Never Again

Part 3: Transfiguration Class

Luna was waiting expectantly for the owls to arrive, impatiently chewing on a piece of toast.

Daddy had to have written about the storm last night, she thought. It might attract a few creatures.

Professor Sprout was walking up and down the tables, handing out timetables. Luna glanced down at her own, and saw that today she would have Charms with the Gryffindors, double Transfiguration and Potions with the Slytherins. She frowned, as normally she had classes with the Hufflepuffs.

Waving the thought aside, she stuffed the timetable into her bag, just as the owls swarmed into the hall.

A tawny owl dropped a package onto Luna's plate, and she tore it open. Beaming, she opened the new copy of the Quibbler, and turned it upside down. She noticed Malfoy looking at the cover, but he quickly turned away when he saw her staring at him.

The bell rang, and Luna hastily stuffed it in her bag, and headed towards Transfiguration.

Professor Hart was a short, skinny witch with watery green eyes and white hair. She wore dark green robes, and a thin smile.

Luna was searching her bag for her quill when the door swung open and Malfoy hurried inside.

"You're a bit late, young man," said Professor Hart. "A point from Slytherin."

Malfoy looked around for seats. Every table was full except for the one which Luna sat at by herself.

"Well, take a seat then, will you?" Professor Hart snapped. "We have a lot to cover today."

Furious, Malfoy stormed over to Luna's table. He threw his bag on the ground beside him, and slouched down in the chair on Luna's right, refusing to meet eye contact with her.

"Right, now please take out your quills and begin taking notes on Conjuring Spells," Professor Hart said. "This is a very important spell to learn, as in the future you will..."

Luna scoured through her bag again. She still couldn't find her quill.

I was so sure I put it in this morning! I suppose maybe someone snuck it out at breakfast. Or perhaps it was a Nargle. There are quite a few hiding places where they might've hid...

She gently tapped Malfoy on the shoulder. He scowled in return.

"What do you want?" he hissed.

"Can I borrow an extra quill?" she asked. "I can't seem to find mine."

He snorted. "Lucky Ravenclaw you are. I don't have one."

"I remember putting one in my bag this morning," said Luna. "The Nargles must've taken it, but I know you have a spare one. I saw one when you opened your bag."

"Honestly, Loony. You think I'd help someone like you? You're just another blood traitor. And a big weirdo."

"It'd be nice to help someone in need," Luna was undaunted by the insult. "Don't you want to let go of your Death Eater life?"

She hit the spot. Malfoy flinched, and his left arm moved ever so slightly.

"Fine," he sighed. "You don't give me much of a choice, do you?"

Luna raised an eyebrow, bemused as he slapped a grey feathered quill on the table.

"Just this once," he said. "Never again."

"That's nice of you," she whispered. "Thank you," and took the quill. She bent her head down to write some notes.

She was scribbling down Professor Hart's talk about wand movements when she glanced to the side and realized Malfoy hadn't written anything. She felt the corners of her mouth turn down.

"You should start writing!" she prodded his empty piece of parchment.

"I don't need any advice from you, Loony," he leaned back, crossing his arms.

"It's really important, it might come up in your N.E.W.T.s!"

"Who cares?" Malfoy spat. "Even if I get good grades, it won't do anything to my reputation. I'll just be known as a Death Eater, and I won't get a job anywhere. They might even just toss me in Azkaban for trying."

Luna glanced at Professor Hart, and when she was sure that her back was turned, she snatched Malfoy's piece of parchment and pulled it towards her. Her hand bumped into his, and he recoiled.

"What are you doing?" he tried to pull it back towards him, but couldn't do so without touching her hands.

"Writing your notes for you," Luna nearly spilled ink over the parchment in her hurry to keep up with Professor Hart. "Think of it as a repayment for letting me have your quill."

He stopped, his fingers inches away from her own. "So you're going to let me copy?"

"Just this once," Luna said grimly.

And for the first time of the year, he grinned. "Cool."

The rest of the class was spent with Luna furiously scribbling down words, pausing to let Malfoy read before continuing writing.

At last, they finished and began practicing trying to conjure a bouquet of flowers from the tips of their wands. Luna had managed to spring an occasional flower or two. Malfoy seemed to be struggling harder, only petals bursting out and drifting towards the table. He kept glowering at the small group of flowers that Luna had conjured.

"Here," Luna grasped his hand on his wand, and felt something rush through her. Malfoy jerked his hand, but didn't shake her off.

"It's kind of a circle motion with the wand," she explained, keeping her hand on his as she drew a circle in the air. "And you need to say Orchideous more confidently. Then a pink light should appear."

She let go, and Malfoy took a deep breath.

"Orchideous!" he cried, and a soft pinkish glow enveloped around a small flower blooming from his wand.

Luna beamed. "Well done!"

At the end of the class, both of them were able to conjure a small group of flowers at once, and had earned them a good amount of house points. Suddenly, the bell rang and everyone scrambled to pack their things.

Luna stuffed her notes in her bag, and then looked at her flowers with uncertainty.

"You can have these," Luna thrust them towards Malfoy. He looked surprised. "I don't have anymore room in my bag, so you can keep them."

He looked surprise. "Er... What?" as if in a trance, he looked at the orchids and his fingertips brushed Luna's as he put them in his bag.

"Your welcome," she said brightly.

They walked towards the doorway, where Luna would part one way and Malfoy the other, when he called out:

"I don't actually want them, you know!"

She smiled, even though she knew he couldn't see it. "You should get some Spectrespecs soon, Malfoy. Those Wrackspurts must really be bothering you!"

Even though she couldn't see him, she could just a small grin on his face.

"My name's Draco you know!"