Ok I would just like to thank you all for the response to the first chapter of this story. I have to say I have been completely and utterly overwhelmed by the fact that as I write this I have 25 reviews and 30 something alerts. Thankyou so much and I hope you stick with this! Here is your new chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it, sorry.

Lovegood

Chapter 2: The Border

"Luna?!" Yelled Bill as he sprinted over to where the three new arrivals stood, leaning on one another for support. A feeling of sweet relief swept over Luna, she was safe! For the moment anyhow.

Fleur fluttered about nervously, "What 'as 'appened? What was that with you? Mr Ollivander?!"

Bill pulled out his wand, holding it threateningly into the darkness as he surveyed the yard for danger. Suddenly he spun back to Dean, Luna and Mr Ollivander, Dean's hands gripping their upper arms tightly, holding both of them up. His wand was pointed at the centre of Dean's chest, just next to Luna's head. "Who are you? How do I know you're not working for them?" his scarred face twisted suspiciously.

"I- I'm Dean Thomas. I got to Hogwarts with Harry and Ron, and Luna, in Gryffindor." Luna turned to watch him plead with Bill, standing on her own steam, "I-I was on the run from the Ministry, I-I'm a muggle born." Luna could see the strain it placed on him, being pulled back so abruptly from relief.

Bill frowned still slightly suspicious but lowered his wand, "I have heard Ron mention you, and you were on Potterwa-"

A crack ripped the air and Ron and a battered looking Hermione appeared, stumbling forward to them. "Ron!" Cried Bill and he ran to help his brother relieving her of Hermione's weight, "Fleur, go and get something to keep them warm! Mr Ollivander, can you walk?" The elderly man nodded slightly and pulled himself free of Dean's arm. "Good, go with Fleur and she'll help you."

"No, I can carry her." Ron pulled Hermione back into his arms and started slowing walking to the cottage. She was barely conscious but there didn't seem to be any major damage, she would be alright. Bill shook his head in annoyance and walked to Luna and Dean.

"Are you two alright?" They both nodded shakily, and Bill looked somewhat amused, "Sure you are, go and get Fleur to look -"

The sound of someone Apparating filled their ears again for what felt like the hundredth time that night. Harry appeared and abruptly fell onto his knees, one hundred metres from where they stood, in either hand he held Griphook and Dobby, who he relinquished before lowering the goblin to the ground. A sliver knife protruded from the house elf's chest, a red stain spreading rapidly over his knitted jumper.

Luna picked up her feet and ran, she could feel Dean and Bill do the same a second later, Dean easily overtaking her with his long and swift strides. Cries for help echoed through the night as Dobby dropped to the ground.

Breathing heavily Luna could see Harry cradling the elf in his arms, tears sliding over his cheeks and landing on the elf's bloody clothes. He lowered Dobby to the grass, "Dobby, no, don't die, don't die -"

"Harry…Potter…" Dobby murmured, breathing his last ragged breaths, tears pricked at Luna's eyes as the elf shuddered and became still, dead.

Rapid footsteps came up behind Luna and she turned to see Fleur coming to a stop beside Bill, she whispered something in his ear and he replied in a similar style. Fleur sucked in her cheeks and tears welled in her eyes. Luna turned her attention back to Harry, he crouched whispering Dobby's name, as if pleading with the gods for his return. They had formed a half circle around tragedy without realising as they observed in silence.

Harry looked up, eyes blinded, "Hermione? Where is she?" he asked suddenly.

"Ron's taken her inside, she'll be alright." Bill said solemnly. They stood in silence for another moment.

"What will we do now?" Luna asked, more like her usual upbeat self than she felt.

"We need to get the goblin inside, he's injured. You and Dean need to be fixed up too, neither of you look in the best of shape."

"What about the 'ouse elf? We canno' just leave 'im 'ere." Fleur asked, hand clasped tightly in her husband's.

"We'll need to find somewhere to bury him. I think that's Harry's decision though, not ours." As Bill said that Harry removed his jacket and draped it over the elf's body. "Dean, do you think you would be able to carry the goblin?"

Dean nodded resolutely and hefted Griphook into his arms, starting the walk back to the house. He appeared to be shaking slightly, and Luna doubted it was due to the goblin's weight. She sped into step beside him, walking faster than normal to keep up with his longer legs. Reaching up a hand she placed it on his bicep, patting it awkwardly, he turned to look at her, a slight frown on his battered face. Meeting his eyes for the first time since they had been rescued she gave him the most reassuring smile she could muster. She wasn't sure if it had worked but he nodded in recognition of her attempt.

Bill and Harry walked behind them, discussing burial plans with Fleur striding quickly in front to organise beds for the injured. Luna turned her face upwards, looking into the depths of the night sky above them, there was a certain discomfit in it that night. Normally it seemed to hold endless secrets and if she stared long enough into the sky she would be able to unravel the mysteries of space. The mysteries of life and death, love and hate, all the things that troubled both muggles and witches alike. Normally this gave her an odd sort of comfort, that these things could be understood. Tonight they felt cold and distant, unrelenting, things felt senseless and without reason. She felt she would never be able to understand.

Luna felt a tear skid its way through the muck on her face and looked back ahead, hiding the droplet with a wipe of her hand. She could see Dean watching her from the corner of his eye and he awkwardly untangled a hand and patted her on the shoulder, giving her his most reassuring smile. Luna felt like she was looking into a mirror, carrying on with the reverse déjà vu she nodded and small smiles flighted briefly onto both their faces.

"Écouter" Fleur beckoned them into the house, "I 'ave prepared a room upstairs. Bring the goblin and follow me." Dean followed Fleur up the narrow stairs, Luna was unsure what to do, and hovered at the bottom, "You come too, I will get you a coat and some new clothes."

Following them up the stairs Luna watched Dean place Griphook in a cramped bedroom and passed by the door of Mr Ollivander who lay in his bed, covers pulled over his frail chest which was rising and falling slowly with his breath. Luna waited in the hall as Fleur and Dean organised the goblin, wondering what would happen next. Fleur tipped some Skele-Gro into a goblet and the goblin sipped, gasping in pain. She murmured soothingly too him and returned to the hall, Dean close on her heels.

"Now, we 'ave to find you somet'ing to wear." She said, clasping her hands together, "You simply cannot go about in those clothes, either of you. Luna I will lend you somet'ing of mine, you will look lovely, do not worry." Luna gulped, worrying more than before, "I will give you some of Bill's Dean, though they may be a little small. You are taller that 'e is."

The followed her into the main bedroom she shared with her husband and pulled open an extensive cupboard. It had been enchanted to hold much more than would seem possible from the outside, becoming a veritable walk-in-wardrobe, three quarters of which was occupied by Fleur's clothing.

"'Ere we go!" She stepped inside and pulled out a pair of jeans much too long for Luna but looked like they would fit otherwise. Fleur held them up against her and frowned, "We may 'ave to…" She looked in pain, "cuff… them but other than that they will be fine."

The jeans were followed by a pale blue t-shirt and a heavy and tailored, bone coloured coat that fastened at the waist with silver buckles. "There, you will look lovely. There is a bathroom at the end of the 'all, you can shower in there and get dressed."

Luna acquiesced and left the room, but not before biting back laughter at the look on Dean's face as Fleur dived into the wardrobe again.

The shower was a welcome relief to Luna who had not been given the opportunity to bathe since her capture nearly three months ago. Relishing in the warmth she wondered what had happened to her father. She dearly hoped he was alright and that her escape wouldn't lead to him being harmed.

She took the stairs two at a time on the way back down to the kitchen and living room, looking for someway to help. She felt herself returning to normal and contemplated going into the garden to look for nargles, the yard looked the perfect habitat for them to thrive in and night time was when they wer easiest to capture. Her opinion on the matter changed however as she gazed out the kitchen window onto a sombre scene. Harry, Ron and Dean worked at digging a rectangular pit between two bushes, overlooking the sea. It is a beautiful spot for the burial she thought absent-mindedly as she watched them work. Now she felt somehow distanced from them though, as if the shower had been a border she had crossed, from the turbulent last few months into a new era where things would be happier and more at peace. She knew that's not what it would be like in the outside world, he-who-must-not-be-named was still at large after all and nothing would ever be peaceful whilst he was still around. But she felt that whilst she stayed at Shell Cottage things would be… nice.

She smiled her dreamy smile for the first time in what felt like years and went to see if there was anything she could do to help Hermione.

The funeral took place an hour later, she had been watching them through the window again and seen when the grave had been completed. Calling out to the others she made her way outside. The elf lay huddled in Harry's jacket, his eyes still open wide, staring blankly into the night sky. On Dobby's feet were a pair of socks and shoes she assumed was Ron's due to his lack, and a fluffy woollen hat was pulled over the top of the elf's head and ears.

"We should close his eyes," Luna said quietly and crouched down, reaching forward two fingers to close the house-elf eyes. They seemed startled by her sudden appearance. "There, now he could be sleeping."

Harry placed the elf in the grave, arranging his limbs to enhance the illusion of sleep. Pulling back Harry joined the circle of mourners.

"I think we ought to say something," Luna spoke again, the most relaxed of everyone there, "I'll go first shall I?"

All eyes turned to her and she drew a deep breath, "Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It's so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I'll always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now."

Withdrawing she turned and look expectantly at Ron who cleared his throat and said in a voice thick with emotion, "Yeah… Thanks Dobby."

"Thanks," Dean murmured quietly and Luna could see small tears making their way down his salve covered face.

Luna saw Harry swallow, it was finally his turn, "Goodbye Dobby." He said simply. Luna heard Hermione sob loudly and turned to see her crying into Ron's shoulder, who himself was trying to hide tears.

Luna smiled sadly as she watched Bill drop the dirt back into the grave with a flick of his wand, enveloping Dobby forevermore. Harry asked if it was alright for him to stay behind, a question that didn't really need to be asked and Luna walked over, patting him on the back gently, "It's ok Harry, you'll see him again. Dobby was the bravest elf I ever had the chance to meet."

She didn't think he heard her but she dearly hoped he had. Turning around she joined the others making their way back to the cottage.

Well I hope you all enjoyed the new chapter. I'll be writing straight from the book less and less in the coming ones, I didn't think there was much regurgitation in this one. The story will follow Dean and Luna but everything occurs the same as it did in the books. You could say the story is just 'deleted scenes' or something.

Oh and it will be following until the end of the book, with epilogue (which I have already written).

Hope you enjoyed!

Pagan