I Solemnly Swear I'm Unintentionally Up to No Good

Chapter Four

4| Temptations

In the end, Harry ended up just skipping dinner all together, sitting out on the grounds, mainly hiding from his friends. He just sat there, his knees in his chest and his face down in between his legs. His eyes were clenched shut and his chest just felt empty. Yet simultaneously he felt like he might puke. 

"Harry?"

He blinked, looking up. But just finding Luna Lovegood was relieving. She had a bundle of what looked like weeds in her hands, walking around barefoot.

Luna sat down on the ground next to him. "I didn't expect to find you out here, Harry," she said simply. 

He shrugged, "I didn't expect to be out here myself."

She nodded, "Yes, life is curious that way. And it never stops."

"Just plows through everything."

Luna turned to him, handing him a weed, "Would you like one? They're quite beautiful, but they were stealing all the light from the flowers. I am going to replant them, but maybe the smell of one will help you cheer up."

Harry smiled slightly, taking a weed. She was right, they smelled sweetly.

Luna began humming, digging a little hole where they sat, "You know, Harry, once, there was a very pesky little bird that would always ram into my window at home."

He frowned at her. "A bird?"

"Yes, it would always just sit there and scratch at my window, chirping loudly. It was extremely obnoxious; I would always open the window and shoo it off. I'd bang on the window and, oh, how I hated it. I named him Renfrey."

Harry just sat quietly, listening. Luna's voice was always so soft. 

"Renfrey lived outside in the tree next to my room and he was always making such a ruckus. I don't think any of the other birds liked him either." She shook her head. "But it was odd because when he suddenly stopped tapping at my window it made me even angrier. I marched outside, looking for him. But when I found him, he just sat in his tree. At first, I thought he was dead. But I sat there, down against his tree and would see him move from time to time. But he never left his tree," she paused, staring at her hands in the dirt. Almost absentmindedly she added, "He looked so very sad and lonely," before continuing with a shrug, "Then one day I went outside and Renfrey was just gone."

Harry blinked, looking down at the weed she was planting in the ground. 

Luna gave a slight nod, "I think Draco reminds me of Renfrey."

"I suppose in some aspects they are very similar," Harry agreed with a slight frown. "Such as they're always making a ruckus and not many people like them."

She gave a small smile, "Well, I don't know anymore. Now I quite miss Renfrey."

"I wish Malfoy would just go away," Harry said, propping his chin on his knees.

"I think if Renfrey had some friends he wouldn't have been so angry all the time. And besides I rather think Draco is on his way somewhere else anyway."

He frowned, "Hm?"

"Well, he seems awfully sad lately. Not much like the Draco that used to seek you out to get you in trouble." 

Harry copied her in digging a small hole where he sat, lowering his weed inside it. But he didn't offer a reply.

"Though, I may be wrong, since the two of you did fight last night," she shrugged.

Harry stood, brushing off his pants, "I should really go, Luna. Detention."

She nodded.

"Anyway, uh, I hope Renfrey comes back."