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In the Right Place, at the Right Time
Chapter 3
"The Luna Mind Meld"
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Usagi and Draco spun around. There, right in front of them, about fifty feet from where they were, a monster was attacking. Draco was in shock and Usagi was panicking. She turned to Draco.
"Stay right there Draco!" and she ran off. Draco was about to protest, but knew she was up to something. He decided to stay right where he was. He watched from behind a tree, wand in hand. His eyes when wide as he saw a girl jump out in front of the monster in a short, blue skirt. She shouted something about being called 'Sailor Moon'. He could see her touching her forehead and then throwing something at the monster. The girl had blonde hair, and done strangly a lot of like Usagi's odd hair. Draco wasn't stupid.
"Usagi!" he called out. The girl stopped suddenly. She looked at him. How did he know? "Get away from that thing!" It was Draco's chance to prove how good of a wizard he really was and he come forward.
"Draco, no! It's up to me to handle this!" Draco had raised his wand.
"Incendio!" Flames engulfed the monster and it hissed in pain. Sailor Moon ran to him.
"Draco! I said no! You cannot do this!" Then she yelled and then thought. "And how did you know that it was me?"
"It's obvious, Usagi. Oh, and it's not like I'd take orders from a muggle." He blew a bang from his face. The monster didn't stop there though, it blew another blast that engulfed the two. Sailor Moon clung to Draco as he held her tight.
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasely happily ate their first feast at Hogwarts on that September 1st evening. This year was going to be really great. Draco Malfoy was not there. He hadn't shown up, and they really didn't care where he was or what may have happened to them.
"Wow! Harry this is great!" Ron said in so much joy, Hermione seemed to be really over joyed for once as well and books weren't even involved this time. Harry looked at his friends and smiled to himself.
"Yes. This is going to be the best year ever." They all nodded in agreement. Then Harry noticed that all the Slytherins were looking around at each other also wondering where their best Slytherin was. Pansy Parkinson looked especially worried.
"Haha, look at them, Hermione." Ron said. Hermione was about to take another bite of her meal when she noticed something in the ceiling above them. Suddenly, the ceiling seemed to have started to open into what looked like a black hole. Harry and Ron also noticed and looked up, the rest of the Gryffindor table looking up as well. The rest of the students at the tables followed, as did the professors. Screams filled the air, mostly a scream of a girl.
Everyone stared as Draco Malfoy fell through the hole, holding a small blonde girl tightly in his arms, who in return clutched onto him just as tight. They hit the floor with a hard 'thump' and everyone's jaws dropped. Chatter errupted in the Great Hall, and Dumbledore clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention.
Everyone was in wonder as to how Draco Malfoy got there with a beautiful girl in his arms. The two of them unconscious on the floor, the girl sprawled out on him. Snape was the first to get there, to check on his favourite student. He was soon followed by Dumbledore and the rest of the professors that taught there. Dumbledore seemed to be the only one that knew what was going on. The mysterious girl and Draco Malfoy were soon lifted off to the Hospital Wing.
Usagi was the first to stir. She blinked and looked around her surroundings. Where was she? She slowly sat up, her mind racing. Then she remembered the events that had happened. All she could remember was that she was in a park crying after what she and Draco had seen. Draco defended her. He actually defended her. Although she only knew him for just more than a day, she knew this wasn't an everyday thing for him. He punished Mamoru and that woman he was with. He tried to protect her from the monster that was attacking. Then she remembered the monster was on fire because Draco had yelled some strange word and the blaze was sent straight from his wand, but the monster attacked them anyway. They were soon engulfed by darkness, she clutched him and to her surprise Draco had held on to her, protecting her with all the strength that he had. And now she was here. But...where was Draco Malfoy?
She looked around, and to her left, she noticed another bed that the handsome blond boy was resting on. "Draco!" she whispered. Careful to make sure no one was around, she slowly got up, and left a pain in her leg. It must've been from the fall she thought to herself as she limped over to the bed Draco was on.
"Draco?" she shook him but he didn't wake. "Draco?" she shook him harder, still with no response. Tears collapsed from her eyes as she laid her head down on his chest. If he was breathing it was very faint, but it was there. She smiled at the fact that he was still alive.
Draco must've felt her weight on his chest, because his eyes slowly fluttered open. He looked down at the golden locks laying in front him just below his chin. He lifted a hand and ran his fingers through her hair. Usagi jumped, and looked at him, smiling.
"Draco! You're ok!" She hugged him tightly. He groaned in pain. "Omigosh! I'm so sorry, Draco."
"I think my ribs are cracked..." He grunted and shifted his weight to lean on his arm as Usagi sat beside him on his bed. Draco looked around at his surroundings, and recgonized the place as the Hogwarts Hospital Wing.
"What is it Draco?" Usagi asked as she watched him look around. "Do you know where we are?"
Draco nodded, "We're in the Hogwarts Hospital Wing!"
Usagi's eyes widened. She was no longer at home, but in the school that Draco Malfoy attended. Draco held his head tightly, because he had realized that his head was pounding and his mind began to swirl as everything darkened around him, and layed back down. He fell into a deep sleep. Usagi followed suit and layed down beside him, her arm drapped over him. She felt safe near him, as mean as he appeared to have been in the presence of people, he really wasn't all that bad, was he? Her mind told her to be careful of him, but she un-sure. Should she trust him like she has been? Then another part of her tugged at her, telling her that everything is ok and that she's making the right choice. She wanted to be with him in this strange place.
Dumbledore addressed the still confused students the next morning at the Hogwarts breakfast. He announced that Draco Malfoy was alright, although most of the students except for the Slytherins really didn't care. It was the mysterious girl that they all wanted to know about. Will she be attending here? Is she Malfoy's girlfriend? Does she have something to do with Malfoy? Is she a witch? What house would she be in? What year would she be in? The questions were left unanswered for the time being.
Hermione glanced over to the Slytherin table and rolled her eyes as she saw Pansy Parkinson worrying about Malfoy. It seemed like she was discussing his well-being with her fellow Slytherin girls. Ron followed her gaze and he too, rolled his eyes. Harry was concentrating on the girl. There was something about her when she was sprawled out across Malfoy on the floor of the Great Hall the night before. If he wasn't mistaken, he thought he felt a faint pain in his scar, but shrugged it off.
"Honestly." Hermione shook her head at the Slytherin table. She was interrupted by the headmaster's voice.
"Draco Malfoy and the young lady that he was accompanied by will be joining us later in the week. She will be attending Hogwarts and will also be sorted into a house when the two of them return. Let the feast begin." And with that, the students forgot all about Malfoy and the girl as they dug into the food that appeared in front of them.
Madam Pomfrey walked into the room that the two students were to check on them. She stopped in her tracks when she seen the scene that was laid out in front of her. The blonde girl was cuddled up close to Draco Malfoy whom Madam Pomfrey did not like all too much, but she had to admit that it was rather sweet. She smiled to herself, and went to get a blanket. When she came back, she spread the blanket across Usagi, who hadn't even budged.
As she turned, she came face to face with Professors Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall. She gestured them to be quiet and pushed them out of the room, and gently closed the door behind her.
"How are they doing, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked in his usual kind and soft tone.
"They seem to be healing quite fine, Albus." Pomfrey nodded, "They just need their rest. Malfoy has a few cracked ribs because of when he broke the girl's fall."
"Albus, do you know who this girl is?" Minerva McGonagall questioned. Albus Dumbledore looked thoughtful for a moment.
"I have an idea of who she may be, but you'll just have to wait until the sorting, just as everyone else must." And with a glint in the headmaster's eye as he turned and walked out. McGonagall looked at Snape briefly before she too, left. Snape however, waited until Promfrey left before he peeked in on the two sleeping teenagers.
He slipped in and took a long look at the girls face. Where had he seen that face before? He knew she looked so familliar, but could not place a name to the face. He stared at her longer, even after she unconsciously burried her face into Malfoy's shoulder further. He then forwarded his gaze to Malfoy.
"Malfoy, where did you end up?" And with that, he turned on his heal and left the sleeping couple.
It was the day for the sorting. Draco Malfoy was now seated back at his table, much to Pansy Parkinson's liking. She scooted closer to him, which he ignored completely. Crabbe and Goyle questioned him of where he had been and where the girl had come from. Draco dismissed the questions and glanced over the Gryffindor table. He was glad that he was back to torture them. He looked at Harry Potter, who in return glared back at him. Malfoy smirked.
With a clap of Dumbledore's hands, the chattering hall stopped and silence emerged. Dumbledore looked around before speaking. "Lets have a warm welcome for the new young lady."
The hall clapped, as McGonagall ran off to get the stool and sorting hat. Draco was told earlier in private that Usagi had been found to be a witch. It didn't surprise him, after what he had seen her do, but he figured he'd just leave the Sailor Moon secret between he and she. But, she did have some sort of magic going on inside of her. Dumbledore motioned for the confused Usagi to come through the doors and into the hall where she been waiting nervously.
She gracefully walked through the row between the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables. She blushed faintly at all the gasps and stares she got, mainly from the boys. She noticed that the red-headed boy, and the boy with the messy, brown hair with glasses were gawking at her. The blonde took note that the bushy-haired girl beside the red-headed boy was getting upset. But it seemed that she wasn't the only one though, because there was a small girl, also with red hair glaring at the other boy, and then at her. She looked away, only to make eye contact with Draco Malfoy instead, which made her feel a lot better. If she wasn't mistaken, she thought she seen his lips curve into a real smile when he saw her. Then she noticed the girl beside him who had short brown hair and a pug-like face. Jealously errupted inside of her when she seen how the girl looked at Draco Malfoy.
McGonagall gestered her to get up on the stool as she placed the hat that was far too big on Usagi's head. Usagi waited for something to happen and jumped when the hat began to talk.
"Ah, Princess Serenity. How long it's been since I've last saw you. Infact, you were just a baby cradled in your mother's arms. Queen Serenity of the Moon. Good friend she was." Usagi didn't understand what was going on.
"Why Princess, you look confused."
"I am..." she whispered to the hat. The hall silently listened as this Serenity/Usagi girl and the sorting hat had a conversation. Draco Malfoy was most interested. She was a Princess?
"Well, not for long my dear Princess. Luna is going to perform the Luna Mind Meld on you soon."
"Luna's here?" Usagi asked happily.
"Yes. Now...which house to put you in?"
Everyone watched egerly as the hat made it's decision. All four of the houses hoped that the beautiful girl would end up in their house.
"You'd do well in any of the houses. But, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are both out of the picture here...hmmm..Gryffindor? You are pure of heart, honest, caring, trusting, brave, and strong you'd do good. But, what's this I see? I see revenge on the man that hurt you. I see revenge on the evils that ruined your peaceful life during the Silver Millinium. I see it gathering up inside of you. Slytherin would help you greatly in this situation. You would grow strong, and powerful. Slytherin will guide you and you complete what it is that you must achieve..."
Meanwhile, Usagi's eyes were closed tight, and in she was muttering words only the hat could make out. "Please put me with Draco...Please put me with Draco...Please put me with Draco...Please put me with Draco..."
"Put you with Draco Malfoy, hmmm? As I was saying, Slytherin will be good for you. You hold the strength deep inside of you that you need to use in the upcoming battle...Slytherin will help you to release this power...and will find you the love that you seek deep within your pained heart." the hat stopped for a moment, "SLYTHERIN!"
"Slytherin?" Harry, Ron and Hermione gasped. They saw the smile that Usagi gave Draco as she jumped down and ran to join the clapping table well, all clapping except that pug-faced girl beside Draco Malfoy. However, Hermione, Ron and Harry watched as she came to a stop. It looked as though Usagi wanted to have a seat beside Malfoy, but it was occupied by Parkinson, who was smirking at the girl. Usagi took a seat further down the table between Marcus Flint and Millicent Bulstrode. Harry noticed that she looked rather scared in the seat she was seated. He saw her glance down at Malfoy, who was seething at Parkinson.
Draco glared down at the oblivious Pansy. He wanted Usagi to be near him, he didn't want to near Parkinson. He took a mental note that this was the last time that Parkinson was to be seated with him during any meal of the day. Or anytime at all, at that matter. Soon, the feast began, after Dumbledore announced that Usagi Tsukino would be in the fourth year.
Many of the students wondered how Usagi would make it in the fourth year, until they seen a black cat with a crescent moon on it's forehead trot down to the Slytherin table.
"Usagi!" The cat said with a British accent.
"Luna!" the cat jumped into Usagi lap as Usagi cuddled the cat. "How'd you get here?"
Luna laughed softly at the looks that the students gave to the talking cat, and to Usagi. "With the help of Dumbledore, of course!"
Usagi patted Luna as Luna continued to speak. "Usagi, you are confused. You don't understand why you are here, and why you are in the fourth year." Usagi nodded. It was true, she didn't understand at all.
"Well, I'm here to help you and to guide you, Usa-chan." Luna jumped down and Usagi follwed her. She kneeled on the floor next to the cat as everyone watched. The crescent moon on the cat's forehead glowed and one also appeared on Usagi's forehead. Everyone dropped what they were doing and watched as memories flooded back into Usagi's mind and tears soon followed down her cheeks.
"I remember everything, Luna... the Moon kingdom, mother, the witches and wizards of the court that taught me everything that I now remember. They taught me everything that the students here know up to their fourth year! I was about to begin the fourth year, when Queen Beryl appeared and took Endymion away from me. And mother did what she could to save me, and everyone else! And then...and then I died, but I was re-incarnated back on Earth one thousand years later. Mother was a great and powerful witch and queen! And my father...although I do not remember him nor do I know him...I do know this; he was a great wizard and loved my mother. Or so, that's what she told me as I grew up. And here I am. I remember all of these faces," she looked around the hall. "You were all apart of that time!" and then Usagi collapsed.
Draco jumped up quickly, leaving his dinner behind. Pansy didn't look pleased as he went over to where the girl lay and picked her up. Many other students were confused by Malfoy's strange behaviour towards this girl. Malfoy ignored them and followed Luna out of the hall and into the hallway with Usagi in his arms, held protectively.
"I'm afraid it was a bit much for her and it's happening all so very very fast for her mind to keep up with and understand." Luna said, walking toward the stairs. "Come Draco, I need you to take her to the Slytherin common room!" Draco nodded and looked down at Usagi in his arms and followed the cat.
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