Forgiveness

A/N- Written for ReillyJade's After the Battle Challenge on the HPFC forum, and betaread by the amazing WeasleySeeker. Reviews are love :)

Luna was smiling as she made her way down to the banks of the lake. She had spent the day surrounded by her friends as they celebrated their victory. Everyone had seemed so pleased to see her and Luna was surprised at how much so many people had missed her, whilst she had been imprisoned in Malfoy Manor. Eventually though, she felt she needed to be alone, and it was probably for the best to leave them all with their families.

With a small smile on her face, as she watched the orange glow of the setting sun skim across the rippling water, Luna thought of her own family – her father – and wondered whether he had been told the news yet. She hoped he would get out of Azkaban soon.

Then Luna caught sight of a figure; a tall, blonde woman stood, facing away from her, staring out across the water.

Luna approached quietly. The woman seemed familiar, though her hair was a little too perfect, her posture a little too rigid. The moment she realised she was comparing the figure to her mother, the woman turned, and Luna recognised her immediately.

"Hello Mrs Malfoy," she said brightly. "I'm sorry I interrupted you. You can ignore me if you want and go back to your thoughts".

Narcissa looked uncertainly at her for a long moment, never quite meeting her eyes, before speaking cautiously.

"It's Luna isn't it?"

Luna nodded and smiled broadly, but Narcissa did not return the smile, her posture stiffening even further, and made as if to return to the castle.

"I'm sorry about your sister," Luna said softly.

Narcissa froze. Suddenly her calm, dignified demeanour shattered and she turned to the girl, her usually cool, unreadable, blue eyes flashing with fury.

"Are you trying to be funny?" she hissed. "Is that why you're here, to gloat over a woman who ended up on the losing side? Are you so conceited in your victory that you think you have the right to come here and pass judgement on matters which don't concern you?"

She had stalked forwards, shaking with rage, until she stood mere inches from Luna, towering over her. Yet the girl had not flinched, nor did she show fear, she merely looked upset.

"No!" she said, looking up earnestly into Narcissa's livid face. "I didn't mean it like that at all. Harry told me what you did and I think you're very brave. I didn't mean to upset you and I'm sorry if I have."

"My sister tortured you. What would it matter to you that she's dead?" Narcissa snapped, though a hint of curiosity and incredulity escaped through the anger in her voice.

"It's always sad when people die. Even if it's someone who made the wrong choices, there are always people who are affected. I've always thought that the dead must pity us." Luna gazed serenely into Narcissa's eyes, which had narrowed slightly, quizzically.

"They can see us, and they know that one day we'll join them. But to us it feels like they're gone and we miss them terribly," Luna continued, her eyes drifting off across the lake and up into the clouds where she imagined her mother to be.

"Even if I did believe in such things, my sister definitely wouldn't be up there," Narcissa muttered derisively and Luna realised exactly why Narcissa was so upset. She heard the swish of robes behind her as the woman turned to leave, but she stopped as Luna quietly voiced her musings.

"You've missed her for a long time."

Luna turned as she heard Narcissa approaching her once more and glanced up at the woman, noticing that her face, though expressionless, lacked the slightly condescending disdain it had held previously and, Luna thought, the difference in their heights seemed far less pronounced.

Narcissa was silent for almost a minute, before a single tear streaked down her pale, powdered cheek. Luna watched it fall, knowing the best thing to do was to wait, yet wishing she could offer some comfort. She pondered whether to say more, before the ice in Narcissa's eyes seemed to crack, and with a sob she poured out her heart, speaking quickly the words she had not yet given voice.

"I knew what I was d-doing. The moment I f-felt his heartbeat I was sure we would lose and I knew I would lose Bella but I d-didn't care. I'd already l-lost her, she'd changed long ago, she didn't care about me as much as she once had, b-but I just cast her aside without a thought. I know she'd become a monster but after everything she did for me when we were younger... sh-she was always the strong one."

Narcissa dissolved into floods of tears, falling to her knees, her cold, stiff, haughty posture a distant memory. Luna knelt beside her, musing that very few people must have ever seen Narcissa Malfoy behave like this, if any at all, and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You can be strong too," Luna said gently. "You were very brave last night."

"I wasn't trying to be brave," Narcissa sobbed.

"You were protecting your family and that's about the bravest thing you could do," Luna said matter-of-factly. Narcissa peered up at her doubtfully, but Luna's tone had been final and she didn't argue.

"Luna." Narcissa hesitated, as if choosing her words carefully. "I'm sorry."

"Oh it's not your fault," Luna said brightly, knowing Narcissa was thinking of the months Luna had spent locked in her cellar. "You just went along with it to stop your family coming to harm. My father did a bad thing to try and help me but I forgave him, just like I forgive you."

"I'm not sure I deserve your forgiveness," Narcissa replied quickly, in a tone somewhere between bitterness and surprise. There were a few more seconds of silence. Luna stared out across the lake, its smooth surface broken only by the lazy rise and fall of a few of the Giant Squid's stray tentacles, and wondered what Narcissa was thinking about. Her family's future was uncertain and that thought made Luna sad. Yet when she turned back to the woman, she saw not worry, but a warm smile on her face. It seemed a little surprising on the features that had previously been so cold, and yet it suited her, thought Luna. Their eyes met properly for the first time in the conversation, as Narcissa whispered, "Thank you."