Chapter Sixteen

When Harry returned, he found Draco in the same spot, softly massaging Luna's hand. As soon as he entered the room, Draco asked, "Who did this, Potter? Why her? What was the point?" His voice quaked with emotion. "Is it my fault? Was she targeted because of her association with me?"

Harry shook his head. "Honestly, Malfoy, it doesn't seem to have anything to do with you at all. It turns out the men that did this are a group of small time thugs who thought they could make a name for themselves by force and intimidation. They discovered the recipe for Liquid Despair in an old book they found at Borgin & Burke's." Both men shuddered at the memory of that establishment.

"Of course once they brewed it they didn't want to test it on themselves. They happened to be at a pub on Knockturn Alley about the time Mr. Lovegood died. A copy of one of the tabloids was on the bar and some of the patrons were making rude remarks about Luna and her father." Harry read from his notebook. "Apparently one of them referred to Luna as 'the little blond nutter that didn't have the sense to be afraid of Voldemort or the death eaters during the war'."

He gave Luna an apologetic glance before proceeding. "That's what gave them the idea. They figured if they could terrorize someone who hadn't been afraid of the Dark Lord then no one would dare stand against them. They found the cottage but couldn't get close to it because of the wards you put in place to keep the press away. So they waited and then followed her to the flat. Made a couple of critical mistakes, though. They didn't expect anyone to be with her and they sure as hell didn't count on Luna putting up as much of a fight as she did."

Draco nodded. "She's a lot stronger than she looks."

Harry checked his notes again. "I'd say. It seems that even without her wand she managed to give her attackers a broken nose and a couple of fractured ribs, not to mention the black eyes and bruises and….well, let's just say that one of them won't be fathering children anytime soon. And that was before Ginny started in on them."

Draco squeezed Luna's hand. "That's my girl. Well done, love."

There was a long silence before Harry asked, "Any update on her prognosis?"

Draco shrugged helplessly. "They don't have one. Like you said, Albus and Regulus didn't live long enough to give anyone an idea of the long term effects of the potion. Kreacher drank it and lived but house elf physiology is so different from humans that they can't really compare the two. All they can do at this point is continue to give her fluids to dilute the stuff and flush it from her system. They keep saying it is a 'wait and see' situation."

He paused then looked at Harry. "What happens next - as far as the case, I mean?"

"The men will stay in holding at the ministry for a couple more days before being arraigned to Azkaban where they will await trial. We have Ginny's testimony and myself and the auror team also witnessed the attack so we can proceed even if Luna is still..." Harry cleared his throat. "Of course, when she wakes up she'll need to come in and make a formal statement. For the record. Then testify at the hearing."

"May I go with her when she does that?"

"Absolutely. There is nothing that prohibits the victim from having someone there for emotional support."

"Good." He sat for a moment then asked, "Potter? Any chance of me getting ten minutes alone with these bastards?"

Harry shook his head. "As satisfying as that would seem in the short term, believe me when I say you are better off letting the courts deal with them." He tentatively placed his hand on Draco's shoulder. "She's a fighter, Malfoy. She'll come out of this."

"I know, Potter." He shot Harry a icy stare. "But if she doesn't...Believe me when I say that WILL get my hands on them and when that happens - I won't need the full ten minutes."

xoxoxo

The hospital removed the dreamless sleep after the first few hours but Luna remained unconscious. The next couple of days were a whirlwind of healers, aurors and friends. The one constant was Draco, who steadfastly refused to leave her side.

On the third day, Draco closed the door after the last healer had finished their evening rounds. "Alone at last." he said. "Love, I hope you can sense how many people are checking in on you." He shook his head. "And they all care about you enough to pretend to not loathe me, which is remarkable in its own right."

He settled into the chair beside the bed and began his nightly ritual of having a long, one sided, conversation with her. "So - you got another message from the Scamander Institute today, reaffirming they will hold your position for as long as necessary. They agree that your health is the most important thing and that you should take as long as you need to recover before returning to work."

"Andromeda came by again this morning and says Teddy misses you desperately. Apparently Potter made an attempt at a bedtime story and it didn't go well. Seems we found something besides dancing that 'the chosen one' is rubbish at." Draco rolled his eyes. "I know. I know. I am trying to be nice but do allow me the occasional opportunity to gloat, will you?"

"Granger has stopped by a few times and, yes, I have been polite. Don't get me wrong. She and I will never be 'pals' but she is important to you and by default that now makes her important to me. In that spirit we have called a truce of sorts. However, she did say that if you don't wake up soon then she is going to apply for the position of editor at the Quibbler." Draco squeezed Luna's hand. "We can't have that now, can we?"

"She also apologized that Weasel-bee...Sorry. Apologized that Ronald has not stopped by to see you. Apparently he struggles with being in hospitals since the war." Draco gazed around the room. "Can't really say that I blame him there. The last few years screwed us all up in one way or another."

"The other Weasleys are here on a regular basis, though. Merlin help me, I am beginning to be able to tell them apart." He gave a short sniff. "Of course if you repeat that to anyone I will categorically deny it."

"Mr. Weasley visited again today. I honestly cannot figure him out, Luna. He always looks me in the eye and smiles as if he actually means it. After all my family did..." Draco cringed. "I finally asked him why he was being so nice to me and do you know what he told me? He said, 'I suppose it's because you're letting me.' I mean, what I am supposed to do with that? I fear I'm going to need you to provide a whole other list so I can understand that man."

He shook his head firmly as if to clear his thoughts. "Anyway, his family have moved the remainder of your belongings from the flat so you don't ever have to go back..." Draco's voice faltered slightly, "There. He also took a team out to the cottage and made sure it was secure before placing every imaginable ward and protection around the property. A few house elves even volunteered to add their magic as well. Once we get you back, you will be safe as houses, he assures me."

Draco smiled. "Speaking of the cottage, Molly Weasley is apparently in full "mother bear" mode. You thought there was a lot of food after the funeral? From what I understand they've had to cast extension charms on your pantry and your icebox. When you get home, you won't have to cook for months, I daresay."

"Fleur Weasley stopped by as well. It seems that I inadvertently offended her when you took me to dinner at Shell Cottage recently." He chuckled. "I know, that is not an unusual position for me to be in, love, but I really couldn't recall any inexcusable lapse of etiquette from that meal."

He leaned forward and in a conspiratorial tone whispered, "However, it seems that most men pay her a great deal of attention when first spending time in her presence - the whole Veela thing, you know. But apparently I only had eyes for you that evening." He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. "No surprise really. You will always be the most beautiful woman in any room as far as I am concerned."

"Thankfully, once her husband pointed out that it was because I was obviously in love with you, she forgave my offense. We actually had quite a pleasant conversation today. Turns out she is also a member of the 'unfortunate nickname' club. 'Ferret' and 'Phlegm'. Makes us sound like characters out of one of Teddy's books, doesn't it?"

"Anyway, she brought by some scented oil from France to sprinkle on your pillowcase. She said it would promote harmony and wellbeing." He looked askance at a vase on the table beside them. "Not sure if you can smell it over the aroma of this arrangement that Longbottom insisted be placed right by the bed. Something about olfactory healing properties..."

Draco scrunched up his nose. "After he left, Ginevra made a point of telling me that he is engaged to the Abbott girl that now runs the Leaky Cauldron. Not sure why she thought I would find that piece of information consequential in the slightest."

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Jealous? About Longbottom?! Don't be daft. I mean I know that you two once..." He made a face and shuddered. "But if you recall, I saw him take his first flying lesson. It was pitiful. Of course, now he is a 'war hero' and no one wants to remember any of that."

Draco cleared his throat. "Speaking of heroes, young lady, I have been hearing quite a bit about your exploits during the war." He took a moment to straighten her blanket. "You have been holding out on me, love. No fewer than four people have stated they owe you a life debt and, that in addition to the manor, you faced off at least three other times against Bellatrix and lived to tell the tale."

Draco struggled to control his tone. "While we are on the subject of the manor, Fleur said that on multiple occasions you stepped in front of curses meant for other prisoners." He found himself biting his lip. "I know that you thought of Mr. Ollivander as a father figure and the Thomas boy went to school with us but the others? Luna, you didn't even know them..."

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "I suppose what I am trying to say is that when you wake up we shall have a long talk about this nonsense of you risking your life for those who aren't worthy of it." He gripped her hand and whispered fiercely, "Which is anyone, do you hear me, Luna? There is not one person alive, no beast so fantastic, NOTHING on this planet that is worth risking one hair on your head. Do you understand me?"

He fought to maintain his composure. "It also seems that you have some outstanding promises to keep and I know how seriously you take that sort of thing. I won't pretend to know what all the duties and obligations of a 'bridesmaid' are but apparently you and Ginevra made oaths about serving in that capacity for each other whilst making daisy chains as children. Now, I have never studied that particular branch of magic but it sounds dangerously close to an Unbreakable Vow and you don't want to be messing around with that so you can't leave without..."

He began to rock back and forth. "You can't leave, Luna. Please. Don't leave me. Friends don't leave each other. I know because you wrote it on the bloody list."

Tears began to stream down his face. "Do you remember what you told me after Mr. Ollivander died? The dream about taking your daughter to get her first wand?" He rubbed her hand. "I didn't say anything at the time but as you were telling that story I was picturing it in my mind - except I saw a little differently than you did."

He closed his eyes. "You see, in my version, I was there as well. I was holding your hand as we walked to Ollivander's and a boy..." There was a brief pause before he opened his eyes and continued, "...our son was racing ahead, telling his little sister to hurry so she could get her wand and they could have adventures together."

Draco forced a smile. "I could hear him telling her all about Hogwarts and how much fun they would have at school and how he would make sure that no one bullied her and that she would be safe and have pudding..."

He laughed softly. "Bloody hell. I am making him sound like a Hufflepuff. And you know what? I wouldn't care if he was. They can be anything they damn well like - hell, they can be squibs for all I care. They would be perfect because they would be ours."

Draco could feel his face turning red. "Is that inappropriate? I mean, I only told you I loved you a few days ago and here I am presuming that you would consent to have children with me." He sniffed and wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "Which is why you need to come back to us...to me. Because I need you to show me how to function properly around people. Because I still don't know the difference between a snorkack and a humdinger. Because I have become completely incapable of living in a world without you in it."

"Because I love you more than life itself, Luna Lovegood, and I desperately need for you to wake up and tell me you know that."