'Draco, do you think it's possible to choose your friends?' Luna asked Draco when he appeared in the basement later that week armed with food. In their determination to extract as much information as possible from the goblin and Ollivander, it looked like the death-eaters had forgotten about their third prisoner. There had been no food, and not even any guard since Narcissa Malfoy's visit. Despite the temptation to take advantage of this change in security, tonight was the first night Draco had stolen down to the depths of his home.

'Of course you can, Loony.' Draco helped himself to the apple Luna had yet to claim and sat down next to her.

'No, I mean... I know it's possible to choose who you'd like to be friends with but sometimes they just happen. Like, one day, you're greeting each other on the way to class and then a few days later you realise they're your friend. You don't really choose for that to happen, do you?'

Draco took a bite out of his apple and mulled over what Luna'd said whilst he chewed.

'I wouldn't know, Lovegood. I don't have friends.'

'You're wrong, Draco. Because I think, whether you intended it or not, you are my friend.'

She paused, saying her next sentence with less assurance.

'And I think that I am your friend too.'

'You're annoyingly persistent, why does it matter?'

'You didn't deny it.'

Draco coughed in exasperation.

'I barely know what friendship means, Lovegood. How do you expect me to know if you're my friend?'

'I spent a year trying to convince you that there was more to life than being a death eater. Do you think I would have done that if I didn't consider you a friend?' There was an edge to her voice that made her sound almost angry at him.

'I think you would have done anything to prevent this war from happening, much like anyone else.'

'But would you be down here, providing prisoners with food and placing yourself in danger if you weren't my friend?'

Draco shook his head in denial and got to his feet. Luna followed and in a gesture of desperation she clutched at his hand and pulled him back.

'Whatever you say, there's no clear benefit in it for you other than my company. And wouldn't most people say that enjoying each other's company would make two people friends?'

Draco awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to the other, sneering mockingly. His eyes seemed to be looking anywhere but at Luna. There was a look in her eyes, an almost hunger for confirmation that scared him. She should hate him and yet here she was, willing him to admit that he was her friend.

'What does it matter, Lovegood. Friends won't save you.'

Luna's hands reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to look her in the eye.

'Friends always matter, Draco. They can make even the most horrible of situations at least a little more bearable.'

'Do they really?' Draco smirked as he removed Luna's hands from his face.

'Well I'm sorry but your situation is about to return to being unbeara-'

Draco's eyes widened as the unmistakable sound of footsteps met his ear. Moving silently into the darkest edge of the room, as close to the entrance of the basement he could manage, he watched Luna wrap herself in the blanket and pretend she was sleeping. He recognised the voices of the two death eaters that peered through the gate. They were clumsy, dense and lazy. They had been just as likely to choose Potter's side as they had to join voldemort. They fought for personal gain and Voldemort had promised to be more profitable. Draco doubted they even knew what they were fighting for. Their stupidity worked in Draco's favour. One quick look at the sleeping Luna and they considered their job done and dusted. Not for one moment did it enter their heads that their host's son could be concealed barely a few feet away.

As the sound of their footsteps died, Draco breathed a sigh of relief and Luna scrambled to her feet.

As the light from the gate caught his face, Luna could see Draco smirking as she reached him.

'And your company is meant to make these escapades worth my while?' he raised one eyebrow. 'I know girls who are much cheaper.'

Luna took a while to realise what he was inferring and when she did her eyes grew wide in shock and her cheeks began to flush. In a warped way it was a scene reminiscent of their time at Hogwarts.

'So' With one quick movement, Draco had Luna pinned up against the wall. Just as he had on the day they met. 'When are you going to make it worth my while, Lovegood?'

Luna squirmed uncomfortably and Draco's smirk actually turned into a smile.

'I'm joking, Luna.' Then, turning as he let himself out of the gate. 'That's what friends do, isn't it?'

Later that night Luna sat alone and smiled at the memory.

I've had this written for weeks so I have absolutely no idea why I hadn't uploaded it! Stupid me!