Pulling At Strings

Chapter 1: A Rather Odd Sort of Day

- Huh, I don't own Harry Potter or Harry Potter related items. Weird, don't you think? -

1"Life doesn't throw me curve balls. It just hits me with the bat."

xXxXx

Luna sat cross-legged on the oak stool as she peered into a rather large boring old text. McGonagall's assignments were always strife with complexity and boredom. Frankly it irked her.

She could be researching something far more intriguing. Like Snorcacks or Svetterys, but no, she was stuck doing an essay on the uses of glamour charms.

Historical uses, McGonagall made a point in telling her. In fact she'd kept her after school and specifically told her to only write about things she found in the library. Luna had turned in many assignments full of what others called idiocies and things that had been disproved. Truthfully Luna only turned them into McGonagall so she could watch her transform through fits of rage. It was amusing.

Although she would never admit to doing it. But she took an amazing amount of pleasure in frustrating McGonagall, she enjoyed it so much, that quite often she butted in and expressed the most recent adages of the Quibbler and how they related to McGonagall's topic.

And McGonagall treated her like she was a three year-old who knew absolutely nothing.

But she knew quite a lot.

Contrary to popular belief, Luna Lovegood wasn't stupid.

She knew that a lot of the things her father's magazine talked about had been disproved time and time again, but it was fairly easy to believe in something.

Even the impossible.

Luna Lovegood never believed what other people told her without doing some research of her own. But she believed what she would even if all facts pointed the other way.

Sometimes a person just needed something to believe in.

Most people would tell you that Luna "Loony" Lovegood is as insane as they come, but what most people don't see, is that she's also the happiest person you'd ever met. The most unique, she was simply the most…her.

Luna started as she heard a noise from up ahead. She leaned forward and tired to peer through the incandescent darkness. Technically she was supposed to be in bed. But after much efforts Luna had decided to always do her assignments after hours. Where nobody could bother her. It was the only way she got some peace and quiet. Somewhere in the distance she could hear to voices arguing. She gathered up her books and followed the source. As she turned the corner she found the source of the noise.

She couldn't quite tell what the two where arguing about, but any fool with eyes could tell who they where. There was only one female in Hogwarts who had hair that red. Bright as fire. And there was only one male who was impeccably pale with silver-blonde hair. It was Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy. She leaned against the wall and watched as the scene unravelled. It was…peculiar at best. Even without hearing the words, the tones of their voices conveyed all. They were angry, but something…seemed off. Weasleys hated Malfoys and Malfoys hated Weasleys, yet they were speaking to each other in careful, measured, warm, tones. In between the frustration and anger written in their face there was also…care?

"Rather interesting people to watch aren't they?"

Luna jumped, dropping her books in the process as a smooth rich voice erupted behind her. Her books never did hit the floor though. A dark, slender hand caught them before they'd even made a noise. Luna turned hesitantly to see who had snuck up on her. He had long, slanting, light brown eyes, dark skin, and rather messy black hair. She'd never seen him before. "Who are you?"

He smiled wryly "I could ask" He held out her books toward her "the very same question."

Luna cocked her head. "I'm Luna."

xXxXx

Blaise watched the petite girl in front of him stare as if he were a new-found specimen. She had waist length, dirty-blonde hair, and rather large, impressionable oceanic eyes. He had never seen this beauty before. He was quite sure he had not. Luna. Her name sounded exquisite and unique. Moon. "Blaise. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

The beauty cocked her head as a few tendrils fell gracefully unto her pale face. "I like it. Blaise. It sounds eloquent."

He smiled and glanced at her books. She made no move to take them. Just stood there staring at him.

Truthfully the fact that a girl was staring at him shouldn't make him uncomfortable. He actually had tons of girls stare at him all day long, but something about her stare unnerved him. It wasn't bashful or sultry or suggestive. It was blank. The stares he received on a daily basis by girls (and some guys) were of lust. Of attraction. Unlike her stare that seemed to be analysing him. It was…odd.

It wasn't a bad feeling.

"I've never seen you before." She stated dreamily.

"I've seen you. Mostly around the little red-head over there." He answered pointing his finger in the direction of Ginny Weasley.

She glanced at them then turned back to face him "Aren't you a prefect?"

He grinned slightly "Head boy."

"Oh." She paused looking thoughtful "Aren't you going to take away points?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm out after hours?"

"So? I am as well. They are as well. Why should I? That would only make me a hypocrite."

"But you have an excuse." She pointed out

"Well, then in that case I don't feel like taking any points."

The blonde cocked her head and stared at him oddly. "Ookay." She paused for a second, and Blaise discovered something rather…odd. She hadn't blinked once since they began talking.

Or maybe he was just imagining things.

"Why is it interesting?"

Blaise blinked. "Why is what interesting?"

"You said they were interesting to watch. Why?"

Blaise blanked. "Er, who?"

The petite blonde rolled her eyes. "Them." She said jutting her thumb backwards in the direction of Ginny and Draco.

"Oh." He answered stupidly. "Watch them."

xXxXx

Luna turned sceptically; sure that Blaise was a little cuckoo. What could possibly be interesting about Draco and Ginny arguing?

Okay well, she thought it was interesting. But she had a very good reason. Something looked...odd. And anyway, she was the crazy one of Hogwarts.

Turns out something was odd.

Very.

Draco and Ginny, who Luna would have sworn hated each other and would never ever be anything more than enemies, had been in fact arguing, but then Draco looked like he said something offending and grabbed, literally grabbed, the collar of Ginny's shirt pulling her towards him and pressed his lips on hers.

Whoa.

Draco Malfoy was kissing Ginny Weasley.

And the scariest part? Ginny was kissing him back.

It was rather an odd scene they both seemed to be struggling to find something.

It was as if they hoped they could suck something out of the other's mouth that they didn't have to begin with. Like they thought it would fix something.

In an odd twisted sort of way, Luna found it romantic.

Of course that thought was torn to shreds when Ginny violently pushed him away and started screaming at him.

This time Luna could hear.

And if Luna was to say something about the way Ginny Weasley spoke to Draco Malfoy at that moment she would have described it as…colourful.

Now Luna Lovegood didn't know much about kissing, considering she'd never been kissed before, but…she hardly doubted that a kiss ended with one of the people being shoved, rather painfully, into a wall.

"Huh." Blaise muttered in a fairly surprised tone "that's never happened before."

Luna turned to face Blaise as Ginny stalked of opposite of their direction toward the Gryffindor common room. "What do you mean that's never happened before?"

He frowned "well, I've been watching them before because, well really because of Draco… I've never seen them do that."

"So..." Luna pondered out loud "You were spying on them?"

"No! Well, yes, I suppose. But only because Draco had been acting unusual. And I figured it had something to do with that little Gryff."

Luna stared "Well, I suppose you guessed right."

"What," a cold and angry voice erupted "are you doing here?"

Blaise smirked in the direction of the voice, which could only belong to Draco Malfoy, "Out for a walk. And you?"

Luna looked at his pale face. There was a red imprint on his left cheek were Ginny had probably slapped him.

Ouch.

"Like you didn't see."

"Oh I saw, and Luna here," he gestured toward Luna "saw as well, but I was wondering why?"

The pale Slytherin ignored Blaise and headed toward the dungeons.

Blaise turned and took her hand gingerly kissing it. "It was a pleasure meeting you Luna. You were pleasant company."

Luna just stood there and watched Blaise follow the angry Slytherin. An odd thought struck her, who kissed people on the hand nowadays? That was so…old. Luna found she didn't mind it at all.

Hmm.

Today was a really odd day.

And she hadn't even finished her essay. McGonagall would have a fit. Perhaps she should turn in an essay on how the Ministry is secretly using glamour charms to hide the existence of the Heverty.

Now the Heverties were interesting creatures.

Yes, she would do that. The essay would be done in a few minutes and she got to see McGonagall tear out her hair and receiving another one of her fictional essays.

Luna headed to her dormitory all the while thinking of the Heverty and how McGonagall's face would look when she read the essay. Completely forgetting that she didn't have her things.

Blaise Zabini did.