When Draco awoke the next morning, he felt like he hadn’t slept at all. His head ached from thinking too hard, trying to figure out what to do and how to change things. All contemplations were fruitless. He looked upon the Dark Mark on his arm, the brand that sung so badly when he first got it, now it was the ugliest thing. He wondered if there was any way it could be removed. Looking from the Mark to Luna in his arms, he felt unclean for holding onto something so pure. Rising from the bed, he went to take a shower, scrubbing the hardest at the mar on his skin. He even use cleaning spell on his arm, but none would remove the Dark Lord’s brand.

By the time he stepped out of the shower, he was so desperate to get rid of it that he took to using scalding water, leaving harsh burns over his flesh. He didn’t hear Luna stepping inside the bath, walking through the steam toward him.

‘What are you doing?’ she asked.

Her naked form stole his glance and he followed her eyes to his arm. She gasped and slipped her cool fingers over his burns. ‘I can’t leave with you because of it,’ he explained sheepishly.

‘I know,’ she replied softly.

He couldn’t help turning away, placing his hands on either side of the sink and bowing his head. As he tried to restrain his emotions, he began to shake. Feeling her warm hands rest on his shoulder, he registered that he had been trembling.

‘Draco, whatever it is, if it would help, you can talk about it with me…if you want to.’

The feel of her hands slipping to his biceps caused tears to escape. He went over and over in his head about all he wanted and all he really needed. Finally he let his guard down and looked up into the mirror. It wasn’t until he saw the sorrow in her eyes, reflected back at him through the glass, that he realised just how selfish his thoughts had been. Her sorrow tore at his very soul. Her sorrow was on his account. ‘Luna…’ He knew he didn’t deserve her. How could he have taken advantage of her like he had?

Turning to face her, he clasped her hands in his. ‘I didn’t force you to—I didn’t—’ The very possibility that he could have done anything like his father had left a sore feeling in the pit of his stomach.

‘You didn’t force me to do anything, Draco,’ she replied. ‘You’re feeling guilty because of the one time that we—’

Draco didn’t allow her to finish the statement. ‘Yes.’

‘Draco—’ She touched his cheek and met his grey eyes. ‘You should know better.’

‘Should I?’ he asked, his voice catching in his throat.

She kissed him. ‘Yes.’

Startled, Draco could only reply, ‘I don’t feel like I deserve this—deserve you—’

‘You think too much,’ she said, grinning.

‘I know.’ Draco smiled back at her, pulling Luna closer to him.

Her expression turned to concern as she looked at his arm. ‘We need to get that take care of,’ she said, indicating the marred skin.

With her body pressed against his, it was easy for Draco to forget about his injury. ‘We can do that later,’ he replied as he ran his fingers through her long, blonde hair. He felt her fingers lightly dancing over the scars as he kissed her. The enthusiasm with which she returned his kiss prompted him to lead her to the bed.

Draco couldn’t explain it, but it felt as though she was able to wash away all of his sins. Everything that made feel corrupted and lost was purged and felt rejuvenated through her embrace. It didn’t seem to matter anymore that this brand of evil infested his arm. Every inhibition was eradicated and nothing was held back as he cried out in pleasure. He never expected that such perfection could be found in the mortal world. All the love he bore her was manifest in this act as their souls were reunited.

Afterwards as they lay entwined, his thoughts were lost in a hazy bliss as hope filled him. Never had he felt so free in his entire life. Gazing on her beauty, the slight rise and fall of her perfect breasts and the flush on her cheeks which he had put there, Draco breathed, ‘Marry me, Luna.’

Her eyes met his with a look that told him even if there was no tomorrow, she was happy to be with him. She touched his cheek and smiled. ‘I’m yours,’ she softly replied.

He kissed her then, feeling her hands run through his hair. It was such a soothing gesture that he felt his eyelids drooping. He wanted to savour this moment, but his body was telling him otherwise.

‘Sleep now,’ Luna murmured as she continued her administrations. ‘It’s all right. You’re safe with me.’

If anyone had anything to fear, it ought to have been Luna, but her gentle caresses lulled him to sleep without giving him the chance to object. Holding her close, he fell asleep, dreaming of a future without the milieu of deceit and shame.

HR

Unfortunately, the expression of their love for each other did not pass without acknowledgment. This time, not only did Draco forget to put up a barrier spell—or at least the one he previously had in place was penetrated—but their cries of truth would have penetrated any attempt to hide it.

Bellatrix was most affected by the noise, for she thought of her Dark Lord, whose touch she had been longing for ever since being locked away in Azkaban. Some nights, in her dark cell, she dreamt that he came to her, but always upon waking, she realised it had been nothing more than a dream. Jealousy filled her upon hearing the couple’s protestations, wishing it was her lord, having come to complete her.

Narcissa recognised the look on her sister’s face and refrained from rolling her eyes. She knew the Dark Lord wouldn’t arrive until they secured Potter and summoned him. Narcissa recognised the male voice, but believed it to be that of her husband, thinking he had once more decided to defile the Muggle-loving whore. Though she agreed with the torture of such creatures, she could never condone the use of them for sexual gratification. She knew her sister was also in agreement with her. In a fury, she stormed into Lucius’s bedchamber. With a wave her wand, the doors flew open, slamming hard against the walls.

Startled, Lucius demanded, ‘What the bloody hell, Narcissa?’

‘Where is she? Where’s your little whore?’

‘What are you on about? No one’s here! I thought something had happened—’

‘Lovegood! Where is she? I heard you two!’

‘For fuck’s sake, Narcissa,’ Lucius began once more, rising from the bed in a huff. ‘I told you, the girl escaped and I’ve been looking for her.’

‘I know you’ve been looking for her—or was that just an excuse to shag her in more comfortable surroundings?’

‘I’ve no idea where she is. I’ve been a little sidetracked lately with the Dark Lord’s orders—’

‘Clearly this is a groundless accusation because she’s NOT HERE!’

Naricissa threw a fit, though she had been raised to contain such emotions. For a moment she was like a child who had not gotten her way. She made such a noise that even her sister was perturbed by it.

Inevitably, it was Bellatrix who intruded on the pair of lovers. Wrenching Luna up from the bed by her stringy blonde hair, the witch placed her wand to the girl’s torso, muttering her favourite curse.

Luna’s eyes went wide, but she barely murmured a word, even at the onslaught of the Cruciatus Curse.

Naked, Draco lunged at his aunt, having no idea where his wand was, grabbing her wand with one hand and her neck with the other. He was at least able to get Bella to release Luna.

Falling to the floor, Luna spotted Draco’s wand under the bed. She crawled on her hands and knees, reaching, straining for the wand. Finally, the tips of her fingers touched it.

‘Avada—Kedavra!’ Luna spoke without hesitation. She rose to her full height, her long, lean and unclothed figure practically glowing as the moonlight lit her from behind. She looked almost ethereal.

Completely taken in by her, Draco hardly noticed his aunt’s body falling lifelessly to the floor beside him. Before he had a chance to take her into his arms and make sweet love to her again, the handle of the wand, his wand, was thrust toward him.

‘Bind me,’ Luna instructed, her clear eyes allowing no argument.

‘W-what?’ Draco sputtered, automatically taking his wand from her.

‘You have to bind me and take me back to the cellar. You have to tell them that I killed her and—’

He noticed she was trembling. She was frightened by what she had just done and as practical as her words were, Draco knew she was terrified of what was going to happen. It was his turn to take charge, to be her strength.

‘No, my love,’ he replied, tossing the wand on the bed and running his fingers through her hair before holding her face in his hands. Meeting her eyes, he shook his head. ‘No, you are never going back there.’ He took Luna’s dress, one that he had purchased on his own for her, slipping it over her bare shoulders as she looked at him in confusion.

She said nothing as he whispered an incantation before the house-elf appeared.

‘Take her far from here,’ Draco commanded more than requested. ‘If you care as much as you say you do about Potter, you’ll see to it that she’s safe. Understood?’

‘Yes, sir. Dobby thanks you, sir. Harry Potter will be most pleased!’ Dobby said cheerfully.

‘Enough.’

‘Draco—’ Luna objected.

‘I’m sorry,’ Draco said just before the house-elf whisked Luna away.