In the shadows, Draco stood partially veiled in the grey darkness. Trying to gather the courage to leave this place because there was so much of him that wanted to stay. As he entered the open floor space of the infirmary he found only one curtain was drawn. He approached and gathered the stiff cotton of the fabric, drawing back it back and revealing small space she occupied.

There laid Luna. Her figure outlined loosely under a pale mint green tightly woven blanket. A mess of long blond hair sprawled around her making borrowing her an ethereal expression. A slant of moonlight crept from floor to half way up the bed. Her gown had been changed to a sleeveless frock. The prince walked closer dropping the curtain and killing the moonlight. His wand at the ready, but there was no enemy here. As if he could try to muster the fury to punish her for what she had done, for making him choose between his alliance and his desires. For forcing her way into this sacred space. She rolled in the bed, and he knew he all of that was futile. Draco felt something break down in him. It was his conviction, the very last of his reserves. With a soft clatter his wand fell to the floor.

Luna woke slowly blinking the world into reality and saw him standing there in the dark. She pulled herself up shaking off the dreads of sleep. There was more distance between them than the visible space of just two feet, and it was left unsaid. So Luna reached towards him. A hand that hung in the air for a while before he took it and she guided him closer. Until he was crawling on to the bed along side of her. She laid and wrapped him around her. Draco only followed. Luna pulled his arm under hers and along her chest. She gazed out the window and listened to the internal sounds of the boy. The slow rhythm of his breath, the sound of rustling as shoes were pried off. Draco surrendered for the first time to her kindness. He laid with her without that furious denial. There was none left. She felt him tense and hard ridge of his nose as he burrowed into the crook of her shoulder. They laid like that for a long time. She felt the wetness of silent tears and then him relax as he fell away from the burdens of reality. Draco slept for the first time in weeks without dreams, without fits.