Chapter Twelve
As the company retreated into the darkness, Luna exhaled sharply, "Did I do okay?"
"Okay? You were brilliant! Look at all this!" exclaimed Draco, pulling her back into the tent and gesturing around the room. "It's a pity that you didn't test in Transfiguration when you left school. You'd have aced that as well."
"I'm glad it met with your approval. It's been a long time since I did any work like this. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it." Luna stood in front of one of the tapestries and tried to smile but Draco detected a trace of sadness lurking behind her eyes.
He placed his arm gently around her shoulders. "I am sorry. I didn't realize today was the day you lost your husband."
"You'd have no reason to know that, Draco, but...thank you."
"Listen, I'm no expert on dealing with grief and certainly not in helping others to do so but a very wise person once told me that sometimes talking about things can help. If that's the case then I'd be willing to listen - if you'd like."
"Actually," said Luna, twisting a piece of hair around her finger, " I-I think that I would like to talk about Rolf for a little bit. If you don't mind, that is."
"I don't mind at all." Draco led her to the table where they both took a seat. "However, I think a visual might help. Do you have any pictures of him?"
With a flick of her wrist Luna summoned a small silver frame. The photo inside showed Luna, a handsome man with dark, curly hair and an kind looking elderly gentleman gathered around a birthday cake with one large candle in the middle. The older man blew out the candle as the young couple beside him cheered enthusiastically then all three looked at the photographer and smiled.
"Well, I know who you are and I'm guessing the good looking bloke on the right is Rolf. Who else do we have here?" asked Draco.
"That was Rolf's grandfather on the occasion of his 101st birthday. That's why there was only one candle. He insisted at that point a person got to start over in regards to the candle count on the cake."
"This is the legendary Newt Scamander? Author of Fantastic Beasts? You two must have gotten on like a house on fire."
"We did. Rolf used to tease that I only married him so I could spend time with his grandfather." Luna ran a finger lightly along the edge of the frame. "Newt died a few months after this. While I missed him terribly, later on I was glad that he passed before Rolf did. He loved his grandson so much, I don't think he could have taken outliving him."
Draco leaned in for a closer look. "I gather from the colors on Rolf's tie that he was a Hufflepuff?"
"Fourth Generation. He was very proud of that."
"I don't remember him when we were at school," said Draco.
"He had already graduated when you got to Hogwarts. He was nine years older than me, so eight years older than you," said Luna.
"Where did you two meet? I wouldn't have thought your families ran in the same social...I mean his family...I mean..."
"You mean, how did someone like me snag someone like him?"
Draco stammered, "N-no. I didn't mean..."
"Don't worry, Draco. Every tabloid and magazine asked the same question." Luna patted his hand and smiled. "I thought the names I got called at school were harsh. Our classmates had nothing on the Wizarding press. 'Gold-digger' was one of the kinder titles I was branded with. I lost count of how many articles Rita Skeeter wrote insinuating that I had bewitched Rolf with illegal love potions."
"Stuff and nonsense! You wouldn't have needed a sodding potion," Draco huffed. "And for the record I think he was damn lucky to 'snag' you instead of the other way around."
"Thank you, Draco. That's very kind," Luna blushed. "As to how we met - I was working at a research facility in Norway after the war. The evening Rolf arrived he decided that he wanted to get a closer look at the Selmas by going for a swim with them."
"The what?"
"Selmas. A race of giant sea serpents native to the coastal region of Norway. They live in icy waters and their diet consists of fish and human flesh."
"And he determined that going for a swim would be the best way to make first contact with a flesh eating sea serpent?" Draco struggled to avoid sounding as if he was speaking ill of the dead but the look on Luna's face told him he was not alone in his assessment of the situation.
"Exactly! That was my reaction as well," Luna laughed and shook her head at the memory.
"When they carried him back to camp afterwards, I ended up being the one to treat his wounds and repair his clothes. I informed him that he had chosen the wrong time of day for a swim as Selmas are nocturnal. If he had waited until early morning they would have been drowsy which would have made them easier to observe. I also pointed out that if he had released a school of flobberworms beforehand for them to snack on the resulting thickening of their blood would have made them even more docile. Dipping himself in stinksap would have made him smell rancid and further discouraged them from attacking him."
"And how did he respond to that?"
"Apparently he owled his grandfather an hour later to say that he had just met the girl he was going to marry."
"No wonder I'm still single," grumbled Draco. "Seems I've been going about it all wrong. Here I was wasting my time asking women to dinner and giving them chocolates."
"Funny you should say that. Rolf showed up at my tent the next morning with a ring and tried to get me to elope. I told him that I wouldn't marry any man that didn't have the decency to take me out to dinner first."
"Good to know I was on the right track," said Draco. "I am assuming he came through with the dinner?"
"Lunch, technically. He found out that I liked waterfalls so he took me on a picnic to Husedalen Valley. It's the highest mountain plateau in Norway."
"And it has a waterfall?"
"Four of them," said Luna.
Draco rolled his eyes, "Show off."
Luna smiled, "A bit."
"Seriously though, it sounds lovely."
"It was. We ate and talked for hours. Before we knew it the sun was coming up. Five days later we got married at the research camp. The rest..." She shrugged and gazed at the picture.
Draco struggled to find a way to ask his next question. "You said he was older than us. What was his involvement in the war?"
"He wasn't. Not directly, I mean. When Voldemort returned, Rolf was on an extended expedition in a remote part of Asia so their news was delayed by weeks or even months. He arrived at the dragon preserve in Romania just as Charlie was leaving to bring reinforcements for the final battle. Rolf stayed behind to help guard the camp but he didn't truly comprehend the extent of what was going at home until after it was all over."
Luna glanced at her ring. "That became the one issue in our relationship. Rolf carried a great deal of shame and regret about his lack of participation. It bothered him that he couldn't really understand some of the things I tried to tell him about what happened to me during the war so it just became easier to avoid the topic."
"Must have been difficult - not talking about a part of your life that affected you so deeply," said Draco.
"It was. As much as I try not to dwell on the past, it still helps when someone truly understands what you've been through. I'm not complaining, mind you. I mean, I had Ginny and Harry and Nev but it's not the same - especially in the middle of the night when, well...you know."
"Yeah. I know," Draco whispered.
Luna looked at him earnestly. "Please. Don't get me wrong. For the most part Rolf and I were very happy. He was a good man."
"He must have been. You loved him." Draco placed his hand on hers and they both stared at the picture for a moment before he asked, "Luna, how long had you been married when Rolf died?"
"Ten months, one week and three days," Luna said.
Something about the specificity of that answer broke Draco's heart. He squeezed her fingers and said, "I am so, so sorry, Luna."
"Thank you. I keep trying to remember what Daddy used to say - 'Don't get so caught up in your past that you miss your future.' But sometimes - like today - it can be hard."
Draco sat and listened for almost another hour as Luna shared more memories of Rolf and his family until she stretched and stifled a yawn.
"My goodness! I'm sorry, Draco. I can't image what time it is. I didn't mean to keep you up all night with my ramblings."
"No apologies necessary. It was my pleasure. Honestly."
Luna began to rise from the table and was surprised when Draco kept hold of her hand.
"Luna...would you stay here tonight?" Realizing how that might sound, he released her hand and quickly added, "The same arrangement as before, I mean. It's just - well - even with a royal assurance of protection, after the events of today, I would sleep sounder being certain of your safety and whereabouts. If you found such an arrangement suitable, of course."
"Well... if it will help you sleep better then I suppose I can stay for one night. It's the least I can do for causing you such trouble today," said Luna.
He summoned the beds into the same configuration as the last time and when Luna reach for her wand to take down the furnishings she had conjured, he stopped her. "Please. Leave everything up for tonight. You did such a wonderful job. It would be a shame to undo it just yet."
Luna gave a playful bow. "Very well. Since these are your quarters, Lord Malfoy, I shall leave them however you wish."
They settled into their respective beds but before Draco dimmed the lights he asked, "Luna? I hate to bring it up but it's been bothering me all evening. Didn't anyone ever make your housemates pay for what they did to you at school?"
Luna fluffed the pillows and adjusted her blankets. "I wouldn't say that. When Cho Chang heard about what happened with Mum's photos she felt bad about it, so she tipped off Ginny Weasley who got Fred and George involved. I don't know exactly what was said but from that point on the brunt of the direct bullying from my housemates ceased and I was mainly just ignored. Still couldn't find my shoes most of the time but the worst of it was over - at least until Umbridge arrived but by that time I had made friends with Harry and the others so that made things a bit easier."
Draco dropped the subject but made a mental note to try and ascertain the identities of the Ravenclaws in question once they returned home.
He drifted off and soon found himself drawn into another dream about her, except this one wasn't romantic. This one was terrifying.
It started as a simple replay of that day's events but this time darkness fell before Draco noticed Luna's absence and by the time he decided to look for her it was too late. She staggered back into the campsite, bloodied and bruised almost beyond recognition. She collapsed in his arms and managed to choke out his name before her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped lifeless to the ground.
He sat up with a sharp cry, pulse pounding, heart racing and immensely relieved that he had remembered to cast a silencing spell around his bed before falling asleep. He struggled to regain his composure as he propped himself up on one elbow and raised the lights just enough that he could peer anxiously around the room.
He leaned back and breathed a bit easier when he saw Luna close by, sleeping safe and sound. For his own peace of mind he snuck outside and cast a couple of extra protective wards around the campsite before slipping back into bed. It took some time but he eventually managed to go back to sleep, where further dreams mercifully eluded him for the remainder of the night.