Stuck with Me [Harry Potter]

Chapter 11 - The Ride of His Life

Day 6

Draco remained in the living room the majority of the day, away from Luna. What had gotten into him? He read through the full ninth volume of encyclopedia for magical creatures, and he read a good majority of Xenophilius Lovegood's The Quibbler manuscripts. Lord, he even read full The Quibbler magazines! He was truly out of his mind.

Luna walked through the front door around four o'clock in the afternoon, dressed in purple pants and a dark blue t-shirt with a yellow star on it, and Draco intentionally kept his gaze in the magazine.

He had a good idea of what Luna was thinking as she stopped to look at him, and heat traveled up his neck to his cheeks.

"I didn't know that you liked The Quibbler," she commented.

That startled him. "What?"

"You're reading The Quibbler. I noticed that you read a few of them all the way through."

He swallowed, still staring down at the magazine and feeling awkward. "Well, I said before that you don't have any other good reading material."

She nodded. "Would you like some lunch?"

"Already ate," he lied.

"Alright."

She went about the kitchen, humming a new tune and dancing around as she made herself a plate of the usual cheese, grapes and bread. His eyes flicked up to her, and he found himself watching her and her slender body move. Only when she turned did he bring his eyes back to the magazine.

Luna left out the door with her plate.

Draco threw the magazine on the messy table next to him and rubbed his temple with his thumb and pointer finger. He sighed long and hard. He shockingly wished that the Death Eaters would take him away now so he wouldn't have to be tortured by Luna Lovegood.

And she didn't even know that she was torturing him! With her graceful moves, her light, airy voice, her carefree and caring attitude, her very presence...

He stood up and looked out the window. Luna was sitting on the grass near the front path cross-legged, eating her humble meal. She paused for a moment as she held a grape up to her mouth. She set it back down on her plate and then touched her fingers to her lips. She smiled.

Draco's heart sped up when he realized what was most definitely running through her mind. He was no airhead. He knew how giddy girls could be after a man kisses them. Pansy had the same reaction, as well as other girls he had heard talking among themselves in the Slytherin common room, talking about how they had been kissed by boys they fancied.

"Bloomin' idiot," he said to himself again.

Luna set her unfinished plate off to the side and lay in the grass, facing the sunny sky. Her whole hand covered her mouth. Draco turned away, not wanting to watch her roll around gleefully in the grass.

He sat back down in the leather chair and stared ahead of him blankly. He brought a hand up to his own lips, recalling them on hers. A smile tugged at the corners. Then a full-on grin. Laughter bubbled out of him.

"Draco?"

He jumped at the sound of Luna's voice. He immediately put his hand down and attempted to gain dignified composure. "Yes?"

"We have visitors."

His heart sped up in alarm, and a frown formed on his face. He never thought... after only just thinking it...

Draco stood up and walked out the door, Luna at his heels. He screamed and nearly fell backwards onto Luna when he saw what's standing in the grass.

"What... what is that thing?!" he demanded.