'Honestly Headmaster, if I didn't know any better I'd have said they'd been...' McGonagall shook her head in disbelief as she sat with Dumbledore. 'But it's impossible isn't it? The two of them are too different.'

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. 'And yet from what you described, it would seem they were indeed enjoying each others company.'

McGonagall had reported all that she had witnessed to the headmaster and was now sat mulling it over with him. Dumbledore took another sip of the tea he was drinking.

'And you said that Luna did not look at all distressed.'

'Not at all. After Draco left she smiled at me and told me how nice my hair looked.' McGonagall's expression was growing more complex by the minute. 'And then she just skipped out of the room. In fact, I would say that it was Draco who was more distressed.'

Dumbledore nodded knowingly. 'Well the young Mr Malfoy has a lot to deal with. Who knows, maybe he has found comfort from an unlikely source.'

'But Luna of all people, Dumbledore. She's Harry's friend, could this not just be a ploy to upset him? We all know how much those two boys dislike each other.'

Dumbledore's eyebrows met in the centre of his forehead as he considered her suggestion.

'But do you not feel if this was so, they would not be meeting in an empty classroom but in a place where Harry would be sure to see them? No, I think these meetings are simply that, meetings and it would seem they are intended to be secret.'

McGonagall was still not satisfied. 'And what do you think should be done about it headmaster?'

'I say we leave them be. They are doing no harm and as far as I know, they are not breaking any rules by meeting. Perhaps some good will come out of it. But I think a subtle warning is in order. We wouldn't want anyone else finding out about these rendezvous.'

'But professor, they are on different sides, what if he is just using her or...' She pulled her cloak closer around her shoulders.

'What if they really do grow to love each other.' Dumbledore finished off McGonagall's sentence. 'I think, Minerva, that we can only wait and pray that they do the right thing.'

'But professor, Hogwarts is hardly the place for a Romeo and Juliet re-enactment.'

'My dear Minerva, Romeo and Juliet is a muggle play involving a three day relationship between a seventeen year old and a thirteen year old which resulted in six deaths. I do not think the situation we are in now really compares.'

Draco had been staring at his plate blankly for at least thirty seconds and the chicken he had picked still didn't look any more appetising.

'Hey' he felt a nudge from the bumbling mass on his left. 'you going to eat that?'

Without even looking at the speaker, Draco pushed his plate towards him. It had been a difficult few days. He was still no nearer to fixing the vanishing cabinet and since his last attempt at killing Dumbledore had been foiled by Weasel's stupidity, he was no closer to completing his mission. He would have to forget about competing in the quidditch match tomorrow. He doubted he would have the energy anyway. The last good nights sleep he had had was just after he had left Luna and McGonagall.

He was debating ignoring the evening notices and going back to the Slytherin Common room. It would be empty and he could have some peace for once. He stood up to leave just as Dumbledore stood up from his own table. His chance had gone. He would now be forced to sit and listen whilst they were reminded to stay out of the forbidden forest and reminded that apparitions lessons were still going on every saturday, amongst other things.

'And finally..' Draco lifted his head in hope as the last notice was called. 'I would like to remind the older students that whilst displays of affection are not prohibited, they should be conducted in the appropriate areas. Your professors do not need to be reminded that their time for such frivolities is over by finding you in their classrooms.'

There was a titter of amusement and chatter throughout the grand hall as soon as Dumbledore had finished speaking, although Draco and Luna's voices were not among them. Dumbledore had focused his stare a little too long on each of them for there to be any doubt who had triggered the notice. It was a warning for them to be more careful.

The rest of the students had started to leave the great hall, rumours and denials flying about who had been caught in one of the classrooms. Of course there was no suspicion that the two blondes still sat unmoving in their chairs could be the culprits and for that at least, Luna was grateful.

She looked up to where she knew Draco had been sat but he was gone. Figuring that if he wasn't bothered, she shouldn't be either she smiled and got to her feet. It was only when she felt someone knock into her and a small piece of paper was pushed into her hand that she realised she had made the wrong assumption.

Sat alone in the common room, Luna opened the note and realised that she was about to break yet more rules.

'Prefects bathroom, tonight. Password's 'Lavabit'.'