Author's Notes: It's been so long since I've updated, please do accept my sincerest apologies! I've been on summer holiday so lack of time isn't really an excuse, but I've been suffering from the biggest bout of amotivation for weeks. Special thanks to those of you who would review with your support and wonderings of when the next update would be, they definitely helped in getting me back to my writing table. I hope you enjoy the chapter and that it's not too obvious from my writing just how long it's been. It's a bit of a longer one than the last couple I've put out, so hopefully that makes up for it even just a little! Cheers!

oOo

Chapter 12: Runaway

Draco exhaled the nicotine-laced smoke gently out through the open window of the library nook, ignoring the slight chill. It was peaceful up here, hidden away amongst the stacks of books in the topmost floor of the library. He couldn't remember the last time he'd managed to get away for a moment up here, too busy with chores, Order duties, and training. Then, for the past few weeks he'd suddenly become, impossibly, even more busy planning what he'd come to think of as the Gringotts task.

If anyone had ever told him that he'd one day attempt to help plan a break-in to one of the most impenetrable buildings in the world, he would have laughed. If they'd had told him he'd be planning it alongside Harry Potter and a gaggle of other Gryffindor-lovers, he'd have sent that person straight to St. Mungo's.

Yet that was exactly what he was doing. It had been an interesting past few weeks for Draco, to say the least.

He'd been complaining and whining to Luna endlessly about the whole ordeal, but in reality, he had to admit it really could be worse.

Because the golden trio didn't want anyone to know they were at Grimmauld Place, they'd been confined to the empty top floor. Remus was sure that any other visitors who came to Number Twelve were put in rooms on the other lower levels. So really, the only times Draco really had to interact with his childhood enemies was when he and Luna were sent upstairs to provide them with food (which Draco usually just left outside their doors to avoid interaction), and then again late in the night when he, Luna, Remus, Tonks, and Moody all snuck upstairs to plan with the secret guests.

Weasley was obviously still not pleased at Draco's presence, but he had at least mustered enough maturity to at least be civil (which for Ron really just meant ignoring that Draco existed at all unless absolutely necessary). Granger and Potter were both better. Hermione had even once complimented one of Draco's ideas during their planning. He'd been surprised from the praise coming from her, but not so surprised that he couldn't help the satisfied smirk he sent Weasley, knowing it would make the redhead boil with anger.

Potter was not so comfortable yet as to be giving out compliments, for which Draco was actually glad though as he was sure any kind word shared between them would surely make both incredibly uncomfortable. However, Harry was courteous enough to listen and respect Draco's input.

Today had been the last meeting they'd all had, along with the other select few who had been chosen to help with their mission.

Tomorrow was the day that, after weeks of scouting and discussion, the plan would be finally put into action.

Draco was nervous, for many reasons.

The biggest reason was that there simply was too much that could go horribly wrong. That wasn't to say there hadn't been thorough and careful with the planning. Moody was on the panning team after all. Still, Draco he help but think that no matter how much they planned and prepared, it was simply an unspoken rule of the universe that plans rarely went as one wanted them to.

He was nervous, because as much as he'd thrown himself into the helping of the planning, wanting it to succeed, he just simply didn't think that anyone could manage to break into Gringotts and get out, not even the bloody Chosen One.

He was nervous because Luna would be going on this mission, and for the first time all their training with Remus would be seriously put to the test, and not just in the form of a spying task that, when put in comparison to tasks like the Gringotts one, was really not very dangerous.

Draco was nervous because for this task neither he or Luna would be using Polyjuice Potion.

It was a bit of a silly fear actually, if Draco thought rationally about it. Luna had been rescued from Malfoy Manor months ago, so they knew she was in league with them. Draco too, had turned his wand against his family and the side he was always meant to be on, had been bred to be on, and it was impossible to think that he hadn't been been labeled as some sort of twisted sympathizer to the light somehow, but now...

"I thought I'd find you up here."

Draco turned sharply to see Luna leaning against one of the bookshelves, a loving smile on her face as she stared at him.

He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard her approaching.

Draco cleared his throat. "Yea, I just...needed some fresh air."

Luna came and climbed into the nook, sitting opposite of Draco. "You know you could've just gone into the backyard."

Draco laughed a little at himself. She was right of course. No longer under the Unbreakable Vow, he was able to step outside of Grimmauld Place and could unquestionably exercise the agency to step outside for a smoke, yet here he was in his favorite secret nook. Although it could hardly be called secret since he'd been introduced to it by Tonks and that one time with Remus...not to mention Moody's magical eye had probably seen him and Luna up there as well...but he stopped that train of thought before he sank deeper into a hole of embarrassment.

"Habit I suppose," he said quietly. "It's nice up here, quiet."

"No one to scold you for how much you're smoking," Luna added, her eyes staring pointedly at the five cigarette buts sitting incriminatingly on the windowsill. Draco had the grace to look away sheepishly. It was true that ever since his vow to Remus had been lifted and he'd asked Tonks to show him where in the Muggle borough of Islington he could get cigarettes from, he'd been smoking a lot more frequently.

"You'll have to cut back when we're traveling you know," Luna winked. "How are you supposed to keep up with me if your lungs are full of ash?"

Draco grinned, loving the ease with which Luna spoke of their future, together. Luna smiled back at him, her whole face lighting up like the sun.

Draco's smile faltered, thinking again of tomorrow and the fact that there would probably be little reason for them smiling then.

They were walking into what was surely going to be a fight, and for the first time Death Eaters were going to see both him and Luna fighting on the golden trio's side.

It ate away at Draco's stomach as it slowly sunk in why it bothered him so much that Luna's face, more than his, would be seen when they'd both already more than likely be labeled as sympathizers.

It was because he was still unsure that the Order actually stood a chance of winning this war and it was only a matter of time before Voldemort took over completely unchallenged. When that day come, it would not be forgotten what side Luna Lovegood had stood on, and he knew she would be punished. The more Luna fought, the more she was put in jeopardy, and that scared Draco.

"What if we ran away?"

The words had left him before he could stop them, before he'd even had a chance to process the thought that had been turning over in his brain.

Luna furrowed her eyebrows, staring confusedly at him when usually it was the other way around.

His mouth went dry and his heart began hammering nervously in his chest. "I just mean-"

"Runaway?" Luna repeated.

Slowly, the idea began taking further shape in Draco's mind, and it was as tempting as gold was to a dragon.

He couldn't stop now.

"Yes, run away." Draco whispered, his mind racing.

He could see Luna's chest rising and falling a little quicker, but his mind refused to process that it was out of fear and not excitement. "Draco-"

"Wait, just listen for a moment," Draco leaned forward, taking Luna's hands in his. "Would it really be so terrible if we did it?"

"Draco, you don't know what you're saying," Luna shook her head.

"Luna we could do it," Draco said, his voice rising with excitement. "I have money in hidden accounts outside of Britain my mother set up for me years ago. We could go somewhere quiet, secluded, just ride all this out until all the fighting's finally over."

"Draco-" He could see the tears forming in Luna's eyes, but he kept pushing onward, his head swirling with a sort of manic dizziness. He pulled her hands closer to his chest.

"Luna, think of that day in the Cheshire countryside, under the stars, just you and me, safe and far away from everyone else. Remember, how free we felt, if only for that little while? It could be like that always!"

Draco could feel the desperation in his voice, and the more he spoke the more he could hear how mad he was sounding, how utterly insane.

Luna knew it as well. She was shaking her head more furiously, her eyes shut tight as though that could possibly shut out his pleading.

"No!"

There was a moment of silence in which Draco became exceedingly aware of how heavily they were both breathing.

Luna rarely rose her voice, and never at him.

"You know we can't."

It was those simple words from Luna's lips and the sad look she gave him that instantly washed Draco of any fleeting notions he had of running away. He was filled with shame for his moment of weakness, that Luna had seen this cowardly side of him, a part of him he'd tried for so long to stamp out and yet had never wholly managed to no matter how much he wished he could.

Before he could delve into a tirade of why Luna deserved better than him and should never have had to be subject to such a spineless display, she touched his cheek.

Draco met Luna's eyes, calm and as deeply blue as they ever were.

She hadn't let her tears fall.

"We can't because of You-Know-Who and what his total control would mean for the rest of the world. Because of Remus, and Tonks, and Molly, and everyone else that we love. We can't because we love each other, and you know that we'd never really be free out there if we just left. We'd be always hiding, always scared, always filled with guilt and regret. As long as You-Know-Who is in power, there's no life for us out there. We can't because it would be wrong, and we're good, the both of us."

Draco blinked back the sudden prickling he felt behind his eyes.

He really didn't deserve her.

Even after that shameful outburst, she had not once let go of his hands, and she stared at him with nothing short of love and forgiveness on her heart-shaped face.

Draco pulled her closer and dropped his forehead onto her shoulder, needing to feel her warmth. Luna wasted no time in wrapping her arms around him.

"I just want you to be safe," Draco whispered into her shoulder.

"I know," Luna whispered quietly back to him, her lips brushing his ear as she stroked the hair on the back of his neck. "I promise, we're going to get through this Draco."

Draco closed his eyes, willing himself to believe, at least for the moment, that Luna's promise would come true.

oOo

Draco pulled his hood down lower across his face as he stared down the street. Gringotts as a fairly large building, had always been an eye-catcher in contrast to the other once-colorful places of business in Diagon Alley. Though there was hardly anything colorful about Diagon Alley now. So many places had gone out of business and the only people who really walked the streets now were Voldemort's lackey or his supporters, that or fools still trying to live their lives normally in their drastically changed world.

It was strange, how quickly something so outlandish could so easily start to become normal. A few years ago, he might have laughed if someone had told him the likes of Antonin Dolohov or Mulciber could eat and talk as free men at a little pub across the street with no one to stop them and send them back to Azkaban or even so much as question their presence.

Draco was sitting across the street in a pile of trash next to some overflowing bins. The smell was horrible, and Draco had been sitting in it for nearly two hours now. As if that weren't terrible enough enough, he was wearing a set of disgusting raggedy old robes to make him look even more like a mad vagrant.

It wasn't uncommon to see vagrants in Knockturn Alley even before Voldemort came to power. It was less uncommon now that he was, to see a few wandering about even in the heart of Diagon Alley, which is what Draco was pretending to do.

His job was quite simple. He was meant to just sit still and wait meanwhile Harry, Ron, and Hermione completed their task, whatever it was. Draco was meant to not draw attention to himself and stay put unless absolutely necessary. His job, was that in the event he came across Death Eaters headed to Gringotts, to stop them.

He had to admit that when he saw Dolohov and Mulciber walking down the street and pop into the cafe for breakfast, Draco had wanted to groan as he cursed his bad luck.

He was more than a little worried thinking about the fact that should things go astray and Dolohov and Mulciber be called to Gringotts, it was his job to intercept them. It was daunting enough to think about having to take on one Death Eater, but two? He supposed he should be at least a little grateful it was Dolohov and Mulciber across the street and not the Crabbes or Bellatrix, who he was sure would likely have a personal vendetta against him, should they find out he was still alive.

He was glad Luna was waiting with Remus during this mission. He trusted him to keep Luna safe should anything go wrong or they be required to fight.

If it were up to him of course, Luna wouldn't be a part of all this in the first place, but he knew at this point that bringing that up was a pointless argument that he would lose once again.

An alarm sounded then, coming from the direction of Gringotts and pulling Draco from his thoughts.

There was a moment of confusion from everyone. Draco turned to the cafe where Dolohov and Mulciber were sitting. Mulciber had a biscuit half-raised up to his mouth, pausing as Dolohov was as they strained to listen. A moment after they were standing, their food left forgotten at the table and Draco cursed quietly to himself as the Death Eaters made their way out of the cafe. Their presence added with the alarms coming from Gringotts had many of the other witches and wizards on the street retreating flat against the shops and out of the way. Those too fearful to stick around see what would happen had already apparated away.

Draco lowered his eyes a little as Dolohov and Mulciber stepped out. There was nothing for it now. He had to act and he had only a handful of seconds to do something before they took off.

Draco waited until they started heading towards Gringotts and their backs were turned on him to raise his wand and point it at the more dangerous of the two.

"Confringo!"

Dolohov was sent flying with a force that surprised even Draco and had him pause for just a second before he turned to Mulciber, but the other man was ready and deflected Draco's second hex.

Mulciber was glaring at Draco, his eyes trying to search his face under his hood, surely wanting to know why a random, filthy wizard had suddenly decided to attack him. Draco took the opportunity to cast a stinging hex that caught the shoulder of Mulciber's wand arm.

Mulciber yelped in pain, clutching his shoulder and then snarling at Draco before his eyes widened in recognition. Draco realized that after the force with which he'd cast the hex, his hood had fallen to reveal his face.

"Malfoy?" Mulciber asked, in disbelief.

The shock on Mulciber's face was priceless, and Draco was half tempted to say something cheeky but he knew that in the seconds the two Death Eaters had their backs turned he'd gained the upper hand, but that could quickly change if he wasn't quick. Draco decided to take advantage of Mulciber's surprise. "Stupefy!"

Mulciber's whole body became stiff as a plank and he fell backward with a painful thump, and just in time as well as Dolohov had just recovered from Draco's confringo and now had his wand raised at Draco. He cast a hex Draco only just managed to deflect. Dolohov cast two more, just as quickly as he had the first, and both were spells Draco did not recognize nor did he know what they would do to him should they hit their target. It was not unknown to him that Dolohov was well renowned for being a skilled duelist and had invented some of his own curses and hexes. He needed to gain the upper hand again, and quickly.

"Incindio!"

Draco managed to somehow catch the end of Dolohov's robes and he could hear the older man curse in his native tongue. Draco knew it would take only a moment for Dolohov to put it out and he needed to get on with it.

"Petrificus totalus!"

Draco misses though, because suddenly he feels a a painful stinging on his shoulder blade and he's tumbled forward and someone has just shouted "Incarcerous!" Next thing Draco knows he's collapsed painfully onto the unforgiving cobblestone, wrapped in thick ropes and his wand's fallen out of his grasp.

Draco tried to struggle against the ropes but it was not use, the ropes has his limbs practically immobile. Some of it even wrapped around the lower half of Draco's face so that he couldn't even speak.

Dolohov had managed to put out the fire and released Mulciber of Draco's stupefy. The two men walk closer to to Draco, their wands trained steadily on him even though he's been rendered harmless now. Draco's mind is racing, thinking about what these two are going to do to him, and also wondering who cast the incarcerous. His question was quickly answered though.

"Excellent work Theodore," Mulciber complimented just as a young man stepped into Draco's line of vision. Just the sight of this boy Draco had gone to school with was enough for Draco to stop his struggling against the ropes as he stared up at Theo Nott.

He looked just as Draco remembered him, and yet different. He was still long and lanky, his dark hair curling where it fell against his forehead, a dusting of freckles on his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. What Draco didn't recognize was the viscous glare Theo had directed at Draco, and he definitely wasn't familiar with what if looked and felt like to have Theo's wand pointed directly at his face.

Draco was quickly reminded of his precarious position when Mulciber spoke again, reminding that him that he was staring down not just one wand end but three.

"I guess it's true then. Bellatrix was convinced this Malfoy git hadn't died and actually turned sides." Mulciber sneered.

"We should take him to The Dark Lord," Draco heard Dolohov say, out of breath.

"Or get rid of him, once and for all. Kill the blood-traitor. No one would mind," Mulciber said then snorted. "Well, Lucius might."

"I'll take care of him," Theo snarled then. Draco's eyes went to Theo's again.

Theo still had his wand raised at Draco, from when he'd cast the incarcerous. He was still staring at Draco, eyes narrowed and his mouth twisted upside down. There was anger in his eyes, anger he'd never seen before. He didn't look like the Theo he remembered from school, quiet and stoic Theo, always with his nose in a book or rolling his eyes at whatever immature comment Draco, Blaise, Pansy, or the others had said. This Theo looked like he might actually hurt Draco. He's already hurt Draco with a stinging hex.

"His father's the reason my father went to Azkaban." Theo said quietly.

Mulciber and Dolohov exchanged looks with each other, as if trying to decide whether this was a good idea.

"What are you going to do to him?" Mulciber asked.

"I'm going to make him hurt," Theo said, and the look in his eyes had Draco believing him.

"Is now really the time-"

"Weren't you friends in school," Dolohov asked darkly. It went unspoken among them what the man was implying.

"You think any of that matters now?"

Dolohov stared between Theo and Draco uncertainty.

"Go!" Theo finally broke his gaze with Draco's to shout at Dolohov. "If anything goes wrong, I'll take the punishment!"

Dolohov's face contorted, surely insulted from having been shouted at by a younger, surely lower-ranking wizard like Theo, but Mulciber cut in before anything more could be said.

"Dolohov let's go. The Dark Lord will be much more concerned with Potter and the others than with this blood-traitor swine," Mulciber hissed.

Dolohov stared between Theo and Draco, still torn between a decision. Draco was sure Dolohov was going to say no, that maybe he'd want to finish Draco off himself.

He wasn't sure how many moments more it was before Dolohov finally turned around with a curse and started following after Mulciber, the alarms still ringing around them.

Draco wanted to curse as well as he saw the two Death Eaters running in the direction of Gringotts, but he was still wrapped in rope. He looked up at Theo. He bent down to pick up Draco's wand and then pointed his own at Draco.

"Wingardium leviosa," Theo murmured.

Draco was lifted about four feet from the ground and he wriggled about though it was pointless. He struggled uselessly as Theo used his wand to levitate Draco until they were both tucked into a little alley, away from prying eyes. Draco briefly wondered why the sudden privacy. He'd certainly had no trouble casting a stinging hex on him moments ago in front of all the Diagon Alley shoppers. Theo pointed his wand at the floor, Draco's body mimicking it until he was set down on the ground.

Draco looked up at Theo, his hazel eyes and brown curls, the deep-set frown on his face. He wondered if this was difficult for Theo. He wondered how many people Theo had killed since they'd last seen each other, how many atrocities he'd committed. He wondered if it'd be easy or difficult to kill him. Maybe that's why Theo had taken him to the alley. Maybe it was easier for him this way, away from anyone else.

Draco didn't know what was worse. Being killed by two Death Eaters who although ruthless he had no relationship with, or being killed by a boy he'd once called his friend.

Theo was still staring at him, but he wasn't pointing his wand at Draco any longer. He was just….staring.

Draco frowned underneath the ropes binding him. Why didn't Theo just get on with it?

Theo took a step forward and Draco winced. Theo frowned again.

"Listen, we don't have a lot of time and I need you to listen. I'll unbind you but you need to promise not to yell or try to apparate away."

Draco's blood was pounding in his head. What was he talking about?

"Draco!" Theo said sharply. "Do you promise?"

Draco blinked. Why was Theo talking to him like this and what did he mean they didn't have a lot of time. What could Theo possibly have to tell him?

"Draco!" Theo pleaded.

Draco stared out of the alley. There was shouting, and people running in the direction of Gringotts. Something was happening.

Draco stared back at Theo again. He looked desperate, different from how he'd been looking at Draco out on the street. The anger he'd seen in his eyes was gone, his face smooth of harsh lines. He looked like the boy Draco remembered from school again. Theodore Nott who'd always been somehow better than the rest of them...kinder.

"Draco," Theo groaned again.

Draco looked once more at the street then back at Theo. He should just agree. Let Theo think he was agreeing and then apparate to Gringotts, to wherever Luna was so that he could get her out of there. He'd been practicing apparating without his wand, and while he hadn't been successful every time, he'd just have to take his chances.

Draco nodded.

Theo sighed, as though relieved. He pointed his wand at him again, "Finite incantatem."

The ropes were gone and Draco could move again. He leapt to his feet and took a step back. Theo's eyes widened and he raised his wand again and then...stopped. It was that simple gesture, that combined with the saddened look on Theo's face is what made Draco stop.

Theo wasn't going to hurt him.

"How can I trust you?" Draco asked, his voice softer than he'd meant for it to sound.

Theo bit his lip, hesitating, and then raised his hand again. Draco took a step back, thinking that maybe Theo would cast another hex at him, but instead there were silvery wisps shooting from Theo's wand into the air between them. The wisps were taking shape into a corporeal lynx. It was a patronus.

Draco's heart stopped as he stared at the lynx.

It was the same patronus Draco had walked in on delivering a message to Remus all those nights ago.

The lynx evaporated in a cloud of wisps, clearing the view to Theo again just as the other boy tossed Draco's wand back to him.

"You're the spy," Draco breathed, just barely managing to catch his wand.

Theo nodded.

"All this time."

"Since before, actually."

"What do you mean before?"

"Since when you were still at the manor."

Draco felt dizzy. All this time. All this time Theo had been working with the Order.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?"

Theo snorted, and for a second it felt like they were back at Hogwarts, Theo rolling his eyes at a stupid joke Draco had made. "Are you kidding me? It's almost impossible to tell who you can trust nowadays."

"Right," Draco said quietly, thinking back to what it was like living in that house with Voldemort and all those other Death Eaters in residence. All that time neither he or Blaise had ever been able to determine where Theo's loyalties were and they hadn't approached him because of the risk.

There was yelling coming from down the street now. They both turned in the direction of it.

"There's not much time, I have information for the Order," Theo said, urgency in his voice. "It's about Narcissa."

Draco's blood started pounding in his eardrums. His palms were sweating and his whole body started trembling. The yelling from down the street sounded distorted in his ears.

"What did you say?" Draco asked.

"It's certain now, she's in Rabastan Lestrange's house. She's been kept prisoner there for months and-"

"That's impossible."

"What?"

Draco was shaking his head, "She died,"

"No, Draco-"

"He killed her!" Draco shouted.

Theo's eyes widened. "They hadn't told you."

Draco stared at Theo, his breaths harsh in his ear.

What Theo was telling him was impossible. Narcissa was alive. She wasn't dead. His mother was alive.

Theo wet his lips and stepped forward, his voice suddenly both nervous and placating. "Draco, listen to me. The Dark Lord never killed your mother. He had you and Lucius believe that he'd killed her as punishment and then...then he gave her to Rabastan Lestrange...as a reward."

Draco's mouth was dry. "Why did Rabastan want her?"

Theo's face turned pained, and he looked away, as though it was too much to look Draco in the eye. "I'm sure you can imagine why a madman like Lestrange might want someone as beautiful as your mother."

Draco's insides were squirming. "I'm going to be sick."

The pitying look on Theo's face was almost too much for him to bear. Draco was breathing heavily. "And you're saying the Order's known all this time that she's alive."

"They've known she was alive but I've only just been able to get any solid evidence of where she is."

"They lied to me." Draco whispered, the realization dawning on him.

There was more yelling coming from the street, louder now, and Theo turned back to Draco again. They were both aware of just how much time they'd lingered in the alley.

"I need to get back," both Draco and Theo said at once.

Draco's lip quirked a little and Theo actually smiled. Draco couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the other boy smile.

It only lasted a moment though as Draco frowned, thinking of what Theo had said earlier. "He'll crucio you, you know. Once he's learned you've had me and let me go."

"I know." To his credit, Theo did not wince at the thought that in a few hours he'd very likely be under the unforgivable cast by Voldemort himself once he found out he was alive.

Draco hadn't even realized he'd made the decision to hug Theo until he had his arms wrapped around the other boy.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Theo laughed a little, patting Draco on the back shortly, clearly not having expected a hug. "Sorry about the stinging hex."

Draco finally let him go just as a corporeal hare came bouncing into the alleyway.

"Luna," Draco breathed at the sight of it.

"Lovegood?" Theo asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Draco nodded, staring intently at the hare as is bounced around Draco, then to the alleyway entrance, then back to Draco again.

"I think it means for you to follow it," Theo murmured.

"I'll see you again?" Draco asked.

Theo nodded, "When possible. I'll send you a patronus from time to time when I can."

Draco nodded and started following after the hare. Before he could step out into the street though a thought occurred to him and he turned around towards Theo again. "Talk to Blaise. You can trust him."

"Zabini? But, are you sure? He's Dolohov's protegee. He's been training under him."

Draco shook his head, "No, it's all a survival act. Blaise is good, we were in it together back at the manor. Let him know I'm alright. Trust me on this."

Theo stared at Draco, as though considering this before nodding. "Alright, I'll start putting things in place to reach out to him."

They exchanged one last nod and then Draco was running off into the street after Luna's patronus. There were suddenly so many people around that Draco blended easily among them as he ran and turned into a small alley where Luna and Remus were waiting together.

Nearly the moment he was in the alley he was engulfed in wild blonde hair and a pair of arms that belonged to Luna.

"Draco!"

"Luna," Draco said, the weight he'd been feeling since having left her that morning finally lifting when he finally had her in his arms again. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, are you?"

Draco was unsure how to ask that question, especially when he heard Remus' voice over Luna's shoulder. "It's over now. We need to leave."

"How do you know it's over?" Draco asked.

Just then there was a piercing roar echoing all around them, a sound Draco had only heard once before in his fourth year when he'd been watching the Triwizard Tournament.

"Was that-"

There was a great flapping sound overhead and when Draco looked up there it was, a great white dragon flying overhead, and on top of it...was that Harry, Hermione, and Ron?

There were a few moments in which Draco, Luna, and Remus could do nothing but stare in awe as the golden trio flew off on the back of the great beast, staring until the dragon was nearly a speck and the commotion going on in the street was starting to register once more.

"We need to go. Now." Draco said urgently.

"Was it a dragon they needed all this time? Could they have not gotten it easier elsewhere?" Luna asked next to him.

"Hold on to me," Remus said sharply. Without another word, both Draco and Luna had each placed a hand on one of Remus' forearms and they apparated onto the front step of Grimmauld Place.

Draco still felt a bit shaken when they stepped inside, he was still a little on edge when Tonks came running up to them, practically jumping into Remus' embrace before hugging Luna and Draco as well.

"Are you alright? Is anyone hurt?"

"We're all fine, what about here? Are we the last ones back?" Remus asked.

"Last ones," Moody confirmed from the main room where everyone else was gathered. There was a smug smile on his otherwise harsh face, "Granger sent a patronus that they got what they needed. Everyone's fine. They're fine and everyone here's back and there've been no injuries or casualties to anyone on our side."

The room erupted into cheers and it wasn't long before someone had pulled out a bottle of wine and started passing it around.

Draco stood in the middle of it all, staring at everyone as though in a dream. Everyone seem distorted, their faces twisted somehow. He knew why everyone was celebrating. The mission had gone off successfully, no one was hurt, and the golden trio had escaped safely. It should have been a triumphant moment. But all Draco could think of as he stared around the Order members was of his mother, his beloved mother who was apparently alive and Rabastan Lestrange's prisoner.

"Draco?" Draco could feel Luna's hand tugging gently on the sleeve of his shirt, concern in her voice.

How could they not have told him?

"Draco? Are you alright?"

Draco looked up. Remus was staring at him, his lips pulled into a worried frown as he noticed Draco's stillness.

How dare he looked so concerned? How dare he act like he cared for him?

"You knew all this time." Draco said quietly.

"Sorry?" Remus asked, stepping closer to him.

Remus was head of The Order. He knew who the spy was. There was no way he hadn't known, and he'd kept it from him.

"You knew!" Draco shoved Remus against the chest so that the older man nearly fell back in surprise. The happy voices of the celebrators was suddenly hushed as Tonks and Luna both rushed to their wizards, concern and worry on their faces, but all Draco could focus on was Remus' hurt and confused face.

"What are you talking about boy," Moody growled.

"My mother!" Draco yelled, too upset to care that there was a stinging in his eyes that told him tears were about to fall at any moment.

Luna was holding Draco back, "Draco, what are you talking about?"

There was tension in the air, some people murmuring quietly to each other in confusion. Remus didn't look confused though. In fact, his eyes widened in horror at the realization of what Draco had shouted, and Draco knew then that Remus knew exactly what he was talking about.

"It's true then. All this time you've known that my mum was alive and you've kept it from me!"

"Remus, what's going on?" Tonks asked, staring between her husband and her cousin.

Draco snorted though without humor, "How many other people haven't you told apart from the one person who should have known?"

"Alright, everyone clear the room," Moody barked at the others staring intensely at the scene. There was some grumbling but eventually the only ones left were Moody, Remus, Tonks, Draco, and Luna. Once everyone had gone, Moody turned to Draco. "How did you find out?"

Draco ignored him. He only had eyes for Remus who had yet to speak. "How long have you known?"

Remus stepped closer to Draco, his hands raised. "Draco-"

"How long?!"

"Will someone please tell me what's going on!" Tonks shouted, angry now. "Are you telling me Narcissa is alive?!"

"Your mum," Luna gasped.

"Who told you?" Moody asked again.

Remus still wasn't answering Draco. Why wasn't his answering him?

"Draco!"

"It was Theo! It was Theo alright! I ran into him and he told me. I know he's the spy!"

Luna frowned, "Theodore Nott? From school?"

"What did he tell you?" Remus asked.

Draco felt like he was on the brink of a rage, and he was glad his wand was still tucked into his pocket.

"Draco tell us." Moody urged.

"Everything! He said that you've all known for months that my mother was alive and none of you ever said anything! She's been alive all this time! She's been Rabastan Lestrange's prisoner and he's been," Draco choked on his words then, the tears finally spilling from his eyes as he shut them, trying to block out the unwanted images playing with his mind. "I can only imagine what he's been doing with her, but the point is that you've known all this time and you've done absolutely nothing about it. Why has nobody been out there?! Why has nobody been looking for her?!"

"Rabastan Lestrange? Is that what Theo said? Are you sure that's what Nott said?" Moody asked then excitedly.

Draco nodded, not able to look at anyone yet.

"So it's been confirmed. Prisoner, but alive" Moody sighed tiredly. "Right, well...seeing as you know now."

Draco turned to Moody, realizing he was finally about to be told the truth.

"We first heard whispers that Narcissa Black might still be alive in December. One of ours was on a scouting mission and he heard some Death Eaters joking about Lestrange's new...pet. They referred to her as a blonde and mentioned something about what Lucius would think if he knew, how brilliant the Dark Lord was to have thought of such a punishment. We reached out to Theo who'd been working with us for nearly a year at that point to look into it. He did, and it soon became clear that Narcissa was indeed alive. That the Dark Lord had not actually killed her and in fact kept her alive, but it was unclear where she was. For a few months we thought that she might have escaped, even spread the word around amongst ours to keep an eye or ear out for any sight or mention of her. There were long weeks of nothing until Theo heard something about a reward, and it made us all think that perhaps Narcissa was someone's prisoner to say the least. Held captive. For weeks now we've been trying to narrow down who it might be, who might have her. It seems with what Nott's told you though, that now it's confirmed."

Draco stared at his feet, clutching Luna's hand as he processed everything Moody had just said. He heard Tonks' whispered 'Merlin' as Moody finished speaking.

When Draco could finally speak his voice trembled, "That still doesn't explain why you never told me."

"You must keep in mind-"

"No!" Draco interrupted, eyes flashing as he turned to Remus. "No, I want him to tell me."
Draco resented the look on Remus' face. How dare he look pained when it was Draco who had been hurt?

"Draco, the reason we didn't tell you is because we didn't want to give you any false hopes. We worried that all the talk we'd heard concerning your mother was just that: talk. We didn't want to tell you she might be alive when there was a chance we were wrong. We couldn't bear to see you hurt like that."

Draco's eyes were stinging even stronger somehow. "You couldn't bear it?! You couldn't bear it?! What do you think it was like for me to bear it thinking my mother was dead all this time?!"

"Draco please," Remus begged.

"You should have told me!"

Remus pleaded, "Yes, I know that now. It was unfair of us, cruel to keep this from you. But you must understand, we were only trying to protect you! We didn't think it was wise to tell you until we knew for certain. We saw no sense in making you live through the pain of losing her all over again if it turned out our information was wrong."

Draco's head was reeling. It was just all too much. He could feel his knees buckling.

Remus was stepping closer to him now.

"Listen to me Draco. So many people have lied to you in your life, been so cruel to you, and I will never forgive myself for as long as I live for now being one of those people, but you must please believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you. I was going to tell you once we were certain not only that she was alive and where she was."

Remus was standing right in front of Draco now.

"You must believe me son."

Draco choked on a sob and next moment Remus had wrapped him in his arms, Draco's tears absorbing into the man's clothes. He clutched Remus' coat as his body shook, shutting his eyes tight and letting Remus help him remain standing.

"We'll find her Draco, I promise," Remus murmured comfortingly, his hand cradling the back of Draco's head. "Now that we know for certain we can start planning. We'll get her back to you. And I promise that I will never lie to you again."

Draco's throat was too tight to respond. He just let Remus hold him as he cried, exhausted with all that happened today. He'd somehow survived a fight with Dolohov and Mulciber, Theo was actually working for the Order, Luna was safe, the golden trio had accomplished their task, no one was hurt, and his mother was alive. She was alive.

oOo

"What was she like?" Luna whispered quietly.

They were lying naked in bed together later that night. It was comforting just to be pressed against Luna this way, skin-to-skin.

"My mum?" Draco asked, his breath tickling against the nape of Luna's neck.

She nodded, "I've only ever seen her in the papers before, and those pictures you found. She's very beautiful."

Draco thought about this for a moment, thinking back on the pictures he'd been going through for the hundredth time again that day. After everything with Remus and the others had settled down and Draco had stopped crying, he and Luna had gone upstairs to their window nook. Luna had read, understanding Draco's need for silence but the desire to have her near, meanwhile Draco had smoked and thought and stared at the pictures of Narcissa that he'd saved. Tonks had come up a few times to bring them food throughout the day until it was time for bed and Draco and Luna had relocated to his room.

"She was-is very beautiful," Draco agreed quietly, correcting himself. He thought for another moment before holding Luna a little closer. "She was elegant, and had high expectations of everyone around her. If you'd only seen her from a distance, you might have thought she was beautiful, yes, but also, well, cold. She could have a bit of an intimidating air around her whenever she wanted, but she was charming too when she needed. At home though, she was nothing but kind, on the brink of doting at times. Fath-Lucius used to say that the manor was always a very dark home until my mum moved in. She breathed life into the place, made it a home. I never felt not safe or unloved when I was with her."

If Luna felt the tears that dropped and seeped into her hair, she did not mention it, only stroked the arms Draco had around her.

"I can't wait to meet her." Luna said.

Draco smiled, kissing her shoulder. "Me neither."

They were quiet for a bit until Luna breathed, "I still can't believe Theo has been the spy all this time."

"I know. I'm still wrapping my mind around it. I would have never thought of him as the type."

"What do you mean," Luna asked. "As in, not brave enough to be the Order's spy right under the Dark Lord's nose?"

"Well, I've never thought of him as not brave," Draco said thoughtfully, thinking of the kind of nerve Theo must have to be so young, living under Voldemort's presence and still working with the Order. "Theo could always give as good as he got in a duel or a fight, but he was always just as much a Slytherin as the rest of us as well, looked after himself first. I just never thought that of everyone I knew that he would have decided to work with The Order."

"He could be playing both sides," Luna shrugged. "Keeping his loyalties open until one side finally wins over the other."

"Maybe, I thought that for a bit as well, but I just...I don't know. I know I just said he's a Slytherin and would look after himself first but, I don't know. That just doesn't seem like something he'd do."

"Maybe you're right." Luna said finally. "I always thought he looked like a noble person, like he'd stand by his convictions."

"Did you?" Draco raised an eyebrow. "What were you observing in school that you thought Theo Nott, a boy a year older than you and not even in your house, was so noble."

Luna giggled then, a girlish sound that had Draco's eyes widening as he looked at his girlfriend.

"He has that mysterious quality about him that girls always liked. So stoic and studious. It helped that he was handsome as well." Luna said smoothly.

Draco's mouth dropped. "You think he's handsome?"

"Come on Draco, you can't be blind. Theo with those green eyes, olive skin, and dark curls? He had more than one girl in Hogwarts daydreaming about a secret romance with a bad boy from Slytherin. Ginny always said that if she weren't such an upstanding Gryffindor, she would have approached Theo ages ago."

Draco's mind was spinning. "I can't believe you just told me you fancied my childhood friend while you're lying naked in bed with me."

Luna laughed, "I never fancied him. I just appreciated his good looks."

Draco narrowed his eyes at Luna's ear. "He fancied you in school you know?"

That got Luna's attention. "Did he really?"

"No need to sound so pleased," Draco muttered, which only made Luna burst out laughing again.

"I'm not pleased! I just didn't know! You really think Theo fancied me in school?"

Draco rolled his eyes, thinking back to the moment at the end fifth year, before his father had been sent to Azkaban and this whole mess had started. "Well if you must know, you'll remember that me and my Hogwarts mates were-er, well, bullies."

"Yes, I remember," Luna said, though not unkindly.

"Well, we were constantly teasing other students from other houses, you know, stupid things just to make each other laugh, help us pretend we were so much better than all the rest. Theo never participated too much in the teasing. He would laugh, sure, but he was never one to join in so much. He hardly said anything, except of course that one time we were talking about...well you."

Draco paused, less willing now to go on with the story after having just admitted that not only had Draco bullied her directly back in school, but he'd also talked about her behind her back.

"Go on," Luna said, unbothered.

Draco bit his lip. "Well, we were saying things and Theo started defending you. Weakened our talk by pointing out how very intelligent you actually were. And then he'd said that you weren't ugly and in fact had very lovely hair. I don't think he'd meant to say that last bit though because he quickly shut up after that, especially when we started teasing him."

"So Theo Nott had a crush on me," Luna said slowly, a smile in her voice, completely unfazed at the fact that Draco had just told her a story in which she had been the butt of the Slytherin's jokes and suggested that they'd been talking about how unintelligent and unattractive she was. "I wish he'd told me. We could have done something about his crush."

"Hey," Draco said, distracted from his thoughts at the suggestion of Luna's words. Luna laughed and when she'd finished, Draco couldn't wipe the frown from his lips. "Would you have really gone out with him, had he asked you? Back in school I mean."

Luna was quiet, thinking. "If he'd been kind, and taken the time to talk to me a few times before so that I was sure he wasn't just playing with me, I might have."

Draco scowled and Luna laughed. He knew it was a ridiculous question and the answer didn't matter, but the thought of Luna being with anyone else but him still had him reeling.

Luna was stroking the skin on his arm again when a thought popped in Draco's mind. It wasn't the first time that particular thought had occurred to him, but he'd been pretty good at pushing it aside, telling himself it was in the past and didn't matter. It certainly didn't feel like an appropriate time after everything that had happened that day.

Lying here now with Luna though, in the safety of the dark and after having just spoken about a fleeting admiration she'd once had, he couldn't help himself.

"Luna...when we first...that night Lupin escaped the shed when we had sex for the first time...you said it wasn't your first time."

Luna stilled, understanding what Draco was asking.

"You want to know who was before you," she said simply.

Did he really want to know? It was sort of a double-edged sword.

"Yes," Draco breathed before he could think to much on it.

Luna was quiet, and for a moment he thought he'd offended her, and then she was twisting in his arms so that she was facing him, dark blue eyes meeting grey. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

Draco blanched at the thought of sharing his sexual history. This all suddenly sounded like a bad idea. "Luna, we don't have to-"

"No, I think it's a good idea. Relationships are supposed to be honest. We should know these things about each other, even if it makes us uncomfortable," Luna said logically. Draco frowned, unconvinced. Luna leaned in closer, her gaze open. "It won't change anything about us now."

Draco searched Luna's eyes, still somewhat unconvinced that this was a good idea, but she looked resolute and he knew he would give in.

"Fine," Draco groaned, leaning back to lie on his back. He took a deep breath and started. "Pansy Parkinson and I were each other's firsts. We were fourteen."

He paused, expecting Luna to gasp or yell at him. She didn't even stiffen at his side. Only said quietly, "Fourteen's quite young."

Draco nodded, "Too young probably, but we were both eager to no longer be virgins."

"Was she the only one?"

"There were two others."

He could practically feel Luna frown at him. "I thought you were with Pansy until the end of sixth year."

Draco could feel his neck flush in embarrassment. "I wasn't exactly always a good boyfriend."

"Oh," Luna said softly. Then, "Well, who were they then?"

Draco sighed, wishing to Merlin he'd never started this horribly uncomfortable conversation. "Fourth year again, a few times with one of the girls from Beauxbatons."

"Really?" Luna asked, surprise obvious in her voice. For a horrifying moment Draco thought she would press for more details but she thankfully asked, "And the other?"

Draco groaned, "And one embarrassing and drunken occasion with Millicent Bulstrode that I wish never to relive again."

Luna laughed and Draco groaned, covering his face with his hands. "That's it on my end. Your turn."

Luna's laughter finally died down and she slowly grew quiet for so long Draco thought she must have tricked him and wouldn't tell him her own past until she spoke, quietly but steady. "There was only ever one, just a handful of occasions. It was Dean Thomas."

Draco's eyes shot open, his neck nearly snapping as he looked at Luna who was staring calmly back at him.

"Dean Thomas?"

Luna nodded.

Dean Thomas. Dean fucking Thomas. The bloke Luna had been fussing over months ago when he'd been at Number Twelve, driving Draco crazy with jealousy thinking there was something going on between the two.

He wanted to shout. He wanted to run downstairs, demand Moody to tell him where Thomas was, hunt him down, and hex him.

Luna must have seen the madness turning in Draco's head because she put a steadying hand on his shoulder.

"Listen," she said. Draco searched Luna's gaze, physically working to calm himself until he finally nodded when he was ready. When he was, Luna continued. "It was when we were both prisoners at Malfoy Manor."

Draco's stomach dropped. Luna had looked away, her eyes a bit glazed, as though she was very far away.

"We were both frustrated and so weak. Dean had started off so defiant when I was first brought there. He was so angry all the time, and so sure that someone would find us, refusing to give up hope. It was hard though, trying to keep that up after months of little to no food and the occasional torture Bellatrix and some of the others would come down to the basement for. Dean's spirit was breaking, he was becoming more and more disillusioned, and I was as well to be honest. Dean had become a sort of pillar for me, and I think seeing him look so hopeless after he'd been fighting for so long was affecting me as well.

"That first night, I think we both just needed to feel something, some happiness or pleasure or I don't know, something. We both thought we were going to die there. We needed to take whatever we could get.

"I felt a little guilty at first. Dean used to date Ginny after all, and even though I knew she was with Harry now and she'd always loved him more than any other boy she'd ever been with, I wasn't sure she would appreciate what I was doing with her ex-boyfriend. But then...it was addicting almost, those few moments of something when it felt like the rest of the world had forgotten us.

"It didn't happen too often while we were at the Manor. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable place, and we were usually too weak, plus we had to be sure Ollivander and Griphook were sleeping. And then Harry and Dobby and the others came for us and they rescued us and we were at Shell Cottage. We were safe again."

Draco remained silent, taking in everything Luna had just told him.

He wanted to be angry, jealous maybe, but he found it impossible. All he felt really was guilt and sadness that Luna's first time had occurred under such circumstances, because she was afraid and lonely, thinking she was going to die and wanted to feel something before she did.

He wanted, at the very least, to hate Dean Thomas, but he couldn't even feel the anger to do so, not after Luna had described how the boy's hope had been slowly dying after all those months being kept a prisoner.

"That was it then?" Draco asked quietly.

"There was one other time at Shell Cottage," Luna admitted quietly. "But it stopped nearly as soon as it had started. I think we'd both realized it had only happened in the first place because we were so scared and lonely, in need of comfort. We agreed we were better off as friends, two friends who had gone through something profound together, not just the sex but being prisoners together, but still, just friends."

"Did you love him?"

He knew it was a bit of an unfair question to ask of her. Luna had only been with Dean a handful of times meanwhile he had been in a relationship with Pansy for three years and yet Luna had not asked that question of him.

"I don't think so. At least not in a real and healthy way. He was...comfort. A friend but...also a means of survival."

They stayed in silence, thinking over everything that had been just been shared between them.

Luna looked down at his chest, her fingers twiddling against his skin. "This doesn't change anything, right?"

Draco's lip quipped and he leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "It changes nothing."

oOo

Author's Note: So I've been toying with the idea of, once this fic is completed, writing a little on Luna and Dean's short little history and was wondering if that was something any of you might be interested in reading? It would only be a one-shot type of deal or possibly a 2 or 3 chapter fic, though I can't at all imagine it being any longer. Just thought it might be something fun to explore. Let me know your thoughts!