Chapter One:

Beautiful Love

Luna Elenora Potter sat in her favorite coffee shop in Brighton, Pelicano – the best place to get a warm drink on a cold day. She was waiting for her boyfriend, who was currently very late for their lunch date. Luna was a very patient person and didn't mind that he was late. He was probably stuck at work, she thought. His boss was unreasonable and loved to make him work extra hard. Thankfully, she didn't have to deal with the man – she worked with her mom at the local library. It was nice and quiet; however, it got a little boring at times. One could say it was just plain normal. Luna wanted something more than just being a normal librarian. She wanted to be more … she wanted adventure.

Luna wanted to quit her job but didn't have the courage to confront her mother. She didn't want to think about her dreams and passions right now. This was the time for relaxation and spending time with her boyfriend. So to take her mind off things, she decided to simply enjoy the mug of hot chocolate that was currently being cupped by her bare skinny fingers. It gave her warmth and eased the frigidity of her thoughts. She picked up the mug and took a sip of the delicious coco. She paused for a second and closed her eyes as the warm liquid eased down her throat, warming up her abdomen as it slowly descended down into her stomach.

"Now I know why Moony loves chocolate. It's heaven," Luna said to herself as she took another sip of the wonderful hot chocolate. She set her mug down and stared out of a window, framed simply in metal rods painted a comforting green. She watched happily as a little snowflake fell to the ground. For her it was magical. Sometimes she wished she was too, but knew that wouldn't ever come true. Having the ability to appreciate the magic of the world was what she had, and it had to be enough. It was enough.

After ten more minutes of waiting and drinking her warm treat, she suddenly felt cold hands covering her eyes. She knew exactly who it was. It was very obvious who it was. Who else would cover her eyes in a busy coffee shop? The waiter? No. It was the love of her life.

"Is it the waiter?" she teased. The hands that were covering her eyes pulled away and her boyfriend took a seat opposite her at the table.

"No, silly," he reciprocated playfully. "It is I, Neville Longbottom."

Luna giggled, her lips drawing up with affection. "I don't recall Neville having platinum blonde hair and grey eyes and Malfoy mannerisms."

"Clever deduction, Sherlock." He leaned over to give her a gentle peck on the lips, and slowly pulled away.

"How was work, Dray?" she asked, although she already knew the answer to that question. Still, she asked anyway. Draco gave a slight purse of his lips before his expression smoothed out.

"It was tough," he replied, picking his thick jersey of stray snowflakes. "I hate working in that bloody pet shop – all those magical creatures are making me mental."

"I'm sorry Dray. I know it's tough." She smiled sadly at her boyfriend. He worked so hard and got almost nothing in return. This, she knew, was the way of the world.

"It's okay, Lu. I'm thinking of quitting the job, anyway." He brushed her comfort off like a blanket on a warm evening, appreciative nevertheless at her unnecessary sympathy.

"Where will you work, Dray? There aren't many jobs left in Diagon Alley or the Ministry at the moment … " She swallowed the last sip of her hot chocolate, savoring the dregs of it, sweet as they were from sugar accumulating at the bottom. ''Daddy told me that young wizards in England can't find jobs here, so most of them are moving to other countries."

Draco nodded his chin slightly in agreement. "Luckily for me, Headmaster Dumbledore offered me employment at Hogwarts."

"I can just imagine you being a teacher! Professor Malfoy …" She pondered that image for a moment – her Draco in professional instructing robes and teaching little children. She grinned. It was, she decided, a good imagining. And those robes were certainly flattering. "Mr Dumbles made a good choice," she announced, "and I'm positively sure that you'll make an excellent professor."

Draco chuckled. "He offered me the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

"I don't understand." Luna's brow crinkled. "PJ told me that Professor Umbridge was his DADA teacher. Has she quit already? Why are you replacing her?" she wondered.

Draco explained, eradicating any confusion: "I know I'm not supposed to tell you this, but apparently Umbridge was using Dark Arts artifacts on some of the children – most specifically the blood quill which is highly illegal, as I'm sure you know."

Luna was shocked. Absolutely shocked. She knew full well what the blood quill was. Luna had read all her mother's schoolbooks; some of her dad's books from the Potter library; and she'd gone to the bookshop in Diagon Alley.

"No wonder Dad was so angry last week – although he said he couldn't tell us why." Her fingers clenched with anger around the empty mug. Those poor children …

"The Ministry wanted to keep it hushed," Draco allowed. He paused: "At least, that's the feeling I get."

There was a slight lull in the conversation as the couple pondered the situation.

Luna was very worried about her little brother. He was only in third year. She wondered if he was a victim of the blood quill. She was definitely going to check his hands and wrists when he came home next week.

Draco wondered why Dumbledore would hire somebody like her, but then he realized that the Headmaster was quite old now and his age was probably catching up on him. Not wanting to think more on the rather dark subject, he decided to change the topic. Deviously, he asked: "So, Lu, are you excited for the Weasley lunch tomorrow?"

Luna groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Hell no, Dray – I don't want to see his face."

"Come on, Lu, Ron isn't that bad," Draco said teasingly as he flattened his hands on the table.

"'Not that bad'? Are you mental? Ron Weasley is the most annoying boy on the planet – he always boasts about how he has magic – unlike me, obviously, even though he doesn't outright say that – and how Gryffindor is the best house. Ugh! He always teases me." Luna ran her hand through her raven-colored, admittedly unruly hair (what with all its curls) – it was, apparently, the result of the Potter curse shining strong.

Draco softened. "I'm just teasing, my love. I know you hate him."

"He seriously needs to grow up and learn some manners." She frowned. "My day is ruined just thinking about him."

Draco shook his head slightly. "I know, Drama Queen – he needs to learn manners like a proper gentleman. Perhaps he should spend a day with Father. It will do him some good."

"Dray, I am not a drama queen!" she said indignantly.

He chuckled. "Yes, you are. Never-mind that … to make your day special again, how about we go to a movie tonight?"

"Alright, but let me phone my dad and let him know that I'll be late tonight." She was already reaching for her phone.

Her mother, away on what she called a 'women's week holiday' with a couple of friends, was unavailable, so the only option was calling her father, really. And so she phoned him. The rest of the day went on without a hitch, as the happy couple spent a lovely day together.

– o –

It was around 11 o'clock in the evening when Luna came back home from her perfect day out. She unlocked the door of her parents' house and went in quietly. She looked to her left and saw the light of a table lamp on in the living room. Her father was sleeping on the couch while the television babbled on softly, its screen a gentle glow. Luna chuckled lowly – she knew her dad wouldn't listen to her. She slowly crept to her father and shook him awake carefully.

"Dad," she whispered softly, "I'm home."

"Huh?" He immediately woke up and saw his daughter. For a moment, he didn't recognize who it was, and said: Lily-flower, you're home!''

She leaned a little closer. "Silly – it's me, Luna."

He rubbed his eyes. "You're finally home, then … I was getting worried," he admitted.

"Dad, I told you not to wait for me," she complained half-heartedly.

"I know," he agreed, blinking away some more of his exhaustion, "but you're my baby girl."

"Dad! I'm not a baby, I am 23 years old" she objected.

James chuckled and stood up, and ran a hand through his hair. "Let's go to bed, my baby girl" – he emphasized – "I'm exhausted."

"Tough day at work?" she asked sympathetically.

He nodded his head sagely. "I need to retire from Auror duty – it's getting tougher and tougher."

"You should certainly consider it, Dad. It will be nice to have you home."

"Yeah, it would."

Switching the television off, they went to bed. There were long days ahead, after all.

More will be revealed in the next chapter …. Wahahaha.