Chapter 11

A week went by while Hermione, Ginny and Luna came up with a plan to get back at Draco. Luna was still slightly hysterical since the Snape incident but she was getting better. She still couldn’t drink butterbeer though. When the preparations for the plan were complete, they set it in action.

“What I’m trying to tell you is... I forgive you,” Luna told Draco while they sat in her tree.

“Y-you do?” Draco asked hopefully. Luna almost felt bad about what she was going to do to him but these uncertain thoughts were instantly wiped away as soon as she thought of Snape.

“Yes, and I was wondering if maybe you could forgive me too... for the hamster thing?”

“Of course I forgive you, let’s put this whole prank war behind us.”

Luna nodded. She was seriously considering taking up acting; if he believed her that quickly then she must be a good actress.

“Hey Draco, want to do something?”

“Like what?” He asked, eyes lighting up.

Luna rolled her eyes, she thought she knew what he had in mind, “Well, there are rumours about Bloody Mary spreading around my dorm and I wanted to see if they were real or not. I’m too scared to try it myself though so I thought maybe if I could get someone strong and manly to come with me then I might feel a little safer.”

Draco puffed out his chest proudly and Luna resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, “sure Luna let’s go.”

Luna led him to a deserted classroom with a large mirror stowed away neatly in the corner. She got the mirror out and turned to him.

“Draco, I’m still scared... will you do it for me?” Luna whimpered, cuddling up to him. She praised herself on her acting skills.

“Of course,” He said smiling reassuringly at her. Luna felt another pang of guilt but ignored it. Her plan was too far along to be diminished now.

“Thank you! I’m going to turn out the lights and leave the room, you just have to look into the mirror and say Bloody Mary three times. The girls said if you do then Bloody Mary will come out of the mirror and haunt you. Don’t worry though if it is real, which I seriously doubt, then all you have to do is turn on the lights and open the door and her spirit will fade away.”

Draco nodded nervously and looked at the mirror. Luna smirked and flicked off the lights, “good luck.”

Luna was glad that the plan was working so well. She rushed back to the classroom beside the one Draco was in and high fived Ginny and Hermione.

“We should get you into acting Luna!” Hermione said happily.

“Ready?” Ginny asked, her wand out.

The girls nodded and Ginny cast a spell to lock the door of the room Draco was in. Hermione used another, more complex, spell to blow the lights and the three girls worked together on a spell to make the wall dividing the two classrooms see-through from their side. Draco wouldn’t be able to see them but they would be able to see every prank filled minute. Then they let in the select few that would be able to see the prank in action. They had sold ‘tickets’ to all of the people most likely to spread rumours; it was an extra five sickels to bring a camera. Next to arrive was Leila, a nice but menacing ghost. Lights, camera, action, Luna thought smiling.

Draco looked at the mirror nervously and gulped. Ghosts can’t hurt people right? He glanced around, wondering if he should make a break for it but decided to just get it over with for Luna. He looked into the mirror, his reflection twisted in the darkness.

“Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary,” He said slowly.

A light wind blew through the classroom sending chills up his spine. A low moan emitted from the walls and he looked around frightened. Draco started to move towards the door, already scared. Then, a figure darted into his line of vision. Draco screamed and dashed for the door. He tugged on it but it wouldn’t budge. He was breathing heavily and resisting the strong urge to wet himself. Quickly, Draco reached for the light switch but the lights weren’t working. The figure came closer to him, her arms outstretched. He screamed again muttering for her to leave him alone.

“Who had disturbed my eternal rest?” She moaned, floating closer to him.

Draco whimpered and backed away from her into the wall. She started saying his name in an eerie shrill voice. He slid to the ground, tears of fear welling up in his eyes. Suddenly, he remembered that he was a wizard and reached for his wand but it was gone. He curled up into a ball and begged Bloody Mary to leave him alone. She didn’t oblige, instead she drifted closer to him until she went right through him. Draco shivered from the cold, chilling sensation that always came when a ghost floated through you. He let a tear trail down his face and mumbled the words, ‘don’t hurt me’ over and over again.

Luna watched Draco suffer while twirling his wand around in her hands. She should be enjoying this but... she wasn’t. She felt bad for poor Draco and she wished that she had never decided to pull this prank in the first place. Leila was putting on a good show and she could hear Hermione and Ginny laughing loudly. She could also see camera’s flashing and the giggles of the other girls that were sure to let the whole school know about this. Luna couldn’t focus on them, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Draco, curled in a ball and crying. She bit her lip, maybe she took this a little too far...

Draco was honestly wondering if he would live through this or not. He’d heard the stories of Bloody Mary and none of the victims ended up alive. He wished Luna would come to check on him, he would be embarrassed if she saw him blubbering like a little baby but he was sure that her presence would calm him down and let him think clearly. Bloody Mary came closer until her face was inches from Dracos and he closed his eyes in defeat. This was the end. After all of the bad things he’d done, you’d think he would regret more but the only thing he really regretted was that he never told Luna how he felt. He’d been so confused about her but he was sure now. He was in love with Luna Lovegood. It felt good to admit it to himself and he wished that he had the courage to tell Luna but he was weak, a wimp, a stupid excuse for a wizard who couldn’t even say three special words out loud.

The lights flickered to life. Draco opened his eyes hesitantly and looked around. Bloody Mary was still there but she was smiling and standing farther away from him. Actually, she looked kind of nice. Then he heard laughter and his face flushed. He knew that laugh; it was the mudblood and her idiot red-headed friend. Draco scrambled to his feet and turned to face a group of people, half of them holding cameras and all of them laughing... all of them but Luna that is. He blushed, realizing that it was all another prank. Which meant Luna had been acting through all of it; she didn’t think he was strong or manly, she thought he was a wimpy, easily frightened kid who would wet himself if she left him alone in the dark. What made it worse was that she was right.

“Hey Malfoy, smile for the camera,” some girl cackled, taking another picture of him.

Luna looked at him apologetically and handed him his wand. He snatched it from her and stalked from the room, determined not to let them see how much this was bothering him.

Luna watched him leave sadly. She turned to the others, “actually, no pictures... I’ll give you your money back,” she said, holding out her hand for the cameras. Ginny and Hermione looked at her incredulously but she ignored them. The girls frowned and handed over the cameras, still whispering excitedly about what they just witnessed.

“I’m going to my dorm,” Luna said and left the room.