Seeing her old friend standing there above her brought tears to her eyes as she felt hopeful for the first time in what must have been a couple days

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy is that you?"

The boy stood there stunned as she extended her hand to grab a fist full of his trousers. The moment her thin frozen fingers grabbed the dry soft fabric he backed away, pulling the bunch of dry wool from her hands confusing her. Finally he spoke sounding uncertain of how to deal with the situation

"W-what are you doing here Lovegood?"

Lovegod laughed at his response, moving so that she was in a more comfortable position no longer feeling the need to shield herself from an attack.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one to know? By the way, I keep asking but have never gotten a response. Where is here?"

He stuttered out his response

"Uhm my home, The Malfoy Manor…what have they done to you?"

He whispers under his breath seeing the burns and cuts covering her thinning body as she sits there with torn drenched socks covering her feet, a shredded cloak poorly covering her damp shivering body and her face smeared with dirt and dried tears.

"Oh I see and for a second there I thought you were a part of a rescue party. I guess it was foolish to believe I would warrant one, I guess I overestimated my value to the cause"

She shudders and moves her legs up to her chest trying to keep as much of her body heat from escaping before speaking again.

"Say, could you do something about the cold please? Just a simple warming charm would be nice, just for a small-"

The light that illuminated the corner suddenly darted out of the cell and up the flight of steps leaving her in the darkness once more. Draco, being the coward that he was, chose to run from the girl's confinement to avoid making any decisions that would affect his position in the Death Eaters ranks. Well that was what he convinced himself, in reality he was terrified; terrified of the fact that he was a part of the group that would kidnap a young witch and simply use her as a means of sadistic entertainment and target practice. Something had to change, he just wasn't sure what exactly.

For the next two days the young lad stayed up in his room barely eating the food brought to him, he could swear that every so often a small girl's scream could be heard coming through the floorboards of the manor. Late one night he awoke in a cold sweat, he wasn't imagining this one, the small whisper of Luna's voice tickled his ear.

"I'm still here"

That was all he heard and all he needed to hear for him to give in to his emotions, getting up from his spot on the window and out his door. The Manor was dead, made sense since it was 2AM but still it was eerie how quiet it was, the slender boy couldn't even hear his own footsteps on the cold hardwood floors. Still he was cautious to not alert anyone he was up for fear of being found. He reached the dungeon's heavy door and walked past it instead heading for the kitchen.

He found it empty with a stale feeling lingering in the air, he brought out his wand and muttered a quick spell to prepare some tea. Suddenly the room lit up and the kettle and cups began to fly around the room in a beautiful display of Draco's control over his magic. In a few minutes he had a small plate and saucer in his hands with a day old biscuit and some boiling tea. He almost forgot that he was bringing this to his prisoner who was in the process of freezing under his home.

Slowly he walked to the door and took a breath before opening the heavy metal door which opened without making much more noise than the sound or the door handle turning. Slowly he walked down the stone steps while extending his arm with his wand and uttering the Word Lumos to light up the room around him. Before he knew it he was standing before the cold rusting gate that held his old acquaintance captive.

He almost turned back but a small sniffle coming from the dark corner kept him there, not wanting to risk being caught down there much longer he opened the door with the wave of his hand and walked in setting down the plate and saucer and beginning to search for the Silver haired girl. It didn't take very long as with a quick scan his wands light shone on the poor shivering girls figure, curled up on a burlap sack with only her skirt, shirt and blazer to protect her from the cold; and whatever that piece of shredded fabric she had over her as well.

He swallowed his pride and spoke softly to the half dead looking girl

"Excuse me… Lovegood, Lovegood"

He repeated himself a few more times before growing impatient and grabbing the girl's shoulder and shaking her. Suddenly the small girl let out the loudest scream he had heard since the people of Hogwarts watched their beloved mentor and Leader fall to his death. He released his hand and moved his wand a bit closer to see what was the cause of her blood curdling scream only to find a burn covered shoulder. Finally he heard Lovegood speak in an exhausted voice

"Please, not today…I beg you let me have this one day without anymore pain"

That sentence sent chills through the young man's spine as the girl turned over to face him, when she saw his face she went cold unsure of how to react to the person who she once thought was her liberator but now was just another name on the long list of her captors.

"Draco Malfoy, what are you doing here?"

The boy stood up leaving his wand on the ground to light up the cell quickly grabbing the plate and cup bringing them into the cell and holding them up for her to see. Her eyes light up and she carelessly grabs the biscuit almost spilling the tea and begins devouring it ignoring the stale dry taste. She finishes eating every crumb before looking up at the confused boy and sees that he also has something with hot steam rising off it, but before she tries to reach for it she stops and looks up at Draco and questions his actions.

"Why are you doing this? Just a few days ago you ran from here after seeing me-"

Not wanting to answer her questions he cuts her off abruptly.

"Here have some tea"

He holds it out to the weakened girl who tries to move to get it but collapses under her own weight, exhausted she laid there on the ground breathing heavily. Not waiting for permission he sat down on the disgusting floor and pulled her into his lap holding the saucer up to her chin

"Let me"

A bit flustered she looks away but begins to feel the warm steam on her face and after a moment drinks the hot beverage slowly enjoying what used to be an everyday common thing was now a rare treat for the tortured girl. While she does the young man waved his wand through the air casting a warming charm around them, mostly for his own comfort but partially for her as well. Finished she falls back into Draco's chest, her hands shaking uncontrollably and through chattering teeth she asks the critical question

"Why now? Why not before?"

He was afraid, the silver haired boy looked away from her illuminated face to hide his shame of fearing his fellow death eaters. Being too prideful to admit it though he just sighed and looked at the girl.

"I wasn't sure if Fenrir and my looney aunt saw me come down here, and I came back because I'm human aren't? I couldn't very well leave you to freeze down here"

The young girl felt a small swell of hope inside her but quickly got it under control not wanting it to be crushed like when he first found her.

"So you're not going to help me escape?"

The boy laughed and shook his head and began to get up to leave not wanting to answer to many questions

"Of course not, you're still my enemy now aren't you"

Turning on his heel he began to head for the door taking his wand with him and with it the warming charm. Noticing this before the wizard himself did she called out

"Wait! Please leave me your cloak, mine is torn to ribbon and no longer offers any warmth or protection. Please…I don't want to freeze"

He could hear in her voice that she wasn't asking, she was begging for her keeper's aid.

After a moment of thought he walked back to the girl who was now in a fetal position trying not to cry and remain logical and composed.

"Hand me yours and I'll give you mine. They'll notice if you have two but the dark should mask the fact that mine is green"

Removing his cloak swiftly as she struggled the single button on her slashed and burned cloak, his impatience and nervousness getting the better of him he reached and tore the cloak off before tossing his dark green thick wool cloak at the girl and leaving up the stairs. As she put it on and felt the warming charm fade away she called out in a weak voice.

"Thank you"

I'm sorry this certainly wasn't worth the wait, but to make it up I promise 2 more chapters by Sunday. I'll be back from my trip soon so I will go back to regular updates