Beauty From Pain

Chapter Thirteen

Draco stepped out of Virago and nearly ran straight into none other than Luna Lovegood.

The petite witch was standing outside the door staring up at the top of the door frame. Her head was cocked to the side, and she was smiling in that dreamy way of hers that he always found endearing.

"Luna?" He looked up towards the point she was gazing at but couldn't see anything. "Is there something up there?"

"Blibbering humdingers," she mused. Her fingers were fiddling with the large dirigible plums earrings hanging in her ears, twirling them this way and that. "They tend to hover around doorways so they can follow absentminded travelers home."

Draco nodded, though he still couldn't see any creatures above the doorway. No doubt this was another one of the ones only Luna could see.

"Good thing you aren't very absentminded," she said brightly. "Unless you pretend to be. It's very unlike you to forget an appointment."

He blinked owlishly at her. The way Luna always seemed to just know things would never cease to catch him off guard.

"That is why you came to visit, is it not?"

"I wanted to make sure I had the correct date," he said as he anxiously scratched the back of his head. "I threw away her letter without writing it down, and I knew stopping by would be a quick trip."

She nodded, but he could see a glimmer of laughter in her blue eyes that told him she knew better. "I'm sure you've been quite busy and developed a sudden case of forgetfulness."

"Something like that," Draco murmured. Sometimes he truly hated how perceptive Luna could be. "Are you here for an appointment?"

Luna nodded, but her gaze drifted away from him to focus on something in the distance. She was far more distracted today than she normally was.

"Everything alright, Luna," he asked softly. He knew speaking too loudly when she was unfocused could startle her, so he kept his hands by his side and waited patiently for her mind to come back to the present.

After a few moments, her eyes drifted back to meet his, and she smiled sweetly at him. "Hello again, Draco. Have you been standing there long?"

"Not at all," he said and returned her smile. "Where did you go?"

"Oh, nowhere special. Just thinking about tomorrow." She cocked her head to the side and asked, "Did you remember to write to your mother? I know she misses you dearly despite the brilliant adventures she's having in Paris."

Draco's smile tensed slightly. "I was on my way home to write to her now," he lied smoothly.

"Enjoy the rest of your day, Draco." She patted him gently on the shoulder and added, "And be sure to wear a cloak tomorrow. You may need to leave it somewhere."

Draco furrowed his brow and stared after Luna in confusion. "Leave it somewhere?"

Luna waved at him over her shoulder, drifted through the door of Virago, and greeted Hermione cheerfully.

Hermione returned the greeting and immediately asked, "How did you know Draco would be here today?"

There was a hidden meaning in her smile that Hermione couldn't quite decipher. Luna shrugged and said, "A blabbertip told me."

"Of course it did." Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She was less bothered than she used to be my Luna's imaginary creatures but still couldn't bring herself to believe in any of them. "Are you ready for your appointment?"