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Chapter 4Draco awoke to see an annoyed looking Blaise staring down at him.
"Mate, what in Merlin are you doing? Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Draco snorted sleepily; half awake he tried to push Blaise away. He didn't have enough energy to give him a good shove so he gave up and turned around, back facing his friend.
"You're really flipped out aren't you? Mc Gonagall is sure to crack it at you… big time. You just missed out on double Transfiguration and our exams are in a week!"
Draco managed to produce a croaky remark.
"Since when are you so worried about exams, Blaise? I thought you said you didn't have to study, that you were a natural genius?"
"Well I personally couldn't care less about work. I don't want to sound up myself but my family is… rich and I don't have to work a single day in my life. Its just that mother promised me she would let me go to the Weird Sisters concert if I did well this year. Oh, and Draco… you know I'm a genius, who could possibly deny that?" boasted Blaise, raising his eyebrows and flashing a crooked grin.
Draco stifled a laugh. "If you were such a genius, why would you need your darling mummy..wummy's permission to go to a concert? I mean if you were that smart you could surely find a way around and save yourself the hassle of having to work your ass off to increase your marks," said Draco, sarcastically.
For the first time Blaise went unspoken. Draco beamed with satisfaction; he knew that he had a soft spot for his mother. She was the only woman in his life he listened to and respected.
After a while, Blaise broke the awkward silence
"Anyway, we ought to go and make it to Herboblogy before we're late. Not that I want to go or anything…the old hag Sprout is making us pair up with the know- it all Ravenclaws…"
Before he could even finish his sentence, Draco was already wearing his shirt and zipping up his pants. Of course, how could I forget that we have Herbology with the Ravenclaws? But how come I've never noticed Luna before?
"Gee…I didn't know you were that crazy about Herboblogy". Blaise eyed Draco suspiciously, "You alright? You've been acting weird lately".
Draco took a breath to answer back, but before he could do so, Luna's brown journal fell abruptly from under the bed covers.
Blaise walked to pick it up "I didn't know you kept a diary".
"Stay right where you are! DON'T you bloody dare pick up that book!' yelled Draco, his wand pointing straight at Blaise's face.
"Lighten up Malfoy, just relax. I wasn't going to read it, I have much better things to do than read about you're twisted secrets. You're so touchy, get a life will you?" although he sounded taken aback, Blaise was nervously inching towards the door, his eyes still on Draco's wand.
Draco's grip on his wand loosened. He got up without looking at his roommate and grabbed his bag and started walking down the stairs soundlessly. The journal was now lodged safely between his books. He didn't know what happened back there. He had never threatened any of his close friends before…well with the exception of Crabbe and Goyle, Draco very much valued his fellow Slytherins. Now he felt different though and a lot more protective than he had ever been about anything. The poem in Luna's journal was personal and he felt a strong connection with it. The fact that someone else could read it and not understand what it means to her and to not be able to relate to it, makes Draco cringe with jealousy. In this case Blaise would be one of those people. He wouldn't be able to comprehend the meaning of her words, because he's never been hurt by someone close to him.
Draco skidded to a stop at the entrance of the greenhouse. Most of the class was already there and Professor Sprout was watering some mandrakes on the other side of the room. He slowly made his way to the furthest of the rows, while searching anxiously for the girl with the misty blue eyes. No mater where he looked he couldn't seem to find her.
"Are you looking for me sweetie pie?" said a voice playfully, her hands covering his eyes.
Draco spun around knowingly, a fake smile spread across his face.
"Uh…of course, who else would I be seeking Pansy?"
"I missed you, where were you during Transfiguration?"
"Oh, I just sort of slept in. I couldn't go to sleep after all the Cauldron Cakes I had last night. Those things give you bad indigestion you know", said Draco, trying to sound convincing.
"Boys", said Pansy her eyes wide "They eat like pigs until they get themselves sick! Tell me Draco, when will the male population of the world ever develop brains?"
"Never dearest…at least not in our life time", said Draco, this time smirking genuinely. He secretly hoped that females too didn't develop a strong sense of curiosity, especially Pansy.
"Are we all ready to begin class?" asked Professor Sprout, trying to catch the attention of the more 'uncooperative' students.
Eventually the class settled down and the slow process of picking partners from the opposite house began. Suddenly out of a dark corner in the front of the room, Luna appeared and joined the rest of the class.
Draco hadn't expected her to be sitting so isolated and secluded from the rest of them. He assumed she preferred to be more independent, but it seemed so lonely in her corner…no wonder he never saw her before.
For a moment their eyes met. Luna was swaying gently from side to side as if she was moving to the even beat of music no one else could hear. Her lips were slightly parted as her eyes darted back to Draco's, this time not leaving his face. Draco felt an odd stir in his stomach, and could feel his body getting hotter. He looked down for a moment and pretended to be listening to Professor Sprout's instructions. When he looked back up at Luna, she was still staring at him. He didn't know what to do so he just smiled at her nervously. Luna beamed and waved in his direction. Pansy was standing next to him having noticed the gesture.
"What a freak, who does she think she's waving at? It must be one of her imaginary
friends, as if that weirdo would have any real friends." whispered Pansy into Draco's ear.
Draco could feel his warm hand moving towards his wand once more. Anger was building up inside of him. He then gazed back at Luna's tranquil face and his anger seemed to subside almost instantly. His body relaxed as he watched her gracefully flip her silky hair out of her eyes. She continued to sway hypnotically. Without even realizing Draco could feel his feet moving to the beat, in sync with Luna's steps.
He quickly seemed to enter a trance.
Once more he could feel her warm fingers touching his cold lips. For the first time in years he felt alive as she looked at him in her compassionate way; unable to remember when anyone had ever looked at him like that.
The moon's radiance glowing in her sweet smile, her soft hands stroking his cheek…
As if awakening from a long sleep, Draco opened his eyes wearily. He found himself to be standing in the middle of the greenhouse all by himself, with the rest of the class sniggering at him from their seats.
"Oi, Malfoy don't mind us, just pretend we're not here. We wouldn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep!" shouted a deep voice mockingly, no doubt a Ravenclaw.
"I hope you don't think you are being funny Mr. Malfoy by disrupting my class. Everyone has already chosen his or her partners and you're lagging behind," said Professor Sprout nodding disappointingly.
"I'm s..sorry Professor", stuttered Draco stuck for words.
"Is there anyone who hasn't got a partner yet?" she questioned.
Slowly a hand shot up from the front of the class. "Alright you may go with Miss Lovegood, but I don't want you fooling around because I won't be so patient next time. I hope you are aware that exams are coming up, and it is at these times especially, that I
give out multiple detentions if I tend to loose my temper. Now go quickly, before you waste any more time."
Draco hastily made his way to Luna's desk, where he plopped down next to her. Instantly he could smell the scent of carnations, the same as the aroma from her journal.
She had pumpkin earrings on and a peculiar necklace with miniature tomatoes stringed onto it.
"I..err..like your jewelry, its quite vegetable orientated," said Draco unsure of what to say.
"Thanks, I have a whole collection of studs and other vegetable jewelry. I'd like to start a fruit collection too one day," she said, fingering her dangling pumpkins admiringly.
"Are you feeling better now?" Luna asked this time looking at Draco seriously.
"You mean just then…I don't know what happened I guess I'm really tired".
"No not that, I was wondering if you are better than the last time I saw you. You were quite a mess, I was worried".
It appeared odd to Draco to see Luna looking at him so sternly. Her soft features were now sharp but friendly at the same time.
"I'm fine now, you saved me a lot of trouble. Thanks again for helping me, no one else would have understood me," he started to get hot again, heart pounding and still not sure what was happening to him "I mean I couldn't have gone to any of my friends because they would pester me with all these questions until they got answers. I'm just not ready to tell them everything… but you're not like them," he finished wondering if he told her a bit too much already.
"I know what its like when people ask you too many questions, in a way you feel guilty about not telling them what happened. But there is also this little part of your thoughts in the back of your brain wanting that person to be curious. You feel a sense of control in your life because it's the one thing, in which you are the one who makes the decision of whether or not you want to tell them," said Luna twisting pieces of her hair into curls.
Draco pondered for a second over what she said. It was exactly how he felt; it was starting to scare him more and more on how Luna appeared to be reading his mind.
Just then a shadow appeared over them. They turned to see Professor Sprout towering above them. "It doesn't quite look like there is much work being done here". Her hair had bits of leaves and mud sticking out of it, and her face was covered in dirt. It was obvious that she wasn't in a good mood.
Before Draco could find an excuse, Luna spoke out. "I've already drawn up our herbs table professor. And...Draco has collected two of the plants we need, Wolfsbane and Nettle," she said showing the herbs to her.
Professor Sprout smiled with satisfaction and walked over to a noisy table opposite them her face now grim.
Draco looked at Luna in awe, she just saved him from a weeks worth of detention and even more public humiliation. "When did you do all that stuff and gathering the herbs?"
"Oh, I haven't had much to do lately. I knew what we were going to do in class today so on the way here I decided to pick up these" she said pointing at the Wolfsbane and Nettle. "And I drew up the table while you were…resting up there."
Draco could feel his pale cheeks going pink at her last words. He never used to blush or feel embarrassed about anything.
"But we've got exams coming up, how come you're not that occupied? I sure know I am," he said looking confused.
"I finish my homework pretty quickly when I am bored. I would usually write in my journal but ever since that night in Myrtle's bathroom I've seemed to have lost it. I can't imagine who would have it, I just wish I had put a spell on it so no one could open it." said Luna regrettably, furrowing her eyebrows.
Draco had completely forgotten about returning the journal. He lurched in his chair his eyes glancing away uncomfortably. He tried to hide his surprise and casually put his arms to rest on the table. In doing so, Draco's elbow knocked his books and from between them the brown journal went flying across the ground, stopping right in front of Pansy's feet.
Luna gasped in disbelief and looked back at Draco, her eyes blank and emotionless.