Draco woke from his nightmare with a jump. In his dream, someone had been screaming and whilst with the opening of his eyes, the visions had gone, the screaming continued. It wasn't Luna this time, it sounded more like the goblin. It was probably twisted but Draco couldn't help being glad. Luna's screams were so much harder to listen to than Griphook's. He forced himself to his feet, ran his fingers through his tangled hair and left the room to make his way downstairs. Half way down the elaborately decorated staircase, the screaming abruptly stopped.

Draco scooted into the shadows as the burly shape of one of the death-eaters bumbled past him. With only the silhouette of his face visible, it was impossible to tell which of them it was.

As the thudding footsteps faded away, Draco sped down the stairs, through the hall and straight to the basement. They'd begun to be more lax with the guard. With so many death eaters constantly around, it was unlikely that anyone would attempt to break the prisoners free. Of course, it had been this kind of arrogance that had caused many a problem for the death eaters in the past, but Draco wasn't about to point that out to them. Especially when it made his life so much easier.

He heard Luna before he saw her. Her cough had been growing steadily worse over the week and now it echoed chillingly around the basement.

Luna caught sight of him and in between coughs, Draco thought he saw her smile.

'Good evening, Draco.'

Draco rolled his eyes,

'Sickeningly optimistic as always, Lovegood. I haven't had a good evening since I was 14.'

He sauntered over to where she was sitting, swinging down to sit next to her. She didn't speak but her glances towards the darkness spoke much louder than words.

'I know, there are those who have it worse. But I can't help them. There's little I can do without risking my own neck and you especially should know how much I value that.'

Luna nodded slowly as another fit of coughing overtook her.

'I can hardly have an intelligent conversation with a girl who is only capable of barking like a dog. If I get my wand, there's a spell for...'

He stopped as Luna shook her head violently.

'If I get better suddenly they'll know that someone helped me. It's dan-'

She couldn't finish before her breath was taken away and the coughing began again.

Draco slammed his fist down on the floor and got to his feet. Luna weakly grappled at his arm, gesturing for him to stay but he shook her off like she was nothing.

'You're ill. You're no use to me if you're ill, Lovegood.'

'But I told you, if I suddenly get better they'll-' she coughed again, managing to gasp the final words of her sentence in between wheezing. 'Just stay here, I'll be fine, really.'

Draco sat back down again, scowling irritably. Luna shuffled closer to him and Draco felt the cold of her hands sink straight through his suit to his skin in an instant. He bore it for a minute before shuddering and jumping to his feet.

'You're freezing, Lovegood. I didn't come here to be your radiator.'

And he turned and marched out of the basement and up the stairs, leaving Luna bewildered and shivering on the floor.

In other circumstances, she would have shrugged off the rejection carelessly but she was cold and lonely and tears started to pinprick her eyes. She could hear the creak of the floorboards above signalled that Draco was back inside his room.

Accepting her loss, Luna rested her head against the smoothest rock she could find and closed her eyes, praying that she'd fall asleep quickly.

'Luna!' Someone was shaking her and Luna fought hard against the urge to answer their calls and wake up. It had taken so long for her to fall asleep.

'Wake up, you dippy-headed toad or I'll leave.'

Luna blinked dazedly at the face of the slytherin who was gripping her shoulders tighter than he should have been.

'I thought you'd gone. I was tired.'

There was something about her voice that echoed everything that was wrong with the wizarding world at that moment. Monotone, weak and hopeless and it made something catch in Draco's throat.

He cleared it quickly, trying to get back to the mission he had assigned himself.

'You're not sleeping, not until you've had some of this.'

He held out a large spoon filled with some dark and unappealing liquid. Luna swallowed it without question, barely grimacing at it's bitter taste.

'The house elves made it for me, they said it'll help you get better. And I got you this'

Luna had to squint in the darkness to see what he was holding. And she had barely figured out what it was before it was pulled over her head and her arms were forced through the sleeves.

'It doesn't fit me anymore and it's quite warm.'

Wrapping a large blanket around her shoulders, Draco sat back on his heels, surveyed his work and, satisfied, placed himself next to Luna.

'I wonder what my friends would think if they knew I was wearing a slytherin jumper. They'd be quite scandalised I think.'

Draco sniggered. 'If they worry more about house pride than your warmth then they're no friends of yours.'

'You know so much about friends and yet you don't have any. Why?'

As her temperature rose, her voice returned to its normal tone. She was snuggled as close to Draco as the blanket would allow, her head resting against his shoulder.

'Friends are too much effort. They're hardly a necessity.'

'So I'm not your friend then?'

'No. You're a necessity.'

Draco had barely missed a beat. He was matter of fact. He needed Luna as much as he needed food or water. She was keeping him from going crazy.

'So that's why you'd do so much for me.'

Draco managed to crack a half smile.

'I'm not having you die on me, Lovegood. I've not finished with you yet.'