Thank you for all the alerts and interest. I don't own any characters.

Information

Draco held Luna's hand as they crossed the foyer, moving through the crowd of people that had now gathered, laughing and drinking. Luna wondered how large the Malfoy's house was exactly, she and Draco seemed to be walking for a long time as they went down two separate hallways, through a smaller sitting space and now stood in front of a massive set of wooden doors. Draco knocked then turned the iron handle, pulling Luna through with him.

A large desk sat there, on a dark blood-red rug. A fire was going in the fireplace, its warmth the only bright spot in the room, its crackle reassuring to Luna who was already wondering about why Mr. Malfoy wanted to speak to her.

She walked in quietly, led by Draco and saw Mr. Malfoy standing there, talking with another man. This stranger turned his face to her and Luna was struck by the hardness on it, there seemed to be almost a brutal pleasure on his face. She quickly turned her gaze back to Lucius Malfoy who stepped forward with his hand out. Luna took it automatically, mesmerized by him. There was a kind of aura around him, a wave of power that exuded outward.

"Ah Miss Lovegood. Please. Come in." Mr. Malfoy smiled at her in a seemingly gracious manner. Luna returned his smile, unsure as to what he wanted. The hard-looking man moved over to the side and Lucius led her into a chair, facing the desk. Luna settled down but did not let go of Draco's hand immediately.

"You can leave Draco." Mr. Malfoy said to Draco, not taking his eyes off of Luna.

"I'm staying father." Draco replied tersely. He stared at Lucius, who frowned slightly. But he nodded and motioned Draco to the back corner. Perhaps it was better for him to stay, he thought to himself. He may be of use later.

"There are quite the few protestors outside my own gates tonight. I believe that you are a part of that group that protests our way of practicing business yes?"

Luna glanced over to Draco but couldn't quite catch sight of him. She exhaled a little and replied. "Yes, that's true. I am friends with those who don't quite agree with the way you and your family, friends conduct themselves here in town."

"And your father?"

"I don't understand."

"Your father doesn't agree either correct?"

"I'm not sure how he feels about that, he has never said that to me. But I believe he is aware of how others have been treated by you, how they react to you."

"Well Miss Lovegood, it would seem that your father enjoys writing articles about families in town, my family, exposing what he feels is unjust on my part. "

Mr. Malfoy reached behind him and pulled out an edition of the Quibbler.

THIS FAMILY HAS YOUR MONEY AND THEY DIDN'T GET IT FAIRLY the caption said in bold letters. Luna leaned forward and studied it. A picture of Mr and Mrs. Malfoy standing there in front of an office building. It was taken some time ago, Mrs. Malfoy looked much younger in it. Luna peered at it more closely. There was Draco in the background looking away. He was about 14 at the time she thought. Then she looked at the building again and her mouth dropped open. This was Neville's parents business.

"This was Neville's. I mean, his parents place."

"Correct. The Longbottom business was a vast holding to get at the time. We were lucky to buy it so cheaply. But it still took myself and my family quite a bit of sacrifice and now your father is implying that we unfairly cheated them and others out of their money, their properties."

Luna was startled. She didn't understand how it was that Mr. Malfoy received a copy of the edition so early on, her father had said that his story would come out at midnight. But mostly, she didn't understand exactly what it was that Mr. Malfoy was trying to say to her, to tell her. His next words didn't clarify things either.

"How did you get a copy of tonight's edition so fast?"

"That's not important Miss Lovegood, what's important is finding out what it is your father is trying to achieve by writing these stories about us."

"I'm sure that he is trying to get people to understand the situation in town, writing these editorials. And since he owns the Quibbler, he is also trying to get readership up. You can understand that right?"

Lucius ignored Luna's pointed remark. Yaxley just stared at her, as if she were a piece of dirt he found under his shoe. Draco moved a little and Lucius motioned him back.

"Perhaps. Or maybe he has a particular grudge against me and mine."

Luna shook her head slightly. The idea was absurd. Lucius continued as if Luna hadn't said or done anything.

"Or perhaps he wants to write lies, because he's trying to make himself an important person, on even ground with Mr. Cuffe. Maybe make the Quibbler bigger then the Daily Prophet. Certainly make money which Lovegood hasn't been able to do all these years." Lucius smirked at Yaxley who continued to stare at Luna. She tried to ignore his pointed look, starting to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Maybe before you leave the party, you'll have had a chance to think about what I'm saying, maybe understand why it is that I don't enjoy protestors outside my business in town, outside my home here. Why I don't enjoy people reading about me. Lies, all lies."

"I don't want to talk anymore Mr. Malfoy. I don't have anything to say about my father. I would much rather leave right now."

Luna started to get up from the chair, intending to extend her hand to Lucius, looking towards Draco. But Yaxley moved forward from his position at the desk and pushed Luna back down in the chair roughly, gripping her shoulder. In an instance, Draco had walked up to him and grabbed his arm, yanking it off her and spinning Yaxley around to face him.

"Don't touch her again." Draco said through gritted teeth.

Yaxley wasn't as tall as Draco, but much more compact, muscled. But in that instance, he was no match for Draco. Draco would have been very happy to put his fist into his face, damn the consequences. He was about to say something but Lucius intervened.

"Stand back Yaxley. No need to treat Miss Lovegood in his manner. Draco, don't interrupt me again."

Luna looked up at Draco. His jaw was set, the muscle twitching a little. He wouldn't return her gaze. She reached up and took his hand. He squeeze it a little, then let it go, standing back in the corner.

"I can't allow your father to continue writing lies in this manner. Not only does it cast a poor light on my family, my friends, it creates problems for me. And believe what I say, it will cause problems for your father. Yaxley here will be making sure of that.

"I don't expect you to understand all of this, although you do seem like quite an intelligent girl, despite all the dreaminess that Lovegood instilled in you. You are your mother's daughter after all."

"You don't know anything about my parents."

"Oh indeed I do. I know that your mother was much more practical then your father. She wasn't a dreamer, she understood what was important, and knew that there was a price to pay for everything. Nothing happens, Miss Lovegood, without consequences."

Luna had had enough. She was beginning to understand why she was here in this study, why she was here at this party. She was too angry to be hurt by it all, just yet.

"Mr. Malfoy, tell me why I'm here."

"You're here because I wanted to talk to you. Your father is a fool, a dreamer but one thing he does is listen to you, dotes on you. If you can explain to him reasonably, he may actually understand and follow my reasoning. As much as I dislike saying this, there are quite a few readers that believe what your father writes, believe in his opinion. And he is acquainted with more then half this town. And in the past he had been more than happy to support what I do.

"You may not want to think this but you have quite a bit in common with us, it isn't a coincidence that you and Draco get along so well, right? Not a coincidence that you're here in my house, at this party. You should talk to your father."

Yaxley spoke up for the first time.

"You would if it was the best thing for him. And believe me Miss Lovegood, it is the best thing for him."

Luna was furious all of the sudden. How dare he say such a thing to her. "I would never tell my father what to do."

"I don't believe that either of you have my father's best interest in mind at all. And I have nothing in common with you, anyone in your family, anyone you know. I would never want to have anything in common with you, you're a hurtful person. My father would never support what you've done to others."

"I came here tonight because Draco extended an invitation to me. No other reason. I wouldn't have stepped foot in this house if I had known for one moment that he wanted me here because you asked him to invite me. If that's why, well, that's something that I will discuss with Draco."

"Maybe I am a fool. Like you said, I believed that I had something in common with Draco, that he and I aren't so different after all. But you have definitely dissuaded me from that idea. I don't want anything more to do with you. Good night Mr. Malfoy."

Luna stood up and this time managed to walk away without being stopped by either Lucius or Yaxley. She was so angry she didn't realize that Draco had followed her until he opened the door and stepped out, shaking with emotion. She heard the study door close softly behind her and she turned around, seeing Draco.

Luna stepped closer to him. "What is it exactly that your father is trying to say to me?"

"You heard him. He was asking about your father, your involvement." Draco replied stiffly.

"And that other man beside him, who does he think he is?" Luna was fuming. Draco watched her, not moving, not making a gesture towards her. Luna turned to him and started to say something when she stopped. She recalled the last few things she said about Draco.

" didn't mean what I said about you, honestly. I was just so angry that your father would say such things about my father. And that he would imply that the only reason why you and I would be together for any reason would be because he asked for you to bring me here. I mean, we aren't children anymore right?" Luna reached a hand out to him but Draco avoided it, stepping aside and staring down the hallway.

"Don't worry Luna, I know that it doesn't matter, you never felt anything for me anyway. That's fine, I told you that I was exactly like my family. I could care less." Draco said the words woodenly.

"Draco…" Luna stared at him. Draco stood a few feet away from her, as still as a statue. His face had the mask of indifference she was used to seeing from him, as if the times they were intimate hadn't occurred, as if not even five minutes ago, when Yaxley had shoved her down, Draco hadn't stepped in on her behalf.

But his eyes betrayed him. His grey eyes shone with intensity, giving away his true emotions. Luna closed the gap between them.

"I don't understand. I thought that you had feelings for me. I know that I have them for you." Luna said quietly, reaching out to him again. She touched his shoulder and Draco jerked away from her

"Don't talk to me right now. Don't come near me."

"Draco…"

"You think that I don't know who you are? You have no problem condemning me and my behavior but yours is just as bad. Maybe worse. I saw you this afternoon. "

Luna was startled. What was Draco talking about?

"So don't pretend you're anything other than a lying bitch. Don't talk to me."

Draco walked away, clenching his fists. He didn't want anything more to do with Luna.