Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling. No money is being made.

Written for the Quidditch League – Season 4 Fanfiction Competition – Round 6

Prompt: Pairing Palooza

All aboard the S.S Ship for the pairing round!

Below is a list of 60—yes 60—of the nautical ship names for Harry Potter pairings. Some are fairly self-explanatory as to which characters they refer to, whilst others are pretty obscure. In any case, you will each be writing about one of these pairings this round.

Chaser 2: S.S King of Hearts – Arthur/Lucius

Additional prompts:

#4.(poem) 'A Late Walk' by Robert Frost

#9.(dialogue) "You're crazy!" / "Were you ever under the impression that I was normal?"

#10.(creature) Boggart

Chaser 2 for the Wimbourne Wasps

Blue Aster Flower

He was waiting by the lifts, though no one else would have been able to tell. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoys did not wait around for others. It was simply not done. So, to anyone else, he was merely observing his surroundings, studying the place he would be frequenting on a regular basis now that he had left Hogwarts. The Ministry practically belonged to the Malfoy family; no one would dare to question his presence, even if he had been standing in the same place for the last half hour.

He froze for a fraction of a second when he saw the person he had been waiting for exiting one of the lifts. He had been waiting for this moment for what felt like all his life; now that it was here, he found himself at a loss of what to do.

This strange obsession had started long before he left Hogwarts. Actually, he had barely been two months into his first year when it started.

He had known then, as he knew now, that it was not something he should pursue. However, he was a Malfoy, and Malfoys always got what they wanted. Even if what they wanted was below them in every possible way. He could only imagine how his father would react if he knew just whom he had set his sights on. His father would never approve, he was sure of it. Not that he cared. He would let nothing stand in his way, not even his father.

"Weasley." He casually stepped in front of the shorter male. He fought back a smile when those clear blue eyes looked up at him. He liked those eyes on him. The shorter male should always have his eyes on him, he decided.

"Malfoy," Arthur muttered, clearly shocked to see him.

It did not surprise him. It had been three years since Arthur had seen him. Of course, Lucius tried to always catch him when he visited the Ministry with his father; however, in none of those occasions had the older man seen him.

"It has been a while, Weasley. Since Hogwarts, correct?" He arched an eyebrow. "I did not know you wanted to work in the Ministry. From what I remember, you wanted to work with magical creatures."

Arthur narrowed his eyes, and Lucius almost smirked at the feisty look. "How did you know that?"

He knew because he made sure to know everything about Arthur Weasley. He had made sure that he always had an eye and an ear on the fiery redhead. Which was why he knew about Arthur's on-and-off relationship with the Prewett girl. The fact that the girl had ended up in the infirmary every time they got back together was purely coincidental—it was hardly his fault that she was so clumsy that she would trip down the stairs, or into a venomous plant, or into the ashwinder cage, or any matter of other accidents she had suffered. Really, pure coincidence.

"Come now, Weasley, Hogwarts is not that large of a place. It is a well known fact that you adore magical creatures." There was no need for Arthur to know just how deep his fascination ran.

A pink tint graced Arthur's cheeks, and Lucius wanted nothing more than to trace that splash of color with the pad of his fingers.

"Molly didn't think it was a good career choice," Arthur replied, looking away. "She says it has no future, and I should grow up and find a respectable position in the Ministry since we plan on marrying soon."

It took everything he had not to show his fury. How dare that woman treat his Arthur that way? How dare she dictate his life?

He reached out, grabbing Arthur's shoulder. "You should not give up on your dreams. If you like magical creatures, then you should work with them. You should do what makes you happy."

Arthur's eyes widened, and Lucius cursed in his mind. That had been too much. He was sure he had given too much away.

He dropped his hand and nodded his head. "Good day, Weasley."

He barely heard the whispered "good day" that Arthur murmured back.

"Malfoy."

"Lucius." He smiled. "I already told you to call me Lucius."

Arthur sighed, slumping slightly in his chair. "Lucius. What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be working?"

Lucius slid into the chair in front of Arthur's desk. "I saw Perkins leave, and thought I would drop by and see how you have been doing."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, and Lucius could not help but smirk. Arthur was getting more feisty with every encounter they had. Lucius was sure that it was because Arthur was finally beginning to feel more comfortable around him. Though, after a month of accidental meetings such as casual encounters during coffee breaks, and one or two lunch encounters, it did not surprise Lucius that Arthur was finally letting his guard down around him.

Lucius did not believe that Arthur suspected his true intentions—Arthur was far too innocent for that—but Arthur at least knew now that Lucius meant him no harm.

Arthur sighed, shaking his head before looking back up at him. "Unlike some people, I actually have to work."

Lucius huffed, glancing at the report that Arthur was filling. "It is only Muggles, Arthur. I am sure we could find far better things to do."

Lucius' eyes widened just a fraction when he saw the blush that started spreading on Arthur's cheeks.

He let Arthur go back to his report while he leaned back in his seat, a thousand plans running around in his mind at this new revelation.

"Where are you dragging me this time?"

Lucius saw Arthur's lips quirking upward, so he knew that the other was mostly feigning his annoyance. Arthur had an adventurous spirit; he loved being dragged into any sort of adventure that Lucius came up with. It was the reason why he did it most of the time. That small cubical, which Arthur dared to call an office, was sapping the life out of Arthur, something that Lucius hated with passion. He wanted to see those blue eyes alive with excitement and joy, and those lips spread into an infectious grin. That was how Arthur was supposed to look look, not like some downtrodden Ministry worker like that Prewett girl was forcing him to be.

"We're going to the Department of Mysteries."

He hid his grin at Arthur's spluttering.

"You're crazy!"

"Were you ever under the impression that I was normal?"

Arthur shook his head at his shark-like grin; however, Arthur never let go of his hand, and continued to follow after him.

Lucius was once more sitting at Arthur's desk. Truthfully, these days, he spent far more time in Arthur's office than in his own. Dear Perkins had come down with something—tragic, really—leaving his Arthur all alone. What kind of friend would he have been if he had not kept his friend company? It was his duty, truly.

"You seem deep in thought," he murmured when Arthur got up from his seat for the third time, only to pace around the office.

Arthur stopped, glancing at him from the corner of his eye.

"Molly's pregnant."

Funny; he had not realized just how absurdly loud his heartbeat was. He knew, logically, what he should do next. He should smile, congratulate Arthur, and wish him all the best.

He stood.

He looked at Arthur.

The next moment, he had Arthur against the wall, covering the smaller body with his own, and devouring those cherry lips that had teased him endlessly. He swallowed Arthur's moan, melding himself even closer to Arthur. He plundered Arthur's mouth, moaning when he finally had a taste of what he had longed for all this time.

Arthur's hand fisted in his robes, holding him just as close, and Lucius felt drunk on the knowledge that Arthur wanted him just as much.

It was perfect: everything he had ever imagined and more.

Then, those lips were gone, and he was pushed away. He stepped back, his eyes roving over the panting form in front of him.

"Why?" His voice sounded far rougher than usual, though Lucius congratulated himself on being able to sound as composed as he did, especially since he wanted nothing more than to go back to devouring those tempting lips, and have Arthur writhing under him, begging to be taken.

Arthur got his breathing under control, though he kept looking at the floor. "We can't."

"Why?" Why could they not when it was clear that Arthur desired him just as much? Arthur was his, was meant for him. Could he not see it?

"I'm with Molly, and she's pregnant," Arthur whispered, not looking at him.

"I see."

For once, he was glad that Arthur was not looking at him.

Lucius side-stepped a curse and ran into the building. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why was he doing this? Because he was stupid, as he had already established.

He cursed when the building creaked all around him, and ran faster. They had to make it out before the whole thing collapsed on them.

He skidded to a stop when he ran by a room that had its door blasted open. He froze for a moment, forgetting the blazing fire that was consuming everything around him.

"Narcissa?"

His betrothed did not even glance at him. She continued to look down, a cold, arrogant smirk plastered on her painted lips. Even in the midst of all the chaos, she had not a hair out of place. He followed her gaze, only to gasp when he saw Arthur huddled in the corner of the room.

"Fool." Narcissa's cold voice brought him out of his shock. "Did you truly believe that he would want you for even a second? You were just entertainment. You were just something he used to pass the time until he could have me."

Lucius frowned, walking into the room. "Narcissa."

Narcissa turned around, and the next moment, he was staring into bright blue eyes. He took a step back.

"I love Molly. Always have. I could never love you."

Lucius would have remained frozen, looking at the Arthur in front of him, if it had not been for the small whimper coming from the corner of the room. His eyes flicked back to Arthur's huddled form, before they narrowed on the boggart in front of him.

"Riddikulus."

Lucius barely spared it a thought when it changed into his father wearing a dress with pink hair; his only concern was for the man plastered against the wall. It was, after all, for him that he had run into a burning building while in the middle of a raid.

He ignored the flinch from Arthur at his approach. He took off his mask, his heart breaking when Arthur tried to take a step away from him, only the wall behind him stopping the movement.

"You're a Death Eater," Arthur whispered.

Lucius could not bear the look in those eyes. Arthur should never have looked at him with fear.

"I am."

"Why?"

Lucius would have laughed if they had been in any other situation.

"Because of you." Arthur had always been the only light in his life. The only one stopping him from pursuing his darker desires. Was it any wonder that the first thing he had done after Arthur had so clearly picked the Prewett girl was kneel at the feet of the Dark Lord?

Arthur's eye darkened, and Lucius was glad to see that spark of life coming back to his eyes.

"You go around murdering people because of me?" Arthur snarled, taking a step forward.

"You always knew I was not normal."

Arthur sneered at him. "You disgust me."

Arthur shouldered past him, not even lifting his wand or acknowledging him in any other way.

Lucius stayed back for a moment, before putting his mask back on and following Arthur from a distance, just to make sure that Arthur made it out alright.

He would rather Arthur lie to both of them than see him broken by the truths they both had learned that night.

Lucius walked down the uneven path, his eyes lingering here and there. This certainly was not a place he had ever thought he would step foot in. Certainly not after all these years of war. Then again, during those days, the only thing he had been sure of was that the next time he woke might be his last. One can expect little else while serving a madman, so one could also say he had no one to blame but himself.

Still, the war had ended years ago, Potter having vanquished the Dark Lord for good. It felt like an age ago.

His son had a son of his own now, who in turn was expecting his first born in a couple of months. Who would have thought that the Malfoy and Potter lines would end up joining in such a way? A small chuckle left his lips. He wished his grandson good luck. Lily was as much of a firecracker as her grandfather, and with Potter genes mixed in, Lucius could only imagine just how much work Scorpius would have on his hands.

Lucius pulled his cloak tighter around him, his gloved hand grabbing his cane with a firmer grip. He breathed in the crisp morning air, closing his eyes for a moment.

Was it a mistake to come here?

Should he have stayed home?

He opened his eyes, taking a step forward. No. No, he should not have. This was where he was meant to be. It was as simple as that.

He resumed his walk down the path, his eyes still lingering here and there until they spied a single blue aster flower.

Lucius' lips quirked, and he leaned down to pick it up.

"Just like your eyes," he murmured, a soft smile on his lips.

A few more steps down the path and he stopped.

He reached forward, putting the blue flower on the gravestone.

"Farewell, my love."

A.N.: A huge thank you to my amazing betas, 3cheersforidiots and agentmopped. You guys are amazing. Even when we cut things so short you're still able to beta XD love you guys.