Thin Lines

02.

Going out for a beer wasn't something to be nervous about; Draco, however,  couldn't stop the sudden strike of fear that spread through his mind. Befriending the Golden Trio and their friends was perhaps the easiest thing Draco had ever done, yet he couldn't stop worrying. He tried to ease his mind by taking deep breaths, he had heard that was quite helpful, when that did not help in the slightest, Draco resorted to running his hands through his hair nervously. That was how Luna found him.

"You know Draco," she mused softly, coming up from behind him. Draco jumped lightly, surprised by the sudden company. "You shouldn't keep doing that, it attracts the Nargles." Her voice was as calm as ever and just hearing it allowed for Draco to become as peaceful as Luna was. He nodded hastily and brought his hands down, clamping them firmly in his lap to keep from continuing the bad habit.

Luna smiled at him, placing one of her own hands atop his. Draco looked down at their hands and then up at her. He smiled gratefully.

"Holy hippogriffs," she mused in that wonder-filled voice of hers and pointed out, "nargles love to prey on nervousness. They must surround you when you're nervous, you just ooze the kind of emotions that attract them."

"And you're never nervous, are you?" Draco murmured, eyeing the girl next to him.

She pulled a chain from around her neck, a necklace. A rather strange one. The pendent was a cork from a bottle of butterbeer it seemed. "I need not be nervous when I have this," she gestured to the necklace. She leaned in, whispering softly, "it keeps the nargles away."

Draco nodded, coming to terms with the fact that this newfound friend of his was just a tad crazy. But that was okay, he liked her. Luna Lovegood had turned out to be nice company, she was a great person and there was never a dull moment.

She took the necklace off and held it out, "I think you need this more than I do."

Draco was actually surprised by this action. Not because Luna was never kind; in fact, she may have been the most kind person he had ever met. He was merely surprised with her giving away her token so easily. Draco had never done anything bad to her, but he had never done anything nice for her either. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course. I can get a new one later today, when we go out. But I think you need this now, not me." She smiled and held it out for him once more.

He took the gift from her with gentle grace and with shaky fingers he slid it over his head. "Thank you, Luna," when she shrugged it off with a kind smile, he clasped her hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze.

"Shall we go?" Luna asked brightly, and off they started.

-

Once Draco made it into the pub, all of his worries vanished. He couldn't remember why he was worried to begin with. It was as simple as walking down the corridors in Hogwarts.

Luna spotted the group and pulled him over. Not everyone had arrived yet, but Draco quickly found himself in a deep conversation with Neville Longbottom. Only minutes later, Neville stopped mid-sentence and greeted his friends as they joined the group.

Ginny smiled and hugged him and Draco's eyes almost popped out of his head in surprise, but he managed to hug her back. "How are you?" She asked him, her eyes trailing up and down his body as she held him at an arms length away. Her eyebrows scrunched up and she really looked at him.

"Alright, I suppose."

She looked unimpressed with his answer, sending him a look.

He sighed, "okay, so I'm a bit stressed."

She nodded softly, "and that's okay, you know."

And he did know. He just didn't like to deal with it. He hadn't slept properly in a while and he couldn't remember the last time he ate a full meal and maybe, just maybe, he was losing his mind.

Neville quickly slipped right back into the conversation in one fluid motion, almost as if it had never been interrupted. Draco was about to comment on his opinion of herbology when one Hermione Granger jumped in. Draco listened with great attention as she spoke on the beauty of magical plants compared to those of the muggle world.

When she finished, Draco surprised himself, and everyone else, by disagreeing with the brightest witch of their age.

"I think non magical plants are more beautiful." When Hermione raised an eyebrow, beckoning him to explain further, he continued. "They didn't need any help in becoming beautiful, they are naturally so. And that is wonderfully fascinating to me."

Neville grinned, his take on Draco becoming better and better as the minutes ticked by. Hermione looked impressed with his thoughtful opinion. And everyone else, of those that were listening to the conversation, were surprised to see Draco take the side of something with a muggle background.

Draco wasn't who he used to be. And maybe he never was.

*****

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