Chapter 6 "DA Meeting and Dune"
Everyone, well everyone excepting a certain raven haired Boy Who Lived, had long since realized the DA's intended purpose, i.e to fight for Harry. I had wanted a worthy group of trained wizards that, if I failed (failed again that is), would be behind him with field experience. Next time…next time would be different. I'd fight, and I'd fall fighting, and not because I was distracted or worried or not looking, and not on account of some conveniently watered-down Crucio curse.
Drake, Luna, and I normally stayed towards the back during the meetings, never really welcomed among the mostly Gryffindor members. Drake helped Luna, and I usually paired with Neville, who was coming along but still needed more help than most.
The spells we practiced were simple. Too simple really, and it became obvious that Ron and Harry were spending more time practicing Quidditch than planning the weekly agendas. However Ron scowled whenever I got near him and Harry couldn't be bothered to ignore me, so Drake and I contended ourselves to studying the more advanced spells on our own time.
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"Is this right, Hermione?" Neville asked over his shoulder as Hermione stood behind him, positioning his arms. The group was practicing a basic Protego block, and Neville, as usual, was struggling to keep up.
"Uh-huh," she said absently, too busy watching Draco and Luna to notice Neville's awkward stance.
Draco was turning an uncharacteristic shade of red as he stood behind Luna, helping her with her delivery. Luna was looking back over her shoulder, smiling at something he's said. Luna uttered something in return, and Draco looked…What? Abashed?
Hermione clasped her hands over her mouth, trying to hold back the giggles that were bubbling up at the oh-so-sweet moment. Drake was flirting. Flirting with a girl. A girl that was Luna. Hermione gripped her sides and turned away, silently laughing at the thought of the delicious teasing in store.
After properly recovering, Hermione turned back to watch the rest of the tutorial.
Drake was still holding Luna by the waist, however, their wands were lowered and instead of practicing, they were speaking in low tones. Their twin blond heads were bowed, partially veiled by Luna's long, wavy locks.
Hermione, lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling like she was intruding on something intensely personal.
Yeah, it's called affection Granger. Remember affection?
"Yes, I do, thank you very much.," she answered stubbornly, crossing her arms. She rolled her eyes. Talking to ourselves again are we? What's next? Staking out the library. Burying yourself in your books until you're starved and cross-eyed? Well, if we're reverting to basics, better bring a sandwich, and a tall drink. Maybe a few tranquilizers…
She brushed away the thought. She wasn't going back that Howard Hughes state. She turned back towards Draco and Luna, who were now standing apart but still stealing sideways glances at each other. Hermione smiled mischievously as she walked towards Draco.
"Drake?" She asked softly.
Draco didn't answer her, too intent on staring at Luna, who was across the room talking to Lavender.
"Drake?" she repeated. Suppressing a smile she gave a put-upon sigh and tapped his shoulder. "What? Don't tell me I need to be blonde to get your attention?"
Oh, yeah, he definitely heard that, she thought as he turned towards her with raised eyebrows.
She continued blithely, enjoying the interesting combination of embarrassment, confusion, and impatience playing across his face. Manna from heaven. "Well," she sighed, "if that's what it'll take for you to work on your Ambergris curse, wait here, I'll go bleach my hair and divine your aura."
Drake gave her a grim look, which of course only encouraged her. She started calmly humming some schoolyard taunt about Draco "hav-ing a girl-friend."
"Granger…" he trailed off, for some reason the thought of her immediate dismemberment and painful death was stubbornly sticking in his mind. Calm down. Remember your training. Don't kill her…try not to think about killing her…try harder.
Wow, he's angry Hermione thought. Best tread carefully… She nudged him lightly, signaling that it was all in good humor, but then spent the rest of the DA's time tapping that stupid schoolyard tune with her quill and ignoring the I'm-going-to-kill-you painfully motion he kept making across his throat.
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So, Draco and Luna? Who knew?
Drake and Looney.
Of course their children will be albinos…
I did like Luna though. She was sweet. Kind. Calming. Just what Drake needed. No unnecessary angst in the match either. Slytherins happily dipped into the Ravenclaw sisterhood when their quills went dry.
Yeah, I know it's an inappropriate metaphor…Fine, I'm sorry. I'm simply saying that the school wasn't shocked by the pair.
Was I shocked? Well "shocked" is too strong a word. I was surprised.
No, of course I wasn't jealous. I wasn't. I was just reminded, again, of what I couldn't have. No, not Draco: affection, understanding, caring…the finer emotions of an untroubled conscience.
Besides, it was Team Rocket, not team I'm-Endearingly-Passive…then again we could've changed it to 'Team Unnaturally Blonde.' But they couldn't have written songs about us then. TUB doesn't sound exactly heroic when it's being chanted by a bunch of first years.
And so I found myself a part of a different kind of Golden Trio. At one point I did consider dying my hair blonde, just to make the other sixth-years happy. Two Golden Trios in a single graduating class. What were the odds?
And I wasn't too hard on Draco. In fact I'd like to think I was extra nice to the sappy git.
What do you mean, "no you weren't"?
Well, I meant to be in any case.