A/N: Thank you once again for the reviews. Again I apologize for the lack of editing. I'm trying to finish up this story relatively fast so the bad editing is my entire fault. I think there are going to be about 8-10 chapters depending so this will probably be finished by this weekend. Thank you for reading and putting up with my writing. Rest assured I know how this will end so don't worry about questions being left unanswered.

October 18th

And so it went like that. Draco and Luna continued going on field trips every week and avoided his flat. Every now and then Luna would meet Theo for lunch or dinner or the occasional brunch. They would discuss theoretical magic, social justice, muggle history and sometimes the weather. More often than not she got tipsy (or drunk) and he ended up walking her home, his cloak swept over her shoulders. She began to grow accustomed to his company.

Luna didn't ask Draco about Marigold and he offered up nothing in exchange.

He did tell her that the hydrangeas looked nice on his table to which she smiled and said, "Good."

October rolled around and they decided to spend as much time outside as possible before it became too cold. One day they were sitting on a park bench when Luna took out her notebook and quill.

"Today," she said. "Is out six month anniversary. I need to submit your bi-annual report by the end of the week." She ran her fingers through her quill in a relaxed motion as if it were a pet.

"Have you been having nightmares still?"

Draco looked at her and racked his brain to remember a time when he told her about his chronic nightmares.

"That night," she said slowly. "After we fell asleep… you woke up screaming and tried to attack me. I just want to know if they're getting any better since we've started talking more."

A pang of guilt, then embarrassment, then anger in his stomach. He hadn't remembered that part of that night.

Silently he looked off the side as if very interested in the frozen fountain to their left.

"They haven't gone away."

"Right well I'm going to recommend a sleeping draught you must be very tired during the day if you have nightmares on the regular." She scribbled something in her notebook. "I'll send an owl to the dispensery this afternoon and tomorrow you can pick up your prescription it will be no worries."

After a bit of silence Draco looked at her and said, "Did I… hurt you?"

Luna blinked. "You tried. It didn't hurt much. It was kind of what I imagine drowning must be like but without all the mess." She had had much worse during the war. She had never undergone the cruciatus or any unforgiveable for that matter, but pain was something Luna never shied from. Neither was death as she felt it was inevitable. After did hadn't died in the war Luna figured that she was destined for some type of unremarkable death. Perhaps she would be crushed by a stack of books or trip and break her head while going to the market. Still, it would have been unfortunate for Draco if he had woken up next to her cold body. He would never had been found innocent in court.

He didn't apologize and she didn't expect him to say it out loud but the quiet between them seemed to form a sense of conscious.

"What are you going to dress up as for Theo's Halloween party?" she asked, kicking her white boots as if she was on a swing set. "I think I may be a pumpkin."

"How do you know about Nott's Halloween party?" Draco frowned.

"He invited me, of course." Luna shrugged.

Draco's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "He owled you?"

Luna shook her head. "We've been having meals together sometimes. How do you feel about muggles today?"

The wind seemed to whip around them a little fiercer. For a moment, Draco felt as if the world had turned just slightly sideways and his vision grew hot. Then he righted himself.

She had been having meals with Nott? What did that mean? Were they dating? Was she trying to get some sort of rise out of him? Was she trying to make him jealous so that he'd come running to her on his knees, weak and pleading? In his past girls had attempted games like this and he never let himself break.

Luna wouldn't do that…. She must really be dating Nott then….

No, Nott was more into stuffy intellectual type girls. Not blond war-heroes with brains full of fluff.

She's much smarter than people think…. A nagging voice in his head that sounded something like Hermione Granger made him wrinkle his nose. Sure her head is full of fluff but that fluff is made of compassion and imagination. She thinks differently, sees differently, isn't that why you feel safe with her….?

"Shut up," he muttered.

"Pardon?" Luna quirked her head towards him like an owl and he brushed her off with a casual wave of a hand.

Draco gripped his hands tight. There was nothing else to do. He stood up.

"I am going to Nott's party."

"Oh?" Her large eyes followed him as he paced quickly in the cold.

"Yes I am going I received an owl just the other day –" his voice was thick and laced with unintentional staccato. "In fact! I am going as a muggle cow man to prove that I am feeling better about muggles! Put that in your report Loony Lovegood."

"I think you mean cow boy-" she tried to help him. They had watched an old muggle film called Oklahoma just the other day at the cinemaplex. It seemed to have affected him.

"Whatever!"

He began to storm away.

"Where are you going?" She called after him.

"To find a costume!"

October 22nd

Ginny and Harry had been abroad since the end of July so they were having a dinner to celebrate their belated birthdays. Not only where the closest family and friends invited but many other witches and wizards as well. This was to also be their official house warming party as they weren't planning on traveling for a while.

Luna showed up a little late, wrapped in an intricate green and gold pashmina. She had brought a bottle of wine as she figured Harry and Ginny didn't need any more presents they couldn't use.

As soon as she apparated in their front yard and entered their house Ginny ran up to her and gave her a squeeze and a kiss.

"Luna!" She exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you were dating someone?"

Luna tilted her head. Was she dating anyone?

Hermione came over with a drink in her hand. It looked like pumpkin juice but Luna figured it was a bit more than that. Looks can be deceiving…

"I'm sorry Luna I spilled the beans!" She said merrily. "We're just all happy for you. Even if Nott has a bit of a sordid history the word around the Ministry is that he's really made something of himself."

"And that he left during the war," Ginny pointed out sipping some of Hermione's drink.

"I always felt that silence in the face of oppression was a form of violence as well," Luna mused. She had discussed this very matter with Theo earlier that week. It had been quite puzzling. She hadn't told Draco but she was part of the reason Theo had decided to throw a muggle Halloween party. He had said he wanted to try out different cultures anyway.

Ginny and Hermione grew silent for a second. Luna had ruined their high.

Ginny sighed. "We're just happy that you're seeing someone. It's been so long. You work too hard. Even Hermione makes time for romance." She elbowed the witch playfully and Hermione's drink sloshed about spilling some on the floor. It immediately disappeared and Luna figured Ginny had installed some type of cleaning charm due to the party. Very clever, that girl.

Luna sighed. Why was it that girls who were not obsessed with romance were deemed lonely and odd and wrong?

"You mean," she said measuredly. "You're glad I'm not dating Draco Malfoy?"

A beat.

"Well yes!" They said together and then laughed.

They drug Luna into the party and gave her something to drink, something to eat. Neville was there and she liked him so they spent most of the evening in the corner discussing a book he writing that catalogued all the different strains of the limrack plant.

Now that everyone thought Luna was dating Theo several groups of people had come over to ask her about her love life. She didn't have much to say though. But Theo had been right. Them dating dispelled any ill thoughts people had about her and Draco. It seemed to be a lighter, more readily loving group of people since she'd last set foot on their property.

October 27th

Marigold was over. She had seated herself in his living room by the fireplace, listening to the radio and smoking.

"You should get one of those tello things," she called over to him. "My friend Marcus just got himself one and it's lovely. Shows," she said. "Are so much fun! It's like a personal cinemaplex but with shorter installments. I like it."

"I don't need a tele," Draco walked over to her and sat on the sofa. "I have a radio."

"It's different," she said, flipping over to on her stomach and stretching out towards him. "Don't you want to see plays without having to go to the theater? You're so old fashioned."

"Then go over to Marcus's if you're so bored," he replied.

Marigold pouted. "He kicked me out. We got in a fight when I didn't fold the laundry correctly. Bloody git."

Draco looked at her hard. Why did she always hang out with men who treated her like filth? She had gone back to staring at the fire.

"Mari," he said, looking out the window. "Do I ever scream in my sleep?"

She looked at him surprised. "You didn't know you did that?" she asked. "There've been a few times where you did more than scream." She got up and sat next to him. She'd rather sit on him but he had told her to stop a while back.

"One time you punched me so hard I had a black eye for a month."

Draco looked at her astonished. "Why didn't you say anything?" he snapped.

"Are you mad?" She frowned. Her eyes watered slightly. "I'm sorry –"

"No! Don't apologize! Blood hell." He stood up and paced around his small living room.

"That's not going to happen any more," he said. "I have… a prescription now."

Marigold shrugged and went to the kitchen to get some liquor.

Draco went onto his balcony. It was too cold and he wasn't wearing slippers or a robe but he liked the way the cold air burned his skin.

Tomorrow he would go and pick up his sleeping draught.

October 31st

Draco met Luna at her flat just as always. He indeed had dressed up as a cowboy. He had even found a nice hat and put spurs on his boots. Luna thought he looked rather mean but also a little silly. And that made it nice.

Luna was dressed as a pumpkin, just like she said she would be. She had sewed it herself – bought a large amount of orange fabric from a girl down stairs and it encompassed her whole torso and dipped her behind. Underneath she wore a black cat suit that covered her all the way to her wrists and ankles. She felt cute and very much like a muggle.

When Draco saw her he couldn't help but crack a smile. She looked ridiculous but for some reason he wouldn't have it any other way. She complimented his outfit and he any inhibitions or reservations he had about it melted away. Crazy how one person could affect you like that.

They used the port key and arrived before Theo's gate once more. This time the outside was covered in spider webs and glowing pumpkins. Music thumped from inside the house but different colored lights shone from each window giving it a very jovial appearance.

Once again Theo answered the door before they could knock, hugged them both and ushered them in. He was wearing a Spanish bullfighter's uniform and the structured costume made him look very fit. Luna thought he looked very good but found it a bit awkward to hug him due to the volume of her costume. He ended up kissing her hand instead and complimented her on her creativity.

Theo brought them into the main party area. His living room was filled with witches and wizards in muggle costumes. His dark green marble fireplace held a flame, which kept changing colors. There was even a ghost talking to someone dressed as a vampire. Or perhaps it was a vampire talking to someone glamored as a ghost. The half werewolf Luna had spoken to at the last party was dressed as a sailor and was furiously guzzling ale out of an oversized stein.

Once again, after a few shots of fire whisky, Draco seemed to relax and even laughed at a few jokes. Everyone was buzzing around, excited at the novelty of muggle Halloween. Luna even got some compliments on her costume as she had charmed the face to giggle along with her whenever she smiled.

It was fun being an adult now. Outside of school and with the right people, it seemed that people found her charming rather than odd.

Around midnight she found that she needed to use the loo so she excused herself and floated through the narrow halls of the Victorian town house. She found a kitchen, an office, and a library but not a powder room.

"Lost?"

She turned around to see Theo. He had taken his hat off but still stood tall and lean in his bright red jacket.

"I'm looking for the loo," She said.

"I was wondering where you ran off to," he smiled. I'll show you it's actually just over here off the kitchen…"

Luna followed him around and around his house, the thump of the music from the main living space echoed in the halls.

"I think you should know," she said, wanting to make conversation. "That Hermione told all my friends and probably everyone at the ministry that we're dating."

He looked over his shoulder. "Oh? And you didn't correct her?"

Luna shrugged. "They seem to like me more when they think I'm not breaking the law." She spoke in a matter-of-fact voice but he laughed. Not at her, or with her, but he laughed.

"The loo's right here, I'll meet you in the living room. Second door on your right."

When Luna reentered the party she saw him over in the corner talking to someone dressed as a cat. He caught her eye and gestured for her to come over, holding up a drink.

She made her way through the crowd and sat down. The cat left and she took their seat.

"Luna," he said, looking into her eyes. "I've been thinking. Why don't we just date each other? It's like what we were talking about the other day – what's the truth anyway? If everyone believes something is true, it practically is already."

He brought a hand up to brush her hair out of her eyes.

"And I like you," he said in a low voice. "You're so refreshing." His eyes were heavy lidded. Luna didn't have much experience with the physicality of love but she knew that look. It was the same look that appeared on anyone's face when they wanted to touch you.

Luna imagined she looked rather charming in her pumpkin outfit. She liked the feel of it around her- that no one could get close to her unless they really tried. It didn't seem to impede Theo though and she soon found his mouth pressed tightly upon hers.

For a split second she was rather annoyed that he hadn't waited to hear her response. It wasn't awful. His lips were smooth and soft. Her eyes fluttered shut. His tongue graced her lips and she almost opened her mouth in response. But it was short lived because in the next second he was gone. She opened her eyes. Was it a trick?

No it was Draco. And he was fuming. With a roar and a crash, Draco had hauled Theo off of Luna and thrown him into a candelabrum.

The crowd parted. Draco's dark grey eyes were pinned on Theo, who steadily got to his feet and brushed himself off. Before he could say anything Draco ran at him again. This time the two wizards crashed into a party tray and spilled cider all over a witch dressed as a unicorn.

Finally, they detangled. Theo had a blackening eye and Draco had a trickle of blood running from his nose and a busted lip. Theo took out his wand and Draco followed suit.

"Stop-" Luna tried to cry out but neither of them listened to her.

"You don't want to do that mate," Nott was breathing heavily but still smiling. "You'll never return to mainstream society-"

"Confringo!"

"Protego!"

The spell bounced off Theo's shield and hit a suit of armor in the corner, which burst into the wall creating a window into the parlor.

In an instant, the snapping sounds of aurors apparating into the house sounded. A few people ran for the door.

"Draco Malfoy," one said in a low gravely voice. "You have used an unauthorized offensive spell. As per your parole we now must take you into custody. Your rights will be read to you upon arrival to the holding center."

They then bound him with magic chains and hauled him into the night with sidealong apparition.

The party was quiet for a moment, then burst into low concerned murmurs. The music hadn't stopped and felt like an uncomfortable soundtrack like in the movies and shows everyone seemed to be watching lately.

Luna sighed. By morning, everyone in London would know what had happened. Luna winced as she thought of all the different versions of the story that would be sure to appear.

Theo walked up to Luna apologetically. His hair was rumpled and he was slightly out of breath.

Before he could open his mouth she spoke. "This is partially your fault," she said in a stern but not angry voice. "You're going to help me get him out."

"Let me owl my attorney first. Party's over folks!" Theo ran upstairs. When he came back down he was dressed in a suit and said goodbye to the few stragglers. He ordered the house elves to clean the house and return it to normal then went back over to Luna's side.

"She'll meet us at the auror's office. Do you want to… change before we go?"

Luna sighed and shook her head. "No time," she said.

And with that, she took his arm and apparated away.

A/N: A jealous Draco, in my opinion, is always a funnier Draco. But also a more self destructive Draco. He was doing so well! But things happen. Till next time!