Forgive me for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.
Disclaimer – I own nothing, except the plot.
Chapter 28
The feast has begun and the new head master has made a speech to welcome new students and also to students who decide to return to complete their education. But Professor Snape's speech is very cold and makes people prefer to hold their breath. Even the other staff didn't look too happy to be back at Hogwarts, they looked tense and scared, and with the Carrow's presence as the new Professors for Muggle Study and Defense against the Dark Arts, scaring the students to death. They imagine what punishment they would get if making trouble on their classes; certainly it wasn't a light punishment like cleaning the classroom.
Luna tries not to look around. She felt alone, she no longer heard laughter from the other students, she didn't even hear any of them telling about their summer vacation as she used to hear when she returned to Hogwarts after a long holiday. Everything felt wrong; she felt she was somewhere else, in a dark place.
She raised her eyes to see her fellow Ravenclaw students. She meets with Lisa Turpin's eyes sitting across from her; she turns her face in fear, choosing to look at her plate. People still avoid her, not because she's weird, but because she is the wife of a Death Eater whose father and aunt are the powerful Death Eaters. No one dared to mock her anymore; no one dared get close to her, even they were afraid to make eye contact. And she didn't want people to be afraid of her; even she married Draco Malfoy, not that she would behave like him. She hopes people can understand, she is still the same Luna but with a different appearance.
She glanced at Slytherin table. Draco kept staring at her with a frown. He has persuaded her to sit at the Slytherin table, but she refuses, she doesn't belong there, she belongs here. And Draco is certainly angry, thinking that she doesn't want to be seen with him. She doesn't know why he's become more sensitive since he came back from the raids. Every time she refuses him or says no, he will say that he knows she hates him or says something that is not true.
Suddenly she heard a goblet fall from the Gryffindor table, and the sound echoed in the Great Hall so people turned to the sound source. She turns around and finds it's Neville who drops the goblet, and Ginny hiss at him and his face turns red.
She had run into Neville when the train had arrived at Hogwarts. He looks like running up to her and asks about how her vacation was like he did last year, but Ginny held him and said something she couldn't hear that made Neville nod sadly and stared at her for a moment before they turned their backs to her.
The feast was finished, all the students returned to their dormitory. But Luna no longer returns to Ravenclaw common room, she and Draco have their own common room, but smaller, enough for both of them.
She heads to their dorm and leaves Draco behind. The last time she saw him, he was having a conversation with his friends. She doesn't want to bother him and choose to leave him; she gives him space to spend his time with his friends. However, as she stepped onto the moving staircase, someone grabbed her elbow and pulled her and almost knocked her backward. She turns to find out who almost made her fall; she meets the familiar grey eyes that belonged to Draco.
"Where are you going?" Draco asked with a frown. Ever since they arrived at Hogwarts, she acted as if she didn't want to be seen with him. She refuses to sit with him Slytherin table and says she's not supposed to be there. She is his wife, for Merlin's sake, she should be near him; it doesn't matter if they come from different houses. He had also noticed that she was staring at Gryffindor table and caught staring at Longbottom. If he knew she would be like this, he wouldn't allow her to return to Hogwarts.
"I'll go back to our dorm," she replied.
"You left me," he said, sounding sad.
"You're talking to your friends, I don't want to disturb," she said simply and continued her journey toward their dorm. He followed her.
"You can come to my side," he argued, feeling a bit annoyed at her.
"I know, but I want to go back to our dorm," she replied.
"Why?"
She turned her head and looked at him for a moment before answering. "I'm tired, Draco."
"You're afraid to be seen with me, you worry about your friends," he suddenly said quietly. He has seen her, how her face changed when the Weasley girl or Longbottom is around, she looks sad and will turn her back on him.
"I don't know where the theory came from, but that's not true. I'm fine when I'm seen with you, like now," she explained patiently.
"That's because there aren't many people around at the moment," he said. Most of the students have returned to their respective dormitories, seen only a few students still hanging around, most of them are Prefects.
Luna ignores Draco until they reach their dorm. She mutters the password and walks in without waiting for him.
Draco has been sick of being treated like this. Days ago she apologized for saying something untrue and hurtful to him before he went on a raid. But now she's acting like she really meant with what she said.
"So you'll ignore me again like last time?" Draco asked angrily.
"I'm not ignoring you," Luna said, surprised by his anger.
"Then what have you just done?" He demanded.
"You don't understand," she said quietly, suddenly her face turned sad. "I don't want to be here."
His gaze softened at the sight of her that looked tortured.
"People stay away from me because they're scared of me, they're scared of my new last name, and I don' want them to be afraid of me. Not mentioning that I have no friends at all, they hate me." A tear fell from her eyes. It was a tear of sadness that made Draco's chest tight. "You will never understand what it's like to be me when you have your friends," she said softly and weakly.
"Come here." Draco opens his arms wide and pulls her in a tight embrace. He should understand her more. "I'm here, I can be your friend," he whispered and kissed the top of her head.
He continues to hug her and let her sob in his arms. He stroked her hair, kissed her forehead and temples every now and then to make her feel more comfortable. She didn't say anything, the long silence filled the room and it was quite comfortable for him. After he sensed she was silent and no longer crying, he pulled away, her face wet with tears, he cupped her face with both hands and kissed her lips gently.
"Feeling better?" He asked softly, she nodded in reply. "Then, we better sleep; you must be very tired after a long journey." He took her hand and led her upstairs, but he stopped when she called his name.
"Draco,"
"Yes, love?" He turned to her.
She smiled slightly at him. "Thank you," she murmured.
He couldn't help and smile back. "It's nothing, Luna."
Days passed with the same for Luna. She went to classes and studied, went to lunch and went back to classes, did homework, and went to dinner in the Great Hall; it was repeated over and over again. And she always spends her time alone. Draco tries to accompany her as much as possible, but she asks him to focus more on his classes as well as his duties as Prefect, he has been quite busy, she doesn't want to be a burden to him.
But Draco is always worried about her, he's worried when he's not around some students will try hexing or jinxing her. So he'll ask either Crabbe or Goyle to follow her, or Theodore or Blaise when Crabbe and Goyle are too busy with their own world. But when the four of them can't accompany her, Draco will ask for one of the Carrow's. And the Carrow's are happy to follow her all day from one class to another class, because it's not just Draco who tells them to, but Lucius as well.
And now, she could hear Amycus Carrow's footsteps behind her, he would glare or snap at anyone who was blocking her path. And Luna can do nothing but hug her books tightly on her chest and choose to look at the stone floor that she finds much more interesting than ever.
As she turned, Amycus murmured coldly and confusedly. "That's not the direction toward the Herbology class."
"I have to go to the toilet," she replied no less coldly.
"All right,"
She could feel Amycus nodding. As she entered the ladies' room, he kept following her and made her stop and turn. "This is a ladies' room, I would appreciate if you waited outside," she said with a frown on her forehead.
"I'm just doing my job," Amycus argued.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said. "Just wait here, I won't be long." Without waiting for a response from him, she went further and solved her problem.
After she finishes, she walks towards the sinks and plans to wash her hands. But she spotted someone in the sink, a redhead and she looked at her through the mirror. She really didn't expect to meet her and the others, let alone just the two of them here, she embarrassed and gaze suddenly fell to the floor; she didn't know what to say or what to do. The only thing she thinks is she will yell at her, and call her with the nastiest words she used to do to those who deserve it.
"Luna," Ginny called out, she turned away. She had to stare at her for a few minutes to make sure it was Luna she used to know. It was strange to see her without the earrings and necklace that characterized her and those things had been replaced by a pair of small diamond earrings and maybe she also wore a diamond necklace that hide behind her uniform.
"Hello, Ginny," Luna forced a smile.
"How are you?" Ginny asked. She had heard the news of her being kidnapped by the Death Eaters at the beginning of the summer vacation. She and her entire family were the first to hear the news. Xenophilius Lovegood came to their house in panic, telling them that Luna was kidnapped. And she had certainly heard the news that she married Draco Malfoy a month later, and she knew the marriage wasn't based on love. Luna has never paid any attention to the young Malfoy, he is a stranger to her but name.
So, when people barking around about Luna being a traitor, she doesn't believe it. She has known Luna since she was 5 years old, and she doubts that Luna will change. She always stuck on what she believed, no matter how people doubted what she believed.
"I'm fine, Ginny, how about you?" Luna said she didn't move from her spot.
"Pretty good," she replied.
"What about your family?" Luna cocked her head.
"They're pretty good too," she replied, Luna nodded. Then there was a long silence between them. "I trust you, Luna," Ginny finally said after a long silence. Luna looked up and met her eyes. "I know you didn't mean anything by marrying Malfoy. I know they must threaten you if you refuse to marry him."
Luna smiled in relief. "It's a relief that somebody finally believes," she mumbled sadly.
"Neville trusts you too, so do Harry, Ron, and Hermione," Ginny said with a smile. "We all still believe that you are faithful to Harry."
"Thank you." Never in her life Luna lost her words, she just too relieved. It's like the burden on her young shoulders has disappeared. "He wanted to make Harry feel disappointed and betrayed by marrying me and Draco. And he trained me with dark magic to fight Harry on the battlefield, he forced me to do that or he would kill my father."
"I understand, Luna," Ginny muttered and approached her. "That's exactly what he will do."
"And he wants you," Luna muttered. "He sent Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini to catch you one by one when the time has come. He will kill those who are useless and make those who strong as his soldiers." The words slid smoothly out of her mouth."Tell the others, tell them to be careful."
Ginny looked worried and started biting her lower lip. "I have suspected them. Nott has been looking at Gryffindor table lately and he's going to whisper something to Zabini, so that's what he's planning," Ginny mumbled irritably.
"I ... I can't help much, because I don't know much about what they're planning," Luna said softly.
Ginny took her hands and held it. "This is very helpful, Luna, you have saved the DA members. I'll make sure they know and be more careful. "
"I can't talk to you in public," she admitted, feeling ashamed of herself.
"That's fine, it's better that way," Ginny replied and hugged Luna.
"Be careful," Luna whispered and hugged Ginny tightly. "Don't let them catch you." A tear escapes her eyes; she has become very sensitive lately.
"No, I won't let them," Ginny replied in determination.
Luna pulls away and wipes her tears. "I have to go, Amycus waits outside."
"So he's your dog now?" Ginny asked in amusement.
Luna smiled. "I'll see you when I have a chance, until then, goodbye," she said softly but with a smile.
"Goodbye," Ginny said with a smile and looked at the back of her blond friend who disappeared from her sight. As soon she no longer heard footsteps, she immediately came out of the toilet and made a mental note to collect Dumbledore's Army once more, this time they had to fight back. Those blasted Death Eaters should know with whom they are dealing.
