Chapter 10

It took two to tango.

That had been the thought Draco repeated to himself as he dedicated his time tracking down the Boy Who Lived. His fiancé may have been somewhat complicit in whatever affair took place, but not all blame was to be distributed equally. Luna had suffered already, it was time to make sure the other adulterer had been dealt with. He knew it was Potter who initiated the infidelity. Even a prude like Potter was a conniving cheat next to a girl like Luna Lovegood.

He sat alone in his large offices in the Ministry. He'd spent the duration of the past day following any leads he dug up on Harry Potter's whereabouts. He asked for the case specifically. There were various sightings, the documents placed him in different locations. His childhood rival turned fatal enemy never stopped in more than one place for very long.

Almost like Potter was looking for something.

The young Malfoy wanted to be the one to take the infamous rebel down. He would earn the glory of slaying a long time enemy of his Lord, while at the same time receiving the personal revenge he craved. Malfoys were sensible, and what could have been more practical than killing two birds with the same stone?

He wouldn't admit it aloud, but he knew he was too harsh with Luna. Sometimes the carefree front she put up hid her brittleness away. He always forgot how vulnerable she really was. He wasn't worthy of her, he knew this from the very beginning. Yet she continued to pursue him, something so small and defenseless going after something as corrupted as him.

She never ceased to amaze him, even after all these years. Despite being exposed to his wicked, spiteful manifestation, she remained pure. That was what threw him off the edge.

How could she feel so untainted, uncontaminated when she had cheated with another man? At least she had some form of forewarning, Draco was known for his selfish and sinister behavior. He never considered himself a virtuous human being, it was more likely for him to make commit treachery and cover it with deceit. But her, this entire scandal had jumped out of him without the slightest notice.

He opened himself up to her, lowered his defenses for her. No one else in existence had gotten as far into his life as she did. She wounded him in the way only she could, his heart, his soul was exposed to her exclusively. And this was how she repaid him.

The worst part of all of this was he still loved her.

He was going to fight for her, he was going to keep her forever. His ownership would never be threatened again. He'd be damned if he was going to let anyone touch what was his again.

-p-

"Don't frown like that," the brunette shot a sad smile at the younger girl, "You should be happy, you look beautiful," she reasoned.

Luna stared aimlessly at the reflection that gazed back at her from three different angles. She stood atop a small podium, layers of extravagant white fabrics gathering at her waist before cascading down onto the floor. Pansy lifted her arms and clipped a long lace veil that almost blended in with her light blond hair. It covered the sullen look in her eyes.

A week had passed since the incident in the hallway. The physical pain had slowly melted away, but her memory was still marred by their last encounter. She'd never heard Draco speak to her like that, look at her like that. She'd seen him every night after that, but he would just climb into bed beside her with his back facing her. The one time they caught eye contact, she could see the apologetic nature and regret. While Narcissa and the rest of the women claimed Legilimency was common practice of interrogation amongst old fashioned couples, Luna knew Draco never thought that. He treasured her for so long, it was difficult to believe he would actually do something to harm her.

She fingered the diamond ring on her hand again, she found herself constantly fiddling with it. She spun it around the perimeter of her delicate fourth digit, occasionally attempting to pull it off. She didn't know why she kept trying, she was never successful in removing it.

The aftermath of that dinner that night had been fatal. Despite appearing unashamed for sleeping with Astoria, he hadn't appreciated the information being revealed to Luna without his permission. Luna hadn't been there to witness it, but she decided to take Pansy's word for it when she gossiped about his brutality. She hadn't seen so much of the Greengrass sisters since. Luna thought of how afraid Daphne had been. She wished the poor girl wouldn't have been dragged down for her sister's mistakes.

The wedding was continuing as planned, on what schedule no one besides Narcissa was sure. Her future mother in law had been so busy lately with coordinating the event that Luna had been assigned a new babysitter.

"Luna?" It was Pansy again, her dark olive eyes brimmed with something Luna swore was sincerity.

Parkinson had been spending more and more time with Luna, and had become rather comforting company. Luna knew it didn't justify the other girl's inexcusable behavior in school, but these elite families were extremely selective. People like these were raised and brainwashed with the disparaging mentality of those with Muggle heritage. It was no wonder their children acted the way they did, treating others in the manner they had.

Today the pair was out in Knockturn Alley for the first of Luna's dress fittings.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Luna squeaked as she lifted the sheer cloth from her face to turn to her newfound acquaintance. She did this often now, becoming distracted with her own thoughts and drifting away from present conversation.

"I asked if you like this design," Pansy repeated as she gestured to the gown that hung on Luna's body.

Luna cocked her head, turning it to the side as if it would help her see any better. She was a resilient girl, she needed to tuck her chin out and deal with it. She became distracted with something else in the mirror. "Don't I look a bit unwell?" she mentioned. Her hand came up to touch the dark shadows beneath her eyes.

"Of course not," she assured. "You look gorgeous,"

"Thank you," It felt like people were paying her compliments all the time now. She didn't understand why, nothing about her had changed.

"If you don't know, there's still plenty time to think. I think Mrs. Malfoy just wanted to allow you a chance to choose before she organized the rest of the reception," she patted her back.

They'd become more comfortable around each other, almost like friends. One would likely scoff at a comparison between Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson, but Luna truly believed they were similar. Hermione was bookish, determined, and studious. Pansy was the same, just in a slightly different sense. Pansy knew everything about everyone in their social collection. Luna assessed that Pansy's goals were no easier achieved that Hermione's were. It was easy to see that Pansy's knowledge had only been acquired after years of dedicated practice and manners.

Luna undressed with the help of several attendants and hastily slipped into her regular attire moments later. She winced as she stepped down onto level ground, the pressure proved too much on her injured ankle. She remembered the time she was running late for an appointment with Narcissa. She misplaced her heel, wiping out on the long flight of stairs. He'd been heading upstairs at the same time, catching her effortlessly on her way down as she fell into his chest. It was times like that when neither of them could really recall what was going on. It was instinctive, he scolded her for being reckless, telling her she needed to be more cautious. "What would you do without me?" he teased lightly under his breath. But the nostalgia lasted only seconds. They pulled away as soon as he set her down safely. He just stalked off after that without another word. Distracted by the image of his retreating back, she fell and landed on her foot again at the wrong angle. She didn't tell him.

He must have told someone not to let her wear high heels anymore. Any shoe with any semblance of a stiletto had been removed from her closet by the time she returned to their room. They had been replaced new pairs of flats with safer supports.

Most healthily minded people would find his habits controlling, but she knew him well enough to find it endearing.

She hated it because she found herself thinking him as kind again. He made the most cardinal of mistakes, yet she always turned around to see the almost nonexistent good. Even the smallest of sliver of gestures appeared like the grandest movements in the world.

Forgiveness was in her nature, it was inevitable fact. She would forgive him, they both knew that. But forgiveness wasn't always enough, because forgive as she may, she hardly forgot.

"Come on, let's go," Pansy guided her out of the tiny boutique. They walked out empty handed, Luna was too distracted to concentrate and choose a dress. Luna pretended not to see Pansy roll her eyes when Luna thanked the small elf that held the door open for them.

As they stepped out onto the street, Luna couldn't help but feel like her breath being sucked away from her body. Knockturn Alley, renowned for being an epicenter of implicit dark magic had been completely reconstructed. Now it felt no different than its contrasting counterpart, Diagon Alley before the War. For a new order to be held, everything had to be replaced. Shops lined the sidewalks, wizards and witches strolling down from each direction. The sky was unfittingly bright, barely a cloud in sight. Everyone was chattering away, as if the fighting had been over for years instead of months. It was too normal, it scared her.

Luna's feet froze when she spotted two familiar faces in the crowd. It was Cho Chang and her friend Marietta Combs, her prior Housemates. Both of them had been members of Dumbledore's Army, both of them had been protected by Harry. But here they were, enjoying their life like nothing was wrong. She clenched her tiny fists until she realized she had been doing the same.

If anything, she was the worst traitor of them all. Few knew of her relationship with Draco before, she could only imagine the reactions of her old friends when they found out she was marrying one of the most influential Death Eaters in Lord Voldemort's circle.

She hung her head in shame, hoping Cho wouldn't recognize her. She was glad for the contrasting tastes between her own style and the one she had adopted because they didn't see her. She let out a long sigh of relief after they passed.

It was rare to be let out of the Malfoy estate, she was sure that she was supposed to be locked up. She knew Draco thought to protest when Narcissa had brought the trip up, but kept his mouth shut.

Pansy was anxious when she was around the Lovegood girl. To be honest, she had grown rather fond of her. For some reason, Luna didn't exude ulterior motives, Pansy had no need to keep her guard up. She guessed that was why Draco had been so smitten with her. It was uncommon amongst people like them for someone to be so innocent, so naïve. But as she was given the duty to keep track of Luna, she was apprehensive to accept. She knew a Death Eater was following their every move just as a safety precaution, but she didn't want to think of what would happen to her fate if something did happen. Draco wouldn't hesitate to send a curse down her spine if she lost Luna.

They locked arms as they crossed the road.

Luna spotted something peculiar.

"What is this?"

Pansy followed Luna's gaze to the building beside them. "Gringotts," she stated in a tone that offered no greater elaboration.

"But why here?" the blonde asked while stopping her steps. "Wasn't it on Diagon Alley? Why did they move it?" It was the exact same structure, almost as if the identical building had been picked up and dropped off at a new location. The sign, the doors, all of the bank was the same.

Pansy shushed Luna, "Don't talk about that. Our Dark Lord has eradicated those places, they were polluted. As far as we know, this" she motioned to the bank, "has been here forever." She looked serious.

Maybe if pollution constituted of muggleborns and half bloods.

Luna nodded, not completely understanding but unwilling to press further. She shivered at the thought of ever meeting the Dark Lord. She shifted as she looked around her shoulders, "Where are we going?"

"We're going shopping. Apparently you need new shoes," Pansy stopped dead along their path in front of a shop window.

"Look Luna," she gushed. They paused in front of a shop window, her arm unhooked with Luna's for a split second as she pressed her hands onto the glass to properly admire the jewelry on display. "Aren't these magnificent?" She pointed to one of the sparkling necklaces sitting in the front. "I was hinting Theo about my birthday gift, wouldn't this be perfect?"

No answer came.

Pansy slowly averted her gaze, only to find the spot Luna had been standing in before vacant.

Her heart dropped.

The unidentifiable force came out of nowhere and grabbed her shoulder, jerking the petite woman away from her companion. A hand clamped over her mouth to stop her from making any loud noises, before she knew it she had been pushed into an abandoned alcove. Her attacker's grip was light, almost like he was careful not to hurt her. Luna knew she should have been afraid, but for some reason she wasn't. She didn't struggle out of his grasp, she just peered ahead with enlarged blue orbs. All of it happened so quickly she couldn't process any of it.

"Luna?" Pansy's shrieked loudly in blatant panic a few yards away. "Luna!" she repeated in a fluster.

Even at this distance, Luna could hear the sounds of distress through the street.

"How could you let this happen?" She was probably talking to the security detail that the Malfoy's had hired to trail them. She felt the air above them blacken, several Death Eaters must have apparated nearby. "Luna!"

She blocked the background out as she concentrated on the matter at hand. She couldn't see anyone before her, but Luna was positive there was someone standing right before before her. This presence, it was somehow familiar. She could feel his heavy breath as he panted, she sensed simultaneous exasperation and relief. She blinked pointedly, trying to decipher what was going on. Instincts were instincts, but she knew better than to trust a stranger. As the hand slowly removed itself from her lips, she immediately parted her mouth and readied herself to call for help.

But the cling of light metal falling onto the stone cobbled floor by her feet stopped her. The long breath she had inhaled to ready her scream was taken away.

It was only for a moment, but her eyes flicked to the ground to see the unmistakable framed spectacles. A piece of tape held together the portion that would sit on the bridge of his nose. Luna bent down to retrieve them, but in a flash the glasses had again disappeared under a cloak of nothingness.

Hearing he was alive was nothing compared to being able to confirm it in person.

"Luna!" She could hear Pansy's voice call, but she paid it no attention, for something more compelling held her conscious.

He must have heard it too, because without so much of a warning, he tried to gently shove Luna back out onto the light of the main street and flee. But she was faster than him, she latched onto the arm that earlier held her shoulder. She couldn't see him, but her wide, blue eyes stared up into the place she pictured his gaze.

Her fingers clutched to his sleeve, it was really him.

"Harry?"

End Chapter 10

A/N: A reader suggested I put this story under a "M" (mature) rating. What do you guys think, would love to hear your opinion on it. Their reasoning was the language used in this story, particularly in Chapter 8 and 9. I mean, I guess some of it could be offensive, but I don't believe the profanity to be so extreme. I'm considering the switch, but it would help if I got your thoughts on it.

Thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you would like me to continue.