Chapter 4
Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy sat in the newly designed art studio of Malfoy Manor.
"You can't honestly expect me to go back there, can you?" Pansy Parkinson whined, "It's absolute rubbish. We'll be eaten alive before we even board the train."
Draco rolled his eyes, "It won't be that bad, we're all innocent, remember?" Blaise just shrugged. It didn't matter to him whether or not they returned. He had his friends, and that's what mattered.
"I think we should go. Like Draco said, we're innocent. Plus we deserve to finish our education just as much as everyone else," Blaise said, giving his own thoughts on the matter. 'What could possibly go wrong?'
Pansy shot him a look, "I highly doubt that everyone else will agree with you. We're Slytherin's after all. They'll never trust us."
Pansy was right, the war might be over but the prejudices might never end. No one trusted a Slytherin.
"Slytherin Rule #68: Declare peace with your enemies when necessary," Draco recited, "It's time to make our peace. There's nothing we can do to change the past, but we can change our futures."
Pansy and Blaise just nodded along. It's been rough few months for the pair. Both disowned and dropped on the door step of Malfoy Manor with no where to go. Narcissa welcomed them with open arms. She's known the two their entire lives, she already viewed them as her own. So it didn't really take much convincing before she shooed them away to their respective rooms.
"I will go back," the blonde started, "but only if Luna agrees to go back with me. I can't face this year without her." It was now Blaise's turn to roll his eyes, "We all know that the Ravenclaw will choose to return. She's just as bad as that Granger girl when it comes to her education."
Pansy nodded, it seemed reasonable. If Luna chooses to return to Hogwarts, so would she. Pansy was aware of the fact that if she chose to go, Blaise would follow her.
The Slytherin pair had grown closer than ever, if that was even possible. They've always been close, but war always brings people closer together. Blaise would do anything in the world for Pansy; that includes dying for her. Pansy would give Blaise the world if she could; including taking away his pain when she was able to. They kept each other's secrets, dreams, and fears close to their hearts.
Many would think that they were together, but they'd just laugh it off. Pansy was his sister; nothing more and nothing less. They were destined to be in each other's lives, but after giving the whole couple thing a go, they soon realized that the feelings that were present were those of the love and fondness you'd have for a sibling.
Draco and Luna were very similar. The creative blonde girl was quite strange, and Draco was drawn to her. She's pure, too pure to be hanging around with the likes of them, but Luna keeps them same. Especially Draco.
There were no romantic feelings between the two, but that didn't stop their continuous hand holding and gentle touches. Narcissa even dropped the hint of marriage for the two of them. Draco had choked on his biscuit and Luna just let out an airy laugh. "It would never work, you see. Draco's destiny is already written in the stars. I'm just along to help him get there." Whatever that meant.
Since the war, the four of them had gotten quite close. A week after the war, Luna showed up at Malfoy Manor and requested to see the dungeon she was held captive in.
Narcissa cried and apologized to her. She begged Luna for forgiveness and when Luna walked over to her and placed a hand on Narcissa's shoulder, she said "It's already forgiven. War is dirty, no one stays clean in the end."
Draco informed Luna that the dungeons had been remade into an art studio. And that seemed to spark her interest more than the dark and damp place that haunted her memories.
They spent days down there. Talking, laughing, telling stories, and crying. Luna helped the trio come to terms with what happened. Her entertaining little riddles and bright smiles seemed to put everyone at ease. She was the light that ignited and burned their dark and cold souls. Without her; they would be lost.
Which brings us to where we are now. The trio sitting in the art studio setting up for their day of painting with the bright Ravenclaw. They really were quite the group.
Luna arrived not too long after the discussion of returning to Hogwarts ended. As soon as she crossed the threshold into the room, the discussion resumed.
"If we keep hiding, we'll never see the stars," Luna said while dipping a brush into a bright lilac paint jar, "our destiny's are written in the skies. We'll never be able to see what's out there if we're holed up in here."
And their decision was made.
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The group of four made a vow. No matter what happened; they would stay together. Even if that meant returning to Hogwarts to face their peers with their heads held high, and a new goal on their minds.
'Be strong. Be kind. Follow the stars and figure out who you are'
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