A/N: I hope you are enjoying this and thanks to anyone who has favourited/followed so far! It would be really helpful if you could review these first two chapters because I'd like to know if people are actually enjoying it :)

Chapter 2

The Great Hall was buzzing with chatter as people animatedly recalled the summer to their friends and participated in scintillating conversation. Luna hummed to herself as she looked over the sea of azure, red, jade and yellow. Settling down at the Ravenclaw table, she let her mind wander to thoughts of what her fifth year would hold. Something maniacal and admittedly rather alarming had happened each year she'd been at Hogwarts. In her first year there was the opening of the Chamber of Secrets; in her second year supposed murderer Sirius Black (who she know knew was innocent) had gotten into the castle; in her third year there was the Triwizard Tournament and horrifying death of Cedric Diggory; and in her fourth year the reign of Umbridge had been torture for everyone.

Once the sorting was over, Dumbledore strode to the Lectern, which seemed to be an owl encased in layers of gold, positioned in its final graceful flight. Candles sprouted from the tips of its wings and let off flickering bursts of light. Luna loved that such a simple muggle invention was still used by the wizarding community; it proved that muggles were not as vile and moronic as some people made them out to be. He spread his arms out wide and Luna gasped when she saw his hand which looked dark violet and diseased. It seemed as if everyone else had noticed aswell because a train of whispers rattled through the crowd, finding its destination only when Dumbledore spoke out airily, "Nothing to worry about. Now, to our new students, welcome; to our old students welcome back! Another year full of magical education awaits you!"

A timid looking first year shuffled over to sit next to Luna and emitted a squeak from her mouth. "Pardon?" Luna said kindly to the girl, offering a genial smile to make the girl feel comfortable.

"Hi, I'm Madeline." She said, not quite reaching Luna's eyes and tucking a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her pixie-like ears. "I was wondering if you're Luna Lovegood, because I love The Quibbler and I'd like to learn more about nargles and heliopaths." Madeline's voice was quivering and she was nervously wringing her hands.

"Yes I am! And I know lots about nargles and heliopaths! Welcome to Ravenclaw, with your curious mind you'll fit right in." Luna said. The soft pink ribbons that were the girl's lips were gently tugged upwards, until the shy smile she had once possessed was transformed into a beam that spread from ear to ear. She looked down at her azure lined robes and stroked the soft cotton tenderly, "I've always wanted to be in Ravenclaw!" Madeline giggled with pure delight. Padma Patil came over to join them and Madeline immediately engaged in conversation with her, obviously having found inaugural confidence in talking to Luna.

Luna turned around to check on her friends in Gryffindor, she had noticed that she hadn't seen Harry in the Great Hall yet, but there he was talking to Hermione and Ron in hushed voices whilst other members of Gryffindor appeared to be taking an interest in their conversation and attempting to eavesdrop. She scanned her eyes over the copious mass of students pulsating with energetic chatter, similar to bees in hive in the way they buzzed and swarmed around the long, wooden tables. She glimpsed none other than Draco staring at her, his charcoal grey eyes alight with interest mixed with slight irritation. Luna met his gaze and immediately looked away in embarrassment. She was used to people staring at her, but usually it was spiteful groups of girls who erupted into malicious giggles the moment she looked away, rather than Draco's curiosity.

Ginny and Hermione ambled towards Luna. "We're going to the library, do you want to come?" Hermione asked. Luna nodded and walked off beside them, hoping this year she'd get Hermione to become more open-minded.

Draco couldn't rupture the stare he had trained on Luna, he was trying to comprehend why she had called him by his first name on the train; or how she could keep so serene when the wizarding world was falling apart; or even her blithe tolerance of a stupid first year that reminded him strangely of a shy but eager squirrel. He didn't understand how she could babble on about wrackspurts and nargles when there were much more threatening and nefarious issues in the world.

When Dumbledore began his speech, Draco winced, remembering the task the Dark Lord had set him. Draco's mind was at war with itself, whether to kill Dumbledore and be a murderer or not to kill him and himself and his family be at the mercy of Voldemort. He knew this meant they would all by killed themselves, and probably in the most torturous and barbaric way possible. To distract himself Draco began to levitate a fork which then fell to the table surface with a raucous clatter as he heard the announcement that Snape was to become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, a job Snape had coveted for years. Draco clapped mildly enthusiastic but couldn't bring himself to join in with the emphatic, deafening cheers of the Slytherins that surrounded him, his mind was too cluttered with depressing thoughts which rampaged around his mind like escaped prisoners with the taste of freedom almost touching their parched lips.

Finally the cheers of the Slytherins, and groans of the other houses subsided and Draco heard the chattering of Pansy.

"Draco you seem to be very pensive today, snap out of your thoughts!" She said causing a couple of other Slytherins to chuckle before he gave them a tempestuous glare, his eyes dancing with irritation as his pupils widened into pools of aggravation.
"I was just looking at Loony and wondering how she could be so strange." He muttered.

"We all already know what a weirdo Lovegood is; don't waste your ingenious mind on thinking about her." Pansy said vociferously, palpable pride evident in her voice. Draco couldn't help but agree with her, and decided not to waste any more of his thoughts on the freak. He accepted his agreement and said, "I seriously dislike her, she started saying I had some kind of brain disease called Wrackspurts and then called me by my first name? What's all that about?!"
"You seem to be talking about her a lot for someone you hate…" Crabbe offered in response.
"Shut up Crabbe, nobody asked for your stolid opinion. I don't know if you're suggesting Draco has a," Pansy shuddered, "crush on Lovegood, but in case you haven't noticed, I happen to be Draco's girlfriend." Draco's eyes widened in astonishment equalled by the other sixth year Slytherins seated around the table.

"Really?" Goyle murmured to him. "I didn't realise." Draco decided that he would confirm the unexpected statement with a curt nod, because he thought that a relationship with Pansy would hopefully take him mind off the curiosity that was forming in him for Luna Lovegood. He knew it wasn't for the right reasons but decided that he could grow to enjoy Pansy's infatuation with him.
"See!" Pansy exclaimed with elation, kissing Draco's pale cheek. He smiled around at all his friends but he couldn't help but feel that he was digging himself into a hole of lies.

"So how're things going with Dean?" Hermione whispered to Ginny, peeping over her favourite book "Hogwarts: A History" that she seemed to idolise. Luna wasn't entirely sure if this was the real Hermione, giving away seconds that could be spent reading none other than her cherished "Hogwarts: A History" and also talking in a library! "Okay, but it's weird to think he's friends with my brother. It must be so awkward sharing a dorm with him. You know what brothers are like, if only from your experience in the Weasley household. It's also weird is that my best friend fancies my brother!" Ginny chuckled, nudging Hermione.

"Shut up, Ginny." Hermione said jokingly, but turning an embarrassed shade of cardinal, felt feverous abashment creeping slowly up her cheeks.

"So are you, er, interested in anyone Luna?" Ginny smiled, trying to include her in the conversation.

"Don't ask her that Ginny! You know she's rather, erm, contrasting to the majority of Wizarding society." Hermione sibilated in Ginny's ear, hoping Luna wouldn't hear but was unsuccessful, before taking a sip of pumpkin juice from her silver flask. As always Hermione didn't think Luna would understand what they were talking about, it wasn't because she was a horrible person towards her; she simply undermined Luna because she believed in things that hadn't been recorded in books.
"I'm quite interested in Draco." Luna said placidly, and watched in shock as Hermione spat out her orange pumpkin juice, making it look like she was breathing liquidised flame, and almost fell off her chair, much to the amusement of Ginny. Ginny tucked a strand of ginger hair behind her ear and said, trying not to laugh, "Well, that is rather contrasting to the majority of Wizarding society."
"Luna look, you don't want to be liking people like Malfoy." Hermione murmured.

"When did I say I anything about liking him? I just said I was interested, because his friends are more like minions. He's really quite lonely, yet he spends his time bullying people. There seems to be a certain disinterest in life and sadness about him." Luna uttered.

Relief burst through Hermione's veins like tiny fireworks, "Oh, well, good. That's very good. Just don't waste your thoughts on him okay."