Of Love and Galleons Chapter 6: Educational Decree Number Twentyfour, a harry potter fanfic

A/N: Well, here's the next chapter. I'm going to be getting my tonsils out pretty soon here, so depending on how I'm feeling, I might get more of it done, or I might not get any done at all. So, we'll just have to wait and see. I'll try! I promise I will!

Disclaimer: The usual. (I was just going to leave it like that…but alas…) I own the plot. Not the characters. Whoopie.

Chapter 6: Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four and a Rather Odd Appearance

That Monday morning Luna got up nice and early again. She was always the first one up in her House, and usually the first one to leave the dormitory. As she walked down the girls' stairs, she noticed a rather large sign posted to the notice board. She swept down the stairs, and swooped to stand in front of the board. Luna always loved being dramatic like that.

After reading the sign, Luna shook her head. She didn't remember anything. So, she read it again.

-----BY ORDER OF-----

The High Inquisitor of Hogwarts

All Student Organizations, Societies, Teams, Groups, and Clubs are henceforth disbanded.

An Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club is hereby defined as regular meeting of three or more students.

Permission to re-form may be sought from the High Inquisitor (Professor Umbridge).

No Student Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club may exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor.

Any student found to have formed, or to belong to, an Organization, Society, Team, Group, or Club that has not been approved by the High Inquisitor will be expelled.

The above is in accordance with

Educational Decree Number Twenty-four:

Signed:

Dolores Jane Umbidge

HIGH INQUISITOR

Luna shrugged after understanding, and continued out into the corridor. She tried thinking about the implications of the Educational Decree, but it wasn't working. She had had another dream…about Malfoy. Again. Luna sighed. She just couldn't stop thinking about him. She thought he liked her; I mean, he had kissed her. However, she hadn't seen him in days, and she was starting to…almost worry about him. Luna tried ignoring the feeling, but it didn't seem to be getting any better or going away.

She set her books down at the Ravenclaw table and took a seat on one of the long benches. Pulling some toast and marmalade towards herself, she propped open the latest edition of The Quibbler, and started to eat. She had gotten about two sentences read when she felt that someone was behind her.

Instead of looking up, Luna said briskly, "May I help you?"

She felt a hand touch her shoulder, gently, but authoritatively.

"Will you come with me Ms. Lovegood? I have something I would like to share with you."

"I thought we had decided to drop the formalities and go to first names, Draco."

"Ah, yes. So we had. I believe I may have forgotten until this moment." His hand dropped off her shoulder. "Will you come with me?"

"May I finish my toast? Or do I have to go hungry until lunch?"

"Thinking about your stomach again?"

"Why, yes, thank you very much. It is not particularly fat, and when it is hungry, it needs filling. Much like yours, I daresay."

"Meet me in the library during lunch then, and I'll call it even."

"Wait, no, I'm ready now," said Luna as she immediately closed The Quibbler and stowed it in her bag. "Lead the way, and I'll follow."

Draco waited for her to pick up her bag, and then walked out to the Great Hall.

"Where are we going?" Luna asked.

"Away for a while, but I promise, you won't miss much in your classes. I already have it all arranged, and all of the teachers will think nothing of the fact that you are no longer there."

Luna paused. Where was he taking her? Away? Did that mean that she got to go to his house? Or were they going to go somewhere and have a quiet meal, then talk some things over? Perhaps, most importantly, why today?

"Well…that's nifty." Luna said after a while.

Draco stalked out the oak doors, and out onto the grounds. The bell rang, and Luna hurried to catch up with him. They made their way past the lake, and started on the road to Hogsmeade.

Luna started to worry. Wouldn't someone know they had gone, or where they had gone?

"Draco!" Luna called out. She was still struggling to keep up. "Draco! Where are we going?"

He stopped abruptly, and Luna almost walked into him. He didn't talk, and he didn't move. Luna got worried. She reached out, and touched his arm. He looked at her, almost thoughtfully, and somehow with distaste. She stopped touching him.

"We're going to dinner, actually," he said quietly.

Luna said nothing. Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of Muggle money with a 5 on it. "My father arranged this portkey here. It will take us to dinner, where another portkey will be waiting. That will take us back outside the Hogwarts grounds, where we can get back to school. Is that okay?"

Luna looked down at the ground. Draco reached over, and lifted her chin up. "Is that okay?"

Luna nodded slightly, looking apprehensive. Draco leaned over, and kissed her quickly on the lips. "Is your father the one who arranged for us to leave school property also?" she asked.

"Yes," Draco answered.

"Does Professor Dumbledore know that we are gone?"

"Yes. Although he wasn't very happy about it, I can tell you."

"Okay Draco. Let's go. Lead the way. I'll follow."

"Here, grab onto the portkey," he said, offering her the bill.

Luna grabbed a bit of it.

"Here we go."

Luna felt a swooshing sensation, and then they were spinning, spinning, out of control. Then, THUMP they landed on the ground. Draco rolled over on top of her. "Was that okay?" he whispered in her ear.

Luna's heart was beating and beating. She could hardly hear, or think, or breathe even. "Yeah, that was okay."

Draco stood up, and then offered a hand to Luna. They were standing by a gazebo, surrounded by roses. Draco held out his arm for Luna, and together they walked up the stairs to a table set for two. He rang a little bell sitting on a table, and with a loud pop, a house elf appeared.

"How may I serve you tonight, master?" the house elf squeaked.

"I would like the roasted lamb. Mix onions in with that as well. Also, a small

glass of that French red wine that we have would be nice as well."

"Right away. What can we get for the master's mistress?"

Luna started to protest and say that she wasn't his mistress, but then she decided that she liked the idea, so she closed her mouth. "Er…"

"You can have anything you like. Anything."

"Alright. I'll have a double cheeseburger with pickles and mayonnaise, no

ketchup or mustard. Oh, and some fries with that if you have it."

The elf cocked his head. "Anything to drink, mistress?"

"Yes," said Luna. "I'll have Coke."

"Right away," and with that the house elf popped out of sight.

Draco suppressed a chuckle. Luna looked at him, and cocked her head just like the elf had done. "What's wrong?" she asked him.

"Nothing," he said. "Absolutely nothing at all. That was just…well, an unusual order, I must say."

Luna shrugged. "I think I'm in the mood for something like that though."

"Yes, well, I did say you could have anything you wanted."

Luna nodded, and started looking around. They sat there in silence for a little while. Then Draco and Luna started to both speak at the same time. "You go first," he said politely.

"Yes, thank you. Er…yeah, I was just going to ask what you did in Hogsmeade

this past Saturday."

"Oh, I didn't do much shopping. I went to Honeydukes of course, stocked up on enough sweets to last me for a couple of months. Then I went to the post office, had to mail something. Not much. What did you do?"

"Oh…er…well, yes," Luna didn't want to tell him about the new secret meetings that Harry and the others were doing. "Well, I went to Honeydukes too. I mean, I needed to get some chocolate. I er…ran out a couple of weeks back, and you know how girls are, always needing their chocolate!" Luna giggled nervously.

Draco sensed something was up. "That can't have been all you did?" he inquired.

"Well, erm…now that you mention it. I did stop into the Hog's Head," she giggled nervously again. She didn't want to lie to him, but she was most certainly not going to tell him the whole truth and have Harry getting into trouble.

"The Hog's Head? That's an unusual place, and certainly nowhere a lady should go alone. May I inquire as to why you went there?"

"I was just…er…curious. Never been there, you see," she smiled slightly. "It is no place I wish to return to either."

"No, I would suppose not."

They waited in silence for the next few minutes. The house elf popped in, and they started to eat, again, in silence.

"You know Luna, there was a reason I called you out here."

"Oh?"

"Yes. A particularly specific reason, actually."

"Mmmm. What was it?" Luna was getting somewhat excited, but she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"You see, it deals with Professor Umbridge."

"Oh," Luna got quite disappointed.

"Yes. She has put me in charge of a particular group. One that works for her does her dirty work catches people doing bad things. However, we are very well paid."

"You said 'yes' to this offer?"

"You disapprove?"

"Well, no. I'm just not sure exactly how er…trustworthy…Professor Umbridge is."

"She is as trustworthy as you allow her to be. If you are on her good side that is."

"I don't think I am."

"Well, yes, Luna. Now, to the reason why I asked you out here tonight. I want to

know exactly what went on when you were in the Hog's Head. I need to know exact names of people who were in there. I know Potter had something to do with it, but I need your help catching him."

"You want me to snitch?"

"Yes, but Luna, don't look at it as snitching. Look at it as helping a friend. A very…good friend."

"Draco…"

"Please, Luna. Just think about it, I don't need the list now."

"I can't," Luna threw her napkin out of her lap and onto her plate.

"Luna," Draco made to grab her arm, but she twisted away.

"I can't help you, I'm very sorry. I happen to like Harry, and I think that Umbridge woman is just dreadful."

"Luna! If you don't help me, I am afraid I will have to use force, and I really

don't want to do that."

"Draco, I already told you that I can't help you. I won't. Now goodnight. I want that portkey and I want it now."

"No, Luna."

Draco moved after her. He grabbed her around the waist and held her tight. Luna heard something that sounded like a knife being drawn from a sheath. She turned around to see what was happening, and a knife was plunged into her heart.

Luna woke up. It was bright and early Monday morning. She got dressed, as usual, and, slightly shaky, made her way down the dormitory steps. She had her eyes closed, and she felt her way to the notice board. She breathed heavily, anticipating, hoping it wasn't there.