Requisite - Draco Malfoy

2.4

"I owe you five sickles Ivy."

Luna and I sat down in the Gryffindor common room that night, having snuck back into the abandoned chambers for some privacy.

I couldn't bring myself to go back up to the Astronomy Tower, not yet.

"I had my money on Blaise." She smiled at me, taking ahold of my hand as I tried my best to keep the tears in.

I hadn't touched any of the food in the great hall, my mind racing over the possibilities of what Draco would have to endure over the next month. And equally, the fact I was now missing a part of me.

"He's gone Luna." The words barely whispered passed my lips as I struggled to pull myself together.

"Gone? For how long?" She rested her hand on my cheek, wiping a stray tear away.

"F - for a month. He's not going to be able to cope with this, I know he's not."

Even from the breakdown I overheard with Snape, he had completely lost himself when he had to return back to the Manor for even just a few days. There were moments where he managed to find himself again when he had a few days like normal, but the second he went back it broke him down all over again.

"Did he say where he's going?" Her voice gently asked, watching as I fought against breaking down.

"I...I can't say." I sighed, realising that there was no one else I could vent to about this other than Snape, not that I would.

She hummed in thought, looking about the darkened and gloomy common room.

"It's not quite the same is it? Without everyone here."

I looked around too, understanding what she meant. The walls seemed to have lost their colour, no flame burning away in the fire place to cascade a warm glow on the room, no Fred and George trying to haggle away their goods, no Ron trying to convince Hermione why he was right in their argument when he obviously wasn't. There was just...nothing.

"I would do anything to go back to simpler times." I mumbled, shutting my eyes as I remembered the feeling of the wind against my skin as Draco flew us over the lake.

A slow smile spread across my cheeks as I recollected the expression on his face as I wrapped my arms around him for the first time, that blush and glint in his eyes causing a warm feeling to fill my chest.

"Did you want to talk about Neville?" Luna asked gently, causing me to snap back to reality.

The plan.

"Oh Merlin yes, definitely." I quickly composed myself, having something to focus on to distract me from the pain.

"So, I was thinking, Draco could help us." I waited to see some sort of reaction or displeasure on her face at the idea, but she just sat listening. "You're not telling me it's stupid?"

I frowned, watching as she shook her head.

"No, I think it's wonderful. I was going to suggest the same thing actually, he's truly a gifted healer. He would be such a big help when the war starts." Her eyes glanced between mine as I chewed on my lip at her words.