The Stars That Lie (Druna ☾)

Chapter 12

The Dark Lord never came. He'd ignored Bellatrix's call because he'd been busy at the time, probably murdering innocent muggles and half bloods. So for the time being, everyone was spared the hassle of explaining how Harry and his friends got away, and Luna was spared the hassle of dying.

Another month passed, and Luna was back to thinking about birthdays.

As she bounced a rubber ball at a pillar, catching its return with innate ease, she wondered how the Malfoys celebrated their birthdays. If they even acknowledged them at all. Surely they would get each other a gift? It was just that she never heard any sort of affection in the house, and so she wondered how they could celebrate anything so intimate like a birthday with each other.

Draco's would be in June. He would be one year older than her then. If she was still here in June, she would get to hear for herself how the Malfoys celebrated, but that was a rather bleak thought.

Living in a basement for six months?

I'm already halfway, she mused. What's three more?

When the ball lost her interest, she got up to pace around the room. The basement was large, spacious, offering enough room for her to walk in turns around it like a Victorian woman getting her daily cardio in. She could almost imagine the pillars were gilded marble, and the dirt floor was marble too. If she closed her eyes, she could almost trick herself into thinking the damp, earthy smell was just the garden outside a window, smelling wet from a recent spring rain.

With her hand in her pocket, she turned the rubber ball over and over—another hidden gift that Draco got to her with her daily meals.

The sudden jangle of a key in the prison door had her jolting, but she turned, finding only a house elf. Her heart rate relaxed at first, for the elves brought her meals.

Only...it wasn't even close to meal time.

Unless she had finally gone and lost it? Had she hallucinated a whole day away? Had she actually walked around the basement a thousand times instead of the thirty loops she counted in her head?

The elf entered, bearing no tray of food.

A fist of panic latched around Luna's throat as she froze, waiting for whatever news the elf brought. Months and months of waiting, all leading to this moment when things would finally change. The routine had been her only safety, because the routine didn't hurt her.

"Please come with Mippy, Miss," said the house elf. There were at least eleven elves in total that Luna had noted at the manor, but this was the first time Luna was meeting Mippy.

"Where are we going?"

"To bathe and change."

"But... Why?"

Mippy sighed. "Please come with Mippy, Miss. We do not have long."

Luna's heart clenched. Could Draco have something to do with this? Was this another kindness of his?

The house had been relatively quiet that morning, so perhaps this was her only chance to get out before she had to go back into the basement.

Luna hesitantly approached the house elf, holding out her hand to Mippy to be led out of the basement. "Is Draco home?"

"Yes, Miss. All the Malfoys are home."

Luna balked, feet dragging the first few steps that Mippy led. "But— Wait—"

"This way, Miss."

Up the stairs they went, and Luna didn't have a clue what to expect. A bath and change of clothes? Had her stink started to waft up the basement steps and annoy the Malfoys? A kindness like this didn't seem possible unless it was to serve them first.