" You can try concealing all the pain." Luna said, looking deep into Draco's stormy grey eyes, and he could feel her sympathetic stance she's giving him. " But it wouldn't be much help if you're still broken inside."
Draco scowled. This is the longest conversation they had after being in Hogwarts together for not more than 4 years, filled mainly with him giving her mocking stare as she walked past him in the corridors, and she already thought she knew everything about him?
" Careful there, Lovegood." Draco remarked. " Failing to keep your sanity in check on a daily basis is one thing, but being a sodding know-it-all on people's business will seal your future of being the loneliest friendless lad. You think people will appreciate it when you sniff around with that nose of yours?"
Luna stood in front of him silently, detached, drifting apart from the reality she's supposed to be tangled in, but Draco knew she heard every single word he said. Her eyes had shifted from Draco's to the grass surrounding her bare feet, and seconds felt like years with heavy atmosphere of silence trapping the two of them. He started fidgeting nervously, trying not to be suffocated by the thick air.
Did he said too much? Did he cross the line? Did he hurt her feelings? The thoughts made their way through Draco's mind, driving him crazy, when Luna finally made the slightest bit of movement without severing her eye contact with the surrounding greenery, and said " I don't really mind my own company you know. Sure, friendships are beautiful. They give life meaning, and a world without it would be a world not worth living in. But one can never be blessed with an honest one if they can't even make peace with their heart and mind. And that's why Draco, why you are actually a lot like me.. We're still waiting for the day we can eventually be deserving that one true friend."
That's it, he's done. He's fed up with Luna the Loony and all of her nonsense ramblings. He didn't even feel like anguishing her with his anger or to make more sarcastic comments about possible brain concussion she might have had once anymore, because he knew, his effort would all be in vain. No matter how much he wanted her to pay for her false accusations on him and her attempt at calling him by his first name, he could never get under her skin. Very much contrary to how easy it was for her to play with his mind. He rolled his eyes on Luna for the last time, and turned his back, started marching back to the castle when he suddenly heard a loud thump and weird feeling of warmth clutching his slender torso.
" What the.."
It was Luna. She had wrapped her arms around the Malfoy prince and rested her head on his back, her blond locks brushing against his Slytherin robe. He could feel her rhythmic breath on his skin, and therapeutic scent of Lavender engulfing him. Her petite hands were grasping the front of his jumper, and he could finally see the weird stone she put on as a ring he noticed earlier clearly.
" You are in need of a hug, Draco." Luna stated nonchalantly.
Luna bloody Lovegood had hugged him, so tight he could barely move an inch, and he's in fury. At first he thought it was because she had intruded his private space in the worst possible unexpected way, tearing the pride he wore so arrogantly every time apart, and making it look like nothing but a pathetic embellishment. Or maybe because it was her.
Her! Luna Lovegood. The daughter of mad magazine called The Quibbler's editor; Xenophilius Lovegood. The third year Ravenclaw who's well known for her far from normal eccentric demeanor, talking about non-existent creature like Nargles, Wrackspurts and all that as if they were real, and consistently wearing ugly butterbeer caps as necklace, not giving any fuck at fashion sense like most girls her age did. The girl who befriended Saint Potter, The Weasel and Mudblood Granger; The Golden Trio, whom Draco immensely despised. Because that Luna Lovegood had caught him off-guard, and touched him deeply, right into the core of his heart.
But no, those are not the reasons for Draco's rage. He's angry because he couldn't, or to be exact he didn't want to shove her the hell away from him. Her hug gave him a sense of tranquility; he had never felt so fragile like every layer sheathing his soul were bared free, plainly exposing him to the cruel world he was born into, yet so safe within the captivating pseudo universe she had created especially for him. He felt all his tense muscles relaxed, and his normally active mind slowly shut down to a trance. He closed his eyes, devouring every bit of the moment. No sight of his demanding father, or his fear that his fellow Slytherins would someday turn their back on him. Thanks to Luna Lovegood, who decided to care about him; Draco Malfoy, he's free.
A/n: Hello! This is my very first time writing a story in English, so I'm terribly sorry if I made any grammatical mistakes. Although it's really short I hope I managed to keep the two of them in character and I wish you guys love the story (and Druna) as much as I do. Reviews will totally be appreciated!