A/N: Alright. It was a fun journey, but this is pretty much the end. There's just the prologue left, and that's going to be short and sweet. I'm a bit sorry this is ending, but hey, all good things come to an end right? :) There will be other Druna stories in the future!

I already have an idea for one. I have no idea when I'll start since I have to focus more on school apparently, but it's there in my head for later use! Thanks for everyone who read and especially everyone who reviewed! You guys made writing Druna even more enjoyable than it already is! As a favour to me, can you guys please review this chapter, to motivate me to write the prologue sooner? Thanks in advance!

Disclaimer: I didn't own Harry Potter or any of its characters at the beginning of this fanfic and unfortunately I still don't!

On with the story!

Mistake, Or Fate?:

Where the hell were they going? Draco huffed an irritated breath out through his teeth. Having decided to follow up on his plan to locate and address Luna, he'd strode up to the fifth floor—no need for subtlety when he had his Prefect rights to rely on—only to spot her and a group of fellow Ravenclaws tip-toeing furtively from the direction of Ravenclaw Tower toward the grander staircase that lead upwards to the sixth and seventh floors. Naturally, he'd followed them, more out of interest in Luna than from simple curiosity's sake, though from that too. It may be dark, but he had good eyesight; that Jeremy was with her and Draco didn't like or trust Jeremy very much.

So, extinguishing the light from his wand, he sneaked after them, keeping his tread soft and breathing shallowly so as not to give himself away. From the looks of it, Luna and her friends—though he hadn't even thought she had friends—were trying their best to keep from being seen. He hadn't the faintest clue what they were up to but oh, he was going to find out. The most effectual way of seeing where things lead would be to keep his mouth shut and continue tailing them, so he went ahead and did just that.

Their progress was slow, very slow, he mused, as they came to yet another halt. They really were taking their time. What was it that they were so keen on hiding, how was Luna involved? He hid behind a suit of armour as, out of the blue, Filch and his cat materialized. The last thing he wanted was for his presence to be found out.

"Bloody Peeves and his bloody tricks," the old man muttered to himself and his pet. "He's a dirty schemer, isn't he my darling? Oh, yes he is. Yes he is."

Draco bit back a chortle at the baby talk, taking advantage of the glow shining from Filch's lantern to dare to light his wand and take a quick look around for a glimpse of Luna. He was in a relatively secure hiding place and even if she and her companions did see the light, they'd assume the lantern was its only source, even as Filch was a ways off by now. They were on the seventh floor now, but he was still mystified as to why they had come. Maybe something in their faces would be able to tell him. He did a quick sweep with his wand in their general direction only to be shot right through the heart by what he saw.

Cutting, wrenching pain filled him, wretchedness ten times stronger than any he'd ever experienced before, at the sight of Jeremy and Luna hand in hand. No! His face grew hot, his clutch on his wand taut, his other hand shaking as he passed it frenziedly through his hair. The ground became unsteady beneath his feet, a tidal wave of grief and nausea surged upon him.

"Oi!" Giving up all pretence of secrecy, not in the right frame of mind for stopping to consider the possible consequences of his actions, not even really consciously deciding to yell out. He felt as if he were outside of himself, like he were dreaming or drunk. He was still just staring fixedly at the clasped hands. "You kids are in for it!"

Frantic, hurried whispers and then the group separated, all rushing in different directions at once. "Shite!" Draco let out a little shout of surprise when a stunning spell was cast his way, snapping out of his reverie. It just barely missed him and, unlucky for whoever the caster had been, only succeeded in kindling outrage.

Running footsteps could be heard from everywhere and before he knew it he was sprinting after one pair, half hoping it was Luna half hoping it was Jeremy so he could teach that guy the lesson he so needed and deserved.

The runaway turned out to be the latter, jogging down a nearby flight of stairs, wand in hand and ready, firing off curses over his shoulder with each step. Draco cursed again, ducking low so as to avoid being hit, still running, sending his own malign spells after Jeremy, teeth grinding. Forget the wands. Right now, more than anything, Draco wanted the pleasure of getting in a hit with his bare hands.

"You're going to run away like a coward?" He hollered after him, jumping a few steps once he'd reached the stairs and managing to grab hold of the younger boy's elbow. He yanked it back, hard, pulling Jeremy off his feet, who managed to grab hold of the Slytherin's ankle on his way down. They tumbled over each other down a few steps, the fourth year's strength greater than the fifth year had anticipated, knocking him onto his back in unprepared response.

"Let me go you big arse!" Jeremy voiced his frustrations for the first time as they grappled, exchanging insults and blows.

"What did you say to me?" Draco reached forth and backhanded the youth, leaving him with a bloody nose. Jeremy still had the advantage of having gotten to his feet first, though, no matter that he was younger and smaller in frame and he managed to get a few good punches to Draco's gut and face in before Draco was able to react. Draco groaned with the impact of each strike, choking on the blood that ran from his split lip, already winded from the blows to his stomach. It was hard to manoeuvre when you were sprawled horizontally halfway down a set of stairs with the weight of a fourteen year old restraining you.

Jeremy let loose, continued, taking advantage of his adversary's position. Draco attempted to cover his face, curled onto his side, voicing threats between utterances of pain. "You don't know who you're dealing with! I'll kick your ass, kid!"

Somehow, through the blur of shouts and pain, he managed to kick Jeremy's feet out from under him, then quickly rising and punching him in the face, hard. "What did I fucking tell you?" Then, remembering his unused wand, he lunged for it and fired a stunning spell, knocking the other boy out cold.

"Git," through a mouthful of blood as he glared down at the immobile Jeremy, spitting on him. Now, where was Luna? He had to find her! He was making his way back up the stairs to look for her when he noticed the loud, urgent voices surrounding him. A bright light was shone in his eyes and somebody grabbed his arm in a tight grip.

"Mr. Malfoy! What on earth has happened here?"

He tilted a little, feeling dizzy, caught off guard by the bright light, but was caught and supported by strong, bony arms.

So, the professors had arrived on the scene. Well. Things were just getting better and better, weren't they?

With Luna...

That had been close. Much too close. Luna watched, panting, from her hiding place as Professors Mcgonagall and Snape interrogated Draco, the Transfiguration professor giving a gasp when the luminosity being projected from the tip of her wand brought to light the condition of his face. "Good Merlin! What has happened to you, Mr. Draco?"

At the sight of his bloody lip and the various red marks that would soon form into bruises decorating his face, Luna had to swallow a gasp, herself. When he'd shouted out that he'd found them, absolute chaos had ensued. The original plan of staying cool and collected, using their alibi, had been completely forgotten and instead the students had all left fleeing in different directions, the focus set on saving their own skins. Flight had been instinctual and Luna was a fast runner so she had managed to get away rather easily. It was only when she'd reached Ravenclaw Tower that she'd realized who the voice that had shouted at them had belonged to and by the time she had made it back up to the seventh floor, professors had already swarmed the area.

Quickly, she'd concealed herself behind the nearest statue, mind working a mile a minute. What a disaster! She so hoped that Draco's recklessness wouldn't get him or any of the rest of the group he'd seen in trouble and that the rest of the members of the DA already waiting in the Room of Requirement would be smart enough to stay there. However, things weren't looking good.

Poor Draco! But really, what had he expected to come of his actions? She watched sombrely, sadly, as Jeremy's abused body was taken notice of and Filch grudgingly dragged the stupefied boy away. Draco stared piercingly after them, blank, unreadable. All was quiet for a moment as an uncomfortable silence reigned.

Then it was broken as a clamouring of wild footfalls approached and with them a hideous, pink night gown attired Professor Umbridge. "Oh! Oh my! Why, whatever is going on here? Professors, do explain!"

"Be my guest, Mr. Malfoy," interjected Professor Mcgonagall. "You are after all the prime witness and I've no doubt chief cause of this insanity."

Draco, who seemed a little wobbly, shrugged. "Saw someone...went after him. That's what Inquisitorial Members are supposed to do. Don't think he appreciated it much, to be honest." He winced and brought a hand to his no doubt aching head.

"Oh, my! Oh, dear! My poor dear! Tell us everything, give greater detail! All this must be sorted out!"

Luna continued listening in on the conversation with barely suppressed expectation, sick to her stomach with the anticipation of what was surely going to be revealed next. He'd inform Umbridge of everything he'd beheld and Dumbledore's Army would be found out and disbanded. A rush of genuine emotion overcame her and she blinked hard to subdue hot tears. She'd thought he'd turned a new leaf, she'd thought she could trust Draco, but he was going to sell them all out, and why not? She was nothing to him and must have been deluding herself to have thought that they were truly friends.

"Well..." Was it just her, or did he sound a little hesitant? Maybe there was still hope. She gazed at him from her position hunched behind the statue, shook her head, willing him to see, to listen to her.

The three adults remained turned toward him, motionless, awaiting the conclusion of his sentence impatiently. "Well," the now headmistress prompted coldly. "Well what? Explain, if you please, Mr. Malfoy. I haven't got all night!"

Please, Luna couldn't voice her want out loud, so she wished it inside her head with all her might. Don't do this! She kept her eyes on him, silently imploring him to make the right choice.

She wasn't sure if somehow he heard her thoughts or simply made up his own mind on which path to take as he did what he did next. All she knew was that she'd be forever grateful for his actions as he explained how he'd had the feeling that somebody was out and about and up to something and had hurried from the dungeons to do a few rounds of his own. "And clearly I was right," haughtiness, fake, she could tell, came into his voice. "Caught that kid sneaking around and when I confronted him he aimed a stunning spell at me. I had no choice but to defend myself."

"Rightfully so! Allow even one troublemaker to walk away from the consequences of such an insolent act and all the students will think they'll be able to get away with rule breaking. Just imagine whatthe boy might have been up to! Good work, Mr. Malfoy. Twenty points to Slytherin!"

Mcgonagall glanced at the plumper woman with vehement shock. "Twenty points to Slytherin? Why, if it were up to me, I'd be taking points from Slytherin! Mr. Malfoy was also out and about after hours, let me remind you and I'm sure you have not forgotten the role he played in the current state of poor Mr. Marquis!"

Umbridge's reply was simply to smile placidly, over sweetly, at her associate, completely unruffled. "I have not forgotten anything, Minerva, however do allow me to remind you of something. The discipline of these students is notup to you, no longer falls under your care. Now," she turned to Snape, who had been standing a ways away, surveying the situation in bemused silence, "be so kind as to escort the young mister Malfoy to the Hospital Wing. Thank you very much to all and goodnight!"

Mcgonagall mumbled something unintelligible but certainly not complimentary under her breath as the new headmistress departed. She heaved a heavy sigh. "I suppose we had better get Mr. Malfoy down to Madam Pomfrey so as to have his wounds treated. I shall be accompanying you to see how Mr. Marquis is getting along."

Draco avoided her eye contact ashamedly, though trying hard to conceal this. "He had it coming," he justified. Mcgonagall gave him a dangerous look, but said nothing in response.

"Come along Malfoy," Snape broke in, speaking at long last. He didn't look much pleased by the night's events either, though Luna recognized that Snape was rarely pleased, anyway. He pulled on Draco's sleeve to get him going and began marching him down the stairs.

Mcgonagall let out another sigh, beginning the descent also. "If Albus were here..."

A few more comments of this kind and then the darkness had swallowed them up. Only then did Luna dare to rise from her kneeling position and creep silently after them.

With Draco...

Well, it could be worse. He could have a broken nose like Jeremy probably did instead of just a split lip and blackened eye. When he and both professors passed said Ravenclaw's bed on their way over to Draco's own, Madam Pomfrey stood and abruptly pulled her patient's curtains closed. So that was the way it was going to be? Jeremy would be the victim and Draco would be the bad guy in this scenario?

Ah, he guessed it was to be expected. He wouldn't make a big deal out of it. He was used to assumptions being made of him, yet this time around was somehow different. Draco was beginning to feel increasingly uncomfortable with the glares the medi-witch was giving him. If Madam Pomfrey, who cared about the well being of Hogwarts' occupants but didn't know many of the students she treated personally, was this upset about the state Jeremy was in, how would Luna react at the news of her friend's condition?

Draco felt himself getting depressed just considering this.

He'd never witnessed an angry Luna before, but this didn't mean that she didn't hold anger inside of her. When she'd hear Jeremy's side of what had happened, which would surely put everything on Draco's fault, she'd probably never forgive him. She'd full out run from him when he'd confronted her with her friends, earlier. This in itself was not a good sign.

Once Madam Pomfrey had checked him over, brewed him a sleeping draught and applied a salve to his cuts and tender spots, he stripped down to the near minimum, boxer shorts and a wife-beater, and clambered numbly into bed. He'd been prohibited from leaving the Hospital Wing until morning, even as nothing much was wrong with him besides a few flesh wounds and an anxious pain in his upper chest near his heart. Even so, never mind the sleep inducing potion he was taking small sips of, he didn't think he'd be getting much rest tonight.

He couldn't believe what he'd done. He'd messed everything up and now Luna would surely hate him forever. He'd truly thought he had greater strength of character than to be in danger of succumbing to such jealousy as he'd felt when he'd seen Jeremy holding Luna's hand.

He nestled down between the covers wearily, staring through the dark at the ceiling. He felt awful and absolutely deserved it. Wasn't there anything else Madam Pomfrey might give him?

Oh, how he hated himself, his stupid, pathetic self. He'd told Luna she was ridiculous? He should have taken a good look at himself before he'd spoken. How dare he say such a thing to her? She was everything and he was nothing.

Draco folded sore arms over his eyes in an attempt to block out the pictures of the past thirty minutes that were still flashing through his mind, not caring that doing so caused his already injured face to hurt. He still didn't know why it was Luna and her friends had been out of bed roaming the halls and now he probably never would. All he knew was that he regretted having interfered, having let his frustration take control of him. He even regretted having let Jeremy take the brunt of it.

He hadn't expected things to get so out of hand the way they had. At the sight of another bloke's hand clasping Luna's he'd simply gone out of his head, all train of thought gone, simply overreacted. It was no excuse, but this was why what had happened did. Cause and effect. Jealousy really could drive a man mad.

At least he hadn't gotten her into any trouble, though he wasn't sure why he'd spared her friends. Out of respect, as a sort of favour to Luna? Probably. He wasn't sure of the reasoning behind half of the things he did, anymore. A lot could happen in a short amount of time he'd recently found out and it hadn't taken long for Luna to change him and his way of thinking, of feeling.

The classifying of what was right and wrong was scrutinized by way of whether she'd approve or not, now. He was about to pull a first year's chair out from under him; what would Luna say? She'd given him the gift of respect for the feelings of others but in exchange had taken away his respect for himself.

No, he couldn't blame his current feelings of self disgust on her. Luna had only ever wanted the best for him. That was what had made her such a gem in his eyes: her kindness toward others. It was a quality so rare in the world today that it had captured his attention and admiration from the start, deny this as he'd really tried to. He'd found the nicest of girls and already he was on his way to losing her.

Palms still covering his eyes, he released a little groan of despair. Devastated as he was, he couldn't help thinking that all this wouldn't be so horribly bad if things could go back to how they'd been before connecting with Luna. Things couldn't go back to being the same, though, because he wasn't the same. No physical trace had been left behind as proof of this transformation but something inside had definitely shifted. All he could do now was try to conjure the strength to go on without her by his side.

He'd never really been an optimist, but he'd never considered himself a pessimist before, either. All this sounded incredibly dramatic, like it should belong in the diary of a twelve year old girl, but what could he do about that? It was the way he felt. He couldn't fool himself anymore.

The truth had come out. Too bad Luna didn't get to see it.

The sleeping draught was finally beginning to take effect, it seemed. He must be asleep right now, dreaming. Why else would Luna suddenly appear to be standing before his bed?

"Draco!" Whispered forcefully to snap him back to full alertness. "You're awake?"

He sighed, unimpressed with Dream Luna's obvious remark. "Mm. Dunno. Am I?."

Dream Luna just remained where she was, holding onto the railings of his bed, staring at him with her big eyes.

Coming to a sudden realization, he sat up with a start, the blanket covering him dropping with the motion so that his fabric clad chest and bare, muscled shoulders were exposed to her. "Luna!"

She gave a little smile, but there was an edge of unhappiness to it. "Hello Draco."

"What are you doing here?" His gaze bore into hers.

"Draco, you're hurt!" She noticed this despite the dark, coming to stand beside his bed instead of at the end of it, reaching out her little hand to cup his face. He winced, but didn't pull away from her. Flashbacks of that morning rose in him as she did so and just as he had then, he allowed his tired eyes to drift shut.

"It's not too bad," he heard himself mumble, his voice deep and rough with exhaustion and emotion, not conscious of having opened his mouth to say anything at all. "You should see the other guy." Only after the words had left him did he realize what a thing this was to say.

She withdrew and he opened his lids to look at her. She wasn't frowning but her usual peaceful expression was missing, which considering the circumstances wasn't unusual. "I did. The both of you look awful. Your minds must have been harassed by a whole flock of Nargles, I've not the slightest idea what the two of you were thinking."

Draco tried to ready himself for what would come next. The speech telling him that he'd done wrong, the goodbye forever. Luna was too good to drag something like this out, but he'd still better start preparing himself psychologically, crush that remaining spark of hope that had somehow survived. His tone remained flat and impersonal as he replied, "I guess we weren't thinking."

It was better this way. Better that she didn't know how much she had come to mean to him. Luna wouldn't want to hurt him, no matter that a day ago he'd have been glad to cause her distress. If she were aware of the role she played in the struggle unfurling within him she'd pity him, and that wouldn't do. He wanted her, mind, body, and soul, not her sympathy.

This shouldn't be a problem, considering that he didn't even deserve that.

While all this was occupying him he was unaware that Luna was still watching him. "What's wrong?"

He was brought back to reality with a crash, forced his demeanour to reflect nonchalance. "Huh? Oh, nothing. Just tired. Was there something you wanted?"

"There are many things I want," she informed him thoughtfully, a smile shining through. Ah, there it was, that smile that he appreciated so much! It never failed to invoke a sense of wonder in him and right now it was like soothing balm to his fraught nerves, never mind that something about it hinted at sadness. "I couldn't say if I wanted any one thing more than another, except maybe for Mother to come back. But then, I suppose that isn't very likely, is it?"

He sat up straighter, her change of countenance lifting his hopes and spirits a little. "Well, what would you ask for if you had three wishes?"

Luna looked coyly at him, like the chaos he'd caused had been nothing, like they were back in detention and today had never happened. "That's a tough one. I want many things but yet I want for almost nothing. I think I'd feel a little selfish having three whole wishes to myself."

Draco shook his head at her, flashed a weak grin. "Sometimes you have to be a little selfish in life."

Luna tilted her head to the side, still smiling at him knowingly, looking like some sort of beautiful, mischievous fairy. "Oh?"

The brightness that had returned to Draco's eyes dulled and he retreated back in on himself at the cliffhanger within this utterance. He blinked at her, bitter even as he knew he didn't have the slightest right to be. "Yeah, but hey, just a thought: why are you here, anyway?"

"Why are any of us here? Where did man come from?"

"I don't know. I'm not really sure about anything anymore."

Luna didn't seem much fazed. "That's perfectly normal, Draco. No need to be ashamed!"

He grimaced, trying and failing to keep from feeling defensive. "I'm not ashamed! Why would I be?"

She giggled, at him or something or other, it was hard to tell, and took a seat on the edge of his bed. "You tell me, Draco," when she'd sobered, but a smile still on her face and those big silvery blue eyes still twinkling.

She wasn't directly accusing him of anything, but guilt still fluttered in Draco's stomach. "Well," he looked down, away from her piercing gaze. "I guess...I've got some things I'm not so proud of."

Luna watched him in silence, swinging her legs aimlessly the same way that had so irritated him in Potions class. He didn't find it irritating now. "I suppose we all do."

"I didn't."

She opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of Madam Pomfrey coming to check up on Draco interrupted her before she was given the chance. The two teens' glances met, agitated smiles on both their faces, giddy and wired at the prospect of being caught holding forbidden, after hours discourse. It was a well known fact that the medi-witch was incredibly strict about her rules concerning visiting hours.

"What do I do?" Luna mouthed, grabbing Draco's hand in fevered tension, suppressing wild laughter as they thought on what to do next.

"I don't know!" The Slytherin whispered back, overcome with mute humour by the situation, a manic grin illuminating his previously melancholic expression. They chuckled silently together as the sound of Madam Pomfrey's approach grew ever closer. Until, finally, Draco acted, pulling Luna to him with a hushed laugh by their still connected hands, assisting her in slipping between the covers into his bed, pressed snugly against him and drawing the blankets over her head, just in time. Not a second later, Madam Pomfrey appeared and he faced the woman with what he hoped was a straight face, trying hard to ignore Luna, who he could feel was still shaking with mirth.

"What's going on?" The healer asked, doing a quick study of the area. "I thought I heard talking in here."

"Definitely wasn't me," he assured her, squinting against the light from her wand as if she'd just woken him. "Unless I was talking in my sleep."

The elderly witch nodded slowly, as if she wasn't sure whether or not she believed him. Eventually, "Yes, the sleeping draught I gave you does have that effect on some people. I'll let you get back to sleep," and she'd left.

Luna surfaced from beneath the blankets with a quiet giggle. "That was some fast thinking, Draco."

He smirked, shrugged, more aware of the warmth of her body against his and sensations this brought forth in him than ever. "Close call."

Disregarding the palpable awkwardness that had, of a sudden, visibly assailed him, Luna cuddled back into the blankets, pulling him back with her so that they were sharing his pillow. "I'm rather comfortable," she shut her eyes in bliss, at ease lying there in the dark beside him. "I almost don't regret your being here here, hurt."

Draco turned so that he was facing her and on his side, growing more and more fond of occupying this limited amount of space with the girl beside him with each passing second. With Luna so plainly untroubled by the position she was currently in, some of the anxiousness that had been pressing on his chest lifted, making it much easier to forget about the worry he still held that his earlier actions had alienated her and instead concentrate on savouring this precious moment. He shifted a little, to be closer to her, and she didn't back away, for which he was glad. He dared to ask, "Why would you, in the first place?"

The Hospital Wing was pitch dark but, accustomed to it, he still managed to see that she was looking cheerful. Did this mean she'd react positively should he give in to the urge to lean in even closer and kiss her that had overcome him? Not knowing for sure, he just scarcely resisted, waiting instead for an answer, speculating what she might be pondering about. "Luna?" He called her to attention softly when she didn't immediately respond.

She turned onto her side also, their faces inches apart, staring into his eyes before speaking. "Of course, I wish you weren't in pain, Draco."

"Oh." Not quite a proclamation of passion for him. He appreciated that she cared about his well being, but couldn't help feeling disappointed. She wished he weren't in pain? That was all?

"I wish there was something I could do to help the two of you. As you know, Jeremy isn't in the best of conditions, either."

Remorse twisted inside him, but envy of the attention she expressed for Jeremy's state conquered it. "I know. I didn't really hold back, but he'll be fine. He deserved it."

Luna hummed some sort of compliance, more to assuage him than because she actually agreed. Something along the lines of, "I don't know about that, Draco. I believe that violence should only be used as a last resort."

"He started it. You'd have seen if you hadn't run off."

"Yes, I was rather confused, wasn't I? Shock does that to me, I guess."

"What were you up to, anyway?"

Luna blew out a puff of air, drew the blankets up to her chin, buying time to consider how to avoid giving a direct answer. Draco waited, watched her, curious and filled with suspense. "You can tell me."

Luna winced at him, apologetically. "I'm afraid I can't."

"What do you mean?" He was incredulous. However much he knew she didn't owe him anything, even as he knew he had no right to be. Of course she wouldn't want to tell him. It was expected considering she had no way of being certain that she could trust him, but still, the secrecy hurt.

She wouldn't spill. It was as simple as that. "I'm sorry, Draco, but I'm not at liberty to say. I'm sure you have secrets."

He regarded her doubtfully, unable to overcome his injured pride. "Are you kidding me, Luna? What, you think I'm going to go telling everyone what you tell me?"

She stared right back at him, holding his gaze, her own indecipherable, refusing to back down. "It's not my secret to tell. Witnessing your part in what happened tonight, I'm not sure that I would tell you even if I could. You're on the wrong side, Draco."

That was Luna, up front and frank, but he'd never known her to be partial before. At least, she'd never shown it. He sat up, drew away from her, brow creased scornfully.

"What are you talking about, Loon? There were two participants to what happened tonight. Have you seen my fucking face? Your good friend Jeremy is to thanks for that. Anyway, I made up for wrecking whatever it was you were planning by not ratting you or your friends out!"

For the first time ever, Luna's expression turned hard on him. To Draco's surprise and unhappiness she threw the bedclothes from herself roughly and rolled off the mattress and to her feet to begin pacing before the bed frame inattentively, gesturing frustratedly as she spoke.

"So, we're back to the name calling again, are we? See! I thought you were through with that! I know what you did, Draco, and I'm thankful for it, but if I can't believe with absolute conviction that you'll only ever call me by my actual name from here on, how can I possibly trust you with something I've been sworn to secrecy to keep?"

Feeling queasy, he listened to what she had to say without disruption. Fear that this time he'd gone too far, fear of losing her, pumped steadily through him as he watched her disbelievingly. Oh, what had he gone and done now? Yet despite the regret he was already feeling for being the cause of her current outburst, it still remained overly difficult to reign in his unwarranted pride.

"So that's it, is it? You don't trust me. Well, at least now I know it! Last time I bloody do anything for you!"

The words filled the air about them and hung there, whispered heatedly and now impossible to take back. Yet that was exactly what Draco was wishing with all his strength he had the ability to do, right now. Luna, who had halted on the spot, was surveying him with fire in her eyes. He couldn't tell whether she was angered or just discouraged with him but either way, the manner in which she was looking at him had his chest tightening with sharp pains.

She fixed him sadly. They hadn't been on speaking terms for very long, but the possibility of what they'd come to develop...whatever it was, be on its way to ending this way, now, over such an unneeded dispute, was more heart wrenching than could have been expected. It was a short time to have built such a powerful bond, but powerful it was. They'd been friends, had begun to truly understand and accept each other, she'd thought. They'd been on the verge of really beginning to cherish each other, or at least she had, but now all that was smashed to pieces.

Such pessimism was overwhelming. She wasn't used to it, had an aptitude for looking on the bright side, even when things got really tough. When she missed her mother unbearably, when the daily mocking became too much, she'd take a deep breath and assure herself that everything would be alright. And it always did turn out all right, but at the moment even this knowledge didn't make her feel any better.

"First and last time," she agreed, but it was said bitterly and with tears in her voice that quickly sprang to her eyes. "Alright, well that's that, then, isn't it? I'll be going now." Draco watched her turn to leave, frozen where he was, wanting to get up and run to her and wrap her in his arms, but unable, stuck where he was. "See you in Potions tomorrow, Draco," as she tried unsuccessfully to force cheer into her voice, "get better soon!"

She slipped through the slit in the curtains pulled closed around them and walked away to disappear from both his sight and life together.

Draco remained in the exact same position she'd left him in, sitting up straight, leaning forward, staring hard at the curtain still fluttering from her passage as if this might be able to bring her back. He opened his mouth to call after her, forgetting where he was, but this turned out not to matter, because no words came. Instead, he gave a pitiful moan and stuffed his fist into his mouth, biting into his knuckles hard to keep himself from beginning to cry.

She'd bewitched him. Why else would he care so much whether she went or stayed after only two days of spending time with her? You couldn't miss what you didn't have, but yet with Luna gone the sun would disappear from his life. It was messed up, so messed up and he felt so weak, but yet he wouldn't have it any other way. He didn't love her, or at least he didn't know for sure that he did, but what was certain was that she was the best thing in his life right now.

He was so consumed in his own misery that he gave a little jump when, past the ever present darkness the curtains parted and the figure of a person became discernible. Surprised, he stared down at his blanket clad knees to avoid eye contact with the intruder, who was probably Madam Pomfrey. When he did dare to take a peek it was to lock eyes with the last person he'd expected to see.

"Luna." He swallowed to rid the thickness from his voice, but her name still escaped his lips sounding husky. He watched her come closer and then sit on the edge of his bed again, her round eyes still wet.

"I understand that you're hurt, have been hurt in your life, Draco, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt others. To hurt me."

He'd never heard anything more true in his life and suddenly the self pity disappeared, at least for the moment, and all that was left was hope and shame. "Yeah."

"You don't trust me. You don't trust that I'm looking out for your best interest. You don't trust that I'm not going to hurt you, but I'm telling you. Listen," she forced him to look her in the eyes out of sheer will. "I never will."

Warmth invaded him and such tenderness that it overpowered him, but still, he had to ask, the words coming out filled with sad longing, "Why can't you just tell me what you were doing tonight?"

Luna held his gaze calmly. "If we were on the same side, you wouldn't have to ask that question."

He heaved a sigh, indignant. Nobody got him like Luna, but nobody could make him crazier, either. "But we're not one the same side! We'll never be on the same side and not because I don't want to be."

"Of course you could be if you truly wanted to!"

"Not with my family."

Luna remained silent, but he got the feeling she still didn't really agree. No matter. She didn't have to agree. She just had to stay with him. "I wonder what your family's like."

Draco couldn't suppress a chuckle at her peculiarity. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"Oh, but I do!" She turned so that her big eyes were smouldering into him, snuggled in close enough that Draco flushed a little bit. "Could I meet your parents, one day?"

He stared at her blankly for a few seconds before slowly nodding his head. "Sure, though I've no idea why you'd want to go do that."

She smiled secretly at him. "Curiosity."

"What are your parents like?"

He'd already voiced the question when it occurred to him that he'd said something wrong. Luna hadn't yet responded, seemed to be thinking over how to communicate her answer. His heart going out to her, he decided to make things easier for her by rephrasing the question. "What do you like the most about your dad?"

Luna's answer was immediate. "Everything."

Draco reached hesitantly for her hand before asking, "And your mother? You must miss her a lot."

Luna accepted his grasp willingly, a sad smile pulling at her lips as images of her dearly departed mother overwhelmed her. "Yeah. I really do."

Awkwardly, as he was unused to being so sentimental, "I'm here if you ever want to...talk about it. Just... so you know."

She leaned her head against his shoulder. "And if I don't want to talk about it?"

Decidedly, "Then I'm here, too."

A grin. "Okay."

They remained in companionable silence for a short while, hands still linked. Draco couldn't help noticing that Luna had beautiful hands. They fit perfectly in his bigger ones. It was with a tenderness he hadn't even known he possessed that he stroked and squeezed and massaged them.

Things were perfect, too perfect to express when suddenly, "I'm sorry, Luna."

Had he really just apologized to Luna Lovegood? Well, that was a first, but yet he actually didn't feel at all conflicted about having done so.

Luna stayed dumb for a few moments. Draco thought she might have fallen asleep when, finally, she spoke up. "It's okay." If she was as surprised at the apology as he was, she was doing a very good job of hiding it.

But it wasn't okay. Being so easily forgiven only made him feel worse about all the misery he'd caused her. Usually he was pretty ruthless, but Luna he was genuinely sorry to have hurt. "I really am, you know."

She lay a featherlight touch on his arm. "I know. It's okay, Draco."

"You know," an incredulous smile spread across his face, "if someone had told me we'd be having this conversation, lying next to each other like this, a week ago I'd have called them mad. Taken it as an insult."

"Yes," she agreed, "our situation is definitely strange. You've smartened up since then, though," he could hear the teasing in her voice and it only helped reassure him that he really had been forgiven. "Why are we having this conversation, at all, though, Draco? I don't want to jump to any conclusions, so please, enlighten me. The reason I've been thinking seems like it could never be a possibility in a million years."

He turned an appraising glance on her, the edge of smile entering his voice. "What possibility was that?"

"Oh no you shan't, you shan't get it out of me that easily!" Sudden vivacity had entered Luna and she regarded him with twinkling eyes as she spoke.

He chuckled again, pulled her back against him. "Can I guess?"

Luna nodded solemnly, blinking those beautiful, soulful eyes. "Go ahead."

"You like me?"

"Well, that's hardly difficult to see, is it?"

"I like you."

"Thank you, Draco."

"I like pudding."

"I thought you hated pudding!"

"I never said I hated pudding! Did I say I hated pudding? I'm pretty sure I never said that!"

"Yes, you did! I was most shocked at your dislike of it."

"Well, I've warmed up to it."

They remained in silence, still hand in hand, Luna's head resting on Draco's shoulder. She tilted so that she was looking up at him, so that he was looking into her face, smiled warmly at him before giving his shoulder a little kiss. A pleasant shock of sweetness filled him at her daring, goosebumps spread over the affected area. He chuckled a little, nervously, gave her hand a squeeze.

"So, what happens tomorrow, Draco?"

He looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"What happens tomorrow?"

"You mean, will things go back to the way they were before?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know. No."

"Shall we just see what happens, then?"

"Yes, that will probably be for the best."

"People will be talking."

"Let them talk."

"Do you want to be my partner in Potions tomorrow?"

He kissed her cheek, nuzzled the soft flesh affectionately, grinning at her through the dark. "That, on the other hand, I'm not sure about."

A/N: There it is ! End of the chapter. Hope you guys liked it, it was a joy to write :) Let me know what you would personally have done differently if you find that any of the characters seemed OOC. Thanks for reading! Please review!

xox Sacha