It was cold. One of the coldest days of the coldest winters that Europe had ever known. Though it was not snowing, the rain that poured from the skies above felt just as cold against his skin.

Yet Draco Malfoy could feel not but a thing. Having spent a solid hour under the harsh weather already. Though if one were to ask he would say he was unaware of the time that had passed since leaving the Manor.

One thing he could remember however was the intense need he felt to jump as he looked down at the raging waters of the river below and the weight of the nearly empty bottle of firewhiskey on his hand.

That had been the day he met her. Though one might say they had actually met back in school, it would be wrong. It was during a cold June evening that Draco Lucius Malfoy truly met Luna Lovegood.

He had just taken the mark a week prior and he was finally starting to understand what it meant to be a servant under the Dark Lord. It was a life he had wanted nothing more before it became his reality. And to have his mother's life hanging by a single thread tied to an impossible task he was so being charged with.

It all had just made his snap.

Luna had saved him that night. And all she had to do was keep a careful distance and speak in gentle tones. Even as he had shouted passionately at her that she knew nothing of what he was going through, all she had done was smile at him and hold out her hand for him to take and say, "Well, why don't you tell me, I have been told I'm a good listener, and I would never judge you." She had promised.

They became close friends in the summer before their sixth year. That's why when he saw the look of hurt and betrayal on her face when she saw him exit the corridor that lead up to the astronomy tower it had felt like he was the one hit with an unforgivable.

The year that followed had not been easy on him. Especially when she kept finding trouble at every corner of the castle. But he kept trying to keep her out from under the Carrows watch.

She seemed to have caught onto what he was doing because before the left for the holidays she came up to him.

"Thank you." She had said coming to a stop by his compartment. He had looked up at her, his eyes slowly rose up to meet hers. "Here." She hadn't allowed him to speak when she had handed him a small box.

"For me?" He asked in confusion as he started down at the coin in his hand.

She had smiled at him as she placed it in his hands. "I don't know what's going on with you right now, but if you want to talk, people say that I'm a really good listener." And with that she had walked out of the compartment.

The next time he saw her she was being held hostage in his own house.

Draco was snapped out of his thoughts when his wife's hand came to rest on his shoulder. He turned his gaze towards her, and away from the blonde with the dazed carefree smile in the distance.

"Are you alright, Draco?" Astoria Malfoy (Née Greengrass) asked with a worried crinkle to her brow. "You seemed to be lost in thought."

Carefully the blond schooled his face into his well crafted mask of disinterest. "It's Dear, nothing to worry about."

She noticed the lie, but she mentioned none of it, instead she choose to smile and ignore the obvious look of longing that her husband sent to the blonde carefree beauty that was seeing her twin sons off the Hogwarts Express. "Well get that look off your face, Scorp wants to introduce us to his best mate, and first impressions on children are important." She reminded.

Draco nodded. "Of course."

Draco had been surprised when the wedding invitation arrived that morning. Honestly he did not expect one to arrive at all. Then again he was pretty sure that she had forgotten all about him by now.

"Well then, I should have known all of this was just another one of your pet projects." He yelled. "Oh yes, I'll befriend the Malfoy bastard and-"

"Oh Draco," Luna sighed, sounding truly hurt by his words. "do you truly think of me this way?" She asked. "Surely after spending all this time with me you would know that I would never do something of the sort."

"Well obviously I was wrong wasn't I?" He sneered.

"I was under the impressions that we had an understanding, and that you had changed, It does sadden me to know both are wrong." Luna sighed again as she rose from her seat and made her way to the fireplace.

Draco's eyes narrowed and his hand reached out to wrap around her arm. "Where do you think your going, we're not done talking. "

"Please let go of my arm Draco, you're starting to hurt me." She asked calmly and he released her arm as if it burned him and made to apologise only for her to shake her head. "You are right, we were not done talking, but right now you step clearly upset, and we cannot speak like this." She explained placing a hand on his shoulder.

"We will talk when you are willing to listen to reason, not before then." She said decisively.

"No." He had said. "If you walk out of here, you won't be hearing from me again. Ever." He promised.

Luna gave him a sad smile. "I really hope not." She said before walking away from him again. This time ever made no move to stop her. "I hope to see you at my wedding."

"Goodbye Luna Lovegood." He had said before sharply turning on his heel and leaving the room, not bothering to catch the smile Luna sent his way before she disappeared in a burst of green flames.

That very same year Draco went to his parents and contented to his engagement to Astoria Greengrass. The wedding invitation was returned, and because Draco just couldn't help himself, he sent one for his own wedding.

Because a small part of him hoped that even she saw it she would change her mind and see just how much he loved her and maybe, just maybe, she would realize the same thing about herself.

Luna Lovegood showed up to the wedding with her fiance Rolf Scamander, and a brilliant smile on her face, one that almost made people focus more on her smile than on the vibrant yellow dress she was wearing.

That day Astoria pretended not to have noticed that her husband looked like he was headed to his own funeral rather than his wedding. She also pretended not to notice that the only reason he had insisted on having sunflowers as part of the arrangements was to make another woman smile…

Years later a baby announcement from the Scamanders was in the papers, and Astoria tried harder than ever to procure her husband with an heir of his own.

And until Scorpius was born and being held in his father's arms did she ever see Draco look so proud.

That was the image Astoria Malfoy(Greengrass) would save and hold dear in her heart and savour until her last breath .

The next time he saw her he was years older and just as defeated. This time his wife was gone, both his parents had long since passed and his son was missing and nowhere to be found along with Potter's own brat.

He was surprised to find her knocking at his front door. "What do you want?" He asked bitterly, quickly placing a careful mask of indifference.

She smiled at him, a small tug of her lips that pulled at his heartstrings in a was that hadn't been done in over 20 years. "Are you alright, I heard about your son, and your wife. " She said gently.

Draco straightened up and pulled the door open wider to allow her own walk in. "Come in." He aid forever turning round and leaving her to close the door behind her.

She followed him in and towards the sitting room. Luna watched him take a seat and pour himself a heavy glass of firewhiskey. She said nothing as she watched him closely and took a seat across from him.

She waited patiently for him to either finish his glass or to set it down before she spoke again.

"You know, I've been told I'm a really good listener, if you want to talk, I'm right here." She offered.

Draco sniffed, the corners of his mouth twisting into a pained smile. "I know."

And thought she was in the room with him. Listening to him and lifting some of the weight off of his shoulders.

She really wasn't.

She was just settling a deeper one on to the heart that beat inside his chest.