Inspiration strikes me in the strangest of places at the strangest of times. This one, in the library, whilst browsing book titles.

She seemed to appear at the most coincidental moments. Never an explanation, never a reason. The only consolation he got from it was that if he saw her someplace, he knew something important was happening. That was an irrefutable law he'd yet to see disproven.

If he were being honest with himself, he'd admit that he'd rather it weren't disproven, because then she'd stop showing up places, and he rather liked seeing her.

She was there, never speaking, just silently observing, same absent, dreamlike smile on her face, every time something important happened. The battle? She was there. Graduation? Check. His trial? Back row. His press hearing? Front and center. Somehow, she was just there, always.

So when he saw her on the streets of Diagon Alley one chilly winter morning, he knew something very important was about to happen, and he knew she knew what it was.

So he gave chase. The moment she saw him walking casually towards her at a slightly-faster-than-normal pace, her eyes widened, and she turned and split. She ran as fast as she could, but his legs were longer and more athletic. He caught her with some difficulty, but he caught her nonetheless. He brought her to a stop in a dead-end alley, backed against an ancient stone wall.

"Looney."

"What do you want with me, Malfoy?" There was a hint of fear in her voice, just a trace; just enough to be noticeable where there never was any before.

"Why do you keep…appearing?"

"I don't know what you mean!"

He groaned in frustration. "Why is it that every time something important happens to me, you're there? Every single time?"

The fear in her face was gone. She smiled knowingly. "I've always been there, Draco. It's only taken you until recently to notice."

And with that, she apparated away, leaving without a trace.

Later, he'd note that she could've disapparated at any time, but she chose to allow him to follow. She was playing him, leading him on, the entire time.

The next time he saw her was several months later, when he got his first job at the ministry. As he shook hands with his new boss and left the building, he could've sworn he saw her just down the block, walking towards him on the pavement, same dreamlike smile and twinkling eyes. This time, he turned away from her and walked away briskly, determined to leave her behind. This time, it was she who cornered him, in an alley very similar to the previous one.

"Malfoy."

"Why do you keep following me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Looney."

"I'm not following you. You're just looking for me now."

"Huh?"

"You want to find me. You look for me. I've always been there, your eyes are just drawn to me now."

He had no answer.

She giggled.

"Why did you follow me just now?"

"Would you have been satisfied if I hadn't?"

"…huh?"

"If I hadn't followed you, and just continued to go about my business, you'd have ended up alone, here in this alley, thinking you were going insane. Correct?"

"…I guess…?"

"So I followed you. To ease your troubled mind."

"Umm… Thank you?"

"You're welcome." She giggled once more, and walked out of the alley.

Later on, he'd note that he could've disapparated at any time during the chase. He'd wanted her to follow him.

It took him a long time to realize that the time he'd seen her in the alley, nothing important had happened.

It took him far, far longer to realize that seeing her there was the important thing that had happened.

He found her in an ice cream parlor in Diagon Alley one spring afternoon, on a sunny day. He entered the parlor with the intent of buying an ice cream cone and leaving. The moment he saw her, however, it started to pour outside.

He found the coincidence too powerful to ignore. Upon acquiring his delicious treat, he sat down next to her.

"Hello, Luna."

"Hello, Draco. Beautiful day, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

Silence. Then,

"So every time I see you, something important happens. Yes?"

"Yes."

"So what is it this time?"

"Hmm?"

"What's the important thing that will happen this time?"

"What makes you think I know?"

"If you didn't, would you keep showing up in my life?"

"Of course. You're looking for me."

"Only because important things happen to me when you're around."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe me being around you is the important thing happening?"

"It has, actually."

She stood. "Would you like to join me for a walk?"

"It's raining."

"It is."

He stood, taking her hand. "I'd love to."

Do tell me what you thought of it, dearies :)