Perception is the Enemy of Observation

Luna had gotten a bit mucky in Hagrid's class. The creatures he had them tending were mokes, silver-green lizards that had grown to about the length of Luna's forearm. She had her little fellow calm and gentled until some student's noisy horseplay startled it and it shrank to only an inch in length and scampered into a pile of fallen leaves. This would not have been a messy issue if it weren't for the mud puddle the leaves concealed. Whether the mud was there before she headed over to re-capture the moke or had been "spelled" there by a mischievous student when Luna's back was turned, she could not say. In any case she ended up with muddy shoes, which had her slipping and ending up with muddy knees, and muddy hands as well. This was not too terrible an inconvenience, as she cast a Tergeo charm to relieve herself of the mud, but it had been cold mud and it was a breezy day. Luna still felt a chill as she headed back to the castle.

Luna had started at Hogwarts a year older than the classmates in her grade; she had wanted to stay home another year with her father, what with it being so soon after her mother's death. Headmaster Dumbledore and her father had allowed her that choice. That made her closer in age to Draco than people might realize. Now she was nearly seventeen, and she simply had never entertained romantic thoughts for any boys from school before. She hadn't had any schoolgirl crushes. But a boy had finally caught her eye. Not a boy, even...Draco was seventeen already; or he, too, would be soon. Luna was very nearly an adult, and she was starting to have adult thoughts about the platinum-haired Draco, the thought of whom had her insides fluttering.

In the Great Hall at midday Luna gratefully cupped a mug of hot cocoa and sipped gingerly from the steaming drink. A light eater, she mostly ignored the food for the warmth of the drink, which was sprinkled liberally with marshmallows. As she nursed the restorative chocolate she glanced slyly (she hoped) over the rim of her mug at the Slytherin table she just happened to be facing. She saw Draco...well, she saw the back of Draco. Spine straight and hair even paler than usual, he faced away from her. After a few moments of her gazing adoringly (she might as well admit it) at him, he glanced back at her and nodded in acknowledgement to her. His eyes were cast low, discreet and hooded, and sexy. Was it instinctive that his eyes were drawn to her or had he been paying attention to where she sat? Was it a flickering of the lights or had she seen him wink at her as he turned back around in his seat? A little giggle escaped her. This was a fun thing, flirting. She certainly liked having Draco's attention.

It crossed her mind that maybe she ought to consider what it might mean to be involved with the bad boy of Slytherin. In truth she just wanted to consider Draco Malfoy, but the two were inexorably entwined. He did have a nasty reputation. And he had truly been awful towards Harry. She knew that their classmates dismissed Draco as unredeemable. But she knew there was compassion in Draco's heart. And there was integrity. He was brave. And he was kind...to her.

Draco was accustomed to being hurt. It was no wonder he was defensive. Insecurity could so often be mistaken for unkindness, and shyness could be perceived as acting stuck-up. And once a schoolyard reputation was set, it was as good as written in stone. She would be seen as "loony Luna" and Draco was "the ferret," and no effort of theirs could change that.

With resignation Luna dismissed such unhappy thoughts and wondered if she would see Draco today, and then remembered they had detention together soon enough with Professor Snape. Luna had mixed feelings about that. Draco had said he didn't mind serving detention with her, but it was still so unfair that he had to miss a Quidditch practice.

Professor Snape was sure to be foul towards her. She would keep her spirits high through the experience; that would be sure to irritate him. She pondered what he might have her doing for penance. Scrubbing cauldrons, maybe. Or writing lines.

She would have to think of something she could do for Draco to make it up to him since he was to be forced to do such menial labor for her sake. If he enjoyed kissing her half as much as she had enjoyed kissing him, then maybe that might be a consolation they both could enjoy. Luna could feel a silly grin on her face but was powerless to conceal it. She knew she would have a hard time keeping her mind off the feel of Draco's chest under her hands, or the blue of his eyes from just inches away from her face. Draco Malfoy...who'd have thought it would be him giving Luna her first kiss? Luna decided it was a good day, with plenty of good thoughts to content her along the way.

Draco's sly lunchtime glance was the happy inspiration for her daydreams as she wandered down the corridor towards Charms class. And it was a sly glance she soon saw again. Tucked into an alcove along the way to class was Draco Malfoy, leaning against the stone wall and facing Luna as she approached. He had one foot up on the wall behind him with his knee was bent, and his arms were folded across his chest. His head was lowered but his eyes were covertly scanning the crowd that was slowly moving past him. His hair fell just a little out of place to brush across his forehead. Luna liked that very much, better than the perfectly styled hair that never fell out of place which he wore most of the time. She wondered briefly what had provoked him to leave his hair more casual today. Her consideration was abandoned in the next moment as his eyes found her amid the mass of students.

A Malfoy never looks ill at ease. That was what Draco tried to remind himself of as he waited for Luna in the Charms hallway. He had a break that period for revising, but he knew from the time he'd spent trailing behind Luna that she headed to class this way every Thursday afternoon. She ambled into his line of sight, and as her gaze found him her eyes went round with surprise. He really liked getting that reaction from her. She looked so dainty, but he knew she had serious emotional fortitude. She was so strong for such a tiny girl. And she had magic, too. She had to have some powerful magic. And best of all, she was a great kisser.

Mmmm...the thought reminded him of his mission. He raised an eyebrow in the smirk that fit so naturally on his face and brought his face up slowly as Luna approached. As she neared him, he unfolded his arms and moved his elbow out away from his body, offering his arm to her. In response Luna's grinned happily. She reached out and as soon as she grasped his elbow he had a door opened with his other hand and was ushering her into a room she had never been in before. In a moment he had pulled the door closed behind them, and slipping his arm from under her hand to around her waist he spun her and pinned her against the back of the door. Luna giggled in a nervous response. Draco slid her bag down from her shoulder and gently tossed it off to the side.

"Got a minute?" he asked glibly.

"I have plenty of minutes, Draco. Would you like to spend some of them with me?"

"Yes, birdie, I would." Draco leaned down and pressed his smirking lips against Luna's. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding at the acceptance he received in Luna's arms as she wrapped them around his neck She snaked her grasp around him as smoothly as he had maneuvered her against the door. She couldn't help but run her hands up his neck to touch his hair, which was delightfully soft today. He took a sharp breath as her fingertips reached the back of his scalp. Perhaps he enjoyed being touched there as much as she enjoyed the way his arms cradled her so securely when he held her. She was glad to return the affection by running her fingers up into the back of his hair.

After a few delightful moments Draco regretfully pulled back, setting his forehead against hers and trying to slow his breathing. He ghosted a light kiss on the tip of Luna's upturned nose.

"What a nice surprise," Luna whispered.

"Mmmm," murmered Draco. It was as close as he could come to words at the moment. "We still on for that date tomorrow night?" he asked, his voice gruff.

Luna's brow furrowed for a moment until she realized his meaning. There was no reason to be sulky about it. If Draco could keep it a light matter, then she would as well. "I wouldn't miss it. Do you suppose we should try to get Professor Snape to absolve us of our detention? Then we could go to your practice after all. Wouldn't it be nice to get outdoors and see the night sky?" Draco chuckled out loud at Luna's fanciful thoughts.

"Have you ever succeeded at that before? Getting out of a detention?"

"No, but I haven't failed at it, necessarily. I've just found lots of ways that don't work." The empty room echoed with baritone laughter complemented by a light melodic giggle.

After a few more stolen moments Luna stepped out of the classroom and continued on towards Charms class, her head truly in the clouds. Draco waited a few more minutes in the empty room, to collect his thoughts as much as to keep their rendezvous discreet, before he headed back out into the halls.

A/N "I haven't failed, I've found 10,000 ways that don't work." is a quote attributed to Thomas Edison.