In The End

Chapter 13 - What Did You Mean?

Eliza had seen Luna every day that week. In the short time that they had spent getting to know each other, they had become so close that Luna even made them matching friendship necklaces out of Butterbeer corks.

Every moment Eliza spent with Luna was a treasure to her. As it turned out, Luna had a lot in common with her. She was also considered "weird" and got bullied a lot. Not only that, but she also lost her mother. Their shared heartache only strengthened their bond. 

One particular afternoon as the pair walked arm-in-arm to the Great Hall, Eliza caught Draco staring at them and quickly shot him a look of warning, letting him know to stay away.

This little exchange did not escape Luna's notice. In fact, the more time she had spent with Eliza, the more she had picked up on the subtle connection she had with Draco, despite never speaking to him once. 

As they sat together and ate their lunch by the Ravenclaw table, Luna watched carefully as Draco and Eliza subconsciously glanced over at each other every now and then. Eventually, Luna could not hold back her curiosity any longer.

"Liza," Luna asked dreamily, looking at her friend with a faraway smile. 

"Yes?" Eliza raised an eyebrow, she didn't trust the mischievous look on her face.

"What is going on between you and Draco?" 

Eliza paled visibly at Luna's question, accidentally spilling her cup of pumpkin juice all over herself and the table. Thankfully, Luna had needed to clean up messes many times before and knew a helpful spell.

"Scourgify," she said calmly, pointing her wand at the orange puddle on the table.

"Thanks," Eliza said bashfully.

Luna nodded at her encouragingly, urging her to answer the questions. After a few moments, Eliza finally spoke.

"Honestly, I don't know," Eliza shrugged, "I suppose we got really close over Christmas break, but now that we're back at Hogwarts, he doesn't want to be seen with me," she sighed, taking a sip of what remained of her pumpkin juice.

"Define 'got really close'. Were you together?" Luna pressed.

Her crystal blue eyes were piercing into Eliza's soul, making her feel bare and exposed. 

As she continued to sip the last of her juice, she choked slightly.

"Merlin's beard, of course not!" she croaked, looking at her friend in shock.

"Well, why not?" Luna asked confusedly.

"Because... well it's because... he's him and I... I'm not, you know? I'm not pureblood and I'm not a real Slytherin and all that," Eliza shrugged, a blush creeping up her pale face.

"Ah, but that doesn't mean you don't want to be with him," Luna smiled.

"I never said that," Eliza looked at her friend in mild annoyance, although there was something very endearing about Luna and it made it hard for Eliza to ever really be upset with her.

"Suit yourself," Luna shrugged casually.

She decided that Eliza would be better off figuring all these feelings out on her own. After all, Luna didn't know much in the way of romance.

After dinner was finished, the girls hugged and went their separate ways. Eliza had decided that she ought to work on the vanishing cabinet again, as she hadn't done for a few days. She headed towards the Room of Requirement.

When she closed the door behind her, she was surprised to see that Draco was there, standing and looking intently at the cabinet with his hand holding his chin, as he had done so many times before when he was deep in thought.

"What are you doing here?" Eliza asked in a sharp tone, crossing her arms.

Draco looked up at her with annoyance.

"I thought I would give you a hand since you never do the bloody work yourself," he snapped back.

"Leave," she said through gritted teeth.

"No. Clearly, you need me," Draco turned to face her.

"I do not need anything from you," she said harshly.

Draco's cold facial expression faltered at her words. Before Eliza could even process what was happening, Draco marched over to her until his face was mere inches away from her own.

He took a deep breath, "I'm sorry for what I said. You do deserve to have friends. I'm sorry that I can't be a better one," he whispered in her ear.

Eliza looked up at his stormy grey eyes and offered him a look of defeat.

"Maybe I don't want you to be my friend anymore, Draco," she whispered back, letting a tear escape and run down her cheek.

"Are you being serious?" he backed away, looking angrier than ever, "I just bloody apologized and you don't even want to accept it!"

"You don't understand, Draco! I meant what I said that night, but not in the way you think!" she yelled back in a frustrated tone.

"Not what I think? Then tell me, Eliza, explain what you did mean!" his voice cracked.

"I don't know how!" she yelled back in confusion.

"Well bloody well try! What do you me-"

Draco was cut off midsentence when Eliza crashed her lips onto his. All the rage he was feeling suddenly vanished and he immediately ran his fingers through her soft, brown hair.

Eliza put her hands around his neck as she kissed him. She kissed him with every ounce of emotion she had been holding back from him. As her lips moved on his, she let him feel just how much she had always wanted to feel this. His lips felt so warm, so comforting, but it was more than that. There was a sort of electricity that she felt every time she touched him. As she kissed him, she could feel the current rushing all the way to her toes.

Before the kiss could be deepened, Draco pulled away for air which neither of them knew they needed. After a few moments of nothing but the sound of their heavy breathing, Draco finally cleared his throat.

"Bloody hell, where did you learn to kiss like that?" he rasped, his eyes still wide with shock.