"Thirteen for dinner again." Draco announced, stomping into the nursery. He had been avoiding her for the past four days since he had awoken with Luna beside him. He threw a dress onto her bed. "My mother had this one made for you so you have something to wear when this happens."
The dress was beautiful, silk in a shade between aqua and turquoise. It fit a little loose, but once Luna had it on, it adjusted itself so that it fit perfectly. Luna would have to learn that charm someday. It was off the shoulder with a fitted bodice and a bell skirt, a traditional princess cut.
Mrs. Malfoy knocked at the door just as Luna finished dressing.
"Ah. Wonderful." Narcissa nodded with a small smirk. "I thought this would be just gorgeous on you. Sit down." She pulled a set of jewelled clips from her pocket, flicking her wand to pull Luna's hair away from her face and place the barettes.
"Perfect. You'll definitely attract some attention. I just hope it's not Mulciber and Rab." Mrs. Malfoy frowned.
"Mrs. Malfoy, why are you being nice to me?" Luna asked.
The older woman sighed. "Because you're the best hope I have right now of salvaging my family." She crossed the room and knocked on Draco's door, shouting "Be down in ten minutes!" before leaving the nursery without another word.
Rinka popped into the room to watch Caelum. Draco stomped in, stopping short when he caught sight of Luna. She smiled at him. Several expressions crossed his face in rapid succession, before fixing on annoyance.
"Let's go." he snapped, taking her arm with a little more force than necessary. They arrived at the dining room to find nearly everyone already seated. Professor Snape was not there. Draco gave his mother a pointed glare, and seated Luna to his right. Next to Rabastan Lestrange.
"My dear lady." Rabastan took Luna's hand and kissed it. "I had no idea I would have such a pleasant dinner companion."
"You don't." Draco snarled from the other side of Luna. "She's my dinner companion."
"Ah, Draco. You shouldn't monopolize all this young lady's time, you know." Rabastan continued to smile pleasantly at Luna.
Draco leaned over to look at him. "The Dark Lord sent her to my quarters, not yours. He never said anything about sharing."
Rab leaned closer to Luna. "I won't tell if you won't."
Luna was saved from having to answer as Voldemort took his place, and the house elves began serving. The Dark Lord asked after the whereabouts of several Death Eaters who weren't in attendance before turning to Luna.
"Miss Lovegood. I have recently learned that your mother was Aislinn Connolly." Luna nodded. "I tried to recruit her. She told me she was too busy with her research to join with us." Voldemort steepled his fingers and looked at her over them. "Tell me, how does the daughter of a Slytherin, from such a long and pure blooded pedigree, come to throw her lot in with Potter and his band of misfits?"
Draco's hand clenched her thigh under the table so hard Luna was certain she would have a hand shaped bruise.
"I was friends with Ginny Weasley. The Weasleys are my family's nearest neighbors. I was invited to spend time with Ginny's friends." Luna gave a half shrug.
"Luna is young, my lord." Narcissa spoke up. "Perhaps we can reverse the wrong ideas she was taught in the past."
Voldemort nodded to her, but looked back at Luna. "You didn't seek them out, to align yourself with The Boy Who Lived?"
"No." Luna shook her head. "I just wanted friends. I was terribly lonely before."
"Are you lonely now?" Voldemort sneered.
"I miss my other friends." Luna answered honestly. "But I have Draco to be my friend now."
"And what of the child?" the Dark Lord asked Luna, but looked at Draco.
"He's delightful." Luna smiled. "He's very bright and learning new things every day."
Voldemort gave her a mockery of a smile before looking hard into Draco's eyes.
The rest of the meal passed without Luna being addressed further, and with Draco pointedly ignoring her. As the dishes were cleared, the group began to trickle toward the drawing room for drinks. Draco herded Luna toward the stairs.
"Nonsense, Draco." the Dark Lord's voice stopped them. "Let Luna out of that nursery for a few moments."
They followed the rest of the diners into the drawing room. Narcissa handed Luna a glass of wine.
"You did very well." she whispered to the girl before walking away to join her husband.
Bellatrix appeared at Draco's elbow, drawing him away to speak with her and Voldemort. One of the Death Eater wives came to speak to Luna.
"So you're Aislinn's daughter. She and I were at Hogwarts together, but she was two years younger. Very clever girl, she was. I was quite surprised she was in Slytherin, rather than Ravenclaw." the woman chatted. "We all knew she had great things ahead of her. Of course, we were rather distressed about her unfortunate marriage, and then of course, the accident..."
"I don't see my parents' marriage as unfortunate." Luna frowned.
"Well of course not, dear. Otherwise, they wouldn't have had you!" the woman laughed at her own statement. "But now you're with people who can teach you properly what your mother was raised to believe, rather than that lunatic she married. I'm certain we'll have you sorted out in no time." the woman patted Luna's arm. "And you and Draco will make such a handsome couple." she leaned in conspiratorially. "He's the Dark Lord's chosen man, you know. You couldn't make a better match. We can all see that he's quite taken with you. I'm sure he's only waiting for you to embrace your heritage before he makes an offer."
The woman finished the drink in her hand and set off in search of another, leaving Luna alone again.
An older man with close set eyes approached Luna next. "Surely if we were in muggle London, you could stop traffic in that dress." he told her with a look that raked up and down her figure.
"I hope not." she replied lightly. "The muggles get quite irritated when their traffic is disrupted."
He laughed, and took a step closer. "We had an idea that little Draco was hiding something special up there." The man walked around Luna, as if sizing her up from different angles. "I truly underestimated. Forgive me, dear lady."
"Stop looking at my companion as if she were a piece of meat, Mulciber." Draco drawled.
Luna started at the sound of his voice.
"Perhaps she would like a bit of someone else's company for a change." the older man smirked.
"I think she's perfectly content with my company." Draco nearly growled.
"Is that so?" Mulciber challenged.
Draco grabbed Luna's shoulders and turned her to face him. She automatically tilted her head up to see what he was doing, and only had a heartbeat to register the fact that he was lowering his head toward her. His hand came up to cup the back of her neck as his lips met hers. His mouth moved over hers, coaxing her lips apart to allow his tongue entrance. Her arms rose to wrap around his shoulders almost of their own volition.
He released her as suddenly as he had claimed her, both of them gasping for breath.
"Maybe not." he smirked at Mulciber, arching an eyebrow. "I'm taking my companion upstairs now." He announced to no one in particular, as the whole room was now staring at them.
He put his hand on the small of Luna's back to herd her toward the exit.
Bellatrix suddenly appeared in their path.
"Draco." she practically purred. "I'd like to speak to you later." She laid her hand on his chest.
Luna felt his whole body stiffen. A moment later, Bellatrix was on her behind on the floor.
"He doesn't want you to touch him." She informed Bellatrix with a mild smile.
Bellatrix looked from Draco's shocked face to Luna's serene one and began to laugh. "Your little bird has talons, Draco."
Draco led Luna around his aunt on the floor and through the doorway.
"Thank you." he whispered as they reached the stairs.
Nothing else was said until they reached the nursery and he had silenced the locked door behind them.
"What happened down there." he rolled his eyes at the door. "was just for show. Don't go reading things into it."
He turned toward his bedroom.
"Draco."
He paused, looking back toward her.
"Did Voldemort give me to you to take care of Caelum, or for sex?"
He snorted. "You're in my custody. Whatever that entails is up to me."
He took one more glance at his sleeping son and headed to his room to hide.
Draco watched Caelum playing on the floor with his dragon, looking up to smile and pronounce "Duh!"
He was older, his face slightly slimmer, his hair filled in as dark and curly as his mothers, but his smile sweet and serene as hers could never be. A smaller boy with white blond hair sat with him. The younger boy stood and toddled over to Luna, placing a block in her hand.
"Mumma!" he said, and Luna beamed at him, her belly already rounding again.
"Draco," came an oily voice from the doorway. "What a disappointment your firstborn has turned out to be." the Dark Lord glided into the room. "He not only has not caught up with other children his age, he has been surpassed by his younger brother."
"My Lord," Draco rushed out. "Just give him time. Bella and I are both very powerful. Caelum can already perform accidental magic. He just needs..."
"Magical ability is useless if he can't walk and talk and control it." the Dark Lord sneered. "We will begin training on the second one," he pointed at the blond boy. "but we have wasted enough time on this inferior being."
He raised his wand. "Avad..."
"NO!" Draco screamed.
He sat upright in bed, automatically pointing his wand at the figure in his room before he realized it was Luna on her way to wake him.
He jumped from the bed, sending the covers flying, almost knocking her over in his haste to get to the nursery. He picked up his sleeping son, startling Caelum, who cried out until he realized Daddy had him. The baby snuggled against Draco's chest and closed his eyes.
Draco sank into the rocking chair, shuddering, stroking his son's sparse hair, kissing the top of his head, murmuring "I won't let them hurt you."
Luna sat at his feet and looked up at him. "It was just a dream." she soothed. "He's safe. Are you all right?"
Draco took two deep breaths and swallowed three times before he could answer her. "Promise me something." he whispered hoarsely.
"What's that?" she asked.
"If I ever tell you to take him and run, do it. Go. Don't look back. No Gryffindor shit. Don't try to save me. Just go." he stared out into the darkness.
"I promise."