House: Gryffindor

Position: Prefect

Category: Additional

Prompt: 2. Returning home after a long trip

Word Count: 2500 words, excluding header, author notes, and title.

Beta: Aurora, CK, and Tiggs. Thanks loves!

Some slang intentionally used. This was written for The Houses Competition, Y3R2

No More Running

Draco had been gone for five years. He had been away exploring different countries, gathering rare potion ingredients, and enjoying his time away from people that he knew. If he was honest with himself, he had been running from his past.

Malfoys were used to the prying eyes of the public. They were used to being looked up to, adored, feared, and even inspiring jealousy among their peers. What they were not used to was being considered inferior, which is precisely what the world thought of the Malfoy name now. Draco used to wear his name and fortune with pride, but now it was like a curse. Wizards and witches no longer revered them and instead spat his name.

His parents were both in Azkaban, and he was the only Malfoy left for the world to hate; he experienced the full force of that hate daily… until he ran.

Draco had never been a very strong person. Sure, he was smart and gifted in magic, but he didn't have a strong spine. He never liked to meet anyone head on if he couldn't control the outcome, and facing the whole Wizarding World of Britain seemed like a fight he couldn't win. So he hid away and traveled the world to places where the occupants wouldn't recognize his name.

It was thrilling, no one recognizing him. He could walk down the street without getting harassed or spat on, without the 'Death Eater' label following his every move. It was freeing and liberating, and Draco quickly decided that he never wanted to go back and he probably wouldn't have if it hadn't been for Theo.

Draco was standing on his balcony, taking in the fresh morning air and enjoying the beautiful, rolling green hills before him when he heard the distinct flapping of wings. He looked up and shielded his eyes from the sun, watching quietly as the creature landed on the handrails. Its golden feathers were ruffled in the wind, and it quirked his head at Draco waiting patiently for him to retrieve the letter.

Draco untied the letter with shaky hands. Not many people knew where he was, but there was always a chance he could be discovered, and it terrified him more than he thought possible. The idea of his location being found out and his freedom being ripped away from him by some fool who wanted to sell him out drove him crazy. One slip of a word could bring his whole world crashing down. For surely, once people knew of his whereabouts, the haters would feel the need to come and condemn him.

Draco stared at the letter, but there was no sign of who had sent it. He took a deep breath and slowly ripped open the envelope, wondering if this was the moment his life was going to plummet back into hell. He took the letter out and gently unfolded it before he breathed a sigh of relief upon realizing who it was from. His relief was short lived though as he read the letter.

Draco-You prat, you said you were going to write, and I have yet to receive another letter since our last correspondence months ago! I know you enjoy the freedom and all that rubbish, but it is time to come home. I'm getting married! I know, I know! I know what you are thinking. What? Who? When? Well if you wrote me more, you would know all about it by now, but since you're such a wanker, I'm not telling you anything until you are back here. You're one of my best mates, so you better come to my wedding; besides, you've been gone long enough. Draco, you can't run forever.

Be back by August 8th or I will come and find you and I promise my traveling arrangements for you won't be nearly as enjoyable as what you are used to.

Theo

Draco stared at the letter in disbelief. Theo was getting married? Maybe he had been gone long enough. He rubbed at the back of his neck considering what he was about to do. He had been gone for five years, and now that he had to go back, he wasn't very excited about what would be waiting for him when he returned.

Draco stared at the door in front of him. The golden knocker was in the shape of a dragon, its eyes embedded with green gems that seemed to stare straight at Draco. He almost turned around and went back home four times before he finally drew enough courage to knock on the door.

He and Theo had been in correspondence while he was gone, but that didn't change the fact that he hadn't seen him for five years. It made him nervous.

Draco straightened his clothes and loosened his tie a little bit before the door was finally opened and Theo's surprised face greeted him.

"Draco!" Theo ushered him in. "I thought you would come by Floo."

"I… uh… wasn't sure if I would still have access since it has been so long."

Theo quirked an eyebrow at him but chose not to comment on it. Instead, he began to lead Draco to the drawing room.

He opened the door and called out to the other occupants in the room.

"Look who finally decided to show up!"

He dragged Draco into the room, and a loud cheer rang throughout the room before he was enveloped in a hug and given a hard pat on the back.

"Draco!" Blaise cried. "I was beginning to think you weren't ever coming home. Good thing our mate is getting married, eh, or you wouldn't have ever come back!"

Draco shrugged his hands off his shoulders, but the smile on his face remained. It felt good to be with the boys again. It is especially nice that even after all of these years, nothing has changed between them.

"So who is this broad anyway that has captured our Theo's heart?" Draco asked loudly. "Please tell me it isn't one of the Greengrass sisters? Or Parkinson? I won't go to your wedding if it is Parkinson."

Draco turned to Theo expecting an answer and caught him sharing a look with Blaise.

"Oh Salazar, it's Parkinson, isn't it? You must explain how that happened then. She was simply dreadful, and you hated her in school!"

"Err…." Theo began, "It isn't Parkinson."

Draco let out a dramatic sigh. "Thank Salazar for that then. I don't think I could stand hearing her voice." Draco shuddered at the thought. "Okay, well who is it then? Don't leave me in suspense."

Theo gave a loud gulp and exchanged another look with Blaise before launching into an explanation.

"Well…" he began, "We didn't like her in school, but you have to understand things have changed, you know. We aren't the same kids we were in school, and neither is she. She is wonderful, and I do think you will like her once you get to know her. She is a little different, but that is what I love about her. It's charming really."

Draco just stared at him; he could feel his nerves returning, and his palms were getting sweaty. It didn't escape his notice that Theo hadn't told him who he was marrying yet.

"Who is it?" Draco asked shakily.

"It's…"

Theo was interrupted by the door being thrown open. A person carrying a stack of boxes taller than them walked into the room. Draco watched as they slowly made each step, the boxes precariously shifting with each step. Draco's manners quickly caught up with him. He looked to Theo and Blaise who both seemed to be frozen in place before he stepped forward to help. He was still a Malfoy, and a Malfoy must always be a gentleman.

He stepped forward. "Here let me help you."

"Thank you!" A breathless female voice answered.

The voice rang in his head, it was familiar to him, but he couldn't place who it was. He grabbed half of the boxes from the girl's arms and lowered them to his chest. The stack of boxes obscured his vision until they were in the proper place. Once he could see again, he glanced back over to the girl and was greeted by bright blue eyes and blonde hair.

"Looney!" Draco shouted, dropping the boxes from shock. "You are marrying Looney Lovegood?"

He turned to Theo in shock, demanding an explanation. Theo's eyes were wide, and his mouth was flapping, but no noise was coming out.

"I prefer Luna, actually. My father is referred to as Looney, and you could see how that could get confusing." She brushed past Draco and placed the boxes gently on the table before returning to gingerly collect the boxes that Draco dropped. "Oh my," she said approaching Draco, "The amount of Nargles surrounding you is astonishing!"

Theo let out a loud groan at that statement, but walked over to Luna and gave her a small kiss on her cheek. "Glad you're home, love, but would you mind leaving us alone for a bit?"

"Oh, of course. Draco, I'm glad you will be here for the wedding. I don't think running suits you very much anyhow."

After she left the room, Draco immediately turned and rounded on Theo. "Looney? Really?"

"Hey now, that is my fiancé, and I would appreciate it if you would stop calling her that. I know you are not a big fan of her, but I am getting married to her, and if you can't respect that then I will have to ask you to leave."

Theo squared his shoulders while he waited for Draco's answer. Draco studied him for a long while before he let out a sigh and nodded his head.

"All right, how did this happen?"

Before the first dinner, Luna pulled him aside.

"Draco, I am so happy you are here with us." She threw him a dazzling smile. "I know how difficult it must be being back, but I just wanted to let you know that you won't expect any trouble from my friends. Even Ronald has agreed to behave."

Draco looked at her with wide eyes. He hadn't told anyone that he was worried about being surrounded by Luna's friends. It would be weird sharing dinner and drinks with people that were once considered his enemies. If he was honest, he was still getting used to Luna. She was different than the aristocratic purebloods he used to associate with. She was kind, if not a little eccentric, but Draco had come to enjoy her carefree demeanor. He had been pretty amazed about how little she cared about her appearance or what others thought about her. Draco actually admired it. He always cared too much what others thought; that was why he left after the war, to begin with. He couldn't stand being thought of negatively; it was easier to run away from it all and only be seen by strangers, by people that didn't matter.

He didn't say anything and continued to stare at her, trying to control his face back into a neutral expression. She just laughed at him.

"Why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" he asked, surprised again by the small witch in front of him.

"Try to hide how you are feeling? I think that's why the Nargles are so attracted to you. Your thoughts are confused. I don't think you even know what you are feeling. It's okay though," she added when she noticed his stand-offish expression. "We can sort everything out together."

She sashayed away from him and left Draco standing in the hallway even more worried than he had been before.

Draco was starting to get used to the idea of Theo and Luna getting married. It was clear that they were in love. While he didn't think that Luna had changed all the much despite Theo's claim, he could see that one of his best mates was happy with her and that was all that mattered.

The wedding day was fast approaching, and Draco was getting more and more nervous. This would be the first time he would be at a public event since the war. He knew that this wedding would be surrounded with reporters since Luna was hailed as a war hero, and he was worried about what they would have to say about his presence. He didn't think he was ready to deal with the backlash from this, but he had to go through with it for Theo's sake; he was one of the only friends that kept in touch with him after the war.

He was waiting in the hall for Theo when the She-Weasel came to fetch him.

"Luna's asking for you," she explained as she led him upstairs. She nodded to a door and went back downstairs.

He knocked hesitantly on the door.

"Come in!" she sang.

He walked in and saw her in the center of the room and nearly lost his breath. He could finally see some of what Theo saw in her; she was beautiful. She was wearing an ivory lace dress with a birdcage veil and held a small bouquet of purple roses.

"Wow," he exclaimed, "you look beautiful. Theo is going to lose it."

Luna did a little twirl for him and giggled.

"You always were good with compliments… and insults," she said.

Draco flinched at her words.

"It's okay; I have come up with the perfect plan!"

Draco walked down the stairs with Luna draped on his arm. She was right; the lights from the photographers were almost blinding as they descended the stairs and began to walk outside down the aisle.

He could hear the collective gasp as he and Luna came into view together to walk down the aisle. He began to panic as the guests' eyes locked on him. He was breathing faster, and his heartbeat was thudding.

Luna squeezed his arm and whispered words of encouragement to him.

He tried to only focus on her words and ignore the rest of the crowd around him. He looked towards the end of the aisle and saw Theo waiting for them. A giant smile was on his face and Draco could feel himself mimicking it. He could see the love radiating off Theo, and he was suddenly very overwhelmed with happiness for them.

The next day was just as Draco would have predicted it. He was plastered on the front cover of The Daily Prophet, but he wasn't alone; Luna had been beside him.

He stared down at the picture of them walking down the aisle and saw as his usual scowl transforming into a genuinely happy smile. It had felt good to smile, to forget about everyone else's opinions, and to genuinely enjoy the day—and it was all because of her. If nothing else, Luna was right about one thing: he wasn't going to run away anymore.