By the time the weekend had come, Draco was completely exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to stay in this dog pile of teenagers for the rest of his life.

But around eleven, everyone was starting to stir. It was the weekend meaning Hogsmeade visits were probably on the schedule. Draco heard the door swing open and assumed someone was heading up stairs to get ready. Footsteps moved around the room and an owl hooted. Someone moved from beside him.

And pretty soon, Draco also got up. He had plans today, and he wasn't planning on being late, he was never late to anything. Up in his room, Neville was reading a book about herbology. Draco gave a smile in greeting, earning a smile back.

"Have any plans today?" Neville asked, placing a bookmark to save his spot as he spoke to Draco.

The blonde gave a short nod, rummaging through his trunk for some clothes. "Yeah, Luna wants me to go with her to feed the therstles."

Neville brows shot upward, "oh, does she? Sounds like fun. Ginny and I went with her once, be careful she'll chat your ear off." Neville laughed lightly, smile playing at his lips.

Draco gave a snort and looked at Neville with a twinkle in his grey eyes. "Don't I know it. The bird is always going on about some sort of creature. But she's nice," he smiled. "You know, she recommended to me this novel, wanted me to study up on my creatures. I think she's even prepared for me a quiz to see if I've actually read it."

Neville chuckled, catching the book Draco had tossed his way. Flipping his way through, he noticed it contained information on many different creatures, handwritten in a familiar slanted writing, blank pages at the end. "She wrote it?"

Draco looked up from the bathroom sink, meeting Neville's impressed eyes. He gave a nod. "Unfinished, but containing all of the knowledge she has, as of yet that is."

"She's quite brilliant, you know."

Draco smiled, thinking of the blonde girl with wonder in her eyes and an imagination that could out-do anyone. "I know."

With that, Draco took the book back, shoving it in his bag and made his way out of the room, throwing a quick goodbye over his shoulder.

The common room had pretty much cleared out, save for Hermione who was finishing up an essay at one of the tables and Daphne who was grabbing a cup of tea. Hermione looked up at the sound of the door opening, smiling at Draco and offering him a good morning.

"Morning Granger," he peaked over her shoulder as he made his way past. "Potions homework so early? Have you no soul?"

She gave a roll of her eyes and gave an unamused laugh. "Sooner it's done, sooner I can go do something. Headed out?"

"Meeting up with someone, good luck with the homework." He left the room after that, making his way out of the main common room as well and quickly down the seventh floor corridor to the moving staircase, set on not being late.

He made it to the edge of the forbidden forest before Luna, so he sat on a rock and waited, pulling out her book to keep him occupied. He was in the middle of rereading about therstles, trying to gain every bit of knowledge on the creatures before being face to face with them, when Luna showed.

She was dressed in her muggle clothing, and Draco marveled at the girl as she made her way to him, looking like she was gliding. Draco was almost aghast at how well her clothing choices mirrored her inner self. With her wand tucked behind her ear and crazy glasses propped on her head, mismatched patterns and brightly colored shirt, she was something out of a dream.

"Good morning Draco," she hummed, wandering over to him with one of her smiles lit across her face.

"Luna, how are you?"

"Very well Draco, very well." She offered her hand to him, "shall we?"

Draco chuckled and took the offered hand, allowing her to lead him into the trees.

The walk was short, they didn't go too far in, but it was far enough to take away most of the daylight. The trees opened up slowly and just a little ways ahead of him he could see a spot of sunlight reflecting off of green grass, illuminating the dark forest. They made their way into some sort of clearing, and with one look around, Draco was left in wonder, eyes wide, taking in all that was around him.

The creatures almost looked like hippogriff skeletons. Tight skin stretching over bone, and that was basically it.

Luna had released his hand and gone off to a crowd of them, leaving Draco near one all by himself. He reach out slowly, very hesitantly, just as Luna's book had said, and soon his hand was pressed against the side of one. It turned its head to him, taking in his form before giving a nip in his direction, moving its face closer to his hand.

A noise escaped Draco's mouth, a mix between a gasp and a laugh. A sound so filled with wonder and happiness and everything between those two emotions. And he reached out with his other hand as well, placing both on either side of the therstles face, softly stroking the beast.

And it moved towards him, until slowly but surely, Draco and the beast we forehead to forehead.

Luna looked on from a distance, sharing the moment with Draco that she couldn't fathom then, but meant so much to Draco.

Draco wasn't sure what it was, but for some reason, some very odd reason, he felt connected to this moment. He had witnessed death, so much death. And now, he was able to witness these creatures. Given such a bad reputation, one they hardly deserved, and it almost reminded him of himself.

Luna and Draco stayed in the forest until some time in late afternoon, when they stumbled out, mixed laughter singing in the air. They made their way to the lake, sitting close to the waters edge. They sat in a calm silence, smiles still stretched across both of their faces.

Thirty minutes later and Draco found his head in Luna's lap, staring up into the clouds, Luna placing flowers into his hair. And then slowly he was falling asleep.

He woke when the sun was setting, laughter being the sound to wake him. He was still laying on the grass, head in Luna's lap, but they were no longer alone.

Potter and his friends had joined the pair of blondes. Luna was chatting with Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger. And Draco had flowers in his hair.

He rose from his place, sitting up, and Hermione looked to him, bright smile on her face. Ron gave a snort and choked back some laughter, to which Draco assumed was because of the flowers.

Harry cracked a grin, "and sleeping beauty has finally woken from his decade of sleep."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Shove off, Potter."

"Love the new look Malfoy," Weasley commented, holding back a laugh.

"I think it looks very nice indeed," Luna smiled up at Draco. Draco knew then that he could not rip the flowers out on good conscious for fear of hurting the feelings of the small blonde girl that had somehow worked her way into his heart.

He sighed. "Thank you Luna. I like them very much." And though he said it begrudgingly, he knew some part of him believed what he said to be true; he could not hate something that made the blonde girl happy. He was sure of it.

Hermione smiled, "I think it's nice, letting Luna place flowers in your hair. Maybe Ronald should take a page out of your book." She shot Ron a look.

The boy in question gulped, glancing between Hermione and Luna.

"Yes, Ronald, I would very much love it if you'd let me do the same to your hair."

And it was then that Draco noticed that Luna was holding hands with Ron. His eyes widened in shock and he looked over to Hermione, curiously. He was sure that Granger and Weasley had been dating. But of course he had noticed how Weasley had been spending time with Luna as well.

Maybe Granger and Weasley had only been friends all that time. But he was sure that Weasley had not been near Luna until the previous summer. But maybe that was where it had begun, their romance.

He gave a small shake of his head, deciding to not think of that now, as none of it was his business.

By that time, Luna had already started placing flowers into the red locks of Weasley, who looked less than happy. Hermione laughed along with Harry, and grabbed a bunch of the small flowers, moving towards Harry's messy hair.

Draco was unsure of what to do, feeling sort of left out. He looked to Luna and Weasley, Luna weaving flowers into ginger hair and the boy frowning softly but not complaining. And then to Hermione who was wrestling with Potter, each throwing grass blades and small flowers at one another.

"What have we missed out on?" The voice was unmistakable. Ginny was walking over, Neville at her side. She took one look around before pouncing on Potter, loud laughter escaping from her lips.

Neville plopped down next to Draco, "looks like you've gotten yourself into quite the situation, mate."

Draco gave a nod. "You have no idea."

Hermione giggled, falling into the space between Neville and Draco. She threw her arms around the pair of lads, laughing.

Draco looked surprised but Neville just smiled. "You haven't got any flowers in your hair, Hermione."

"Neither have you," she countered back, plucking one from the earth and tucking it behind Neville's ear.

"Well, if you do my hair, Draco should do yours, his hair is already full it looks."

Hermione nodded encouragingly, getting straight to business. And that's how Draco found himself planting muggle flowers in the wild curls of Hermione Granger, laughter all around him and the sun setting low in the sky, stars soon taking its place.

And it was a good Saturday.