Subject: Astrology
WATER-task: Write about someone discovering a friend/family member/ loved one's secret.
Word Count: 3774
Prompts Used:
Character: Draco Malfoy
Color: Aquamarine
Word: adoption
. . .
April 3, 1974
She was beautiful, even Lucius could not deny that. Narcissa Black was her name, and she was poised, prim and proper. She was not like her sister at all, and Lucius did not know if he was disappointed by that fact. She had a cold aura about her, and she was looking at him like she hated him already. Well, he hated her, too.
Arranged marriages were so stupid, so useless. Lucius was wealthy enough to not need another family to aid him. And what kind of a proud, Pure-blooded family would marry into the Blacks? The House of Black had a blood-traitor every generation, after all, and what if Narcissa birthed a baby that would bring dirt to the Malfoy family name?
And it was not like either of their families needed more prestige and wealth to their names. So what was the point of this betrothal?
"I don't like you, Mr. Malfoy," his soon-to-be wife mentioned, "I really don't."
Lucius couldn't care less about what she thought of him. Her opinions were the least of his concerns. His time was just being wasted by being in her presence.
"Forgive me for whatever I have done to you, Ms. Black," he told her, with the sweetest smile he could fake.
Lucius Malfoy was a liar, after all. He was raised by liars, grew up with liars, and was currently serving a liar.
"People like you make me sick," she responded, not even bothering to return his smile. "You're like my sister, aren't you? A Death Eater, is that what you call it?"
Narcissa Black was an honest woman, apparently. She didn't have time for pretenses and falsehood. A person who would give others nothing but the cold, hard truth.
"You serve a man who is obviously below you," she continued, and Lucius dropped his smile. "You claim to be so proud of your name, but you kneel for another man, you live for another's purpose and life. The idea of it disgusts me, truly. False pride, false love for your own blood."
Lucius was now angry. How dare she minimize his worthiness? How dare she question his pride?
He refused to show her his fury, though, knowing that it would only give her satisfaction. He smiled forcefully instead.
"I am making an effort to get rid of the people whose blood are unworthy, Ms. Black," he retorted. "What have you done?"
"Not work for someone who calls himself Voldemort, at least," she chuckled, as if the matter was laughable.
She was not at all worthy of saying his name.
"If you value your life, Ms. Black, you shouldn't laugh at the names of people greater than you."
The blonde bitch laughed harder.
"'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vain,' that's what Muggles say," Narcissa informed him, "Are you a Muggle now, Mr. Malfoy?"
Lucius chose to not say anything, and simply glared at the woman.
"Now that we've established that we hate each other, Mr. Malfoy, let's get married." Narcissa scrunched up her nose at the idea, but gave a smile nonetheless.
"We only do what our parents tell us to do, unfortunately," Lucius agreed.
He picked up a glass filled with wine that came from another land, and raised it in the air.
"A toast to forced marriages, and disliking one's betrothed?"
Narcissa shook her head. "I don't like wine."
Lucius shrugged and sighed, taking a big gulp from the glass.
. . .
June 27, 1974
She was beautiful, even more so than usual. All women should be beautiful on the day of their wedding, he supposed. Lucius doubted they looked half as pretty as Narcissa though. She was wearing an aquamarine gown. She'd told him that it was her favorite color once, and Lucius had argued that it was blue. He was wrong, blue did not look good on her, but aquamarine did. Her blonde hair was not tied into a bun as it usually was, but instead freed from confinement, and brushed to perfection. She was also wearing a strange type of jewelry that went around her hair. What a goddess. If only she was as beautiful on the inside, maybe Lucius would like her a bit.
"Are you done?" he asked impatiently. A Malfoy should never have to wait for anyone.
She narrowed her blue eyes at him.
"Yes, sir," said Narcissa.
Lucius offered his arm. The blonde woman just sneered at him, and turned to the doors.
The said doors opened slowly, and revealed the Temple of the Four Goddesses.
Lucius fixed a smile on his face before he started walking with Narcissa by his side. He could feel the judging stares of the guests as they walked by. He paid it no mind, they were nothing but the smaller people. He knew he was practically royalty here, he just hated the idea of Narcissa as his Queen.
Their destination was shortly met. The Priestess that was going to marry them was smirking in a way that Lucius knew was conniving.
He glanced at Narcissa and saw that she was wrinkling her nose at the Priestess.
"We have gathered in this most sacred Temple today to see Miss Narcissa Antares Black and Mister Lucius Abraxas Malfoy join together to become one in the beautiful bond of marriage," the Priestess started.
Lucius was slightly repulsed by the idea of bonding with the likes of Narcissa Black.
"The couple's seven relatives, please light the candles that are surrounding them now," the Priestess softly commanded.
His mother, along with Narcissa's parents and four of her cousins, approached them and lit the candles.
"With these candles, we and the Goddess of Fire allow you to begin," Lucius heard them recite around him and Narcissa.
"These candles represent eternal love," said the Priestess, "the fires represent the love and gratefulness these two will surely have even after death. Please place one hand on top of a candle."
Narcissa waited for him to do it before she did.
"Narcissa," the Priestess called out. "Do you swear that you will love Lucius forever? Even if you are burning in the Kingdom of Fire or suffering as a servant to the hateful aristocrats in heaven?
Lucius saw her take a deep breath before she said the words.
"Yes, my superior. I swear." said Narcissa.
"Lucius," the Priestess turned to him with that sickening smirk. "Do you swear to protect and love Narcissa even until you are drowning in the deepest depths of the ocean or buried in the hottest core of the Earth?"
He straightened up and nodded. "Yes, my superior. I swear."
The wedding almost felt like it did not happen. It was so forged and practiced that it almost felt like a job. And Lucius hated working. But when they were commanded to seal their promises with a kiss, Lucius woke up. Lucius had kissed many times before, and he considered himself to be very adept at it. Narcissa looked like she had a sweet mouth, but the words that came out of her lips proved otherwise. Lucius did not want to kiss Narcissa at all.
The bitch that he'd been thinking about was grimacing as well, looking around the Temple for some sort of distraction.
Maybe, she would end up hating him more if he kissed her. That thought just made him want to press his lips against hers.
After a few moments of not doing anything, he realized that he did not want Narcissa to fall in love with him, so, out of spite, he grabbed her pale cheeks and kissed her lips.
She immediately pushed him away, wiped her lips, and sent him the coldest look he had received from her so far.
Lucius smiled smugly, knowing that the kiss only brought them more reasons to hate each other.
. . .
August 25, 1975
Narcissa was beautiful, but the girl that was currently moaning beneath him was someone worth loving.
He finished inside of her, still thinking of his wife's pretty face.
Now, Lucius knew that adultery was wrong. He hated his father for cheating on his mother, he hated it because it made his mother cry, but Narcissa did not love him. He believed that adultery was wrong if there was love. And the only love in his and Narcissa's relationship was their shared love for fighting each other.
Men got married to forever feel the warm touch of their wives. Narcissa might be good at using her tongue, but she was the coldest woman he'd ever known.
"I love you," the girl whose name he'd forgotten breathed.
Lucius smiled in satisfaction. That was what men needed and wanted in life, to be told that they were loved. If Narcissa told him that she loved him, Lucius would vomit. The woman was not capable of being in love. She was kind of like his Dark Lord in that way.
The girl who loved him started licking his neck.
Why was he even thinking of his bitch of a wife when he had a lovely woman in his arms?
. . .
December 24, 1975
She looked beautiful with the snow surrounding her. She was wearing a cloak, and had her hair down. Lucius decided that he liked her hair down and not tied up. She was crying though, softly whimpering and silently sniffing. It was strange to see her like that. She always seemed so strong, and crying simply did not suit her.
The House-Elves had told him that she had a miscarriage last night, while he was away. The funny thing was, he didn't even know she had been pregnant. So, Lucius did not feel an inch of sadness until he saw Narcissa crying today. The Goddesses were cruel to have let this happen near Christmas. He briefly wondered if Narcissa could ever be happy again.
He cautiously stepped closer to her. He had been following her when she got out of the Manor, wanting to know why she kept her pregnancy a secret, and then she suddenly collapsed and cried. She hadn't even notice he was following her, something must be on her mind.
Narcissa stiffened up when she heard his footsteps, then she slowly stood up.
"Why are you here?" Her voice was hoarse, but her tone remained harsh.
Lucius did not know what to say to a woman who suffered a miscarriage. He never learned how to comfort a wife in Hogwarts.
"Can you leave me alone, please?" Narcissa said that as a plea. He was sure that she was struggling to keep her sobs inside.
He did not know what she truly wanted him to do. So, he just did what he was told, and he left her alone with the thoughts of their dead child.
. . .
February 23, 1977
How could someone still look that damn good when angry?
Narcissa Black was one of a kind.
She had just learned that he was having affairs behind her back. Lucius was sure it was Severus who told her. He didn't know if his friend was in love with her or something, but she had him wrapped around her finger.
"Have you no respect for me, Lucius?" she spat through clenched teeth.
Lucius actually had plenty respect for his wife. He wouldn't allow anyone to speak ill of her, and he would do anything in his power to keep her out of bad media.
"You're sullying our name by being with those whores of yours, you do realize that?" Narcissa asked him, with an eyebrow raised.
Their name. The Malfoy name. It was not just his now, it was hers too. She was Narcissa Malfoy. Why was he still not used to that? She'd always been Miss Black to him.
"And what if you've fathered a bastard?" Narcissa's blue eyes widened in fear, and her face paled even more. "What would they say to me? They will think of me as a broken woman. Useless. I can almost see it now; the looks of pity as I walk by – "
Lucius narrowed his eyes. She was rambling now, he didn't like it when Narcissa rambled. Her voice was not something he would like to hear.
"Do you think I'm stupid, Cissa?"
Narcissa paused and then, nodded. "Yes, Lucius, ever since I met you."
He wanted to strangle this woman out of frustration, if only she could be one of the Muggles they torture and mutilate.
"I'm not an idiot," Lucius stated. "I know the consequences of my being with those whores, as you had politely defined."
Cissy sneered at him, and he scowled back.
"And I do lots of things to prevent these consequences from happening," he finished.
The heartless cunt was still fuming, but she kept quiet.
He sighed in relief now that the beast had been calmed. He made a move to leave, but Narcissa spoke again.
"I do not take these slights against me lightly, Lucius," she informed him with a saccharine smile. The kind of smile he would give to Muggles before he killed them. They were clearly spending too much time with each other.
"I'm a bitch, you said so yourself." Cissa continued. Swearing did not suit her. "A vengeful one, dear husband. So, I suggest you take plenty of precautions before you go to sleep tonight."
Then, she left the room. That was one of the most terrifying things he had ever experienced.
One should not make a Black woman angry. He had learned that by being with Bellatrix, he should've kept it in mind when he married Narcissa.
. . .
March 2, 1980
She was beautiful, talking to his mother sweetly, acting like she didn't hate her. Deception was something she had learned from him. Before their marriage, Narcissa never would have given so much effort to please a dying woman. Lucius could fall in love with the person she was pretending to be; sweet, gentle, and kind. Nothing of her cold heart was present.
"I do believe I made the best decision when I chose you as Lucius's wife," the woman who raised him told Narcissa.
He heard Narcissa chuckle.
"You are too kind, mother," his wife smiled falsely. "I do not regret marrying your son at all. He is the perfect man for a girl like me."
The blonde woman glanced at him with a pointed look, reminding him that she was only granting a dying mother's wish.
His mother laughed weakly, and Lucius felt a strange sensation in his chest.
"I'm glad I did something right for my only son." His mother sighed deeply.
This was the only moment he had ever felt guilty for lying to someone. He almost confessed that his marriage was not glorious at all, but Narcissa kept up the pretenses.
"Do not act as if you are already gone, mother," she said. "You still have a year to live."
"A year of lying down in this cold, hard bed," his mother corrected. "Like living death."
Lucius did not like the idea of his mother dying so soon. He had never really thought about living without her in his life, had never actually thought about what he would do after she left him.
"Lucius," her cracked voice called out.
"Mother."
He gave a false smile.
"I have only one wish," she started. "Let me see my grandchild before I die, please. Let me see the next generation of Malfoy before I'm dragged down to hell."
Of course. His mother wanted the only thing he could not give her.
He and Narcissa enjoyed sex very much. They did it often, after having an argument. Lucius had even stopped needing to go to other women, his wife's body was perfect – a work of art, he would say if he was poetic. They had sex without any sort of protection, but Narcissa never turned out to be pregnant. After her awful miscarriage, it seemed like she became infertile. So, it would be very hard to grant his mother's wish.
"I could see your child now, in my mind." Her mother's eyes were closed and had a peaceful smile on her face. "A boy, of course. A boy with grey eyes, blond hair, and Narcissa's nose. He will be perfect; born of Pure-blood and a good name."
Lucius looked down. He never wanted to have a child. He believed that they were annoying and too loud. Thinking of having a child with a woman like Narcissa made him sick. They would only destroy the child with their constant fighting.
"Please, Lucius."
He did not know what to do.
. . .
July 2, 1980
They had been trying to have a baby for the past four months. They had been literally sexing their frustrations away. Narcissa was still not pregnant. His mother was weakening day by day, and he was considering adoption just to make his mother happy.
So, today he was going to a Healer to check if there was something wrong with him.
The Healer that was currently smiling down at him told him that she was also constantly checking on Narcissa's health.
"There is nothing wrong at all, Mr. Malfoy," she said, even if she hadn't even done anything to prove her right.
Lucius was quite angry at this incompetent Healer. He suspected that she was of lesser blood because of her ditsy nature.
"Then why can't I have a child?" Lucius asked. He did not act like he was an idiot who knew nothing, he was simply curious. "My wife and I have been trying for – "
"Because Mrs. Malfoy had been taking special potions to get rid of whatever life might be growing inside her," the Healer explained.
At first, Lucius was annoyed that she cut him off, but then he realized the meaning of her words.
What? She was killing their children without letting him know?
Why would she even do that? Lucius knew that Narcissa sobbed when she lost her first baby. He knew that she had some sort of love for her family. So, why?
He left the hospital, and went home to get his answers.
He arrived at the Manor, and found her reading a book while sitting on her bed.
She still looked gorgeous. Lucius hated her.
He took the book from her hands, and forced her to stand up.
"You're hurting me!" she exclaimed, trying to wrench away from his tight grasp.
Lucius forcibly pushed her away, and she stumbled a bit before she steadied herself.
"You're an abuser now, too?" she questioned, sneering.
Lucius ignored that, knowing that he would never be a great man in her eyes. "How many times have you been pregnant?"
Narcissa looked confused for a moment before her lips broke out into a deadly smirk.
"Seven times," she answered without some guilt.
Lucius ground his teeth. "Why did you not tell me?"
She snorted. "Why do people keep secrets? Because they don't want others to know. And I didn't want you to know."
What a horrible woman.
"Why?" he asked, his tone low.
She tilted her head to the side, as if she was thinking about the answer. Bitch.
Narcissa grinned evilly at him. The same grin he would expect from Bellatrix.
"I don't care about what your mother wants, she could rot in the ground, and you would not see a tear fall down my eyes. It was her idea to have me married to you," she answered. "And I do love children, have a soft spot in my heart for them, but I will never let a child grow up with you as a father. I will never be so cruel to let him grow up with a man like your precious Lord living in the world. I will not let a child be born as a servant for a hairless, snake-man."
She knew he hated it when she disrespect his Lord.
"And do you even know how I lost a baby in the first place?" He was glad to hear emotion in her voice at least. Perhaps, she wasn't as cold as she perceived to be. "Your lovely Dark Lord was looking for you that night. I told him I didn't know where you were, and he tortured me for that."
Narcissa looked at several directions, not wanting him to see the tears forming in her pretty blue eyes. But he did.
"He was convinced that you were betraying him, and that I was covering up for you," she said bitterly. "I think he used six – maybe five – different curses. And, they all hurt."
Lucius did not know that. That was her fault. If she had let him know, then maybe he could feel a bit guilty. Lucius was not feeling guilty for something he hadn't done.
She was crying now. Lucius felt guilty for that.
"And, you know that I'm not strong – not enough to handle that kind of loss again," she admitted. Narcissa never liked lying, no matter how many times she had done it for him. She looked so beautiful while she sobbed in her white robes that Lucius could not stop himself from kissing her.
. . .
June 5, 1981
She was beautiful, even with sweat covering her skin, even with her face as white as the pillow she was resting her head on, even with her hair tangled in a mess. She was beautiful because she had given him the best gift he had ever received; a son.
His mother hadn't lived long enough to see his baby, but he looked just as she'd predicted. A tuft of blond hair on his head, grey-colored eyes that cleansed Lucius's soul, and Narcissa's pointy nose. He had been crying when Lucius first held him, all red and blotchy, but the boy was as beautiful as his mother. Lucius had been so shocked that he had not realize that Narcissa had given him a name.
Draco.
It was the Latin word for dragon. It was the name of a legislator in Athens. It was present in the night skies as a constellation. Lucius found that he liked the name. He thought it was a perfect name for someone destined for greatness, it was the perfect name for his heir. Upon first sight, Lucius knew he loved Draco.
As the boy – his boy sucked on Narcissa's breast, Lucius found himself captivated by the sight. He decided to remember this moment forever. And when Narcissa gave a grin despite her exhaustion, Lucius realized that he could love this not-so cold bitch after all.