The Serpent's Song

Winter's Mistletoe

"I just reminded him that he had better things to do, and he left." I explained to Luna during a Friday afternoon. We were at Three Broomsticks, warming ourselves up with mugs of hot chocolate. Outside, the snow gently powdered everything in sight so it resembled a black and white painting.

The blond girl stared at me. "I thought for sure wrackspurts must have gone into his head."

"Nope. I just spoke to him. That's all." Though it was weeks ago, everyone was still talking about how I stood up to Goyle for a couple of first-years. Apparently, I'm something like a hero for the younger students now. I couldn't help but wonder if Harry Potter himself was missing the attention.

"But how did you do it? There must have been something in addition you've done."

I recalled a similar conversation I had with Draco not long ago, but I don't mind retelling everything to Luna. She's my friend, after all. "I can read people, find what makes them tick, figure out what it is they like, and manipulate their thoughts. Basically, I tricked Goyle into thinking he didn't have time to continue tormenting those first-years or deal with me, so he left."

Luna blinked in amaze, then whispered "So you can control others?"

I laughed quietly. "No, I can read them, sometimes their thoughts and manipulate them into thinking of something else. I cannot actually control people or their feelings. It's nearly impossible to know what's in another person's heart unless they actually tell you, so I can never figure that stuff out."

"That's incredible," she gasped. "How did you learn to do all of that?"

"I learned it from my mother. This ability is actually something muggles study and can sometimes acquire after years of study and dedication. It's called psychology."

"Muggles can be fascinating." She remarked. I nodded, sipping my hot chocolate as I gazed out the window. Everything was covered in white, like a large blanket was pulled over it. So beautiful.

"Serena, you have a note." My friend said, pointing at a napkin that had appeared in front of me. Where did that come from?

Whirling around, I caught a pair of silver eyes watching me from near the door. Draco? He smiled, then winked at me before walking outside. What was that about? I looked down at the napkin and read aloud his message quietly.

"Meet me by the lake in 15 minutes. —D"

"Why does Draco Malfoy want to meet with you?" Luna whispered, leaning closer so that only I could hear her.

"I don't know."

"Are you and him. . . ?"

"No! No, we're just study partners. I'm tutoring him. That's all."

"I think there's something more going on, even if neither of you will admit it. Besides," my friend paused, taking a sip from her steaming mug. "He's still seeing you, even after he's gotten better in Charms class. And sometimes, you steal glances at each other during classes, and whenever you're both in the Great Hall."

I felt my face turn red. "How do you know that?"

"The nargles have told me."

I don't particularly believe in nargles or wrackspurts like Luna, but who am I to tell her not to believe in what she wants? Even if they don't exist, her belief in them seems to make her happy.