The Slytherin meets The Ravenclaw

He, Draco Malfoy, walked down the dark halls of Malfoy Manor at three-o-clock in the morning. The haunting events of yesterday were still fresh in his mind, he felt guilty when he remembered the way that he had lied. Harry Fucking Potter! He came, he fought, and he rescued all…except one. Luna Lovegood. He slowly made his way through the dining room, trying not to disturb the owls that were roosting. Somewhere during this damn war he had developed a conscience, and his conscience was bugging him to go check on the blonde-headed Ravenclaw that was currently in the dungeons.

When he arrived at his destination, he peeked across the corner to make sure that Wormtail was indeed gone, and slowly crept to the rusted steel door. The door had been here for as long as his family could remember. It had a complex locking system on it that was only known to the Malfoys. He muttered the password and the door unlocked itself rather loudly.

Panic stricken, he quickly cracked it and rushed down the corridors to the back where the faint light of a candle could be seen, as could a tear streaked face. She looked around wildly at the source of the noise before her eyes rested on him. She stood up quickly and crossed her arms over her chest after wiping her eyes. He suddenly regretted coming down here, it was awkward to be standing here like this with her.

"Hello Draco…" she finally said. "Luna," he returned.

"What brings you to the dungeons this late at night?" she whispered.

Deciding to go with the truth instead of the scathing remark that had bubbled up in his head. "I-I wanted to see how you were doing…" she looked puzzled at his words, like she was trying to solve an equation.

"Is that why you really came? I mean I'm sure that you're telling the truth, but you seem to have more pressing matters on your mind, we both do." she questioned sitting back down. He was confused and awed at her. She was in HIS house and in HIS dungeons, and she was being flippant with him as well as analyzing him. She should be begging him to get her out of here, not caring on a conversation.

"Why I really came isn't any of your business." He sneered at her. She shrugged it off which annoyed him a little.

"I think you have a nasty case of knargles down here my shoes have disappeared while I was sleeping"

He smirked. "How do you know that Wormtail didn't take them, or a house elf for that matter?" He had heard about her weird non-sense in school. Pansy said that she really believes in these things, she had actually laughed in her face. Come to think of it, she was the reason they called her "Loony Lovegood".

"Well you can't open the door unless you make a sound and I'm a rather light sleeper, a house elf wouldn't take my shoes unless it could apparate down in here because the doors heavy so….that being said it must be knargles." She concluded soundly, she was very aware of his smirk down at her. She decided to ignore it for right now. It was excellent to have a visitor, her heart was still sore at Harry and the others for leaving her. She dismissed the anger to the fact that maybe he didn't have enough time but she knew it was a lie. He had shoved her back onto the floor as did everyone else and left her. She looked at Draco, he was very conflicted in his head, she could see that much. He had a look that said he was deep in thought about what she had just said.

"That sounds almost reasonable…" he muttered after a long pause. She smiled at him, happy that he even thought about the knargles. She swore that she could see a blush in his face. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

"So how is the war going? I'm afraid that I don't get much news down here." She said as she looked up at a small window that was half in-half out of the earth.

"He-who-must-not-be-named is still winning, Potter has gone off the grid with Weasley and Granger, the sword of Gryffindor is still missing, so all in all we've reached a small stand-still" he summed up, not missing the small flame that flickered and died in her eyes when he had mentioned the trio. She sighed, looking intently into the small flame that was beginning to die out.

"War is truly a terrible thing to have, but in a way it's good. Everyone works out differences at some point in it. Others learn what their true nature is and some learn things about themselves that they never even knew they knew." She summed up, she blushed when he looked at her with a small smile. An actual genuine smile.

"So there truly is a Ravenclaw behind that brain, and I thought it was just a mad woman at her best." he smirked. She giggled and nodded.

"I know that I can be quiet dense at times but I really do have a good reason for everything that I do. I think I got my quirks from my mom, I was quiet little when she died." She smiled, he felt a funny thing happen to his stomach when she smiled, but at the end of her sentence the smile fell.

"What happened to her?" he asked in a solemn voice. She looked startled at his question.

"She was a brilliant witch, she liked to experiment, one day one of her spells went wrong and she died a horrible death. I was nine at that time…You know my dad wasn't always like that, he used to be more…alive. When mom died I think she took a piece of him with her."

"I understand. My parents aren't really bad people, they used to be more alive as well. The brief years when everyone believed that Lord Voldemort was dead they eased up on me a little. I think my dad actually smiled a few times, they decorated more often and it wasn't always cold and dark in the manor."

They looked at each other with small smiles of their own. Each happy that the other knew the treks they had gone through.

"I think the manor would look more comfortable with some light colored tapestries, some colorful things, maybe some new sofas."

He thought about that for a few minutes "I agree that would makes some improvement."

She smiled at him. He talked to her like an actual person, only Ginny had ever done that. "Do-Do you think that we can be friends Draco?" she asked looking down. He was taken aback by her question. When he thought about it she couldn't really have that many friends. If the trio had left her… she wasn't any different than him. He had "Friends" but he didn't have any real friends. Maybe she could be his missing friend. "Yes, I think we can."

She looked up at him with the biggest smile he's ever seen and his stomach did that funny thing again. She was shocked that he would even consider being friends with her. Her whole day just got brighter.

"Are you sure your status can handle being friends with loony Luna Lovegood.?" she teased, there was a warm light in her eyes.

"I own the school, anyone says a thing about me or YOU and I'll make them suffer, they tease us about our friendship and I'll kill them." He stated, not missing the shade of pink that surfaced on her cheeks. He liked talking with her like this, he was sure she liked it to.

"I can be the brightest witch at times, you know."

"I can imagine but sometimes you truly are mad." He said with a small smile. She liked to see that smile on his face, it made him look a lot younger.

"You should smile more often, it makes you look a little more approachable." She said. He pondered that for a second, she made the war disappear for him while they were talking, and they talked like they knew each other deep down. Outside of school she really was a decent person.

"It's getting light out Draco, you should go." She said abruptly. He was startled.

"I'll be back, what about you? What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Sit around and plan an escape route I guess."

He watched as the candle flicked out and another took its place.

"Well I wish you luck, I'll see you tonight if you can't come up with anything good." He smiled.

"Good luck to you too. I hope you resolve the thoughts in your head." She called out as he shut the door. He sighed. The moment he went up the stairs he was barraged by none other than Voldemort himself. Everyone in the manor had showed up in the dining room.

"Draco, good morning, what were you doing down there?" Voldemort asked him. Everyone in the room seemed to be on edge. Bellatrix and Fenrir were ready to kill him by their stances.

"I was talking to the Ravenclaw." He answered simply. The truth might be good right now.

"I see. A school acquaintance I presume?" Draco didn't miss the dangerous tone to his voice, one wrong answer and he could end Luna's life. Why should that bother him? He only just met her.

"Yes, my lord. We're close, she's one of the few pure-bloods in the other houses." He answered fearing it to be the wrong answer.

Voldemort clapped. "I see, that must be why potter didn't save her."

"Yes, my lord, she's a little loony though. I think it's because she saw her mother die in front of her."

"Loony?"

"She believes in weird things, my lord. She only has a few friends, myself included, and her father has refrained from teaching her how to be a lady in society. As a result she's very alone in school and by herself." He didn't know why he was lying like this for her, maybe because she was his first real friend.

"But why would you go and visit her early in the morning?"

"I-I didn't want to cause a disturbance such as this in the house. I was trying to console her in some small way. She said that she rather prefers it here, amongst other pure-bloods, but that it was a shame that she couldn't be here with us. I asked her if she would like me to inquire about her release, but she said no. She's afraid to shame her family name."

"Yes, I see, a shame indeed. Narssica." He said calmly. His mother jumped to attention. "Yes, My lord." She said bowing low.

"Bring her up from the dungeons and get her in some suitable clothes. It's your job now to teach her how to be a lady." She bowed low and started toward the dungeon.

Draco grabbed her arm. "My lord, I don't mean to question your order, but I think it would be best if I brought her up from the dungeons. She doesn't take too easy to others, she'd probably hurt my mother."

"Then bring her up, dear boy, tell her she's among friends."

Draco bowed low and turned away. He reached the door in record time. He smiled at the joy on Luna's face, as he entered.

She felt her heart sore a little at the sight of him. No one had ever talked to her the way he did, no one ever made her blush before.

"Draco." She said smiling at him, he looked happy but uneasy. He transfigured a bench out of the table that was in the room.

"We need to talk, I think I have an escape out of here for you." She beamed at him, he was unlike the cold person at school here. She sat down and he sat next to her. Though the bench was quiet long, he sat leg to leg with her, and that made her happier than she already was.

"Really, what is it?" she asked in her calmest voice.

"You are, in fact, pure-blood?" he asked. The happiness fell a little.

"Yes, I am." She answered. What did that have to do with anything?

"I may have lied a little, I was caught leaving and if I had said the truth about my visit he would've killed you. I told him we were close at school, that you were a little disturbed…because of you mothers death. I also told him that your father had refrained from teaching you the ways of society so you were alone in school." He took a deep breath, he hoped that he wouldn't lose her friendship with this.

She sat silent for a few minutes and looked at him in the eyes. "You lied for me?"

He felt his throat go dry, he nodded yes. Her face lit up and before he could react she hugged him.

"Thank you Draco, that means a lot to me." She whispered as best she could.

"My mother's going to teach you how to be a lady now, just play the part and you'll never have to be down here again…and remember that you have to hate all mud-bloods. If Voldemort gives you an order follow no matter what. E-e-e-even if it's to kill someone." He said hugging her back that funny feeling was back in his stomach.

"We have a little problem though." His heart fell.

"What's wrong?"

"My legs are too tired to walk right now, I don't know how I'm going to get up those stairs and I haven't slept or ate in days."

"I'll carry you up and I think I can buy you one days rest and I think I can make a buffet meal." He said immediately.

He picked her up bridal style and held her close to his chest. He didn't notice the blush that stained her face though. Only her father had carried her like this and that was on rare occasions. She took in how he smelled and the fact that he was a foot taller that her. She liked to be held this way. It made her feel protected and safe.

"Now bury your face into my chest and stay quiet, no matter what anyone says" he whispered as they strode into the cold room. She could feel everyone's eyes watching her. "She's not well right now My Lord, she needs rest before she meets anyone right now. I'm afraid she'll attack someone."

"Why are you saying that Draco?" Narssica asked stepping towards him. Luna's head swiveled and she growled at Narssica, who stepped back quickly. Fenrir looked amused at her.
"She'll warm up to everyone, just give her time." He assured as he left the hall. The walk up the stairs was silent. He smiled at her snoring. He decided that he liked holding her in his arms, she had her hands curled in his shirt and her head in the crook of his neck.

A house elf opened the door for him and he laid her down on the white sheets of his bed. She woke up with a start and looked around until she laid her eyes on him. She relaxed at seeing him, she thought that it was all a dream. She hadn't meant to doze off, but she couldn't help it, he was so warm and comfy. He smiled at her.

"I'm sooo sorry I didn't mean to fall asleep." She apologized quickly. He just laughed and sat down beside her.

"It's ok, it was…cute." He chuckled. She blushed and looked away. "Well, when you put it that way it's hard to be mad at myself."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, you need the rest. They're going to let you sleep for a bit then eat and then the training on how to be a lady begins."

"I don't want to even think about that right now." She sighed lazily.

"What do you want to think about?"

"Hm, sleeping, food, school, and the years before the war…" he thought about those. They sounded really, really good right now. No worries and no concerns, just boring days that weren't brought in by death reports and master plans to kill the-boy-who-lived.

"I'm going to sleep now, wake me up if the war somehow ends." She murmured drifting off. He smiled lazily at her, then transfigured her clothes into a satin blue night gown that had spaghetti straps and stopped just below her knees. He pulled the covers over her and left the room, after arming it with complex locking spells. But before that he left her wand on the nightstand beside her.

He walked calmly down to the dining room for the "planning sessions" with the most important death-eaters, his father and mother included.

As he arrived he noted with dismay that he was late. He bowed and said many an apology.

"Don't make this a habit Draco." Was all Voldemort said on the matter. He nodded his head and took his new chair by his parents.

The usual discussions were had, murder, potter and his friends, and tortures. His mind was really focused on the girl in his bed at the moment.

When she finally woke up she smiled. As she sat up she grabbed her wand off the nightstand. His room was almost like hers except everything was more extravagant and expensive. His bed was a king-size poster bed that had a green canopy and white sheets. He had an oak dresser and desk. The desk was littered with papers and quills. She cast a quick spell and the desk organized itself. He had a fireplace that wasn't being used so she started a fire. It was only then that she noticed the dress she wore. She let a tear fall at his thoughtfulness. The room looked so cold and dark and big. She put it on a mental list to broach him about that. She walked around and found the bathroom that was complete with a sunken tub, shower, and hot tub. There were three bookcases wall to wall, filled with huge books. She sat down at the hearth and watched the fire burn, waiting, just waiting.

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