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Theo tugged at his tie. He hated charity galas. Well, galas and fancy parties in general. And Draco “I need to fix my reputation” Malfoy had banned excessive drinking for all the snakes. Becoming the new Lord Malfoy and being blindly in love with that Granger-witch had made his childhood friend extremely boring.
He shared a glance with Blaise, who also seemed to be bored out of his mind. Maybe he could sneak another champagne glass. Theo circled the crowd, trying to spot a serving house-elf. Every time he came close, the elf popped away. Apparently, all of them had been given orders. Theo growled and felt his mood slip slightly closer to broody bastard. He might as well find a corner while his at it.
Theo went along the windows to the gardens, trying to find a dark corner to hide, when he caught a glimpse of someone moving outside. The rain had been relentless the last week. Making it weird for anybody to be outside. It was difficult to see the person clearly, the rain-stained glass making the view obscured.
Curious. He looked surreptitiously around. No one seemed to pay attention to him. Blaise talked with Pansy and Draco had just led the golden girl to the dancefloor. Wonderful. He wouldn’t be missed for a while.
Sneaking out wasn’t difficult. He knew this manor as well as his own. The coldness of the last day of April seeped in the second he stepped outside. He didn’t really mind. It felt like being set free compared to the stuffy ballrooms inside. A smile tugged on his lips.
He sauntered towards the two bonfires that were lit in a quiet celebration of Beltane. The Malfoy was an old pure blood family, and although they didn’t celebrate all of the old rituals anymore, they still marked them. It had been Narcissa’s order, no doubt.
Between the bonfire he saw a witch dancing barefoot in the rain. Twirling and skipping around. Theo stopped and looked at her.
Beautiful hair, silver white and wet, clung to her. The dress, a sage green gown with lace and ribbons swirled around her legs as she moved. On her head, a small crown of ivy, oak and flowers. Purple lilac and brightly orange marigold. She was a sight to behold. Theo drank her in.
He knew who she was. The Ravenclaw girl. They didn’t run in the same circle but every time he saw her, he felt drawn to her. He didn’t have an explanation for that. It was probably the only reason he had seen movement outside, he mused.
Luna kept dancing. Either she hadn’t seen him, or she didn’t mind. Difficult to be sure with her. The rain had soaked him by now, and he didn’t care. He felt himself smile. Not a polite smile. A genuine one. He wondered if she would mind if he joined her.
As if she had heard his thoughts, Luna stopped twirling, and looked directly at him. A serene smile on her face.
“There you are,” she said in her dreamlike voice, “I’m glad you came.”
Theo walked towards her. Slow, deliberate steps.
“How did you know that I would come?”
Luna tilted her head, still smiling.
“People always find me, when they are meant to.”
He chuckled. Not knowing how to respond to something like that, he decided to close the gap between them.
Standing toe to toe, Luna had to angle her head upwards to maintain the eye contact. He felt his pulse quicken.
“What if I hadn’t found you tonight?”
His voice barely audible above he downpour of rain.
“It would have been a lovely night either way,” she answered and then lowered her voice, “but it’s better now it ours.”
She stood on tiptoe and brushed her lips against his. The effect on him immediate.
He flung his arms around her and pulled her flush with him. Deepening the kiss. He felt her melt into his embrace. Like whatever it was between them had been inevitable. Like she was the only one that would fit like this. Made for him. His to keep.
The rain suddenly changed. They didn’t notice at first, wrapped up in each other. Small spheres of ice mingled with the droplets. When the storm clouds battered them with hail, Luna took a step back and flashed him a dazzling smile.
“Dance with me.”