The Houses Competition - Round 2, Everyone Needs Companionship, Standard
Slytherin, Charms
Prompt: [Positive Pairing] Draco Malfoy/Luna Lovegood
Word Count: 2430
Betas: CupCakeyyy, VanillaAshes, Glowstar826 - As always, thank you for taking the time.
You'll Be Okay
It had been a bitter winter at Hogwarts. Snow kept coming and coming. And coming. Some days the students could barely see their hands in front of their faces whenever they went outside. Draco didn't care. It seemed to fit his mood. He should never have come back to finish his final year. It wasn't like he needed to get his N.E.W.T.s, and no one wanted him here anyway.
Not even Granger could be civil to him. He couldn't blame her. He'd stood there and watched her be tortured by his aunt. Whether he could've done something or not, he hadn't even tried. A decision Draco was sure would haunt him for the rest of his life.
On a Friday afternoon after the second week back from Christmas, Draco took himself straight off to the library. It had been a tough couple of weeks trying to get through the days and he wasn't quite ready to face the students he now shared a common room with. Only a few had come back to finish their missed final year but none of them were Slytherins.
Finding a quiet corner as far away from the entrance as he could, Draco shoved his bag under the table, pulled a book off a shelf that was closest to him, and sat down.
He'd barely opened the cover when…
"Hello, Draco," Luna Lovegood said quietly.
He flicked his gaze to her quickly. "Lovegood," he muttered.
She half-smiled at him, swaying slightly as she did. "Is it okay if I sit with you?"
Draco opened his mouth to answer but didn't even attempt to get his words out when she took a seat opposite him. Sitting up quickly, closing the book, he looked around the library. They sat behind a particularly large bookshelf which kept the table mostly hidden from the rest of the room. Looking to her again, Luna was pulling out some parchment and quills from her bag. She lifted her head suddenly, her gaze sharper than he was expecting.
"Why are you here?" he asked in a hissing whisper.
Luna gave him that half-smile again. "You're at my usual table," she said simply, "but as you were here first today, I thought it might be rude to ask you to leave, don't you think?"
"Oh." The word left Draco before he could stop himself.
"I don't mind sharing, do you?" She pulled out her Potions textbook before looking up at him again, smiling dreamily.
Draco gave her a minute shake of his head. "Just don't expect a conversation."
Luna tilted her head. "We're in the library. Why would we have a conversation here?"
He frowned, slapping open the cover of the book. "As long as we're clear on the situation."
"Crystal."
XXXXXX
The following Friday, Draco found himself repeating his actions of going straight to the library after his final lesson. Seeking out the same table, he paused when he drew near, his step stuttering slightly as the sole of his shoe caught the floor. Luna was already at the table, head down, scribbling away on a piece of parchment.
Starting to turn away to find another quiet space, Luna called out, "I thought you might want to try this book." Turning back quickly, frowning, he found Luna twisted in her seat, pointing to a book placed on the other side of the table. "You didn't seem to find your other book interesting last week."
Draco stayed frozen to the spot, staring at her with a frown that kept deepening with each passing second. Luna Lovegood hadn't fared much better than Granger at his family home either. Why would she recommend a book to him?
"I don't intend to have a conversation," she said when he still hadn't moved. She turned in her seat and continued writing. Nothing else was said by her.
Not moving from his spot, Draco looked around the library to see who was watching, but no one was paying him any attention. There were two second-years sat on the other side of the library, both in deep conversation with their heads close together, but not watching him.
Finally, slowly, Draco went to sit down. He refused to look at Luna as he shoved his bag under the table and began reading the book she'd placed there.
XXXXXX
On the next Friday Draco automatically made his way to the library. Well, he'd like to think he'd done it automatically. Truth be told, if he could even be that honest with himself, Draco had been thinking about it all week and whether he should return to the table.
And he definitely wasn't going to acknowledge the pang of disappointment he felt for the tiniest of moments when he arrived to an empty table.
Standing before the table, staring at the seat Luna usually sat in, Draco wasn't even sure he wanted to stay.
"Are you using this table?" a fourth-year Slytherin asked from his left.
"Yes. Yes, I am," Draco answered without thinking, already moving around to the seat he'd taken up for the last two weeks. The fourth-year stared at him as he sat. "Find your own table," he snapped when the younger Slytherin didn't move. As he heard the boy walk away, Draco started digging around in his bag for the book Luna had lent him.
Sitting there, constantly straightening the book on the table, Draco refused to look up whenever he felt a presence come by the table. Ten whole minutes went by. Each minute added a bit more to the feeling of … what was he feeling? He couldn't put his finger on it.
"Did you enjoy the book, Draco?" Luna's voice asked as she took a seat.
His head snapped up in surprise. "I…" He shrugged. "It was okay," he said nonchalantly, shoving it across to her, keeping his eyes firmly on the table.
There was an odd silence for a few minutes, with him still not wanting to look her in the eye.
Finally, Luna broke the silence and said, "Alchemy is not my area of interest, but I thought you might like it." She pushed the book back to him. "Keep it. It only gathers dust on my shelf. Books are to be read."
Draco lifted his head. Luna smiled encouragingly at him. He said something that he hadn't said much before, "Thank you."
She didn't say anything other than widen her smile as she brought the hand that had been on her lap onto the table. Another book joined the one she'd pushed back to him. "Have you read this one? It's one of my favourites."
Draco felt his face wrinkle in distaste. It was an old habit. A reflex. Luna lost her smile instantaneously. She didn't look angry at his reaction, just … disappointed.
"Draco," she said quietly, "it's rude to sneer at other people's interests. How do you know it wouldn't be of interest to you if you don't try? Have you read it?" Draco gave a single shake of his head, feeling thoroughly berated somehow. "Have you read anything in the Magizoology field?" Another shake of his head. She slowly pushed the book further towards him.
And that was all that was said on the matter.
XXXXXX
On the fourth Friday, Luna had arrived at the table before Draco. Without faltering, he pulled the book out of his bag as he walked and placed it next to her parchment she was writing on. "I don't understand animals or creatures nor do I want to," Draco said firmly, "But now I can say I've read it and still do not understand the beasts."
Luna smiled up at him. Actually smiled at the statement. He was sure most people would be horrified at someone not liking animals. Even his father thought it rather odd.
"Thank you for reading the book, Draco," she said, tucking it into her bag.
This time it was Draco who gave her a book of his own. She took it, placing it down on her Potions textbook, and lifted the cover. He went to his seat opposite her and watched her turn some of the pages. "I do, however, understand Charms," he said in response. "I like Charms."
Luna nodded like she understood him. "We have found a common ground," she said, closing the book. "Charms is an excellent subject to read about and to learn more."
"A common ground?" Draco asked, not able to hide the bemusement in his voice.
"Isn't that what friends do? Find a common ground?"
Draco froze. "We're not friends."
She let out a small laugh. It was barely even a noise, more like a heavy breath with the hint of a laugh. "Not yet, but I'm sure we can be."
Draco got up, his chair scraping along the floor causing Madam Pince to issue a loud shushing noise from behind a bookshelf somewhere in the library. He promptly left without another word.
XXXXXX
For the next week, Draco really began to feel alone. Or rather, he began to mind being alone. Before … Well, before the last few Fridays with Luna, Draco hadn't enjoyed being back at Hogwarts, but the lack of friends wasn't the issue. It was what he'd been a part of – that had caused such pain to his fellow students – that was the problem. The guilt was getting harder to live with.
And now he'd turned down the only olive branch that had been extended to him. He wasn't even sure why he'd done it. Guilt … maybe pride … did it matter now?
On Tuesday afternoon, as he entered the common room for the small group of returners, Draco spotted Hermione Granger sitting in the chair by the large window, reading a rather hefty book. Without any real thought of what he was going to say, he found his feet taking him to her.
"What is it, Malfoy?" she asked in a tone that wasn't annoyed, but would rather he didn't linger near her.
"You're friends with Lovegood," he stated.
"Are you asking or telling me?" She closed her book and finally looked at him.
"It doesn't matter," he muttered, turning away.
"Luna doesn't give you a choice. If she's decided to be your friend, then you have a friend." Draco half turned back. "She mentioned she'd been doing her homework with you."
"She does her homework. I read." Draco took a step back to Hermione. "Why does she do it?"
"Why does Luna do anything," Hermione said as she went back to her book. Draco started to leave again when Hermione continued talking. "She's a very forgiving person. Most aren't." When he was sure she wouldn't say anything else, he took another step. "It's her birthday on Saturday. Just so you know."
Draco sighed, slapping a hand against his thigh. "Anything else you might like to add, Granger?"
"No," she said in a sweet voice, lifting her head to give him a forced smile. Draco turned away. "Except that she's more astute than you think." He took a step. "And try not to hurt her by being you."
Draco picked up his pace and went to his room before he could receive another piece of information.
XXXXXX
On Friday afternoon, for the first time in all the visits he had made there recently, Draco purposely went to the library. An actual decision made to go and see if Luna was there. No subconscious taking hold. An actual choice with purposeful thinking had been done on the matter.
Seeing her at Their Table, as he'd come to think of it, Draco felt a tense breath leave his body and his muscles relaxed. Bringing his bag to his front, he pulled out a small package wrapped in plain brown paper and a thin blue ribbon, and made his way to her.
"How was your week, Draco?" Luna asked before he'd even gotten into her view. She didn't sound angry at his behaviour last week. In fact, she almost sounded like it was already forgotten. She lifted her head from her writing to look for him when he hadn't moved or spoken. "I enjoyed the book you lent me. Do you have any other recommendations?"
"I could ask my mother if there's anything in the library," he said absently, glancing down at the package in his hand. Then he thrust it towards her, making her lean back a little in her seat. "Happy birthday – for tomorrow, I mean."
Luna smiled brightly at him. "Thank you," she said as she took the package. "That's very kind of you. I'll open it tomorrow." She bent down to gently put it into her bag.
"I'm not kind," Draco blurted out. His face felt hot. He pulled at his collar a little. "Why would you say that?"
Luna sat back in her chair, turning so that she had an arm hanging over the back. "Everyone is capable of kindness. Even you, which you've shown possible by giving me a birthday gift."
"You haven't seen it yet," he argued, pulling at his collar again. Why was it so warm in here?
"I don't need to. You thought to get me a gift. That is all that matters," she said gently.
"It might be cursed!" he said sharply. That earned him a shush from Madam Pince.
"Is it?" she asked with a direct look that he couldn't seem to avoid.
"No," he grumbled.
"You sound like you wish it was. Would you like it back so you can place one on it?" She didn't move in her seat to retrieve the gift. Instead, she remained put, smiling at him. "It's okay, Draco. You'll be okay."
"Will I?" he asked in a strangled voice.
Luna held a hand out to him and he put his into it. It was warm and felt oddly small in his. And comforting. "Yes." She gave his hand one squeeze and let go. "Now sit down so that we can argue about other things we don't have in common."
Draco laughed. A real laugh. It felt foreign and good. Nodding, with a smile lingering on his lips, he took his seat opposite Luna, spotting two books on the table. One had been the one he had lent her the previous week and the other was on the medicinal benefits of plants and how they can be used in potions.
Sitting down, with Luna already back to her homework, Draco felt like he was finally starting a life that was his own now. And he had a friend by his side too.
Yes, he would be okay.
