Please do apologise my long absence from updating the story you were reading. Many things happened and it almost swallowed me whole... Things are fine now and I'll be continuing the story.. Thanks for your patience... don't forget to review...

Chapter 4: The new friend

Luna's point of view

I was skipping up towards the Astronomy Tower on a Thursday afternoon. I was accustomed to spent my free time there or the library or on the grounds of the school. I was only a corridor away from the tower when I accidentally bumped into someone. I didn't need to look at that someone because my books fell on the floor.

"Sorry" I muttered as I kneeled to gather my books.

I was surprised when that someone kneeled before me and helped me with my books. There was more of a surprise when I looked up as to who was that someone. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Draco Malfoy. I stood there as I felt my hands went soft and dropped my books again in shock. He looked paler than usual and he was shaking. He held my arm as his eyes were fixed on the floor. He was breathing shallowly. I pulled out my wand for I thought he was going to do something to me but two words stopped me.

"Help...me" He gasped.

He was still shaking. I put his arm around my shoulders and levitated my books to my free hand as I helped Draco stand. It was obviously hard for he was taller than me. Upon reaching the door of the Astronomy Tower, I noticed he pulled out his wand.

"Be...ready... there...might...be...Death...Eaters...in...there ...they're...after...me..." He gasped as he pushed himself away from my support.

As I swung open the door, it was unusually quiet. I could feel other dark wizards' presence in there. Draco placed me behind him and as we took some steps towards the centre of the room. In a blink of my eyes, rays of different coloured light started to shoot in each direction. There was nearly five Death Eaters surrounding us yet I know Draco would be a fine partner to defend ourselves. I casted a shield charm on us as we casted spells simultaneously. We watched out for each other out there. This wasn't some prank because the Death Eaters were casting unforgivable spells.

"Draco, on your left!" I told him.

He looked at his left and sent the Death Eater out of his consciousness. We knocked off two, just three more. They were closing up the distance. We have to think of something or else, we might end up having a whole month in St. Mungo's Hospital. Draco grasped my arm.

"Go behind me" He commanded as the three Death Eaters were starting to close up the distance.

I quickly went behind him but I had my wand at ready if ever Draco had been hit by any spell.

"Reducto! Stupefy! Sectumsempra! Expelliarmus! Oppugno! Incarcerous! Incendio!" Draco had casted one spell after the other.

It was like he was chanting it loudly. He repeated it again and again until the last Death Eater had dropped dead on the floor. He repeated a series of spells that had different effect on its target. After that, Draco passed out. I quickly rushed him to the Hospital wing as the Death Eaters were being apparated to the Professor Dumbledore's office.

"They could take care of that" I said to myself.

Madam Pomprey quickly laid Draco on the bed as she examined him. I was waiting patiently for her response.

"He had endured a pretty bad spell that caused him to shake uncontrollably. He just needed some rest and calm him down. I'll go grab a potion for him" She told me.

I nodded at her and sat at the edge of Draco's bed. Sooner or later, he blinked and opened his eyes.

"What-what happen there, Lovegood?" He asked me as I helped him sit up.

He looked lethargic and exhausted as he was still shaking. I couldn't help but pity him. He looked like a 5 year old boy who was shaking in fear.

"Calm down, Draco. We took out five Death Eaters and you had a pretty bad spell before that's why you were shaking" I told him.

He looked at me blankly, and then suddenly, Professor Dumbledore along with Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape came in. They walked up towards us.

"Mr. Malfoy, please explain why there are five bodies of Death Eaters in my office" Professor Dumbledore asked in a stern voice.

"Death Eaters were attacking him, professor" I answered as Draco looked down on his fingers.

Then, Madam Pomprey came with a greenish red potion.

"Headmaster, what are you doing here?" Madam Pomprey asked as she handed the potion bottle to Draco.

"I happened to see five bodies of Death Eaters along in front of my office. I used Legilimency to enter that person's mind and saw Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Lovegood in it. I knew they would have come here for Draco's condition is not well" Professor Dumbledore explained.

Madam Pomprey nodded and turned to us.

"Mr. Malfoy, drink it all up now" She said before she turned her back on us.

The professors seemed to be in a deep conversation that didn't include us. I was still sitting next to Draco who sat on the bed. I didn't care to notice that Draco had been looking at me for the whole time.

"Are you alright, Luna? You look a little pale" Draco told me as I heard concern in his voice.

I looked at him confusingly and he looked at me, chuckling.

"I'm only messing with you" He told me again so I hit him playfully on the arm while he was drinking the potion Madam Pomprey gave him.

It spilled on his robes and on his mouth. I tried to hold my giggles but obviously, I just couldn't. He narrowed his eyes on me but still kept calm expression. He pulled out his wand and cleaned the mess off with a spell.

"Sorry for making you spill your medication, Draco" I apologised when I finally made myself stop giggling.

"That's okay, Luna and thanks by the way" He told me.

"Thanks? May I know why?" I asked.

He put his hand on my shoulder and smiled. For the first, I saw Draco Malfoy smile! I didn't realise that I was staring at him. He looked into my eyes and put an arm around my shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay? You just turned quiet. Can I ask why?" He asked with concern and anxiety in his voice.

I shook my head and looked at him then blinked and blinked and blinked and blinked again. I was blank, totally blank but reality had its way on me. I smiled at him, hoping he wouldn't know.

"I'm fine. It's just- I never saw you smile before. It's kind of..." I stopped, trying to think of a better word.

"Awkward? Weird? Unusual? Strange?" He gave me words.

"Different... It's different" I corrected him.

He smiled again and chuckled but his smile didn't last. He suddenly hugged me. I was shocked and speechless. What can I say? I mean, Draco was hugging me at the moment. He was the guy I always thought that wouldn't need anyone. I was certain I felt his heartbeat. He was not shaking anymore but I felt myself tremble in his hug. I thought he noticed it because he quickly turned away and got up from the bed. I stared at him as he walked up to me. I looked down for I didn't want to find his eyes but he inquired. He looked at me in the eyes. I didn't know what he was doing. I thought I felt scared but then, I wasn't. Then, we were taken to Professor Dumbledore's office to explain ourselves. It took about nearly two hours to finish.

"Very well, thanks Ms. Lovegood, Mr. Malfoy. Please, watch out for each other. Thank you for your time" Professor Dumbledore told us before we left.

"You want to do something fun?" I asked Draco when we were walking in the corridors (well, he was walking and I was skipping as usual).

"Does it involve anything to do with Potter?" He asked me.

I shook my head as I stopped skipping. He looked at me for awhile.

"What do you mean 'something fun'?" He asked again in a curious tone.

"You'll see when we reached the Astronomy Tower" I told him brightly.

From there, Draco and I had been friends. I told him about what I felt as I opened up to him. We used to meet each other on the way to the Astronomy Tower and spent our free time with endless joy and laughter. We rode our broomsticks and flew out from the Astronomy Tower or just explore the galaxies and the stars there. He even sometimes spent time with me in the library. Everyone thought it was weird but no one cared for the fact that we were 'friends'. All we care about was each other.