Draco sighed as he grabbed hold of the door handle of his room. He had been home for a couple of days now and had mostly hidden himself away in his room. If only he could hide away forever, but he knew his parents were starting to worry. Pushing the handle down, his breath got stuck in his throat – waiting for whatever horror was going to follow – but nothing happened, and he pushed open the door. Silence met him and he sneaked a peek around the corner. Nothing. Slowly he stepped into the corridor and started walking towards the living room. Stopping in the doorway, he found his mother conversing with his aunt in the middle of the room. Blue eyes moved to him and a smile appeared on Narcissa's lips.

"Draco," she softly called, and Bellatrix turned to him.

"Back to the living!" his aunt joked as she walked over to him. He stepped closer to her while his mother sat down on the couch.

"Just needed some rest," he answered, and Bellatrix laughed loudly.

"Don't we all?! But the future doesn't wait for us," she turned back to her sister. "Just as work, we'll continue this later." Narcissa nodded in agreement to Bellatrix, who stepped towards the door. "Better stay away from the basement, Draco. I wouldn't want your rest to be disturbed," she wickedly smiled as she passed by her nephew. Draco frowned at her words as he watched her leave before turning to his mother.

"What's in the basement?"

"Leverage," his mother's voice sounded forced and the blond's frown only deepened. He didn't need to ask for more clarification.

'Prisoners,' his mind supplied him.

"It would be best, if you stayed away from there," Narcissa continued while standing up again. "Focus on your studies… for now," she patted his shoulder and gave him a sad smile.

'For as long as I can…' Draco understood her underlying message all too well. He gave her a nod before excusing himself and removing himself out of the room.

-DNDN-

Sneaking a look around the corner, Draco stealthily moved towards the door, which led to a small study at the back of the manor. His heart was beating like crazy and he could admit to himself he was terrified. As he stopped in front of it, the door suddenly got thrown open and he looked surprised in Greyback's eyes, who looked just as surprised.

"Who do we have here?! Our own Chosen One!" the werewolf laughed aloud before turning to Bellatrix, who had joined him at the door.

"Draco," she smiled widely.

"You've come to learn from the professionals, haven't you?!" Fenrir continued while hitting his shoulder, not holding back at all.

"Oh, going behind mommy's back," his aunt joined the teasing, while she grabbed at something behind her. "Too bad you're returning to Hogwarts tomorrow," she continued. "Unlike others." Draco felt himself stiffen as those words and wanted to floor to swallow him whole, when she pulled a bleeding Luna into his view. The Ravenclaw still seemed to be able to move her limbs freely, but a nice cut decorated her cheek while one of her eyes was swollen, it didn't seem like she could look through it. "Why don't you lead our guest back to her quarters," Bellatrix kept laughing and pushed the girl towards him, but Greyback took hold of the Ravenclaw's neck before she could reach him.

"Such an important task has to be earned!" he hissed while leaning closer to Draco. "And I don't think you've earned it." He smiled before pulling Luna passed him. Draco watched them go with a heavy heart.

"Oh, don't worry, Draco. You're well on the way to earn such rights," Bellatrix almost proudly said and patted his back.

"Will she be sent to Azkaban?" he questioned just to say something. He knew she would be sent there. They all were.

"Of course," his aunt gave him a piercing look.

"It's just that she's one of Potter's friends." He glanced at her. "Who knows what we can learn from her. It might not be such a bad idea to keep her here, where we can keep an eye on her, and that annoying Order of theirs doesn't expect her to be."

"You don't agree with our Lord's decision?" Bellatrix fiercely looked at him.

"How could you even think that. I'm only thinking about what's best for our Lord," Draco immediately defended himself and his aunt wickedly smiled at him.

"It's not a bad idea. Too bad that girl's mind's completely scrambled. Potter does know how to choose his allies," she chuckled before walking away from him. Draco balled his hands as he watched her go.

'Fuck!'

-DNDN-

"Elf!" Draco called out once he was back in his room and on cue the successor of Dobby appeared before him with a pop. "Bring these medical supplies to the blond girl, who's being held captive in the cellar!" he ordered, and the elf blinked surprised at him before accepting the pouch handed to him.

"Make certain, nobody finds out I gave that to you!" he threatened, and the small creature nodded before popping out again. 'This is the least I can do,' Draco sighed as he sat down on his bed and looked at his open suitcase. She might have to wait for the next meal, but Luna would be able to treat her wounds. 'How am I going to tell, Neville?' he wondered as despair filled his heart.

-DNDN-

Sighing, Neville sat down in the Hogwarts Express. It had been a hard Christmas Holiday. He felt like he had been to boot camp with how his grandmother had treated him. But he loved her for it! She had become his personal trainer to prepare him for the war to come. Ginny sat down opposite of him and greeted him with a small smile.

"How was your holiday?" he asked politely.

"Quieter than normal,"

'without Ron and Harry,' the dark blond added himself and he grimaced.

"Did you hear anything from Luna?" the girl asked hopefully, but Neville could only shake his head. "Draco?" she continued, and her friend frowned at her.

'Draco never contacts me during holidays.' He looked at her and noted that she was looking past him. Finally understanding her, he turned around and met troubled greyish eyes.

"Looks like someone missed someone else," Ginny whispered at him as the blond passed them and Neville sighed.

"He just spent time with his family." As Draco disappeared from his view, his eyes moved back to his friend. "Who knows what he heard or experienced…"

"Maybe he knows something about Luna?" Ginny thought aloud and those blue eyes moved back to the door, Draco had disappeared through.

'I don't know it I want him to know something or not…'

-DNDN-

Taking a seat besides Blaise, Draco had a good view of Neville, who had also noted him as he had glanced backwards at him. Having Defence Against the Dark Arts as first class after the holidays wasn't the most fun, but at least they had it with Gryffindor.

"Today will be a treat," Amycus Carrow said with an insanely looking smile. "As it's important that every one of you can protect yourselves," the professor continued while walking between the desks "and as the best defence is an attack." He stopped in front of the room and faced his students. "We'll be reviewing the three Unforgivable Curses," Carrow smiled excited. Draco's eyes immediately fell on Neville, who froze in his seat.

'This is bad,' the blond frowned. 'Hearing those words must be a nightmare for him.' He glanced from the dark blond to the Death Eater in front of the class. 'What can I do?'

"Miss Brown, would you come up to the front," Amycus continued his class. Lavender's eyes widened and with clear fright, she slowly got from her seat. "Now the first curse we're going to review is the Imperius Curse. Can someone tell me what this curse does?" Zabini raised his hand. "Yes, Mr Zabini."

"The Imperius Curse puts a person under complete control of the caster."

"Correct, care to add Mr Malfoy?" Greyish eyes widened in surprised but narrowed quickly when he saw the despicable look he received.

'Does he really think he can make a fool out of me?' "It can be resisted if the victim has an exceptional strength of will."

"Yes-"

"And it's the only Unforgivable Curse you can defend yourself against." Carrow openly glared at him.

"No one likes a know-it-all, Mr Malfoy."

'Weak,' Draco smirked at him.

"Miss Brown, stand right there," Amycus said before stepping away. "Mr Zabini, as you answered correctly, please practice." The professor waved his hand at Lavender and a moment of stunned silence filled the room before hell broke loose.

"You can't be serious!" Seamus yelled as he bolted up. Neville followed his example while clenching his wand.

"Of course, I am! Miss Brown will learn to block it! Weren't you paying attention before?" Lavender looked frightened at Neville, who nodded at her. An unspoken message seemed to pass between them, and Draco felt a pang of jealousy. "It's not like I'm telling you to use the Killing Curse," Carrow continued while huffing.

"T-take your best shot!" Lavender suddenly yelped and Blaise glanced at Draco with an almost unreadable expression.

'Do it,' the blond nodded at him and his friend slowly raised his wand.

"Imperio!"

"Protego!" Lavender was obviously faster than him.

"Nicely done, Miss Brown. Please sit down again," Carrow said clearly not impressed. "Next is the Cruciatus Curse, the torture curse, self-explanatory, don't you all think?" He let his eyes slide over every student in front of him and stopped at Neville and Seamus, who were both still standing. "It seems we have two volunteers." Amycus' smile could only be described as evil.

'No!' Draco immediately looked at Neville, who stiffened again.

"No bloody way!" Seamus was screaming.

"You will show me respect," Professor Carrow narrowed his eyes at the Gryffindor. "This will be a good punishment to teach you that respect! Mr Longbottom, practice on Mr Finnigan," a huge grin appeared on the professor's lips while giving the order. Draco wanted to bold up and protect, but Blaise immediately grabbed hold of his wrist to stop him.

"No," Neville answered too calm and Carrow looked ready to murder someone.

"Great, another one who needs a punishment." Draco's fingers wrapped around his wand. "Who's willing to punish these two boys?" Amycus eyed the entire class, but nobody moved. The fury was clear to see in the Death Eater's eyes. "Fine!" Draco saw Carrow starting to raise his own wand, ready to deliver the punishment himself and this time Zabini couldn't stop him.

"Crucio!" he called out and loved the horror that flashed through Professor Carrow's eyes before he got hit. Seeing Amycus convulsing, made him feel so powerful. He could get addicted to it.

"Draco stop!" Neville's voice suddenly pulled him out of his mindset, and he blinked surprised at the dark blond, who was looking at him in horror. This time he didn't like that look and immediately stopped his spell. He could feel everyone looking at him and knew he couldn't back down now. With an air of superiority – of a Malfoy – he stepped away from his desk and strode over to where Carrow was leaning heavily on a desk. With his wand under the professor's chin, he forced Amycus' face upwards until their eyes met.

"I just punished someone disrespectful," he coldly smiled while leaning forward. "Don't let it happen again!" he said just above a whisper, so only his victim could hear him.

"Who do you think you are?!" Carrow angry yelped and Draco raised himself again to appear more intimidating.

"A Malfoy!" he stated matter of fact and hesitation could be seen in the other Death Eater's eyes. He got the message.

"Leave! All of you! Get out!" the professor suddenly yelled, and the blond noted everyone was watching him.

"Go," he mouthed, and the classroom dispersed as fast as they could. Seamus dragged an unwilling Neville with him out of the room and Draco knew he had messed up again. 'He'll never forgive me for using that curse.' His friends were the last ones in the room with Carrow and him and they fell in step with him when he moved towards the exit. Outside he found Seamus huffing at Neville, who was looking directly at him with a stern face.

"You're in trouble," Blaise chuckled, and Crabbe and Doyle laughed loudly.

"I'll deal with Longbottom, get Finnigan away!" he ordered and Zabini smirked at him, while the other two snickered.

"Seamus, mate!" Blaise raised his voice and the boy looked up at them in alarm. Once in reach, Zabini took hold of the Gryffindor's shoulders and started pulling him away from the dark blond. "You were so brave in there! Lavender's knight in shining armour," he joked, but got more resistance than he seemed to have expected. Glancing at Crabbe and Goyle, the two were quick to come help him and the three of them succeeded in dragging Seamus off. Neville watched them leave in silence, only to concentrate on Draco again when they were alone.

"Can we talk in private?" the blond quietly asked and the other nodded. They found an empty classroom and first set spells to make certain nobody could hear them.

"I know you tried to protect me," Draco's heart filled with the treacherous feeling of hope, "but don't do that again," and it was gone.

"I-" he sighed, "I'm sorry. I just wanted to stop him." His eyes dropped down to the other's hands and to his surprise those hands suddenly grabbed his.

"Use another spell, just not that one!" Greyish eyes shot up to meet pleading blue ones. "And thank you," Neville gave him a small smile. "What could have happened if you didn't interfere…" A shudder went through his body and Draco tightened his grip.

"I would never let that happen!" he stated, and the other's smile grew.

"I believe you." Hope bloomed again at the light blush that appeared on the dark blond's cheeks. "Carrow's going to try to get back at you. Be careful," Neville continued.

"I can handle him," the Slytherin brushed him off, but the Gryffindor harshly squeezed his hands.

"Don't do that!" Neville ordered and Draco looked surprised at him. "You know what he's capable off. He could end up killing you!"

"He won't-," the blond was quick to say, but got interrupted just as quickly.

"Because you're a Malfoy? During an attack it won't matter, he'll kill you and say the enemy did it!" Draco couldn't deny that. "Don't overestimate yourself."

"I'm not-."

"Yes, you are!" Neville raised his voice. "It won't matter that you're a Malfoy if you're dead!" Greyish eyes drifted downwards as the Slytherin felt himself shrink a little in on himself.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, not knowing what else to say. The other's hands released his and anxiety filled his heart. He looked up just as those hands touched his cheeks before lips pressed against his. Too stunned to react, Draco could hit himself when those lips pulled back before he had kissed back.

"I'd like to keep you alive," Neville confessed and the other didn't know how to react. Just then a loud bump could be heard in the corridor and footsteps that got closer. The Gryffindor's eyes moved to the door, giving the Slytherin a moment to recollect himself. A bump against the other side of the door had them hold their breath, but the bumps moved past them. "Carrow must be feeling the effects," Neville mumbled as his hands dropped to the other's chest, and Draco could see the worry in his blue eyes.

'How can he be worried about him?' the blond couldn't understand him. 'How can you be so good?' he wondered in admiration and the blue eyes moved back to look at him.

"We should get back," the dark blond said and pulled away from the other.

"Wait," Draco stopped him, while taking care not to touch him. 'I have to tell him…'

"Hm," Neville gave him his full attention.

'This is hard.' The blond had to search for his words.

"What?" the other questioned.

"It's about…" The blue eyes frowned at him in confusion. "Luna," he nearly whispered, and he could see the change in those blue eyes.

"You know where she is?" he questioned, and Draco could see the Gryffindor inside Neville coming out.

"I don't know where she's at the moment," he started while looking downwards, "but during the holidays, she was at Malfoy Manor." He glanced upwards and really didn't like the look he was getting.

"What happened?" Neville demanded while leaning forward.

"They tortured her," he was not going to tell him his aunt was part of it, and the dark blond stepped even closer, "but somehow she convinced them she's of no help to them."

"What do you mean?" Neville grabbed his chin and forced him to look at him.

"They said her mind was scrambled; they couldn't get anything out of her." Draco really didn't like the look in the other's eyes. "I got her medical supplies!" he tried to defend himself and the Gryffindor rolled his eyes.

"You should have gotten her out of there!"

"I couldn't…" the blond said quietly, and he tried to avoid the other's eyes, but Neville wasn't releasing his chin.

"You could!" the dark blond yelled in his face.

"No, I couldn't! I just found out before I had to go back to Hogwarts. I tried to convince them to keep her there, not sent her to Azkaban, but I don't know what happened after I had to leave!" he hopelessly ranted and Neville finally released him.

"Try to find out! They need her to control her father."

"Her father?" Draco asked surprised and wanted to shrink in on himself, when he got a disbelieving look back.

"You don't know?" the Gryffindor sounded confused and the blond only dared to shake his head as answer. "He's the editor of The Quibbler magazine," he explained, and a light bulb seemed to go off in the Slytherin's mind.

"They didn't go after her because of Potter?" Draco questioned and Neville shook his head.

"No."

"Then, she's okay," the dark blond frowned at him, "I mean, they need her, and they never go so far as to kill anyone they need."

"Which is only a small consolation," the Gryffindor huffed.

"No, she already made herself undesirable for more information. They probably think she's insane!" the blond tried to explain. "If she keeps quiet, they'll leave her alone!"

"You can't know that," Neville stated, "you don't even know where she is."

"I'll find out!" Draco knew he sounded desperate, but he couldn't help it. Only minutes ago, he had gotten a kiss and now a wall seemed to stand between them again. The dark blond closed his eyes and sighing loudly. He clearly needed a moment to collect his thoughts and the blond was more than happy to give him that.

"Don't try to save her by yourself!" he ordered as his eyes opened again. "Don't do anything stupid. Just try to find out where she is." The Slytherin nodded eagerly. "We'll do this together," Neville continued. "I really do like to keep you alive." Finally, Draco could see some emotion back in those blue eyes and his nodding continued. "We'll talk later," the dark blond gave him a small smile before quickly leaving the classroom.

-DNDN-

"What happened?!" Seamus immediately demanded when Neville entered the Gryffindor's common room. Ginny was sitting behind him on the couch and was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Let's talk in one of the bedrooms," the dark blond said to his friends as they weren't the only ones in the room. The other two followed him to the boy's dormitory and once inside quickly cast spells to keep unwanted ears from hearing anything. "Luna was at Malfoy Manor," he dropped the bomb and the other two seemed to fly towards him.

"What?! Did Draco see her?"

"Is she okay? What did they do to her?" Questions got thrown at him and he signalled them to calm down.

"She's got medical supplies to treat her wounds-"

"How bad is she?" Seamus demanded, but Neville just shook his head.

"I don't know, Draco just saw her before he had to leave for Hogwarts," the dark blond confessed.

"He should have gotten her out!" Ginny yelled angry.

"Which is what I said, but he said that he didn't have time."

"And you believe him? He's a snake! He'll do anything to save his own skin!" the Irish wizard screamed, and Neville was starting to feel frustrated.

"Yes," he yelled back at the both of them, "he's trying to keep himself and his family alive! And I can't blame him for that. Isn't that what all of us have been trying to do?" He could see his friends calm down at his rant. "Draco saw Luna at the Malfoy Manor. He supplied her with medical supplies and tried to convince, whoever that's been torturing her, to not sent her to Azkaban," he rambled on. "He's going to try and find out if she's still at the Manor or at Azkaban."

"He'll get her out?" Ginny asked and the dark blond fiercely shook his head.

"No! He's already in enough danger as it is. We'll figure out a plan once we know where she is." The other two meekly nodded and Neville wondered if he was being too harsh as silence filled the room.

"Man, you've got it bad," Seamus eventually said in an attempt to clear the air. The dark blond just gave him an annoyed look, as he couldn't deny it, and Ginny simply giggled. He could still barely believe he had kissed Draco. But how could he not? The Slytherin had openly defied another Death Eater to save him. Draco was definitely going to get in trouble for this and Neville didn't know how to keep him safe. Instead he had sent him off to do something even more dangerous. He sighed while resting his head on his hands.

'What am I doing?'

-DNDN-

Draco thought sneaking back into the Malfoy Manor, couldn't be so hard. Which it wasn't, but sneaking into their secret cellar, was another story. And why was Greyback in his house? He tried to glare at the werewolf - who was holding him down at the neck -, but lying face down on the ground, made that kind of hard.

"Draco?" he heard his mother's voice and wanted to disappear into thin air. He wasn't supposed to be caught.

"Draco, what are you doing here?" his father had also joined them. Bellatrix cheery laughter seemed so out of place.

"Getting around, aren't you, Draco?" she chuckled, and Fenrir finally let him go. Huffing he got up and finally succeeding in glaring at the werewolf.

"I didn't want to bother you," he started explaining and then held his mouth. Like hell he was going to give Greyback anything he could use against him.

"Let's talk in the living room, it's warmer there," Narcissa suggested and her husband nodded in agreement.

"Fenrir, this is a family matter, if you would excuse us." Fenrir loudly sniffed before dramatically waving them off. "Explain, Draco!" Lucius ordered once the family was alone.

"I've shown Amycus Carrow what happens when he looks down on a Malfoy." His parents looked at him in surprise while his aunt cheered. "He's going to try to get back at me, so I wanted to use a dark artefact to… discourage him." He had thought of his excuse beforehand.

"Admirable," his father started, "but a lie." His mother looked stunned at her husband. "You know that there are no artefacts in that cellar."

"Ooh," Bellatrix said over his shoulder. "You know all too well, what's in there," she chuckled.

"Sadly, Fenrir was the one who found you, so we can't let this go," his father sounded disappointed. "Bellatrix," Draco saw his aunt move, "Fenrir and you will punish him." Excited laughter filled the room and Draco pulled away to protect his ear.

"Father, mother," he tried, but Narcissa shook her head at him. 'It's the only way they can appease that bloody werewolf!' He balled his hands. "Yes, father," he accepted his fate and Bellatrix proudly looked at him.

"Come, come, Draco," she smiled while leading him by the shoulders out of the room.

-DNDN-

Tripping over his own feet, Draco hobbled back into the Hogwarts' castle. His aunt had made sure, he wasn't bleeding externally anymore, but inside it felt like a different story. He was pretty certain one of his ribs was broken and a concussion was making him feel foggy. A stubborn headache kept pressing on the back of his head, but he was proud he hadn't vomited in the presence of his torturers. Sitting down on a window seat, he took a moment to catch his breath and stop his vision from spinning.

"Draco?!" A voice suddenly made him spin his head and fall almost over where he sat. "What the bloody hell?!" he could finally recognise Ginny.

"Not so loud," he mumbled, and the girl looked at him like he was insane.

"You don't look good," she continued as she took a step closer and the blond let out a little laugh.

'That hurt!' his mind screamed as his chest felt on fire. But he wasn't going to look weak in front of a Weasley, so he forced his body upwards. He tried to look intimidating and clearly failed when her eyes widened in surprise before his vision turned black.

-DNDN-

"What is it, Ginny?" Neville asked with a yawn as he stepped inside the Room of Requirements. Confused, he took in the hospital look the room had decorated itself in and noted the reddish haired girl bustling around a hospital bed.

"Neville! I don't know what to do?!" she hopelessly called at him as she turned around and revealed Draco's head. Fear gripped his heart as blue eyes widened and the dark blond's feet were already running to the bed before he noted it.

"What happened?!"

"I don't know! I found him hunched over in the corridor and when he stood up, he fainted," Ginny hysterically explained.

"We have to take him to the hospital wing-."

"We can't!" the girl interrupted him. "What if this has something to do with Luna?!"

"We can't let him die!" Neville yelled back.

"He won't! Someone clearly healed him externally, they wouldn't have let him go if he was on the brink of death!"

"Unless they simply removed all of their evidence." The dark blond carefully touched the Slytherin's hand. "He's freezing. We need to get these cold clothes off," Neville decided. He needed to do something. He looked around and found a pair of scissors lying next to him. "I'll cut his sleeves open," he said to the girl beside him. "We need to try to keep him as still as possible. We don't know what's going on inside of him." Ginny nodded and Neville went to work. First the robe fell to the back of the bed before the blond's shirt and pants followed. He ignored Ginny's gasp at the Dark Mark and instead raised Draco's body with the Levitation Charm. "Get his clothes!" he ordered his friend, who quickly listened. His eyes scanned the too thin and pale looking body and he grimaced at the ribs that looked all battered and bruised. The internal bleeding were pretty visual. 'What now?'

"Potions!" he looked surprised at Ginny, who was still holding the cut-up robe. "There are potions in his pocket!" She dropped the robe and observed the vials she had found. "This one's for internal bleeding!" she immediately handed it over for him to administer, which he didn't need to be told twice. The bruises immediately started to lessen in colour, and he winced as he could now see just how wrong one rib was positioned. "This one's to fix organs and the last one's to set bones," the reddish haired girl continued and stepped closer again.

"We need to set his rib first," Neville said as he checked the whole body. Some bruises were starting to return, which made him bite his lip. "The blood's returning too fast; his organs must be damaged," he mumbled and clenched the empty vial he was holding.

"We've got a whole rack of vials, don't worry," Ginny stated while pointing at a rack on the other side of the bed. "First we set his rib, give him the bones-setting potion, next the organs and then the one for internal bleeding," she summed up and the dark blond nodded to her. He was glad she was becoming more level-headed, because he didn't know how long he would last. "Now, how do we set a rib?" she looked had him hopefully.

'Merlin, I wish Hermione was here!' Neville thought despairingly. 'Hermione! Books!' Immediately, a wall lined with medical books appeared. "Books," he now said and moved to the wall. It didn't take long for him to find a book about bones and luck was on his side, when he found the spell to set ribs all too fast. "Here," he called out as he practically ran back to the hospital bed. "Here's the spell."

"And here's the potion," Ginny replaced the empty vial. "I'll do the spell, you the potions?" she suggested, and Neville couldn't be more relieved. Practising the articulation of the charm a couple of times, Ginny finally moved to Draco and pronounced the spell as best as she could. Holding their breaths, they noted the rib moving back to a more normal position. "I think it worked," the reddish haired girl said while glancing at the dark blond. Neville simply nodded and carefully started feeding Draco the potions in the order they had decided earlier. This time the bruises stayed away, and they dared to breathe a breath of relief.

"I'll get him dressed," Neville said, and clothes appeared beside him.

"Okay," Ginny said in a quiet voice while sitting down on a couch a little behind them. The dark blond carefully dressed the blond and was glad that no sign of discomfort could be seen or heard. Sitting down beside the bed, he held Draco's hand in his own.

'This is my fault, isn't it?' He stared at the pale motionless fingers. 'I should have never asked him to do something so dangerous.' Tears formed in his eyes, and he had no willpower to hold them in. Hiding his face in the bed sheets, he tried to be as quiet as he could.

-DNDN-

Feeling numb all over, Draco frowned as he slowly opened his eyes. Confused he looked at a white ceiling and turned sideways to where he could sense a body. He recognised Neville's head immediately and tried to move his fingers in the other's grip, but they tingled so badly. He must have moved something as the dark blond's head moved and tired looking blue eyes blinked at his hand.

"Nev-." His voice was so hoarse, but the blue eyes turned to them, widened to their maximum.

"Draco, you're awake! How do you feel?" Greyish eyes closed again as a throbbing pain in his head returned with the sounds of those words.

"Here," he recognised another much quieter voice and opened his eyes again to see the Weasley girl standing on the other side of his bed with a glass of water. Seeing her, made him feel like he should remember something. Neville helped him sit up straighter and drink a small sip.

"H-how did I get here?" he questioned when he had drunk half of the glass. He had already figured out they were in the Room of Requirement.

"I found you hunched over in the corridor and you fainted. Do you remember?" Ginny asked and that seemed to ring a bell.

"Vaguely," Draco answered.

"What do you remember?" Neville carefully questioned and a flash of Greyback standing on his chest made him hold his breath. If his aunt hadn't spelled the werewolf off of him, he might not be here right now. The hatred in those feral eyes had been all too clear. "You're safe," the dark blond's voice soothed him as a hand started stroking his hair. Greyish eyes glanced sideways, and he felt horrible.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, and Neville frowned at him. "I didn't find out where Luna is…" Tears stung at his eyes. He had failed. Neville asked one thing of him and he failed.

"No, no…" Arms were around him in a second and pressed him against a warm chest. "We'll find another way. You tried and you're back alive, that's all that matters," the dark blond said while holding him close. He could hear Ginny whisper something and Neville answering before footsteps announced the departure of the girl. "Hey," the dark blond forced him to look up at him. "We're really thankful you tried, but your life is just as important as Luna's, don't forget that." Blue eyes seemed to pierce into greyish ones and the blond nodded unsure.

'How could it be?' he wondered as he hid his face against in the other's chest. 'Luna's helping you win this war… and I'm the enemy…'

"Let me lie down," Neville mumbled into his ear and he moved a little to the side to let the other join him on the bed. Once he lied down, the dark blond pulled him completely against his body.

'Eventually, you'll figure out that you don't need me,' greyish eyes glanced upwards. The other smiled down at him and he felt even guiltier. 'I should have gotten to Luna…' He hid his face again as fresh tears rolled over his still wet cheeks. 'Savour this moment, Draco. You won't have it again…'

R&R