Pleasureable Punishment

It was the following week in Legilimency class when Luna next saw Draco. She had been running behind on her way to class. She was waylaid when someone cast a spell to tie her shoelaces to each other and tripped her, the fall causing her books to spill everywhere. She thought for a moment about the time that Draco had spilled her books on her way to class. He hadn't laughed at her. Incredibly, he had stooped to pick up her books and actually carried them for her! She had been stunned. It was such a sweet memory that it contented her as she gathered up her things. The notes she had been working on for Professor Snape's essay about wizarding laws were, sadly, trampled beyond repair. Luna sighed; now she would be forced to try to remember what the lecture had been about. She knew from experience that Professor Snape would make no accommodation for her on account of her lost notes. He would also make no accommodation for her being late, she thought, and with that she scrambled on her way to class.

She did not make it in time. She had made an effort to rush, to lessen her tardiness, but she would not cower before Professor Snape. She knew the reason for her lateness would not matter to him and she would not embarrass herself by making excuses. She knew that even an apology would interrupt him speaking and would be poorly received in any case, so she made her way as silently as she could to her seat and slid into it, casting a shy smile over towards Draco, who was eying her with eyebrows raised as if to question why she was late. Maybe he was concerned about her? The thought kept her slight smile on her lips.

True to form, Professor Snape did not break stride in his lecturing, but when Luna tried to get out her parchment and quill, her papers came out of her bag in a sort of haphazard glob that fell apart, spilling noisily onto her desk. It was too much to hope that he would resist scolding her in the most condescending of tones. She set about straightening her things, and she did it as quietly as she could, keeping her eyes on what she was doing. "Miss Lovegood, since you have decided my class should begin at your whim instead of on my schedule, Ravenclaw will be relieved of five points. And for your appalling sense of organization, Ravenclaw will surrender another five points. If you will be subjecting us to any further interruption, I would ask that you do it now so we can continue with our lesson."

"Oh, thank you, Professor," Luna answered in a sweet, sing-songey voice. She turned and buried her attention in her bag, digging about until she finally reappeared with a wrinkled brow and an expression of consternation. Taking her wand from behind her ear she said, "Accio quill" with a dreadful scowl still in place. It was replaced with a look of triumph once she was holding her quill, which was the oddest color of purple.

Professor Snape had clearly made his comment to taunt her, not as an invitation for her to do what she had done. But she did it with such innocent seriousness that he was astounded, and in truth he wondered if the foolish child might be touched in the mind. With a pained sigh, he stared at her as she rummaged hopelessly in her messy bag, only to produce the most ridiculous quill he had ever seen. "Lovegood, where are your notes from last week?"

"Oh, sir, I'm sorry. I'm quite sure Painted Dwarnglads were in my dorm last night. They come out at midnight and nip parchments, you know. Use them for their nests," she added as if trying to educate the professor.

"Miss Lovegood, that is the most ridiculous thing I have heard this entire term. For your gross lack of preparedness and insufferable nonsense you will have detention Friday evening. There you can do extra class work, and as such your partner will also need to attend. Perhaps as the Slytherin Seeker, missing a Quidditch practice will sufficiently motivate Mr. Malfoy that he may be an inspiration to you to make more of an effort in my class." All the Slytherins in the class glared at her then, and some even hissed. Luna turned as red as her radish earrings. She didn't mind antagonizing Snape when the brunt of his anger fell on her, but she hadn't intended for his punishment to extend to Draco as well. While Snape stared daggers at Luna, her face flushed.

Draco couldn't help but feel a pull of camaraderie for the girl. "It's all right," he called out to the class. "I could beat Hufflepuff on a school broomstick." Blaise punched Draco in the shoulder affectionately and the hissing turned to cheers of encouragement. Luna was able to break her gaze from Snape then and looked back down at her desk.

"If we might be able to turn our attention back to today's lesson?" Snape hissed, confident that he had drawn the wrath of all upon the hapless girl. "Since you have an assignment due in my class in two weeks I have arranged for the Library to be made available to you for today's class time. I realize the practical exercises were too much for most of you, and that was as I intended. It was important to illustrate to you the seriousness of the art and the level of difficulty involved. Now we are reverting to a part of the study of Legilimency that I do hope you will be less incompetent at: the academic aspect. Once you have more information about the laws, the uses, and the defensive applications, we will return to the techniques and attempt their use again. Most likely it will be a fruitless exercise of sharing the finer points of delicate arts to those incapable of appreciating them.

"However, you are all to report to the Library now to work on your written assignments. You can find your own research on the wizarding prosecution of Methilius and Lisbeth Glump and the study of Legilimens aberrations rather than me wasting my time lecturing on the details of the material you will need to include in your essay. If Miss Lovegood doesn't need to come to class on time to hear the lessons, then certainly the lot of you can do without me spoon-feed you the information. You should be able to do the research for yourselves." Abruptly Snape turned and strode back to his worktable, returning his attention to the paperwork he had been immersed in before the class began.

He had a lot of work to do for Professor Dumbledore and hadn't the time to lead a class today, so he'd had to make arrangements for them to be monitored in the Library. The girl's tardiness had provoked him, and he had hung his impatience and ire squarely on her. The assignment Dumbledore had given him was a tricky one, and if he failed, all the Legilimency lessons in the world would not save Luna Lovegood or the rest of her classmates from the dreadful fate that threatened them.

The students packed up their things and headed towards the Library, bewildered by what had just happened. Snape had never let them out early, much less skipped an opportunity to lecture until the very last moment of the class period. They weren't sure whether they should be grateful for the reprieve from his lecturing or worried because they now had to do their research unguided.

Draco, however, was unconcerned. He remained in his chair as the other students filed out of the room, until only he and Luna were still seated. She had been trying to carefully repack her bag for the walk to the Library, shamed and oblivious to her surroundings. When she slid from her seat she heaved her bag onto her back and turned just in time to come face to face with Draco Malfoy. He was towering over her with mischief in his eyes and an irresistible smirk on his face.

"Shall we?" he asked, and the best response she could muster up was a weak nod. They turned and headed side by side out into the hall. The other students had all gone ahead, so they were able to stroll along with relative privacy. Draco himself was not sure of his intentions, but he was pleased to be free of the classroom. "So, Luna, it seems you will be depriving me of a Quidditch practice."

"I am so sorry about that, Draco," she said, truly remorseful. "It seems a person can't even earn herself a punishment from Professor Snape any more. Instead he decided to punish everyone so they can all punish me," she mused distractedly.

"I get to punish you, huh?" Draco asked. Abruptly Luna looked at him, worried about what his odd tone signified. "Hmm," he continued. "Well, my Quidditch practice is very relaxing, it helps me unwind. And if I'm giving that up, I suppose you could find some way to compensate me. I think I will extract my punishment on you right now." Luna's eyes widened as he continued. "All the books we would need to work on Snape's essay will be in use by the rest of the class. That batty old Librarian will never notice we aren't there, and the other students will think Snape kept us behind to yell at us some more. We're free! And you said yourself that you owe me. Come with me; we have someplace better to be than the Library." Draco congratulated himself on this latest impromptu piece of Slytherin cunning. Although he wasn't certain what prompted his actions, he had just maneuvered Luna unto spending the rest of the afternoon with him.

Luna hadn't stopped walking alongside Draco all the while he had been speaking. After a moment's hesitation she replied placidly,"Okay Draco." Luna realized she was contentedly accompanying him, but she was a bit scattered about what was going on. The thought that Draco might be upset with her was disquieting. He sounded like he was teasing, but he'd actually said he was going to punish her for getting him stuck in detention with Snape. She wouldn't blame him for being upset with her. She had been flippant with Professor Snape, thinking he would take it out only on her, and even accepting that she might lose her House some points, but what Snape had done was thoroughly unexpected.

"Hey, Luna," Draco said, interrupting her ponderings. "What's a Painted Dwarnglad?"

Luna set her earrings swinging when she shook her head. Smiling gently she answered, "I have no idea." Draco's laughter echoed down the stone corridor.