Chapter Four

The following morning Draco stood at a respectable distance and inspected the patch of Devil's Snare before forcing himself to ask, "How were you able to spot that in the dark?"

"Neville Longbottom was my herbology tutor at school. He had a special rapport with plants. Got along with them better than people - although I daresay that was due largely to the fact that the plants treated him better than most of our fellow students - and a fair bit of the faculty actually."

She smiled and added, "I could share some of his insights on the subject with you over breakfast, if you'd like."

Draco only grunted but over breakfast and during the course of the next day's hike he did make more of an effort to pay attention to her ramblings and he had to admit that she did seem to know what she was talking about when it came to the various plants and animals they passed along the way. He even took her advice that evening about where and how to pitch his tent.

On their third day out, Luna passed a bit too close to a briar patch and one of the giant thorns snagged her jacket causing a large rip along the back. Out of habit Draco cast a quick 'vestiment reparo', fixing the garment good as new.

Luna peeked over her shoulder and examined his efforts. "Exemplary work, Draco! Thank you! How did you get so adept at mending charms?"

Draco shrugged. "I was an active little boy and my father demanded perfection in all things. Mother often had to do quick reparos to keep me from being punished. Luckily I was a fast learner so I managed to avoid his wrath in regards to my appearance most of the time."

"Yes. I do recall your father being a somewhat difficult and complicated man."

Draco snarled, "Don't act like you know me or my family, Lovegood."

"It's Scamander and I know quite a few things, actually."

"Oh, really? All the twaddle that the tabloids have seen fit to print, I suppose."

"No - I've been around long enough to know that most wizarding publications publish only half truths on the very best of days. I will concede I don't know much about your parents. I only remember meeting your father twice - once in the Department of Mysteries and once when I was at your house during the war. I grant you those probably weren't ideal circumstances to get to know a person."

Draco flinched at the mention of incidents where Luna's life had been threatened by members of his family. She took no notice and walked on. "I also met your mother at the Manor. She was a most impressive woman. She snuck extra rations to me a couple of times and one especially cold evening she managed to cast a warming charm over myself and Mr. Ollivander. She was very clever about it. Bellatrix and Fenrir didn't even notice that she'd done it."

She turned to face him. "I can say, with some degree of certainty, that I know a fair bit about you." She lifted her chin and straightened her back as if Professor McGonagall had asked her to deliver a presentation before the class.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy. Born June 5, 1980. The only child of Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Black Malfoy. Educated at home by a series of private tutors until 1991. At that time, your father wanted to send you to Durmstrang but your mother insisted you continue the tradition of attending Hogwarts. You were sorted into Slytherin house, following a long precedence in your family. You received excellent marks for most of your time in school and displayed an inclination for quidditch, becoming seeker for Slytherin during your second year. A couple of regrettable incidents during your third year that I won't rehash now resulted in an injury that wasn't quite as bad as you let on which lead to you missing part of that season, costing you a significant number of house points and getting you a rather impressive black eye courtesy of Hermione Granger."

Draco started to interrupt but Luna continued with her recitation. "Another series of unfortunate choices made during your fourth year left you with a distinct fear of Professor Moody and a pronounced dislike of ferrets but you did get to attend the Yule Ball with Pansy Parkinson, so I suppose the term wasn't a complete loss."

"Fifth year, you were named a Slytherin prefect as well as a member of Professor Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad. Not long after that was when I made the acquaintance of your father at the Department of Mysteries. After his incarceration you took the Dark Mark and were inducted as a Death Eater, although by all accounts you quickly grew disillusioned with the lifestyle, as did your Mother. You were tasked with killing Professor Dumbledore and the stress of that assignment caused a significant change in both your habits and appearance that term. The amount of time you spent on the cabinet took a tremendous physical toll on you."

She sighed and shook her head. "You really did look quite dreadful that term. I was concerned for your health."

"Even under fear for your life and the life of your family, however, you couldn't find it in your heart to murder Albus in cold blood so Professor Snape stepped in, as per their earlier agreement. Of course, none of us, including you, knew that at the time. You left school for a while after the headmaster's death. I don't know much about your seventh year as my presence had been requested at your family home, where I finally got to meet your mother, as I mentioned before."

Draco was struck by the casual way that she talked about her kidnapping by the Dark Lord - referring to it more as an inconvenient holiday instead of the cruel imprisonment that it had been.

"I do know that when Harry, Ron and Hermione were caught by the snatchers and brought to the Manor you refused to reveal Harry's true identity to Bellatrix. That decision, as well as the fact that your mother was willing to lie to the Dark Lord about Harry's death, were key factors in Voldemort's defeat, so in a way, I suppose we all owe you a debt of gratitude."

Draco blinked in surprise at her assessment of the situation as she blithely continued, "During the final battle at Hogwarts you lost one of your childhood friends in a fire. That had to be difficult for you. I'm sorry. Afterwards, you and your parents left the castle just before Nev killed the snake and Harry took down Voldemort."

"Subsequently there was a trial where I joined Harry and Hermione in giving testimony in defense of you and your mother. I was sorry that she was exiled before I could speak to her in person. I wanted very much to thank her for what she did for me while I was at the Manor. As it was I had to settle for writing a letter but I was never certain if it reached her."

There was a slight pang of Draco's conscience as he briefly remembered his solicitor reading a list of people whose testimony had quite likely contributed to his reduced sentence. He recalled being surprised when he heard Lovegood's name among that number but had quite honestly given no thought to the matter since that time.

"The courts determined you were a minor and acting 'under duress'. That, combined with the hand written notes left behind by Professors Dumbledore and Snape, convinced the Wizengamot that the appropriate sentence for you was one year of home confinement followed by community service. You chose to serve out your sentence studying alchemy while staying on your family's property in Essex rather than in the Manor, a decision which I think was most wise of you, all things considered."

"Sadly, just as you began to serve out your term, your father passed away in Azkaban. Again, my condolences. Since that time your Aunt Andromeda and her grandson Teddy have been your only regular companions aside from your house elf, Mitzi."

"Hold on!" snapped Draco. "How can you possibly know about my house elf?"

"Harry is Teddy's godfather. According to him, Mitzi helped with the child's care for a few months right after the war while Andromeda was still in deep mourning over the loss her husband and daughter. Once Andromeda was more herself she sent Mitzi along to keep you company as well as running any errands needed during your confinement."

"And the rest of it? How do you know all of those other things about me?" challenged Draco.

"Really, Draco? In case you didn't notice - and apparently you didn't - I lived through a fair bit of that history alongside you and what I didn't witness first hand I heard about from others."

"Who? Only the Death Eaters knew about the cabinet and even if my friends had known what I was doing they wouldn't have..."

"Talked to me? Not entirely true." Luna tipped head to one side. "I didn't have many friends at Hogwarts before my fourth year so I talked to whoever would listen - alive or dead. I spent many hours conversing with The Grey Lady, The Bloody Baron...Moaning Myrtle." Draco's eyes widened slightly at that name. "She still speaks very highly of you, by the way."

He stepped back as Luna moved closer. "But even if I hadn't been there, honestly, Draco - wouldn't anyone do extensive research on a person they were setting out on an expedition into the unknown with?" Seeing the expression on his face, Luna's countenance fell slightly. "Unless, of course, the other person is deemed so inconsequential that the effort seemed unnecessary...a category into which I obviously fall."

She shouldered her pack and began to walk off. "Good to know."

He called after her. "Wait. Lovegood. Stop."

She stopped but remained facing the other direction. "It's Scamander."

"Whatev..." He stopped himself and instead replied, "What else do you know?"

Luna turned around and stepped towards him. "I'm sorry, Draco but if you want a concise answer I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific with the question."

Draco shuffled his feet. "About me. What else did you find out during your 'research'?"

"What does it matter? It's not like you care what I think about you."

"Because, I..." As Draco struggled to find the words, Luna reached out and took his hand, causing him to recoil in surprise.

"Draco, let me be clear. I don't say those things to make you feel bad or to shame you in any fashion. I'm sorry if it came across that way. I simply wanted you to understand."

"Understand what?"

"That I knew all of that about you in advance and I insisted upon your participation anyway."

This caught Draco completely off guard. He had assumed that his presence had been forced upon her by the Ministry.

"Why? Why would you do that? Why would you agree to - much less insist upon - including someone like me? I bullied you in school, my father tried to kill you, my aunt tortured you, you were held hostage in my house..."

"Exactly." Luna gave his fingers a sympathetic squeeze. "Draco, I don't like violence yet I still fought in a war so that people no longer had to be judged on who their families were or what they had done in the past. I pushed for your involvement in this trip because everyone deserves a second chance. I did it because I want you to be able to see your mother again."

She pulled her hand back and a far off look passed over her face. "There are people who won't ever experience that kind of a reunion - at least not on this side of the veil. I would never deprive anyone of that opportunity if it is within my power to make it happen."

She then glanced up and checked the position of the sun. "However, as much as I'm enjoying our chat, we are losing daylight and I'd like to get a couple of more miles under our belts before we make camp for the night. So let's get started, shall we?"

Without waiting for a reply she resumed her march with Draco lagging behind, trying desperately to make some kind of sense of this confounding woman and the things she had said.