Severus Snape sighed as he stared out the window into the night that was as black as his soul felt inside. It was a heavy, damp black; the kind of black that leeched the warmth from your soul. He leaned his forehead against the cool black of the window pain and wished the inky night would swallow him in it.

It had been the only way to help her, that promise. The only way to make her see that nothing would ever go wrong for her if he could just be there to help her. As soon as he realized what he had promised for her, he'd told Dumbledore. His mentor and friend had been kind, understanding even – a strange trait in someone who knew the manner in which they would die.

Now that Lucius was out of prison, she was rarely seen. If he was honest with himself, he'd admit that he loved Narcissa, and always had. If he were stronger, braver, he would have saved her from this disaster of a marriage she was trapped in. If he were anyone but himself, he would save her.

That's what angered him most about James Potter. Even though Lily Evans hated him, he protected her from the world. James was brave enough for the woman he loved, even when she wouldn't speak to him. And his son showed the same strength. Severus knew he was worthless.

The screaming from the master bedroom had ended nearly an hour ago, but it echoed in his soul.

A loud banging drug him out of his pool of self pity. Severus crossed to the door and opened it, shocked to find Draco Malfoy on the other side. Quickly, he pulled him inside and slammed the door. With the door shut, no one else in the house could hear what went on in this room.

"He killed her!" Draco shouted in a voice hoarse from heart-wrenching sobs. "He killed my mother. The only one who ever showed me any form of kindness…"

Feeling the same broken heart, Severus held the young man as though he were only a toddler. The two sank to their knees and mourned the loss of a woman who had been the only reason for either of them to continue on.

"What do I do, Professor?" Draco finally hiccupped. "I don't want to end up like my father. I want a chance to live."

Severus leaned back and looked at the young man who was so like his mother.

"I couldn't save Narcissa, even though I loved her as much as I'm capable of loving anyone," he admitted, wondering why the words were coming now, when the one who needed them was gone. "I won't let her only child suffer anymore."

He felt different, like it was okay to stand up for himself finally. He'd always been bullied; first by his father, then his so-called "friends." Now, at long last, Severus was going to do something to make Albus and Narcissa proud of him.

"We'll go to the house of someone who was kind to me once, someone who owes me a favor," he told his young companion.

"What if they try to find us?" Draco asked, his fear making him sound like small child.

"They'll have to kill me, this time," the raven-haired man answered grimly.

Meanwhile…

Luna Lovegood smiled absently at the tiny grey kitten her father had given her. She really enjoyed the little cat's antics, but she was waiting for her father to drop the other shoe. He only bought her presents when he was leaving her alone for a while. Luna only vaguely wondered where he was going this time.

"Darling," Copper Lovegood began, "I have to go to Russia for a week, but I promise to return before you head back to school."

"Yes, Daddy," Luna sighed. "What is it this time?"

"There are reports that the vampires are mating with Sun-Seekers."

"Sun-Seekers?" Luna asked curiously. "Is this a real creature or one of your tips?"

"A Sun-Seeker is a creature that can only live in full sunlight and feeds on the pigment in muggles, making them more likely to get sunburns," Copper informed her, his eyes dancing.

"Ah," Luna said slowly, turning away. "A tip from one of your reporters. Have fun, Daddy."

"I'm sorry to leave you again, Luna," he said, whining just a little.

"It's fine," Luna said, smiling brightly. "I really don't mind. Bring me back something nice."

As he wandered toward his bedroom to pack, Luna nearly cried. Her mother was dead, true, but her father might as well be for all he was always gone! Life never went as planned in Luna's world.

A knock on the door drew her attention. She rose to answer it, only to be eaten to the door by her father.

"I've got it, sweetheart."

Luna scowled, but the look quickly gave way to shock as the door opened and admitted Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy.

"Bloody hell!" she swore brightly. "Dad, quick, call the aurors."

"Quiet, Luna," Copper snapped. "Severus, what the devil are you doing here?"

"I've come to collect on the debt you owe me," the former professor answered.

With a furtive glance at his daughter, Copper nodded. "We'll talk back here."

The two adults left the room, leaving Draco and Luna alone.

"Um…" the young man started.

"Stuff it, Malfoy," Luna snapped, stalking into the kitchen.

Draco followed, curiosity overriding his good sense. "You seem different at school."

Luna rolled her eyes and pulled the milk pitcher out of the refrigerator. "Well, everyone at school is expecting an idiot when they talk to me. When I started school, I believed everything my father told me, by the time I was old enough to think for myself, it was just easier to stick with everyone's preconceived notions."

Draco snorted and sat heavily in a chair. "Tell me about it," he mumbled.

Luna stared at him questioningly for a moment, then grabbed two glasses and brought the milk to the table. Draco looked up in surprise, but accepted the glass.

"I'm not sure what's going on here, Malfoy," she informed him. "My instinct says to trust you, and my instinct is never wrong. Tell me what's happened."

"What makes you think something happened?" he asked.

"My instincts are never wrong," she repeated. "Talk, Draco. Who else have you got to share things with?"

Slowly, he began to open up, telling Luna about the beatings he'd received as a child, and the mental torture he endured constantly around his father, the curses from Voldemort, the rare love shown by his mother, for which they'd both been punished. Once he started, he couldn't seem to stop…spilling secrets he'd held since before he began school. Luna sat quietly, absorbing everything. She was rather shocked.

Honestly, Luna hadn't expected Draco to say anything, let alone everything. Her heart pained her for his horrifying story, and she could see why accepting the task of killing Dumbledore had seemed like an escape route.

As the story ended, Draco seemed exhausted, but less troubled. Luna reached out and took his hand, surprised that he didn't pull away.

"It's going to get better, Draco," she said quietly.

In Draco's Eyes…

He couldn't seem to look away from those silvery-grey pools that were her eyes. For some reason, when she said it would get better, it comforted him like no one else had ever been able to do. Maybe it was because she'd listened without judging him, or that she exuded warmth and comfort, or because she'd touched him without recoiling. Whatever the reason, Draco found himself glad he'd told her.

Severus and Copper came into the kitchen, and he snatched his hand back; a habit born of many years of punishment for affection. Neither man said a word, but Draco noticed that Luna left her hand exactly where it had been before.

"It's time you knew the truth, Luna," Copper began. "The Quibbler has been a front. I've been making up stories in order to excuse my many trips. I've been running espionage operations for years for the Order of the Phoenix."

"That's a relief," Luna said calmly.

Draco looked between them, still at a loss of how to deal with a focused, confident Luna Lovegood.

"I was beginning to think you'd lost your mind, Dad."

Copper flushed. "I never meant to hide it from you, but now that Severus has come, I have to get him in to see the Order. They need to know the truth about what happened, and I'm the only other person who was present for that dreadful conversation."

Luna sat patiently waiting for her father to finish his tale, but Draco felt an irrational urge to comfort her, despite her lack of outward signs of distress.

"You and Mr. Malfoy should wait here, we won't be gone more than a few days."

Draco stared at Severus. "You can't leave me! What am I supposed to do if they come after me?"

"Get to somewhere the Death Eaters would never look for you," Snape said. "I have to make this trip in order to get us permanent safe placement."

Draco felt a tremor of fear, but he quickly suppressed it. "All right, but hurry."

The two men nodded, and within moments they were gone. Draco sat tensed for a moment, then realized they had left a sixteen year old girl alone with a seventeen year old boy. Whatever their reasoning had been, the recently departed men were both idiots.