For the resident archer.

Summer Camp, Week 5

Table Sport: Score! Write about a tournament.

Word count: 1008

Betaed by Crissie. Thank you so much!

AN: Medieval AU.

Draco Malfoy was the best archer of the land. There was no contesting that. He'd won every tournament he'd ever participated in. No one matched him. His father, Lord Lucius Malfoy couldn't be more proud, his son had brought his family honour with his skill.

And yet, sometimes Draco didn't feel the best. He looked over at all his trophies and remembered against who he'd went in each of the tournaments. Some of the best archers in the world. All had come to the tournaments organised in Hogsmeade. He'd seen them shoot, he knew they were good, and yet, he'd won.

In the beginning Draco had attributed it to his amazing skill, but things had changed since. He'd heard comments. That they lost on purpose. He'd tried to ignore the rumours, but found himself wondering and questioning himself. Was he truly a good archer?

"What got you so gloomy, Drake?"

Anyone in the world calling him Drake would have found himself in prison or in the stocks, but not Luna. She was the only one allowed to call him that. Luna was his best friend. And probably his only friend.

"The Archery Tournament."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "The one that ended yesterday or the one that is starting next week?"

He almost laughed at her tone. "Both."

Draco cast a glance back towards the castle. They were alone on the grounds, near the lake. He heard her sigh and she sat down next to him near the lake's shore.

"I take it you heard the rumours and now can't get them out of your head, am I right?"

He turned to her. "You knew about them?" He couldn't help the hurt creeping onto his voice.

She put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. "Of course, I knew. I work at the castle, Draco. Servants talk. I know what they say, and I did try to disperse them, but it's hard. People know what they see."

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying not to make it sound so sharp.

Luna held up her hands in front of him. "Look, you have the talent. You really do. I have seen it. But some people are afraid to do their best because they think they will be punished. In turn, you also haven't done your best. I saw you slice in half the same arrow you've thrown on an apple in a tree. But the tournaments, I haven't seen that skill. And if, I, who knows you, haven't been able to see it, can you imagine the rest of the world would have?"

Draco could in fact, imagine.

"What do you think I should do?"

"Do your best at the tournament next week, of course!"

He shook his head.

"But they still won't do their best, will they? Not if they know I am participating."

Luna didn't answer him but she didn't need to. He could tell by the look in her eyes that he was right.

"I need to do something about it, I need to make it so they will act their best at this tournament."

"How are you going to do that? Besides, are you sure you want this one? Girls are allowed. Do you want a girl to beat you by accident?"

She was teasing, but Draco knew that she in fact, was right. He knew many talented girl archers, and Luna Lovegood was one of the best herself. Perhaps, the best. After all it was his best friend who had made him try archery and now swordfighting and while Draco could handle a sword just fine, archery was his calling.

"If she does her best, then it's a fair loss. However, no one is going to know it's me."

She frowned at him.

"What do you mean? This is not a fighting tournament, your head is uncovered."

Draco smiled at her. He had already thought of that.

"Not if you introduce me as your cousin, Leti. Everyone knows her, but no one knows how she looks. It'd be perfect."

"You plan to disguise yourself as a girl? And what of your father? What about you? Where will you be?"

"I will be off hunting earlier and I will send a note I have seen a creature I must have. Father knows how passionate I am about hunting and animal pets, he'll believe me. I have missed tournaments before. It will be a piece of cake. And then everyone will see, I am really talented."

Draco knew his plan was so far fetched it had holes in it. But he couldn't think of any other solution. Or any other way to prove his was truly good in archery. The tournament was his chance.

"And how will you disguise yourself?"

"I was hoping you could help me. You know, I could stay over your house."

Luna hit him in the shoulder. "You're an idiot. If you're pretending to be my cousin, of course I have to play host to you. Do you ever think?"

In truth, Draco did think, but he'd avoided the fact that he would have to share Luna's house with her. Luna, while his best friend, wasn't the daughter of a duke or a lord. She was just… Luna. Amazing, beautiful and kind. She just had one bed, and he didn't want to be a prat and take her out of it.

"Leti has a sort of bed, don't worry." Her voice brought him back to reality.

"How do you—?"

"Cause I know you. Don't worry about it. What you should worry about is you losing to me in archery."

Draco smiled at her. He was ready.

A week later….

He wasn't ready. While his skill was genuine, Draco couldn't measure to his best friend. He'd beaten everyone else though, and this time he knew that they'd done their best. Next time at the next tournament even if they didn't, he could beat them. Only Luna could. And he was just fine with that. Rumours didn't matter to him anymore.