Seven Steps || Drarry

Part 17

Draco felt the wards shift as Longbottom and Luna arrived and reached the doors just as Kipper was opening them.

Luna stepped inside and hugged Draco without warning, "Hullo, Draco."

"Hello," Draco said stiffly, feeling slightly off-kilter, a speciality of Luna's.

Longbottom wavered at the doorstep, much to Kipper distaste.

"Shall we go to the greenhouse?" Draco offered.

Luna shook her head, "Oh, I don't want to. I only came because Neville was feeling nervous about coming alone."

Longbottom's already cold flushed cheeks went a little brighter.

"My mother and Pansy are here," Draco said, and as the idea occurred to him, he asked, "Do you like Pansy at all? As a person, sort of generally."

Luna turned slowly on the balls of her feet looking both as if she might be thinking or simply looking around the entry hall. She turned back to them abruptly, "I didn't before, but now I'm thinking I might."

Draco took a quick bracing breath, "Well she could use a little company. Maybe you could ask her to do your nails again?"

"Okay," Luna said. She looked at the end of the hall which ended in a set of matching curved staircases. There were doors to the right and left for those wings of the building and doors in the centre, and despite the chandeliers and sconces lining the walls, the area was always a bit foreboding. Once Mother plastered the walls and re-tiled the floors it would undoubtedly brighten up, but until then it was dark and gloomy, and Luna had never walked through the house unaccompanied.

"Kipper, would you guide Mr Longbottom to the greenhouse via the exterior of the house? I have to see Luna to Pansy's rooms," Draco said.

Luna smiled gratefully and Longbottom looked at Kipper with trepidation.

Draco told Longbottom, "You can look at everything, just don't touch."

"I know my way around a greenhouse," Longbottom said.

"I'm sure you do," Draco said, trying his very best not to snap at Longbottom, "But if you touch or change anything without Moss knowing about it, he will light my bed on fire."

Longbottom blinked at him.

Draco nodded, "Thank you. I won't be long."

Kipper stepped outside, the door swinging shut behind him.

"Moss, is that the funny little elf that lives in the shed behind the greenhouse?" Luna asked as they walked to Pansy's rooms.

"The very one," Draco said.

"I didn't know they had a name or a gender."

Draco sighed, "They're more descriptors for the sake of expedience."

"Oh," Luna said, looking around her thoughtfully, "A nickname is okay, I suppose, but I don't think you ought to be giving people genders without their permission."

Draco's brow furrowed, "Then I should-?"

"Use they or them until Moss lets you know themselves," Luna said.

"I see." Draco wondered why whenever he spoke with Luna their conversations always ended up so serious and complicated. He couldn't remember ever talking to her about flowers or the last book they read, or anything bland. It was always the meaning of life and the war and, of course, invisible creatures only she could see.

Draco knocked on Pansy's door, "Are you decent?"

"What?!" Pansy yelled back, "Since when do you care about that?"