A/N: Hey ppl! Sorry it took so long to get this up. I had another brilliant idea for a Draco story and it happens to be a DraMione story, it's titled "Beyond the Mask" so if you like DraMiones check it out and leave me a review. Thanks to SilverIce, one of my faithful reviewers, and thanks to QuillQueen, your constructive bit really helped me, now I can use that in all of my stories. So, anyway, you're prolly wondering "When is she gunna shut up and get on with the chapter?" well i geuss i will now. So, read it, enjoy, and REVIEW! PLEASE!

"This Is What We're Up Against"

A Draco Malfoy Story

Chapter 3

There he was laying in the sand with his shades on. Letting the sun tan his pale body, he took a sip of his virgin margarita. It was the last day of summer. Tomorrow, he'd be going to Kings' Cross. He'd be going back to another year at Hogwarts. But, he had a feeling that this year would be better. Over the summer, he had learned not to be so arrogant, but that didn't mean he still didn't have confidence. He had spent a lot of the summer thinking. Thinking that he didn't want the life his father had. Power corrupts people. How he longed for the day when Voldemort met his down fall. But, he couldn't waste his life worrying about Voldemort. He laid in the sand for another hour. Then he got up and went back to the Leaky Cauldron.

As, he was leaving, he was attracting a lot of attention. All the girls were staring at him. He was used to it. But at that moment, he really didn't care. He ignored the stares and whispers. He knew he was hot, but was feeling modest at the moment. But, he hadn't had that much experience with the opposite sex. Unless, you count a date with Pansy at the Yule Ball. He also didn't count the countless times she had tried to seduce him. One time almost resulting in taking off all her clothes, she was desperate that day. But, he had black-mailed her out of it.

There were more girls that had tried to seduce him. But, he didn't consider it experience unless he was willing. He hadn't wanted any of those girls. This year he was going to beat Granger at her own game. If he applyed himself it would be a cinch. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when he was top of the class that year. He got to the Leaky Cauldron and packed his Hogwarts trunk and got ready for bed.

The Next Day- September 1st

Draco rolled out of bed and put on some jeans and got a white shirt and buttoned it up half-way and he threw on some flip flops. Dumbledore had got him a Ministry car to ride in. Draco would've preferred to go another way, but Dumbledore had done it for security purposes. He got in the car and was silent on the way there. He grudgingly got out of the car.

Nearby, Luna had got out with the Weasleys. Harry invited her to sit with them. But, she had insisted she had other friends to sit with. She really wanted to sit by herself. She didn't want to put up with Ginny and Hermione being jealous of her the whole time and she knew Fred and George had their own stuff to attend to. A group of guys nearby were laughing and pointing at her. There were also catcalls ans whistling. "Hey, guys look, Looney filled out over the summer!" came some guy's remark. Luna flared up at that "Yeah, well you won't get none of this. Oh yeah, I was just off to some more padding in my padded room. That's how crazy I am. I'm Looney. Have a nice day, jerks!" She stomped off angrily onto the train. She found an empty compartment, and put her stuff in the rack and took out a novel about UFO's.

Draco had let the crowd thin out before heading onto the train. He got there a little late, so there were no empty compartments. But, he passed by one that had a blonde girl by herself in it. He slid open the door. Luna's eyes lit up when she saw the hot blonde perched in her compartment. Draco flashed a smile "So, you savin' these seats for anyone?"

Luna smiled back "Just you."

"Thanks," he strutted in and shut the door, he hauled his stuff in and put it in the other rack. He stuck out his hand "I'm Draco Malfoy."

Luna shook his hand "Looney Lovegood."

"Your name really Looney?"

"No, it's Luna. I get sick of people calling me that, though."

"You're the girl who tagged along with Potter and them to the Department of Mysteries last year."

"Guilty. And you're the evil one who held ud hostage in Umbridge's office."

Draco remembered that and looked down "Yeah... but it was a mistake. After my father was caught, I've done a lot of thinking. I'm not like that anymore. Potter's probably told you loads of horror stories about me."

"Even if he had, I wouldn't have believed them. See, I don't judge people, by what other people say about them. I get to know the person first, then I base my analysis off of my personal experiences with that person."

"You're in Ravenclaw, right?"

"Yeah."

"I can tell by how you talk."

"And how's that?"

"Very intelligently."

"I know you're in Slytherin by your confidence."

"Very perceptive, I see."

"Yep, that's me."

"You don't seem looney to me."

"My dad's editor of the Quibbler."

"I'll admit there's some strange things in there, but I won't judge you, based on your family."

"Thank you, everyone else does."

"Everyone else is just dumb-asses."

"Yeah, it's true."

"So, were you going to sit by yourself if I hadn't come along?"

"Yeah, that was the plan. But, you're good company."

"Yeah, I was going to sit by myself, too. Want to exchange reasons?"

"Sure, I'll go first. Well I met Fred Weasley at the beach and he invited me to stay at his house. Well, as soon as I got there Ginny and Hermione were being all jealous, I geuss afraid I would steal their boyfriends. I don't want neither of them. So I hung out with Fred and George and we got to be best friends. I didn't want to sit with Harrt, or Fred and George because I knew they would be busy."

"They're the only Weasleys I have any respect for. I can see why Granger and the Weaselette would be jealous."

"Why?"

"It's obvious, you're so much prettier than them. If you wanted to take their boyfriends, you would have no problem doing it."

"Thanks, So why did you want to sit by yourself?"

"I changed over the summer. I've gotten rid of my arrogance. Crabbe and Goyle are useless, they are not even friends, I just felt like being alone."

"I know how that feels. I never knew what it felt like to have friends until last year. Is Pansy your girlfriend? She flaunts it a lot."

"Hell no! She was my date a couple years ago, that's it. Oh, and she tried to seduce me an awful lot."

"Not a very convincing seductress is she?"

"Not at all. For one thing, she is not a good-looking girl."

A tall guy with shaggy black hair walked in, also known as Blaise "Draco, I was starting to think you weren't coming back."

"I'd come back anyway. Good news, Father might be getting out of prison."

"How?"

"Long story, tell ya later."

Blaise looked Luna up and down.

Luna felt as if she were see-through or something.

"Draco, who's your lovely lady friend?"

"Oh, that's Luna Lovegood."

Blaise was about to say ----

"Yes, she went with Potter to the Department of Mysteries."

"Wasn't going to say that. Aren't you the girl who told off all those guys for callin' you "Looney" ?"

"That's me, I hate that name."

"So, how'd you two end up in here together?"

Draco could see curiosity in Blaise's eyes as if he was implying something "We both wanted to be alone, but instead found each other. Which is good, because Luna's a great listener."

"Aw... sound like best friends already."

Luna thought Blaise is amusing "It could happen."

"Well, Draco I got to be gettin' back to the guys, see you at the table."

"Later, man."

Blaise saluted and walked back out.

"Blaise is cool."

"Yeah, he is."

"Draco, will we still be friends when we get to school? Even when you're surrounded by all your friends, and people start calling me Looney?"

"Of course, I believe we can be great friends. We will definitely be friends at school."

"Ok, just checking."

They were a few miles away from Hogwarts. Luna decided to change first. "Will you get out so I can change?"

Draco always the polite gentlemen "Yeah, sure." He walked out, he kind of didn't want to, but slapped himself mentally for that thought.

Luna changed into her robes and let Draco back in "You can change now." She went out and thought "Damn, I wish I didn't have to, I bet his chest is so tan, and muscular..." She was caught up in a fantasy of her and Draco on the beach, the sun was setting, and she was laying in his arms.

"Luna, you can come in now."

Luna snapped herself out of her little fantasy and also scolded herself for thinking such thoughts when she had only known him for a few hours. She noticed he looked even hotter in black. His platinum blonde hair stood out against the black. The train came to a hault.

Draco looked sad, it felt like just minutes ago he and Luna were talking "We better get our stuff."

"Yeah.." Luna lifted her trunk and owl cage from the rack.

Draco was surprised by her strength, he got his stuff from the other rack. They walked off the train together.

Blaise called out "Draco! Over here."

Then, came Fred's call, "Luna, come over here."

Draco looked at her "I'll see you at school."

"Don't forget about me." She locked eyes with him, they understood each other. Luna turned on her heel and walked over to Fred and George. Luna just hoped that when Draco got back around all the Slytherins, that he wouldn't change. She hoped he would remember her.

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Well there u go, u know what to do. Click that little blue button and leave a few words about the story. I liked the chapter, it was kind of sad it reminds me of something I read in Romeo and Juliet "Parting is such sweet sorrow." It kind of fits with Draco and Luna. So, leave me a review and I'll get your 4rth Chapter up! TaTa For Now!

-Adams1Gurl