Written for THC round 2
House: Hufflepuff
Class: HoH
Prompt: [Positive Pairing] Draco Malfoy and Luna Lovegood.
Standard
Link/Title:
WC: 1037
Lucius looked at the small picture on his desk. He knew that people didn't like him and just used him for his political power and money. Lucius sighed, he didn't mind what others thought. He had stopped caring when his little sister left. Though she was only a year younger than him, she'd always be his younger sister, regardless of what others thought. He found himself reminiscing over his childhood as he picked up a picture.
A small smile escaped onto Lucius's face. He wouldn't allow himself to show this sort of weakness if anybody had been around.
"Oh, Pan, I miss you." The young girl in the picture waved before turning to the twelve-year-old Lucius in the picture and gave him a hug.
A knock on the door caused Lucius to put the picture back down, hiding it from sight. "Enter."
Twelve-year-old Draco entered the study, looking almost identical to the Lucius from the picture.
"Draco, sit down." Lucius could see the nerves on his son's face. "Tomorrow when you go back to Hogwarts, I need you to look out for a first year. Your cousin, Luna, will be starting and you'll make sure her time at Hogwarts goes with little to no trouble."
Lucius could see Draco's mouth open: to protest or ask questions, he wasn't sure which, but it didn't matter.
"I don't want to hear anything except a 'yes'," Lucius interrupted Draco before he even got a word out. Eventually, Draco nodded compliantly. "And don't tell Luna that she's your cousin. She doesn't need to know."
With that, Lucius turned back towards the parchment in front of him, dismissing Draco.
*hphphp*
Luna felt herself being pulled behind the tapestry in the dungeons. Without thinking, her arm came up as she spun around, ready to punch her attacker.
Fortunately for Draco, he had gotten used to grabbing Luna like this and was expecting her reaction. It had taken him a few painful attempts, but he had gotten used to defending himself immediately.
"It's me!" he whispered before Luna could go for the next punch. He got ready to dodge in case she hadn't heard him.
Luna stopped mid-movement. "I told you to stop grabbing me like that!" she hissed back.
Luna turned around, ready to leave, but Draco pulled her back.
"You can't go to the first years."
Luna arched her left eyebrow. "And who is going to stop me?" she asked. "You?"
Draco nodded. "You're going to get caught!"
Luna was about to say something back when footsteps could be heard on the other side of the tapestry.
"Yes, I'm sure I saw her coming this way!"
"You are sure? The Lovegood girl?"
Luna stared at Draco. How had he known?
Draco just lifted his finger to his lips as if to shush her. As if Luna didn't know to be quiet. The two stood hidden for a few more minutes until the footsteps had faded away.
As soon as Draco was sure the people going past had left the hallway, he stuck his head out, seeing that the coast was indeed clear, he grabbed Luna's hand and pulled her with him, in the opposite direction of the dungeons.
"Now will you believe me when I say it's too dangerous?" Draco half asked, half hissed at Luna once they were far enough away from the dungeons.
Luna glared but it wasn't too forceful. "Thank you, if you could only do the same for the other students now.
Draco shrugged. "I'm sorry, can't do that. It's you I'm looking out for."
"You know, you've been looking out for me since my first day here, but you won't tell me why," Luna commented. "The only way to make me stop risking my life is if you tell me why I mean so much to you!"
Draco opened his mouth but shut it again. With a disappointed look he walked away. He couldn't go against his Lord, just like he couldn't go against his father.
*hphphp
Draco looked at the tray he was carrying, he hoped that it contained enough food to last Luna until he managed to go back down. A quick glance around the corridor told Draco that he was clear to open the door to the dungeons and without wasting a second, he slipped through.
"Luna?" Draco gently called; he didn't want anyone else to find out that he was down here, not even his father.
Draco couldn't understand his father. When Lucius had found out about Luna being bullied, he had punished Draco really badly for not doing a good enough job protecting her. Now that Luna was a prisoner in Lucius' cells, it didn't seem to matter anymore.
Seeing Luna walk towards him, Draco slid the tray of food under the bars of the door.
"Here, I got you some food. I don't know when I'll be back."
"Draco! Wait!" Luna shouted, as Draco turned around to leave. He stopped. Turning around and looking at Luna, he was reminded of Luna from six years ago, when she stood in the entrance hall on her first day, having gotten lost. In both situations she had not known what to do and how things would go, but in both cases, she had turned to Draco.
"What is it?" Draco asked, surprising even himself with how soft he spoke.
"Can you tell me what's happening?" Luna asked.
Draco shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know much. Everyone is wondering what happened to Potter, Weasley and Granger." Draco wasn't sure if to give Luna the next piece of information or not, but decided she could probably use it. "They visited your father, hoping to speak to you, but they escaped. Your father is in Azkaban. Father tried to get him in a cell here, but failed.
With that Draco turned around and left. Ignoring Luna's plea for him to stay. If he stayed any longer, he might get caught.
It was only a few minutes after reaching his room that a house elf entered, informing him that he was requested in the drawing room.
Despite hating the Golden Trio, Draco couldn't help but be just a tiny bit happy, hopefully they would rescue Luna.
