wDraco sighed as he looked around for her blond head. A bitterly cold wind whipped through the air, making him pull his cloak tighter as he leaned back against the wall to shield himself. He closed his eyes wondering where she was.

"Draco! I'm sorry I'm late!" Luna said breathlessly.

Opening his eyes he saw that she was standing in front of him; her usual dreamy expression on her face. He was used to her tardiness, it was just one of those things about her that he adores, but he never could bring himself to be less than punctual. The waiting only increased his anxiety to see her; made him want to see her more.

She had a black cloak over her robes but the pale yellow color showed at the neck, like a moon in a dark sky. She donned her usual radish earrings and butterbeer cork necklace and he was glad. He'd seen her once without them, and she had looked incomplete then, almost naked. Her long blond hair fell haphazardly around her shoulders and framed her face. Her grey eyes sparkled, so like his yet completely different.

"It's no problem," he waved off her apology with his hand. "Where do you want to go for lunch?"

She titled her head to the side, a small smile pulling at her full lips. "Naples."

He laughed. For someone so innocent and wistful she sure had expensive and exotic taste. "I was thinking somewhere a bit closer."

Frowning, she considered it. "All right then. Applegate's Inn. They have the most delicious salads there."

He nodded, smiling at her. "Sure." Grabbing her hand out of habit they walked down the sidewalk and into the small restaurant.

Despite its name Applegate's Inn was not an actual inn; it was a café dimly lit by only candles. The middle-aged woman that was their waitress smiled at them like she knew something they didn't and took their order expertly after seating them in a cozy booth at the back of the dinning room.

Ordering coffee and salads, they sat and talked for over two hours. The waitress came and cleared their plates only after they had sat for a long time without eating. Draco knew she sensed they wanted their privacy.

Speaking softly, Luna said, "Will you be in the office tomorrow?"

"Of course," Draco replied as he set down his empty coffee cup. He had nursed it for as long as he could knowing it would be awhile before he got more. Dismissing the idea of conjuring up more with magic, he leaned back.

"I won't be. It's… well—" she faltered uncharacteristically.

"The anniversary of your mother's death. I know," he told her gently, not having the heart to have her say the words herself. The pain reflected in her eyes. She always put on a brave front, saying that her father was all she needed now, but he knew she missed her mother dearly. Every day.

She nodded slowly. "My father won't be in either."

He nodded this time. "I know. I'll deal with the office. You two just… Well, take all the time you need."

Smiling slightly and looking at the table, she whispered, "Thank you, Draco."

Instinctively, wanting to heal her pain, he reached out and took her hand in his. It was a strange feeling for him, wanting to protect, since it never happened with anyone else before. It was small, soft, and warm in his. A comfortable silence fell over the pair and the waitress slipped in to fill their cups and then slide away again into the shadows wordlessly.

With a sigh he looked at his watch and let go of her hand. "We have to get back."

Luna frowned. "Do we have to?"

"Yes. We can't take too long of a lunch break or your father will worry."

Making a face that made Draco chuckle at, Luna said, "He's only working on the front page about the nargles."

"Still…."

With a sigh, Luna stood. Her hand reached out for the check, but Draco was faster. "I got it."

"You paid yesterday," Luna argued.

"I got it," he repeated calmly, already pulling out the Muggle money he kept on him for special occasions.

She shrugged, knowing it was no point in arguing. Prattling on about creatures Draco doubted existed, the pair paid the bill and left the restaurant leaving their quiet lunch behind them and heading back into the bustle that was the Quibbler's office.

---

Their private lunches together were well known among the Quibbler's few employees and as soon as Draco walked in, Charlie Ramen was already asking him where Luna was.

"She's coming," Draco answered rather curtly.

"I need to speak to her. If you see her before I do—" Charlie began his eagerness clear in his voice.

Draco knew Charlie had a crush on Luna, fancied himself in love with her and it was irritating to say the least. Draco cut him off before he could say too much, "I'll let her know."

"Thank you."

The last year had been a blur. The Quibbler's sales dropped dramatically and Xnenophilius had put part of his precious newspaper's shares up for grabs. Draco had bought them without thinking, wanting to do nearly anything that his father, who at the time was on trial, would not approve of. He wasn't proud of his reasons for buying half the company, but now he didn't regret it.

Luna, who had been working under her father since her graduation from Hogwarts, had been angry when she found out who had invested in the company. She'd refused to believe his motives were pure, as her father claimed, and Draco had to give her credit for being right. As his father's trial wore on, Draco found himself wanting to spend more and more time in the office and with Luna.

She wasn't what he'd expected. Not as lighthearted and wistful as she appeared to be at first, she had a deep devotion to her father and the Quibbler. Their long nights of hard work carried on after the newspaper gained its sales back. Both Draco and Luna had fallen into a peaceful coexistence with one another until it gradually had grown into more. He didn't quite understood how or when he became attracted to the girl, but it happened so gradually that he found himself making up reasons to stay late, to have private meetings with her, and finally to touch her.

Their first kiss had been timid, taking both of them by surprise. Yet one kiss turned into more, and soon they were more than just friends or coworkers. They had become lovers, something he never expected or wanted until they were. The more time he spent with the woman, the more devotion he felt for the paper. He started to find the articles about the made-up creatures and events interesting rather than just ridiculous and humorous. He never believed them, but he stopped doubting the Lovegoods' sanity over their beliefs.

Once news of their romance was known to her father, there was no hiding it from anyone else in the office. One thing Draco was quite sure of was that he wasn't in love with her, just extraordinary fond of her. Love wasn't in his dictionary; his father had taught him that. Fondness was the most positive feeling he had to give and he was grateful that she was willing to accept that.

One of the things that made him fall the most for her was her willingness to disregard his father's actions. She never held him to any standard other than the one he'd placed for himself. She never brought up his father and only spoke of him when Draco said something first. When the trial started to get more intense four months earlier, and Draco had had to testify against Lucius, Luna was there to comfort him and to give him support when he needed it and when no one else was there to. She was able to show him that he wasn't his father.

He wasn't ruled by the same prejudices and ideals that had dictated and ruined his father's life. He saw people, including Luna, for who they really were.

Luna accepted him, and perhaps loved him, for who he really was.

A sigh from Andrea Juel jarred him from his reminiscing, he looked up. "Yes Andy?"

She dropped a folder onto his desk. "Mr. Lovegood asked me to ask you to look over the spreadsheets about last month's finances." The brunette was glaring at him, and he had no idea why.

"Would you like to go over the spreadsheets?" he asked, trying to sound casual.

Her eyebrows shot up. "What?"

"Well, something is obviously the matter. Is it that you'd like to do this?" he embellished, gesturing to the folder.

"No."

"Then what? Xenophilius likes everyone happy. It is part of my job to try to resolve your problem," he said evenly. Her petty problem didn't interest him, but he knew he had to at least try.

"You."

"Excuse me?"

"You are my problem... Mr. Malfoy," she added his name like it hurt her to utter it.

"Enlighten me."

"Ginny and I—"

"Ginny who?"

"Weasley. Don't tell me you have forgotten knowing her at Hogwarts? Giving her and her family a hard time?"

"I remember her. What about her?"

"Well, if you'd let me finish…" She cleared her throat and lightened her tone at his expression to her show of disrespect. "We think you should just leave Luna alone."

"Excuse me?" Draco pressed himself down in the chair to keep from jumping up in outrage.

"You two have nothing in common save this paper –which we all know that you hate and you're leading her on. As her friends, neither Ginny nor I appreciate it."

"Well, with all due respect, how is Luna and my relationship any of your business or Ginny Weasley's for that matter?" he asked, controlling his tone the best he could. He was infuriated; he hated people who butted into his business.

"She's our friend."

"It's her decision."

"But she's not making the right one!" Andrea said, whining now.

"It's her choice, let her make it. If you're really her friends I'm sure she'd appreciate your support."

"What? That doesn't make sense! As her friend, we should try to protect her, not let make a wrong decision."

"Then talk to I her /I about it, and leave I my /I personal issues out of the office."

She stood there silently for a moment, fuming.

"Now, I have to work to do…" he said purposely as he gestured toward the folder on his desk.

"Right," she said curtly, swinging around. Still angry, she slammed the door after herself.

He had barely opened the folder when there was a soft knock. Glancing up and trying to cover his grimace, he said, "Come in."

Luna walked into his office, a broad smile on her face. It was obvious Andrea hadn't told her about their conversation. Draco figured it was just as well that Luna was oblivious.

"Hello, Luna," he greeted her, returning her smile. She was able to make him feel so much better about himself.

"Hi. Have you looked at the spreadsheets, then?" Her eyes drifted to the papers in front of him.

"Just got them. I was just looking now." He waved his hand toward the chair in front of his desk. "Sit down."

Eagerly, she dropped down in the chair. "It's boring out there."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah. Dad's working on the front page; Andy is ignoring me; Charlie is gawking at me…"

"Where's Helena?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Home I guess. It's dead, so she most likely got Dad's permission to leave early."

He nodded, leaning back in his chair. His papers forgotten, he said, "Have you seen Ginny Weasley lately?"

Giving him a questioning look, she nodded. "Why?"

"Just wondering."

"About a Weasley?" Luna giggled. "Not likely. What's up?"

"Andrea mentioned her. I was just curious."

"Oh."

"Do you think your father will let me skip out early if I look over these spreadsheets quickly?"

"Sure! I think i he /i will."

"Do you want to go to dinner?"

She grinned. "I'd love to."

"We can even go to Naples."

She laughed, shaking her head. "Now we I have /I to go. I'll just ask Dad if I can leave early too."

He nodded then blanched when he looked down at the papers in front of him. "I'll be behind you after I finish this."

"Bye."

"See you later tonight."

She smiled as she left his office.

Draco took only ten minutes to look over the spreadsheets and do some analyzing. After it was balanced, he shoved it all back in the folder. Not forgetting the papers, Draco headed for Xenophilius' office. It was only other office in their small section of the building they rented. It was his idea; more profit if they can get more people on staff and a more organized approach to putting out the paper.

"Come in, Draco," Xenophilius called to him before he even knocked. The older man was looking up toward the door when Draco entered the opened doorway. "May I help you?"

Holding up the folder Draco said, "Just dropping off the spreadsheets."

He took the papers and smiled. "Thank you. Did you want to leave early, then? I know that Luna is, and there is hardly anything more to do around here today…"

"Are you heading out now?" Draco asked, glancing down at the papers on his desk.

"In a few minutes. I have an article to approve for second page, then I'll be leaving too." Draco saw him try to shove an envelope under the paper on top of the stack discreetly. The way his eyes shifted downward then back up at Draco told Draco that he was hiding something.

"Yes. I'll just go now. I'll see you Monday then?"

Xenophilius nodded. "I see you have talked to Luna and know that we will not be in tomorrow."

"I know. I'll take care of things here, so don't worry."

"Thank you. I'll see you Monday then." He turned back to his papers and Draco left the office, shaking his head in confusion.

By nature, Xenophilius was not a secretive man so Draco found it amusing that he was hiding something now and that he was so terribly obvious about it. Figuring it had something to do with Luna's mother's death and the anniversary being tomorrow, Draco exited the building without pausing to bid farewell to the other employees.

Luna was waiting for him across the street by the fountain. "You didn't have to wait for me," he told her when he reached her.

She only smiled dreamily at him. "I know, but I wanted to."

Turning down the street toward the nearest alley where they could Apparate, Draco found her presence comforting. "Did you need to stop off at home before dinner?"

"On second thought, can we can go to my place for dinner instead? You love my stew and seeing as tomorrow…"

"Yes. Yes, I do love your stew. Going to your house for dinner will be wonderful," he replied, grabbing her hand. The warmth in her hand sent a strange feeling down his spine. He was used to the intensity of her touch, yet it never failed to take him by surprise. It was like it was waiting for the strange feeling to quit coming when she was around her, but it never stopped or faded. In fact, it only grew stronger as the days passed and as what she meant to him grew.