At The Pond

The next morning was a hot one, the sun blazed like ball of fire, shining relentlessly into the morning room where Draco and Luna sat at the breakfast table with Lucius and Bellatrix.

Breakfast was quite a silent affair other than when Lucius would read parts of The Daily Prophet aloud if he thought it would interest Bellatrix.

Draco sat opposite Luna, she was eating her toast with a dreamy expression fixed on her face, she was looking at him but Draco had the feeling she wasn't really seeing him. In fact he wondered if she even knew where she was. She seemed to be in a world of her own. He wondered if she was thinking about him and the kiss they had shared the previous night, about how she had spent the night sleeping curled against his body.

"Good morning, Cissy," Bellatrix greeted her sister as Narcissa walked into the room.

"Bellatrix," she responded, easing herself into a seat next to her husband, her hand touching lightly to her forehead.

"Hangover?" Lucius asked, his tone implying he really didn't care either way.

"Of course not. I'm perfectly fine, it wasn't as though I drank too much last night."

Lucius snorted. "Shows exactly what kind of breeding you have if you behave like that when you're sober. Merlin help us all if you should ever drink too much."

Narcissa's face burnt fiercely and Luna avoided looking at her, she could feel the embarrassment coming from the older woman in waves.

"Lucius!" Narcissa hissed angrily.

"What? We're all family here," he responded.

His wife sneered at him. "We wouldn't want to keep secrets now would we?"

Bellatrix cleared her throat to break the sudden tension around the table. "I thought when the Dark Lord returns it would be a good idea for you to get your Mark, Luna."

"My what?" Luna's head snapped up in shock. Draco had never mentioned she might have to receive the Dark Mark. She looked over at him worry lines creasing her forehead.

Draco took a sip of his juice. "I don't think that will be necessary,"

"Well of course it will. Luna's a Malfoy now, Draco and she should have the Mark as your wife," Bellatrix told him a slight hint of annoyance in her voice.

"As you say, Luna is my wife," Draco said. "I do not wish for her skin to be marked in any way."

"But we all have the Mark Draco, it's only right Luna has it too."

"I said no, Aunt Bellatrix. Luna is my wife. Mine," he told her forcefully. "If anyone will ever mark her it will be me. She will not wear the mark of any other man, she belongs to me. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"

Bellatrix merely nodded, stunned into silence at the sudden outburst from a nephew she had up until now been able to bully as she pleased.

"Good." Pushing himself out of the chair, Draco motioned for Luna to follow him.

Finishing her drink, Luna hastily complied. A shiver ran through her body when he placed a hand at the small of her back to guide her out of the door. His hand felt so strong, so warm, the heat radiating through her dress to her skin.

She looked up at him gratefully."Thank you, Draco. I really wouldn't want to get the Dark Mark."

"You might still have to if he insists on it. I won't be able to do anything about it. Shall we spend the day outside by the pond?" He suggested, changing the subject completely.

"Oh yes, I'd like that." Luna smiled happily. "I'm not a very good swimmer though, is the pond deep?"

"Yes, but I won't let you drown if you want to go in."

"I'll see how I feel. Are you a good swimmer, Draco?" she asked as they entered their room. Luna couldn't for the life of her imagine Draco Malfoy doing something and not being good at it.

"Fair I suppose," he replied, dragging his t-shirt off and slinging it over the back of a chair. "Bring me my swimming shorts will you?"

Luna nodded, retrieving her bikini and his shorts from the wardrobe. She knew it would be all right with him if she wore a two-piece out to the pond in the Manor, it was the reason she owned it, all the others were a one-piece for when they went away. Draco had said he didn't want any other man staring at and ogling his wife.

"I'm not sure I'll ever wear all of those clothes you insisted that I have."

"You will." Draco studied her as she fiddled with the zip of her dress. "Let me help you," he offered quietly, his arms encircling her waist, his fingers sliding up her spine to the top of zip.

Luna's breath caught in her throat, she stood perfectly still looking up at him through her lashes, acutely aware of the movements of his hands. Her heart skipped a beat when he eased the material over her shoulders, guiding it down her arms, his eyes locked to her face. She wasn't sure this would be the moment she was half excited about, yearning for; and half dreaded and hoped would never come.

At last she felt her dress sliding over her hips to drop at her feet. Draco took a small step back, his eyes running over her body, a satisfied look on his face.

Luna remained still in her French knickers and lacy bra, a set she well remembered catching his eye. She could feel her exposed skin flushing under his gaze as Draco's grey eyes darkened the longer he looked at her.

She could hear the change of his breathing and an expression she hadn't seen before and could not recognise crossed his face. He shifted closer to her. "You're trembling," Draco murmured, leaning close to her ear, his lips moving deliciously against her hair.

"I'm fine." The words came out in a small shaky voice. She may have suddenly become extremely aware of him, and started experiencing a new feeling of wanting him to touch her; but Luna was still extremely nervous and she didn't know if she wanted to keep him at arm's length or not.

Lifting his hands Draco slid his fingers through the silky tresses of her hair, lowering his mouth to hers he kissed her lightly. He pulled back a fraction as though he were going to speak, but he said nothing. Her lips still tingling from the feel of his mouth Luna's hands curled around his arms for support as she rocked up onto her tip toes to kiss him back.

Suddenly Draco moved, his arms flying round her, pulling her roughly against him as his tongue invaded her mouth, plunging in deeply as he kissed her with a furious passion.

Luna kissed him back with a passion to match, her fingers biting into the soft flesh of his shoulders. She was extremely glad he was holding her otherwise she might have collapsed into a boneless puddle on the floor.

When he finally broke the kiss she gasped for breath. Draco smirked down at her, one eyebrow cocked. "Not so afraid of me now then?"

Her face flushed and she dropped her gaze. "I…. should we be going down to the pond?"

Draco laughed, throwing back his head and exposing the strong column of his throat."Yes, Luna, we can go down to the pond if you don't trust me up here with you."

He was laughing at her, finding her extremely amusing and she knew it. "I didn't say I didn't trust you."

"You didn't have to say it, Luna, I know," Draco replied running a hand down her back. "I said I'd wait and I will. Just try not to be too long in realising you can't resist me."

Her lips pursed. "I'm not sure you'll be able to fit through the door if your head gets any bigger."

Draco just grinned, dropping a kiss on the top of her head he released her and stepped back to gather up his shorts from the floor.

Heading to the bathroom to change Luna said, "I'll only be a minute."

"What's the biggest lie in the world, Luna?"

She paused and shook her head, "I don't know."

"A woman going into a bathroom and saying she'll only be a minute."

Hands on her hips she tried to suppress her smile. "I'm only going to change, I won't be that long."

"Doesn't matter, you could be going in there to pick something up or put something back and you wouldn't re-emerge until at least half an hour later. No woman can be in and out of a bathroom, they always find some ridiculous reason for hanging around in there."

"You seem to know a lot about it, Draco," she observed, fighting to keep her voice level.

"It's a universal fact. Now hurry up, I'd like to get outside sometime this year."

Luna twisted on her heel and disappeared into the bathroom. She shut the door a little more forcefully than she would have liked, but she couldn't stop herself wondering what woman or indeed women Draco had been around to make comments like that. Also his exact preferences of lingerie kept popping up, sending her already over active imagination into overdrive.

"Do you want a swimming lesson or not? You've been lying there watching me for hours." Draco was leaning against the bank of the pond, his eyes running down the length of Luna's body where she lay in the shade under a tree.

"I like watching you. You're very nice to look at, Draco."

He smirked. "Are you coming in or not?"

"I don't think so, not today."

"Just a quick little dip won't hurt. Don't be a baby," he chided, grinning over at her.

Sighing Luna marked the page in her book and stood up. Crossing to the stone steps of the man made pond in the Malfoy's back garden she descended the first three to where she was waist deep in the cool water when she sat on the step. "I'm in."

Draco snorted. "That's not "in", that's just hanging around on the edge. Get over here."

"It's deep over where you are."

Rolling his eyes Draco swam over to her, gripping her hand he tugged her through the water towards him. Luna squeaked and grabbed his shoulders, coiling herself around his body, arms wound round his neck and her legs linked around his waist.

Draco's eyebrows rose in surprise but he said nothing, just wrapped his arms around her waist and glided backwards into the water. He laughed suddenly. "You're looking at the water rather suspiciously. What do you think is going to jump out at you?"

"Who knows."

"Nothing lives in this pond, it's more like a swimming pool anyway. The house elves clean it out and get rid of everything that shouldn't be here."

"Hum." Luna didn't think she could form any other response. She just realised the position she was currently in, she could feel the heat from his bare skin against her body and smell his cologne tinged with the extremely male scent of him.

The muscles in his arms holding her close were like steel on her back and although she didn't like the water very much Luna felt as if she could stay where she was all day. She wasn't even a little frightened with Draco's arms around her. So long as he was there Luna felt safe.

Smiling Luna leant her head on his shoulder as he carefully dipped her under the water. She gave a little gasp when the water touched her hot skin. "See, Draco. I told you we could be friends."

"Friends? We aren't friends, Luna."

Her head shot up, a look of disbelief on her face. "Why not? There's no reason for us not to be. Oh don't be stubborn about it, Draco."

"I'm not being stubborn, I'm telling you the truth. We aren't friends and we never will be. You're not supposed to want your friends the way we want each other."

Luna felt her cheeks begin to heat up. "Oh." Averting her eyes from his face she returned her head to his shoulder.

She heard laughter rumbling in his chest. "You're not going to start denying it, are you?"

"No. I don't like to lie." Frowning she raised her head to look at him again. "I never said I didn't want you. I just meant I didn't want you right now." Tilting her head she kissed him softly. "Did you mean what you said earlier? About me having the Dark Mark?"

"Yes. I don't want you to have it, and I already knew you didn't want it."

"Whether you admit it or not, you're trying to protect me, Draco," Luna said quietly.

"You're my wife, it's my job. Just so long as you remember our deal," he added quickly.

"Deal?"

"You don't love me," Draco reminded her.

Luna's heart sank at his words, but she wasn't completely defeated. They would have many more kisses like the ones they'd already shared, they would have many more days like today when they would grow closer. It wasn't possible Draco wouldn't love her. Perhaps not now, maybe not even next year. But he would, Luna was positive he would.

She wouldn't let him know what she was thinking, it might make him mad. "I remembered what you said."

"Remembering is all very well. Just be sure to put it into practice."

"I will," she promised.

Draco frowned. In spite of the fact it had been his decision and he had wanted her to agree to it to save himself problems further down the road; he was rather annoyed at her quick and undisturbed acceptance of his demand.

"Draco?"

"What?"

She gazed at him with wide eyes, "Can I kiss you again now?"

He grinned. "Be my guest."

"You know…" he murmured against her lips before kissing her lightly. "…you have no idea…." He kissed her again, "…of the unbelievable urge….." his lips brushed hers "….that I have to…." his tongue touched gently to her lower lip, "… throw you to the other end of the pool."

"What?" Luna jerked in his arms, her hold instinctively tightening on him. "You wouldn't do that."

"You don't think?" he asked innocently.

"No," she replied firmly, but she wiggled closer to him anyway.

His hand stroked her back under the water, his other hand running over her thigh. "You're right, I'd have to go over there to rescue you, it would be a huge effort." He sighed dramatically. "Have you decided what you're going to take to Hogwarts with you? Clothes and jewellery wise I mean?"

"No, I hadn't thought. Do you think it will be strange going back to school and sleeping apart?"

"We won't be apart," Draco informed her, "We'll have a separate room in the Slytherin dungeon near the common room."

"How did you manage to arrange that?"

"Snape's been appointed head master and he's agreed to it. Besides, we couldn't really be separated could we? We're married now."

"How nice." Luna smiled happily. "It will be odd next year though, with you leaving school and me still being there." She paused to consider, "Merlin, we'll be separated for nearly the entire year."

"No we won't, we'll both be leaving the end of this year so there's no need to panic about it."

"But I'm a sixth year this year, I have to do my seventh year to get my NEWTS."

"You don't need them, what are you going to do with them? You'll hardly be working, will you? Malfoy women don't work."

Luna opened her mouth to argue with him, to explain she wanted to write for The Quibbler, but the stubborn look on his face told her to keep quiet. Now was not the time to fight with Draco, she could do that later, when she knew him better to gauge his reactions. Until then Luna figured it was best to pick her battles. She had months to bring up the NEWTS fight, it would keep until then.

"Will you take me over to the side now? I'd like to dry off before lunch."

Draco moved easily through the water, climbing the steps with Luna still wrapped around him. Gently he laid her down on the large blanket under the tree; keeping her sealed to him he settled himself in the cradle of her hips and kissed her.

The earlier fierce kisses he had given her were gone, and in their place he bestowed slow, gentle kisses upon her lips. His tongue sensually explored her mouth, his hands running unhurriedly down her sides and back up again causing her skin to tingle.

He left her lips to trail tiny kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Luna's head fell back and she moaned softly when his tongue dipped into the nook at the base of her throat, before his kisses wandered across her shoulder.

Luna's fingers ran over the smooth, damp skin of his back, flicking droplets of water away as she explored the hard contours of muscles. Her body automatically arched up to him and she gripped his shoulders when he kissed her deeply.

He broke the kiss slowly, unwillingly and disliked the thought at the back of his mind that he wanted to stay here like this with her, kissing her all day. Quickly Draco dismissed the thought, she was his new wife, his bride, of course he wanted to keep her near to him; it was only natural. Luna was pure and untouched by anyone other than him; she was merely a novelty at the moment. Once his body was used to her, when he could take her anytime he pleased the feeling of not wanting to be away from her would pass.

Propping himself up on his elbow he said, "I forgot my magazine, I'll be back in a minute." Kissing the tip of her nose and making her smile he pushed himself from the ground and headed back inside.

Sighing contentedly Luna stretched out on the blanket a smile on her lips. She hadn't thought Draco would be so lovely to be married to. She wasn't regretting her decision at all. She was positive everything would fall into place in time.

A shadow fell over her and she squinted, struggling into a sitting position when she saw it was Narcissa.

"Having a nice day?" Narcissa asked pleasantly.

"Yes thank you. The pond is very nice on a day like today."

"Yes, it is. Lucius and I used to spend a lot of time here when we were younger." She sighed dreamily. "It's one of Draco's favourite spots… although I will say Luna, just as a word of advice of course, I wouldn't want you to think I was interfering in any way. But, well, Draco doesn't usually like his women to be quite so promiscuous in public."

Luna's face paled and a wave of sickness swept over her. She managed to completely forget Draco had been the one to initiate the kiss and not her.

"He's very much like Lucius in that respect. Public displays of affection are not really his scene, he gets rather embarrassed, and while it can be amusing at times, seeming as he is your husband and you are not a passing fancy, I would suggest a little tact," Narcissa said, a friendly expression on her face. "Like I said, I don't want you to think I'm poking my nose in, please feel free to tell me if I over step the mark."

His women. His women. His women

The words echoed in Luna's head and she didn't even hear the rest of what Narcissa was saying. All she knew was that she had to talk to Draco. She couldn't keep on wondering it was driving her mad. Standing quickly she abruptly snatched her robe from the floor and covered herself. "Thank you for your help, excuse me."

She hurried off across the grass, not caring if Narcissa thought her rude or odd, the woman's words were pounding around inside her brain and she could feel a tension headache coming on.

Luna reached her room in record time and almost fell through the door.

Draco glanced up at the sudden noise. "What are you doing? What's the matter?"

"I want to know about those before me," Luna explained breathlessly.

"Who?" His forehead creased in confusion.

Luna's eyes flared as she struggled not to let her jealously out. Still, she all but spat at him; "All your other women."