Yes, I am alive.

This is the first in a series of thirteen entitled "Golden Road," each based on a song from Keith Urban's album of the same name. All are stand-alone fics, and only considered a series because I love the entire album.

I own nothing.

Somebody Like You

He's barely eighteen and he knows what it feels like to watch people die. He knows what it's like to really laugh at someone else's pain. He knows he's evil.

He knows he's evil because he knows what evil is.

He knows, and he's positive she knows too. He knows.

But she doesn't act like she does. She acts like there's good in everybody. Like there's good in him.

He's tried to prove the opposite.

He stands in the shade of Hogwarts on sunny days. She sits in the sun not ten feet from him. Her gold hair shines and suddenly she's looking back at him, smiling.

"Join me, Draco." He spots the all too familiar band of white ribbon tied to her bag, signifying her as a supporter of Dumbledore. He wonders how she'd react to the black mark etched into his arm.

But she's patting the grass beside her and ignoring the glare he's forcing her way.

"I wouldn't want to damage your reputation, Miss Lovegood. It's common knowledge I don't plan on donning a white ribbon anytime soon."

She laughs, a high-pitched affair that startles him a bit. "Draco," she giggles, taking control of her laugh, "I don't think I have much of a reputation to mar, now come have a seat."

He takes a final look at her and retreats into the castle.

Malfoys burn so easily, you know.

He imagines she's seeking him out when he sees her everywhere he goes. She sits across the aisle from him in the library, and he knows when he's not looking at her she's looking at him. She tracks him down in the Great Hall. She finds him during the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw match and positions herself as close to him in the quiddich stands as possible.

He feels uncomfortable and doesn't know why his heart keeps beating so hard in his chest.

He imagines her robes must have an automatic drying spell on them, what with the way she lays in the snow. She catches him looking at her.

"Care to join me, Draco?" He scoffs. "No one is around. I assure you, your reputation will remain intact."

He wonders what kind of reputation he has left. He sits beside her and the chill sinks into him immediately.

"Lovegood, I think you're nutters."

"Draco, I think you're a drama king."

He is silent, and it's not a first, but close enough. He doesn't think he is a drama king. A bit angsty, perhaps, but what can one expect, being evil incarnate? He huffs and stands, turning to leave.

"Oh sit." Her hand wraps quickly around the thick wool of his cloak and with a forceful tug he is sitting beside her again. "I never said it was a bad thing."

"Lovegood," his eyes burn holes into her, and she doesn't seem to notice, "Lovegood, I am a bad thing!"

She laughs again, and he doesn't think it quite so irritating. Her arms wrap around his stiff shoulders gently and she squeezes. "No Draco," her voice is close to his ear, and he feels goose pimples run down his back, "you are not a bad thing." She releases him from the hug, but holds tight to his hands. "You have done some bad things, I am sure, but you are still young. You have a lifetime to forgive yourself."

He pulls his hands from hers, and ignores how they feel colder, despite his gloves.

"I did not come here for an Order of the Phoenix lecture." He stands again, and she lets him go.

She wears pale robes on weekends and he can only imagine the mud stains on them from when she lays on the over-saturated lawn. He refuses to approach her, and yet she sees him, waving him into the sun.

"Don't you ever get enough of me?" He wonders why his chest hurts so much when she's near.

She smiles and tilts her head back into the sun. "Sit with me, Draco."

"I have no intention of getting my robes filthy because of your silly little lectures."

She laughs again, and he almost finds it endearing. "Will you be happy to be out of Hogwarts?"

The question is one he doesn't expect, and he finds a suitable answer for it hard to find. "I'm sure things will be just the same as here." He knows he lies.

"I'm sure you'll miss me." He denies it, and she laughs again. They fall into silence before she speaks again. She's quieter, more hesitant. "You will miss me, won't you Draco?"

His chest hurts and he imagines his lunch is causing it. She stands and wraps her arms around him. "I will miss you, Draco." She plants a small kiss on his cheek and he knows why his chest has been aching.

He stops her when she is halfway to the school. Her hand is cold when he grabs it from behind. "Luna… I"

She turns, and he half expects to see her eyes brimming with tears. Any normal girl's would be. They're not. "Yes Draco?"

"I will miss you." She smiles faintly. His chest hurts less. "And… and I want to thank you."

"Thank me?" Her eyes show real shock, and grow wider.

"I'm not good," he admits, looking past her, "But," he focuses on her again, "but I seem to believe I'm not all that bad either."

She smiles, truly, and he gives in to the urge to run his thumb across a dimple. "Draco, you're supposed to kiss me now." He laughs and she ignores it. "You are. It's what people who are in love do."

He laughs again and wraps his arm around her shoulder as they walk back to the castle. "I'm not so sure I can fall in love, Lovegood," he squeezes her lightly, "but if I can, I think I'd like to love somebody like you."

She smiles up at him, and his chest doesn't seem to hurt at all.

Fin