A/N: Well here it is, the sequel to 'Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust'. This fic follows Narcissa through Draco's first four years at Hogwarts. The title is from another song called 'Landslide', the relevant line is written out in full below, I don't know who originally did the song but it was recently covered by the Dixie Chicks. The line was a suggestion by my good friend honest_iago as I was unable to think of a title so gave her the job. She suggested this line and I loved it. It refers to the fact that Narcissa much as she no longer loves Lucius wouldn't know what to do without him, as she told Sev in Wedding Bells. Narcissa's life has been built around Lucius since she was eighteen years old and so I felt this title was very fitting, much as she would like to be away from him I think the thought of being independent again scares her a little as he has been her world for so long. Anyway, on with the story, the review responses below are for the last chapter of Wedding Bells because I didn't know where else to put them.
Review Responses for Chapter 19 of 'Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust':
honest_iago - thank you for your unfaltering support and for making me write when I procrastinate and plead writer's block. People have you to thank that they got this sequel on time as I wouldn't have been able to post it if you hadn't given me a title. I would also like to say that you are a crazy psychopath and it is you who I fear will kill me in my sleep. There aren't enough Sev lovers out there! Why is it people cannot see the wonder that is Severus Snape. Mmm, that name alone is enough for me to go weak at the knees. On second thoughts so is Salazar Slytherin.
Usako3000 - Wow five reviews from one person, thank you! Lucius is lovely when reformed but I think he's lovely when he's evil; it's that whole 'I am blatantly evil but you know you want me anyway' thing he's got going, or is that just me? I did have all of Wedding Bells completed before I posted that but this one isn't yet, I have the first fifteen chapters and a substantial part of the later chapters but that's only because I tend to jump around throughout the story while I'm writing it rather than working chronologically. Draco is wonderful and I love him! He can be pretty evil though and not in an appealing way. No child could be as cold as he is portrayed as being in the books! 'Lucy' is Narcissa's way of mocking him but it does sound like a term of endearment, she is definitely attached to him in a twisted way and I am so glad that came across! Lucius' redeeming point is that he does not physically abuse her often, he has only hit her once but he is pretty cruel towards her. The two of them have a strange but oddly close relationship. I love Molly and Narcissa being friends! Narc needs a nice, sensible woman like Molly to be friends with and I adore all the Weasleys! (I would just like to say that I think the sweetest couple in Harry Potter is Molly and Arthur Weasley!) YOU'RE A HUGE GRYFFINDOR SUPPORTER?! And to think I named you my most dedicated reviewer, *Weasleylover shakes her head and hopes you will see the error of your ways and become a fellow Slytherin*. How can anyone not want to be a Slytherin, then again I suppose any house with that many Weasleys plus Oliver Wood can't be all bad. Snape needs to be loved! Glad you like Blaise but as honest_iago says you should see Greg (that's his father) we created quite the character for him even though he's not really in this story and he is lovely!
Lady Lupin - You reviewed 'Turning Point'! Thank you so much and thanks for reviewing Wedding Bells as well. 'Turning Point' seems to never get reviews. I would never leave a story unfinished, how can writers be that cruel? As for spelling and grammar, you should see the first drafts they have more spelling mistakes than you could shake a stick at! LOL! I like Narc, I think she's nuts but she's pretty cool and there's got to be more to the girl than being Lucius Malfoy's wife. Snape so has a soft spot, it's just buried very deep down. 'Lucy' is how honest_iago and myself have been referring to Lucius for ages and I just thought it would be funny to have Narc call him that. Dobby did have to be there, he can't have a large role because, though Narcissa likes him, he's just a fact of life to her, it'd be like commenting that the house was still there, house elves are a fact of life to her so much so that she doesn't often notice them. She may be nice but she is a little bit of a snob sometimes. Ah yes, in his mother's eyes Draco is a little angel who can do no wrong, will she maintain that opinion as he grows older though? I love long reviews thank you!
PheonixPinion - I had to have baby Weasleys, I mean my name makes it clear but I adore the Weasley family! Percy at five, oh my God! Can anyone imagine anything cuter? I mean Draco was a cute child but Percy, can you imagine it. He must have been adorable! Fred and George in their terrible twos, now that doesn't bear thinking about! How did Molly cope?! Severus/Narcissa affair? Don't be afraid of being wrong, not that I'm saying you're right. What do you think? I know, but that would be giving away my story! She did try to kill him though, but if it really is love then I'm sure they could get over that. Hee, hee, I so want to tell you what happens but then you wouldn't need to read it and I'd get no more reviews and they are my life blood!
Serepidia - I'm glad you like the ending! I wrote that scene ages before I actually finished the rest of the story I just loved switching to Molly's POV for a moment. I hope the sequel was soon enough for you! I'll update regularly. Go past the four books? Well, I have! I have begun a third part to this story, (without finishing the second it has to be said!) and I won't give away what happens but it will leave J.K.'s storyline and I know exactly what happens to Lucius! Wait and see! Thanks for reviewing!
Blood*of*Ink - I'm blushing! You really like it that much?! The fast pace was because I had a long period to cover and there are aspects of Narcissa's life that would be dull to write about, she is after all a lady of leisure. She has no job and few real friends and her relationship with Lucius though not good is quiet most of the time. The sequel does go a little slower as it only covers four years. The Weasleys had to come into it, after I killed Morgana I realised Narc needed a friend and Molly Weasley was the perfect candidate. That and I got to write about little Weasleys! What more can a writer ask for? Glad you like the portrayal of Narcissa, she's an odd character but I like her. Thanks for reviewing!
Chi - Did you really go and read it again?! I'm flattered! The sequel is here, hope the wait wasn't too long! Thanks for the reviews and for being so complementary!
Mugz83 - Thank you and I'm glad you like the details! Narcissa's thoughts are so important because she seldom gets to speak her mind and I needed to show that she often says one thing but thinks another so the world is unlikely to get an accurate impression of her. 'Score one for Narcissa' was an example of how strange her sense of humour is and also of how childlike she can be. She's still quite young after all. You like the pancakes? I remember the last time I made them for myself and honest_iago and I'm sure she will testify that they were an utter disaster, they tasted terrible I used to be able to make them but I've lost the knack it seems. Narcissa does not strike me as much of a whizz in the kitchen but I think it's sweet that she tries, and at least her product is edible which mine wasn't! Your wait for the sequel is over, hope you enjoy it as much as you did Wedding Bells!
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Disclaimer: I just own the plot.
I Built My Life Around You
*******
I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
*******
**Narcissa's thoughts**
Chapter One
It was Christmas and Malfoy Manor was little more than a frozen no mans land, or at least that was how it felt to Narcissa. It did in fact look rather pretty with the snow and the icicles that were everywhere; **A gilded cage is still a cage though.** She sighed deeply and rose from the window seat where she'd been curled up watching the gentle snow, it reminded her of Lucius sometimes; beautiful but cold and deadly. **Pity he doesn't melt with the spring.**
Narcissa looked at the clock and realised that she'd have to leave soon in order to meet Draco off the Hogwart's Express. She went to knock on the door of her husband's study.
"Come in," he called.
She stepped inside, "I'm going to go and meet Draco, are you going to join me or will you wait here? I wanted to go to Diagon Alley and buy some new Christmas decorations." **That ought to put him off, he practically said Bah Humbug last time I brought up Christmas.**
"No, you go. I'll see him when you get back."
"Alright, I'll see you later."
Narcissa walked back into the hallway and up the stairs to a small writing room she had taken for her own study. The room was one of the few places in the house she had decorated herself, it was blue and white with an old oak desk under the window and shelves filled with books.
The fire was lit making the room warm and cosy, she took a handful of floo powder from a lilac pot on the mantelpiece and flooed into the Leaky Cauldron. From there she made her way through muggle London taking a taxi to King's Cross, she was adept at disguising her magic in the muggle world due to the amount of time she and Morgana had spent there in their youth.
She was wearing a white wool coat rather than a cloak and a long skirt and jumper instead of her robes. She received several admiring glances as she walked through the station, her clothes were the height of muggle fashion and she could have just stepped off a catwalk. She had always felt that if she had to wear muggle clothes she might at least make sure she looked good in them. She reached the entrance to Platform nine and three quarters and walked straight through it without a second thought.
The train hadn't arrived when she reached the platform and she stood to one side watching the other parents waiting for their children, they looked happy at the idea of seeing their offspring again but for her that was a mixed blessing. She had wanted to keep Draco and Lucius apart as much as possible and she was conscious of the fact that every minute Lucius spent pouring his twisted ideals into Draco's brain made it that much harder for her son to break away from his father and think for himself.
She was still thinking about this when the train pulled into the platform. She'd never seen it do that from this perspective before, she'd always been on it looking out of the window. Apart from that last journey she'd taken into this station when she and her friends had resolutely not looked outside the train, as if they could make the journey go on if only they didn't acknowledge that the train had pulled into the station and that they were now adults who had to find their own way in the world. **Funny, none of us really got very far. Morgana's dead, from what I hear Greg's been a recluse since Isabella's death hardly setting foot into the wizarding world, and then there's me, what have I got to show for my adult life?**
The students began to pile off the train and she started looking out for her son, she saw him talking to a young boy with black hair, Crabbe and Goyle following dutifully behind him. The boy she recognised as the one who'd caught her eye when she'd sent Draco off on the train and she'd assumed to be Greg and Isabella's son due to his looks. She smiled to see Draco talking to him, the two of them laughed then exchanged their goodbyes as the boy, **is it Blaise?** walked over to a man in casual trousers and a jumper who definitely wasn't Greg. **Hmm, who's that then?** She didn't have time to dwell on this though as Draco spotted her and, with a cursory goodbye to Crabbe and Goyle, came over dragging his trunk which she levitated for him.
"Hi mum!"
"Hello darling," she hugged him, causing him to shrug her off in embarrassment. She laughed at him and ruffled his carefully styled hair, **there now he looks less like Lucius.**
He wasn't pleased at her messing up his hair but he cheered up the minute she mentioned Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley.
He was, fortunately, dressed in muggle clothes so she hailed a taxi and they headed for the Leaky Cauldron.
"Who was the boy you were talking to when you got off the train?"
"Oh, that's Blaise Zabini, he's one of my dorm mates."
"So, it is Greg's son."
"What?"
"Oh, I was at school with his parents."
"Oh right."
"How well do you know him?"
"Not very, he's alright. I heard his father was a bit strange though, he says he won't even come and meet him at the train, some friend of his comes and picks him up instead."
**Poor Greg, he'll never get over losing Isabella.**
"So, what are we shopping for? Anything in particular, say my Christmas presents?"
"Maybe," she teased.
He grinned.
"However, I also need to get some new Christmas decorations and the shops close in a couple of hours so we'll have to get moving."
"Ok."
*******
They arrived back at Malfoy manor hours later laden with packages, Narcissa had decided to have the decorations gift wrapped for the simple reason that the guy in the shop made the mistake of offering to as a joke and Narcissa had a cruel sense of humour sometimes.
"I can't believe you made that guy wrap all the decorations!" Draco laughed.
"Well I didn't like his tone!"
Lucius walked in and glared to see the two of them close to hysterics. "Can't you two control yourselves?" he sneered.
**Hi, Draco. Welcome home Draco. Did he not notice his son has returned after an absence of almost four months?**
Draco sobered up instantly, "Hello Father."
"Hello Draco, how are your grades?"
"Pretty good, I'm getting mostly A's."
Lucius nodded, "I'll see you at dinner," he hesitated, "Narcissa, did you buy half of Diagon Alley?"
"Just most of it," she joked feeling in an unusually good mood.
"It's days like these I'm glad you have your own Gringott's account," Lucius rolled his eyes patronisingly walking out of the hallway.
"And it's days like these that I'm so glad I had a replica key cut to your account," she muttered while the house elf started carting packages upstairs.
*******
Review Responses for Chapter 19 of 'Wedding Bells Just Turned to Rust':
honest_iago - thank you for your unfaltering support and for making me write when I procrastinate and plead writer's block. People have you to thank that they got this sequel on time as I wouldn't have been able to post it if you hadn't given me a title. I would also like to say that you are a crazy psychopath and it is you who I fear will kill me in my sleep. There aren't enough Sev lovers out there! Why is it people cannot see the wonder that is Severus Snape. Mmm, that name alone is enough for me to go weak at the knees. On second thoughts so is Salazar Slytherin.
Usako3000 - Wow five reviews from one person, thank you! Lucius is lovely when reformed but I think he's lovely when he's evil; it's that whole 'I am blatantly evil but you know you want me anyway' thing he's got going, or is that just me? I did have all of Wedding Bells completed before I posted that but this one isn't yet, I have the first fifteen chapters and a substantial part of the later chapters but that's only because I tend to jump around throughout the story while I'm writing it rather than working chronologically. Draco is wonderful and I love him! He can be pretty evil though and not in an appealing way. No child could be as cold as he is portrayed as being in the books! 'Lucy' is Narcissa's way of mocking him but it does sound like a term of endearment, she is definitely attached to him in a twisted way and I am so glad that came across! Lucius' redeeming point is that he does not physically abuse her often, he has only hit her once but he is pretty cruel towards her. The two of them have a strange but oddly close relationship. I love Molly and Narcissa being friends! Narc needs a nice, sensible woman like Molly to be friends with and I adore all the Weasleys! (I would just like to say that I think the sweetest couple in Harry Potter is Molly and Arthur Weasley!) YOU'RE A HUGE GRYFFINDOR SUPPORTER?! And to think I named you my most dedicated reviewer, *Weasleylover shakes her head and hopes you will see the error of your ways and become a fellow Slytherin*. How can anyone not want to be a Slytherin, then again I suppose any house with that many Weasleys plus Oliver Wood can't be all bad. Snape needs to be loved! Glad you like Blaise but as honest_iago says you should see Greg (that's his father) we created quite the character for him even though he's not really in this story and he is lovely!
Lady Lupin - You reviewed 'Turning Point'! Thank you so much and thanks for reviewing Wedding Bells as well. 'Turning Point' seems to never get reviews. I would never leave a story unfinished, how can writers be that cruel? As for spelling and grammar, you should see the first drafts they have more spelling mistakes than you could shake a stick at! LOL! I like Narc, I think she's nuts but she's pretty cool and there's got to be more to the girl than being Lucius Malfoy's wife. Snape so has a soft spot, it's just buried very deep down. 'Lucy' is how honest_iago and myself have been referring to Lucius for ages and I just thought it would be funny to have Narc call him that. Dobby did have to be there, he can't have a large role because, though Narcissa likes him, he's just a fact of life to her, it'd be like commenting that the house was still there, house elves are a fact of life to her so much so that she doesn't often notice them. She may be nice but she is a little bit of a snob sometimes. Ah yes, in his mother's eyes Draco is a little angel who can do no wrong, will she maintain that opinion as he grows older though? I love long reviews thank you!
PheonixPinion - I had to have baby Weasleys, I mean my name makes it clear but I adore the Weasley family! Percy at five, oh my God! Can anyone imagine anything cuter? I mean Draco was a cute child but Percy, can you imagine it. He must have been adorable! Fred and George in their terrible twos, now that doesn't bear thinking about! How did Molly cope?! Severus/Narcissa affair? Don't be afraid of being wrong, not that I'm saying you're right. What do you think? I know, but that would be giving away my story! She did try to kill him though, but if it really is love then I'm sure they could get over that. Hee, hee, I so want to tell you what happens but then you wouldn't need to read it and I'd get no more reviews and they are my life blood!
Serepidia - I'm glad you like the ending! I wrote that scene ages before I actually finished the rest of the story I just loved switching to Molly's POV for a moment. I hope the sequel was soon enough for you! I'll update regularly. Go past the four books? Well, I have! I have begun a third part to this story, (without finishing the second it has to be said!) and I won't give away what happens but it will leave J.K.'s storyline and I know exactly what happens to Lucius! Wait and see! Thanks for reviewing!
Blood*of*Ink - I'm blushing! You really like it that much?! The fast pace was because I had a long period to cover and there are aspects of Narcissa's life that would be dull to write about, she is after all a lady of leisure. She has no job and few real friends and her relationship with Lucius though not good is quiet most of the time. The sequel does go a little slower as it only covers four years. The Weasleys had to come into it, after I killed Morgana I realised Narc needed a friend and Molly Weasley was the perfect candidate. That and I got to write about little Weasleys! What more can a writer ask for? Glad you like the portrayal of Narcissa, she's an odd character but I like her. Thanks for reviewing!
Chi - Did you really go and read it again?! I'm flattered! The sequel is here, hope the wait wasn't too long! Thanks for the reviews and for being so complementary!
Mugz83 - Thank you and I'm glad you like the details! Narcissa's thoughts are so important because she seldom gets to speak her mind and I needed to show that she often says one thing but thinks another so the world is unlikely to get an accurate impression of her. 'Score one for Narcissa' was an example of how strange her sense of humour is and also of how childlike she can be. She's still quite young after all. You like the pancakes? I remember the last time I made them for myself and honest_iago and I'm sure she will testify that they were an utter disaster, they tasted terrible I used to be able to make them but I've lost the knack it seems. Narcissa does not strike me as much of a whizz in the kitchen but I think it's sweet that she tries, and at least her product is edible which mine wasn't! Your wait for the sequel is over, hope you enjoy it as much as you did Wedding Bells!
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Disclaimer: I just own the plot.
I Built My Life Around You
*******
I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
*******
**Narcissa's thoughts**
Chapter One
It was Christmas and Malfoy Manor was little more than a frozen no mans land, or at least that was how it felt to Narcissa. It did in fact look rather pretty with the snow and the icicles that were everywhere; **A gilded cage is still a cage though.** She sighed deeply and rose from the window seat where she'd been curled up watching the gentle snow, it reminded her of Lucius sometimes; beautiful but cold and deadly. **Pity he doesn't melt with the spring.**
Narcissa looked at the clock and realised that she'd have to leave soon in order to meet Draco off the Hogwart's Express. She went to knock on the door of her husband's study.
"Come in," he called.
She stepped inside, "I'm going to go and meet Draco, are you going to join me or will you wait here? I wanted to go to Diagon Alley and buy some new Christmas decorations." **That ought to put him off, he practically said Bah Humbug last time I brought up Christmas.**
"No, you go. I'll see him when you get back."
"Alright, I'll see you later."
Narcissa walked back into the hallway and up the stairs to a small writing room she had taken for her own study. The room was one of the few places in the house she had decorated herself, it was blue and white with an old oak desk under the window and shelves filled with books.
The fire was lit making the room warm and cosy, she took a handful of floo powder from a lilac pot on the mantelpiece and flooed into the Leaky Cauldron. From there she made her way through muggle London taking a taxi to King's Cross, she was adept at disguising her magic in the muggle world due to the amount of time she and Morgana had spent there in their youth.
She was wearing a white wool coat rather than a cloak and a long skirt and jumper instead of her robes. She received several admiring glances as she walked through the station, her clothes were the height of muggle fashion and she could have just stepped off a catwalk. She had always felt that if she had to wear muggle clothes she might at least make sure she looked good in them. She reached the entrance to Platform nine and three quarters and walked straight through it without a second thought.
The train hadn't arrived when she reached the platform and she stood to one side watching the other parents waiting for their children, they looked happy at the idea of seeing their offspring again but for her that was a mixed blessing. She had wanted to keep Draco and Lucius apart as much as possible and she was conscious of the fact that every minute Lucius spent pouring his twisted ideals into Draco's brain made it that much harder for her son to break away from his father and think for himself.
She was still thinking about this when the train pulled into the platform. She'd never seen it do that from this perspective before, she'd always been on it looking out of the window. Apart from that last journey she'd taken into this station when she and her friends had resolutely not looked outside the train, as if they could make the journey go on if only they didn't acknowledge that the train had pulled into the station and that they were now adults who had to find their own way in the world. **Funny, none of us really got very far. Morgana's dead, from what I hear Greg's been a recluse since Isabella's death hardly setting foot into the wizarding world, and then there's me, what have I got to show for my adult life?**
The students began to pile off the train and she started looking out for her son, she saw him talking to a young boy with black hair, Crabbe and Goyle following dutifully behind him. The boy she recognised as the one who'd caught her eye when she'd sent Draco off on the train and she'd assumed to be Greg and Isabella's son due to his looks. She smiled to see Draco talking to him, the two of them laughed then exchanged their goodbyes as the boy, **is it Blaise?** walked over to a man in casual trousers and a jumper who definitely wasn't Greg. **Hmm, who's that then?** She didn't have time to dwell on this though as Draco spotted her and, with a cursory goodbye to Crabbe and Goyle, came over dragging his trunk which she levitated for him.
"Hi mum!"
"Hello darling," she hugged him, causing him to shrug her off in embarrassment. She laughed at him and ruffled his carefully styled hair, **there now he looks less like Lucius.**
He wasn't pleased at her messing up his hair but he cheered up the minute she mentioned Christmas shopping in Diagon Alley.
He was, fortunately, dressed in muggle clothes so she hailed a taxi and they headed for the Leaky Cauldron.
"Who was the boy you were talking to when you got off the train?"
"Oh, that's Blaise Zabini, he's one of my dorm mates."
"So, it is Greg's son."
"What?"
"Oh, I was at school with his parents."
"Oh right."
"How well do you know him?"
"Not very, he's alright. I heard his father was a bit strange though, he says he won't even come and meet him at the train, some friend of his comes and picks him up instead."
**Poor Greg, he'll never get over losing Isabella.**
"So, what are we shopping for? Anything in particular, say my Christmas presents?"
"Maybe," she teased.
He grinned.
"However, I also need to get some new Christmas decorations and the shops close in a couple of hours so we'll have to get moving."
"Ok."
*******
They arrived back at Malfoy manor hours later laden with packages, Narcissa had decided to have the decorations gift wrapped for the simple reason that the guy in the shop made the mistake of offering to as a joke and Narcissa had a cruel sense of humour sometimes.
"I can't believe you made that guy wrap all the decorations!" Draco laughed.
"Well I didn't like his tone!"
Lucius walked in and glared to see the two of them close to hysterics. "Can't you two control yourselves?" he sneered.
**Hi, Draco. Welcome home Draco. Did he not notice his son has returned after an absence of almost four months?**
Draco sobered up instantly, "Hello Father."
"Hello Draco, how are your grades?"
"Pretty good, I'm getting mostly A's."
Lucius nodded, "I'll see you at dinner," he hesitated, "Narcissa, did you buy half of Diagon Alley?"
"Just most of it," she joked feeling in an unusually good mood.
"It's days like these I'm glad you have your own Gringott's account," Lucius rolled his eyes patronisingly walking out of the hallway.
"And it's days like these that I'm so glad I had a replica key cut to your account," she muttered while the house elf started carting packages upstairs.
*******