Misconception

Disclaimer: Own Harry Potter? I think not.

Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait and short chapter.( feels ashamed) But don't worry, next chapter will be longer and faster update. This is kind of a chapter that reveals some of Draco's feelings about his work, once again.

Chapter 5: Not Alone

Draco released Ginny from his firm grasp, and she angrily stepped away from him. Her face was still tear-stained and a sudden sense of weariness came over her. She stared out at the lake, which was shimmering with the sparkles illuminated by the pale reflection of the moonlight. The sky turned into a navy blue color and dozens of stars sparkled. A soft breeze blew by them, and Draco saw Ginny shiver and pull her robes closer. Luna made no attempt to comfort or talk to her. On the contrary, she continued staring at Draco with great interest.

"Why did you do it?" asked Luna interestedly.

"Well, we wouldn't want our little Gryffindor prefect to end up in the hospital wing, now, would we?" sneered Draco, casting a mocking glance at Ginny.

"Since when did you ever care?" inquired Luna, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"I don't care," said Draco firmly.

"But—"

Ginny turned around and faced them. She wiped her tears with the sleeve of her robe and pulled the loose strands of her auburn her behind her ear. For a mere second, Ginny's eyes met the emotionless eyes of Draco, but the second was gone in an instant. Draco pretended not to notice it. She glared at Draco, before storming off toward the castle. Luna began going after her, but Draco grasped her arm to keep her from going.

"She'd want to be alone…" said Draco wisely.

Luna frowned and jerked her arm away from his grasp. She started going after her again, but Ginny turned around. Tears were streaming down her face again.

"I need to be alone right now…" she choked out, before breaking into a run.

Luna watched her go sadly. She sighed and faced the lake again. Draco was doing the same with a small smirk creeping onto his lips.

"Told you," said Draco shortly.

"Shut up, Malfoy." said Luna irritably. She turned from the lake and glared at Draco. Draco looked at her with a smug expression.

"You have no idea what she's been through. Her whole family is in the Order except for her and Ron." said Luna.

Draco shook his head. He put his hands in his pocket, and he clenched his fist around his last cigarette pack. Luna continued looking at him as if he were some sort of disease. Draco did not have to know how to read minds to know exactly what Luna was thinking. He sighed inaudibly and took out the pack. Luna eyed it with a scowl.

"No idea, Lovegood?" said Draco with an incredulous tone. He took out a cigarette and lit it with the end of his wand. He blew it out a puff of smoke to the dark night.

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Luna with no feeling. "That's right, your whole family are Death Eaters. Yes, that must be horrible." she added scathingly.

Draco narrowed his eyes at her and said, in low and dangerous tone, "You don't know anything about me, Lovegood, so don't even start."

"I don't need to know anything more about you," said Luna coolly.

"Hey, at least I'm not a daughter of a lunatic." retorted Draco angrily. "What's that trash he makes? The Quibbler, is it?"

"Better than being a Death Eater."

"Please tell me something I don't know," said Draco. "Honestly, everyone thinks I'm a Death Eater, but they never really know for sure do they?"

"Well, aren't you?" asked Luna.

"Even if I'm not now, I'm bound to be---everyone, especially your friends, expects me to be," answered Draco. "Might as well live up to their expectations, right?"

Luna paused, apparently at a loss for words. Draco shrugged and looked back out at the lake. He had no idea why he was still standing with her; she was a Ravenclaw and a friend of Potter's. He would usually walk away or throw more than one insult at her. However, there was a different atmosphere and he was a different person.

Draco took another drag from the cigarette. Luna looked at him uneasily and opened her mouth to say something; at last minute, she closed it again. Draco scoffed and exhaled the smoke.

"You know…you shouldn't smoke." said Luna, tentatively.

"So I've heard." snapped Draco. "From your stupid Weasley friend."

"Well, what she didn't tell you that there are tiny flaming mites inside each cigarette that eventually eat out your lungs."

Draco stared at Luna like she was off her rocker, which she clearly was. It was Draco's turn to be at a loss for words. He was not sure whether to take her seriously or not. He heard that she was known for coming up with ludicrous theories. Still staring at her, Draco was also unsure whether he should laugh or not. Luna smiled back and said, "It was an article in the Quibbler."

He shook his head and stared out at the dark lake again. Something caught his eyes and he followed it. It was a thestral, flying gracefully over the horizon of the lake. It flew in a small circle around the moon and dived up and down in the air. Soon more thestrals joined in, as if they were paying homage to the full moon.

"They're fascinating, aren't they?" said Luna dreamily.

"You see them too?" asked Draco.

"Yes, my mother died." she said in the same dreamlike state. "What about you?"

Draco did not answer. He threw his cigarette in the lake and watched the thestrals fly around gracefully. Guilt rushed to his head and filled every corner of his thoughts. The agonizing screams echoed in his mind, and he closed his eyes in hopes to block them out. He watched too many of them die—Muggles and wizards alike. They all died before his eyes, but he was indifferent at the time.

"It's okay, Malfoy." said Luna, softly. "You don't have to tell me."

Draco laughed mirthlessly and shook his head. "You already know what's on my mind, Lovegood."

There was a slight pause; Luna gazed dreamily at the thestrals, who were now flying back to the dark forest.

"Just so you know, Malfoy," said Luna in the same soft voice, "You aren't alone in this war. Whatever your decisions may be…I'm sure there is or there will be one person who will always be there for you."

Draco rolled his eyes and said gruffly, "Whatever."

Luna sighed and said, "Well, I suppose I should get back…"

"I suppose you should," said Draco dryly.

She gave him a smile and waltzed back to the castle.

Draco watched her go until she was out of sight. He glanced back at the lake, feeling a small tingling burn in his right forearm.. However, Draco barely noticed it because he was getting used to the burns.

With his hands in his pocket, he stared out at the quiet lake. The burn began to increase in pain, as time wore on into the hours of the night. However, he was numb to it. His mind wandered to the same questions---would he ever get his true identity back?—will he die a Death Eater?—why did he ever join the Order?

He felt a bit of despair well up inside him; although the Order had just gained a bit of power, the Death Eaters were still stronger; they had most of the giants and all of the dementors; they had more people in their army…they had the weapon.

Even though Draco was considered one of the Death Eaters within the inner circle, he still had no idea what the weapon was. The Order had attempted to destroy it last year, but they failed. However, Draco knew what it would do to the Order and to the rest of the wizarding world…Destruction would be inevitable, and Voldemort would rule. Unless the prophecy was fulfilled by--

Potter, thought Draco, bitterly.

He felt his blood boil at the very thought of Potter. The burn of the Dark Mark grew steadily, along with his frustration. Almost seven years of rivalry and hate. What Draco hated most about Potter was that he got away with everything because he was the Boy-Who-Lived. Even Dumbledore favored Potter out of all the other students, and Dumbledore was the only person Draco could trust…the only one that held his true identity.

Potter was getting all the glory, and Draco was getting nothing but a small praise from Dumbledore now and then. He was the one that was working hard; he was the one that was helping the Order; he was the one risking his life. Not Potter; no, the Order made sure that Potter would never be harmed until it was time for the prophecy to be fulfilled…

He sensed someone behind him.

Quickly, Draco swiveled around, whipping out his wand as an instinct. The person in the shadows tensed a little at the point of his wand. From the outline of the silhouette, Draco could see it was a girl. There was a slight pause, as Draco quickly surveyed her and smirked.

"Nice to see you again, Weasley."