A/N - A million thanks to my lovely BETA ohlookamockingjay for helping me with this story.


Chapter 3

Draco paced back and forth in his room. The girl was stronger than he thought. Wandless magic? He envied her, he was jealous. What had Potter taught her? And if she was that powerful, it was most likely Potter would be more powerful than her. If that was so, Potter had a chance of winning against Voldemort.

He sighed and threw himself on his king-sized bed. His hands were behind his head. He stared blankly at the ceiling. Since Luna Lovegood was brought to Malfoy Manor, he had become curious about her. He wasn't sure why. He never noticed her when at Hogwarts.

But now she was close to him Her room was right across from his. His mother was there to help her and heal her. She really cared about Luna. Several times he had found Narcissa in the dungeon in the dead of night.

He never went down with her, but every night he wondered. Did they give her anything to eat? Was the dungeon warm enough for her? Did they ever stop torturing her?

So he sneaked into the dungeon to make sure. But his mother was always there early, so he just watched her from afar, he watched from the darkness. They never spoke.

What were they going to do to her now though. She was no longer their prisoner. He wondered if maybe she was going to be given Dark Mark, since she was so powerful, and join the army. He shuddered at the thought, remembering how painful it was when he got his Dark Mark.

It'd been 3 days.

Draco was in the library reading some books on the Dark Arts. He was so bored and there was nothing else to do. He growled as his eyes began to sting He had spent almost the entire day reading. Better than going out though. When he was younger, how he wished his father would take him on raid, even if only once. But now he couldn't bear to watch innocents be hurt and killed.

Suddenly the door opened, his father appeared with a strained face. He was paler than usual. His platinum hair almost looked silver. His eyes were red, either from lack of sleep or alcohol.

He closed the book, "What's the matter, father?" he asked, trying not to sound overly concerned.

"The Dark Lord wants to see you," his father informed him.

For a moment Draco's heart stopped. What the hell was going on? "What does he want me to do?"

His father looked at ground. "You have a duty to fulfil," he said quietly. Draco's body stiffened. Did Voldemort want him to kill someone?

Lucius looked up at him. "Do not disappoint me again, Draco."

Draco was getting tense. He took a breath and pushed away his fear. For Merlin's sake, he's seventeen years old now. He was a man, he was a Malfoy, a Death Eater, there was no room for fear. "I won't, father," he said firmly.

"Good," Lucius nodded. "Go now, he doesn't like to wait,"

Draco left the library. He fumbled with his sleeve, making sure his wand was still in its hidden pocket. The Dark Lord often striked suddenly to test each of his followers. It has happened to him twice, it was likely to happen again.

He paused a few seconds and took a deep breath before entering the room.

Lord Voldemort was sat in a leather armchair, his wand resting on the mahogany table. "Draco, my boy," he exclaimed in delight as he entered the room. "If you would care to sit," he offered.

Draco sat across from him, "Thank you, my Lord," he said calmly.

"No need to thank, Draco, this is your house," he said.

"What can I do for you, my Lord?" asked Draco.

"Plenty," he said, his tone of voice lowered. He rose from his seat and walked around the room.

"As you know, the Malfoys had once let me down," he said

Draco took a sharp breath in.

"After you failed to kill your headmaster I had every right to destroy you," he continued, "But I didn't. You and your family are too big an asset to be wasted."

Draco didn't dare look up. He was too ashamed.

"Which is… good," Voldemort said as he turned to face him, "because you may now prove useful again."

Draco's heart was pounding. Deep down, he didn't stop to pray that he didn't ask him to kill someone. Anything, but hurting people.

"What do you know about Miss Lovegood?"

Draco swallowed nervously. Dear Merlin, please not her, he cannot hurt her, he won't be able to. "We were almost strangers at Hogwarts. But I know that she's a loyal follower of Harry Potter. "

"Nothing else?" the Dark Lord asked in a cold voice, his dark eyes watching him carefully.

"Nothing else, my Lord," he said. Voldemort paused and nodded very slightly.

Here it comes. He's going to ask her to kill her, or torture her, or something-

"So, how do you feel about her?" he asked.

Draco was confused. Why was he being asked this? By Voldemort, no less. The Dark Lord talking about that girl? He didn't see like the type for gossip.

"Pardon, my Lord?"

"Her looks, Draco. Is she… what people might say... pretty? Does she... appeal to you?" he pressed.

"Um..." he cleared his throat awkwardly.

Luna Lovegood's face filled his mind. Luna was a strange girl, the whole of Hogwarts knew it. She liked to talk about non-existent creatures. But, she wasn't bad-looking. She has long pale hair, wavy, and soft (even though he had never touched it, it looked soft), her eyes were wider than most but it fit her. They were blue, almost as blue as the sea or sky. She had a feminine figure, and was very petite, her skin like porcelain, her lips as pink as rose petal and suddenly he also wondered if it was as soft as a rose petal.

"Well, Draco?" the Dark Lord said coldly and dryly.

The Dark Lord's cold voice brought him back to reality. "Yes, she's my type," he said without registering what he'd just said, "Yes, my Lord. Blond, blue-eyed, a feminine figure, and pureblood," he added matter-of-factly.

The Dark Lord grinned in satisfaction. He took his wand, and leaned back in his armchair. "Good, because she's to become your bride."

Draco's head shot up to look at him. What?

As soon as the conversation ended, Draco had run to his study.

His parents had been told before Draco. Lucius didn't object to the Dark Lord's choice. The Lovegood girl was decent looking, and most importantly she was a pureblood. He would forget the fact that her father was a lunatic. Narcissa hadn't said anything. She sat with Draco in his room, watching him pace back and forth.

"I'm too young to marry," Draco said in a raspy voice, one hand rubbing his forehead.

"It'll be alright Draco," Narcissa said.

"She's too young!" he cried. It was true. Luna was just sixteen years old. She was still underage.

He paused and looked at his mother.

"Does she know?" he asked quietly.

"Not yet."

Draco sighed, "And when is it?"

"In two weeks," his mother replied, and Draco almost had a heart attack. That was very soon. He couldn't do this.

"Your father arranged it," Narcissa said, "the sooner the better."

He sighed heavily. Luna Lovegood would become his wife in two weeks, and then they would be stuck together forever.