'And that's how I would like her to see herself, as I do: like that caress that rises in the middle of a thousand thumps'.

- Elvira Sastre

Another Saturday, Draco, Pansy and Theo were leaving the Slytherin common room feeling a thousand eyes on the back of their necks. It had been a month since the fight with Blaise, and the situation had degenerated so much that Draco had ask his friends not to feel forced to get into the same mess as he. He insisted that they had options, that their former group's rage was against him alone, and tried to practically force them to stop hanging out with he.

- If you don't cut it out Draco, I'm going to cruciate you - Theo sworn, holding the bridge of his nose.

- Draco, you should know it by now: we wouldn't choose the beaten side if we didn't want to be on it. We are not Gryffindor heroes trying to stand between you and Zabini, nor are we tender Puffs feeling sorry for you. We are your friends, and we are with you because we believe in the same things you do. No more, no less.

Draco found Pansy's argument perfectly reasonable, and that was the end of the matter. They became inseparable, and enjoyed an unsuspected tranquility that Draco couldn't remember experiencing in any of his years at school. Yes, it was true that from time to time Zabini and his kind would pick on them as a target for their taunts, but even then they remained icy and impassive. But Draco found out, as the days went by, that not provoking confrontation kept his mind calm and clear, which allowed him to do better in class and to focus his worries on more important things, such as the few lines his mother occasionally send him, which grew darker and darker. But what surprised him most was that letting go his bully side made him feel a little better about himself. And as he couldn't remember having such a quiet year at Hogwarts, he couldn't remember feeling proud of himself for something he had achieved on his own.

So, when he felt the rejection of his classmates again that morning, he couldn't care less, and he discussed the progress they were making on their Potions project with Pansy and Theo over breakfast.

At the appointed time, he fell into the same seat as always, as Granger dropped the heavy books in front of him, and the strange routine of every Saturday began once more. And strange it was, because every week he grew more comfortable in the girl's company, having even sat together during the week to simply study. Merlin, he still remembered with horror the day he said that he'd finally found someone smart enough to talk about Ancient Runes without ending up with a headache. Granger's face was a poem, and they quickly got back to work.

Glancing sideways at the girl, he smiled slightly, wondering when she would gather the courage to ask him the question he knew she had wanted to ask her since the incident in the courtyard. Potter and the weasel had already brought it up to Theo and Pansy, but Granger seemed to want to give him all the space in the world.

'It could also be that she doesn't dare because you messed with her for years" he reminded himself.

He then began a rather embarrassing internal debate, mentally punching himself for having been such an arsehole. As he had moved away from his family over the summer, and had questioned his father's ideals and methods, and he had realised that guys like Voldemort gained followers by generating irrational hate. The idea of purity of blood had begun to tremble inside him until it collapsed, and watching a Muggle-born challenge and surpass him in magic was no longer an embarrassment but a realisation.

And it was a revelation so overwhelming that he couldn't help but interrupt Granger in one of his explanations.

- I'm sorry I called you a mudblood and considered you inferior for being Muggle-born.

The girl remained static, her eyes and mouth wide open. Draco then realised that the conversations near them had died, and glancing over his shoulder he noticed that all the students at nearby tables were watching them with a similar expression. He noticed a pair of green eyes for longer than necessary before returning his gaze to his companion, who seemed to have regained her composure.

- Malfoy, are you sick or something? I thought you'd just grown up a bit, but now I think you've either gone mad or been given some kind of particularly strong potion - the girl spoke, without any malice at all, as she watched him.

Saying that it hadn't hurt his pride would be lying. It annoyed him to be called mad, and combined with feeling overwhelmed by the stares, quickly gathered up his books, stood up and left the library without answering Granger's calls.

Angry as he was, levitated the books behind him as he walked quickly and aimlessly through the corridors, ignoring the whispers. Without being aware, his footsteps eventually led him to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He stopped, overwhelmed by the memory of the terror he experienced that night in first year, but continued to walk even more angrily, thinking how cowardly he had been compared to the great Harry Potter.

He didn't consider the possibility that he might be lost until he had calmed down enough to realise that there was no marked path at all. Frustrated, he gasped as he kicked a rock, and decided it was best to retrace his footsteps.

He had not even been walking for two minutes straight when he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He stopped, and looking in that direction he spotted what appeared to be a blonde girl, walking quietly through the forest.

- Hey, you! Girl! - he shouted, as loud as he could. He stopped and looked in her direction, and only when he saw that she was a normal person and not just any Forest creature, did he approach her. - What are you doing here? Do you know how to get back?

As he got closer, her features became clearer and he noticed that she was smiling. He finally recognised her: she was a Ravenclaw student a year younger than him, the one he had been compared to from the first day because of their similar blonde shades. Her name, of course, he didn't know.

- Hello to you too. I saw you earlier walking around rather agitated, but I didn't want to say anything because you seemed to be extremely focused. - she spoke quietly, still smiling. Draco felt as if the girl was really looking inside him, and decided that he would keep his distance.

- Uh well, I've come this far without realising. Do youknow how to get back? - he asked again, slightly exasperated that she hadn't answered any of his questions. She simply turned her back on him and continued on her way.

- Sure, but first I have somewhere to go. You can come if you want.

Draco seriously hesitated, but remembered that he didn't have a better option, and walked after her, silently.

- I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way - she hummed as he reached her. Draco started to open his mouth, but stopped in his attempt - I know you're Draco Malfoy, no need to introduce yourself. - She added in the same soft tone.

He blinked several times, surprised. She was aware that he didn't know her name, and she didn't seem to care.

They continued in silence for a few minutes, a silence that was quite comfortable for him as he knew the girl wasn't expecting any display of politeness or conversation from him.

- Out of curiosity, where are we going? - he asked.

- I usually come to provide the Thestrals some company. It won't take long - she replied, as if she were talking about visiting relatives.

It was then that Draco remembered something else about her. He had heard people make fun of her, claiming she was crazy and that she made up all sorts of creatures that no one but her could see. He even remembered her once being teased by her group (or ex-group) of friends, and he clenched his hands, thinking that surely she had been victim of her own teasing at some point. Karma was paying him back now, depending on her to get out of that damned forest.

He couldn't give the matter any more thought because she stopped and grabbed his forearm to stop him too. Frowning, he looked at the girl, around her, and back at the girl with absolutely no understanding, and was about to open his mouth to start asking for explanations when she left him speechless again.

- They're right in front of us, we can't just approach them. They are very shy creatures. - she whispered, staring at something in front of them. Draco definitely regretted following her.

- There's absolutely nothing here, Lovegood. It's going to turn out to be true that you're mental after all - Draco complained, annoyed. He turned around and began to retrace his steps when the girl spoke again.

- Have you ever read about Thestrals? They are very peculiar and rare creatures, but there are extensive studies about them. - she spoke, with no trace of anger or bitterness in her voice, as if Draco hadn't been trying to offend her. He stopped and turned in her direction once more.

- I've never really been interested in magical creatures other than dragons - admitted.

- Thestrals are physically similar to a skeletal horse, and have long, strong wings. - Luna began, reaching into her bag for something. - They're classified as dangerous, but don't worry, they're very friendly if you know how to win them over.

Draco gasped and bit his lower lip, remembering the time he had tried to win over a hippogriff. This couldn't go well. The only animal he could get along with was the one that stayed away from him.

- And if you can't see it, I have to tell you that you're lucky. - She mused, looking up at him with that smile. - They can only be seen by those who have seen death, so not seeing them implies that you have been fortunate enough not to see anyone die.

Draco felt his breath escape his lungs as Luna finally grabbed what appeared to be a piece of meat and threw it a few feet in front of them. Then Draco watched as the piece of meat was lifted off the ground by something invisible, which tossed it back and forth until it was gone. A shiver ran up and down his body, but he was too astonished to run away.

- I remember a story my mother used to read to me when I was a child in which a skeletal, winged horse was pictured, but I never thought it was real. - muttered, moving back to Luna's side. - Do you see them? - asked, knowing that if she did, he would be touching on a delicate subject. She nodded and searched through her bag for another piece of meat.

- My mother was an extraordinary witch who loved to experiment. One day, one of her experiments went badly wrong and I witnessed it. - she mused, her voice still sweet, and tossed the piece, which was caught in mid-air - It was pretty awful, but Dad and I managed.

Draco really did feel lucky. Imagining Narcissa dying in front of his eyes gave him goose bumps.

- Would you like to pet them? You won't be able to see them, but you'll be able to feel them. - Luna spoke in the same serene voice, but with a spark of emotion in her large, blue eyes. Draco hesitated, but finally his curiosity won and he nodded.

Between the two of them, they threw bits of meat as they slowly moved forward. He let Luna guide him completely, because it was as if they were moving towards nothingness. At one point, he could clearly hear a heavy breathing close to him, as if a large animal was snorting. Fascinated, he froze. Fear swirled in the pit of his stomach.

He almost jumped when he felt Luna's hand on his, but quickly understood. He closed his eyes out of pure fear, and felt under his palm the skin of an icy animal, which seemed to have no flesh at all, only bone. Slowly, opened his eyes, amazed at how he could feel something he couldn't see.

Luna dropped her hand and caressed the same animal from a different angle to give Draco space.

- This is amazing - the blond whispered without realising. He hadn't felt this excited about something since the World Cup last year, and maybe not even then.

- They're quite misunderstood creatures - Luna whispered. Draco watched her feed the invisible animal with wonder. - They can be the most peaceful and loyal of beings, but people avoid them because they're a little...

- Different - Draco concluded in a whisper, looking at the ground. He never thought he could ever identify with an animal, let alone one that most people couldn't see. - Thank you for bringing and showing them to me. Well, you know what I mean - he laughed, ironically. - I never would have discovered them without you.

When he looked up, Luna was watching him fondly.

- You, and you only was the one who got you here. It may be the first time that your own footsteps are the ones who lead you to something great, and not the circumstances or the influences. -Luna whispered without the slightest hint of reproach. - I have only been there for you and to help you when you needed it.

Inside him, one Draco laughed at how strange the girl was, while another was silent and absorbed her words as if it were the wisest thing in the world.

He listened to the second one.