After several hours, Draco's whining over the spray ceased. They were both far too hungry and tired to do anything but sit and stare at the small opening at the top of the cage, through which they could see that the light was slowly fading.
"Draco?" Luna said. "Do you ever think about dying?"
Draco looked at Luna, alarmed. "What are you saying? Do you think we'll die in here, Luna? Because we won't. I swear to Merlin we won't."
"No, no," Luna said. Her voice was weak, from the cold, and from her being so tired and hungry. "I was just...wondering."
Draco sighed. "I guess everyone has, and if they haven't, they will sooner or later."
"Have you?" Luna persisted.
"Yeah, I have," Draco said. He sighed, and took a moment to collect himself. He hated thinking back to his days as a death eater.
"When I was serving the Dark Lord, I must have thought about it thousands of times," Draco said. "Especially on nights when I was in places I couldn't apparate because it would attract Order attention. I'd sleep all alone in a dark, damp cave, and just wonder about my death. Who'd cry for me? Who'd come to my funeral. That sort of thing."
Things were silent for a while, and Draco decided Luna wasn't going to answer.
"I would."
"What?" Draco said, surprised at the sudden closeness of her voice. He hadn't realized she'd moved closer to him.
"I said I would. Even back when you were a death eater, I would have gone to your funeral."
Draco blinked. "Really?"
"Sure. I mean, I knew you, and it would be sad to know I wouldn't see you ever again. Even though we never talked or anything, I still appreciated seeing every face at that school every day."
Draco regretted not talking to Luna at Hogwarts more deeply than anything in his life.
Luna was now close enough for Draco to hear her chattering teeth.
"Are you cold?" He asked.
"Not really," Luna said. "I'll be alright."
"No," Draco shook his head. "Come here."
He held out his arms for her. Luna hesitated, but then curled up on Draco's lap. He felt her sort of resisting once his arms closed around her slim form, but soon, she slumped, completely relaxed.
They sat like that for what could have been hours. Finally, Luna spoke.
"Goodnight, Draco."
Draco smiled, the feeling of a genuine smile on his face feeling strange on his muscles. "Goodnight, Luna."
The next morning, Draco woke, and saw Luna was still in his arms. This was strange, because Luna normally woke at the crack of dawn to begin exercises. Draco only knew this because once when he was practicing Quidditch early so he could best Potter in the upcoming match, and she'd been doing aerobics in the center of the pitch.
"Luna?" Draco said, slightly jostling her. "Luna, wake up."
She moaned. "Why?"
"Because it's morning," Draco said, smiling.
"I want to sleep," she said groggily, almost whining, burying her face in Draco's chest.
"The wind has stopped. We have to find a way out of this cave."
Luna's eyes snapped open. "We're still in the cave."
Draco laughed. "Yup."
Luna groaned and pulled herself from Draco's chest, leaving Draco feeling bare and lonely. He watched from the cave floor as Luna pulled back her hair again, making it tighter. Then she retired her shoes, and began doing stretches. "Get ready, Draco," Luna said. "We're getting this tree out of here even if it's the last thing we do."
Draco stood. "And hopefully it's not the last thing we do."
Luna grinned and continued stretching.
Draco pulled off his shirt and began rifling through his backpack, then pulled his clean shirt over his head.
When Draco turned around and looked at Luna, it looked like she'd been facing him for a while. Draco shifted awkwardly.
Luna shook her head. "Errrr...why don't you turn around so I can change my shirt as well," she said nervously.
Draco nodded and turned around, however reluctantly.
"Alright," Luna said. Draco turned to see her just pulling the new, green tank top being pulled past her waist. She smiled at him. "Let's get working."
Draco nodded again, and they both faced the boulder blocking the entrance of the cave. They'd pushed it once, they could do it again.
Luna placed both of her hands on the edge peeking in, and began to push with all her might. Draco came up behind her, and pushed with Luna's force times ten trillion. He had to get her out of here.
The boulder just budged. Luna dropped her arms and sighed. "We're never going to get anywhere. We're starving and thirsty." She poked around in her bag and tossed Draco a granola bar and a bottle of water. Then they began again.
Luna had been right. As soon as they began pushing again, the boulder budged even farther.
After what seemed like hours of pushing, the two high fived. They'd made it far enough for the two of them to slip through.
Now all they had to do was climb over the tree, and they'd be out.
Hey guys! I just had random inspiration on this story, and I wrote this chapter in like forty-five minutes! Hope you liked it, and REVIEW please!
Just hit that sexy blue button. If you do, some of its sexy will wear off on you. :) And I'll be happy, so it's a win-win situation! :D
