AN: WOW SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY! Working on a novel at the moment and I didn't have time/inspiration to update. Hopefully nice reviews will get me back on track.

XVII

"A BLOOD TRAITOR?! TO BE MISTRESS OF MALFOY MANOR?" The voice shrieked, out in the calm afternoon in the drawing room. Draco, who was just outside the door sighed and entered the room, taking in the sight of his hysterical aunt, pacing the floor in front of her sister; her skin was flushed, her hair standing on end.

"I see you've told her then." he said raising his eyebrows to his exasperated mother who was seated on the sofa, she looked up at him helplessly. "And Aunt Bellatrix, I would prefer it if you didn't call Astoria that, you may be disapprove of her but she's by no means a blood traitor." His mother's eyes followed her sister as she marched back and forth in front of the windows.

"Yes Bella, you shouldn't call her such dangerous things. Anyway, Draco says he's put a stop to all that nonsense that she's been up to. Isn't that so, Draco?"

"Absolutely," he answered busying himself with flicking through the Daily Prophet. Bellatrix made a tremendously dramatic groan, swinging her head back and clutching the sides of her head with her bony white hands.

"You're mad … you're all mad! And I suppose Lucius supports this, does he?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes he does." said his Mother, trying her utmost to hold back her temper.

"Well if you think He'll stand for it …" Bellatrix trailed off darkly. She shook and ran her fingers through her wild hair. "This family is a joke, if it's not enough that our disgrace of a sister is here … why, Lucius has become an anemic shadow, Draco's unemployed, a half-breed and blooded neph-"

"Don't!" Narcissa said her arm outstretched, not to Bellatrix, but to Draco who had jumped to his feet and drawn his wand. "Draco put that away!"

"Leave Theodore out of it. He's not allowed to talk freely about his past, so neither should you."

"Caring for the cub are you?" Bellatrix laughed walking bravely up to Draco, unaffected by the sight of his wand.

"What do you have against Theodore all of a sudden? You've always been good to him up until now. What's changed?" he muttered, curiously. "Someone said something to damage your pride? It's your duty to care for him too, you know."

She threw back her head and laughed.

"Do not speak to me of duty, Draco! I know my duty, I've done my duty … But you think I like it? I'll admit that for a half blood with a background like his, he's turned out rather well, which I believe is more down to my hard work than anything else! But all the same, he is what he is!"

Draco flicked his wand sending out a shot of fire, but Bellatrix had pulled hers out already and shielded herself. Draco ducked missing the backfire, but received Bellatrix's shriek of laughter instead.

"Stop that you two, please. You'll set the house on fire." his Mother pleaded, as she extinguished the flames. "And Bella … I agree with Draco, whatever problem you have with Andromeda, me or my family … leave Theodore out of it. He's the innocent party here."

Bellatrix waved her hand dismissively, sending them a look of repulsion.

"How the mighty do fall. It's a downward spiral from here, Cissy, mark my words. You'll regret it when the Manor is rubble about your feet. You won't be so proud of yourself then."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco snapped. His Aunt shook her head, waving him off.

"If you haven't noticed your world falling apart around you already, Cissy. You will now. Letting this girl into our home is the beginning of the end!"

"It is nothing of the sort Bella." his Mother said calmly, although not convincingly. "A lot of young people have some strange ideas about the world … when she's mistress of this house, Miss Greengrass will be far too busy to be involved in her nonsense anyway. I'll make sure of that. She'll be a fine Malfoy, I am sure of it."

Draco cleared his throat, believing it was time he had something to say in Astoria's defence.

"You may not think much of me Aunt Bellatrix, but I should hope you know me better than to be involved with the work of a blood traitor! You've already forgotten how I took a few out not long ago, or don't you remember interrogating me?"

"Shh Draco, stay calm." his Mother hushed. Bellatrix looked as though she was on the verge of saying something but changed her mind suddenly, her face was sour, as if she was reluctant about holding back. She exhaled sharply, and stretched out her fingers, shut her eyes for short moment as if calming herself down.

"Very well." she said. "Do what you must, Draco. There's nothing more to protect in this family any longer, I wash my hands of you all." she spat and marched out of the room. His Mother sighed and waited for the sound of her leaving through the front door, slamming it behind her and a crack as she disapparated.

"She was always so dramatic, even as a girl. But you mustn't rise to her bait, Draco, it will get you no where." his Mother said waving her finger at him.

"Do I not have the right to defend Theodore?"

"I think it's wonderful that you do, darling." she soothed. "But it's not good resorting to your wand. It's childish, and will only make you sink to her level." His Mother sighed gathering up her sewing and picking out the stitches by hand before becoming frustrated with it and throwing it back down. She looked at Draco and smiled serenely as he sat beside her. "All I can say is you have to prove her wrong, with Astoria I mean, keep that girl on the straight and narrow."

"Don't worry, Mother, she has her head screwed on better than I do." he said bitterly, but his mother did not catch his tone. She had a far off look in her eyes which suddenly widened, as if realising something.

"I was just thinking the other day, when you went to ask for her parents' blessing … have you given her an engagement ring yet?" she asked suddenly. Draco admitted that he had not yet, and had felt less enthusiastic about deciding what to do about it since Astoria had seemed so disinterested the other day. He supposed he should make a start on it, at least for the sake of keeping up appearances, but his mother clasped his hand suddenly. l'll have just the thing, follow me."

Since his teenage years, his mother's dressing room had become unofficially out of bounds, and thus he had seldom entered it at all since he was twelve, sometimes once every few years, for some reason or other. However there was a familiar, unchanged distinctness about it that had remained through the years and reminded him fondly of his childhood. It was brightly lit with large bay windows and net curtains, as well as a large chandelier which threw light on all angles of the room. There was a walk in closet to the left encasing rails upon rails of robes, gowns, cloaks, shevles of shoes and stacks of hat boxes and scarves. Along the wall of the main room was a large gilded mirror. Standing ten foot high and six foot wide, it was enchanted to show all angles of you when standing in front of it, as if there were mirrors on every wall of the room. There were stacks of various boxes made of carved wood, laquer and mother-of-pearl, some were encrusted with gems and each holding a great variety of precious jewelry and accessories. She had a very large collection of perfume bottles (many completely empty now) on a dresser on the side and three French cream chintz armchairs positioned around the centre of the room to allow her to model her outfits for friends.

He had spent many years as a child waiting bored in this room while his mother dressed for various balls and parties. She would try on a number of outfits and twirl into the centre of the room asking for her son's opinion. He remembered disliking them all as it meant clawing at her robes and crawling onto her lap was strictly off limits. To this day the smell of the perfumes filled him with a sense of cherished nostalgia and forlornness.

"Take a seat, darling." she said going to her various jewelry boxes and sorting through them. Draco examined a portrait on the wall of his mother in her youth, wearing a gown she had always adored. It was a deep rich Byzantium purple crinoline made of silk taffeta. Her pale, bare shoulders and arms seemed thinner than usual against the deep colours of the full skirt. Her hair was pulled back high in an elaborate coiffure and her lips were painted red. Most noticeably was an exquisite and extravagant diamond necklace that looked too heavy for her to wear, for it reached the centre of her neck like a chocker, and clasped right down across her tips of her shoulder blades. Then, like drops of water hanging diamonds trickled loosely into her cleavage. The painting of his mother waved down at her real son and clasped her fingers to the diamonds as she caught him looking at them.

"What happened to the necklace, Mother?" Draco asked, realising that his mother had never mentioned it and, rather guiltily, wondering privately to himself how much money it would raise at an auction.

"Hmm?" she asked looking back at him, and then up at the painting. She sighed and looked at it for a moment, admiring it, her hand resting on her heart. "That portrait does take me back, I was a newlywed….But the necklace was never mine unfortunately. It was what I called 'passing through'. We had a few guests staying, one of whom was a ghastly American businessman your Father had to entertain for some reason. When he saw me in that dress he simply demanded that I had a portrait painted in it, wearing the diamond necklace he had just bought too. Your Father wasn't pleased about it at all, it was a sordid thing to commision a portrait of another man's wife. I think the American realised and said that the painting was purely meant as an honest compliment and was for me to keep. It was the fancy of a nouveau-riche billionaire I suppose. Well, anyway … that necklace was a guest in its own right, it passed through the house, but I have it there for memory forever. Probably for the best, it was ever so heavy to wear." she sighed again a little more deeply, her head cocked to one side, as if she could hardly believe she had once been the girl in the painting. She quickly turned back to sorting through her boxes, pulling out strings of pearls and various brooches and bracelets. In some boxes were smaller boxes.

"Now I am sure it is here somewhere … aha." she said. "Here we are." his mother turned and sat in the chintz armchair next to him. In her hand was tiny black leather ring box. "She might like this …"

With that she opened it, inside was a delicate, very old looking ring. It was white gold, and gleaming as if it had only just been polished. It bore a cluster of delicate green diamonds and surrounding and running through them was, what Draco initially thought, a branch of leaves, only on closer inspection was also a serpent. It was a very clever trick of the eye, using some sort of illusionment enchantment on it.

"I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." his Mother laughed. "You'll think me very silly when I say why?"

"Well it's beautiful … perfect really! Mother … are you sure I can-" he said eagre to lift it out of its box but reluctant to mar the perfect beauty of it implanted in the black velvet.

"Draco. This ring was left to me by your paternal Grandmother, but she inherited it from her own Great Aunt Lavinia. Do you remember who she was?" she asked excitedly. Draco thought back hard to his childhood lessons trying hard to remember every detail of his family tree. He shook his head. "Your Great Great Great Aunt Lavina was the last Malfoy to marry a Greengrass. Paulus Greengrass asked for her hand no less than 8 times, and she refused every single one on account of Paulus being too short, she herself was six foot! Eventually he had this ring designed to show that they belonged together – the branch for the Greengrasses' coat of arms and the snake for the Malfoys'. Anyway, the story was that she was so touched by it and so in awe of Paulus' design that she finally accepted. Although, I think she was also becoming rather smitten with him anyway and rejected his proposals only to see how far he'd go. They certainly seemed to have a happy marriage. Oh I feel so silly for not thinking of it being the perfect ring for you to give Astoria."

"Wow." Draco shook his head. "I … you're right it is perfect."

It was perfect. Indeed. It was too perfect. Lavinia Malfoy and Paulus Greengrass' love story sounded too pure for Draco to take the ring to give to his less than enthusiastic bride. He felt somewhat unworthy of continuing their legacy.

"What's wrong?" his Mother looked bemused. "Do you dislike it? Or … what, did you already think of something else?"

"No …" Draco shook his head emphatically, unable to think of an excuse to give his mother straight away. "No it is perfect. Thank you … really. Thank you."

"It's all a little overwhelming isn't it?" she smiled stroking his cheek. "I know, I understand. I had known your Father far far longer than you've known Astoria, but even I was lost for words when he presented me with my ring, and the actual proposal … even though I had accepted right away, I couldn't sleep at all … I was even sick. There's no shame in being a little nervous. We find our feet in the end, don't we, Cissy." She said glancing back up at her painting who nodded and laughed gently.

Draco apparated into the top walkway of Tower Bridge and before he even took in his surroundings, he immediately felt the biting cold wind that howled along the passage and through the now smashed windows that once protected the visitors from the elements. There were signs and displays about, half left in ruins from some long forgotten attack but he could see that it had appeared to have been used as some sort of gallery in its past. He had never been here before, but he had flown past on his broomstick in a raid during the war. He had flown above it on his broom, cold and steering with only one hand, his wand outstretched and ready. Yet here, standing on the solid muggle structure, he felt strangely less secure, as if the whole thing might crumble underneath and fall into the abyss of the black River Thames. As he looked out across the water he remembered how it had formerly been lit with the twinkling muggle lights of their high rise buildings along the bank, how cold they seemed at the time. Now they were empty shells, and their shadows left them in an impenetrable mist. In some parts, you could not see where the river began and the bank ended. Only where the water was caught in the light of the moon could you see the river run under the bridge, or even exist at all.

He looked at his watch, as another eerie howl ran through the walkway and he shuddered, no, he shivered. It was prolonged, and the cold suddenly ran much deeper than was common in a gust of wind. It was as if an unseen gale had passed along the tunnel, freezing cold but unmoving and full of despair. The horror of the realisation drained him of any colour left in his face and made him pull out his wand. Dementors. There they were gliding alongside and through the walkway like a great army of ghosts moving in one huge surge. He saw their hooded faces and rotten hands reaching out to him and the familiar rattle of their breath. He felt the awful pangs they always left him with, the screams of his mother, of victims, of prisoners, images of that tower … that night. No, he had to think of something happy, he thought of meeting Astoria that evening, seeing her again. Giving her the ring.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he cast, and the a great jet of formless silver shot out, but the dementors were too close for it to take form. He had no choice but to run ahead first, in the hope that with enough distance between them he could succeed with another attempt. Yet they were gaining on him, it felt as if he were walking through swiftly drying tar and his head was clouding over and blocking out all happy thoughts. They were enclosing the walk way like a tube and sinking through it right behind him. Happy memories, happy thoughts.

Astoria again. He would be seeing her soon. A happy moment to spend time together, brief, she did not love him, she would be more interested on moving to the task they faced at the house by the sea … before returning to that subject. NO!

He would marry her, she would be mistress of his home. Like all couples, they would learn to love each other. They would be happy.

And as he tried to imagine a happy life with Astoria, he cast his patronus once more. The silver ferret, that he despised so much, flew from his wand and scampered through the air throwing back the dementors. It was weak, they would be back, but it was enough for him to run. He ran through the walkway, not caring about the noise he made. There was a pop and Astoria appeared in front of him, he ran towards her, ignored her questions and grabbed her hand to the Northern tower ahead.

"What is it?" she asked as they reached safety.

"D-dementors." he said wiping his brow, he was shocked to feel cold sweat. Her eyes widened.

"What? Why here? Did they try and attack you?" she asked grabbing his arm, as if ready to run with him again.

"I don't know … they were probably just scouting … probably didn't expect to find any wizards up here."

"There are far too many breeding, and not enough prisoners in the country to feed off, they can only send so many to the communes. Are you sure you're alright then?" she asked concerned. He leaned against the wall and smiled tiredly at her.

"Yeah … I'll be fine. You don't have any chocolate on you by any chance."

She shook her head.

"Sadly no. We'll get some soon." she said placing a warm hand against his cheek. "Shall we?"

"Wait." he said suddenly remembering. "I know it's a bit weird, but I guess that sums us up. Here, this is for you." He reached into the inside pocket of his cloak and pulled out the little velvet ring box. Astoria's bemused look suddenly changed and she burst out laughing.

"Really Draco? Really? It couldn't wait a moment?" she shook her head but smiled anyway. He opened the box and presented the beautiful ring that had bound their families together once before. She gasped at it. "Oh Draco … it's beautiful … it's … isn't it Lavinia Greengrass' ring? Oh of course, I've seen paintings of it and … oh it's perfect." she said leaping slightly on the spot, she reached forward to take it before looking at Draco snidely. "Aren't you going to go down on one knee?"

Draco rolled his eyes.

"Spare me, would you? Considering the circumstances?"

She laughed and nodded but held out her ring finger for him to slip it on her. It fit well, for it was enchanted to fit the finger of whomever wore it, but also because it suited her. It was quite a heavy, large shape and it made her slender fingers seem more delicate than usual in comparison.

"Thank you, Draco." she said admiring her hand for a little while before looking up at him. "I know what will make you feel a bit better." she said, and pushed him against the wall kissing him passionately. Her arms wrapping around his icy body. She felt so warm, so good, so wonderful and immediately he felt himself returning to normal – better than normal. They kissed long and well and broke apart reluctantly, she grinned inches from his face.

"Better?"

"Well …" he said slipping his arm around her waist. "It's not quite chocolate but it will do."

She sighed and laughed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Come on, let's go." she said taking his hand. "We're expected."

They did not apparate immediately to the cottage; Astoria, not being the secret keeper, was unable to locate it. They were to walk through a devised route together before meeting Luna Lovegood who would escort them. Draco expressed his concern about being spotted meeting her, she was after all an ex enemy; a member of Dumbledore's Army and the daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood which led to her imprisonment in his own house once. Even though Luna was now officially recognised as a 'good citizen' there was little Draco could say that would justify his meeting with her without arousing suspicion.

"Don't worry, she'll have taken precautions, we aren't going to meet anywhere public anyway." Astoria said, with her hand through his arm, steering him in her directions. When and how she had made these plans to keep the meeting secret, Draco did not know, perhaps they were preset. It was just one of those mysteries about Astoria that he would need time to work out. She took him down a couple of small side streets, passing through derelict high streets and offices with smashed in windows revealing cavernous buildings on every street.

Astoria suddenly stopped in a side street, passing by an old shop that had once had large red lettering over its window, but now most of the letters had fallen off and all that was left was a T, a C and an O. A small door barely noticeable in the darkness was just beside it. With a quick look around, and a wave of her wand, Astoria had opened it and led Draco in. It was pitch black, even when they cast lumos to light their way, it was difficult to see two feet in front of their noses.

"There's some stairs." Astoria said leading the way. They walked up a narrow staircase, which seemed far steeper and longer in the dark than it probably was. As they reached the landing there was a small click and another door opened, casting out a narrow strip of soft yellow light.

"Come in, come in." came Luna's dreamy voice, it seemed far too relaxed and gentle for such a situation, as if they were simply popping around for tea.

"Hello Luna." Astoria whispered entering the house.

"Good evening." Draco nodded cordially.

"It's lovely to see you again, Draco." Luna smiled clicking the door behind her. She looked strange as usual; today she was wearing beads tied into her hair but a plain navy cloak to disguise her distinctive pea green robes. Draco looked around the room, they were in the hallway of some old flat.

"Who lives here?" Draco asked her suddenly, trying to cover up any tone of disgust at the thick layer of dust that coated the floor, so as not to offend Luna in some way.

"No one anymore." Luna said leading them into an old kitchen, with a broken sink, unusual decorations and strange appliances all broken and mangled, with a cracked unmoving photograph on the wall. Draco suddenly realised that they were in an old muggle flat.

"We often meet like this, in different places. There are a good many old muggle buildings that are out of use, by leaving them derelict they're doing us a favour." Astoria said looking around the room with her lip slightly curled. By 'they' she meant the Ministry, who had intended to keep the muggle buildings and convert them for wizarding owners but misjudged how few wizards there were in Britain to fill them. Draco looked at the stationary photograph. It was of a couple, of around Astoria and his own ages. They were holding a baby. There was something rather eerie about their still photograph, capturing a moment of them laughing, not a continuous laugh as one saw in wizarding photographs, but a single moment where they no doubt laughed at something the photographer had said just a moment before he clicked the button. Where was that family now?

"Thank you for meeting us so soon, Luna. Shall we?"

"Yes, there's no reason to stay around here is there? I'm very sorry, but Fleur still insists."

"Yes yes I know." Astoria rolled her eyes but nodded and reached into her robes and pulled out two silk scarves. "Blindfolds, Draco." she added to his confused expression.

"Ah yes." Draco said remembering when he left the cottage. Luna had escorted him to the edge of the wards, blindfolded him, then took him over the edge before making him apparate blindly. Fleur was obviously taking no chances with the discovery of the cottage. Luna oversaw the blindfolding and expertly enchanted the blindfolds to tie neither too tightly to be uncomfortable nor too loose to serve their purpose. Draco supposed that was some quite tricky wand work, but perhaps Luna had to do this a lot, especially if Fleur was too frightened to leave her house most of the time.

She took their hands, holding them tightly, counted down from three and disapparated immediately.

The musky, damp smell of the muggle flat was replaced by cold salty air. Luna kept a tight grip of him as she led her two companions across the pebble path that crunched beneath their feet. As expected it felt like a long, rather humiliating walk to the boundary of the wards, he understood the need for safety and he tried not to complain as he stumbled slightly.

"Nearly there, just a few more steps … here we go … wait a moment …" said Luna as she briefly let go of his arm and there was a sound of her cloak sleeve rumpling. She muttered a few spells under her breath, grabbed his arm again and walked on. "There you go."

The blindfolds came off with a flick of her wand revealing the view from the cliff, across the sea, and the little cottage ahead. It was so small and quaint, it was hard to imagine the work going on inside. If it were not protected by spells, Draco wondered if anyone would even bother to check it at all. There were warm golden lights inside the house that were so inviting Draco felt his feet begin to lead the way.

"Eager to see Fleur, Draco?" Astoria laughed, Draco threw her a glare and slowed down his pace.

"Just cold, I want to get inside" he muttered.

"Fleur will make us all some tea." Luna said pleasantly. "Victoire wanted to stay up to see you both, but Fleur thought she better not."

"How often are you here, Luna?"

"A few times a week, I make sure I'm seen around my home often enough though and I have a job at a cafe in Birmingham to stop anyone asking questions."

"A job? How do you have time?"

"Oh it can be tricky, but I cope." she said dreamily. "My Father always told me to keep busy, he always kept busy too - kept your brain clear of any wrackspurts. I don't have to think much at my job so I can work and figure out things that I'll do here. Anyway, it's not as if I'm running things here by myself, am I?"

Draco said nothing in response but doubted that Fleur was any real help, or perhaps he was just being unkind due to the fact he and Fleur had not completely seen eye to eye the last time he had been at the cottage.

Fleur was beautiful as usual, Draco had forgotten how so, and could not help but marvel as he entered the kitchen. The quarter Veela seemed to glow and her skin was unmarred by age, dirt or blemish. He purposefully greeted her politely and distantly as possible, she in turn nodded aloofly to him and greeted Astoria with only a little warmth.

"Please, sit down. You're later than you said you'd be Luna, I was worried." Fleur said bringing a tray of crockery to the table where the trio were happily sitting in the warmth of the fireplace.

"Yes … I was wondering … did anything happen?" Luna frowned looking from Astoria to Draco. Draco took Astoria's cloak and let her do the talking.

"Draco ran into some dementors on Tower Bridge. You don't have any chocolate do you Fleur?" she asked suddenly remembering. Fleur shoved a tin of biscuits unceremoniously in front of Draco. He took a chocolate biscuit, and in one bite could suddenly feel the true warmth of the fire, it was such a strange cure.

"Before we start, I wanted to say thank you, Draco. The story in The Prophet was perfect, I never usually buy that newspaper but I bought that one." Luna grinned. "You wrote it very well too."

"Thank you."

"I take it everyone else bought your story, yes?" Fleur asked raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

"They did, for the most part. My Aunt had to believe it, although she didn't seem to want to. I suppose that can only be a good thing though." he explained.

"Oh!" Astoria jumped in "By the way, some good news." she interjected, putting her hand out and revealing her new glittering engagement ring. Fleur peered over at it, her jaw dropping slightly and suddenly.

"Is that an engagement ring?" Luna asked.

"Draco gave it to me today." she said smiling at him.

"So … you're engaged." Fleur frowned. "Isn't that … a little soon, you 'aven't known each other long, no?"

"Long enough." Astoria said quickly. "You two wouldn't understand, it is perfectly normal in our kinds of families, to have short relationships and engagements. There's no need to wait around. We're well suited enough … aren't we Draco?" she asked. Draco nodded emphatically, not wishing to divulge any of his concerns about Astoria's affections for him.

"I care very much about you, and we're well suited."

"Well congratulations! Both of you." Luna said genuinely.

"It sounds more like a business arrangement." Fleur sighed. "But if you are 'appy I suppose I can only say congratulations. It's a beautiful ring."

"It belonged to my Great Great Great Aunt Lavinia Malfoy, who married Astoria's Great Great Great Grandfather Paulus. My Mother showed me the ring, the story made it impossible for me to find a better ring than this."

"If she married into the Greengrass family, how did it end up back with the Malfoys?" Luna asked curiously. Astoria nodded knowingly.

"Yes, my Mother always asked that same question, obsessively. Lavinia's portrait told me that as great as her love for Paulus was, more than anything in the world she despised her children she had with him, and thus left all of her possessions and personal wealth to members of her Malfoy family, the ring went to her favourite niece, Ophelia."

"Lavinia isn't a much loved ancestor of the Greengrass' then?" Luna laughed.

"But much loved by the Malfoys." Draco added taking Astoria's hand and admiring the ring on her finger.

"It's Quiriurick stone, isn't it?" Luna asked knowingly, Astoria smiled in return.

"No, Luna … just diamonds."

They drank tea, and ate the cakes and biscuits Fleur had baked with Victoire and engaged in small talk. Draco quite forgot the secrecy of their arrival or even their intentions in coming at all. It was not until they had drained the teapot and Fleur went to make some more, that Luna turned to him.

"Well Draco, what is it you wanted to see me about?" she asked so calmly, as if she was expecting him to ask for another chocolate biscuit.

"I think we should have something a bit stronger than tea now …" Astoria said in Fleur's direction. Fleur nodded, and summoned a bottle of red wine to the table followed by four goblets. He was not sure how to begin, it seemed very awkward in reality than he imagined it would be. The women's eyes all watched him carefully waiting for him expectantly.

"Yes … well … I have a few questions, about some of what I read. Astoria gave me a copy of The Quibbler you see …" He began, trying to outline his reasons. Luna seemed to be more aware than he realised, for she nodded quickly,

"I know, go on."

"Well, there was an article," he reached into the inside pocket of his cloak that lay folded on the chair beside him, and pulled out the folded magazine and looked for the article on the camps. "This one."

Luna leaned forward to read it, her expression dropping slightly.

"I know it." she whispered.

"Is it true?" he asked immediately. Fleur laughed incredulously

"You think she'd print lies? Of course its true! 'Orrible but true."

He continued to look straight in Luna's large, protuberant eyes needing to know the truth before he continued.

"Yes." she said. "It is. It's hard to get information, and its dangerous to print what our insiders find so we're careful and have to keep information quite minimal. I take it this is news to you, Draco Malfoy?"

"Yes it is. It's been on my mind, somewhat terribly. I went to look it up, in newspaper records."

"That was dangerous, what if someone found out?" Fleur snapped.

"What did you find, Draco Malfoy?" Luna asked, ignoring the French woman without a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Very little, barely anything. Except, I was wondering what you know of someone called Augustian Fledgewood. He mentioned the camps in a small article about it back in about 1999. One of the last articles he ever wrote. Have you heard of him?"

"It's likely that I would have read the article if it was about that subject, but I can't say I remember the name."

"The thing is, he hated mudblo- he was against muggleborns and muggles, very strongly against them. When the war was wo- when the war turned out the way it did … he released a lot of books, academic books, supporting his point of view. However, some time after that article, he was fired from the Daily Prophet, his books were all restricted and he just seemed to disappear."

Luna drummed her fingers on the table momentarily, not impatiently, but pensively.

"So, I think you are asking, what happened after that article that made the Ministry cover up all his work."

"The librarian in the British Library told me that his work was restricted because of the author not the content. Why? If he was so pro-establishment, what risk did he pose to the public? Uh … I also too the liberty of asking my boss at the Daily Prophet, she knew him you see. She said he had a brilliant career, that he may have been made editor someday, but he was accused of conspiracy and promoting treason and she didn't know what happened to him next. She did imply that something crossed his path that made him change his view or "lose his mind" to quote her. She wasn't comfortable talking about it at all."

Fleur looked at Luna and shook her head bemusedly.

"Although I'm sure I must have come across the article, I don't remember anything particularly about anyone called Fledgewood. It's the sort of thing that would be covered up wouldn't it, your boss knew him; that's probably how she knew anything at all. What did you want with any information about him?"

There was an awkward silence, Draco who had not considered the next step upon retrieving any information racked his brains, while the women looked at him expectantly. Astoria especially so.

"I suppose …" he began "... that I was curious as to how someone who mostly shared my beliefs could suddenly, if we assume that this is what happened, change his views. Knowing full well the consequences of his actions. I … I have never found a cause worth dying for … or being imprisoned."

"No, I can believe zat!" Fleur spat. "You sided on the winning team. You never stopped to think for a moment that per'aps if you 'ad any idea what people went through because of you."

With that, a cold shiver went up Draco's spine, and burned there suddenly.

"My Father was imprisoned!" He snapped, making her jump slightly, "I was sixteen years old and I was told my Father was sentence to life imprisonement. Within two weeks I was told that I would take his place not only as head of the house but in the Dark Lord's inner circle. Within days of that I was told I had to kill Dumbledore!" he yelled and bashed his fist on the table. Fleur only continued to glare.

"You call that suffering, compared to what we-"

"Have you ever watched your mother being tortured? All because you hesitated to accept the quest to kill one of the most powerful wizards who ever lived? I hesitated, that's all, and suddenly she was at my feet screaming! Have you ever had to use the cruciatus curse on children? How about torture a man for information who has clearly been obliviated and can't recall his own name? I have suffered for that every single day since!"

Fleur threw back her magnificent head and laughed in a way that reminded Draco of Bellatrix.

"Yes, no one spares a thought to ze torturer when they heal the victim, no? Arrête tes conneries, Malfoy! Name one honest good thing you ever did? One time you 'ad a conscience when it came to anyone on our side!?"

"Potter." he said suddenly, he regretted saying it, he regretted thinking before he spoke. He had never spoken of it ever, not to anyone. Not even when it had been asked of him "If Potter were here he could tell you, and he would …"

Luna and Astoria's expressions of alarm were now exchanged for shock and curiosity.

"What happened, Draco, with Harry?" Luna pleaded. "Please tell us." Draco let out a reluctant empty laugh.

"You're still hanging on to him are you? Is he still your beacon of hope, even now he's dead?" he asked and shook his head. "You're mad. You're all mad."

"Tell us what you did, Draco." Astoria said. "As your fiance I have a right to know, don't I?"

"I didn't recognise him. That's all." he lied and mumbled his excuse dismissively. "Fleur's right, I haven't ever done anything to help your lot. I wrote the article to save my own skin, I don't plan to write anymore."

"Didn't recognise him, where? Malfoy Manor? When his face had been stung?" Luna continued, ignoring his previous response.

"Yes, you see!" he said quickly, latching onto her excuse. "It was an accident, an easy mistake to make, it didn't look like him."

"I recognised him … and so did you, didn't you?" Draco looked away from the three pairs of eyes fixed on him, he felt Astoria's hand reach up and touch his shoulder. Luna continued, in a softer voice. "By delaying time, you made a difference, that brief delay in calling You-Know-Who changed everything."

"No … my Aunt recognised the sword … something to do with her Gringotts' Vault, it had nothing to do with-"

"She recognised the sword before calling him. That's thanks to you, Draco. If you had recognised him straight away, she would have called him immediately, and I don't think you and I would be having this conversation now, had that been. Harry had time to save me and brought me here. You saved more than one life with that moment's delay."

Fleur was looking at Luna disappointedly as if Luna was giving him too much credit. Draco could not help but agree with her.

"You want to know if there's a cause worth dying for, if Augustian Fledgewood is alive … I think he might be able to tell you. In the mean time, I can show you what we know … if you really want it?" Luna explained.

"Why are you giving me a choice? Don't you want to convince me? Why aren't you recruiting support from people on my side?" he asked. "Even your newspaper preaches to the converted."

"In time we will. I am asking you now, right this moment, Draco Malfoy. Do you want to find out the truth?" she asked. Draco looked to Astoria, whose fingers were now clutching his arm very tightly. She did not smile but nodded to him then she spoke with a voice no louder than whisper, so only he could hear.

"Whatever you want."

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