean.
"I need to wash my hair," Draco said. "And then I want to see Harry Potter."
Everyone in Hogwarts had heard about what Harry had done to Davina by the time lunch was served. Everybody was abuzz about the news, some angry, some hysterical, some extremely amused.
Ron and Hermione were everything.
"If I did that to a girl," Ron gulped loudly, "my mum would kill me."
Hermione poured herself another glass of lemonade, completely silent.
"But it was ruddy brilliant!" Ron said, grinning. "It was a perfect revenge for what she did to you in Snape's class."
"I don't know what possessed you, Harry," Hermione said calmly, shaking her head. "I mean, you've never lost your temper like that before."
"Except with Draco," Ron pointed out, his face twisting up in a grimace.
"But this is a girl," Hermione replied, astonished. "Harry, you threw a girl into a puddle of mud!"
"S-So?" Harry replied back, shrinking away from her wide, shocked eyes. He swirled his soup with embarrassment. "I guess it wasn't the right thing to do, but she made me so mad…I didn't even realize I had done it until it was done."
"Well, I agree she's completely haughty," Hermione said, buttering her toast with a sigh. "But…Harry, you saw that she wasn't very ordinary. She probably gets sick of boys staring at her all the time. Maybe she expected someone…with your own popularity to not notice. She probably has to act like that to get people to leave her alone."
"No, she doesn't," Harry snapped back, his mind drifting back to the horrible laughter that still echoed in his ears. "She didn't have to humiliate me like that. I didn't even DO anything to her!"
"Well, now you did," Hermione said simply and bit into her toast.
There was a rustle of raised voices suddenly and Harry groaned, wondering what could possibly happen next. When he looked up, he was shocked to see Davina in between the tables, searching the faces staring back at her before she spotted him. Her eyes immediately flamed up and Harry swallowed thickly. She strode toward him, and everyone around her seemed to tense up, their voices rising higher and higher. She's walking right to Harry! they all screamed, eyes bulging. There's going to be a fight! more whispered. I bet Davina wins! No, Harry wins! Oh, my! Somebody has to stop this!
Davina's momentum was sure and confident; she crossed the short distance between them with long strides until she was right in front of Harry. He tensed to feel a smack across his face, or for Davina to start screaming at him. When she grabbed his tie, he was ready to bolt. Instead, she pulled him forward, leaned down to meet him halfway and took his lips with an open mouth.
The whole Hall grew silent, the only sound was the clatter of utensils falling from slack hands.
Davina's hair fell over him in wet tangles, perhaps damp from a quick shower. Harry was completely shocked; never had a girl kissed him with her mouth already open. Usually, he had to probe them open with his tongue. They were always closed-lipped, thinking it was just like the movies. Instead, Davina had made the first move and covered his lips with her own, sucking them in with no chance to escape. Her tongue flicked his bottom lip, and then her teeth as she raked the flesh fondly when she pulled away. He blinked his eyes open slowly.
Davina smiled softly at them. Then promptly dumped the pitcher of lemonade on his head.
The whole hall broke into applause, shouts, and hollers.
Harry stared wide-eyed at her, blinking. Davina balanced the pitcher on his flattened head like an architect putting the final touches on a project, and then pecked his cheek. When she pulled away, she whispered into his ear.
"This is war, Potter."
Then she straightened, and walked out the Hall with Luna amidst all the shouting crowds of students who, for that one moment, loved her.
