Love Letters to Luna
-NxD-
"Oh. My. Gosh," Draco muttered to himself as he stepped into the Transfiguration classroom. He peered at the other few students already sitting in their seats for detention. The first student who caught his eye was, of course, Harry Potter. Sitting next to Potter was his annoying, half-witted and red-headed best friend, Ron, playing with a quill. He levitated it with his wand and made it spin in circles like he had learned back in year one. Draco rolled his eyes and turned past their desk to sit in the back of the room in a dark corner. Draco was upset. No. Draco was pissed. Professor Mcgonnagal caught him stealing eggs from the kitchen and took twenty points from Slytherin and gave him detention! Good thing she didn't ask what he was going to use them eggs for. It was a prank. He was going to egg the painting of the Fat Lady, because why not? The Gryffindors deserve it!
Draco dozed off for a moment, then jumped from being startled when a slightly pudgy and awkward boy accidentally slammed his stack of books onto the desk next to Draco. He looked up to realize it was Neville Longbottom. "How did that fat oaf get sorted into Gryffindor in the first place? He is anything but brave and chivalrous," Draco thought. He scoffed at the sight of him. Neville sniffed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. Draco felt a little grossed out, understandably so.
Professor Mcgonnagal walked into the classroom with a swish of her emerald green cloak and rectangle glasses sitting at the edge of her nose. She announced to the semi-empty classroom of mostly Slytherins, a few Gryffindors and one single Hufflepuff, "Good afternoon. You're all here because of one reason or another, which I won't broadcast to the class. In this hour, there will be no talking, no unadvised use of magic and absolutely no cheating off of one another if you are working on assignments, which I suggest you all do. I will excuse you all once the hour has passed." No one spoke a response to her or said anything at all. With a flick of her wand, the door shut swiftly and a golden sand hourglass tipped upside down and landed gracefully back down on the professor's desk.
"Begin," She stated and some of the students opened their books and others dipped their quills in their inkwells to work on their assignments. Draco decided that he was too good for this foolish class from the moment he walked in. He wouldn't be doing any homework. He heard quick scratches and scribbles from the side of him, so he curiously glanced over at Neville. He was swiftly and messily writing something on a plain piece of parchment. Not on an assignment.
"What is this?" Draco asked himself silently. He slightly leaned over, wanting to know what the boy was writing so quickly as if he was running out of time. Draco noticed that the top of the page was addressed: Dear the Lovely Luna. "Oh this is rich!"
Draco's curiosity got the best of him and he leaned over even further to read more of this assumed love letter. He accidentally leaned too far over on his chair, because it slipped out from under his butt and he knocked into Neville before plopping onto the stone floor of the classroom with a thud. A few gasps aired in the room and Professor Mcgonagall quickly accused, "Mr Malfoy! What is the matter with you?" Neville looked down at the sprawled out boy behind him on the floor and tried to stifle his laugh. He failed atrociously. Draco looked up at him with malice and spat at him, "Oh, shut up, Longbottom!" Neville's eyes widened and he quickly shut his mouth, remembering how afraid of Draco he was. Draco finally got up from the ground and brushed dirt off of his long black robes.
"It's fine! I'm fine. Sorry," Draco mumbled to professor Mcgonnagall and she shot him a look with a pursed mouth and squinted eyes. He sat back down swiftly and resumed reading Neville's writing over his shoulder.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
After detention was over and Draco was the last to leave the classroom, practically dragging his feet, he noticed Neville scrambling down the corridor in the opposite direction of the Gryffindor tower. "This is too good. I've got to see this!" Draco quickly followed after him down the dimly lit hallway. Neville accidentally bumped into some short first years as he ran through the halls of the ancient school, and Draco nudged the same kid's shoulders a little more purposely. Draco came to a halt and hid behind a corner, peeking just around it when Neville slowed down at the entrance stairs to the Ravenclaw tower.
"Is he going to give it to her in person? He's way too much of a wuss to do that!" Draco thought before squinting his eyes to watch the scene unfold carefully. Neville glanced around the semi-empty corridor and placed the sealed letter in a slit in between two stones in the wall. The envelope juts out noticeably. Neville quickly runs off in the opposite direction, probably towards his common room in the Gryffindor tower. Draco hides himself behind a suit of armor so that Neville won't notice him, which he doesn't. He isn't very observant. Draco looks both ways to check the hall for onlookers before snatching the envelope out of its tiny brick slot. He reads the brown parchment envelope.
Luna Lovegood
Ravenclaw Tower
From: Anonymous
Draco let out a quick chuckle before slipping the envelope into his robes to take with him into his own common room.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
Draco Malfoy lit his lamp that sat on the bedside table next to his rich forest green bed and canopies. He peeled open the letter addressed to someone else, someone he wasn't familiar with. He read it to himself, quietly laughing at almost every line.
Dear Lovely Luna,
I have liked you for some time now. I am nervous to tell you, so I must keep my identity anonymous. I love everything about you. Your long icy blonde hair that compliments your light, sky blue eyes so perfectly. I love your pale skin that has constellations of freckles more interesting than the night sky. I love your knowledge and your sincerity. You are always so honest and true, and just. I love your friendliness. I don't have many friends and even the ones I have aren't very nice to me. They make fun of my clothes or my hair or my teeth or my pudginess. I never feel like I'm good enough for any of them but you make me feel like I am enough. Thank you, Luna.
If only you shared my love, then I would be whole. You haven't expressed any love to me and I haven't to you either, until now, that is. I still cannot tell you who I am, for the fear of rejection but I must tell you how much I love you.
Much love,
Your Secret Admirer
"Oh, boy. This is good!" Draco amused himself after he finished reading this embarrassing atrocity. He laughed to himself for a moment before coming up with a brilliant idea: He is going to respond to Neville's letter. But not as himself, of course. As Luna Lovegood. Whoever that was. Some blonde haired Ravenclaw, Draco supposed. The only issue was: what if Draco didn't sound like her in his letter? "Eh, whatever!" He thought. It wouldn't matter too much. If Neville is as head-over-heels for this girl as it appeared, he would believe anything that was sent to him. So, Draco got out his ink, quill and parchment and began to write the letter.
Dear Secret Admirer,
I may not know who you are, but I can feel your love through the page. If only you'd tell me who you were, would I also feel whole. Thank you so very much for sending me that letter. Would you tell me more about yourself? I want to know the person behind the mysterious letter. Who you truly are on the inside. Please, tell me.
All my love,
Luna Lovegood xoxo
Draco added some x's and o's and even a small heart next to her name to make it seem like it was truly written by a girl. At least, that's how Draco assumed girls wrote letters. He smirked at the brilliant work before him and licked the seal shut. He addressed the envelope: To My Secret Admirer.
"This is gonna be good," He whispered mischievously.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
Draco slipped the envelope into the same slot between stones next to the entrance to the Ravenclaw tower and waited. The clumsy Gryffindor boy finally passed by about fifteen minutes later. The envelope caught his eye and he quickly ran over to retrieve it. His eyes lit up and his cheeks reddened quickly when he read the envelope. He skidded off back towards the great hall, probably to open the letter immediately. Draco deviously chuckled to himself. His plan was working swimmingly.
Finding his usual seat in the great hall, Neville sat down hastily, almost falling over because of how quickly he sat down on the long wooden bench. He ripped open the envelope and read the letter to himself. His roommate, the red-haired Ron Weasley nudged Neville's shoulder with his elbow as he sat down.
"Whatcha' reading, Neville?" He asked innocently with his cute goofy smile. Neville's face was bright red and he stuffed the letter back into its now ripped envelope and responded, "Er, nothing. What's up, Ron?" Ron eyed him suspiciously, but let it go.
"Not much. Just trying to figure out what I should get Hermione for Valentine's Day. Hey Neville, you know lots about flowers. Which flower do you think she'd like the most?" Ron asked. Neville tapped his chin with his finger in thought. Ron was right, Neville did know a lot about flowers and other types of magical plants. Herbology was his passion! He flipped through one of his books and pointed at an enchanted moving photo of a white lily-looking flower that swayed in a breeze.
"This is an asphodel. I bet Hermione would like it! It's nice and feminine and all that, right?" Neville showed Ron the beautiful flower. Ron admired the photo and said, "Hey, thanks, Neville. I think she will like it! Where do I get one?" Neville explained where on the school grounds they grow and how to take care of it before giving it to Hermione on Valentine's Day, just a week from today.
"Maybe I should get a flower for Luna! Maybe she'd like a dittany," he thought. After their interaction, Ron left the great hall and Neville resumed reading the letter. "I have to write back to her!" He thought to himself.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
Dear the Loveliest Luna,
I still feel embarrassed and won't say who I am yet. But, perhaps you could figure it out through clues.
I'm not a part of your own house. I fancy gardening and learning about plants. Professor Sprout says I'm quite the herbology prodigy, but my Gran disagrees. She'd rather I be something important and useful like my parents were when they were younger. It's not that I don't want to be like them. I want to share a love so pure just like theirs with you, my love. I just don't want to be an auror like they were. I'm simply not strong enough. Not brave enough. Hell, I don't even know how to properly work my wand. I could never be as great as them. I just want to make them proud. I just want to make you proud.
What do you look for in a man, Luna? How can I change to be someone that you would admire? Someone that you would love? Please tell me. I'll do anything to impress you. Anything for you to love me the way I love you.
Yours always,
Your Secret Admirer
He sealed the letter with the dittany inside of the envelope and slipped it into the slot and nervously wandered back down the corridor to his next class of the day.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
The next day, Draco noticed the letter and read it quickly, preparing to write his response as Luna, the mystery Ravenclaw girl. He decided to read this letter in the library, since it was closer to the Ravenclaw tower than his common room in the dungeon.
"Oh! A flower? I didn't know he fancied Herbology. Interesting," He thought to himself, curiously surprised. He admired the pink flower, twirling it in between his fingers, thinking of how much thought Neville put into picking it specifically for this girl. He read on. As he read the words scribbled on the paper, Draco felt a twinge of guilt but only a twinge.
"His Gran is disappointed in him? I know how that feels. I do nothing but disappoint my father, it seems. And his parents were aurors? Who would have thought! To have a son like that after being so impressive! That would be rather embarrassing," Draco thought as he read. "He is right, though. He isn't strong or brave. No wonder he's so clumsy! His wand doesn't even work properly! It is a little sad how much he wants to make his Gran proud. How he wants to make Luna proud." Draco was suddenly disgusted with himself.
"What am I saying? This twat is putrid and annoying. I've got to write this letter." He pulled out a fresh piece of parchment and dipped the end of his quill in his black inkwell and began to write. "I've got to mess with him good!"
After finishing the letter, Draco promptly left it in their same exchange spot in the corridor. He stood and waited behind that same suit of armor. He waited to see if Neville would pass by. To his hopes, the cowardly Gryffindor did. He plucked the letter from the wall excitedly. So excited that he opened it up and read it right there in the hallway, taking a seat on the bottom of the Ravenclaw tower steps.
Dear Secret Admirer,
I'm so sorry to hear that about your Gran. If you are as sweet to everyone as sweet you are to me, I know she would be proud of that. I might have a guess as to who you are, but I would still like to know more about you.
As for what I fancy in a man… I tend to look for average height Gryffindor boys with short dark hair. Lots of freckles and unique teeth. Possibly even buck teeth. I like a real man, even if he is clumsy or awkward. I think it's sweet.
If you will do anything to impress me, I'd like to meet you. I want to know who you are inside and out. Can you meet up with me sometime soon? Maybe this week?
Love,
Luna xoxo
Draco thought that the last line would really mess with Neville. Of course he wouldn't want to meet up with her! He is as cowardly as a mooncalf! But, if he did give in and promise to meet up with "her", Draco was going to show up and humiliate him even further! How rich that would be! Draco watched him read the letter, noticing how quickly his cheeks turned a shade of red that Draco didn't think was even possible on a human. Neville looked around the hallway to see if Luna was around. Draco jumped even further behind the suit of armor, accidentally knocking into it and tipping it over. He and the armor toppled to the ground with a loud clank and Neville's head shot up. Without thinking, he rushed over to Draco and reached out his hand to him.
"Draco! Are you alright?" He called to him and Draco looked up at him, first with a curious admiration. After he realized his expression, he switched it up and scowled at Neville and hopped up on his own without taking Neville's kind gesture.
"I'm fine, you git! What are you doing next to the ravenclaw tower anyway?" Draco asked. He thought that if he had already blown his cover that he might as well get some information out of him while he was here. Neville shrugged before responding, "What do you care, Malfoy?" His sudden self-assuredness shocked Draco, but he tried to hide it. It surprised Neville, too. Draco tried to come up with a snarky response, but all he could say was, "Just… curious…" Neville seemed different to him than before. Neville said nothing, then turned to leave Draco confused and flustered next to the broken suit of armor on the ground. Draco was speechless.
"Mr Malfoy!" A high-pitched voice sang from behind Draco and he whipped around. Professor Mcgonnagall stared at him accusingly and upset.
"What have you done to that relic? 30 points from Slytherin for vandalism and detention this afternoon!" She spouted and briskly walked the rest of the hallway. Without looking back, she flicked her wand behind her and the suit of armor magically reassembled itself and stood against the wall like it had before.
"Sh*t."
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
Draco irritatedly dragged his feet into Professor Mcgonnagall's classroom for detention in the afternoon. He is used to it by now, unfortunately. Surprisingly, Neville Longbottom sat in the dark corner in the same seat he sat in just a few days ago in their last detention. Draco sat in his usual seat, which happened to be next to Neville's. Neville paid no attention to Draco when he pulled out the chair and sat down. He was too busy writing his next letter to Luna.
Dear Loving Luna,
You'll be both surprised and happy to know that I have freckles and dark hair! I'm embarrassed and insecure of my buck teeth, but it is no secret that I have them. I can't believe that you find it attractive! Not most other people do. I'm also very clumsy and awkward, how did you know? Did you guess who I am? I'll tell you a little bit more, but nothing too revealing. I'm a 5th year Gryffindor student, so I am a year above you. I'd like to say I'm a friend of Harry Potter's, but we aren't very close.
Could you tell me more about yourself? All I know about you are the tiny facts that I've learnt from sitting next to you in classes over the years. I don't know the true you. The you on the inside that you don't tell anyone about.
I'm sorry, my love, but I can't meet up with you. I'm afraid that once you see my face and my identity is revealed that you'll hate me and never love me. I just can't do it. I'm so afraid of your rejection. I'm afraid that I'll never be good enough for you or for anyone. I hope you'll understand.
Neville hoped that Luna wouldn't be too disappointed in him refusing to meet up with her. He was just too scared. Too nervous to see what she would say when she saw him. He had only ever spoken to her in class and that wasn't very often. What if she doesn't like him? "Well, she did say that she liked clumsy and awkward Gryffindor boys with freckles, so maybe she would like me!" Neville said to himself in his head. This gave him a shred of hope.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
Draco decided to keep the letter in his robes for the rest of the day and read it at night in his dorm. He plucked the dittany flower that he had placed on his bedside table the day before and examined it. He twirled it in his hand again as he opened the new letter. As he read, he felt bad for what he was doing to Neville. It seemed that he didn't deserve any of this. He did nothing to harm or hurt Draco in the past. He just felt the urge to bully Neville because he was easy prey. Now, he felt guilty. He felt ashamed. He felt sorry for the awkward boy that just wanted to be accepted for once. "'I'm afraid that I'll never be good enough for you or for anyone?' How could he say that? Of course someone will love him! Perhaps. And he is afraid that if she… I mean, I see him, that I'll hate him? I couldn't hate him, I-" Draco stopped his own thoughts and realized something that he never thought he would have to worry about realizing.
"Do I… like Neville?" No, no. He could not possibly like Neville. He was only feeling sorry for him! There is no way he could be mistaking that feeling for love? Neville is his natural beta! Neville's only purpose in Draco's life was to be an underling like the rest of the Gryffindor house! Right? No. Draco had to face this truth. No matter how embarrassing it was. Draco sat up quickly in his bed and set down the letter.
"I… like him?" He whispered into the open air of the quiet and dark Slytherin 5th year boy's dormitory. "You like who?" Blaise quickly responded from across the room which made Draco jump. He thought everyone was asleep! He awkwardly stuttered, "Er, no one. Shut up, Blaise. I didn't say anything!" His Slytherin friend rolled his eyes and responded with, "Sure. Whatever." He went back to sleep and Draco sat there in his bed. He couldn't possibly sleep now. Not with this plaguing him all night long.
/A pAsSaGe Of TiMe
The next morning, the tired and underslept Draco shuffled into his first class of the day, potions. Professor Snape watched him with a confused and utterly disappointed look. Draco was usually a good student who would pay attention in class. You know, other than when he was messing with Potter and his friends, but that didn't bother Snape. He did the same thing, too. Draco slumped down into his seat, visibly distressed. His two large henchmen of friends whipped their heads to look confused at him.
"What the bloody hell happened to you, mate?" Greg asked, then Vinnie followed up with, "Yeah! You look like you rolled in a pile of dog sh*t." Draco gave him a look.
"Gee, thanks guys. Nothing. Didn't sleep," he responded to the two of them and they eventually dropped it after examining his awful state for a few more minutes. They weren't wrong. He looked awful. His hair was uncombed and ungelled like it normally was. He had purple bags under his blue eyes and his skin looked even paler than usual. He hunched over instead of sitting up straight with perfect posture like he normally would. He was distraught. He was confused. He was mad and angry. Upset beyond belief. But also… happy? Hopeful? Was he, or was he just letting himself feed into his delusions of having someone to relate to for once? He wasn't about to get his hopes up, so he has got to snap out of it! And he tried. That is, until he walked into the room.
"Sh*t. I forgot he was in this class," Draco thought to himself when he saw Neville take his seat across the classroom. Draco hadn't written his response letter because, frankly, he didn't want to mess with him anymore. He felt awful for how bad he's been treating him for most of their lives. He had to do something. Say something, at least. Without thinking, Draco shot up from his seat and said, a bit louder than he wanted, "Neville! Can I talk to you after class?" All eyes fell on him and a tiny gasp escaped from Hermione Granger. The most surprised and shocked faces were worn by Greg and Vinnie, wondering why their friend would speak let alone look at a Gryffindor and want to see them after class! It was simply uncharacteristic of Draco. Everyone knew it too, that's why the rest of the students in the class replicated the shock and confusion. Neville especially. At first, he was worried. What if Draco was going to get back at him for trying to help him when he fell the other day? Or for laughing at him when he fell the other other day? Whatever Draco was going to do to him, it couldn't be good. Neville nervously nodded to him and Draco slowly sat back down, not able to look away from Neville, which made him scared. He was definitely going to hurt him in some way.
The rest of potions class was awkward and neither of the boys could concentrate on taking notes. They took turns taking glances at one another throughout the class, only locking eyes once or twice. Once professor Snape dismissed the students from class, Neville slowly emerged from his seat, quite nervous for what was about to happen. Unless he stands up for himself. It'll be hard for him to do, but he's got to. He can't let Draco keep pushing him around anymore! He has to prove to Luna and to everyone that he can be brave! He met Draco in the corridor and they both tried to speak at the same time:
"You need to stop-" From Neville.
"I'm sorry for-" From Draco.
They looked confused at each other and they tried to speak again, but overlapped each other once more. Draco took the high road and said, "You go first." Neville huffed and replied, "Thank you! Draco, you need to stop bullying me! I have had enough! I'm sick of it! Even when I haven't done anything to you, you still hit me around like a snitch in a quidditch game!" Draco corrected him, "You mean a bludger. A bludger in a quidditch game." Neville groaned.
"You know what I mean! I'm not good with sports!" he whined. Draco looked understandingly at him, something he had never done before. He started, "Is it my turn now?" Neville silently nodded. Draco continued, "Neville, I'm sorry for how I treated you. How I've been treating you. It isn't fair to you. I didn't know you were going through so much and I just wanted you to know that you aren't alone. In the whole disappointment thing." Neville's eyes squinted and one of his dark brows raised.
"What do you mean disappointment? How do you know about that?" Neville accused. Draco's pale cheeks turned red and he said awkwardly, "About that…" His sentence trailed off and Neville crossed his arms over his chest and practically glared at Draco. Then, Draco continued, "I intercepted your love letter to Luna and have been responding to them to mess with you. But in reading your messages… I began to realize how awful I've been to you. And how much I…" He couldn't seem to find the right words to say to him. There is no way Neville replicated his feelings. Afterall, Neville loves Luna. He was writing letters to her for crying out loud! Neville's glare softened to a curious look.
"How much you… what?" He asked the tall blonde boy. Draco reached into his cloak to retrieve the dittany he had put in his pocket that morning and he showed it to Neville. He asked, "How do you know so much about flowers? This thing.. It's beautiful! And your poetry! It's amazing. The way you don't seem brave, but you-" Draco cut himself off, starting to feel embarrassed by his own words. He is tripping over himself now, isn't he? Neville was now confused, but still intrigued.
"What are you trying to say, Draco?" he finally pressed. Draco's eyes stared at him above his pink cheeks. Without thinking, he took a step forward and pressed his lips to Neville's. Neville was shocked and wanted to breakaway, but he didn't. What was this feeling? It was the feeling he was craving from Luna, but it was coming from Draco Malfoy. The Draco Malfoy. How could it be? Once Draco released and stepped back, he felt utterly humiliated. Neville stared at him at a loss for words. His freckled cheeks turned bright red and they shared a confused and embarrassed expression on their faces. They spoke at the same time again.
Neville: "Why did you-"
And Draco: "Why did I-"
They shared a faint and soft chuckle. Neville took his turn to step closer to Draco. He whispered, "Is it true? What you wrote in your letters?" Draco thought for a moment. It wasn't at the time, but now he realized it was. He had grown fond of clumsy, awkward, yet sometimes brave Gryffindor boys with freckles and short brown hair.
The End
